Get a home. Not just heights. : Realty communication case study.

India is a different and a very difficult country. Because of its population – ever increasing.

In an Indian society, Maslow's hierarchy of needs gets applied rather with a bottoms-up approach – where morality, spirituality, etc. are trained to people first than providing them with the basics like food, water, etc.

As a result, people in this nation in general, who have the power to think, talk, and act, are more concerned about iPads or iPhones than things like malnutrition, employment, etc.

For the reason obvious, this reflects on and in almost everyone's attitude whoever wants to define or redefine success. And that too, irrespective of his socio-economic condition.

Here success means not an overall growth, but an individual rise in order to gain a height in lifestyle.

To complement this lifestyle, house plays a pivotal role. And not just a house that could be termed as home, but an own house that will ensure one gets the height in social status.

It's inconsequential whether such status matters at all or not, but it's imperative to have that, at least to support the realty business in the name of infrastructural development and GDP growth.

More so, as the greater the populace the greater the need for a house. Ideally an own house.

But again, if everyone starts to get an own house, it's a problem. Because then the rental or lease business of houses will take a beating. Thus, the realty business is evolved in such a way, so that a section of people - called HIG - can have a number of houses; a section - called MIG - can have more than one house; and a section - called LIG - can somehow have one house or no house.

Owing to this, it's seen, in fact close-group research has revealed, for the HIG, a house is more of a signature statement; for the MIG, a house is an asset; and for the LIG, a house is a peaceful and most secure shelter, a lifeline, a home in true sense.

It's only the LIG, who actually feels being at home while being at home i.e. at an own house.

However, an insight shows, based on a social report, the LIG somewhat feels awkward or even gets ashamed sometimes - given the height of their house, which connotes the social status or success. That leads them often to think and do something unrealistic bringing more woes to their agony to build properties.

On the basis of that, when a cooperative society gets in touch with me, which is planning to develop a township away from the city of joy - Kolkata, I tried to do something simple. Yet realistic, addressing the core problem, so as to give the LIG not just a house but also a home which is grounded on reality and more than a piece of realty.

I prepared a poster – (the idea layout is shown in the attached pic) – and ask them to start the campaign with this. Displaying it at national banks, post-offices, railway stations, train compartments, fish and vegetable markets, bus-stands, tea-stalls, public toilets, and on autos and rickshaws. Of course at strategic locations where the posters will be visible more than getting torn.

Thereafter, a press campaign in Bengali newspapers, and a TVC for Bengali channels might be crafted.

Though I've shared the idea in English, but the communication will take place in Bengali mostly.

The client has liked the concept and my payment has been made too. ;)

Now let's see, how far they can extend their liking, riding on this idea, employing their own agency.

Finally, your honest and analytical feedback (read criticism) on the idea is most welcome!

Advertising is not a profession. It's HAPPINESS!

1996. The scorching sun was ruthless while sending heat waves to toast lives. Especially to roast someone who had completed his engineering but didn’t accept any job from the campus interview because he wanted to be a copy writer.

The guy had no knowledge in advertising. All he could afford to speak in English were Yes, No, Thanks. His writing was worse than pathetic, and most importantly he also knew it for a fact.

His mom was in her deathbed, suffering from cancer. His dad got retired six years back. And he was not on talking terms with his beloved elder bro who was dead against advertising. He had no friend. No philosopher. No guide.

Money was more than precious to him. In fact, more precious than his life.

One day, he saw a classified ad in the newspaper that a small, almost unknown ad agency was looking for a copy writer. And it was holding a walk-in for that.

His eyes popped out. As if a wolf found the address of a poultry. Excitement compounded with nervousness - exactly what he felt, immediately.

The agency was at Chandni Chowk – a far away place from his place at Santoshpur. Never mind, as Robert Frost had already written ‘Miles to go before I sleep’. And since there was no sleep even at night, so miles could definitely be travelled. Well, rather smilingly!

But only Rs. 10/- was in the wallet! No worries, since Robert Frost had already told what got to be done before a sleep.

The address was there in the ad but no direction. Hence at least a phone was needed to be made from the neighbourhood PCO. Meant turning Rs 10/- into Rs. 8/- was inevitable.

The receptionist took more time than expected to complete her sentences. Resulting, Rs. 6/- only in the wallet was ready to decide world’s best copy writer in making’s fate.

3.00 PM was the scheduled time for the interview. It was already 10.30 AM when he finished the call.

A rough calculation was made by him soon, and he realised if he would start walking around 12.00 o’clock – after all it was a walk-in, you see – he could reach in time.

He reached the agency by 2.45, somehow saving his shirt from being recognised as a snot rag serving a sneezing Yeti, clenching his handmade mock work-portfolio in a bag as tightly as possible to his chest.

The interview had begun and ended, and he understood he was rejected.

What next? ‘Miles to go (in the reverse direction) before I sleep’.

It might have been okay, had the sun read Robert Frost too. But, as it didn’t, it was making even ‘an inch to go’ impossible for the rejected (and dejected) copy writer.

Anyway, Chandni Chowk is close to Lalbazar, hence, there was every possibility that he would be picked up off the pavement if seen sitting there thanks to his good-look and handsomeness.

So no choice but going… miles again.

The dehydration was getting him undone sooner, and the wallet was carrying only Rs. 2/- then, as he dared to eat out four biscuits at Rs. 4/- on his way back.

Up to Camac Street, Robert Frost was a good company, motivation, and inspiration until Stephen Hawing appeared suddenly to offer him some rest in a black hole in front of Shantineketan Building.

Bar, as you know, nobody loves to see anyone’s taking rest, a tea vendor got perturbed unlike other gentlemen out there. So he sprinkled water on an unconscious face and wiped the blood stench off a bleeding nose and a pair of badly hurt lips.

(Dropping yourself with a thud on road on your face is not a good idea – take a note of it).

Anyway, not only did the vendor sprinkle water but also offered a glass of milk with sugar. And that too, knowing fully well that he won’t be paid for anything. In addition, the vendor also shelled out Rs. 10/- to help the destiny’s child reach home safely. For a change, by a bus.

