No more of pug ... there are Zoozoos now!

Vodafone’s new brand endorser ‘Zoozoo’ is a perfect proof of creativity and hard work. But advertising is not just about creativity and innovation but it’s more to do with a personal touch and human appeal. The human touch is very important in creating a direct link between customers/prospects and products. Having sent the pug back home, I guess O&M was helpless but to create these egg-headed creatures. Though the character looks cute and its features are unique and admirable, after having seen the pug these zoozoos are not all that impressive.

Among telecom players who are stuck in communicating network efficiency and other such banal issues, Vodafone has been a brave innovator setting many benchmarks. And the O&M has been doing exceptional quality of work consistently over so many years for Vodafone. But this time, the concept certainly lacks the human touch, which was found in the pug!

Olivy, please call the pug back! Enough of tele tubbies.

Ads i grew up with...

They remind me of the days spent with mom, dad and bro. We watched most of these ads while dinning as a family, in our Hometech colour TV. Wonderful moments, I always cherish!

Complan


Liril


Nirma


Surf Ultra


Rasna


Cadburys


Bajaj Scooter


Lijjat Papad


Parle G


Wonderful Dhoodh


Vicks


Ajanta Quartz Clock


Vico Tumeric


Cinthol Soap


Leo Coffee

Section 49-O

Some time last week, while driving to office in the morning, Gopinath, my most favourite VJ and RJ was hosting a show on Radio City. The show named ‘Speak up Chennai’ discussed about elections and the responsibility of every citizen towards voting. Listening to this show on the way to office is my routine practice and Kumz & me enjoy the topics that are discussed and we also relish Gopi’s style of anchoring. It was during this show that I came to know about Section “49-O”. Am sure, most people would be unaware of this system in the constitution.

Section 49-O is ‘Your right to vote for nobody; or reject all the candidates in the fray’. Isn’t that great??? Did you know that there is a system in our constitution, as per the 1969 act, in section "49-O" that a person can go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey the presiding election officer that he doesn't want to vote anyone!

Yes such a feature is available, but obviously these seemingly notorious leaders have never disclosed it. This is called "49-O".

Why should you go and say "I VOTE NOBODY"... because, in a ward, if a candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received "49-O" votes more than 123, then that polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since people had already expressed their decision on them.

This would regulate the whole process of election and create apprehension in parties to nominate the deserving, rightful and genuine candidates for election. This would change the way of our whole political system. It is surprising as to why the election commission has not revealed such a feature to the public.

To me it seems to be a wonderful weapon for democracy to fight against undeserving politicians. Let us express our desire to ‘vote for nobody’; it is even more powerful than voting.

Battle among brands for mind share

The market is flooded with similar products and offerings in every segment creating a huge clutter of brands and products. The situation is worse in markets where the entry barriers are low. Take the case of soft drinks market in India. All we see around this summer and every other summer, is more and more brands entering the soft drink market. The market is flooded with desi and foreign brands with similar flavours and product properties. This summer is witnessing fights over mango and lemon flavours.

The brands are trying hard to create a niche through varied differentiators such packaging, jingles & promotion, celebrity endorsements etc. But all these tangible features don’t make any sense to the consumer. For the consumer, it is nothing but a battle among brands for mind share. It is the television channels and the mega serial makers who are benefiting through selling ad slots at a premium.

In certain segments like electrical appliances, the plethora of brands and each of their endorsements are now confusing consumer choices, instead of simplifying the buying process. Product differentiation based on product features has become a difficult task as competitors have very little uncommon among each other.

India is known for its brain wealth. It’s the product development hub for most of the MNCs but seldom marketers were able to create breakthrough products for the Indian market. Tata Nano has shown the world what Indian minds can do when inspired. Tata’s strategy is based on the market need rather than on a product feature. A project that was labelled ‘ Impossible’ by many analysts is now a reality. Nano is a lesson to all Indian brands.

In today’s market scenario of multiple brands offering multiple products by simply aping each other or by adopting the MNC approach as a shortest route for creating brand equity, its not easy to venture into creating something original. Certainly Tata’s effort is well worth the results. Its time for Indian marketers to realise that only those brands who can innovate will succeed.

