Love? At first sight?

When you think of the time that’s passed by, when you think of what future upholds, when your days are gloom and nights cold, it seems there’s not much that future could unfold. There are days when you motivate yourself and days that you just let go by. But the you within knows it’s an imposter. It’s difficult under such circumstances to know how much longer can you hold on…..

Well, I me myself isn’t really the way I have expressed myself but yes that’s precisely the way I believe I have always been perceived as. Nevertheless, I would share with you what I would refer to as a small fragment of my life hoping that it would reverberate some good memories from your life.

On a Sunday afternoon, in a new city, there’s a lot that one could do. And then some sloths like me would rather be home cussing the weather, the people around and a cup of coffee. But then this afternoon was unlike every other weekend that had gone by for the past one month for I was determined not to be confined within four walls. Instead I would go out meet new people, talk about things they do and try befitting myself in their scheme of things. I had joined a group, that was synonymous to a particular community needless to say, the members of which took extreme pride about being in it. Some ardent group members would plan a social gathering usually scheduled for on weekends and those interested would come to the stipulated time and venue and just merriment.

Yes, I leave it at merriment because I still don’t understand how one could have a good time with new people each time you attended a meeting. From where I came, people meet, strike a conversation, have good memories and then meet again. But this was never going to happen with me in this group. Atleast that’s what I thought then. Surely not today. And I say it because I planned to be there for not more than an hour.

A friend of mine Dinesh, had missed his flight back to Mumbai. Wasn’t actually the way I expect to be commemorated. Alas! friends are choices we make and live by. He had come to meet his fiancé over the weekend but couldn’t make it back to the airport on time. So booked another ticket for a flight early next morning, didn’t want to spend the night at the airport and hence remembered a friend who existed in the city. Abstaining from the reason of Dinesh coming to meet me, I was just excited about meeting him and our plan. So this meeting the group members for me would be short and insignificant.

On a wet evening, with dampened interest I reached the mall. The gathering was happening in an open area adjacent to the mall entrance. The place had eye candies all around but to me none worth a second look. Too pretentious, too plastic. My eyes continued their search for the ones I was there to meet. Pretty soon I came across a bunch of youthful boys and girls. Well some were just youthful at heart one could say. This, was supposed to make my life a little more eventful. Remember my plan? Meeting new people, getting to know what they do, hanging out with them, creating memories… The only problem with my plan was, I didn’t speak their language.

Well not literally, but it was nowhere close to being as fluent as the rest of them there. You remember the feeling when you go to school after taking a day’s break and then everything seems alien. The things happening around, the lesson your teacher’s teaching, the events your friends refer to. It just feels as if you have missed out on a lot. It was a similar kind of disconnect that I was experiencing. There was so much happening over there. Or probably my brains processed it that way considering the references being made by the people there. It seemed to be a well knit group with similar likes and dislikes. Just that I couldn’t associate myself with the group, atleast not yet.

Whilst all the commotion (safer to say within me), I sat on the pavement next to this girl. Considering the fact that I haven’t described in detail the characters in this story, I shouldn’t be dwelling much into this either. But…

There was a girl who sat placidly, gazing at everyone around with her sparkling eyes. She just seemed so happy about being there. She laughed listening to other’s comments. Her hearty laugh was simply mesmerizing, the one that could be associated to the way infants laugh. There was innocence in her eyes, her smile, her smell. The freshness alike rays of early morning sun, feeling of dew on the grass, aroma of hot cappuccino, sound of the cooker whistle. I don’t know why but yes I did hear my heart beat, quite literally. I sat there right beside her thinking what could be the best way to introduce myself in the language they speak. That’s when I hear myself say – Hi!

Though the next few minutes were basic getting to know each other converses, there was much more to it. I still haven’t been able to figure out myself if it was her eyes, her smile, her smell, her innocence, or just her speaking in English without a regional accent. No matter what it was, I was left dumbstruck. My senses wouldn’t function normally again. It craved and craved more for her. The thought of leaving that place was long scrapped. But I had to. I couldn’t have stayed longer as Dinesh needed free stay for the night. Yes, at first I hated him for not calling me while he was here. And now I hated him more for calling me and ruining my evening. Why couldn’t you just get on that plane? Why didn’t your girl keep you for the night?

Bidding goodbye to everyone there who were still busy talking about I don’t know who and what, I strode towards the parking lot. One thing was for certain. I had left behind something. People generally refer to it as interest. Yes. My interest in her had just begun. But I wasn’t going to let it wait. I wanted to know her more. Meet her often. How could all of this happen? Is it supposed to happen so soon or was I just desperate for a companion. These were thoughts on my mind that night standing on the roof holding my drink as my ‘good’ friend kept blabbering about the happenings back in Mumbai.

I know things don’t always work out the way you want them to. But then I have always believed that it shouldn’t deter you from giving yourself, life another chance. And as she says… “Miracles happen to those who believe in it”.

