A Deluded Fantasy?

What if someone said to an embryo in the womb,

"Outside of your world of black nothing

is a miraculously ordered universe;

a vast Earth covered with tasty food;

mountains, oceans, and plains,

fragrant orchards and fields full of crops;

a luminous sky beyond your reach,

with a sun, moonbeams, and uncountable stars;

and there are winds from south, north, and west,

and gardens replete with sweet flowers

like a banquet at a wedding fest.

The wonders of this world are beyond description.

What are you doing living in a dark prison,

drinking blood through that narrow tube?"

But, the womb-world is all an embryo knows

and it would not be particularly impressed

by such amazing tales, saying dismissively:

"You're crazy. That is all a deluded fantasy."

In his quest to explain the brilliance as well as the existence of the Almighty and His Creations, Rumi has actually shared a very good message for us creatives in advertising today!

How many times do we hear an unbelievable/incomprehensible idea and deem it too complex/too difficult/impossible to execute?

How many times does an idea scare us?

How many times are we content living in our own comfort zone? And are not treading the territories seldom trodden?

How many times do we really go with our gut instinct and not the restrictions others or we, ourselves, put on our individual capacity to be creative?

Bottom-line: Don't be an embryo in the womb.

Learning storytelling about stories from movies!

Love the way movies promote themselves. 

Check out the latest X-Men website: 25 Moments

Advertising and brands have a lot to learn about the way they tell the story before the actual story!

Trailers, promotions, stunts, virals, websites all lead in beautifully to the actual film; often telling a story by themselves too.

You Made Me a Father

Came across this beautiful video which I could relate to as a husband to my wife who has been a fantastic mother to our little daughter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZq62c82-h4

And it got me thinking. There isn't much advertising out there celebrating Dads! 

Without getting competitive, we do a lot too you know!

So, I thought I'd rephrase the manifesto/script of that same video and see how it'd work for Dads. Here goes...

I felt you. You were a pea. Then a lemon. Then an eggplant. 

I followed advice. I tried to read the books. I quit spicy food to support your mother .

Could you tell I was anxious and expectant?

I talked to you, sang to you... I wasn't ready.

But then you were here. Ten toes. Eight pounds. Love. Big fat love.

I held you. I fed you. 

I realized that I would spend my every spare moment, hey even my life doing things to make you happy -- and that that would make me happy.

And then there are the times I want to give up. You've made me rethink my sanity. You've made me want to fall on my parent's feet and tell them that I get it. That I love them.

But then you smile and you say my name -- and you grab my hand with those little fingers.

We're growing together. We are seeing the world like it's new. I will open my heart and love will rain down all over you. You'll giggle, and I'll do it all over again. And we will walk hand in hand. Until you let go.

I made you, but you made me a father.

Sounds just as beautiful. Someone should make this for Dads too :)

Here's one I would love to do for the upcoming Father's Day...

The insight: Fathers are the assigned family photographers. Capturing beautiful moments of their kid being a kid, their wife with their kid, their kid with their respective sibling, their kids with other kids, and many more. Many a time, being on the other side of the camera. Seldom being in front of it.

The idea: To the man behind the camera. Happy Father's Day.