Politics moving beyond spheres of influence

Can anybody dare to change the Christian or Islamic calendars? Can any body comment on cultural practices that have been followed by various religious groups for over several years?
A political leader who has no beliefs in any religion has changed the Tamil calendar stating some strange reasons. Though Karunanidhi claims to have consulted various Tamil scholars and cultural experts before moving the 'Tamil Nadu Tamil New Year (Declaration) Bill 2008', it is still absolutely ridiculous that he is concentrating on such things while there are bigger problems in Tamil Nadu.

He started this concept called ‘Chennai Sangamam’ which is nothing but a DMK family feast where huge amount of money is being wasted every year in the name of promoting folk art. And now he wants to add more significance to this day by calling in ‘Tamil New Year. None of the opposition parties have expressed any reservation towards this issue, which is directly affecting the Hindu practices.

Though Dec 31 is the last day of every year, according to the financial calendar, which most corporate follow, the accounting year-ends on March 31 universally. Can anyone change these according to his or her whims and fancy?

It now looks like Tamil Nadu is falling prey to the family melodrama of Karunanidhi, Stalin, Azhagiri, Kanimozhi and so on. Its time have an educated, relentless and dignified CM who can think for good and show a strategic direction for the growth of Tamil Nadu.

Merry at work!

After a very long time, we had a meeting with SPR. ‘We’ meaning, my marketing team and me. All through my career (though only 26, I have worked in three organizations), I’ve had really enterprising bosses. KJ of Hathway, Surendar & AM from Dax Networks and now SPR in L&T. The meeting was all about our accomplishments in the FY 08-09 and plans for the new FY. I was extremely charged up to narrate my achievements and so was my boss to hear me.

After all of us completed our narration, SPR told us about what kept him busy for the past few weeks that he was unable pay attention to the activities of my team. He was busy bidding and meeting the client for a power project in Mumbai. The product requirements of the client did not completely match with VBG’s product portfolio and most people in the organisation had given up the hope of getting the entire order…. worth several corers.

“I was not involved in this project in the initiate stages and it was suddenly that it came to my desk” said SPR. When it came to his desk, things were not very favourable to the company. And since we did not have all the products, as per the client’s required, we had very less chances of getting the order. While other top managers in the organization wished to get the order for those products that were available with us, SPR was very keen on securing the complete package to make a huge profit and penetrate deeper into the power market. How could he do that? Well… he was very confident of sub-contracting the order for products that were not in our basket to another vendor and then supplying all of them together.

In a scenario where there were competitors who had the complete product range required by the client, SPR managed to convince the client about his idea of sourcing and supplying. “It all comes from taking ownership of every task you do and the passion with which to do that task”, he said. Yeah… I could understand his passion from the very manner in which he narrated this story of his meeting with the client. “I spoke to him non-stop for one hour and I had the conviction to convince him and I did it” he said with pride.

He always tells me ‘take ownership of what you do’ and I’ve realised and one can really do wonders, when you deeply feel from within that it belong to you. So have I, when I launched http://www.inflow-outflow.com/ on 20th February 2009.

I don’t really need a spa or some therapy/massage to rejuvenate my mind and soul, all I need is a little pep talk from SPR and more and more work on my plate and I get fully re-charged… well, I am a workaholic but only if I choose.

‘Jai Ho’ as a Brand Wagon

The Lok Sabha polls this year seems to witness a new trend. Political advertising in India is yet to reach the levels of spending or sophistication as seen in other markets, but the fact remains that it is a growing category of advertising that demands more attention. The ‘Jai Ho’ media campaign of the Congress party is a dynamic approach towards election campaigning. Though in the past we have witnessed political party’s using the new media for propaganda, this year’s Congress campaign seems to have more to it. The objective of the party is to build a foundation for Congress among the youth segment, and A.R Rahaman’s track ‘Jai Ho’ which brought more respect and recognition to Indian music, is brand mantra for the Congress.

The party not only employees the outdoor, transit and electronic media but has also created new tools to reach their target audience. Well, the Congress campaign involves beggars signing the ‘Jai Ho’ song in trains and other public transport, college students canvassing for votes on the streets, along with networking sites such as Face book, Orkut, Rediff and You tube driving huge traffic to their main ''Jai Ho'' video on You Tube. The party has also released three sixty-second TVCs across television channels.

With this well defined target audience and a rightly designed social media campaign, it is certain that the Congress party this year would capture the Eye balls of the masses.Above all, what delights me the most is simply the feel good factor and the energy the ‘Jai ho’ track creates.