................................................................

His mom passed away. He got his first job. With a remarkable salary of Rs 300/- per month. Giving a tough competition to the office bearer who used to draw Rs. 500/-.

He got his first month’s salary. Bought sweets of Rs. 50/- and went to Camac Street. Met that tea-vendor after 2 months, hugged him and handed over the box of sweets.

Both made an instant connection and started to talk for over an hour. Their discussion ranged from an elite God to the pinned Hawai chappals.

Later on, perhaps this insight helped the two lines: Elite mane Solid and Shahor Theke Gayen, Holir Rongey Rongin Sobai Elite Hawai Paye – coined by the copy writer for Elite Hawais to get his footholds in the market.

First in Kolkata, and gradually across India and beyond the national boundary.

Just the reason, that copy writer has never left his love: advertising, has never left pavements, and has never denounced the good effects of gratitude to be a man of struggles beyond mere bank balance, frivolous designation and so-called success.

And for everything, he’s VERY HAPPY, now!

Know, how to let advertising and communications save a life.

A boy used to come to me often to know the nitty-gritty of advertising while he was doing his stint with a small agency at Kolkata as a copy writer.

He was a chain smoker, and would find it really difficult to negotiate things with me as smoking was never allowed at my place.

His intention always happened to be to convince me that without smoking ideas wouldn’t click as against my belief that an idea doesn’t need any dopes from outside but only inner substance i.e. commonsense based on observation, absorption and application.

Later on he shifted to Mumbai, and very recently I came to know that he’s been suffering from lung cancer at a last stage. The medical report suggested that his ‘great habit of smoking to think big’ was the root cause of his present situation.

I felt bad, but never for a second turned sympathetic towards him, as whoever prefers to commit suicide for no apparent reason as such, I love to see that person dead.

In fact, the early it happens the best it is.

Nonetheless, this incident pushed me to do something, at least to convey a message to teenagers who also delve into the notion, may be, that smoking helps ideation and creativity.

Which is why, I compromised on a good night’s sleep and created this ambient piece of communications – (as showing in the photograph below) – with a hope to save minimum one life from going astray to be ended within an ashtray, eventually, prematurely.

I sincerely wish if HT City or Mumbai Times, or MTV, or Reebok, or Airtel, or Pepsi, or any other Brand that appeals to the Youth could use this humble creation of mine, or anything else in line with that, to help young guns understand what is what, as part of its CSR programs beyond balance sheets for a change.

And don’t worry, for that, no Brand has to pay me anything, because to me the life of a teenager is much more important than earning a few quick bucks, or winning an award.

Just the reason, I’m appealing to each one of you, unless it’s impossible, please try to create an environment where everyone can live long, happily, healthily, and peacefully, and to do that, exploit your power of ad and communications to the maximum.

This world needs you to think, talk, open up, and speak out more and more than just sulk, crib, brood, complain, nag, or maintain a dignified silence for some selfish bliss.

I beg, it’s one life, so let’s live as long as possible, together.

Life needs advertising and communications; hence let’s add life to that. Let’s JUST DO IT.

Spain bulldozed Italy, 4-0. The Blue turned Pink by the Red in Euro 2012 final.

When too many good things happened at a time, life comes to an instant halt leaving one perplexed. Exactly the same feeling occurred to me now, as I’m truly undecided on whether to express my ecstasy because my favourite team Spain won Euro 2012 or to break into tears because the magic of soccer ended in 90 minutes flat.

I was a kid then, so it’s not possible for me to describe at present how Holland used to play under Johan Cruyff’s leadership, but I’m sanguine this Spain team is no way inferior to that Orange squad, if ‘total football’ is still the prime concern besides individual brilliance.

Frankly, to identify one or two golden moments as presented by the Red Bulls in the Euro 2012 final was not only tough but also next to impossible.

From strategy to team composition to execution, the Spaniards were matchless against the Italians.

In order to blunt Italy’s 4-1-3-2, the way Spain moved the ball forward from the word go was beyond any adjective. Changing the 4-3-3 formation to 2-3-5 as well as 2-2-2-4 to attack and then again changing that to 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 to defend couldn’t have been any better than what Spain illustrated… as if 10 painters were creating a montage on the field with a football.

No praise is sufficient for Arbeloa and Alba, given the game they played by using the right flank and the left flank, respectively. Plus, the run and finish that Alba produced to score the second goal off Xavi’s velvet through pass, I guess, will take many a year to be forgotten. The sense of timing of that particular move has perhaps been more precise than any clock in the world. Actually, it was the turning point of the match.

In addition, the quadrangles Xavi, Iniesta, Silva and Fabregas kept forming and firming up, constantly, on the edge of the Italian box were too much to handle, especially when Chiellini had to leave the field owing to an early injury.

The score line could have been 5-0, had Spain not been deprived of a clear penalty while Bonucci conceded a hand-ball in the box during second half.

However, it would be unfair to write off Italy. In fact, a few crackers from them were really threatening. But, as the Red Bulls had Casillas under the crosspiece, for the reason obvious, the Blue Brigade couldn’t score. Practically, as long as Casillas will keep playing for Spain, all other teams have to play against 12 men with their 11 a side. And, Motta’s sudden hamstring pull didn’t help Italy’s cause either.

Ultimately, it’s a great delight and pleasure to see Spain triumphs! And a befitting reply to those who kept on arguing and making noise (for nothing) that Spain became weaker and would be needing luck and blah, blah and blah… because of David Villa’s absence.

Football is a team game, where only THE 3S: ‘Strategy, Stamina and Skill’ matters, and it’s different from a game of Ludo, or the photo-sharing on facebook for that matter.

Cheers! :D

Anything CAN happen at Cannes!

Couldn’t really understand, IDEA-wise what was the difference between Leo Burnett’s entries to Cannes 2012 in the ‘Print and Poster category’ and the ‘Photography’ category… where the agency submitted the ‘Reclaim your space’ series and the ‘Fragrance’ series of creative for Bajaj Exhaust and Tide, respectively.

