my article available online: http://www.imagesfashion.com/content/ContentDetail.aspx?pg=1&cid=1023
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
"slut walk" and "Changing the attitude towards women"
In every 29 minutes, a rape case is reported in Delhi (UNIFEM 2010). Besides Delhi has the dubious reputation of being one of the world’s most unsafe cities for women and to its utmost surprise, nothing is being carried out to salvage its image except a few news conferences and some unplanned patrolling. Recent cases of gang rapes have left the city shamefaced in which a 30 year old BPO employee was molested in a moving car and more recently when an 18-year old met the same fate.
However, the accused were caught by police after rigorous patrolling and checking but one can ask, is it necessary that there should be a heinous crime to wake our police officials from a deep slumber? Can’t one ask when will be the capital of India be a safe place to live like other foreign cities like Seoul?
Evident from the crimes that occurred just in a week time, point the finger towards the non-serious police officials. For instance, the Dhaula Kuan rape case in which 5 people were arrested were also booked earlier in separate crimes and surprisingly they were let off on bail. Other cases which reflect the same police apathy include the Mongolpuri rape case and Rohini stabbing episode in which a person attacked five girls with surgical blades.
Likewise, a Seemapuri woman was gang raped by six men in a moving car on 6th December but no FIR was registered by the police against the accused for two days. The action was initiated only after the doctors from GTB hospital confirmed it as a rape case.
Judicial system also lags behind in bringing the culprits to books. Few days back, a convict Mukesh Kumar was sentenced to death for raping and murdering a 14 year girl. But it took five years for the judiciary to punish the guilty. Some politicians give such incidents a U turn by portraying it a handiwork of migrants and some others blame the opposition parties which, unfortunately they are not doing it for people but for their own political gain. Statistics available with Delhi police show that 83% of people involved in crime are from Delhi, while only 17% were found to be outside.
70% of women feel unsafe in Delhi compared to Gurgaon's 65%. Survey shows that 64% of women have been personally harassed or eve teased. But what about those women whose voice is never heard or who don’t want to be named or does not have faith in the justice system. The records show that it is the eve teasers who got emboldened when they don’t get the required punishment.
And it is not only the case of our capital city Delhi. A look on the current status available in leading newspapers show that Madhya Pradesh tops the list of rape cases and Manipur is perched at the bottom. In every nook and corner of India there is eve teasing, molestation, rape and murder either by the officials or by a common man. Work place molestation is a day to day routine now and to its utmost disgrace no one is bothered about it.As per National Crime Records Bureau Data a total of 21,467 rape cases were reported in 2008, which increased substantially to 3.5 per cent over 2007. Provisional data for 2009 shows that 21,397 rape cases were reported during the year.
Madhya Pradesh reported as many as 2,937 cases, accounting for 13.7 per cent and highest of total rape cases, followed by West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh at 2,263 and 1,871 cases respectively. These states were followed by Maharashtra (1,558), Assam (1,438), Rajasthan (1,355) and Bihar (1,302). The lowest number of cases were reported from Nagaland (19).
"Rape is one of the most violent forms of crimes against women, which not only impacts her bodily integrity but in the long-run, impairs her capacity to develop meaningful personal and social relationships, and affects her life and livelihood," Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath said in a meeting. She said the Supreme Court had directed the National Commission for Women (NCW) to evolve a "scheme so as to wipe out the tears of unfortunate victims of rape" (Source: http://www.merinews.com/article/delhi-capital-city-or-rape-city/15839155.shtml)
So, the much-awaited and controversial Delhi SlutWalk — titled SlutWalk Arthaat Besharmi Morcha — got going on Sunday, with a loud call for society to change its attitude rather than force women to hide indoors. While it lacked the lingerie, fishnet stockings and skimpy clothing of its western versions, the march still managed to bring more than 250 supporters to Jantar Mantar with bright signs and loud chants.
The run- up to the protest had promised celebs, including Nafisa Ali and Gul Panag, but the only one who turned up was Nafisa. The actress- activist, who stressed the importance of gender equality education at home, said the movement was strengthening by the minute and that it was time the practice of blaming women for rapes and molestations was discouraged.
Source: http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/photos/it-s-a-start-delhi-s-walk-of-no-shame-1312183273-slideshow/
The Slut Walk has had its fair share of supporters and cynics. The women who are supporting it believe that its high time that women reacted to the vulnerability they are subjected to owing to the onslaught of baseless judgements of the society and that women should be free to wear whatever they want without being held accountable for other people’s behaviour. The criticisms are basically directed towards the name i.e Slut Walk. People feel the name is not appropriate. It is seen as insulting and derogatory. The founders and the supporters of the movement have justified the name by saying that “we want to reclaim the word ‘slut’ and use it in a positive, empowering way. Historically, it has been used by misogynists to degrade women who are sexually assertive – whilst men in the same position have been hailed as ‘studs’ or ‘ladies’ men’. We wish to make it know that women are well within their rights to have consensual sex and to display their sexuality however they like”. Moreover, in a city like Delhi, it is felt that the protest march may become a visual with no or little impact.
The Slut Walk is a good initiative and is addressing an important issue but what is required to make movements like these successful is sensitizing the society. Women should be respected and so should their rights to live their life the way they want. Read more at the website of Besharmimorcha: http://www.besharmimorcha.in/
More reference: http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/the-9-o-clock-news/slutwalk-delhi-copycat-feminism/206640
http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2011/06/slut-walk-delhi-a-fight-to-reclaim-dignity-and-rights/
Friday, July 22, 2011
The dealmaker- an interview with Kunal Bahl
Having transformed a village in Uttar Pradesh so much so that it's now called Snapdeal.com Nagar, the e-commerce specialist, Kunal Bahl tells us how its done.
The start up
There weren't many career options I explored beyond academics growing up. I went to school at Delhi Public School RK Puram, New Delhi. We grew up in a middle class family and there was no concept of pocket money. But, if we wanted something, it was usually not refused, as long as the request was reasonable.
There was a significant focus on academics in our household from the beginning, and this discipline probably ensured that both my brother and I ended up doing reasonably well at studies. He went on to go to IIT-Delhi and then IIMCalcutta. I went to Wharton, which is honestly, something I regret in hindsight. But, it's never too late.
Nerves of steel
Entrepreneurship at a young age, especially if you have a good academic background, is a fairly irrational decision, because the short team economic opportunity costs as a result of becoming an entrepreneur would never make sense otherwise.
We faced every kind of challenge-funds, hiring good people, finding the right business model, dealing with daily problems, convincing potential partners that wisdom doesn't only come with age and 24 year olds can be good at something too. For both, me and my friend and co-founder, Rohit Bansal, giving up was never an option. After a certain point, we didn't know of a life outside building our company.
