Fabienne Felipoucci is one of the team members for the Cola Turca advertising campaign in Turkey.
Why do you think comparing brands in commercials isn’t allowed in Turkey and will it ever be allowed?
I think it should be allowed. If this is used in foreign markets, I believe we should also use same methods in Turkey. Sometimes comparing is a good method to emphasis the difference or the competition between different brands. However in Turkey we are not allowed to make such comparisons.
What are the things that RTÜK is paying attention when they are checking commercials if they are mentioning another brand?
RTUK mostly watches if the commercial is in line with general moral and social rules, if it is within the issued laws. If commercial has a target group such as children, adults, elderly people or youth; it has to be prepared as per the rules of this specific group. It has to be easily understood by the target group and it should not mislead them or give wrong information. RTUK is evaluating if the commercial is appropriate or not for its target group.
If comparison of brands in commercials was allowed in Turkey, what would be the positive and negative sides of it for advertising companies?
What would be?….I strongly believe that we would have much more successful and effective commercials. If you ask why, because it leads to competition. We could put more emphasis on some specifications of the product that we are not allowed mention by RTUK. And such ads will draw more attention hence will be more successful. I think we would have much more positive feedback.
Did one of your ads get turned down by RTÜK?
No, I never had such a problem with the brands that I’m in charge with.
How does one become a good advertiser?
It is a lengthy process and you should work hard. You have to climb different steps. One should start from the very beginning and there is a lot learn and you have to know them all. How you get a commercial, how you use the correct words, how you understand what the customer wants exactly. (Bir reklam … (2.57) nasıl gelir, nasıl alınır, nasıl … (3.00), doğru kelimeleri kullanmak, doğru müşterinin ne demek istediğini doğru anlamak.) These are the crucial points. Day by day you will understand better and eventually you can be a good advertiser. What I am now describing applies to client representative. If you look at the creative team, they have their sub groups; there are writers, art directors, operators, many different jobs. Commercial is not stagnating, everyone that I’ve listed has to work hard to improve himself to be a good advertiser. We have to catch up with a new style or a new technology every day. At the end it is the imagination and there are no boundaries, it is a growing, improving sector. Therefore if you improve yourself regularly, if you keep yourself updated with the world then you will be successful and can achieve something to have a name in the sector.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in an international company?
It has many advantages; once you work with an international company, you work with both foreign and local brands and this help you to enlarge your vision. Since you are also following foreign markets, you are encountered with many different ideas. This help to your self improvement as well as the improvement of your work. (Bu da insanın kendi gelişiminde hem de yaptığın işlerde bir pozitif … ( 4.34), pozitif noktaya varıyor.) What disadvantages I may say?…Because it is a big and busy agency, your work load may also be big. You may need to work longer hours than others. But if you love this job, you can see the positive side of this hard work when you struggle to perform a good job. That is you try to see the full half of the glass and this will lead you to more successful works.
Do you have to be a risk taker to be a good advertiser?
Yes, you have to take risks, creativeness is the most important element but your idea may also be thought at the same time by another brand in another agent. What is important is how you put it in words, how strong and serious you can show it, how you reach to the consumers. With some customers you have to be much clear and open. This sometimes is risk taking. Such direct approach may be to your advantage or disadvantage. But in this sector you have to take risks to have a good job done at the end.
