One of India’s most celebrated advertising creatives, Ravi Deshpande, will be jury president for the Direct Lotus award at ADFEST 2010 – set for next March 18-20 in Pattaya, Thailand. 

Deshpande is famous for building Contract into one of India’s most awarded agencies after joining it in 1987. Within a few years, he led the agency to win more than 400 local awards for creative excellence along with awards at ADFEST (Asia Pacific Advertising Festival), Cannes, One Show, D&AD, Clio and other global festivals.

Deshpande said: “I’m very excited about being jury president at ADFEST. They say necessity is the mother of invention, and I think the global financial crisis has created a situation where being innovative is imperative. We are either creative or we perish. At ADFEST 2010, I expect to see work that is more responsible as well as being highly creative”

   Deshpande (left) has been recognised for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to the advertising industry in India’ and honoured as one of the six ‘living legends’ of Indian advertising in the last 50 years by the Advertising Club in Madras.

Jimmy Lam, president of ADFEST, said: “We are honoured that Ravi has accepted our invitation to be jury president for Direct Lotus at ADFEST next year. The direct marketing category is changing so fast with the emergence of new technologies and media channels, so it is wonderful to have someone of Ravi’s calibre sharing their expertise with the rest of the region.”