I am a dangerous influence

I am a dangerous influence

Originally uploaded by harithinks

Thanks for all your comments folks.

Unfortunately I am in China right now and I find that my blog too is blocked from access, In a wierd way I actually feel flattered that they see me as being important enough to be a threat to society here…

I’ll be back on Friday and will be back on then.

Have a great week ahead.

Unforgettable Brand Identity

 

Don’t laugh, there’s a very high chance this was a line, sorry, brand identity, written by a multinational Agency/ Brand Consultant for the client.

In the past two weeks I have seen some really big clients trot out new ‘Brand Identity’ which usually includes a new logo (that invariably makes the old one seem fantastic) and a Brand line (taglines are passe) which reads like it was a direct translation from Swahili with the same syntax.

And in most cases these ‘Brand Rejuvenation’ exercises costs millions of dollars and apparently researched with many consumer segments before they are approved. Now the only reason I think consumers in these research don’t say its lousy is because they feel bad. Most researchers approach the line with such zeal that the respondents feel if they spoke the truth, it would be like telling a 2-year old “Santa’s not real. Oh, and mind you neither is the tooth fairy.”

Is there someone in any university or something who would like to research on the flaws of research? It should make a nice topic for a thesis. Please give me a shout and we can work together on it.

Stupidity 2.0

In a breakthrough deal with a major TV broadcaster Colgate is going to produce its own show called Colgate Comedy Hour, an initiative to make the brand an intrinsic part of the program rather than just an advertiser – This was in the 1950s and the first time brands appeared on a medium other than radio. Imagine the seismic shift involved in moving from an audio only medium to a medium with audio, visual and entertainment content.

But even in the face of this agencies didn’t get into a tizzy and start appointing TV planners who would be distinct from Radio Planners and Print Planners and so on. Today we are well past the start of marketing through a new delivery vehicle called the web, and agencies are scrambling and treating it like it was some kind of subset of advertising. Precisely the kind of behaviour that will hasten, the hysteria laden predictions of the end of our relevance to clients.

With some of the smartest people (at least if we were to believe ourselves) around, it’s amazing how we don’t simply view the digital emergence as a natural evolution of marketing and advertising that has to be incorporated into our thought process and talent. This needs setting up of separate agencies, as much as the emergence of TV led to setting up of dedicated shops. Sure there are special skills and crafts needed and we need to bring them on board. If planners can’t think with digital as part of his/ her environment, then we need new planners, not a Digital Planner. If a Creative Director can’t think of a web-based idea as effortlessly as a TVC, then it’s time for a new CD not a Digital CD.

If our predictions of the digital world being the future are correct, then isn’t positioning ourselves firmly as not belonging to it, mean that we are ensuring we’ll never be part of it? Or are we waiting for a channel planner to tell us that (A hilarious name isn’t it for an era that’s about moving beyond 150 TV channels)

The Change

 

It’s now been exactly 62 days since the most amazing moment in my life – My daughter’s birth. To say it’s been life changing would be too obvious and anemic a description of the impact it has had.  

Throughout the time my wife was pregnant the feeling didn’t quite sink in (sorry sweetheart), even at the hospital I wasn’t quite the pensive dad outside the delivery room, my thoughts were predominantly centered around grabbing a cup of tea as soon as the canteen opened.  Soon I had my hands wrapped around a hot cup of tea, I didn’t know it then but it would be the last time ever I would put tea first in my thoughts.

Before I could take the first sip hospital staff emerged and broke the news of the birth and while I was still reeling from it they wheeled out a little green bundle, from where staring at me with wide open eyes, was my daughter. It felt like I had been hit by a missile head on. It was the first time ever I have experienced true and total unconditional love. For an emotion so associated with softness, I was surprised at the almost violent intensity of it. It was so strong that I completely shut out the world around me as I focused on what from now on would be the centre of my life.  

I was to learn later that what changed then was not my life, it was Me. It was like someone had put on permanent tinted glasses on my eyes. I now wanted to work not just for my own reasons, but so that I could leave behind a legacy of sorts for my daughter, I don’t mean that in a financial sense, but rather in terms of her being able to be proud of my achievements in life and giving her a leg up.  

I remember thinking that anyone who has a child can surely never be mean spirited, though there is evidence all around me to the contrary. I think I unconsciously have started seeing the child in the people around me and so, much more willing to be forgiving about things.  

As I watch her grow, literally, as I spend hours staring at her deep in sleep undisturbed by the corrupted thoughts and concepts of life we have. But this innocence was soon shattered when she got her first immunisation shot, for the past 37 days of her life every adult who picked her up did so to soothe her or feed her or clean her, in general to make her feel better. This time she was picked up by a cooing adult and then pierced with an adult sized needle (I don’t know why they don’t make pediatric needles which are thinner?). In a single act the concept of doubt was introduced into her the world, she now had to be careful and learn to distinguish why any adult was picking her up.

This change in her has wrenched my heart more than the pain she felt when getting injected, any parent who’s watched it will tell you it’s among the ultimate acts of cruelty. I could go on, and I will over the next few years as I try to share some special moments. I now have to go watch my baby sleep.