It was challenging, and continues to be. Rohit and my biggest contribution to our business is the team we built. Many respected people in the industry often tell us that Snapdeal has the best team in the Internet industry in India, and that's of course just not Rohit and I - it's our entire team of rockstar professionals.
Lose some, get some
Sacrifices are part of life and definitely a part of building a business. Both Rohit and I try our best to take time off to go on a vacation once or twice a year, or a Sunday off and play video games. We still go out for frequent dinners after work, which has been a ritual since the early days of the business. I would go as far as to say that our friendship when we first met in class 11th over a decade ago was based on our mutual love for food.
To be honest, professional life does take over most things, but as long as you are having fun, it doesn't really matter. One should spend time doing what they love and lead a regretless life. And for us that special thing is our company.
The good samaritan
We always wanted to build a socially responsible company, and recently we came across a situation where we found out about a village in Uttar Pradesh. The village has approximately 2,000 residents (about 650 families) and didn't even have access to basic necessities like water. We realised that we could solve this problem very easily. By investing a reasonably small amount of Rs 2 to Rs 3 lakh, we installed 15 hand pumps so that instead of walking 1 km everyday, the villagers now have easy access to clean water within 50-100m of their homes.
I spent a couple of days in the village, interacting with the villagers, and trying to understand how we can further help them, and how this initiative of ours, changed their lives. The community wanted to extend its gratitude through the gesture of renaming their village after our company to Snapdeal.com Nagar. One of our colleague's family hails from a place very close to Shiv Nagar and that is how the problems of the community were brought to our attention.
Food, movies and books
I love food and right now, I am experimenting with some innovative food related concepts, which may eventually be commercialised, but that is not the intent with which I am pursuing them. So, there is a lot of experimentation that is happening in my kitchen. In addition to food, I like reading and travelling, but my undying love is movies. Hopefully, one day I can write a book, which I can make a movie about. Now that would be something.
Source: http://in.education.yahoo.com/news/yeduindiatoday/-dealmaker-20110718
Friday, July 15, 2011
The “we” factor of generation Y and the need of “involvement”
In the book “how cool brands stay hot-Branding to Generation Y” Joeri Van Den Bergh and Mattias Behrer(2011) mentioned that there is an ancient saying that bears much truth: ‘people resemble their times more than they resemble their parents’. More than half of the world’s population is under the age of 30. Gen Y (those born between 1980 and 1996) is currently one of the largest demographic groups and will soon outnumber the Baby Boomers generation. Unlike previous generation, this youth generation has been bombard with commercial messages from their birth. However, they have learned to filter out all those loud messages and they have been empowered by their parents and teachers to have an opinion of their own and never merely believe whatever somebody is proclaiming. To survive in the current, cluttered and fragmented environment, today’s teens and adolescents use collective peer wisdom and social connections. Youngsters pick and mix individual parts of media to create their own personalized products and services that fit their individual needs. The Dell and Nike website gives freedom to their consumers to pick and mix the products to create their own computers or shoes.
This Gen Y is a generation of “givers” and ready to contribute to the “we” factor than remaining as “I”. There are an increasing number of forums, sites, movie uploading sites like youtube and torrents (ie. Piratebay) which offer free advices, do-it-yourself demos, movies and having enormous content of valuable material for “free use” which shows statics that though they are as competitive, commercial and ambitious as any other generation in history but they are abandoning the prevailing ethos of their parent’s generation of baby boomers and adhering more to the values of their grandparents, the war generation. In a 2006 USA Today poll, 61 percent of thirteen to twenty five year old felt personally responsible for making difference in the world; 81 percent have volunteered in the past year; 69 percent consider a company’s social and environmental commitment when deciding where to shop; and 83 percent trusted a company more if it was socially/ environmentally responsible.
In his lecture, Thomas W. Malone of MIT mentioned parallels between the emergence of democracies in political and business worlds, and technological advances in communications. He notes that in the age of the Internet, businesses are growing decentralized, markedly departing from “command and control” organizational models to newer environments where “workers seek advice instead of approval.” Empowered by new technologies, workers will exercise ever greater strength in important decisions -- even while corporations expand and sprawl across borders.
Unfortunately, India is still following the Top Down model and this model wont work in current scenario where collaborative initiatives are the only way to sustain in a new digitally democratic world.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Learning "Sanskrit" is becoming cool among the youth in India
Source: The Hindu, Thursday, june 30th, 2011
GenNext gears up to take control at India Inc
The elevation of Wipro chairman Azim Premji's elder son Rishad as the vice-president (V-P) of the information technology (IT) giant is the latest in a series of sons and daughters of India Inc's promoters moving in to charge at the top.Last year, Shravin Mittal, the 23-year-old Bharti Airtel scion, had joined as manager, Bharti Airtel International- Netherlands (BAIN), the company's subsidiary.
Before being promoted as VP, Rishad Premji was chief strategy officer (CSO) at Wipro. The latest move is said to be in line with a succession plan that has long been speculated about.
However, a Wipro spokesperson said, "According to our company policy, we don't comment or make an announcement outside about our internal promotions." Rishad joined Wipro in July 2007 as business manager in the banking and finance division. In 2009, he was promoted as general manager of investor relations and was made CSO in September, 2010.
An MBA from the Harvard Business School and BA in Economics from Wesleyan University, Connecticut, Rishad worked with Bain Consulting and GE before joining Wipro.
Shravin was meanwhile instrumental in BAIN's highprofile acquisition of mobile and data services operator Zain Africa. Before joining BAIN, Shravin had worked with JP Morgan Cazenove as a technology analyst.
"Unlike earlier, business families or promoters nowadays educate the young generation and through business exposure and training make sure that they are in a position to take up bigger responsibilities," said P. Vijayakumar of the Center for Social and Organisational Leadership (CSOL) at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
"These young generation leaders are exposed to the interactive and structural tools that need to be used in strategic and day- today decision making," he said. Sidhartha Mallya, 23, son of liquor baron Vijay Mallya, was integrated in the UB group's top-level management at the age of 18. He has played an important role in formulating the company's marketing strategy.
Sidhartha's leadership helped UB group acquire Glasgowbased whiskey maker Whyte & Mackay in 2007. Later in 2010, Sidhartha joined United Spirits as the deputy general manager for new sales outlets.
According to brand consultant Harish Bijoor, the induction of GenNext into family-run businesses is a natural phenomenon. "They will imbibe the culture of the company better," Bijoor said.