Interesting, as they are still rooting for (or should I say hooting) for Lions in those two categories!

However, their Radio Spot for Saathi in the ‘Radio’ category is great! But will the judges understand the language and the pain expressed through a typical Mumbaikar’s dialect? A Big question mark.

My money is on their ‘Doorstep School’ campaign that promoted adult literacy. This entry in the ‘Promo and Activation’ category is really based on a SIMPLE and SOLID insight and the creative execution was also too good in line with reality, relevance and refreshment.

Now to talk about Grey...

The agency may jolly well think they have produced a superlative film: ‘Riot’… for Killer Jeans on ‘Water Saving’ proposition, whereas the reality is no, they haven’t. It was not only forced but also convoluted, thanks to the ‘Green Fold’ proposition for an audience who perhaps hadn’t read Ashwini’s report on the site afaqs.com.

So, a metal in the 'Film Lions and Film Craft Lions' categories or in the 'Titanium and Integrated Lions' would be a shocker! To me at least.

Rather their ‘Proof in the pocket’ campaign holds more brownie points, which was done for ‘Truly Worn’ Collection of Killer faded jeans. And it might help them win a metal in the ‘Promo and Activation’ category.

Grey’s print campaign for Fujifilm India… exploiting ‘two face-detection indicators’ might look wow from an innovation point of view but from an average consumer viewpoint, how does it matter, I wonder!

Hence, the chance for a metal in the ‘Press Lions’ category is also quite remote.

That being said, it won’t be foolish to exclaim though; who knows, after all when it’s CANnes, anything CAN HAPPEN!

EDM marketing of Jeevansathi.com to leverage its new television commercial might not work.

India’s one of the leading matrimonial portals Jeevansathi.com (a Naukri.com venture) is sending EDM (electronic direct mailer) to people.

The portal wants online traffic to watch its latest television commercial (TVC) and give feedback.

It was a nice ploy so as to check the audience response and capture their contact details (i.e. email ids) for future communications.

However, at the same time, given the way Jeevansathi executed it, the possibility is ‘a good effort wasted’.

Why wasted?

Because why people should click on the provided link-button and watch the TVC online was neither clear nor compelling in the communication.

No benefit or incentive was offered up-front to the TA (target audience) giving them enough reasons to react, positively.

May be a million people or more have already watched the said commercial, but how does it matter to you or me was the question that remained unanswered!

Also, why one should write back to the provided email id to give feedback wasn’t comprehensive or substantiated with any promise of rewards or brownie-points.

So, net-net, the EDM could not lift itself up to any level whatsoever but came across as just yet another junk email.

Worldwide, when all are going helter-skelter and predicting the end of #email marketing, precisely through EDMs, this kind of stuff actually reasons and rationalizes this that those cries are true.

Direct Marketing seems to be very easy – in fact it is – if, and only if, the basics are kept on mind in order to offer nothing but Benefits, Benefits, Benefits to the TA via every piece of communications, almost incessantly.

That’s all. And that’s it.

The Youth of India and their awakening through Social Networking

Social Networking in India is a happening thing. The best part of it is, one can abuse and assault other(s) on a Social Media like anything. Personal attacks or derogatory comments on anyone, anything are one of the keys to success of Social Networking.

In this context, I tried to do an experiment.

First: I created a snap equating a Monkey with Kalki – the known Bollywood Star – which was nothing but a sheer insult on someone’s look. I shared the snap in a forum on Facebook called ROFLIndia.

And, as expected, the snap’s been Liked by people, precisely the Youth; since, my cheap intention came across as Humour to them!
 
Then: I just turned the Map of India upside down and posted in the same forum, and the same set of people who had earlier Liked my personal abuse on Kalki found me ‘asshole’, ‘idiot’ and ‘son of a beach’.
 
Thank god, not of a ‘bitch’ at least! ;)
 

 
Why?
 
Because to the Youth of India, fiddling with the Map or Flag of India is an Insult to the mother nation but fingering into someone or something for nothing is not; it’s rather an entertainment and FREE FUN!
 
And the funniest part is, if one says something abusive to malign anyone (but to no avail though) others jump into the bandwagon to harass the target / victim just like the jackals that bark in unison. Without even realizing why they are making noise!
 
Not surprising, India predicts and drools over GDP Growth today, while the nation’s 42% children still suffer from malnutrition and Anna Hazare calls himself the second Mahatma Gandhi to lead the Youth to a corruption free country tomorrow.
 
Cheers! :D

To beat Australia at the MCG, India needs to wear brains.

So, the Boxing Day test between Australia and India has begun with all punches as expected from both sides!

If first day’s performance is to be evaluated, it will stand as Australia : India = 50 : 50.

However, the reality is Australia : India = 60 : 40.

Especially, the way the Aussies recovered from the score 214 for 6 to reach 277 for 6 at stumps.

No praise is adequate to acknowledge and appreciate the partnership – Haddin and Siddle put together, while chips were really down for Australia thanks to two dubious decisions by the umpires that undid Hussey first and then Cowan, almost back to back.

From then, when it was expected that India would wrap up the Australian tail soon, the real twist in the tale took place.

And, honestly, it happened more for the Indian’s lack of idea in bowling and field placement than the Aussies’ determined display of batting.

With the course of play it became evident that Siddle had a great defensive technique and he was quite ready to come on the front-foot to negotiate deliveries. Either to play at them or leave.

On the other hand, Haddin was just reluctant to take any risk whatsoever and happy to nudge the ball here and there for singles, twos or threes followed by occasional hits over the rope.

So the situation was, the Aussies were keen to play for the time and had no urgency to dash for runs, where India needed to push things up with more vision and vigour so as to bowl out their opponent, as soon as possible.

But, frankly it didn’t occur, as it should’ve been.

