Over two years back, the day began its
usual way until I got a call from dear old Dulcie, our trusted right hand in
Radeus. The news was not good… she said Eustace of Radeus is no more. In a
flash I travelled to over four decades ago to the story of Radeus…
When Radeus started as a co-operative
agency, the ‘founding members’ K. Kurien and Usha Katrak were being shadowed by
a legal case of defrauding. It was slapped onto them by none other than ASP, of
which they were once a part, and off whose client base they started Radeus.
They called upon two trusted people Radha Khambadkone and Eustace Fernandes and
used them as a front to start out their ambitious advertising communications
venture. And thus was born RAD from Radha and EUS from Eustace to become one
big family called RADEUS.
Having
heard this story again and again in the seventeen years I worked there, it
almost became a Radeus folklore. And living it out in full life was dear
Eustace. My memory of Eustace is of a maverick doodler… one who I consider as one
of the best art directors produced by Indian advertising. And he proved me
right time and again as long as we worked together. It was amazing how, on innumerable
occasions, I would be sitting across the table discussing the client brief with
him and explaining what was needed in the campaign, and this maverick doodler
would barely look up from whatever he was doing with his pencil on the paper
and as I would come to the end of the brief and get prepared for the questions,
voila! I would be shown the paper he was scribbling on, and I would get to see
a perfect layout, good enough to be carried to the client, and perfect to the
brief! I have never seen anyone as good then nor ever after till date, even in
the super speed age of supercomputers! 
To a dehati,
urdu-medium educated copywriter like
me, English was as alien as probably Ghalib was to Eustace. And did he ever
leave a stone unturned to rub it into me! A particularly ‘enlightening’ moment
was when, Eustace of many languages (he claimed to know French, Spanish and god
knows what other , Greek Latin to an
untrained novice like me) flambouantly flashed a paper before me. The paper had
just 2 words written on it. With great flourish he asked me to read it aloud. I
innocently read it loud and clear…‘Grand Pricks’… and there was Eustace doubled
up laughing hard in probably a laugh Grand Prix!
This was neither the first nor the last of
such pranks that he played on me… but I shall be eternally grateful to this guy
to introduce me to the ‘propah’ advertisingwallah
language, and pushing me to learn it well. Maybe today with this article I
shall be able to pay back my ‘teacher’ through my heartfelt tribute.
It is sad that he probably passed away sad
and angry, as I gather from an article that had appeared, and I quote “ reports
in a section of media sometime back claimed that adman Sylvestor DaCunha was
the creator of the Amul Girl, relegating
Fernandes to the status of a mere ‘artist’. DaCunha does not deserve any ‘credit’
says Eustace. ‘The mascot was created by me without any assistance or direction
from him’
‘And he’s claimimg credit as the creator of
the girl and wants his name in the Guinness Book for running the longest
ongoing campaign’ says Eustace in a choked voice” unquote. Whatever one may
claim Eustace had more such ‘Amuls’ to prove his genius in legendary campaigns
that were complete by themselves, even as sketches! Limca with its ‘Lime n
lemony Limca’, Amul Girl and her ‘Utterly Butterly Delicious’, Modern Bread
Lion, LIC and the list is endless…
The other side of Eustace was noble, giving
and so ready to serve the needy. I have seen his relentless work with the
street and underprivileged children from close quarters as he involved me in
his work. The dedication, love and commitment was unquestionable and completely
selfless.
He extended his professional skills to many
NGOs, designing their brochures, book covers, newsletters, magazines without
charging a penny. It is in his work that he will live on forever, as he will in
the hearts of all those children he served, as he will from the Amul girl as we see her live-on, on the iconic brand
idea on the hoarding, the Air India Maharaja as he twirls his lush moustache…and
of course for me forever printed on the cover of my first book and imprinted in
my memory… sleep tight friend!
A
tribute by:
Jameel
Gulrays
Result-Driven Advertising and Communications
Consultant
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