A natural people person, Darshan Gor, an advertising & marketing communications grad, knows how to build communities. Discover his impressive involvement and how he’s working towards his advertising future.
A common thread in whatever I do is ads. I am a traveller by choice, and I love to explore places and people. I have been to five countries and four provinces in Canada. Whether I am driving a car and listening to ads on the radio, seeing ads on billboards, or entertaining myself with television or social media, I see ads. I am fascinated by how brands convey their message to their target audience, delight their customers and achieve measurable business objectives.
There are various ads that I like and appreciate: the Coke Zero drinkable ad, BMW X3, and Old Spice’s “The Man, Your Man Could Smell Like” but amongst all of them, the WestJet's "Christmas Miracle" commercial is my favourite ad campaign. Even today, that is the best ad I have ever seen, and it's the perfect example of delighting customers.
I am a visionary individual, and I always plan my moves. If given a choice, I would love to explore media planning and managing domains at an ad agency. From there, I want to master the digital side of it. I follow WPP Group, IPG Mediabrands and other top-notch media houses and observe what they are doing in this area.
A few years down the line, I see myself as a Media Supervisor at a famous media house. I wish to change how businesses advertise their products and services by using unconventional methods like guerilla marketing.
There are various things that I am proud of in terms of my accomplishments. As a recent grad of the Advertising & Marketing Communications program at Georgian College, I represented 1500+ students from Business Marketing and Advertising programs at the Program Advisory Committee. Adding to that, one of the most outstanding achievements in Canada for me thus far was being elected as Vice-President of Student Engagement at the students’ association to represent 8000+ students at Georgian College. I was responsible for enhancing students' experience through social media and fun events.
On the education side of things, I received three scholarships during my time at Georgian: International Student Leadership Award, Scholarship for Excellence, and Margaret Brown Byron Award, which is awarded to the best student in the Advertising and Marketing Communications program. Upon graduation, I achieved the Dean's honour.
During my leisure time, I volunteer at the Canadian Cancer Society as a Communications Lead and as a Brand Ambassador at the Canadian Marketing Association. I have started a small advertising agency that helps small and emerging businesses in my region to cater to their out-of-home (OOH) and social media needs. Speaking of which, I am getting certified as an OOH marketer by the Canadian Out of Home Marketing Measurement Bureau. I am passionate and motivated to learn to evolve, adapt, and succeed in the advertising and marketing industry.
Coming to Canada and starting life from scratch is one of the most significant challenges I have faced. Leaving my comfort zone, friends, family, business, and most importantly, my home was very tough. At first, I felt overwhelmed, but over time I adjusted and focused on my abilities. This motivated me to always strive for the best, whether in my personal or professional life. I thank all the people who went above and beyond to make my journey easy. I believe all first-generation immigrants go through the same phase which I am going through and believe that we all will be successful one day.
My mom is the most significant source of inspiration to me, and when I see her, I believe that the world is full of opportunities. I love the famous Theodore Roosevelt quote she always says to me:
Believe in yourself and you are halfway there.
Technology has changed the way we communicate with each other. With the help of data, social media, and the internet, companies can deliver customized ads to their target audience.
I believe the future is programmatic ads because everyone loves to see what they like. The classic example of the launch of the BMW X-3 is evidence that if you know what your audience is looking for, it's easy to deliver the “Wow!” factor and delight them. Mastering digital skills will soon become a requirement for anyone to be successful in the ad industry.
