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Beyond Borders: How Travel Shapes Innovative Ventures and Fulfills Creative Visions (Copy)

It all begins with an idea.

Beyond Borders: How Travel Shapes Innovative Ventures and Fulfills Creative Visions

Embarking on a journey through Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar has been an expedition into realms where innovation converges with cultural richness. Beyond the professional roles and business ventures, these travels have transcended mere assignments—they've been an incubator of ideas, a catalyst for inspiration, and a source of profound fulfillment.

Dubai: Crafting Unforgettable Experiences

Dubai, a metropolis thriving on ambition and groundbreaking endeavors, was a canvas where creativity bloomed. At FP7 McCann, the launch of Atlantis The Royal Brand Campaign epitomized the fusion of luxury and innovation. The collaboration on the 10:35 Music Video alongside Tiesto and MacRae was more than a project; it was a symphony of creative ingenuity that resonated across borders, fueled by the vibrancy of this multicultural city.

Managing General Motors' OnStar account across diverse regions underscored not just business acumen but the importance of cultural empathy in strategizing campaigns. Traveling through these landscapes wasn’t just a physical journey; it was a plunge into diverse cultures, unveiling new perspectives that enriched professional endeavors.

Saudi Arabia: Embracing the Shores of Future Cities

The journey led into the heart of Saudi Arabia, where Trojena within NEOM heralded the dawn of future cities. Leading the NEOM x Trojena project encompassed more than strategic leadership—it was a narrative sculpted amid the mountains, intertwining events, brand strategies, film production, digital landscapes, and customer experience initiatives. The adventure here was not just about work but about experiencing a visionary landscape that fuels aspirations for tomorrow.

Qatar: Weaving Tales of Cultural Harmony

Qatar extended an invitation to explore the fusion of cultural narratives and marketing initiatives. Engaging with Valley Forge Academy Qatar, crafting 360 integrated marketing initiatives, was a journey of storytelling through events, brand design, PR, and digital strategies. Collaborations with Discovery Network and FIFA weren’t just about filming—it was about encapsulating the essence of diverse cultures, painting them on a global canvas.

The Essence of Travel: A Muse for Innovation

Travel, beyond being a physical movement, becomes a pilgrimage of the mind and soul. It's a catalyst for ideation, a trigger for innovation, and a testament to the interconnectedness of human experiences. Every step taken across these regions wasn’t just about ticking off locations; it was about absorbing the essence of each place—its history, its people, its culture—and letting these encounters fuel creativity and inspire innovative ventures.

Continuing the Odyssey: Fueling Innovation

As the journey continues, these experiences serve as a wellspring of inspiration. They remind us that the magic lies not just in the destinations but in the journeys undertaken, in the stories shared, and in the connections forged.

In conclusion, the odyssey through Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar unveils the profound influence of travel on professional endeavors. It's a testimony to how traversing diverse landscapes cultivates innovative thinking, fuels creativity, and enriches the tapestry of ideas, birthing ventures that transcend boundaries and resonate globally.

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Personal Branding: The difference between our folks in the 60's and now

Vijay Bhana (my late dad) was a successful Retail Businessman and Community Leader in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. At one point, he had over 15 businesses running concurrently, a staff of over 100 personnel, and hundreds of customers walking in and out of his stores on a daily basis. Everyone in his circle respected Mr Bhana.

One day I "googled" his name and only this article came up from an esteemed professional and dear friend Dave Robinson, now based in Australia.

"VJ Bhana had made it to the very top of the Indian community in Port Elizabeth. A wheeler-dealer supreme, he owned a number of shops and businesses. Whenever we went out for a meal he would take his briefcase – a traveling cocktail bar. Any old whiskey just would not do. It had to be Bells or Johnny Walker. Rusheel, VJ’s son, was like my son’s twin, despite any differences in appearance. As kids, they were always at each other’s houses."

