The Brand Forward - Harvard Ad

The power of words backed by a green maze;

The reach of its light leaves aspirants in amaze...

Flipping the pages of HBR I kept asking myself "What Next". It took a few moments for me to realize that I was no longer doing that act. My finger wasn't even willing to point towards the corner of this page. I was gazing at this picture as the stocks would graze the pastures.

I just liked the way the sentence is smoothened to funnel out the brand.

You face increasingly critical challenges

in an unprecedented global economy.

You convene with powers

from around the world.

Your network grows.

Management becomes leadership.

You return ready to take your

organization where it needs to go.

The Next Level

Harvard

A short ode that address the present need of an aspirant, takes him through his dreams, the ones that he had imagines, the way he had imagined, and seeds the urge in the soil of desires and sprinkles it with belief that the fruit of his peach tree could be a tasty orange if he dreams for it.

The use of the words "Next level" is a hammering addition to wanting mind.

A clear demarcation of the dreams from the present and a strengthening assurance that the best key to the door is within reach. The Enlarged font illudes the mind of its closeness and best fit among the rest. I'm not sure if I liked the ad for the love of the brand or for the simple beauty that the ad manages to flaunt to the captivated eyes.

k-NO-w Marketing. "Let the world market your product" ;)

Inception... Is it possible ? - Yes.

It is not the movie that I'm talking about. It is life. Everything, that one claims to be his own, in terms of the choices, desires, aspirations are all seeds. Seeds that were sown knowingly or accidentally by another set of individuals. Are you the one to decide the colour of your clothes?the brands that you sport? Do you really think that you make all your choices? Are your decisions really yours? Think...

Isn't that the one your pal or may be your envy next door took. Or is it, the decision of a wise guy who sits behind a glass plate enjoying the interesting patterns that get created as his 'At Pars' derive pleasure by claiming the crown of "Ignorance" spelt "Self Driven". Seth Godin say that for a product to win, it should be remarkable. It simply means that the product must be worth making a remark. A remark that drives a story. A story that you want to hear and tail that tale to your friends and them to their friends.

When you buy a woodland shoe, is it just to sole your need for a shoe. No. You need a story, a story to talk and a story that you want your friends to talk about even without initiating it. You don't use it. You Flaunt It.

Why bore(dom) me ?

Before a product is marketed, the marketer must focus on its need. Is the customer ever going to think about it? For a product to stay in the market, it must have a pressing need and must be reinvented to a better present. People long for special things. So, make your offering special. Gift them a chance to talk about it. They will be glad to market it on your behalf, one after another.

Love to see it be loved.

For your product to be marketed that way, you must love your product. If you don't believe in your product, and love it, why would they?

Love your product, but don't be blinded by its functional beauty, for all this beauty is admired only if the customer really cares about it. Only if there is a need.

Inception...

Choose people who are already interested.

If the product is great and if it has a story that aids me to relate, emote and talk about. I love it.

If the story allows the listener to heart the need in its simple essence, an inception has been made. Now, you know what the listener longs to hear. Decipher why the customer will like your product. Find the missing link. Showcase it bright in the light that he likes. You haven't marketed your product to the world. But, you have created your customer evangelists, or even better.

Watch the words spread faster than ever, be amazed by the way the world lives by your product. Do pitch in at calculated intervals; after all you are the marketer. Soon everyone will love and rhyme your story.

Oh my god... Did you see that? That product is so cool. I saw my friend using it yesterday and I bought it and it is very very good. Did you know that... ;)

The Passing Cloud

It was a fine afternoon that gave me a memory that will stay with me far better than I had ever imagined. I remember walking past an auto with divided opinions over hiring one. I had finally made my choice and that proved to be a worthy one. I had decided to be on my own, walking down the street on foot. Despite me taking the decision to walk, I had a constant urge to turn around and look for an auto coming by my way. But I continued marching.

