Anand Halve, often called the pioneer of account planning in Indian advertising met his Maker after a prolonged battle with lung disease. Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO, Media & OOH, Madison World, pays his tribute to the veteran adman
I met Andy first in the late 80s when I was in P&G Marketing Research and he had left Pathfinders to join Enterprise. What I ncountered then was an exceptional jugalbandi of the left and right brain. With Andy, you didn’t take a leap of faith, you took a leap of reason. A seeming chasm in the flow of logic for you where only he could see the connection. Needless to say the interactions, though infrequent, were enriching and memorable.
My next interaction with him was probably more than a decade later where mental callisthenics gave way to evolved brand planning. He could see brands as organic creatures destined to outlive humans given the right nourishment. I also had an opportunity to be a contributor to Ad Katha, his legacy for our industry.
As passionate as he was gentle, Andy was special. I wasn’t aware of his health condition and the news about his demise hit me straight in the solar plexus. Bandhu to all, his void will be tough to fill.
(Sakhuja is Group CEO, Media & OOH, Madison World)
Musafir yuunhii geet gaye chalaa jaa...
Anand Halve’s LinkedIn profile says “IIM-A post-graduate by education; brand consultant by profession; teacher at heart; and Hindustani poet in spirit.” Halve, who started his career at Lintas in 1977, went on to work at Enterprise Nexus with the legendary Mohammed Khan prior to co-founding Chlorophyll in 1999. He is often called the pioneer of account planning in Indian advertising. Known as a thought leader, brilliant brand strategist and walking encyclopaedia on the Indian advertising industry, he is the author of three books - ‘Planning for Power Advertising’ (2005), Adkatha: The Story of Indian Advertising (2011) and ‘Darwin’s Brands’ (2012). This couplet written by him and displayed on his Twitter profile “Musafir yuunhii geet gaye chalaa jaa ~/ sar-e-rahguzar kuchh sunaaye chalaa jaa ~” is poignant.
Halve, 61, met his Maker on November 22 after a prolonged battle with lung disease. Here are some Twitter posts from prominent people in the advertising industry after news of his demise became known.
Kiran Khalap @KiranKhalap
The Chlorophyll community grieves the untimely death of its cofounder, father of brand planning in India & friend to millions: Anand Halve
MullenLowe Lintas @MLLintasGroup
RIP @anandhalve. Lintas will always be indebted to you for your contribution in shaping its character and culture that continues to this day
Harsha Bhogle @bhogleharsha
Am in agony at the passing of Anand Halve, one of the finest minds in advertising & someone who was always very kind to me when I started out
Vikram Sakhuja @VikramSakhuja
Shocked beyond words to hear about Andy. Condolences to Andy’s family at home and Chlorophyll. @KiranKhalap #AnandHalve
Tarun Katial @tarunkatial
@KiranKhalap my condolences.. #AnandHalve was my first mentor and my mentor for life!
Ashok Lalla @ashoklalla
Thank you Andy Halve for the lessons. And for giving me my 1st job & being a mentor ever since. I’ll miss you.
ambimgp @ambimgp
Just heard the shocking news that @anandhalve is no more! First of the Planning Tribe Andy RIP! @TheAdClub_India @AAAIOfficial @IAA_india
bharat dabholkar @bharatdabholkar
@KiranKhalap shocked to hear about Andy. Indian advertising has really lost a thinker. My heartfelt condolences. May his soul rest in peace.
Dhunji S. Wadia @dhunji
Terrible news. RIP Anand Halve.
