Patanjali Patnaik: Driving new creative heights at Eggfirst

A formidable creative mind, Patanjali Patnaik, or Pats as he is fondly known, is a Creative Director by profession and a storyteller at heart. He is the brain behind Eggfirst’s popular campaigns like Fino Matlab Fikar Not, Icon Steel – India Ka Icon, and Hari Darshan – Mehke Mann Hoke Prasann. ‘Fino Matlab Fikar Not’ with Pankaj Tripathi recently won the ‘Best Digital Strategy & Campaign for a Financial Services Enterprise’ at the Drivers of Digital Awards and Summit (D.O.D).

“The Fino campaign was born out of the brand’s promise to make banking more convenient and accessible for the unbanked and underbanked audience. The brief was that Fino provides a worry-free experience, so the play of words seemed just right. I wish I could say that I spent sleepless nights, wracked my brains off to craft this, but admittedly, that wasn’t the case. The thought just came about smoothly. Maybe it was just the coffee,” says Pats modestly, explaining how he cracked the award-winning campaign.

Another highlight in Pats’ career has been his campaign for Icon Steel. The TMT-bars manufacturing company had roped in the legendary Amitabh Bachchan as its brand ambassador. Pats and his creative team coined ‘India Ka Icon’ and scripted a memorable TVC with Mr. Bachchan. “Hearing Bachchan sa’ab voice my words has been one of the most memorable moments of my career. It’s a reward that will stay with me forever,” Pats said.

Pats has to his credit 20 years in advertising, a gamut of campaigns, a list of laurels, and a published book to his name. He has won accolades at Cannes and One Show. His debut novel, ‘A Handful of Marbles’ was recently launched on Amazon. He is also fresh off a very special win – the Rabindranath Tagore Award 2022 – for a poem he wrote.

Ravi Banka, Founder and MD – Eggfirst, says, “Pats has been one of the pillars of Eggfirst. He brings his sharp insights and unique thinking into each project. Clients love him and so does the whole team. He has been leading the recent award charge for Eggfirst.”

At Eggfirst, where he has spent more than 7 years, Pats continues to lead the agency from one creative milestone to another. “Last year has been exceptional. Am grateful to have gotten the opportunity to work with legends like Pankaj Tripthi, Juhi Chawla, and of course, Amitabh Bachchan. We’re in a great growth phase and the ride has been exciting. I am happy to play my part in this journey. After all, Eggfirst is extremely close to my heart,” shares Pats.