With a name like that.

Your first day at your first agency is something you’ll never forget. Ironically, it’s also something nobody else in the agency will ever remember.

I mean, why should they? After all, you are (and will be for a while at least) one of the most insignificant people there. Hierarchy-wise, interns are usually graded below chai-walas, sweepers and security guards. And come on, to be fair, the others are actually useful to the agency.

Let’s start with your name.

There’re only three situations under which it will ever be remembered.

1. 1. If you share the same name as someone who used to work there.

Studio Manager: You’re Vijay? We used to have a Vijay here! (pause) He wasn’t good.

1. 2. If your name rhymes with someone else’s name who works there.

Planner: You’re Asha? We have Natasha down in servicing. Hehehehe. Asha, and Natasha. (pause… thinks) What a tamasha! Hehehehe.

1. 3. If the creatives can pun with your name.

Copywriter: You’re Ahmed? (sniggers) So where are you from…Ahmedabad? (laughs, hi-fives copy-trainee).

So unless you’ve got a name that sticks, you’re in grave danger of falling into the ‘Hey’ zone.

The ‘Hey-zone’, as explained by Dom Cobb:

‘It’s like limbo, an expanse of raw infinite, indefinite subconscious you can never get out of.’

You become a dude without a name, a man without a plan, the whatever without whatever. Basically, when your name doesn’t stick- they won’t bother using a pronoun- they just use a salutation.

‘Hey, um… (points to you) yeah hey, um… put headline here’- Mr. Xonoxo, Visualizer.

‘Hey, hey… yeah… coffee for you?’- Coffee dude at the coffee machine.

‘To Hey,

Rs. 3,500 only.’- Your stipend cheque.

And it’s freaking difficult to get away from the ‘Hey’ zone because face it, they’ve given up on addressing you in the first place!

Which is why it helps if you have a really screwed up name, something that one can remember- like 'Tom, Dick or maybe Harry'. Something that sticks, you know.

But on a semi-serious note, don’t lose hope. For what it’s worth, whether they remember you or not, you’ll probably learn a lot just hearing them talk.

People in advertising love to talk about it. That’s primarily because nobody else ever does!

I mean, think about it. It’s not really that public-friendly an industry, is it? It’s not as filmy as the movies, or sporty as sports- in fact, I’ve come to learn that the folks outside the agency haven’t a freaking clue of what goes on there!

‘Oh, something interesting I hope, I mean you guys go to work in shorts!’- Pratapan, Auto Driver.

And let me tell you, it sure is.

With a name like that.

Your first day at your first agency is something you’ll never forget. Ironically, it’s also something nobody else in the agency will ever remember.

I mean, why should they? After all, you are (and will be for a while at least) one of the most insignificant people there. Hierarchy-wise, interns are usually graded below chai-walas, sweepers and security guards. And come on, to be fair, the others are actually useful to the agency.

Let’s start with your name.

There’re only three situations under which it will ever be remembered.

1. 1. If you share the same name as someone who used to work there.

Studio Manager: You’re Vijay? We used to have a Vijay here! (pause) He wasn’t good.

1. 2. If your name rhymes with someone else’s name who works there.

Planner: You’re Asha? We have Natasha down in servicing. Hehehehe. Asha, and Natasha. (pause… thinks) What a tamasha! Hehehehe.

1. 3. If the creatives can pun with your name.

Copywriter: You’re Ahmed? (sniggers) So where are you from…Ahmedabad? (laughs, hi-fives copy-trainee).

So unless you’ve got a name that sticks, you’re in grave danger of falling into the ‘Hey’ zone.

The ‘Hey-zone’, as explained by Dom Cobb:

‘It’s like limbo, an expanse of raw infinite, indefinite subconscious you can never get out of.’

You become a dude without a name, a man without a plan, the whatever without whatever. Basically, when your name doesn’t stick- they won’t bother using a pronoun- they just use a salutation.

‘Hey, um… (points to you) yeah hey, um… put headline here’- Mr. Xonoxo, Visualizer.

‘Hey, hey… yeah… coffee for you?’- Coffee dude at the coffee machine.

‘To Hey,

Rs. 3,500 only.’- Your stipend cheque.

And it’s freaking difficult to get away from the ‘Hey’ zone because face it, they’ve given up on addressing you in the first place!

Which is why it helps if you have a really screwed up name, something that one can remember- like 'Tom, Dick or maybe Harry'. Something that sticks, you know.

But on a semi-serious note, don’t lose hope. For what it’s worth, whether they remember you or not, you’ll probably learn a lot just hearing them talk.

People in advertising love to talk about it. That’s primarily because nobody else ever does!

I mean, think about it. It’s not really that public-friendly an industry, is it? It’s not as filmy as the movies, or sporty as sports- in fact, I’ve come to learn that the folks outside the agency haven’t a freaking clue of what goes on there!

‘Oh, something interesting I hope, I mean you guys go to work in shorts!’- Pratapan, Auto Driver.

And let me tell you, it sure is.