Nevertheless, the things could be sorted out still in order to change the game, if the following points are pondered… rather with an open mind –

1. Asking Umesh Yadav to bowl at fierce pace targeting Siddle’s ribcage mostly, and time to time his toes, with five fielders on leg side. The fielders could ideally be placed at Fine Leg (somewhere in between short fine leg and deep fine leg); Backward short leg or Leg gully; Forward short leg (a bit square and pushed towards the leg umpire); Midwicket (somewhere in between original midwicket and deep midwicket) and Mid on (quite straight, much inside the ring to save quick singles). This ploy might not give Umesh Siddle’s wicket, but the batsman would definitely get softened up to fall pray to another Indian bowler, and this in the process could force Haddin to take some extra responsibilities to guard his partner by playing extra deliveries, bearing extra tension.

2. Keeping fielders for Haddin at Deep point or Deep cover, at Deep midwicket and at Deep mid on, while he played, in fact, not a single adventurous shot in his whole innings actually seemed pretty bizarre. When a team had two new batsmen at the crease and was tottering under some kind of pressure giving away such easy singles to them through wide spread field settings, made no sense to be precise. At that point of time, Haddin should’ve been made to struggle for every run and should’ve been compelled to go for big shots over the in-field.

3. Ishant should be asked to bowl only at good-length or just short of good-length but not away from off stump or short-pitch. Because given the pace, bounce and carry, as provided by the pitch, Ishant’s bouncers are likely to go over a batsman’s head, most of the time. But, Ishant’s in-coming deliveries which just hold their lines after pitching, or go away slightly outside towards off stump, are simply nightmares for any batsman. So, Ishant has to bowl those balls, continuously, as he turns into a wicket taking bowler only when he pitches the ball up.

4. In a vast ground like the MCG, run-choking is just a concept. In reality, there remain plenty of gaps on the filed, exploiting which a batsman can jolly well pile up runs just by taking singles. To prove that point, Australia made 277 from 89 overs with an average of 3.11 per over that can’t be said poor run rate in a test cricket despite Dhoni’s wide-spread field placement. And Dhoni needs not to forget one thing, in such a climate which is offering no such humidity, getting a batsman out by tiring him is not going to work as it does often in India. Therefore, as a captain he needs to think more and better than just going with the flow and hoping that something will happen soon.

To conclude, if Australia crosses 350, it’s likely that India will either lose the test or maximum salvage a draw at the MCG. Because, to win a test match overseas (or a series for that matter), a team needs to play magical cricket based on strategy, tactics and game plan beyond just skills, luck and miracle. And that's why; a captain on field needs to think sound and innovative, and that too, impromptu, applying nothing but sheer commonsense.

To go digital, a brand should trust god more than an agency in India.

I was exploring afaqs.com. For some good news, assignments, or jobs… pertaining to advertising or media.

While I clicked on the link ‘jobswitch’, I saw an agency called Water is looking for professionals in several disciplines.

I’m not sure though whether it’s the same Water that operates as one of the SBUs of Mudra.

See the ad below, and also mark the red underline... (click on it to enlarge)

Since they are looking for Creative Director, for the reason obvious, I wanted to know more about it by visiting the link.

Then I landed on this ad… (click on it to enlarge)

And like I did, if you too see this ad properly, you’ll get to know that Water has talked about many things in the text – and creatively perhaps – save for providing you with any contact details where you can send your application and CV, or simply call up!

Even if you click on the ad for umpteen times or keep refreshing the page, you will know that it’s not hyperlinked to their website or any contact page either.

Now, what notion will you develop about such an agency that also used Ogilvy’s name to create interest in their appoint ad through quite a high-voltage gimmick?

However, I won’t be surprised at all, if I find that the agency is claiming to have done wonder for their clients in the domain of interactive ads or digital communications like many other agencies that don’t even have a proper or upgraded company website in place.

Actually, from the ad of Water, it’s evident once again what kind of agencies, SBUs, or creative hot-shops are functional of late across India and trying to leverage the digital communications and social media marketing on web and mobile!

To back my point then I have searched for Water on Google by the URL the agency has provided on afaqs.com. And no wonder I have found the expected result only, as shown in the following pictures... (click on it to enlarge)

Anyway, before I conclude let me remind you, humbly, that the agency’s punch line is: The ROI Attitude and its value promise is: Water Your Brand.

Indeed. :) 

Don't let the fire of any AMRI Hospital gut your life again.

One of my classmates' Aunt is sinking at a Hospital now with multiple organ failure thanks to the choking at AMRI yesterday. Just asking, "Any candle march or Rs. 5 lac+, or the imprisonment of the Todis, Goenkas, etc., will help her live?"

No, right? I know.

That's why tried to suggest you what needs to be done, so as to save your aunt or mother, or wife, or anyone else, you love and really care for...

The fire at AMRI, Dhakuria in Kolkata helps Emami, Shrachi to be trending; no doubt.

Many things will be written and shown about Goenka, Todi, etc, at least for the coming two weeks.

A candle march, or may be a sandal march with Hawai Chappals in hand, is also a huge possibility to mark the aghast citizens' protest against such indifference and negligence of the hospital authority and management.

Rs. 5 lac compensation might be given away, or not, to each of the bereaved families. Plus, some unluckily lucky ones could get a few govt. jobs here and there.

But, what next? Is it going to stop those Todis, Goenkas, Agarwals from taking more human lives in the name of business or corporate culture across India? NO! NEVER.

Because this cluster of businessmen only understands how to make the balance sheet ringing. Therefore, it will hardly matter, even if they are hung till death.

Neither will their attitude change nor will their greed for money reduce.

If anything at all needs to be done to get them corrected and teach a lesson, that has to be full of purpose and resilience sans TRP / GRP jerking or Readership increasing media led gimmicks.

Those fellows need to be hit badly in their balance sheet only, but nowhere else. And to do so, all you need to do is stop buying any product whatsoever from the Brand stable of Emami and purchasing any flats / offices from Shrachi Group.

In case you can stick to this non-cooperation for a year at least; you will be able to help them experience, actually, how it feels when the balance sheet turns into 'balance shit'.

Once it's done, you can witness the change, hopefully, rather realistically in a positive way, because money matters to them more than it matters to you or anyone else.