I am sharing this because 10 years ago, our parents didn’t have the internet or social media. This is all I have of my dad as a reference besides VHS and old-school pics. Because of our tech-savvy age, we might as well take advantage of it and leave a legacy behind on the internet. We are no longer in small communities where business deals are done in a certain area. We can now do business 24/7, anywhere in the world, and link up with almost anyone we want to; this is the beauty of our digital era.

So, do yourself an exercise by "Google yourself." Type your name in the search bar and analyze yourself. If you pass away now, what will you be known for? Your offline personality, friends, and network will always remain, but what will you be known for online? One day, your kids will want to know more about you and what they will do. They will surely "google" you.

I've done this exercise a number of times, "googling" my name (Rush Bhana) where I religiously grow my online base with constant updates on my personal brand. Here's some info on my personal brand online with 4 pages of Google search engine content, and perhaps you could learn from me and work on your brand and share tips and feedback, of course.

As a professional Entrepreneur and Marketer, my brand is what sells. I nurture it so clients can call me, my family can be proud, and I can look back and say, "Hey, I've achieved stuff over the years".

Of course, every individual has a different target audience. For example, you could be a Doctor, Accountant, Physiotherapist, Photographer, Yoga Instructor, or Small Business Owner and have different strategies for moving your plan forward.

Start your personal branding adventure with a strategic plan that is targeted to the right audience, and just be the awesome you that you really are.

If you ever need to chat, I’m 1 message away! In upcoming posts, I will share the importance and the value personal branding creates, along with various solutions to building your brand.

Comments and Feedback will be appreciated.

1Love everyone.

Thanks, Rush

"Follow me on my journey and lets’s create magic together!"

February 10, 2015

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Memoirs of a Suit - in the Creative Industry post lockdown

I'll start this memoir that got me thinking of my life ambition while I was on a plane in 2020 pre-COVID for a "Spiritual Journey" to Ibiza ;).

“When you hired an accountant, you knew he or she could count. When you hired a lawyer, you knew he or she could talk. When you hired a marketing expert or product developer, what did you know? Nothing" ― Phil Knight, Shoe Dog.

That's what you get with a skilled Marketer full of experience, ambition, and a drive to thrive in an environment of bright lights, optimism, and business excellence to take on the world.

I write this while I sit in the UAE, overlooking the ocean and city life. Sometimes, and especially in these times post-lockdown, we can look back through the tough times and look forward to dancing again.

This led me to my role in the business of creativity as a "Suit", Account Director/Client Service Specialist in the creative industry.

  • We’re masters of orchestration, drivers of new business, and the bridge between the client, partners, and the organization, thus ensuring all stakeholders are managed to the nth degree.

  • We're also the inspiration for our creative studios and the executors, constantly planning and strategizing for the next meeting, project, or business deal to ensure we achieve our goals in the upcoming weeks/months and years.

  • We have an uncanny ability to see around corners and anticipate what's coming at us next. We lay the groundwork that earns the trust that gets clients to believe in the little bit of magic that we often propose and sell to land the big idea.

  • We regularly and fearlessly bring ideas to the table—ideas that could change a client's business model, ideas to sell their product in disruptive ways, and ideas to push the innovation boundaries.

  • After a successful pitch or presentation, we rally the troops, make a plan, and get ideas into production mode. Massive credit to our creative teams, who assist us in spearheading the Creative Concept and Execution; however, the output is only as good as your support team.

  • We're also the go-to person when outputs/executions do not go to plan or on time and have to deal with constant client pressure. This takes a high EQ mindset, skilled relationship-building skills, and the ability to tackle problems in an interpersonal and instinctive way. I tend to use this as an opportunity to further build trust with the client and, next time, knock it out of the park.

I've used my interests and passions to lead me with the brands I work with. I’ve inherited my hard work ethic from my late businessman dad and been lucky enough to work with Mavericks in the Creative industry who have inspired me to see what it's like to run a global advertising agency, use travel as a source of inspiration, influence people in meaningful ways, and, to top that off, create phenomenal creative work with meaning. Adam and Nate from GRID Worldwide, Thank You!

