The tough gets going, when the going gets tough they say. “How very appropriate” says Anup Kumar Agarwalla with a wink, talking about the latest campaign feather in his hat – Sriyaa.

And he has reasons to be ballistic. The markets couldn’t have been worse. The economy is in a tailspin, whatever the underlying reasons may be and, advertising agencies are literally drowning in sorrow, cribbing about the freefall in client spending that has forced many against the wall. This is definitely not the time for brand launches – especially if the brand happens to be one dealing in garments, a segment that seems to have been hit really hard.

And it was in this quagmire that Anup Kumar Agarwalla led his client, unveiling a brand that the connoisseurs of Calcutta cannot stop talking about – Sriyaa.

His communication was direct – addressing the Goddess in every woman, creations that coiffeur passions and help women make the transition to a higher realm. That the pitch, backed by stunning images and carefully crafted advertising attracted the eyeballs goes without saying. What is more is the relative ease with which the eyeballs got converted into footfalls – the city’s glitterati making a beeline to the newly launched Sriyaa Store in Park Street.

Anup is consciously mellow when he gives full credit to the product – singing paeans the awesomeness of the dresses created by Sriyaa, claiming that it was the end product that was justifying the trips. But, as we know, the discerning buyers, especially in these days of resource crunches have to be attracted enough in the first place to make the trip…

“There are always takers for quality products – goods and services” says Anup dismissively. “It is true for Sriyaa – they did take the plunge to back us with their back didn’t they? And it is true for Sriyaa’s clients in turn, who are now thronging the store, their bespoke creations flying off the shelves even before one can bat an eyelid. Yes, we did put the bang in the brand, for every buck spent. And yes, Sriyaa too creates stuff that is drool-worthy. Point is, there are takers and all these predictions about doomsday are actually meant for non-starters”.

Diwali is just around the corner. So is the mega wedding season and the revelries that mark the New Year. To hell with the taxes, women will need dresses to drape their dreams in. Sriyaa is ready to cater to their whims and fancies and if you are still undecided about how to ride the wave when the going gets tough, Anup Kumar Agarwalla too is ready, with killer ideas that laugh on the face of adversity, depression and everything in between.

To look at the campaign created by Anup’s boutique agency Azure Communications, just take a peep at the Sriyaa Website (www.sriyaa.in). You wont leave in a hurry.