Adding spice to the Chillies

It was not totally unexpected -- the dispute at the Chillies over scams. Over the years from the SLIM, Ola & SLIM, SLIM alone and now the Chillies, the advertising industry has been at loggerheads over different issues. In perhaps the second time – after the Ola’s – the industry came together and agreed to create an awards scheme that would reflect more creativity than effectiveness. There were disagreements; nevertheless the majority believed this was the way forward. The first Chillies went on smoothly or so it seemed (now the claim is that there were a few scam ads included).

The second and current one has triggered a major furore over ‘mass scamming’ prompting The Sunday Times FT to conduct an email poll amongst the ad industry, marketing and ordinary consumers and seek their views. There were concerns raised by a senior marketing personality about the target audience but to us the issue of advertising includes everyone even a beggar on the street who buys a product. The poll results are clear and given on Page 10. The issues that surfaced indicate the undercurrents in the industry despite niceties expressed in public. The issue of plagiarism was brought to the fore and urged that it be addressed by the watchdogs in the industry. What about ethics, values, being honest and transparency? Well these were also hotly raised. So was the need for ‘jaded’ spokespersons in the industry to move over and let youngsters take over or give serious consideration to their views. At the end of the day, The Sunday Times FT hopes this poll will result to some positive thought and soul searching in making the Chillies even better and more acceptable to everyone in the industry, not only the big timers