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Feature

More on PROMOLOGIC 2006

Shamma M. Raghib

Last week, we covered the PROMOLOGIC event. For those of you who missed the last issue, PROMOLOGIC was a competition organized by North South University Debate Club. The competition was held on 29th September, and the teams who participated, fought against each other, by showing who is a more talented advertiser. Four Teams: Planet A( Sheemanta, Zunaed, Sinha, Raisa), Volcanic(Sonya, Deeba, Nehreen, Faiza), Mercury(Safwan, Imtiaz, Fahim, Dastagir) and Neptune(Nawed, Borsha, Mou and Reza) went to the finals. The finalists were asked to formulate ways of making Dhakahotties.com, an online rating portal, one of the coolest things around town. Based on the presentation, logic, practicality and creativity, the panel of judges voted Mercury as the best team. It was interesting to see that the celebrity panels of judges were very impressed with the creativity of North South University students. Famous TV actress Shomi Kayser, CEO of Adcomm ad agency, dhakahotties owner Mr. Farhan, CEO of Paper Rhyme, director of Technovista and Mr. Meshkatuddin, Dean of NSU Business Department were present in the judge panel.

Recently, I had the opportunity of talking with Iresh Zakir, the leading man of the ad agency 'Asiatec'. I asked him why did he associate himself with PROMOLOGIC. It turns out that since PROMOLOGIC is related to advertisement and Asiatec, is the leading agency around town; Mr. Iresh wanted to recruit some potential creative talents from NSU. According to him, “NSU students have a fairly good understanding of potential market and they are very presentable and often very creative”. This was clearly shown in the final round of the championship, when the teams shocked everyone by coming up with brilliant but practical advertising strategies. Mr. Iresh further said, “Secondly, I wanted people to understand the advertising concept. Some people have the misconception that not much though goes in to make a good advertisement. Unfortunately, a lot of detailed marketing surveys, cost benefit analysis, detailed thoughts and careful consideration goes into making a proper advertising strategy. Fortunately there was a pretty good turnout in the finals and they got to see the detailed advertising planning. The potential which some of the contestants have shown in the competition is marvelous and I have to say that after witnessing the finals, all the teams are winners in their own rights!”

I asked Mr. Iresh Zakir whether he thought the competition has proved its purpose. “I am extremely pleased with the outcome, yes!” he said, “ Since I was there right from the beginning of the competition, I have experienced the idea outbursts from students even at eleven at night! Some of their ideas were simply mind-blowing, something which maybe even I could never come up with! I think the NSUers have shown us something that the whole advertising industry could be proud of!”

Well, enough said…it now remains to be seen whether NSUDC will launch this amazing competition and take it to inter-university level where we can find out creative personnel not only from NSU but also from all the other universities. Mr. Sarajit Baral, President of NSU Debate Club is hopeful that this competition will prove to be one of the best inter-university competitions held each year. “Advertising and logic goes hand in hand and where there is logic, there is debate, that is one huge reason why we put up this competition!” said the President.