Debarshi Pandit has worked at international advertising agencies McCann-Erickson and Lowe of the IPG group, and Ogilvy and Mather, of the WPP Group. He has also worked at Omnicom Media Group across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
He is currently the Director of OMG Ethnic at the Omnicom Media Group UK.
Debarshi was born in Calcutta and raised in Mumbai – so feels that he had the best of both the East and the West.
He comes from a Hindu Bengali family. Debarshi’s father is a geophysicist. He says,
“He discovered a couple of oilfields in India but because he worked for a government company (ONGC) in socialist India, we just have some bottles of crude oil along with the certificates highlighting his achievement. My mother continues being a home-maker and my parents enjoy 53 years of marriage.”
Early years and influences
Debarshi’s parents instilled in him the value of hard-work and striving for the best in whatever field he chose in life.
“They decried mediocrity and didn’t shy away from it – I still remember my dad refusing to buy me a bicycle (which was a big thing when I was a 10 year old) because I got 96 /100 in Maths. According to him, maths is a subject that with the correct answers, I should have got 100/100!
So in a way, it was a strict upbringing for me.”
Turning point
Debarshi’s parents wanted him to be an engineer or doctor. His brother, older by 10 years, did become an engineer. But the younger boy was a rebel and wanted to do something different; a career in advertising.
Biggest Challenge
“The initial biggest challenge was getting a buy-in to my future career from my parents. I respect my parents and didn’t want to do anything against their wishes – however, I also believe that one should lead their life according to their own free will and not because of someone else.
Having said that, my parents, though initially reluctant, did eventually buy-in to the idea that their son could have a career outside engineering or medicine.
My parents are not ultra conservative and always give a fair hearing when logic gets presented - which is exactly what I did to pursue my career.”
Debarshi is an anthropologist but it fits with his work. He says that almost everything he does has an anthropological element to it.
“Studying human behaviour is one of the most important elements in the advertising / media world – why people buy what they buy, how they respond to different messages, what they like to watch, what they love reading has everything to do with anthropology so I am fascinated by ‘this’ side of science. There is a reason why some products sell better than others, why certain programmes have a loyal base and following over others. It all has all to do with basic human emotions and behaviour.
Area of work in the agency and view on the Asian community in the UK
“My current remit at work is primarily focused at ensuring that all mainstream communications within the clients of Omnicom Media Group in the UK are also aimed at the ethnic audiences that live in the country.
These include the Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Afro Caribbean, Polish, Chinese and Jewish communities. As per census findings, 14% of the UK population is ethnic with the Indian community being the largest homogenous ethnic group at 1.4 million people in the UK.
Through our research findings, we are also aware that on a like-for-like basis, the Asian community in the UK tends to be better educated and more affluent than its white British counterpart and all of these factors combined have some serious ramifications for clients’ media plans that should have a strand of ethnic targeting.”
Debarshi on the lack of Asian representation in the media business in UK.
“There is a lack of Asian representation within the wider media business that desperately needs to change for the better. Having said that, it is also a question of chicken and egg.
The recruitment teams at agencies say that there aren’t enough applicants from ethnic groups who see advertising as a career, and so can’t recruit.
But a prospective candidate from an ethnic group doesn’t consider media or advertising as a career option because they don’t see enough role models from their community in senior roles within the media industry. I am hopeful that things are beginning to change for the better and it is all a matter of time…”
...................................................................................
“There is a lack of Asian representation within the wider media business that desperately needs to change for the better.” Debarshi Pandit.
