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The adman said he decided he should take baby steps at least and start the movement to establish the indie as a brand
Narayan is busy with the launch of his short film and a lavish coffee table book titled Missy’s Musings. Pic/News18
For advertising mogul Ramesh Narayan, indie dogs have always been more than just pets; they are family. Currently, he is busy with the launch of his short film and a lavish coffee table book titled Missy’s Musings.
Speaking about the inspiration behind his mission to create a safe environment for indie dogs, he says, “We have had indies at home for some time now. Missy is our third indie, and in fact, one of them, Peppy, was brought home from Chennai. She was found on the roads there. We have experienced the real love and joy of having an Indian dog. [However,] if you happen to go out on a walk, you will see that 10 out of 10 dogs on a leash are these breed dogs. So, as an advertising person, I thought that the only reason why anyone would not have an indie is that it is not a brand. For example, Vodafone made the pug into a brand. Unfortunately for the pug, the advertising still worked. So, I thought that we should take baby steps at least and start the movement to establish the indie as a brand. The time is right. Everything Indian now is good. When we start building the brand, I hope it’ll have a lot more value than it has now.”
So, when did his love for dogs begin? Reflecting on this, he says, “Many years ago, when our son was about 12, he’s now 30, so about 18 years ago, he came to me and said, ‘I want a dog, Daddy’. And he was after me, pestering. I asked him, ‘What kind of a dog would you like, Sunny?’ And he said, ‘I would like a pug.’ I asked him, ‘Do you want a dog or you want a brand?’ And he said, ‘What does that mean? I don’t understand.’ So I said, ‘Go and ask your mom and come back the next day’. He came back the next day and said, ‘Dad, I want a dog.’ And at that time, Welfare for Stray Dogs was holding an adoption drive. So we went, and the first dog, who was an indie, Sugar, came home. And then after you experience it once, you are sold on it.”
According to Narayan, indie dogs are just as good as other breeds. “It is hardy, low maintenance, and as loving and caring as any other dog. And it’s free! What more do you want?” he says.
Talking about his short film and book, he explains, “The entire film has been made as a labour of love. I happened to mention it to Nabil Abbas, who’s a well-known entertainment industry personality. He said, ‘I am there for you.’ Pooja Bhatt said, ‘I would love to act in this film.’ She also lent her voice to it. And so I have made this now in the name of the Rotary Club of Bombay.”
He further says, “During Covid, I had this idea: can a dog write? And I said, ‘I’ll try it.’ And amazingly, I found a whole lot of people were playing along with it. And slowly, I found that Missy had a larger following than I had. However, if the idea is to create a brand, it has to be properly presented in a coffee table book and richly illustrated.”
About the Author
Nishad Thaivalappil is a Lifestyle and Entertainment Journalist with almost a decade-long odyssey in the realms of movies, music, culture, food, and travel. He leads the Lifestyle desk at News18.com. Besides ha…Read More
Nishad Thaivalappil is a Lifestyle and Entertainment Journalist with almost a decade-long odyssey in the realms of movies, music, culture, food, and travel. He leads the Lifestyle desk at News18.com. Besides ha… Read More
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