For 14 years, Alyque Padamsee was the Chief Executive who built Lintas India to be one of the top agencies in the country. He went on to become the Regional Co-ordinator of Lintas South Asia. Within Lintas and the world outside he was fondly known as the God of Advertising. In his career of 14 years with Lintas, he built over 100 brands. Padamsee was the only Indian to be voted into the International Clio Hall of Fame, the Oscars of World Advertising.
The Body of Work
Padamsee created Lalitaji for Surf, Cherry Charlie for Cherry Blossom Shoe Polish, the MRF Muscle Man, the Liril girl in the waterfall, the Kamasutra couple, Hamara Bajaj, the TV detective Karamchand, the Fair & Handsome brand, and many more iconic characters and advertisements that would remain in the heart and minds of Indians for a very long time.
Early Life
His creative bent of mind, his eye for detail and the way he showcased brands and models went on to become the benchmark for all other advertising agencies. His sheer dedication carved a name for him that is irreplaceable. Padamsee was always termed as ‘ahead of his times’ by his contemporaries. Way back in 1982, when India hosted Asian games, the government decided to allow the import of some 50,000 plus color television sets in the country for people to get a taste of TV entertainment. Before this, the canvas of advertisements was almost blank. Some newspaper ads and radio were the only means available for the brands to promote their products. At such a time, giving the audience a visual connection with the brands was a very welcome wave of change and Alyque did just that.
He didn’t just create ads, he created connections between the audience and the brands. Lalitaji for Surf or the Liril girl are characters engraved in our minds forever because we don’t remember them as mere ads, we remember them because of the relatable connection that these characters and ads made with us.
Here is a look at some of the most iconic ads that make us believe why Padamsee was known as the God of Advertising