When working with brands, I tend to fully immerse myself into the client's world, subsequently always becoming a brand advocate for the business. It's in the interest of a prospective client's overall business of growth, coupled with the organization's service offering, culture, and vision for growth.

Account Management is about an effective proposal, effective communication, a good brief, and a very good contact report, coupled with financial management and account leadership. To me, the project plan is the holy grail of managing accounts and keeping the agency and client ownable, and that’s where I lead the projects I work on. This allows the CS team to lead the client with conviction and manage deliverables.

This leads me to my next thought: walkability and the development of CNN's newsworthy ideas, big ideas. I believe content creation is the new currency for influence, and the business of sports, entertainment, and music excites me. I look forward to disrupting the global digital landscape. We are now fully entrenched in the era of the sharing economy. This sharing is on two fronts. One is sharing things or services courtesy of an array of technologies or facilities. The other front is the information packaged and presented as content: thought leadership, entertainment, utility, or whatever else allows us to begin and continue the conversation among a group of people who wish to engage. Technology is breaking down barriers between brands and customers faster than when social-first operated as engines for connection.

Post lockdown, we've all had to gather our thoughts and rejuvenate a little, allowing us to break through personal and business barriers and communicate with our cross-country counterparts at the speed of light. I've been lucky enough to work in many countries/cities such as Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth (in South Africa), Qatar, and recently, the Maldives + UAE. The past 3 years have been a grind and I wouldn't want it any other way. To pick up a laptop, deal with your team members and partners all around the world. Adaptation is key, and building relationships is crucial, be it on Emails, Teams, Calls, WhatsApp, etc. A solid track record of new business/upselling and cross-selling on high-value accounts helps push your mental state for optimal performance.

Pick a Passion and make it work for you. Mine has always been Sports and Music, and luckily enough to be a House DJ in the entertainment industry and an amateur Sportsman, which has allowed me to use my personality to network further within the industry.

The End Product? It's always great to send off Media artwork on time and to see it live, where we know we have created and developed these pieces of Creative beauty. To top that, I saw a client who was as excited as ever seeing the projects live. Some of my highlights were seeing the work produced with the team at Grid Worldwide for PSG Football/Qatar Tourism “Where the Best Get Better,” which was displayed on global comms as a TVC and Perimeter Banners in the Stade de Princes was shared by PSG Football team members Thiago Silva. Along with the "Qurated for You" campaign across 16 airports globally. Or the FNB “Words Change The Game” campaign with TVCs and Billboards being placed all over SA. The rebrand of BetKing, where I project lead the BetKing Ethiopia and Kenyan Premier League rollouts. The above campaigns were managed with the "Investment Creative" / "Make it mean Something", GRID Worldwide. Most recently, my part in the DHL B+I Lions Creative across Digital, Abbott Social Media rollout and Three Ships Whisky Mash Tun, Influencer Campaign with the 'Immersed in Culture to Influence it', agency Have you Heard.

I'll finish this off with one of my favorite quotes: “When you make something, when you improve something, when you deliver something, when you add some new thing or service to the lives of strangers, making them happier, or healthier, or safer, or better, and when you do it all crisply and efficiently, smartly, the way everything should be done but so seldom is—you’re participating more fully in the whole grand human drama. More than simply alive, you’re helping others to live more fully, and if that’s business, call me a businessman. Maybe it will grow on me. THERE” ― Phil Knight, Shoe Dog.

I hope you enjoyed the read. I will be sharing some more, especially on my passion and take on the global Sports, Entertainment, and Music industries.

Cheers to us all taking on the global landscape, and I would be interested to know how have you adapted to your ever-changing industry/role.

Keep Safe, Rush!

Rush Bhana #RushBhana #Rush Bhana #Middle East #Qatar

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