The Dark Light - Power Generation behind Global Warming

Amidst all discussions surrounding India and its economic reforms (those undertaken as well as the once in the pipeline), a thought that one must dwell upon is – at what cost. One cannot deny the fact that the true development of a nation can occur only when its core sectors like mining, power generation, petroleum and infrastructure are developed. This development lays down the foundation for subsequent development of industries in manufacturing and services. It is impossible to have a sustainable development model unless the core sectors are well formulated.

With the increase in consumerism, there has been a drastic increase in the consumption of electricity. Ever changing lifestyle of consumers, retail boom and the continuous expansion of the real estate sector have been the major reason towards the inflated use of electricity. But have we done enough on the power generation front to take care of this increasing want of electricity? And the challenge does not lie in generating enough electricity, but doing so in a cleaner and more environment friendly manner. Global warming today has graduated from a bandwagon to an issue of serious concern that needs to be addressed immediately. In India, power generation is one of the major reasons that contribute to global warming. The fact that most of the power generation in the country happens through thermal power plants that use coal to produce electricity, might soon make India the second largest emitter of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) globally. It’s surely something that we are not looking forward to. Within the energy sector itself, electricity accounts for 65.4% of the entire greenhouse gases.

It needs to be understood by individuals that one can still lead a comfortable live by using just a third of the electricity consumed today. Much of it is driven by consumers wanting things that they really don’t need. But such a major issue cannot be address just by addressing individuals alone. As high as 35% of the electricity generated is lost in transmission and distribution. One can’t remain impervious to the fact that a lot of damage is also caused by power theft in our nation. Owing to these issues, the contribution to global warming cannot be reduced. They have to be dealt with first.

It’s obvious that one of the solutions lies in generating power via eco-friendly alternatives. Encouraging projects pertaining to renewable sources of energy. India was on a positive note in the solar market, but this massive blackout that crippled the whole of North and East of India in July 2012, eclipsed this significant victory of Indian solar market. With energy efficiency measures, the Indian government can look forward to expand the renewable energy sources, especially solar and wind power. According to NRDC report, ‘Laying the Foundation for Bright Future,’ the National Solar Mission has moved ahead with much proficiency, but with hurdles on its way. Measures like incentivizing off-grid solar projects in rural areas and supporting cheaper financing from banks can prove beneficial. Promotion of new and advanced renewable technologies can bring down the level of dependency on coal plants thus curtailing the infamous contribution to global warming.

The blackout could act as a catalyst prompting the government and the corporate giants to invest in renewable sources of energy to drive the future energy efficiency measures and integration of renewable energy.

REEL WORLD, REAL MONEY…

The Indian film industry is one of the biggest and highest revenue generating industries in India. The industry is even bigger than Hollywood, as over 800 films are made every year, with approximately 15 million people in India going to theaters every single day to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars. Ever since its inception, advertising in movies has evolved in leaps and bounces, and now it is a full-fledged business which requires management, planning and plotting and most of all understanding of the audience. Over a period of decades, the Indian movie industry has churned out movies, some of them even generating revenues of over Rs100 crores.

Product placement in films refers to the practice of including a brand name product, package or any other trademark merchandise within a motion picture for increasing the memorability of the brand and for instant recognition at the point of purchase. Product placements are commercial insertions within a particular media program intended to enhance the visibility of a brand. These insertions are not meant to be commercial break ups rather an integral part of the medium so that the visibility of the brand increases. Attempts are made for the viewer to read the product or the brand as a quality of the characters using and approving it. Researchers have shown that viewers like product placements (unless there are too many) because they enhance realism, aid in character development, create historical subtext, and provide a sense of familiarity. For marketers, the availability of a captive audience with greater reach than traditional advertisements, and the advantage of showing brands in their natural environment provide motivation for product placements. Brand placements are frequently been used in Hollywood films and have subtly, of late entered in to Indian films.

Well this form of advertising has two aspects to it. Firstly, what’s in their for the movie makers? And secondly, why are marketers and advertisers so interested in this form. Answering the first question, film producers these days do not have the leverage of time i.e the period for which a movie is screened in theatres. No matter how big the star cast of the movie is, it is bound to last in the multiplexes for a maximum of 3 weeks. Needless to say, with a depleting collection at the box office with every passing day. Hence the endeavor of a film maker is to achieve its breakeven as soon as possible. Advertising of brands in a movie provides the film producers an opportunity to earn their investment back even before the release of the movie. Of course it is also complimented by other revenue generating means like television broadcasting rights, music rights, distribution rights, video games and merchandising. A recent example being the blockbuster movie – Ra.One. The movie’s revenue through brands were approximately around INR 52 crores, television broadcasting rights were sold at INR 40 crores and the music and distribution rights were sold at INR 92 crores. When taken into consideration the budget of the movie which was approx. INR 175 crores, the revenue generated from advertising of brands in the movie was close to 30% of the investment. And it’s a vast return considering the fact that the movie hadn’t even released.

