There are biographies, and then, there’s my biography.
Of Oscars and obesity.
So, when I was around 6 years old, I was extremely cute. Not to mention gorgeously thin. Not.
I was that kid, you know, that one?
The one with thick glasses that stood in front of the mirror, praying to be stick thin, so she could climb up a brilliantly lit podium in a skimpy outfit and accept her 25th Oscar award. I don’t know why 25th in specific, but you get the point.
And unfortunately, not much changed as I kept growing up (still wanting to be stick thin, still wanting my 25th Oscar).
By the way, I realised why my efforts at getting slim fail so miserably. Because I LOVE FOOD.
Period.
Stick figures can kiss my plump derrière.
And then one day, I discovered the cure to kryptonite!
No, I didn’t. But I did fall in love with reading, which in any case, is way cooler. A lot of tough times were to follow as I grew up (heard of the bitch called adolescence?) and reading was a superb cure. Cheesily enough, I fell in love with characters and places, real and fictional. I fell in love with Narnia, Oliver Twist, Huckleberry Finn, Heidi, Mitch Albom, Roald Dahl, Morrie and Enid Blyton to name a few.
My pen, the best machine gun ever.
You know, they say tragedy brings out the best and worst in you. So that oh-so-popular girl who tortured me throughout school, brought out a desire in me to abuse the crap out of them on paper. And there stemmed my love for writing.
I wrote all the time. Especially poems. I wrote about people, experiences, heartbreaks, happiness and just about anything. I didn’t stop writing even in dental college, where my family placed me. I dropped out after a year to pursue my love for writing (or my hatred of groping around in people’s mouth first thing every morning).
And here I am…
After I received a Bachelors in Advertising (to my mother’s great relief), I worked for a year in India. I then went to Miami Ad School Europe, strengthened my ideation skills and interned across the globe.
I worked for almost a year in Germany before returning to India in September 2016.
I then worked for 9 months at Leo Burnett Mumbai (mainline), quit in June 2017 and started a small personalised gifting venture called The Story Starters (TSS). I felt it was the perfect time to try my hand at something completely new to me and totally outside of my comfort zone.
The Story Starters merges the two things I love: Personal Stories and Art.
The concept of TSS is that stories and memories shared by people make for great personalised gifts when merged with art, and crafted with the perfect words.
I believe every new experience adds to ones personality, growth and creative talent and TSS is certainly adding to mine.
You can check it out here: https://www.instagram.com/thestorystarters/?hl=en
Not able to stay away from advertising for long, I joined VMLY&R in Mumbai in March, 2018, where I gave my best (and then some) every day, for a year and a half, in the fascinating space of digital advertising and fell in love with it.
Which led me to 22 Feet Tribal Worldwide (DDB Mudra Group) where I continue to love and discover digital hacks, bit by bit.
… to do what I have always loved!
And now, I have my sights set on working as a copywriter anywhere in the world, in a digital or mainline agency, to make my mark in the wonderful world of global advertising.
Rajivi Rao
Copywriter
Birth Date: 13/09/1989
Email: rajivirao@gmail.com Website: www.rajivirao.work
Advertising Awards:
Young Glory Professional -Finalist (December 2020)
Young Glory Professional - Silver (January 2021)
Cresta Bronze Award - Ambient and Experiential 2020
United Nations & WHO Global Covid-19 Selection - 2 Entries Young Glory Professional - Finalist (April 2018)
Young Glory Professional - Finalist (February 2018)
Young Glory Professional - Silver (December 2017)
Young Glory Professional - Finalist (October 2017)
Grand Clio Image Award 2015
D&AD Wood Pencil 2015
New York Festivals Finalist 2015
Cannes Future Lions Shortlist 2015
Young Gun Finalist 2015
Young Glory - Silver (November 2014)
ADDY - Gold 2015
ADDY - Silver 2015
Creativity International Award - Gold - 2015
Creativity International Award - Silver- 2015
Creative Conscience Award - Bronze - 2015
Graphis Merit 2015
Applied Arts 2015
Work Experience:
Advertising Agency:
BBH
Mumbai, India
Creative Director Copy (Consultant)
March, 2023 - Present
Advertising Agency:
Gozoop
Mumbai, India
Associate Creative Director
July, 2022 - October, 2022
Advertising Agency:
22 Feet Tribal Worldwide DDB, Mumbai, India
Senior Creative Parter
6th February, 2020 - November, 2020
Advertising Agency:
VMLY&R Mumbai, India
Copy Supervisor
19th March, 2018 - 26th July, 2019 (1 year, 4 months)
Advertising Agency:
Leo Burnett, Mumbai, India
Copywriter
5th October, 2016 - 15th June, 2017 (8 months)
Advertising Agency:
Scholz & Friends, Hamburg
Junior Copywriter
16th November, 2015 - 31st May, 2016 (7 months)
Advertising Agency: Serviceplan, Hamburg
Copywriting Intern
5th January, 2015 - 13th March, 2015
Advertising Agency:
People Ideas & Culture,
New York
Copywriting Intern
6th October, 2014 - 12th December, 2014
Advertising Agency:
Digitas Lbi, San Francisco
Copywriting Intern
7th July, 2014 – 12th September, 2014
Advertising Agency:
Minority Brand Creations, Mumbai, India
Junior Copywriter
July, 2012 – January, 2013
(7 months)
Advertising Agency:
Concept Communications, Mumbai, India
Junior Copywriter
December, 2011 – June, 2012
(7 months)
Educational Qualifications:
Diploma in Copywriting:
2013 - 2015
Miami Ad School Europe (Hamburg)
Major: Copywriting
Bachelors of Mass Media:
2008 - 2011
Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai, India
Major: Advertising
Diploma in Advertising and Public Relations: 2009 Welingkar Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai, India
Higher Secondary Education: 2005 – 2007
Jai Hind College, Mumbai, India
Major: Science
Secondary Examination:
March, 2005
Girton High School, Mumbai, India