There’s simply nothing that comes close to make you feel at peace with the world. 

No Taxis!

 

In a world where we are incessantly told by brands they want to be at every touch point – 360°; connection planning; brand experience almost every kind of tool that’s used by marketers and agencies is about getting the brand across more places more times.

So, it was extremely refreshing to hear about one brand which takes great pains to make sure they’re absent from a place which is closely linked to their category – Honda, a mass market automobile brand. I read recently and have checked it out to be true that no where in the world can you find a Honda public taxi, if there is one tell your local Honda office and they’ll buy it back.

This is extremely remarkable in the light of the fact that even Mercedes has no problems with their cars being taxis, and of course the millions of Toyota taxis are part of a reason why they beat GM in sales to be the world’s largest car maker.  

When you consider that the Honda decision essentially means they’ll never be the largest car maker and forgo probably the most frequent brand interaction for a non-user, it’s nothing short of medal worthy.

Of course one might argue that it’s Honda simply missing out, as Mercedes continues to be perceived as a premium brand despite the taxis. And that Honda is a mass brand which, is simply missing out on an opportunity. The reason behind the decision is simply that Honda doesn’t want the consumer to interact with their brand in a scenario where the experience could provide a negative perception of the brand. Now, wouldn’t a badly maintained Honda of a friend do the same? There’s really no right or wrong in this area. What I think deserves a tip of the hat, is the clarity with which Honda has stuck to a policy they perceive to be in line with their brand vision. In a time when a short-term goal is the prism through which everything is viewed, this is a great example for us to quote to clients.

Overwhelmed, overjoyed, over the moon

In what was and will always be the single greatest moment in my life, my daughter entered this world last week. For months on end me and my wife heard a lot about what an experience it is, and nothing… I mean nothing could prepare us for the moment and sheer complete joy that it brought us.

Never before have I felt something was so precious and close to me. It is delightful and she’s just adorable.

I am still a bit overwhelmed with the whole thing and from the looks of it am going to be forever now. So, see you all soon on this blog.

Good news at long last

Well, Rob has asked if the reason I have not been posting as frequently as I should is because my cynicism doesn’t allow me to see anything positive in the industry (that’s what I decided this blog is going to be about). While to some extent that is true, the other thing I have found as part of this experiment is that the industry as a whole has become so cynical that we rarely talk or publicise the good we do. That being my belief I am going to continue with my ‘Positive Only’ approach for some more time to see if it works if I am more diligent about updating the blog…so here’s something that gives us hope.

There’s a really big client (top 5 in ad spend in the country), who’s never really been known for great work, called for a pitch recently. The incumbent declined to pitch even after being given an automatic entry into the second round, so there were 4 big agencies left in the fray. In a surprise move today two of those four also withdrew from the pitch, sending a loud and clear message to all clients out there that we do still care about the work and the value we add. And that ad agencies are not complete slaves to money.

This is a huge move in a country like Singapore, and one which I believe will take the industry a long way towards regaining our rightful place and respect as key players in the success of a brand.

Great Jobs

 

I came across a really great post by Seth Godin recently. It talked about how a receptionist can be great, it’s a must read for everyone to understand what a great organisation really means.

It set me thinking about what a great difference we could all make if everyone in the organisation thought of themselves as Vice President, (insert your designation here). If each one of us were to be innovative and took the liberty to make our jobs have a bigger impact on our organisation, maybe it will be harder for your colleagues to come in the way.

Particularly in advertising, we are better placed than most people out there to realise the importance of our jobs as a marketing tool, not only to the clients. But more importantly in marketing ourselves to the agency. The secret to it lies in the same thing that defines being great – Passion. If you are passionate about what you do, greatness has no choice but to follow. The only reason I have written this here is so that we all do something about our jobs apart from whining.

Cricket Crazy

 

 

Ok, so I follow cricket, a distraction kindly provided by the Brits to distract Indians from doing real constructive things that would help build a nation. Anyway, I usually visit cricinfo.com a site which provides live update on the scores, and today I noticed something that talked about live commentary, so I clicked on it expecting an audio commentary. But what I saw instead was the picture above; it’s finding a completely unique application (and the only useful one as far as Indians are concerned) for virtual reality.

It is a ball by ball replay of the match in 3D animation as its being played! It completely blew me away, I have never seen something like this. Since cricket broadcast rights cost the earth, this site has decided to recreate their own stadium (with their ads all over the ground, space which I presume they’ll be willing to sell to advertisers) It’s live with a few seconds delay, the strokes played are exact reproductions of the shots played in the match and with the sound of the ball being hit and the crowds when there’s a major event.

Completely ingenious. While it did feel a bit weird initially watching animation, I am getting used to it now and I still haven’t made up my mind if it’s working as far as the consumer is concerned. But I do tip my hat to the guys at cricinfo for trying something so left of field.

Pure Inspiration

Every now and then we all need a booster does of inspiration to hlep us push on and be positive about work and achieving something in life. When I need that I simply listen to this speech. Hoepfully it works for you guys as well.