HENCE, DO IT. Or do nothing, to silently wait for more such fire takes place, gradually, even in your bedroom.

So, happy burning, in advance! However, getting rid of such man made calamities is still in your hand, provided you wish to lead from within being high on motivation to act more and better than just reacting, instinctively, to forget the issue on the very next day or moment.

MiD DAY closed editions in Delhi and Bengaluru with CHEERS!

Why the face-u, hide-u, hide-u…
Why these Kolaveri Dis
Why the camera-u, click-u, click-u…
Why this Kolaveri Da

Well, if you are only singing this song… seeing the above picture, and thinking nothing great or big, you sure are not a visionary or management level employee, or CEO of a tabloid like MiD DAY!

“Janam Samjha Karo,” as Choli ke pichhe something exists, Burqa ke niche bhi something exists.

And if you could see what exists, you have the foresight and vision, the business acumen and, for sure, a template-MBA degree or diploma to capture Sunny Leone, Poonam Pandey, Rakhi Sawant, Mallika Sherawat and Liz Hurley in a single frame with just a click.

Probably Jagran Prakashan Limited (JPL) had possessed such a business vision under the stewardship of Mr. Manajit Ghoshal, MD & CEO, MiD DAY Infomedia, when the group acquired MiD DAY in May 2010… to bring Inquilab (revolution) through sensational news, raving up the tabloid culture across India.

However, with time, it became evident that MiD DAY could only incur loss thanks to its Delhi and Bengaluru editions despite the tabloid’s best of titillations for ‘producing’ news besides covering the same.

This, as usual, created a situation where finding scapegoats was mandatory to pass the buck on and make them sacrifice, eventually.

For the reason obvious, the management of MiD DAY under the canopy of JPL found the best possible solution, and that was to close the editions in Delhi and Bengaluru on and from December 06, 2011 and thereby compel all its journalists and other employees go jobless in those two cities.

And that too, notwithstanding the fact, as quoted by a MiD DAY insider, “Midday shut down for loss of Rs 2 lakhs by Jagran whose quarterly profit is Rs 30 cr. is this ridiculous or what?”

Funny, no? Yes, it IS!

Actually, the fun just began.

Now, please take a look at the CEO’s internal email, which Mr. Manajit Ghoshal sent to the employees in Delhi and Bengaluru in order to let them know that they were laid off.

Full Transcript of the great man’s great mail –

Dear colleagues,

It's with a heavy heart that I have to announce the closure of Mid-Day Delhi and Mid-Day Bangalore editions. Tomorrow's issue will be the last issue for both the editions. This has been necessitated by the prolonged losses we had to incur on these editions.

The idea behind starting these editions was to establish these brands in these cities and make a difference in the lives of the citizens there. We had begun well and were appreciated for the quality of product we put out. However, in a corporate scenario the books need to be balanced.

Due to the ever increasing competition in the print media space, the funds required for breakeven in these cities kept escalating. Finally, we had to take this call. We will however, continue to maintain a news bureau in Delhi and our sales offices in Bangalore and Delhi.

But, every dark cloud has a silver lining. The silver lining in this is that Mumbai Mid-Day now will have the strength to soar to greater heights. By cutting our losses in Delhi and Bangalore editions, we will be able to bolster our circulation in Mumbai.

Apart from the plan to channel these investments, Jagran group (our parent company) will invest a large sum in boosting Mid-Day's circulation in Mumbai. This will give our sales guys across the country to pitch Mumbai Mid-Day to clients and agencies in a new light.

We need to now concentrate on building brand Mid-Day in Mumbai and monetizing Mumbai Mid-Day's large increase in circulation and in this our sales colleagues in Delhi, Bangalore and Pune will have to play a significant part.

Gujrati Mid-Day and Inquilab continue to go from strength to strength. We are increasing the circulation of GMD at a brisk pace and will continue to do so. Inquilab has flourished in the north and we now have 14 editions in all and are far ahead of any competition in the Urdu space.

Mid-Day Pune is an extension of Mid-Day Mumbai just as the Pune city is an extension of Mumbai. Mid-DayPune will continue to run at an ever increasing pace and we will be monitoring the Pune media market keenly to spot opportunities to improve the circulation of Midday Pune.

We will continue to invest aggressively in our digital properties as we believe that this is a medium whose time has come.

5th December, 2011 is an important day in the history of Mid-Day. Today, we will have to halt and think. Think about many of our colleagues who will have to move on.

It's a testing time for them as it is for us. Right now it might look dark but I am sure both of us will come out of this with flying colours. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors. We also need to think about the added responsibilities for all of us who remain in this great organization and who have to carry its legacy forward. Let's begin this phase of our journey with renewed vigour and conviction.

In conclusion, I can only say that all dreams may not fructify but that will only encourage us to try harder and bring us closer, marching forward with a vision which only we can realise. We strive for continuity and absolutes but are reminded time and again that change is the only constant.

In this time of great pain and heavy responsibility, I am sure God will give us the tenacity to walk on-and then to break into a run-and once again soar to live our destiny.

Cheers!

Manajit Ghoshal

When a MD cum CEO of an organization starts a retrenchment email with a ‘heavy heart’ but ends with ‘cheers’, it speaks volumes for the person’s mental stability. And while such a person is at the helm of a business operation, no wonder MiD DAY turned MiD NIGHT in Delhi and Bengaluru where media war has been fierce, always, given the number of quality competitors.

Plus, from positioning and content point of views… trying to draw an analogy or a parallel between MiD DAY Delhi / Bengaluru and Inquilab / Gujrati MiD DAY has not only been weird but also made no branding or marketing sense to say the least.

It was like telling Harbhajan Singh that he was dropped from the team albeit Vidya Balan acted brilliantly in the Dirty Picture!

Keeping sales offices in Delhi, as well as in Bengaluru to bolster the media space selling for the Mumbai edition with an ambition to invest heavily in the digital space to proliferate the brand MiD DAY… so as to leverage the maximum, is yet another jive that only ridicules the concept of branding and marketing.

