What’s your A.Q.?

In this age of competition, quotients seem to have become common parlance. Of course we all know about IQ (Intelligence Quotient), EQ (Emotional Quotient) and SQ (Spiritual Quotient) which seem to appraise the many facets of our personality. So much so, that they have become a standard factor for us to stereotype people. (Bimbettes, emotional wrecks, atheists – there is a lot to talk on this, but that’s for later)

I recently came across a new term DQ, and it seems like another parameter that we will be judged on, sooner if not later.  DQ, as in Diversity Quotient encapsulates the fact that ‘Are we able to survive, sustain, shine and enjoy the higher diversity order that exists in most workplaces today?’

This made me wonder about the many aspects and traits that define our industry. In the few years that I have spent in the world of advertising, there are attributes that I find so mesmerizing within this ecosystem that it’s probably worth a more detailed contemplation (and coining a few more terms, of course!).  In fact, defining the Advertising Quotient (A.Q.) can span across the entire spectrum of the English alphabet system and exceed that too.

So here’s what I see as the bone marrow of this industry, and traits that all of us possess in some degree or other. And that’s what makes us the way we are, and the agency what it is. After all, there is much more to a place where the best of right brains and left brains meet.

AQ – Abstract Quotient

Abstract is a talent. A talent that’s hard to gain, hard to gauge. But then it’s abstract, what do you expect? And it’s one of our best kept trade secrets too.

BQ – Blah-blah Quotient

Blah, Blah Blah. Blah Blah Blah. And we are just at the BQ of Blah Blah Blah!

CQ – Creativity Quotient

Being able to see the positive side of stains, the incredibility of India, the existential crisis when milk goes missing from our lives – all that and more is Creativity! Our industry itself will have an existential crisis without CQ.

DQ – Diversity Quotient

Ours is one profession which has no set benchmarks for qualifications. If you have it in you, you have it in you – whether you are an engineer, a history major, a musician or a photographer. The diverse an agency, the more enriching its experience.

EQ- Emotional Quotient

The current definition of EQ encompasses a person’s abilities to perform under pressure, resolve conflict, and generally cope with challenges. And like every other industry, ours too depends on a greater level of EQ. We could also look at this as ‘emotive quotient’ for the sheer fact that it’s the real emotions of real people that we are trying to decipher and shape, almost all the time.

FQ – Foodie Quotient

There is something about advertising and love for food. We love talking about food, posting about our food adventures, recommending or romanticizing food, to the extent of bragging about it, as if there is a Nigella Lawson within each one of us. Healthy food, Junk food, Exotic food or just simply edible food – we can talk about it for hours, especially during those innumerable late night shifts, when what food are we ordering becomes the single most motivating factor for the evening. With or without Zomato, every agency has its own version of foodiepedia (see, another coined word!) too.

GQ – Gaming Quotient

Whether it’s Counterstrike, Mortal Combat, Tetris or just plain Solitaire, games play a classic role in maintaining our sanity in this forever maddening world that’s our job. Some play for inspiration, some to vent out about re-doing a job for the nth time, some to keep their mind away from everything else that is bothering them. The higher your GQ, the more you’ll love being in advertising.

HQ –   Humor Quotient

Humor is our survival strategy. Period.

IQ –Intelligence Quotient

Once again, this is one profession where people need to know a lot about so many different subjects, behaviors, cultures. One day you will be doing Pharma and the other day Fashion. Fields with absolutely no correlation, but you might just be expected to do a cross-pollination of cultures to evolve at a mind-boggling, clutter-breaking proposition for a brand you had not heard of, till an hour back.  And for such a demanding industry, IQ cannot be just a good-to-have criteria.

JQ – Jealous Quotient

Jealousy is obvious for a subjective driven industry like ours – where there is no age, no limitation to the source of good ideas. But Jealousy in itself is a neutral sentiment. It’s what your subsequent reaction to that instinct is that decides which way you are heading.

