Prof. Rajan Nair

Adjunct Faculty, Communication Design

Although an Economics and Law graduate, he has always been a writer by passion. He started as a Trainee Copywriter in Contract in 1980. Since then, he has worked in some of the (arguably) most creative agencies in the country: Enterprise, Nexus Equity (an agency that he was also Founder Director of), Ambience, and TBWA Anthem.

Some of the best-known brands and campaigns Prof. Rajan has worked with in the country:

  • Raymonds (created The Complete Man campaign)
  • The Economic Times (created The Power of Knowledge campaign)
  • The NECC Egg campaign (Sunday ho ya Monday…. Campaign)
  • Venkys Chicken (created the Better Chicken Makes Better Chicken Launch campaign)
  • Vadilal Ice Cream
  • Thums Up
  • Limca
  • Sony Handycam
  • Lakme
  • CRY (Child Relief And You) – for several years since its inception

These are just a few of the brands he has worked on… The full list covers virtually all categories of products and services any advertising professional could hope to be associated with.

He had the privilege of working with many of the best-known professionals in the advertising industry: Mohammad Khan, Elsie Nanji, Ashok Kurien, Arun Kale, Preeti Vyas Gianetti, Madhukar Doiphode, Shabnam Sirur…

As Head of Creative, his responsibilities included training and initiation of youngsters into the Creative Department and management trainees in the intricacies of advertising creative work. He has been on the Panel of Judges for the Advertising Club, Bombay, CAG, and several other advertising clubs and organizations.

He is a self-taught computer enthusiast. As Founder-Director at Infocast Technologies and at compassbox.com, he has interviewed, recruited, and managed IT professionals and has helped design many online, interactive features and systems.

He has been conducting Creative Writing workshops at colleges in Mumbai and for private groups. He has also conducted a short-term advertising course in association with Sophia Polytechnic. He has been Visiting Faculty at MICA for over 15 years for the Crafting Creative Communications (CCC) programme, as well as some sessions for Post Graduate (Communications Management) students. He has conducted workshops on Developing Communication Skills, Advertising Effectiveness and Creativity for organisations such as Malayalam Manorama Group, Mid Day (and several other publications), Asian Paints, CIPLA, Abbott Labs, Tata Group, and Sony Entertainment. He is on a training mission overseas for Grey (Advertising) Worldwide, to bring their Creative Team up to international standards.

Won over 150 Awards

Prof. Rajan has won over 150 national and international awards. Awards include two CLIO finalist nominations (International). Was a finalist at the London International Advertising Awards, won the Advertising Campaign of the Year from the Advertising Club, Bombay (twice), several CAG Awards, and newspaper/magazine awards from Pioneer, Mid-Day, and A&M, Tops International (Copywriter Of The Year), and an obscene number of obscure awards.