For a simple reason, to exploit the digital space, precisely the web and mobile, distance hardly matters. So why keep sales offices in Delhi and Bengaluru where you can’t keep the journalists and other staffs?!

Apart from that, it was also bizarre the way the management at MiD DAY literally enforced resignation on the employees in Delhi and Bengaluru, and used bouncers to drive the employees out of the office premise who were reluctant to leave.

See the termination – NOT RESIGNATION – letter below, as drafted by the management.  

There was no mention of any statutory compensations but a mere assertion of dues.

If some eyebrows were raised to inquire into ‘why compensation’, answering to that, because no prior intimation or notice was circulated to any of the employees in Delhi and Bengaluru before this sudden retrenchment.

Whereas, giving at least one month’s prior notice to lay off an employee is an absolute must, unless and until the employee has committed any criminal offense, or serving a probationary period. And, even if he has committed a crime, it needs to be proven first either by an internal committee and then at court.

In this context, the following facebook wall posts of Ms. Promita Mukherjee, Feature Editor, MiD DAY, Delhi should be sufficient for you to understand the malpractice, based on which, the management at MiD DAY offered pink slips and insulted its employees –

“Sachin Kalbag's msg to me: Note, he still hasn't addressed the team:

Promita, I am sending this message in private. We are trying our best get those Delhi colleagues who have not been retained for the Delhi bureau absorbed in Jagran Prakashan's publications such as City Plus, iNext, Jagran Digital and Jagran itself. I understand your anger, and I understand your pain. I would also request you to call me directly in case you need ANY clarification. You may have my number, but in any case it is +919820199551.

Thanks,

Sachin”

“For those who came in late, this is not against the shutting down of MiD DAY delhi shutting down or abt usz getting sacked. It is abt the way we were all dismissed thru an insensitive email. The editor Deep Halder, who is entitled to the highest compensation felt it is not abt money, it is abt our dignity. Neither the CEO, nor the executive editor Sachin Kalbag met us or addressed us over a video conference. We were okay with that also. But today, they were forcing us to sign an illegal document saying we are voluntarily resigning. The truth is, the edition is closing, we are not leaving on our own”

It’s also heard that the management at MiD DAY showed red eyes and tried to bully the employees in Delhi to accept the fabricated resignation, and prior to that the employees were duped to sign on an illegal agreement, which said that the employees were willing to not accept the Majithia Wage Board or Commission’s report / suggestions.

See this link http://labour.nic.in/wageboard/PressNote/OrderPublishedGazette.pdf and you will understand why no employee is a fool to refuse extra or more wages as per the Board or Commission's suggestion! That means MiD DAY has somewhat lost its way even on the legal front in line with Majithia.

Finally, if Promita’s tweet, “#MidDay, real intentions revealed. Shutdowns part of CEO's plan to devalue group so that he can buy it himself, sources confirm” is to be taken into serious consideration, it clears everything why MiD DAY needed to close down editions in Delhi and Bengaluru in such a manner, with ‘Cheers’, of course!

Dev Anand and I.

When I came to know Dev Anand – ‘god of happiness’ – demised, I went literally numb for a while. The feeling was more of sadness than shock. Then experienced a nerve wrenching vacuum deep inside, as if I lost someone very close to my heart. Notwithstanding the fact we’ve hardly known each other.

So, the obvious question arises, “Why am I getting so sentimental?”

No, I’m not getting sentimental; I’m actually getting very emotional, reminiscing those songs on Dev Saab that have always been instrumental to help me grow up, shape up, and build up an image... to wear and carry for the world, outside.

It’s a different issue altogether though, whether the said image's been right or wrong, but it keeps on providing me with the spirit of life, till date, to LIVE… always with a hope that tomorrow is different and will be better.

I won’t cower to confess that it's from Dev Saab only, I've learnt many things like: ‘how to love’, ‘how to flirt’, ‘how to gamble’, ‘how to tease’, ‘how to booze’, ‘how to care’, ‘how to pain’, ‘how to motivate’, ‘how to mentor’, and ‘how to pack-up’… to ‘roll and act’ again and again... even without a gain, relentlessly.



And this process of learning has always been very enriching for me and my creative existence.

Just the reason, to celebrate his journey to a greater world, I'm trying to revisit my association with Dev Saab, muse-ically and musically, song by song, exactly the way I’ve consumed HIM since ages...

To love

http://youtu.be/p_rjAglZ8I0

To flirt

http://youtu.be/ZIrhbZIwEFs

To gamble

http://youtu.be/ZaEAHon2VN8

To tease

http://youtu.be/o_hvm-rQGWM

To booze

http://youtu.be/J1Y09x4EZp4

To care
http://youtu.be/pC45vxZtdgk

To pain
http://youtu.be/4ZKLJg6nk1s

To motivate
http://youtu.be/xgL6jeeSqYQ

To mentor
http://youtu.be/ZLAytTJFwiY

To pack-up, and roll again to act
http://youtu.be/9V-wefxMxDY

And finally to say, with misty eyes, R.I.P. Dev Anand, my friend (if I may say so), philosopher and GUIDE!

Confusion in marriage starts with even a matrimonial ad

Ever thought, why you need to get married? Precisely, if you are an Indian and still delve into the concept of family first and arranged marriage.

If yes, great! If not, never mind. Let’s have a tête-à-tête on this.

You: “Because I want to settle down.”

I: “That means, unless you get married, you aren’t settled but unstable?”

You: “No, not like that. My parents are aging and they want me to settle down.”

I: “Cool, so you should get married for your parents and their age and wishes?”

You: “No, no, you’re getting me wrong. Actually you need a partner to share your life with.”

I: “Fair enough. Can you be a bit specific on the sharing part?”

You: “Well, sharing your happiness and grief; smiles and tears; joys and frustrations… you know.”

I: “Yes, I do. But you can do so even with a good friend, who understands you like anything. No?”

You: “I can, but you know, there are more things to it. I mean you can’t share everything with your friend na!”

