{"id":5823,"date":"2017-08-13T11:21:32","date_gmt":"2017-08-13T05:51:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.barusahib.org\/?p=5823"},"modified":"2025-02-01T11:38:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T06:08:15","slug":"faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Faith Over Fame &#8211; The Turbaned Sikh Who Conquered the Advertising World"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_88 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world\/#A_Visionary_Leader_in_Advertising\" >A Visionary Leader in Advertising<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world\/#The_Entrepreneurial_Journey\" >The Entrepreneurial Journey<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world\/#Lessons_for_Aspiring_Entrepreneurs\" >Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world\/#Beyond_Business_%E2%80%93_Giving_Back_and_Education\" >Beyond Business &#8211; Giving Back and Education<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world\/#Insights_and_Inspirations\" >Insights and Inspirations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world\/#The_Many_Hats_of_Harmandar_Singh\" >The Many Hats of Harmandar Singh<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/faith-over-fame-the-turbaned-sikh-who-conquered-the-advertising-world\/#About_the_Golden_Bull_Award\" >About the Golden Bull Award<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Visionary_Leader_in_Advertising\"><\/span>A Visionary Leader in Advertising<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For our boss and us, the new normal involves him working remotely, spending hours in waiting rooms, yet staying completely in sync with everything. Despite the unconventional setting, he never misses a beat.<\/p>\n<p>At our TTDI office, there&#8217;s a constant flow of visitors\u2014journalists, marketing professionals, and industry leaders\u2014all eager to meet the man himself. With decades of experience, he is a source of invaluable insights. If you haven&#8217;t had the opportunity to tap into his wisdom, this rapid-fire Q&amp;A session will introduce you to the man we know as Professor Harmandar Singh.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Entrepreneurial_Journey\"><\/span>The Entrepreneurial Journey<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> You recently received the Golden Bull Award for Outstanding SME. What do you love most about being an entrepreneur?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> I enjoy managing risks\u2014whether in people, opportunities, or expectations. Having spent over two decades giving out awards, receiving one myself, especially from outside my industry, was a surprise. This award isn&#8217;t just about me; it&#8217;s about my incredible team. They are the real achievers; I merely observe and support them.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> What prompted you to leave your role as a Creative Director and start your own business?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> I had grown tired of dealing with narrow-minded people who lacked the vision to do something extraordinary. I wanted to escape the &#8220;oxygen thieves&#8221; who contributed nothing of value. So, I moved on. Early in my career, someone advised me to remove my turban and cut my hair to become famous. I simply told them, &#8220;Watch me.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lessons_for_Aspiring_Entrepreneurs\"><\/span>Lessons for Aspiring Entrepreneurs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> What advice would you give someone looking to start their own business?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> If you can&#8217;t sell your opinions convincingly, stay in bed. You&#8217;ll save trees by doing nothing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> You&#8217;ve spearheaded several innovative initiatives at MARKETING, from personalized covers to digital transformations. How do you keep evolving in such a dynamic industry?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> It&#8217;s not just about me; it&#8217;s about the ecosystem I operate in\u2014my colleagues, friends, and family. I don&#8217;t have &#8220;clients&#8221;\u2014I have partners who work with me as equals. Instead of chasing fleeting fame, I focus on adding real value to the industry. The people I work with are top-notch professionals who stay focused on their goals and never lose sight of the bigger picture.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Beyond_Business_%E2%80%93_Giving_Back_and_Education\"><\/span>Beyond Business &#8211; Giving Back and Education<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> Apart from running your businesses, you are involved with MERCY Malaysia and serve as a professor at UPSI University. Can you share more about these roles?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> Every day brings new learning experiences. I am honored that UPSI recognized my contributions in developing their Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Social Communications syllabus. My work with MERCY Malaysia is deeply personal and not meant for public attention. There is always more to be done.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Insights_and_Inspirations\"><\/span>Insights and Inspirations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> What book are you currently reading?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> Midnight\u2019s Children for the fourth time. I also own six copies of Salman Rushdie\u2019s other book. He is unparalleled as a writer\u2014besides Ted Lim and Paul J. Loosely, of course.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> You have interviewed iconic figures, from HRH Sultan of Perak to Steve Forbes and Donald Trump. Which interview stood out the most?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> My interview with Steve Forbes at Raffles Hotel, Singapore. Surrounded by CIA agents, I asked him how he handled people who despised him for publishing hard truths. He replied, &#8220;I\u2019ll publish it and wait for the phone to ring.&#8221; Then, after a pause, he added, &#8220;And I won\u2019t pick it up.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Many_Hats_of_Harmandar_Singh\"><\/span>The Many Hats of Harmandar Singh<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> You wear multiple hats\u2014writer, business owner, event planner, creative director. Which role do you enjoy the most?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> Writing is in my DNA. At one point, I was crafting 30,000 words per week. I thrive in the eye of the storm.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> What advice do you have for industry professionals looking to build their personal brand?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> If you think SALE is a four-letter word, forget about building any brand\u2014including your own.<\/p>\n<p><strong>MALATI:<\/strong> With over 400 TV commercials and numerous awards to your name, do you have a favorite campaign?<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAM:<\/strong> I don\u2019t play favorites, but the Proton Satria launch TVC holds a special place. As a freelance creative, I fought to keep the idea alive after a Creative Director discarded it. Sometimes, the best ideas need a defender.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_the_Golden_Bull_Award\"><\/span>About the Golden Bull Award<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Golden Bull Award recognizes and celebrates business excellence, symbolizing strength and growth. It is one of the most prestigious awards for successful SMEs.<\/p>\n<p>This article was originally published in <strong>MARKETING<\/strong>, a <strong>leading Malaysian industry magazine<\/strong> for <strong>marketing and advertising professionals<\/strong>. Published by Sledgehammer Communications, the team also organizes high-profile events like the Malaysian Media Conference, <strong>Global Digital Marketing Conference<\/strong>, <strong>Malaysian CMO Conference<\/strong>, <strong>Creative AllStars Conference<\/strong>, <strong>Product of the Year Awards<\/strong>, and <strong>Dragons of Malaysia\/Asia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>By Malati Siniah | Marketing-AsiaSamachar<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A Visionary Leader in Advertising For our boss and us, the new normal involves him working remotely, spending hours in waiting rooms, yet staying completely in sync with everything. Despite the unconventional setting, he never misses a beat. At our TTDI office, there&#8217;s a constant flow of visitors\u2014journalists, marketing professionals, and industry leaders\u2014all eager to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5825,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Faith-over-Fame-How-this-Turbanned-Sikh-succeeded-in-the-Advertising-Industry-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[91],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-5823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","post_format-post-format-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5823"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5824,"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5823\/revisions\/5824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5823"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/barusahib.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=5823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}