KQ- Kool Quotient

This is a perceived trait, but then, this is one field where you will find the maximum variations of ‘kool’. For starters, it takes a very kool Indian to pull off (and leverage) an ‘Havas’ employee tag, isn’t it?

LQ – Learning Quotient

Essential for all professions, but our LQ demands so much more – not just learning about the job, the category, the brand and the consumer, but also learning about, for instance - which wine our clients like.

MQ – Multi-tasking Quotient

While we aim at single minded propositions, we probably never get a chance to work on one assignment at a time. Juggling is now a part of our DNA. While we are thinking of detergents, pop comes an idea for a hair oil. And then you have another task to figure out how did that come from? Am I hallucinating? This advertising life, I tell you.

NQ - Novelty Quotient

While the client brief is almost always redundant, we are faced with the eternal challenge of “Naya kya bolna hai?” Our quest for something new is unparalleled. Brand New. All New. All kinds of New. We have done it all. But jokes apart, it’s quite obvious for an industry which is so much about ideas. Who wants to hear/ keep hearing old ideas anyway?

OQ – Overtime Quotient

Ideas are all around us. Whether we are on a road trip or a shopping spree, there is inspiration all around. And while we literally spend so many extra hours at work, our mind can hardly switch off. Because if it really does, you might just miss out on a brilliant idea that’s been lying right next to you while you were enjoying a beer at your favorite hangout.

PQ – Procrastination Quotient

There are many traits that I could fit into this – Popular, Persistent, Possessive etc etc. But nothing can beat our procrastination skills. We just do not like working until there is a sword called deadline looming large on our head. We just won’t.

QQ - Quirky Quotient

There is something quirky, something eccentric about almost each one of us. Different temperaments, different mindsets. And this monotony-breaking quirkiness is what leads to some really clutter breaking ideas.

RQ – Rockstar Quotient

While there are some who are rockstars in their work, there are others who have Rockstar personalities. They are the ones who keep the agency mood upbeat, with the artistic talents and lively presence.

SQ – Style Quotient

They say, if you cannot make a statement for yourself, how will you make it for your brands? Need I say more?

TQ- Tantrum Quotient

Oh, the client servicing people will give testimony to this quotient. Mostly prevalent in the creative department, the tantrum quotient is directly proportional to how creative a person is (well ideally!). Or rather, to be fair, there is a fair amount of tolerance towards the tantrums of creative geniuses (their eccentricities are the reason why they are unique, you see)

UQ – Unlearn Quotient

As much as the Learning quotient is crucial, we face the inevitable challenge of scoring high on the UQ to break the redundancy barrier. We need to constantly unlearn so that we do not become predictable. We need to constantly unlearn so that we think of fresher ideas and not hang on to our old accoladed ideas. So are you still clinging on to your single epiphany?

VQ- Versatile Quotient

Ours is an industry that encourages versatility. Whether it is storytelling or sweet-talking, wildlife photography or cocktail-mixing, we value all kinds of talent, all degrees of talent. The versatile you are, the more would be your contribution.

WQ – Whining Quotient

For all the talents you possess, and the contribution you make, the paycheck will always make you crib. And it’s perfectly okay to whine. Because that’s what you will be doing quite a lot: whining about unrealistic timelines, demanding clients, dismal salaries, and the so-not-cooperative world around you.

XQ – Xperience Quotient

This is one industry that values the experiences in your life much before you acquire your professional degrees. Your upbringing, teenage adventures, cultural environment and travel stories – we are interested in all of these, much more than those 2-3 alphabets after your surname. It’s your life experience that counts.

YQ- Youth Quotient

No matter what age and how much experience anyone in advertising has, there is a streak of youth that’s very characteristic of us. 

ZQ – Zealous Quotient

And lastly, Zeal/passion is something we cannot do without. It takes the fervor and obsession of the mad men/ women to give advertising the stature it holds today!

I am sure there will be many more of them, and it will be great to hear what you have to say about it. So do drop in your views and interesting opinions and we can have a broader world view of our enchanting ecosystem. After all, advertising is not just a profession, but a way of life for so many of us.