I: “Everything means? You mean sex?”

You: “Ah, well, yes! Not only that but also many things… you know.”

I: “No, if I had known, then of course I wouldn’t have asked you, right? However, for sex you can have many other ways, and frankly I couldn’t understand your many things.”

You: “Many things like having your own child(ren), getting someone for your old age…”

I: “Okay, but to have a child, you can also adopt an orphan and for your old age care, there are so many good old-age homes of late, so…”

You: “Oh ho, you’re not getting me. Marriage is necessary, and you’ve to understand that.”

I: “I’ve never said marriage is not necessary. All I wanted to know is why it’s necessary.”

You: “I don’t know. You please stop. And don’t forget, if your parents hadn’t been married then you were not born either.”

I: “I own your words. So, broadly speaking, marriage is an affair from which you expect your child(ren) and old-age security in addition to many other inexplicable things, which might add more to your confusion, right?”

You: “May be.”

I: “Not may be, IT IS.”

You: “Get LOST!”

I: “Sure, as you say.”

………………………………………………………………………

Now, I may have got lost. Still, has it helped you in any way?

Have you got the answer, why do you need to get married?

Don’t worry; I’m just as confused as you are. Or perhaps, I’m more confused than you are.

And in India, where arranged marriage always raves, it’s likely that this confusion will start from the very beginning. As an advertisement itself, which clamours off a matrimonial site everyday, or newspapers on Sundays.

See such an ad in the following, (click on it and get it enlarged) mark the red underlines and realise what I meant –

In this ad, I’ve deliberately hidden a few fields with grey patches. Because my idea has never been to insult or assault anyone’s sentiments but just to show how funny, trivial and frivolous a marriage could be in India… given over-protective parents, family members and relatives, who actually force a bride / groom to be a joker in public eyes.

In short, you’ve ONLY two choices. Get married to remain confused in your entire life. Or get rid of your confusions first, and always, to have a happy life: Married or unmarried.

Cheers!

The clueless run of Indian National Congress (INS) continues in Uttar Pradesh, even with the Assembly Election 2012 advertising campaign

Why you need to advertise?

1. To make people aware of your product / service / company offerings and get their attention

2. Win and hold their interest

3. Simulate and stimulate their desire

4. Ask for a concrete action

Be it condom or rocket; biscuit or bride, or anything else – the four basic premises of advertising have always remained unchanged.

Big, bigger, biggest pundits, with bald head to ponytail to horsetail; French cut to goatee; six-pack to potbelly; tattoo to tongue prick, might differ and produce infinite number of strategies, plans, puns… and many more things; however what needs to be remained same just remains the same: As.It.Is.

That’s all, that’s it, and that IS reality.

And this reality always sounds as: “What’s in the offer for me?” Period.

As a consumer / customer, you actually get exposed to many brands; many communications; many media, but when it comes to decision and consumption, your single-minded ‘want’, not just need, always IS: “How am I going to be benefited?”

This benefit doesn’t necessarily mean that you should always expect and gain only tangibly perceivable values from it, but it should realistically provide you with an emotional connect, without which you might feel you are lost.

Product, service, company, market-share, segment, category, and blah, blah, and blah… inconsequential, the value offering(s) got to be the key in every brand. Even if the brand is a political party… like Indian National Congress (INS).

In Uttar Pradesh (UP), to fight against and dislodge the Mayawati Govt. in the Assembly Election 2012, Congress has rolled out its first set of advertising campaigns.

The line of positioning of this campaign has been 'Utho, jago aur badlo' (rise, awaken and change), and the party conveys the message with an attempt to communicate that unless one wakes up and votes for development, one can never change his destiny.

In line with that, the communication collaterals have started to shout 'Jawab Hum Denge' (We will give a befitting reply) across Allahabad and other strategic locations in the said state.

Here, as a voter, you know that you need to give a Jawab (a befitting reply / answer) on the voting machine to welcome change for development. But, do you have any idea, what will be those developments; how will they look like; how will they benefit you?

And when Congress is shouting for a change, what is it actually meaning, since every other party calls for such changes for a wide range of developments pre-election, isn’t it?

In that case, how can you call it, a positioning at all, which is simply not offering any UVP (Unique Voting Proposition)??!!

Plus, when the creative rendition of this positioning is getting stemmed out as ‘Jawab hum denge’, what does it mean, actually?

As a voter, of course it’s you only, who’s entitled to give ‘a befitting reply’ in the ballot box. So what’s the big deal in the communications that tell you the same thing, which you know already!

Or, is it Congress trying to say that the party will give a Jawab, if so, then it actually needs to give replies, on many accounts such as: Corruption, Inflation, Employment, and the list goes on.

Given this, politically speaking, Congress should rather give no answer, unless it has a real game plan to counter attack the Anti-corruption craze; an issue, which the party has failed to negotiate with so far. And that too, despite having their young leader Rahul Gandhi in the squad, while Varun Gandhi simply stole the show in the Parliament during the Ramlila of Anna Hazare.

From strategy, as well as creative point of views, the present campaign done by Percept/H has all in it... except any direction or objective.

In fact, if you compare two respective quotes, as mentioned below, by the client i.e. a notable leader of Congress and the agency head, you can easily understand the disconnect and dissonance prevalent in the campaign. Here it goes –

"We wanted to come up with a campaign that questions the governance in the region and ask for change. It is more an emotional campaign, than an aggressive one," says Raj Babbar, Congress leader.

"Who does not want change?" questions Harindra Singh, Vice-chairperson and Managing Director, Percept/H and then adds, “the whole approach adopted for the campaign is aggressive and only a young person like Gandhi can do justice to the words used in the campaign.”

Howz that?

If this is the scene between client (INS) and its incumbent agency (Percept/H), the level of advertising and communications actually requires to ‘rise, awaken and change’ before anyone does so in Uttar Pradesh.

Otherwise, perhaps, only a miracle can save Congress by making people believe that the party really understands things pertaining to consumers / voters / people at large.

