I Am Trying To Unleash The Power Of Creativity & Possibility: Rajdeepak Das

As Cannes Lions 2023 came to an end, India was bestowed with 25 Lions in total, including Grand Prix, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Lions, with Leo Burnett India emerging as the most awarded Indian agency, receiving 11 Lions in total.

The campaigns by Leo Burnett India highlighted at the prestigious festival of creativity comprised of ‘Airtel 175 Replayed’ for Airtel; ‘Lay’s Smart Farm’ for Lays; The Missing Chapter for P&G; ‘#BringBack2011’ for Oreo and ‘The Biochar Project’ for Lays. 

In a candid conversation with Rajdeepak Das, Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett, we discussed the agency's global win, his experience as a jury member at Cannes Lions, and his vision for the advertising business.

On the win at the global stage, Das stated, “It was amazing. Winning the second time for innovation for is truly humbling.” Furthermore, he discussed the innovation, ideation, and work that went into each of the campaigns that were presented and won. He went on to highlight several aspects of the campaigns that were envisioned. For example, '#BringBack2011' for Oreo used humour to connect with audiences, whilst 'Airtel 175 Replayed' for Airtel used technology and communication to morph to bring history back to the country. In addition, he shared with us how significant P&G's 'The Missing Chapter' campaign was to them and the lens they emphasised on getting a chapter back into the lives of women. Moreover, he also mentioned how years of data were used to eventually incorporate the innovation in the campaign for 'Lay's Smart Farm,' whereas 'The Biochar Project' for Lays had a vision of effectiveness and long-term aim while crafting the campaign.

When addressing his experience as a jury member at Cannes Lions 2023, he emphasised how significant it was to be a part of the jury in the Sustainable Development Goals Lions category. He stated, “It was the best jury session I’ve ever had as the category was sustainable development goals. People from the United Nations, creative people, and people from banking and finance were all present, and that is what made it truly special. One moment you think, What is creative? and the next you wonder, Is it really going to be SDG or just a sad story? We question whether the campaign is effective and long-term and whether it will work five years from now, because 2030 is not far away, it is right around the corner. Is the campaign likely to have a large impact? There's a lot to look forward to.” He further added, “SDG had an amazing jury, amazing sessions and what emerges very fast is the kind of work that’s going to change the world for good. So it indeed was an incredible experience.”

When asked about the current trends at Cannes Lions 2023, Das stated, “There’s nothing called trends really. Cannes Lions shows us the glimpse of the future and the innovation and creativity the future holds for all of us.” He further adds, “The world will drastically change in the upcoming two to three years and the impact it will make is immense. The power of creativity will go to the next level.”

Moreover, when asked about the advertising industry’s future, Das expressed, “I feel I am responsible now. In November 2022, I felt the power of SDG and this year at Cannes Lions when I was a jury of SDG Lions, the impact it has had on me is immense. I feel I am responsible for innovating and ideating even more. I am trying to unleash the power of creativity and possibility for the future to come.”