In 2009, Roshni Nadar, daughter of HCL founder Shiv Nadar, joined her father's company as chief executive officer (CEO) at the age of 27. Prior to that she had served at the Shiv Nadar Foundation.
A one-time television producer, Roshni had studied Social Enterprise Management from Northwestern University.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
As a young entrepreneur, Pallavi Gopinath, the daughter of Captain GR Gopinath, played a key role in the launch of Air Deccan, India's first lowcost airline. Having three master's degrees — in media, literature and aerospace — she joined Deccan 360 as a management trainee in 2008.
TVS Group's managing director Venu Srinivasan's daughter Lakshmi Venu, 27, who recently got married to Infosys scion Rohan Murthy, joined as vice-president of Sundaram Clayton Ltd, the holding firm of TVS Motors. She studied economics at Yale University and has a PhD in manufacturing management from Warwick University.
Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.
Source: http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/GenNext-gears-take-control-yahoofinancein-2362959437.html?x=0
Before being promoted as VP, Rishad Premji was chief strategy officer (CSO) at Wipro. The latest move is said to be in line with a succession plan that has long been speculated about.
However, a Wipro spokesperson said, "According to our company policy, we don't comment or make an announcement outside about our internal promotions." Rishad joined Wipro in July 2007 as business manager in the banking and finance division. In 2009, he was promoted as general manager of investor relations and was made CSO in September, 2010.
An MBA from the Harvard Business School and BA in Economics from Wesleyan University, Connecticut, Rishad worked with Bain Consulting and GE before joining Wipro.
Shravin was meanwhile instrumental in BAIN's highprofile acquisition of mobile and data services operator Zain Africa. Before joining BAIN, Shravin had worked with JP Morgan Cazenove as a technology analyst.
"Unlike earlier, business families or promoters nowadays educate the young generation and through business exposure and training make sure that they are in a position to take up bigger responsibilities," said P. Vijayakumar of the Center for Social and Organisational Leadership (CSOL) at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).
"These young generation leaders are exposed to the interactive and structural tools that need to be used in strategic and day- today decision making," he said. Sidhartha Mallya, 23, son of liquor baron Vijay Mallya, was integrated in the UB group's top-level management at the age of 18. He has played an important role in formulating the company's marketing strategy.
Sidhartha's leadership helped UB group acquire Glasgowbased whiskey maker Whyte & Mackay in 2007. Later in 2010, Sidhartha joined United Spirits as the deputy general manager for new sales outlets.
According to brand consultant Harish Bijoor, the induction of GenNext into family-run businesses is a natural phenomenon. "They will imbibe the culture of the company better," Bijoor said.
In 2009, Roshni Nadar, daughter of HCL founder Shiv Nadar, joined her father's company as chief executive officer (CEO) at the age of 27. Prior to that she had served at the Shiv Nadar Foundation.
A one-time television producer, Roshni had studied Social Enterprise Management from Northwestern University.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
As a young entrepreneur, Pallavi Gopinath, the daughter of Captain GR Gopinath, played a key role in the launch of Air Deccan, India's first lowcost airline. Having three master's degrees — in media, literature and aerospace — she joined Deccan 360 as a management trainee in 2008.
TVS Group's managing director Venu Srinivasan's daughter Lakshmi Venu, 27, who recently got married to Infosys scion Rohan Murthy, joined as vice-president of Sundaram Clayton Ltd, the holding firm of TVS Motors. She studied economics at Yale University and has a PhD in manufacturing management from Warwick University.
Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.
Source: http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/GenNext-gears-take-control-yahoofinancein-2362959437.html?x=0
Friday, June 24, 2011
Involvement and crowd-sourcing: the new brand mantra
As the online tools and websites are enabling youth to achieve wider social interactions and knowledge, the broader offline communities are in decline unless the community is providing something more than just “community feeling and interaction” (ie. Class differentiation, social status, safety, religious identity, patriotism etc.). If the individuals/ brands are not included in the “cloud” of “peer factors” and immediate inner circle they are less and less interested to interact/ connect with them. Social media can be a spring board for the brands to interact with the young consumers and use the crowd-power of float ahead. According to David Fischer, vice president advertising and global operations, Facebook, FB currently has 25 million users in India (number three position in the world largest internet users list) and the figure is hardly 10 per cent of the total Indian population! According to the report, From January, Municipal Corporation of Delhi has also started using Facebook for users to post problems for immediate action on areas like sanitation and garbage cleaning and the response is amazing!
The Bangalore based adventure accessories company Wildcraft has 637,802 fans in their Facebook page who actively participates in discussion on new product range, new store locations and promotes Wildcraft’s new products via Word Of Mouth. In return, Wildcraft gives them the tips on adventure, cool sports, allows them to upload their adventure photos (they share or contribute content related to their expeditions and outdoor adventures with each other) and obviously offers the “adventure gears”. Gaurav Dublish, director, Wildcraft stated that every post on Wildcraft Facebook page receives 400 comments on an average and about 500 photographs have been uploaded by followers on the page so far. Wildcraft crowd-sources ideas (through Facebook) related to design and colours to develop new products through suggestions by fans.
Lay's (Frito Lay) took an initiative to involve consumers by 'Lay's be a little Dillogical'. This concept was initially launched to make a strong connect with the youth - talking about what one wishes to do versus what one has to do. After successfully launcing the media ad, they took the idea a bit further and launched the 'Give Us Your Dillicious Flavour' campaign which was spread over three phases, the campaign first asked consumers across the country to send in their entries with flavors and tips . The response got 1.3 million entries and the judges chose four winning flavors. In the second phase of the campaign, the selected - Cheesy Mexicana, Tangy Twist, Mastana Mango and Hip Hop Honey & Chilly - flavours were piloted in the market with the theme 'Bachega sirf tastiest'. The four winners were chosen and “Mastana Mango” emerged as the winner with over 15, 77,891 votes out of the total 41, 64,886 votes given by consumers! Sagar Devruhkar Mastana (who sent the flavor) got to take home Rs 50 Lakh and 1 per cent of the sales turnover of the flavor.
The Bangalore based adventure accessories company Wildcraft has 637,802 fans in their Facebook page who actively participates in discussion on new product range, new store locations and promotes Wildcraft’s new products via Word Of Mouth. In return, Wildcraft gives them the tips on adventure, cool sports, allows them to upload their adventure photos (they share or contribute content related to their expeditions and outdoor adventures with each other) and obviously offers the “adventure gears”. Gaurav Dublish, director, Wildcraft stated that every post on Wildcraft Facebook page receives 400 comments on an average and about 500 photographs have been uploaded by followers on the page so far. Wildcraft crowd-sources ideas (through Facebook) related to design and colours to develop new products through suggestions by fans.