In addition, if you take a look at the following slides, you will understand the main icon or mnemonic around which the entire campaign is moving and will be… in the future, has been so loosely done.

To say the least, this hardly qualifies up to any standard, whatsoever, to be called as creative work worth so much of money.

Take a break, and know more about the logo of INS, please read this –

In late 1978, Indira Gandhi came to offer worship in Hemambika Temple along with K.Karunakaran, her then lieutenant in the state, the former Chief Minister of Kerala. Those days, her party or fraction was facing patent troubles on their existing election symbol - The farmer with Oxen - by several dissidents or break-away Congress fractions, after the great election debacle in 1976.

The unique deity - The Hand - of the small Hemambika Temple ignited her creative mind. And the rest is History. The Hand was Congress’ election symbol in the next election in 1980, which brought Indira Gandhi back to the helm of power.

Anyway, now coming back to the point, since the country is India, and moreover, since the state is Uttar Pradesh (UP), where things like Badla (Revenge); Khoon (Blood); Jawab (befitting reply / answer)… work like anything, even today, to some extent following Bollywood and the Salan Khans, and the Dabangg typos, this campaign might also work wonder in favour of Congress.

And if it does so, for advertising and communication business, it will be yet another decomposition of creativity, which’s already been quite palpable, save for a few jobs. Precisely, in the mainstream and conventional media, where ideas have gone down to minus… with executions constantly hitting zero to hundred and above… and in the process making unwanted noise in various award-shows, helping the finger-displays… to create different victory signs complementing incomprehensible yells.

Net-net, Congress’ tryst with a change of destiny that’s been eluding the party since 1989 in UP could only come true... if the magic happens on voting machines. And for that, the party would do better, if it starts creating a new set of communications and keeps its fingers crossed… instead of holding them together firmly to form the punch of any Inquilab or Jawab!

Yes! Social Media Marketing is all about your content to others’ contentment.

A long ago, a famous person from a very famous Brand had asserted, in great frustration of course, “50% of my advertising budget goes astray and I don’t know which half of it!”

What was once told about advertising, quite likely that the same would be told about Social Media Marketing i.e. SMM soon, as almost all Brands are going gung ho to leverage the market and consumers alike through Social Networking.

It’s actually very easy to be present on web, precisely on the various social networking sites such as facebook, linkedin, twitter, google+, YouTube and the likes.

In fact, it’s easier to create a profile page on each of those sites and then fill up the page with some content hoping that an interaction with audience will take place immediately and will continue to grow… exactly the way you wanted in favour of your Business or Brand.

No harm in hoping so, since hope has always been a positive thing to possess on your mind and in your heart.

However, the reality is, to stop and save your hope from turning into hope-against-hope, you need to think and do a bit more than just creating a profile page and adding some content onto it.

First and foremost, you got to understand the basic nature of a social networking site.

Despite the fact that all such sites one way or the other stand for social networking and thereby help a Business or Brand do some Social Media Marketing, but in reality, the nature of each site is unique, and thus impacts the SMM of your Business and Brand, accordingly.

For example, both twitter and facebook are heavily used for social networking, but as per operational modes, as well as in terms of user friendliness and content delivery and exchange facilities, these two sites are very much different. When twitter is still more of a message board kind, facebook is an open forum or platform. That means twitter is better, if one-sided communications are the need of the hour, whereas facebook is better, if two-sided communications i.e. interactions are sought after.

Besides that, the nature and characteristics of your target audience should also help you determine which social networking site(s) you should select and use more, and which you should avoid and use less.

Once that is fixed, comes the most crucial part of SMM and that is: Content.

First, consider the kind of content that you might use. That could be –

a) Text

b) Visual (in the form of photographs)

c) Web Link (Both text and visual types)

d) A/V clip (movie, TVC, song, lectures, etc.)

e) Game (web based, downloadable or non-downloadable)

Second, think of the nature of the content that you feel like using. It’s a very vital part of SMM. The nature of the content should be selected only on the basis of what you actually wish to derive or gain from your SMM practice.

The nature of your content will be perceived by one mostly in keeping with your tone of communications. And, not to mention, this tone (or tonality) of communications is very important for your SMM in order to engage and excite the target audience meeting your requirements vis-à-vis theirs.

Broadly, you might try out the following ways to provide different tones to your communications so as to involve your TG with your content –

1) Hilarious: This is so far experienced as the best tone to win over consumers / customers / prospects. Yet, you got to understand the nature of your content shouldn’t be diluted by your tone of communications. For instance, you cannot afford to share the news of an earthquake through hilarity

2) Direct: This is a good ploy to put forth your communications in case you are trying to pass on some product or service related info and know you are talking to whom rather categorically. In this case, you actually have known who might be your customer or already is. So here, instead of communicating in a generic manner, you can afford to be more direct and guiding

3) Nonchalant: This works perfectly when you just need to share something for others’ notice and knowledge, but not expecting too much of a talking or any productive results out of it

4) Curious: This manner of communications is pretty suitable when you wish to know things from others. It’s a nice strategy to do some market research spending almost zero money but only a few hours of time

5) Free-flowing: This is also pretty workable method to occupy people on your content where a free-flowing discussion takes place. Time to time this discussion might lose its original context and go haywire. But still, the functionality of this technique of communications remains quite productive, while you are willing to know many things about others without even letting them know that you are curious

Third, when you know it for sure the kind and nature of content you want to share and how, you got to take care of the following things –

A) Team building / Self-development and evolution, to execute the SMM

B) Time management, to do the SMM almost on a regular basis

c) Getting better off with the latest analytics, to make sure you are always up to the task being fully aware of what’s working and what’s not for your SMM

As a matter of fact, the size and volume of your business and brand notwithstanding, unless and until you are responsible to acknowledge and accept that in SMM the word ‘social’ is very crucial and therefore you’ve to contribute to ‘society’ and ‘humans’ at large through your marketing… exploiting the new media, your chances of succeeding in the arena of social networking is very remote.

Hence, be social, and try to content people with your content, and in the process earn everyone’s consent for your success in social media marketing through social networking.