2 years after i got the letter of admit; here is the invitation of the convocation ceremony
Pappu ban gaya MBA
26 April 2009
The CONVO
Drum-rolls ....
2 years after i got the letter of admit; here is the invitation of the convocation ceremony
Pappu ban gaya MBA
2 years after i got the letter of admit; here is the invitation of the convocation ceremony
Pappu ban gaya MBA
20 April 2009
The importance of being a Brand Name..
Would you in your sanest mind
a) Set up R&D worth at least 1 Bn
b) Create a product and spend around 50 Lakhs/year in marketing
and yet name your product literally "UNWANTED" ??
Well, that was my first thought when i came across this :-
But a few moments later it didn't seem such a bad idea for an emergency contraceptive pill; it conveys in a single word what the medicine is all about; and does not hide behind almost obtrusive first-cousin medical names... (Though i would still go with I-pill as a cooler name)
So, what is the importance of having a brand-name ?? well lets talk about the xerox, nike, google and FedEx of the world how their naming has risen beyond just a brand to signify an emotion... in the case of Google it signifies single source compendium; FedEx stands for delivery at the right place and right time; Nike stands for everything cool while Xerox has almost become a key-word with which any copier machine is called irrespective of the brand.
In my observations I have come across the following types of Brand Names :-
1) Patriachal "Egotist" Brand Names :- These are products who get their names are derived upon the names of their designers/financiers. Baskin & Robbins is a very good example; and so are the hundred odd Colleges which adorn the skyline of any Indian city (SPJIMR also being named after late Shriyans Prasad) or be it those now burgeoning Vasanth & Co.
These typical brand names have been the staple diet of the germans.. in fact SAP is the only non-confirmist to this rule.
The characteristics of these products would be that they would have essentially blossmed from a small-scale catering to a niche audience to a multi-million $ business.
2) Direct-to-the-point :- Similar to the "Unwanted Example"; you can include my favorite Reader's Digest or Blogspot as prominent examples.
These products would essentially be monopolistic in nature (or would evolve to become monopolistic) and would essentially be the plain vanilla versions.
3) Zany Creative Masterpieces :- Sony, Macintosh, Twitter, Yahoo are just examples of products which have accentunated their value just because of their cool sounding brand-names.
These products have essentially their own Hatke-effect which has not been even thought off... and hence essentially require Cool Names to showcase themselves to the external audience.
4) Misguided Orphans :- In the quest of becoming Option (3) there have evolved at least 100s of these brands who have gone out of the customer radar simply because of their rather un-emotive (or) un-related names. Chief examples would be the ZUNE, Vivaty or car names such as Tiguan (Volkswagen).
Mostly it would be issues with the product that would have caused the down-fall rather than the brand-name. Then it becomes a case of product re-launches ;)
Further reading Seth Godin's DUMB BRANDING STRATEGY
a) Set up R&D worth at least 1 Bn
b) Create a product and spend around 50 Lakhs/year in marketing
and yet name your product literally "UNWANTED" ??
Well, that was my first thought when i came across this :-
But a few moments later it didn't seem such a bad idea for an emergency contraceptive pill; it conveys in a single word what the medicine is all about; and does not hide behind almost obtrusive first-cousin medical names... (Though i would still go with I-pill as a cooler name) So, what is the importance of having a brand-name ?? well lets talk about the xerox, nike, google and FedEx of the world how their naming has risen beyond just a brand to signify an emotion... in the case of Google it signifies single source compendium; FedEx stands for delivery at the right place and right time; Nike stands for everything cool while Xerox has almost become a key-word with which any copier machine is called irrespective of the brand.
In my observations I have come across the following types of Brand Names :-
1) Patriachal "Egotist" Brand Names :- These are products who get their names are derived upon the names of their designers/financiers. Baskin & Robbins is a very good example; and so are the hundred odd Colleges which adorn the skyline of any Indian city (SPJIMR also being named after late Shriyans Prasad) or be it those now burgeoning Vasanth & Co.
These typical brand names have been the staple diet of the germans.. in fact SAP is the only non-confirmist to this rule.
The characteristics of these products would be that they would have essentially blossmed from a small-scale catering to a niche audience to a multi-million $ business.