Lay's (Frito Lay) took an initiative to involve consumers by 'Lay's be a little Dillogical'. This concept was initially launched to make a strong connect with the youth - talking about what one wishes to do versus what one has to do. After successfully launcing the media ad, they took the idea a bit further and launched the 'Give Us Your Dillicious Flavour' campaign which was spread over three phases, the campaign first asked consumers across the country to send in their entries with flavors and tips . The response got 1.3 million entries and the judges chose four winning flavors. In the second phase of the campaign, the selected - Cheesy Mexicana, Tangy Twist, Mastana Mango and Hip Hop Honey & Chilly - flavours were piloted in the market with the theme 'Bachega sirf tastiest'. The four winners were chosen and “Mastana Mango” emerged as the winner with over 15, 77,891 votes out of the total 41, 64,886 votes given by consumers! Sagar Devruhkar Mastana (who sent the flavor) got to take home Rs 50 Lakh and 1 per cent of the sales turnover of the flavor.
Contemporary Youth marketing strategies
After my decade long experience with youth and youth-aspired brands/ products, the best youth marketing strategies appear to be more of an organic fruit garden, where the trees (read consumers) are nourished and pampered to deliver more fruits, and those fruits are being used to create more trees!
In this process, the trees will happily grow as well as the garden (read brand). Moreover, the trees are not only growing but also suggesting what kind of manure should be used and what is the best landscaping method to increase the “homeliness” and “coolness” of the garden! In an organic manner, they are informing the kind of expected “pest attack” to the gardener each moment…they are shouting loud to make sure that the gardener understands that the garden is built with the trees but not the gardener’s investments! The feel of “being used” to mint money is diminishing. Today, the profit, of a brand is the byproduct of “interaction”, “sharing space” and “peer commitment” to be at the core inner circle rather than just selling products. Unfortunately, most of the brands in India have no clue about the evolving semiotics of youth or they are taking them “for granted”!
The youth in India, is excepting wide degree of choice to interact and play with the brand elements to feel “at home” with the brand. The young influencers are creating their own identities and “personal brands” by combining and mutating with the peer characters, web-influences and media perception which are becoming most important criterias for a brand to understand and implement in their brand elements. As we all know, the “brand loyalty” is fossilized but they are selectively loyal to those vital elements of a brand that touches their personal aspiration, identity and sentiment and is important to create a unique identity to the peers.
In this process, the trees will happily grow as well as the garden (read brand). Moreover, the trees are not only growing but also suggesting what kind of manure should be used and what is the best landscaping method to increase the “homeliness” and “coolness” of the garden! In an organic manner, they are informing the kind of expected “pest attack” to the gardener each moment…they are shouting loud to make sure that the gardener understands that the garden is built with the trees but not the gardener’s investments! The feel of “being used” to mint money is diminishing. Today, the profit, of a brand is the byproduct of “interaction”, “sharing space” and “peer commitment” to be at the core inner circle rather than just selling products. Unfortunately, most of the brands in India have no clue about the evolving semiotics of youth or they are taking them “for granted”!
The youth in India, is excepting wide degree of choice to interact and play with the brand elements to feel “at home” with the brand. The young influencers are creating their own identities and “personal brands” by combining and mutating with the peer characters, web-influences and media perception which are becoming most important criterias for a brand to understand and implement in their brand elements. As we all know, the “brand loyalty” is fossilized but they are selectively loyal to those vital elements of a brand that touches their personal aspiration, identity and sentiment and is important to create a unique identity to the peers.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Rural contribution as CSR initiatives spreads in India
Snapdeal.com Nagar. It's a real place. A village, ironically where 25% off on Victoria's Secret doesn't mean a thing.
While us of the urban variety wouldn't acknowledge it past a search on Google Maps (which couldn't find it!), it does exist. It is, in fact Shiv Nagar, a village in UP which is now under the care of India's biggest online group buying brand. Adopted as a part of Snapdeal.com's CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) efforts, the portal will look after the village, managing it's infrastructure, water, the local school and hospital.
Surprisingly, it wasn't the company who pitched the name. The villagers, recognizing the extensive efforts on the company's part chose this name, something only done last forJamshetji Nusserwanji Tata (Tatanagar), and Gujarmal Modi (Modinagar).
According the village Sarpanch of Shiv Nagar, Mr. Sureshpal says – “We are thankful to Snapdeal.com for the support extended to our families. It is definitely beneficial to all the villagers, and it will help to address our problems effectively. To express our gratitude we have decided to change the name of our village to Snapdeal.com Nagar".
In just one and half years, Snapdeal has changed the face of how India buys cheap, with over 5 million users .
According to the Snapdeal blog, the idea arose after a brainstorming session on contributing to society. The blog says: "….why not start from grass root level? One of our colleagues, started talking about his native village, Shiv Nagar, where people have to walk for 3 Kms to get water. And that’s where it struck us!"
After two months of discussion, Snapdeal.com became a part of the lives of 2000 villagers and nearby villages. The first phase will see solutions for unavailability of portable drinking water in the form of water pumps.
Source: http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/life-work/now-snapdealcom-nagar-article-ilmx.html
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Insight in the lifestyle pattern of youth at Manipal, India
A survey conducted by Aniketh Dsouza gave an insight about the lifestyle, gadget and internet usage by the youth in Manipal, India. The city of Manipal is the hub of education in India and is a home to 20,000 students every year. This survey gives fresh insight in the lifestyle pattern of youth in India.
The infographic:
Source: http://anikethdsouza.com/marketing/infographic-manipal-youth-survey-results/
The infographic:
Source: http://anikethdsouza.com/marketing/infographic-manipal-youth-survey-results/
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
education and entrepreneurship are the two steps for social independence- case of Bhavna Botta
In India, among the mass youth, education and entrepreneurship are the two steps for social independence.
Bhavna's life and achievements are worth reading :
The eyes have it
by DIVYA KUMAR (published at The Hindu, dtd. 5th June,2011)
Is Bhavna Botta, who has Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, the world's first student to have completed a Bachelor's degree with the use of only her eyes?
The first thing that strikes you when you meet Bhavna Botta is how full of smiles she is. Not surprisingly, she was voted Miss Smiley — and Miss Final Year — at her B.A. Corporate Secretaryship department farewell party in Ethiraj College this year.
It has been a remarkable journey. Bhavna was born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, which means she is unable to walk, write by hand, or communicate verbally. Yet, she has defied all odds to complete her Class XII exams from a mainstream institution, Lady Andal Venkatasubba Rao Matriculation Higher Secondary School, and now her Bachelor's degree from Ethiraj, all using a unique system of communication by ‘eye-pointing'.
