It's daring, but I love it: Rajdeepak Das on leading multiple agencies at Publicis Groupe

Imagine yourself in a crowded room filled with advertising professionals. Amidst the sea of faces, one person stands out, even if you don't know his name, although, in this industry, it's hard not to. Always seen in black, with a pair of headphones around his neck and funky sneakers on his feet, is Rajdeepak Das. His journey from Berhampur, Odisha, to becoming a leader in the advertising world is a story of his pure passion for creativity. He is what we call the epitome of ‘Mad Ad Man’.

Born to a lawyer mother and a doctor father, Das moved to Bengaluru after high school to pursue a bachelor's degree in Business Management from Garden City College. His passion for creativity led him to MICA to be part of a creative course designed by Suraja Kishore. From there, his professional career took flight. Starting at Enterprise Nexus, he quickly moved on to Grey Mumbai and Contract Advertising, where he worked on notable brands like Cadbury Bytes, Kinetic, and Shoppers Stop.

Das was 23 years old when he joined BBDO Bangkok in 2004 and this marked a significant turning point in his career. Under the leadership of Suthisak Sucharittanonta, in his four years stint there, he won his first Cannes Design Lion. Das was asked to come to India for a pitch and after winning it, BBDO India was established. Das spent the next five years working alongside Josy Paul. His work there won him more than 10 Cannes Lions and other awards.

In June 2014, Das joined Leo Burnett as Chief Creative Officer. Over the past decade, he has transformed the agency into a creative powerhouse, earning numerous accolades along the way. His campaigns, such as Bajaj V and Roads that Honk, have won multiple awards, including Cannes Lions and Spikes Asia golds.

Promoted to Managing Director in 2018, Rajdeepak continued to rise. By 2022, in addition to his role as CEO and CCO of Leo Burnett South Asia, he became the Chairman of Publicis Groupe, South Asia’s Creative Council. Today, Rajdeepak Das, CCO - Publicis Groupe South Asia and Chairman Leo Burnett South Asia, oversees multiple agencies, driving innovation and creativity across the board.

As Das completes a decade at Leo Burnett, he says he has a white beard to show this experience. With his candor, he reflects on his journey that has had loyalty and creativity at its heart. He shares the highlights of his career and looking ahead, he shares his vision for the future of the industry he loves.

Edited Excerpts:

How are you fitting into the new role?

It's very interesting. I have two roles now. One is as the Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe South Asia, and other as Chairman Leo Burnett, South Asia. 

The role of chairman for Leo Burnett is quite similar to what we've been doing over the past four or five years. The designation is new, but the responsibilities include both creative processes and profitability focusing on financials, people, and overall operations. That’s the more straightforward and easy part of the job. 

The more interesting and tougher part of the role is actually the Publicis Group's CCO role. This must be the first time a creative person in India is heading multiple agencies. Previously, I only led one agency, but now I'm overseeing the entire group. This role involves working with Saatchi & Saatchi, BBH with new leadership, and an energetic team at Digitas. Publicis is also undergoing changes. Additionally, we collaborate with media, MSL, and PR teams. Clients appreciate this holistic approach because now we offer perspectives from both the media and PR sides, enhancing problem-solving capabilities. It's about providing creative solutions for everything. It's daring, but I love it.

You joined Leo Burnett in June 2014 and now you've completed a decade. Can you share some of the highlights from the journey?

This is the longest I've been with any agency. I joined at 33, and now I have a white beard to show for it. Jokes aside, the journey has been incredible. The highlight has been transforming Leo Burnett into a creative and solutions hub, not just an award-winning agency. We've evolved in our approach with clients; the kinds of clients we attract, and the solutions we provide.

Some memorable projects include creating the bike for Bajaj V, 'Roads that Honk', the 'OLX Dastaan' campaign, 'Missing Chapter' for Whisper, reviving Kapil Dev’s legendary 175 innings for Airtel, designing the Indian cricket team jersey for MPL, and developing 'Smart Farm' for farmers. Our work has not only evolved us but also impacted the entire industry. We've contributed to changing the industry's landscape.

Equally important are the people I've met along the way. People like Sachin, Spikey, and Sam have been with me from the start. There are also new talents who've joined to enhance our team. Many young creatives have grown up within Burnett, shaping our new generation of talent. These individuals have enriched my life, and I hope I've made a positive impact on theirs.

What would you identify as the key learnings from this role, and how have they influenced your creative thinking?

This role has changed me significantly. I remember a conversation with a former boss who remarked that I had become a better human being. I've developed a deeper empathy towards people and clients, gaining a better understanding of why people act the way they do and the importance of business operations.

Previously, I was a young ECD at 23, the youngest Creative Director in the country, and at 28, an ECD, shaped by mentors like Josy Paul and Suthisak Sucharittanonta of BBDO. Back then, I was a young child and now transitioning to this role has made me realize the value of things I once took for granted.

As one of the employees who has stayed loyal to Leo Burnett, how are you trying to instill this value of loyalty, which is now seldom found, within the group?

I don't know if I’m loyal to Leo Burnett as an entity. I'm loyal to the people I work with. Agencies have names but they are fundamentally made of the people within them. 

Your value is as good as the people you work with. My loyalty lies with them—my creative team, business team, and planning team.