2) Direct-to-the-point :- Similar to the "Unwanted Example"; you can include my favorite Reader's Digest or Blogspot as prominent examples.
These products would essentially be monopolistic in nature (or would evolve to become monopolistic) and would essentially be the plain vanilla versions.
3) Zany Creative Masterpieces :- Sony, Macintosh, Twitter, Yahoo are just examples of products which have accentunated their value just because of their cool sounding brand-names.
These products have essentially their own Hatke-effect which has not been even thought off... and hence essentially require Cool Names to showcase themselves to the external audience.
4) Misguided Orphans :- In the quest of becoming Option (3) there have evolved at least 100s of these brands who have gone out of the customer radar simply because of their rather un-emotive (or) un-related names. Chief examples would be the ZUNE, Vivaty or car names such as Tiguan (Volkswagen).
Mostly it would be issues with the product that would have caused the down-fall rather than the brand-name. Then it becomes a case of product re-launches ;)
Further reading Seth Godin's DUMB BRANDING STRATEGY
17 April 2009
The movie bible for Salesmen
The title of the movie sounds like some autobiography - "Glengarry Glen Ross"
but what it is ... is definitely a delight and more-so a grim reminder of the ways of any salesmen
The Story ( source : Wiki); occurs within a span of 2 days (in fact 1 day and 1 night) and explores almost all possibilities of deception, ferocity, anger and in fact vulnerability across any sales reps life.
Though the movie is jam-packed with powerful performers; including Alec Baldwin who steals the thunder within under 5 mins of screen presence; I really fell in love with the character of Jack Lemon.
Do check out this YouTube Clip and also the movie if possible. Though it might be depressing; it is extremely honest in the portrayal.
but what it is ... is definitely a delight and more-so a grim reminder of the ways of any salesmen
The Story ( source : Wiki); occurs within a span of 2 days (in fact 1 day and 1 night) and explores almost all possibilities of deception, ferocity, anger and in fact vulnerability across any sales reps life.Though the movie is jam-packed with powerful performers; including Alec Baldwin who steals the thunder within under 5 mins of screen presence; I really fell in love with the character of Jack Lemon.
Do check out this YouTube Clip and also the movie if possible. Though it might be depressing; it is extremely honest in the portrayal.
15 April 2009
Joke of the Day
What are the top 5 emotions that hit you first when you see the below pic :-
That's exactly how i felt when i read the below news :-
Forget the fact that the Endemol India a veteran in the reality show series already credited with BIG BOSS, Fear factor and also the great indian laughter challenge is at the helm... the DD factor really reminds me of our classic premier padmini competiting against the Mercs .DD is going to host it's own Reality "Fair & Lovely Chhoo Lo Aasman", promises to bring the best out of these participants by putting them under the spotlight on the national channel. The show is a 26 episode weekly reality series aired every Wednesday at 10 pm on DD National and debuted on March 25.
11 April 2009
Tricks of the Trade - Fast food outlets
Barring the recession it has been the MALL-story that has been hitting the headlines these days.As according to statistics there are over 575 Malls catering to over 10 Mn urbanites; with an average foot-fall of over 4000 people/day.
And it has been the restaurant business which has piggy-banked under the guise of food-courts across these Malls that have been hitting the cash-registers (or have all of them really been doing good ?). So here i am to talk about the story of the tortoise and the hare of the fast-food outlets :
To begin with; there are many similarities b/w both the fast-food chains & book publishing; just as you would not buy a book unless you believe the flashy (mostly mis-quoted) back-page reviews in the similar vein you would with a higher probability visit a food outlet already crammed with customers rather than try out something which is both obscure(far-eastern dishes) or un-touched.
This was what i observed when i went to a nearby Mall :-
If you can notice how the McDonalds is brimming with customers while other outlets would still be catering to the occasional bugs and ants.
This was an eureka moment for all the marketing junta patting themselves on their back for their 300 Cr of advertisement budget well spent....