“She is definitely the first person in India — and possibly in the world — to have finished a college degree using the eye-pointing system,” says Kalpana, her mother. With this system, Bhavana communicates — and writes her exams — using a chart of alphabets in numbered columns, spelling out what she wants to say by pointing at the columns with her eyes. The chart was developed specially for her at Vidyasagar (a voluntary organisation that works with children and young adults with cerebral palsy and other neurological disabilities), where she studied until Class X. That's what she uses during this interview as well, spelling out her answers so rapidly at times that Kalpana can't keep up.
Foremost on her mind is her emotional parting with M. Thavamani, her principal at Ethiraj College who retired recently, and whom she went to college to say goodbye to. “It was a very unique feeling,” says Bhavna, “something I've never experienced before.”
Thavamani describes the meeting in touchingly similar terms: “It was a very emotional moment for both of us; I can't begin to express the kind of affection Bhavna's shown me, the department and her classmates.”
She adds: “When I first met the child, I did wonder if she would be able to manage. But today I can say that having been Bhavna's teacher — I taught her accountancy in her first year — is something I'm truly proud of in my career of 35 years.”
Like any youngster, Bhavna's fondest memories of her three years in college are of the friendships she formed and of all the fun she's had. The word she spells out most often is ‘fun', amidst plenty of laughter, as her mother talks about her adventures in learning to wear a sari and her insistence on going to the beach even though the salt water plays havoc with her wheelchair.
Is she signing up for a postgraduate degree? Her family is trying to convince her to do so. But her mind's made up and it has been since she was in Class VIII — Bhavna plans to start her own business. “She's geared all her decisions towards this, whether it was taking accountancy in Class XI or choosing Entrepreneurial Development as her elective in college,” says Meenakshi Subramanian, member of Vidyasagar's Disability Legislation Unit (DLU), and Bhavna's close friend and scribe.
She's already decided on the sort of business she's likhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife to do — a socially responsible venture selling organic cotton and ahimsa silk saris and dress materials — and she has friends and family collecting information for her on different aspects.
But when Kalpana talks about family funding the venture, Bhavna protests vehemently — she's determined to start her business with a loan from the National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) instead. Her answer to my question “Why business?” was simply to spell out “independence”.
“What's the next step?” earns a similarly simple response: “Launching the business.” With this plucky young woman's track record, you've got to believe it will happen, sooner rather than later.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/article2076658.ece?homepage=true
Bhavna's life and achievements are worth reading :
The eyes have it
by DIVYA KUMAR (published at The Hindu, dtd. 5th June,2011)
Is Bhavna Botta, who has Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, the world's first student to have completed a Bachelor's degree with the use of only her eyes?
The first thing that strikes you when you meet Bhavna Botta is how full of smiles she is. Not surprisingly, she was voted Miss Smiley — and Miss Final Year — at her B.A. Corporate Secretaryship department farewell party in Ethiraj College this year.
It has been a remarkable journey. Bhavna was born with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, which means she is unable to walk, write by hand, or communicate verbally. Yet, she has defied all odds to complete her Class XII exams from a mainstream institution, Lady Andal Venkatasubba Rao Matriculation Higher Secondary School, and now her Bachelor's degree from Ethiraj, all using a unique system of communication by ‘eye-pointing'.
“She is definitely the first person in India — and possibly in the world — to have finished a college degree using the eye-pointing system,” says Kalpana, her mother. With this system, Bhavana communicates — and writes her exams — using a chart of alphabets in numbered columns, spelling out what she wants to say by pointing at the columns with her eyes. The chart was developed specially for her at Vidyasagar (a voluntary organisation that works with children and young adults with cerebral palsy and other neurological disabilities), where she studied until Class X. That's what she uses during this interview as well, spelling out her answers so rapidly at times that Kalpana can't keep up.
Foremost on her mind is her emotional parting with M. Thavamani, her principal at Ethiraj College who retired recently, and whom she went to college to say goodbye to. “It was a very unique feeling,” says Bhavna, “something I've never experienced before.”
Thavamani describes the meeting in touchingly similar terms: “It was a very emotional moment for both of us; I can't begin to express the kind of affection Bhavna's shown me, the department and her classmates.”
She adds: “When I first met the child, I did wonder if she would be able to manage. But today I can say that having been Bhavna's teacher — I taught her accountancy in her first year — is something I'm truly proud of in my career of 35 years.”
Like any youngster, Bhavna's fondest memories of her three years in college are of the friendships she formed and of all the fun she's had. The word she spells out most often is ‘fun', amidst plenty of laughter, as her mother talks about her adventures in learning to wear a sari and her insistence on going to the beach even though the salt water plays havoc with her wheelchair.
Is she signing up for a postgraduate degree? Her family is trying to convince her to do so. But her mind's made up and it has been since she was in Class VIII — Bhavna plans to start her own business. “She's geared all her decisions towards this, whether it was taking accountancy in Class XI or choosing Entrepreneurial Development as her elective in college,” says Meenakshi Subramanian, member of Vidyasagar's Disability Legislation Unit (DLU), and Bhavna's close friend and scribe.
She's already decided on the sort of business she's likhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gife to do — a socially responsible venture selling organic cotton and ahimsa silk saris and dress materials — and she has friends and family collecting information for her on different aspects.
But when Kalpana talks about family funding the venture, Bhavna protests vehemently — she's determined to start her business with a loan from the National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) instead. Her answer to my question “Why business?” was simply to spell out “independence”.
“What's the next step?” earns a similarly simple response: “Launching the business.” With this plucky young woman's track record, you've got to believe it will happen, sooner rather than later.
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/society/article2076658.ece?homepage=true
Kaustav at the BBC : Secrets of the Superbrands
Kaustav was interviewed by BBC for youth consumer insights.
See the part here:
See the part here:
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
grassroot youth in delhi
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iQGr_EMCfg
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iQGr_EMCfg
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Happy Kumar is uncool! shifts in the Ad imagery in India
Ad imagery in India is evolving as the consumer shifts from functional products and brands to lifestyle and luxury brands. What’s an average Indian aspiring for?
55-year-old Happy Kumar is now a happy man. He has finally managed to buy a flat. Though his Maruti 800 is already five-years old, he believes, it will have a smooth run for his lifetime. In all these years, he has managed to collect all household appliances – be it a refrigerator, a colour television or a washing machine. He is quite content with his life. Up till the early 90s, Happy Kumar would have been considered an achiever in Indian society because he now has everything that makes his life comfortable and would last his lifetime. But today, he might be called ‘uncool’.