There are times when I feel down, and someone with energy and hope lifts me up. I can’t let them down; I can’t fail them. This sense of responsibility drives me. Sometimes my clients call and say, "Raj, this is what’s happening; I need help." I can’t fail them either. So, I would say I’m not loyal to the organisation per se, but to the people—my colleagues and clients.

To me, they are more than just professional contacts; they are my family. Clients from Bajaj, P&G, Pepsico, Spotify, HDFC Life, and many others have been with me for the last 10 years. They are my friends and my only contact with the world. So, my loyalty is to my friends, those I work with, and those I serve.

Leo Burnett has won many awards at the ABBYs this year, including 'Digital Specialist of the Year' and 'Creative Agency of the Year', highlighting its digital and creative strength. While these wins highlight the agency’s strengths, how is the group positioning itself on a larger level?

It's not about positioning ourselves as a digital entity. We work with brands using tools like AI, but not for the sake of being trendy. For instance, we use AI to give brands a voice or to develop solutions like the 'Smart Farm' for scanning or the 'Gatorade Turf Finder' to locate turfs. Most of our work revolves around design solutions for major brands, focusing on solving human problems. Our approach centers around culture. We're not trying to be trendy; we use whatever tools are available to solve real problems.

What does the group want to be known for?

We aim to be known as a humankind agency. This concept has been central to us, but it has become even more significant in the past two or three years, especially post-COVID. 

We have seen how we can impact billions of lives, and our motto, ‘Impacting Billion Lives,’ reflects this. By working with the biggest brands, which have the most significant reach, we can create ideas that are mass-produced and highly impactful.

We focus on using technologies like AI to reach broader demographics, such as India 2 and India 3, not just India 1. The goal is to positively impact Indian people's lives with empathy at the core.

How is advertising evolving? What factors have changed and what remain constant?

The mediums have definitely changed. We now have multiple mediums instead of just one. We've seen AI, VR, and AR come into play, and the conversation often revolves around these new mediums. The mediums will continue to evolve, bringing new ways to reach audiences. 

However in advertising, what has remained constant is the ‘navras'. The importance of relationships has remained constant. Since the beginning of human behavior, relationships, whether within families or communities, have been crucial. Advertising still aims to connect with people on a relational level, keeping people and culture at its core. This fundamental aspect has not changed and will continue to be important.

I think about the people I admire like Piyush, Prasoon and Balki, and globally, David Droga, and Suthisak, and the work they've done; It's not easy. The medium is changing, but human needs remain the same.

In what ways has AI influenced the visual aspect of advertising?

AI has had a significant impact on the visual side of advertising. To give a small example, look at Shah Rukh Khan's ad, it was fascinating to see how AI was integrated. Similarly, for the Farhan Akhtar campaign we worked on, AI played a pivotal role. I had worked on a project for OLX called OlxMadAds where I had to shoot 101,784 small ads. Today, with AI, that kind of work can be streamlined and executed much faster.

AI has made the process more efficient, allowing us to be nimble and spend more time on hitting the right creative point. I call this the "basic right point," which is the foundation before the tipping point of creativity occurs. AI helps with the technical execution, but it's our imagination that drives the creative process. AI accelerates our ability to get the necessary elements in place quickly, freeing us to focus on more imaginative and impactful work. It enhances our capacity to think better and faster, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in advertising.

Do you believe that the widespread use of AI in advertising has led to more templated and less creative outputs?

It's all about how you use the technology and what you make out of it. There's a line from Google that says, ‘Technology is what you make out of it,’ and that's what it is. AI can be used in a variety of ways. It can create something innovative like a Shah Rukh Khan ad, provide the voice for Farhan Akhtar, or even have applications in healthcare, such as predicting diseases or using the phone's front camera to detect skin cancer.

The potential of AI depends on us. We can't afford to be lazy. We have to keep pushing the boundaries of our imagination. AI provides the tools, but it's up to us to use them creatively and not fall into the trap of producing templated outputs. 

What are some potential risks when relying heavily on AI?

I don't believe in focusing on the risks because 'risk hai toh ishq hai'. Why should we dwell on the negativity when we can embrace the positivity? I always see the potential and the positive impact of what can be done. 

Do you believe AI's impact has been just on the surface level, how else do you expect to see AI being used?

AI can predict when you're passing a billboard, and the billboard knows that this is the time Raj becomes hungry. It can scan my stomach and see that the container of my stomach is empty, evaluating when I will be hungry. It knows from my phone what I last ordered and can tell me, ‘Do you want to order that?’ It can be anything and everything. AI can go beyond your imagination. The moment you have imagination, AI is there to help you out. There is no limit to what can be thought. More than AI, the limit is human imagination. AI is just there to fill it out. 

What are your short-term goals?

Now after the win, it’s to just go and get a couple of bottles of beer with my team and my clients. 

What are your long-term goals?

To be a better father. When my daughter grows up, I want her to be proud of what I've done.

What would your message be to aspiring creative folks in the industry?

Don't be afraid, kick our a**. We want someone to come and wake us up every single day making us fearful about what they are doing.

Are there any industry trends you foresee?

I don't know about industry trends because I always believe that the only way to predict the future is to build it yourself. So, we will be building it.