But once again i did notice a nearby stall across the corner also brimming with salivating people across the counter; and ended up ordering a mini-thali from this Dosa-Plaza :
In fact only these two outlets (McD & DP) were actually doing business across the 30 odd food-stations; and i felt so compelled to start a david .vs. goliath story until i discovered their modus-operandi
The mini-thali that i ordered took almost 20 mins to be delivered and until that time i had to wait across the counter maintaining my gentlemanly poise; and most of the people waiting across the counter were those afflicted with similar delays.... and since there were so many of us waiting across the counter this in-fact brought in more customers to DP ???
So here is the learning for the day :-
Why spend your money on marketing when you can accomplish the same with lousy service ???
And it has been the restaurant business which has piggy-banked under the guise of food-courts across these Malls that have been hitting the cash-registers (or have all of them really been doing good ?). So here i am to talk about the story of the tortoise and the hare of the fast-food outlets :
To begin with; there are many similarities b/w both the fast-food chains & book publishing; just as you would not buy a book unless you believe the flashy (mostly mis-quoted) back-page reviews in the similar vein you would with a higher probability visit a food outlet already crammed with customers rather than try out something which is both obscure(far-eastern dishes) or un-touched.
This was what i observed when i went to a nearby Mall :-
If you can notice how the McDonalds is brimming with customers while other outlets would still be catering to the occasional bugs and ants.
This was an eureka moment for all the marketing junta patting themselves on their back for their 300 Cr of advertisement budget well spent....
But once again i did notice a nearby stall across the corner also brimming with salivating people across the counter; and ended up ordering a mini-thali from this Dosa-Plaza :
The mini-thali that i ordered took almost 20 mins to be delivered and until that time i had to wait across the counter maintaining my gentlemanly poise; and most of the people waiting across the counter were those afflicted with similar delays.... and since there were so many of us waiting across the counter this in-fact brought in more customers to DP ???
So here is the learning for the day :-
Why spend your money on marketing when you can accomplish the same with lousy service ???
10 April 2009
what really mattered...
As the day winks to take it's 8 hour break; my 2 years of MBA at India's premier b-school comes to an end.
When the farewell ended i had almost accomplished what i had set out for in an MBA; well even danced and acted in a skit (god save the audience) but recounting it now after sending off all my close-pals to their homes makes me want to do a laundry list of things i would miss of my MBA (Why 12 ?? cause of this)
1) Foremost are the 164 junta of 07-09 ( or maybe 2 years is quite a long time to develop stockholm syndrome)
2) Early morning Jogs and swimming laps.
3) Free copies of Eco-times and Harvard Business Reviews
4) 1 TB of movies (LAN & P2P - the combo pack)
5) The lake , 10 min walk from hostel to college (almost everything about Bhavan's campus)
6) BISTRO
7) The free cultural movies & shows (courtesy Bhavan's cultural center)
8) The 12'0 clock idli & coffee cycle canter.
9) Endless gossip nights (filled with booze and all the discussions that arrive when you are in the inebriated stage)
10) Library
11) IP messenger
12) week-end treks
oh yes... case-studies, assignments, subjects do not matter much after MBA.
If there is one great thing that makes an MBA worthwhile then my vote would be for "linkedin" a.k.a networking.
When the farewell ended i had almost accomplished what i had set out for in an MBA; well even danced and acted in a skit (god save the audience) but recounting it now after sending off all my close-pals to their homes makes me want to do a laundry list of things i would miss of my MBA (Why 12 ?? cause of this)
1) Foremost are the 164 junta of 07-09 ( or maybe 2 years is quite a long time to develop stockholm syndrome)
2) Early morning Jogs and swimming laps.
3) Free copies of Eco-times and Harvard Business Reviews
4) 1 TB of movies (LAN & P2P - the combo pack)
5) The lake , 10 min walk from hostel to college (almost everything about Bhavan's campus)
6) BISTRO
7) The free cultural movies & shows (courtesy Bhavan's cultural center)
8) The 12'0 clock idli & coffee cycle canter.
9) Endless gossip nights (filled with booze and all the discussions that arrive when you are in the inebriated stage)
10) Library
11) IP messenger
12) week-end treks
oh yes... case-studies, assignments, subjects do not matter much after MBA.
If there is one great thing that makes an MBA worthwhile then my vote would be for "linkedin" a.k.a networking.
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