The other aspect of advertising in films is why does it interests the brand builders so much. Well this medium of advertising has a minimal distraction for the audience as compared to

other mediums like print, television or outdoor. Audience in the theatre gives their complete attention to the screen for approx. 3 hours. The advertisers leverage on this attention span to subtly incorporate their products into the viewer’s mind. This form of advertising also has a mass appeal. Depending on the movie and the products advertised in it, it appeals to both the literate and the illiterate people. Also the motion picture allows the advertisers to demonstrate the product along with its benefits. And the fact that it usually comes from the star celebrities in the movie, people do get hooked on to it. A movie also enables the marketing honchos to promote their product in the absence of their competitors, thus capturing a major part of their customer’s mind share.

But even this medium has its flip side to it. The biggest worry is its subtleness. As much as it is important for such an advertising to be subtle, there is also a possibility of the products or the brands to go unnoticed. Also it is essential that the product is well blend into the story and then served to customers. It must seem like the dog is waging its tail rather than the other way round. It’s vital as it doesn’t take time for the consumers to alienate themselves. A good example for such form of advertising would be the promotion of brands in Bond movies. From Sony Erricson, Omega to Aston Martin, the brands have remained associated with the character for years together.

The high recall, recognition and positive attitude suggest that brand managers seriously look at product placements in movies as a new vehicle for reaching to customers. However, a number of issues need to be kept in mind. Relevance of product to the situation needs to be created: this is possible by incorporating the placement planning at a script level, as practiced by Hollywood. Respondents expressed concern about the lack of good creative execution. The manager also needs to guard against clutter in scenes: other competing products in the product category should not be incorporated. Well the success of a product placement depends on the success of the movie. But still I believe the growing need for uncluttered advertising and the very existence of film viewing people in this country makes this medium one of the most sought after means in the times to come.

Convenience - A habit worth creating

As I pen my thoughts this time round, the buzz (more than a question) within me is - how essential is convenience becoming today. Is it a habit? If it is, whether it is a good or a bad one? We are no one to judge. But, do I see it as THE most important aspect towards making my product/ service successful? Yes. The word, the habit, the inclination, is so explicitly shown by us that it almost craves to be exploited by the marketers. And here begins the search for the answer to how do I make my offering convenient?

To me there are two aspects to convenience. One is obviously the actual easy of accessibility, something that is termed as Place in all of marketing scriptures and that marketers think that they achieve. I wonder how all the brands claim that they have the right portion of real estate/ digital space when placing their product in a retail outlet or showcasing it online. How much truth lies in it? Or is there place for every product in the market? Then I guess every product must have its own monopoly. That’s certainly not true. So there must be products in the wrong place.

The other aspect of convenience, the more important aspect according to me, is the perception in the customers mind. It is science that convenience is more psychological than actual. In this era of multiple choices, ever thought of how a preferred taste makes an ice cream parlor or a restaurant convenient than it actually is. Another factor that explains the same is how the fear of not getting the genuine product makes a particular druggist or a wine shop more convenient than it actually is.

To accentuate on both the aspects, one of the best example is the world’s most used search engine – www.google.com. When I think of the popular joke that goes around (If it isn’t on the first page of Google search, it doesn’t exist), I feel it is just apt to say that baring the database the major reason for its success has been its convenience. And I ain’t speaking of the convenience it has brought. It’s the convenience of reaching it. With placing it as a home page or being a part of the toolbar on most of the systems, accessing google search is the most convenient process for a person online. But how does google make one feel that it’s more convenient when every other search engine is also a click away? It sort of predicts what the individual wants to know. Not only does it reduce the effort on typing but the searcher has less application in terms of what exactly one wants to know. Google presents the probable options that one might want to know.

The convenience quotient of a product has become so vital that marketers are willing to give away some more shares of their margin to the retailers. And it’s not just the retail stalwarts who get the goods at a reduced price based on their huge purchases but also our local kirana stores. Marketers know that one of the oldest retail channels cannot be underestimated especially with the convenience it provides. HUL has started offering its key kirana outlets with a similar service pack as it does to any other retail giant. One could say that customer convenience has increased the bargaining power of the local retailer today. Hence a premium position in an outlet is of utmost importance for the marketers.

To end this endeavor of putting my thoughts on importance of convenience, it is eminent to every marketer that convenience is the key to succeed in a market where product differentiation is diaphanous and becoming more difficult by the day. It is the point of purchase visibility and the need to stay on top of the mind of the consumer (only then will a product be truly convenient) are the factors that would drive the marketers to reach the darkest of corners in practical and in the consumers mind. 

uhh... Well lets jus skip the title...

Ok... Since its the first day and my first time ever, I am gonna keep it short. You know the way it is when you had sex for the first time. Confused, excited, short, a little painful. Yup that's what it is like to write a blog. As a matter of fact to start writing anything. Gosh, I would consider anyone who can pen down his thoughts as a writer.

Anyways all that I have set to do is to basically understand the real me. I hope this practice does help me with that. Well I know I might also be risking other people knowing me. What the heck, as if i ever cared about what people really thought about me.

Well I am sure this would not have excited you at all. BUT... Trust me, its a new chapter every moment. Yes more like a roller coaster ride. For now I just need some sleep.