And soon I was able to hear a subtle noise of continual taps and hushes from behind. To my surprise I could see the sky pouring down only a few meters away (10-15m). I couldn't believe the beauty that I was unfolding right in front of me. I looked around my feet and then up the sky only to find what the weather man would say a clear sky. I looked back at the marvel and I could see people running towards me like they were chased by the magnified toys of Steven Spielberg Inc.

I could hear a few hailing "Hey, the rain is chasing us". I was amused by the happenings of the minute, if i could say, it was fast. Just when the realization struck that I was the next in line to be greeted by the goddess of the sky. A shop and its more essential front shade caught my attention. As I took my first step towards it, I was blessed. In another few seconds the path was clear, and she had travelled the distance that I see and perhaps a lot more.

It was "The perfect passing cloud". I hired an auto for my way back home wondering "could this be the reason why I didn't hire the first auto?"... An experience that was worth it all... :)

Diwali Day - Sweets, Celebrations and Happiness

On the 8th of november I type these into my laptop as the bottom right corner on my screen reads 05:07. I've just reached my room and the climate here is soothing me to bed with every minute.

But this time, I believe that I'd win over my laziness.

Today also happen to be the 115th anniversary of the discovery of X-rays. This must be a happening month. 5th of this month was diwali, one of the most important festival of the Hindus. Diwali or deepavali (Row of lamps), the festival of lights, according to Hindu belief is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya from his exile after vanquishing demon king Ravana. It is celebrated on the new moon day of the tamil month "Ipassi".

Its strong association with crackers has taken it to the next level where everyone celebrates and light up the night sky with beautiful colours. I was at my home to celebrate diwali with my parents. With sweets and celebration the day turned out to be a memorable one. It was made all the more memorable when my enthusiastic self forced everyone to wait and watch me taking photographs of the sweet box at various angles, just to get the perfect picture for my blog :P . Finally I managed to put the compilation for display as a single picture. I'm glad if it did make a few mouths water. Talking about water, I've noticed that most of the diwali days come in line with showers from the kind sky. A time when people are badly in need of a dry weather to enjoy the fireworks to the fullest.I wonder what exactly the reason behind this is. Does the excessive cracker dust play a role in the weather change along with the usual participants? Another interesting part is the fact that TV channels air special shows and movies on the day of diwali. When 3/4th of the festive community is out busy turning crackers to smoke, dust and papers and of course "awesome fireworks and colours" the rest are lured towards the television only to enjoy the brilliantly picturised specials that are aired, along with a monotonous 'crac brac pat tap bang' noise of the crackers. The patience of the viewers is tested to the highest possible extent.

Ah, I've finally managed to brush aside the "later" factor and have blogged. Cheers. Have a great day!!! :)

The day's Toast ;) Life @ BIM and the Marwar Rolling Shield

So fast, so slow i really don’t know...

But, one thing that remains unchanged is the fact that two months have been pushed to the past since the time I last blogged.

Interestingly this is my first post since the start of my post graduate studies. Masters in Business Administration is what I was told I’d be provided with upon successful completion of the program. With yet another last minute decision, I’m here blogging from Bharathidasan Institute of Management – Trichy (BIM). Life does have its fair amount of twists and turns and mine seems to be no exception. Interestingly, mine seems to be living its share to the fullest. Isn’t it exiting, you having to keep playing the guessing game then, to peek and know what’s in store the next minute? The best part is, every time we take a look into the future, it changes because you’ve seen it.

Life @ BIM...

A page from the recent past...

It was a marketing fest that the whole of BIM had been engulfed in. Officially addressed as “MARWAR”, an event filled with fun, learning and work... let me rephrase it... LOTS of WORK. Teams have to come up with an innovative product or service, something that hasn’t been tasted by the global market. In 4 days the product and the business model are supposed to be developed. On the final day the selected teams will be left to present and promote the product with the necessary financial projections. The Jingles and ad creating parts were something that I was involved in for the first time, and the best part of all this that the video did turn out to be good.

