I have spent last few weeks trying to find some designers. For various things that I would be doing in this year. And since I cant really afford to hire designers right now, I am having a tough time.

So, I started my search within my friends circle. I sifted through my mailbox and pictures etc and I I realized that I know just two designers. When I say designers, I mean people who can think. Not mere DTP operators. So both these designers, are better than one other. And both of them are in Mumbai and are working at very senior positions with famous advertising agencies. With so much work already on their plate, it is unreal to expect them to take time out and contribute.

Next was obviously the Internet. And I started by making a post on some design groups. I send an email on Design India and Creativegarh. Got some 10 odd responses. Some looked ok. Some weren’t encouraging. Anyways, the summary is that no one seems to be agreeing to my outlandish and magnanimous proposals.

Now I am out of clue. I really desperately need designers.

I am wondering where is it that I am going wrong. Is it money? Or is it tha designers want to work with other more famous designers and famous brand names only? Or is it that I am not inspiring enough? Or is it that I cant contribute enough?

I know that I am no designer but I do understand design. I know it when I see some good design. But like all other critics and armchair activists, I can only comment. I cant do (or create).

Whatever I know about advertising or the business of communication, I have learnt at CLA. Well most of it. And CLA as a company has a very solid foundation in design with Vikram leading the design team. Their design standards are very high. And since I learnt the ropes of the business there, I refuse to accept anything that can’t match CLA standards.

Anyways, coming back to design, in a subsequent post, I will talk about how I look at design and what design means to me and what I expect from my design-partners. Till then, please spread word and help!

KWAN. It’s a very powerful word. Its not a word really. I think it’s a statement. It’s a mission statement. If you will.

Kwan is all the seriousness and all the frivolities. Its all the fun and all the boredom. Its what defines and its what you define. All at the same time.

Rob Tidwell (Jerry Maguire fame) says, KWAN is Love, Respect, Community & the Dollars too. I couldnt agree more. All my life I was looking for a word that could describe these 4 things. And there it was. Somewhere on my radar. Somewhere on my toRead list. Somewhere waiting to be discovered. And yet I had ignored it for so long. Its like you have it in front of you and you refuse to look at it.

I think all of us chase KWAN. Its the purpose. Its the reason why we exist. Kwan. The pursuit. The chase. And the life thus spent.

Anyways, I found KWAN in Jerry Maguire, which, IMHO is an ok sort of movie. Done well. Has flashes of brilliance. And it talks about a very interesting business – the business of celebrity management. I shall talk about it in next few posts. Keep watching.