Kumar’s 25-year-old son, who works for a leading IT company, is an ambitious young man. He wants a house in an up-market colony, an LCD television, a mid-segment car and a highend mobile phone which would enhance his lifestyle and the family’s status in society. Between 1985 and 2005, the average household income has grown by approximately 6 percent and in the next two decades, it is expected to grow around 7 percent. At the most obvious level, it’s about the need to advertise one’s possessions. It’s about the watch that boasts of unmatched precision or the car that has been the preferred vehicle of a celebrity, or the leather handbag that was seen with a Page 3 socialite. Today, simple possessions mean a host of unique values to the owner.
Indian households are fast moving from functional products to lifestyle products. In the last decade, these consumers have faced a major challenge to their beliefs. From a market where every product or brand was rated for its durability, or cost effectiveness, the market has changed, demanding product upgrades, and even dumping of old products much more quickly. While increasing average household income and easy availability of finance has had a major contribution toward this change in mindset, the marketers have done enough to lure and inspire consumers.
Along the way, the definition and understanding of luxury, as it is understood in India today, has also evolved into something that approaches global views. For instance, when LG entered the Indian market, many Indian brands had predicted that the television market in India was already saturated. The belief was that there may be a few who would switch to colour television sets from their black and white box, but the transition would be in limited numbers as colour televisions were fairly expensive and the household had already invested in a black and white television. Plus, there was no market for discarded televisions. But brands such as LG and Akai changed the ules of the game. LG offered an exchange price for the old television sets, while Akai cracked the market by offering a Japanese brand at Indian prices.
Once the market opened up, the rest was relatively easy. As multiple brand offerings came in, a pecking order was duly established, with a brand like Sony tasting serious success. Of course, the sustained rise in prosperity means that even a Sony was not enough. Making it easier for the market to make a shift to next generation LCD’s, and that too, bigger, more expensive screens. A similar situation can also be seen in the automobile sector. Till the late 80s, simply owning a car was a luxury, with a purchase expected to serve at least two generations. When Maruti entered the middle-class homes, owning a car became a reality. The tagline ‘realise your dreams’, was apt as it re-defined the meaning of personal transport in the country. Here too, with the inevitable entry of all major brands, the market has now evolved to make space for the truly luxury offerings. As per a study done in 2007, the luxury car market is estimated to be growing by 50 percent every year.
The launch of brands such as Volkswagen Beetle or Honda Jazz – a hatchback more expensive than a sedan – corroborates the fact that Indian market has matured to accept these ‘luxury’ brands. Let’s compare two different ad spots that typify this new bridge between the old and new luxury– the latest Volkswagen Beetle TVC and another TVC of Hyundai Accent from the past. The Beetle shows a couple driving the New Beetle. As they stop and step out of the car at a cafe, a valet is shown staring at the car. The man asks the valet the charge to park the car. The smitten valet replies that it will cost Rs. 200 but in a twist to the tale, ends up paying the amount to the couple instead of taking the money from them and drives the car away.
The TVC for the Hyundai Accent is also based on a similar situation. In this, the valet salutes the owner of the car because he believes that the person is a big man as he drives a big car. This latest Beetle TVC explains that big is no more a luxury for the Indian consumer. For them, luxury is what enhances their social stature.
Another sector, which has taught the Indian consumers to upgrade to a lifestyle product frequently and enhance their image, is the telecom sector. In less than a decade, the same consumer has shifted from a black and white screen mobile phone to a colour screen mobile phone and then to a Blackberry handset. Today, the basic service is probably the cheapest part of the package, when a rich consumer opts for a mobile connection. It’s because the mobile phone has become a lifestyle statement for many – the more expensive the handset, the higher the status. This reminds me of another television commercial for a handset brand where a man hides his mobile phone because it had a black and white screen.
What drove the growth in the telecom sector - applies for IT products. In these two sectors, the value- added product was offered at no extra cost. Today, one can buy a coloured screen mobile phone at a cost lower than what he would have had paid for a black and white screen mobile phone, some eight years ago. Thus, easy availability became the next issue that helped prepare the ground for luxury further. The next dimension to luxury is the freedom to do what one wants to do and self indulgence.
Luxury brands increasingly appeal to the user’s sense of independence. With a whole new generation that has benefitted from a growing economy, and earning well, a luxury brand is now an indulgence to reward oneself. Today, it’s easy to find a L’Oreal beauty salon in the neighbourhood, in any of the Indian metros. The brand’s tagline is – ‘Because you are worth it’ – inviting people to self indulge!
The average Indian man and woman is shifting from spending just on necessities to personal products. As per a survey, if people were spending 4 percent of their income on personal products in 1995, they are expected to spend 11 percent on the same by 2015. A look at how the luxury market is growing would indicate the growth of the luxury market in India. The market for high-end watches is estimahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifted to be at INR 600 crore and is growing at about 20 percent annually. Similarly, ownership of a private airplane, or even a helicopter, the ultimate status symbol, one might argue, has shot up over 300 percent over the past 10 years. Indians are turning luxurious by the day. Or we should just believe in Shah Rukh Khan when he says – Don’t be santusht (satisfied)! Or Karo Jyada ka Irada…
[Prajjal Saha is deputy editor, afaqs! He started his career in advertising as a copywriter for an agency called Campaign in Kolkata, and moved to journalism shortly after. His experience with the world of journalism spans over a decade. He joined afaqs! seven years ago. Previously he has worked with media2media, where he was associated with niche publications.]
Source: http://www.imagesfashion.com/content/ContentDetail.aspx?pg=1&cid=585
55-year-old Happy Kumar is now a happy man. He has finally managed to buy a flat. Though his Maruti 800 is already five-years old, he believes, it will have a smooth run for his lifetime. In all these years, he has managed to collect all household appliances – be it a refrigerator, a colour television or a washing machine. He is quite content with his life. Up till the early 90s, Happy Kumar would have been considered an achiever in Indian society because he now has everything that makes his life comfortable and would last his lifetime. But today, he might be called ‘uncool’.
Kumar’s 25-year-old son, who works for a leading IT company, is an ambitious young man. He wants a house in an up-market colony, an LCD television, a mid-segment car and a highend mobile phone which would enhance his lifestyle and the family’s status in society. Between 1985 and 2005, the average household income has grown by approximately 6 percent and in the next two decades, it is expected to grow around 7 percent. At the most obvious level, it’s about the need to advertise one’s possessions. It’s about the watch that boasts of unmatched precision or the car that has been the preferred vehicle of a celebrity, or the leather handbag that was seen with a Page 3 socialite. Today, simple possessions mean a host of unique values to the owner.