We titled our self as the “MAFIA” – An acronym for MArketing Freaks In Action. We owe a lot to our guides (2+3).With two official guides and three more well wishers increasing the count in that list, guidance was in abundance and the so called redundancy never brushed us the wrong side. All of us had one common goal – “The Marwar rolling trophy”. I’m glad to have been in the team which was perfectly happy in working relentlessly and strived to give their best every time there was a need. The air was chill and the dusts were drenched. From dusk to dawn we worked as a guided team only to be watched over by the painted leaves of the tree that guarded the wooden window. The same was the case in every room that had their lights pleading to be set to rest, only to be bushed by, by some chill night’s breeze. Time lived as the air faded and smoothened, then brightened only to fade again to live again and on and on. To our delight there was another painting that to be brushed on the final day. As the events unfolded, there rolled out a leaf that had our team holding the Marwar rolling trophy as the winners of Marwar 2010. Despite all the turbulence, life still is beautiful... :)

"Theme based experiences for life - At your home"

A concept where we serve experiences at your very home !!!

LIVE LIFE !!! :) Experience "Ratatouille"

Unicef - Award winning advertisements

Ads that speak for themselves. Pictures that'll sell it all.

No wonder our ancestors preferred depictions than a million words.

Many languages have come to existence and many have been ceased from existence.

In

7 Continents

193 Countries

6700 Languages

There is

1 Common language...

The means of communication that has stood the test of time...

"Depiction" --- Pictures perfect and imperfect...

Here are a few ads that will hopefully leave everyone thinking and responding...

.....................................Think !!!

Pictures-Courtesy : Internet

Good evenings !!! The day that wasn't... ;)

So much has been happening over the week that I've hardly found time to blog all that I wanted to.

Leaving aside the fact that I've wasted a lot of time too... Nevertheless, here are the sparkles at your visions offer.

It had been an uneventful day as I sat on my couch killing time in front of the television Oblivious and unbothered of what they next minute had in store for me. Little did I know about the turn of events that evening, until it happened. Enlightenment was the word. Enlightenment struck me.... Enlightenment struck???

There was no tree... only a TV (With Bloomberg tuned in - watching the channel blank) ... hmmm, I guess I'll have to rephrase it. I'll call it an Idea, The Idea for an awesome start-up which would feed the market needs in near future. Creativity, Innovation, Management and entrepreneurship. These are the elements that I'd love to mould my future with. So there was a want... a void that needed a well materialistic thought. It was this thought that I was in search off. I also realized that, there were many of the similar sorts available all around us. But then, picking the one that gives you the satisfaction and the feeling of fullness is a task way more than mere words. It was this evening that eureka content that struck me. This idea that came from nowhere was too good to be "now here". It connected all the dots that till that very moment were vague and pathless on the whole.

The next day, as I discussed this idea with my friend and we came up with another one & once again in no time I was brimming with start-up ideas in umpteen quantities. It was the research and analysis that were to be done. On the whole the next day proved to be a refreshingly resourceful one.

The evening prior to the day of the " enlightenment :P " I had met an entrepreneur who is presently based in Sydney.

A person who's venture now helps a lot of people to find the right colleges to study abroad and the vice versa. The evening turned out to be one which i wouldn't forget in the years to come.

I still couldn't figure out the reason why he chose me. It could probably be that, of all people, I was the one who needed his advice and guidance the most. And so was the wish granted even before I could voice it. He chose to give me personal guidance and advice, something that wouldn't have been possible if not for a seminar. I was glad to have attended the seminar in which he addressed the students in common. A seminar which I wasn't even aware of and thus had no plans attending. The only thing that I did was to be at The Park hotel on a day which eventually turned out to be an eventful one.

Life is full of experiences and every moment has something to teach us. I strongly believe that it is in this ability of a person to perceive, understand & learn from every moment that time has at offer that the value of true experiences are gained.