For the Gums and the Bums

Working on Geoffrey Manners account with Subroto Sengupta ( branch manager) and Arshad Farouqee ( group manager) as bosses was both interesting and rewarding. Geoffrey Manners was also the account where I honed my skills in making presentations. With three products and good budgets, we were busy throughout the year making presentations for some brand or the other.

The annual strategy presentation was always great fun. It always started with long briefings where the client would review the performance of the brands and give us clear directions on what they expected from us. I remember one meeting where the client was briefing us on Forhans Toothpaste. Forhans, which was the No. 2 toothpaste brand next to Colgate Dental Cream in those days, used to run a testimonial campaign. The company received unsolicited testimonials from thousands of satisfied customers from across the country. Every year, three letters would be selected and extracts with the name and addresses of the senders were featured in the ads. That particular year there was a letter from an engine driver, which I quote from memory:

“Dear Sir,

I am an engine driver and a regular user of Forhans Toothpaste. I drive on the Bombay-Calcutta sector. About three months ago, the driver who was to relieve me fell ill and I was asked to do extended duty for 24 hours. Sir, I am also a patient of piles. Because of the tension, I had a severe attack of the problem but unfortunately I had forgotten to carry the piles ointment which I usually do. In desperation, I applied Forhans toothpaste, hoping that it would help me. Lo and Behold! I was relieved from my pain within 10 minutes. Sir, I am sharing this experience to tell you that Forhans is not only a good toothpaste but is also good for providing relief from piles!”  

Osborne D’Souza (Ossie), the Copy Chief, who was sitting in the meeting responded thus: “Brilliant! Currently the pack carries the slogan ‘Forhans for the Gums’. Henceforth we can say, ‘Forhans for the Gums and the Bums ”. Everybody laughed. Hafeez Noorani, the Marketing Manager  explained that the driver was relieved of his pain  because one of the ingredient was an astringent which is good for sore or inflamed gums. And sore bums!

The Forhans account also got me my first modelling chance. TRIO films were shooting a series of films for Forhans, featuring models writing letters to Geoffrey Manners. On one such occasion, a male model did not turn up. The Director, Ghanekar, decided that I fitted the role and captured me on camera writing a letter. Later, after I shifted to Chennai, I modelled for a couple of ad films for JS films, a joint venture between Jayendra, who produced the famous `I love you Rasna` campaign` and the veteran Cinematographer P.C.Sriram. At the end of shooting one day, P.C.Sriram commended me for being a `one take artist`. It was a film for Shriram Chit Funds in which I  had a double role- I appeared both as father and grand father. The company used to telecast, several spots of the film every day in Sun TV during the Tamil New Year and Navarathri seasons when they opened New Chits for the public to subscribe. During those days people used  to recognize me whenever I went for shopping or attended any public events. I was quite thrilled to  feel like a mini celebrity those days… memorable days!