Indian households are fast moving from functional products to lifestyle products. In the last decade, these consumers have faced a major challenge to their beliefs. From a market where every product or brand was rated for its durability, or cost effectiveness, the market has changed, demanding product upgrades, and even dumping of old products much more quickly. While increasing average household income and easy availability of finance has had a major contribution toward this change in mindset, the marketers have done enough to lure and inspire consumers.
Along the way, the definition and understanding of luxury, as it is understood in India today, has also evolved into something that approaches global views. For instance, when LG entered the Indian market, many Indian brands had predicted that the television market in India was already saturated. The belief was that there may be a few who would switch to colour television sets from their black and white box, but the transition would be in limited numbers as colour televisions were fairly expensive and the household had already invested in a black and white television. Plus, there was no market for discarded televisions. But brands such as LG and Akai changed the ules of the game. LG offered an exchange price for the old television sets, while Akai cracked the market by offering a Japanese brand at Indian prices.
Once the market opened up, the rest was relatively easy. As multiple brand offerings came in, a pecking order was duly established, with a brand like Sony tasting serious success. Of course, the sustained rise in prosperity means that even a Sony was not enough. Making it easier for the market to make a shift to next generation LCD’s, and that too, bigger, more expensive screens. A similar situation can also be seen in the automobile sector. Till the late 80s, simply owning a car was a luxury, with a purchase expected to serve at least two generations. When Maruti entered the middle-class homes, owning a car became a reality. The tagline ‘realise your dreams’, was apt as it re-defined the meaning of personal transport in the country. Here too, with the inevitable entry of all major brands, the market has now evolved to make space for the truly luxury offerings. As per a study done in 2007, the luxury car market is estimated to be growing by 50 percent every year.
The launch of brands such as Volkswagen Beetle or Honda Jazz – a hatchback more expensive than a sedan – corroborates the fact that Indian market has matured to accept these ‘luxury’ brands. Let’s compare two different ad spots that typify this new bridge between the old and new luxury– the latest Volkswagen Beetle TVC and another TVC of Hyundai Accent from the past. The Beetle shows a couple driving the New Beetle. As they stop and step out of the car at a cafe, a valet is shown staring at the car. The man asks the valet the charge to park the car. The smitten valet replies that it will cost Rs. 200 but in a twist to the tale, ends up paying the amount to the couple instead of taking the money from them and drives the car away.
The TVC for the Hyundai Accent is also based on a similar situation. In this, the valet salutes the owner of the car because he believes that the person is a big man as he drives a big car. This latest Beetle TVC explains that big is no more a luxury for the Indian consumer. For them, luxury is what enhances their social stature.
Another sector, which has taught the Indian consumers to upgrade to a lifestyle product frequently and enhance their image, is the telecom sector. In less than a decade, the same consumer has shifted from a black and white screen mobile phone to a colour screen mobile phone and then to a Blackberry handset. Today, the basic service is probably the cheapest part of the package, when a rich consumer opts for a mobile connection. It’s because the mobile phone has become a lifestyle statement for many – the more expensive the handset, the higher the status. This reminds me of another television commercial for a handset brand where a man hides his mobile phone because it had a black and white screen.
What drove the growth in the telecom sector - applies for IT products. In these two sectors, the value- added product was offered at no extra cost. Today, one can buy a coloured screen mobile phone at a cost lower than what he would have had paid for a black and white screen mobile phone, some eight years ago. Thus, easy availability became the next issue that helped prepare the ground for luxury further. The next dimension to luxury is the freedom to do what one wants to do and self indulgence.
Luxury brands increasingly appeal to the user’s sense of independence. With a whole new generation that has benefitted from a growing economy, and earning well, a luxury brand is now an indulgence to reward oneself. Today, it’s easy to find a L’Oreal beauty salon in the neighbourhood, in any of the Indian metros. The brand’s tagline is – ‘Because you are worth it’ – inviting people to self indulge!
The average Indian man and woman is shifting from spending just on necessities to personal products. As per a survey, if people were spending 4 percent of their income on personal products in 1995, they are expected to spend 11 percent on the same by 2015. A look at how the luxury market is growing would indicate the growth of the luxury market in India. The market for high-end watches is estimahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifted to be at INR 600 crore and is growing at about 20 percent annually. Similarly, ownership of a private airplane, or even a helicopter, the ultimate status symbol, one might argue, has shot up over 300 percent over the past 10 years. Indians are turning luxurious by the day. Or we should just believe in Shah Rukh Khan when he says – Don’t be santusht (satisfied)! Or Karo Jyada ka Irada…
[Prajjal Saha is deputy editor, afaqs! He started his career in advertising as a copywriter for an agency called Campaign in Kolkata, and moved to journalism shortly after. His experience with the world of journalism spans over a decade. He joined afaqs! seven years ago. Previously he has worked with media2media, where he was associated with niche publications.]
Source: http://www.imagesfashion.com/content/ContentDetail.aspx?pg=1&cid=585
Friday, May 27, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
India, China lead global economic recovery: UN
The emerging economies of India, China and Brazil are leading the global economic recovery, according to a UN report released on Wednesday. "The rebound has been led by the large emerging economies in Asia and Latin America, particularly China, India and Brazil," the report said. The mid-year issue of the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP), said that "weaknesses in major developed economies continue to drag the global recovery and pose risks for world economic stability in the coming years". The report said that many developing countries have been able to use the policy buffers (in the form of ample fiscal space and vast foreign-exchange reserves) they had generated in the years before the crisis to adopt aggressive stimulus packages. The report said that while developing countries continue to drive the global recovery, their output growth is also expected to moderate to 6.0 per cent on average during 2011-2012, down from 7.1 per cent in 2010. It said that that China and India''s GDP growth is also expected to experience some moderation in 2011 and 2012. The report said that the volume of exports of many emerging economies, including Brazil, China, India and other developing economies in Asia, have already recovered to, or beyond, pre-crisis peaks. The study said that exports of developed economies have not yet achieved full recovery and were still 8 per cent below the pre-crisis peaks seen in the third quarter of 2010.
Source: http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/India-China-lead-global-pti-2632147440.html
Source: http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/India-China-lead-global-pti-2632147440.html
India among most entrepreneur-friendly nations: global poll
India along with US, Canada and Australia, has been ranked among the nations with the best cultures in the world for people to start a new business, a new global poll has showed. While India finds itself bracketed with the better ranked countries, Colombia, Egypt, Turkey, Italy and Russia are the least friendly to innovation and entrepreneurship, showed results of the 24-country BBC World Service poll. The world''s two major economies - US and China - are also among the most favourable countries for innovation and creativity, according to the results. In both nations, 75 per cent say that their country values innovation and creativity -- second only to Indonesia (85 per cent), and well ahead of other emerging economies such as Brazil (54 per cent) and India (67 per cent). At the other end of the scale, only 24 per cent of Turks and 26 per cent of Russians and Egyptians say they feel that innovation and creativity is valued in their country. The results are drawn from a survey of 24,537 adult citizens across 24 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Spain, Turkey, the UK, the US, among others. Most countries surveyed in Asia were found to have a well-developed entrepreneurship culture, and except Pakistan, all had good ratings on the entrepreneur-friendly index. Indonesia scored the highest ratings of all participating countries in the survey (2.81), just ahead of the US.
