Without qualms the prime purpose of a calendar is to give you dates. To help you count days, mark holidays, plan a meeting or an outing, or remind of something or someone special that you can’t afford to forget.
But if you think the objective of a calendar is so plain and vanilla, well, to be frank, you are grossly mistaken.
Today is different, so is the rationale of a calendar.
This date-piece is no longer a dead-piece on the table or in the wall; instead it has become a deadly weapon of marketing communications for corporate houses or SEMEs (Small Enterprise, Medium Enterprise); or any individual… to build up an image that matters.
In fact, a calendar is the best ROI (Return on Investment) tool you can trust for an unmatched PR (Public Relations) even inside your TA’s (Target Audience) bedroom. And that too, throughout the year by expending only once in 12 months.
Needless to say, why Kingfisher spends so much effort and money to make its calendar happen every year, and why the company’s image is so deeply riveted to that produce. And why none other than Mr. Atul Kasbekar got hired as the shutter-bugger.
May be there are a few companies which can invest so heavily on a calendar, yet almost all try to do something superlative and unique on a calendar.
Thus when a calendar is made there are a number of factors that should be taken into consideration rather seriously and sensibly.
To make a calendar successful, first and foremost a good and strong theme is very important. Because whatever creatives need to be done got to be in line with the theme. A theme can be anything and everything but it should be ‘something’ (interesting, inspiring, infectious, etc.) when represented. As none will be interested to see a petty, run-of-the-mill, or mundane stuff all through the year on the desk or in the wall.
The flyleaf, which is the topmost page of a calendar, is very crucial. As it draws the very initial attention of one. So the flyleaf should be engagingly attractive and significant to make one spend his/her a few extra minutes on it. The flyleaf creative (visual and copy) is to be crafted such a way that it describes the theme as well as the company’s vision (and mission) like a spokesperson, a protagonist, or a change agent.
All inside pages should carry along the theme one after another being in sync altogether. However each page is required to stand alone at least for a month courtesy its own creative merit save for the dates only.
Critical, I admit but not impossible. And this is the real challenge of creating a calendar… heralding wonders, every year!
To make my points clear, I have showcased here one of the calendars that I have produced for Hindustan Controls & Equipment Pvt. Ltd. (HCE), Kolkata.
The company takes pride in being an Indian company and does believe in the concept of thinking and doing different things. They try to project an image that is not as stringent as their heavy Electrical Engineering operations. They love to experiment and their relevance comes from refreshing things and actions that may be uncanny but not alienated off people and people’s interest.
Just the reason, to augur the New Year 2009, HCE is responsible to think and let you imagine that IMPOSSIBLE IS EVERYTHING!
But if you think the objective of a calendar is so plain and vanilla, well, to be frank, you are grossly mistaken.
Today is different, so is the rationale of a calendar.
This date-piece is no longer a dead-piece on the table or in the wall; instead it has become a deadly weapon of marketing communications for corporate houses or SEMEs (Small Enterprise, Medium Enterprise); or any individual… to build up an image that matters.
In fact, a calendar is the best ROI (Return on Investment) tool you can trust for an unmatched PR (Public Relations) even inside your TA’s (Target Audience) bedroom. And that too, throughout the year by expending only once in 12 months.
Needless to say, why Kingfisher spends so much effort and money to make its calendar happen every year, and why the company’s image is so deeply riveted to that produce. And why none other than Mr. Atul Kasbekar got hired as the shutter-bugger.
May be there are a few companies which can invest so heavily on a calendar, yet almost all try to do something superlative and unique on a calendar.
Thus when a calendar is made there are a number of factors that should be taken into consideration rather seriously and sensibly.
To make a calendar successful, first and foremost a good and strong theme is very important. Because whatever creatives need to be done got to be in line with the theme. A theme can be anything and everything but it should be ‘something’ (interesting, inspiring, infectious, etc.) when represented. As none will be interested to see a petty, run-of-the-mill, or mundane stuff all through the year on the desk or in the wall.
The flyleaf, which is the topmost page of a calendar, is very crucial. As it draws the very initial attention of one. So the flyleaf should be engagingly attractive and significant to make one spend his/her a few extra minutes on it. The flyleaf creative (visual and copy) is to be crafted such a way that it describes the theme as well as the company’s vision (and mission) like a spokesperson, a protagonist, or a change agent.
All inside pages should carry along the theme one after another being in sync altogether. However each page is required to stand alone at least for a month courtesy its own creative merit save for the dates only.
Critical, I admit but not impossible. And this is the real challenge of creating a calendar… heralding wonders, every year!
To make my points clear, I have showcased here one of the calendars that I have produced for Hindustan Controls & Equipment Pvt. Ltd. (HCE), Kolkata.
The company takes pride in being an Indian company and does believe in the concept of thinking and doing different things. They try to project an image that is not as stringent as their heavy Electrical Engineering operations. They love to experiment and their relevance comes from refreshing things and actions that may be uncanny but not alienated off people and people’s interest.
Just the reason, to augur the New Year 2009, HCE is responsible to think and let you imagine that IMPOSSIBLE IS EVERYTHING!