Source: http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/India-among-most-entrepreneur-pti-773898865.html
Source: http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/India-among-most-entrepreneur-pti-773898865.html
Friday, May 20, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
BlackBerry - Getting younger with time
BlackBerry's (BB) growth graph underwent some noteworthy changes since Indians first began using the smart phone. Year 2010, in particular, contributed to pushing it higher. Last year, the smart phone maker came up with a smart move. It introduced lower-end variants for consumers who were young but could not afford expensive phones. It changed young India's way of looking at themselves and their peers. Blackberry's approach to the young rode on the BB Messenger (BBM).
When it was launched, BB was the gadget that helped corporate honchos organise their schedule better, stay connected to one another and avail official emails and other internet resources instantly. This year, however, the BB's TG expanded beyond expectations. What began as a high-end premium product found its way into the restless, enthusiastic hands of India's vast pool of youth. Today, the BB is as much a gadget of the youth as it is an official phone.
The youth took to BBM with unbridled enthusiasm. Just look at how many teens, tweens and young adults have furnished the 'About Me' section of their Facebook pages with their eight character-long BB Pin Numbers. This enables other BB owners to connect with them and find a place on their instant chat-list. This section used to be one where users of the social networking site could write a few words that described them best and gave those who visited their page some insight about the person, his likes, dislikes and core personality traits. Instead, BB-obsessed addicts merely put up their Pin, a seemingly dry, alphanumeric, sometimes only numeric string of letter and numbers.
On the creative front, brand BB gave the advertising industry something to talk about when it awarded its creative mandate to Orchard Advertising. The brand's media duties lie with Starcom MediaVest. Though the brand is not too active on the communication front, it has managed to expand seamlessly. In the recent past, the brand made some noise with an ad film that floated the catchphrase, "Do what you love, love what you do". This happened to be the first time BB - which relies on word-of-mouth communication - rolled out any big advertising message in the TV space.
Service provider Vodafone took note of the youth-slant and launched a much-talked about advertising campaign that attempted to position the phone as a device not just for uptight executives, but also for trendy youngsters who checked their emails and 'pinged' their friends every twenty seconds. The campaign titled BlackBerry Boys was created by Vodafone's creative agency, Ogilvy India. The campaign served to push Vodafone's BlackBerry service plans for its prepaid customers in India at affordable prices. While premium variants such as the BlackBerry Torch and BlackBerry Bold did well, the brand's affordable products such as the BlackBerry Curve also grew increasingly popular.
The Messenger was used in various other ways. UTV World Movies, for instance, launched a special BlackBerry Messenger to reach out to cinema fans across India and provide easy access to a range of content on world cinema. UTV World Movies used BBM as a platform to discuss world cinema, share related information and execute interactive contests with its users.
BB has had a good time, barring the run-in with the government about access rights. According to brand consultant Ashok Dhingra, BlackBerry has evolved into an iconic, cult brand in 2010, so much so that it makes Nokia look outdated. He however claims that the marketing strategy followed by BB is exactly the same as that of Nokia. "Nokia used to come up with new innovations and premium variants every now and then, milk them for a while and then drop the price of its previous variants. BB is doing that now," he elaborates, adding that it has helped the brand percolate to all sections of society.
Source: http://www.afaqs.com/news/story.html?sid=29293_BlackBerry+-+Getting+younger+with+time
When it was launched, BB was the gadget that helped corporate honchos organise their schedule better, stay connected to one another and avail official emails and other internet resources instantly. This year, however, the BB's TG expanded beyond expectations. What began as a high-end premium product found its way into the restless, enthusiastic hands of India's vast pool of youth. Today, the BB is as much a gadget of the youth as it is an official phone.
The youth took to BBM with unbridled enthusiasm. Just look at how many teens, tweens and young adults have furnished the 'About Me' section of their Facebook pages with their eight character-long BB Pin Numbers. This enables other BB owners to connect with them and find a place on their instant chat-list. This section used to be one where users of the social networking site could write a few words that described them best and gave those who visited their page some insight about the person, his likes, dislikes and core personality traits. Instead, BB-obsessed addicts merely put up their Pin, a seemingly dry, alphanumeric, sometimes only numeric string of letter and numbers.
On the creative front, brand BB gave the advertising industry something to talk about when it awarded its creative mandate to Orchard Advertising. The brand's media duties lie with Starcom MediaVest. Though the brand is not too active on the communication front, it has managed to expand seamlessly. In the recent past, the brand made some noise with an ad film that floated the catchphrase, "Do what you love, love what you do". This happened to be the first time BB - which relies on word-of-mouth communication - rolled out any big advertising message in the TV space.
Service provider Vodafone took note of the youth-slant and launched a much-talked about advertising campaign that attempted to position the phone as a device not just for uptight executives, but also for trendy youngsters who checked their emails and 'pinged' their friends every twenty seconds. The campaign titled BlackBerry Boys was created by Vodafone's creative agency, Ogilvy India. The campaign served to push Vodafone's BlackBerry service plans for its prepaid customers in India at affordable prices. While premium variants such as the BlackBerry Torch and BlackBerry Bold did well, the brand's affordable products such as the BlackBerry Curve also grew increasingly popular.
The Messenger was used in various other ways. UTV World Movies, for instance, launched a special BlackBerry Messenger to reach out to cinema fans across India and provide easy access to a range of content on world cinema. UTV World Movies used BBM as a platform to discuss world cinema, share related information and execute interactive contests with its users.
BB has had a good time, barring the run-in with the government about access rights. According to brand consultant Ashok Dhingra, BlackBerry has evolved into an iconic, cult brand in 2010, so much so that it makes Nokia look outdated. He however claims that the marketing strategy followed by BB is exactly the same as that of Nokia. "Nokia used to come up with new innovations and premium variants every now and then, milk them for a while and then drop the price of its previous variants. BB is doing that now," he elaborates, adding that it has helped the brand percolate to all sections of society.
Source: http://www.afaqs.com/news/story.html?sid=29293_BlackBerry+-+Getting+younger+with+time
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