The year gone by

Today, on 31 December 2009, as I look back on the year gone by, I feel very content. And I pat myself on my back for all the things I did this year:

I became a healthy and fit person, committed to being that way.

I remembered to wish all my near and dear ones on their birthdays and anniversaries.

I was there when my friends wanted to share their joys and sorrows, and sometimes even just random thoughts, with me.

I stretched myself to set larger goals and achieved them.

I spent some time following my hobbies, and also learnt a few new things.

I acknowledged each and every person who made a difference in my life in this past year.

I also took time out to make a difference in the lives of people in my life, sometimes even by doing nothing.

--

I say this in the past tense because, today I declare my new year 2009 to be this way and, in my declaration, the future has already happened. Hope you too have a great time declaring and making things happen in the new year.

Happy Living!

An Indian Politician speaks

Hi. I am a politician in India.

Well, that's all you actually know about me.

You don't know my educational qualification, and you have assumed I am illiterate, or only moderately educated.

You don't know me personally at all, and you have made up your mind that I am dishonest and corrupt.

You have no clue about my income and its sources, and you have decided that I have earned crores of black money.

You don't know my standard of living, and you are sure I am a lavish spender.

You don't know why I joined politics, and you have assumed I am in it for personal benefits.

You don't know my dreams about India, and you have decided I will be selfish after coming to power.

For years, you have waited for someone to get into politics and clean the system. Maybe I am that person. If we work together, maybe we will cause miracles for our country. Maybe you will know this once you listen to me.

And you are not bothered to even listen to me, or ask me something.

Up, Close and Personal with soldiers

Many-a-times, while watching I would wonder... if regular life is portrayed on screen in such a simplistic black-and-white manner (like a Hero does nothing bad, and a Villian does nothing good), what if even the stories about the Army were twisted in a similar manner.

Do we even know what a soldier goes through in his life as a protector of his nation's security?

Recently, these questions got answered. Some 3000 people who have served the Armed Forces of our country formed a community and started presenting their views themselves, via a blog.

Here, take a peek: Band of Brothers Blog

Why I love 'The Batman'

This line of thought has been existent in my mind since I read a post comparing Batman with Superman a few years ago. And after watching the movie 'The Dark Knight', I have decided to put it down in as much detail as I can remember.

Compared to other superheroes, I love Batman the most. And it is not just the mystery and the glamour that he carries best, it is also because of the following reasons:

1) He does not have superpowers
Superman can fly. He has X-Ray vision. He also has superhuman power that no one else has. In case of Spiderman too, it is his agility and supernatural strength that makes him what he is. Everyone in the team of The Fantastic Four has his or her own superpowers. Batman has none. He is an ordinary man with no gift whatsoever. And still he can do what he does.

How often can ordinary men strike fear in hardcore criminals? The Batman has created such a scare among the goons and mafia dons of Gotham City that just a look of the Dark Knight makes them run for safety. And he does this with just gadgets and guts!


2) His energies are focussed
Show a damsel in distress or an old woman about to be crushed by speeding truck, and you know Superman or Spiderman will come to the rescue. Nothing bad about it. Except that, most superheroes waste a lot of time and effort, by wanting to make a difference anywhere and everywhere. They assume responsibility of the wellbeing of the entire human race, just because they are "gifted".

Not the case with Batman. He picks his battles. He is clear that he will fight crime and criminals. His energies and time are not split across all the calamities human beings bring upon themselves.


3) He does not fight alone
Yes, like almost every superhero, the Batman too has a secret identity. but unlike most superheroes, he does not work alone. He is open to ask for support, and make himself vulnerable to that extent. His butler, Alfred, the engineer who works on his suits, gadgets and vehicles, his girlfriend, all know that it is Bruce Wayne who 'moonlights' as the Batman. In the movie 'The Dark Knight', the auditor conducting a due diligence check on Wayne Enterprises also comes to know about him, and the Batman is fine with that. He is also open to the idea of growing his team, and including Robin and Batgirl.

While this does make him vulnerable, it saves him the trouble and dilemma of whether to reveal his identity to people he is "hiding" from. This makes it very difficult to blackmail him into anything.


4) He is ok even with being branded a criminal
The Batman is clear about his goals. He exists to fight crime. Other things don't matter much to him. He is ok with breaking laws to achieve his objective, and he is also ok with being branded a criminal. He is not in it for the fame or appreciation.


5) He is a superhero by choice
It was his vow that Bruce Wayne became Batman. He was not gifted with great powers, and therefore great responsibilities. It was him who decided his power, and it was him who decided his responsibilities.

What's more, he can stop whenever he wants. And still, every day, he becomes the Batman by choice and by his commitment to his vow. You can't force him into becoming the Batman, it is entirely his choice. And this makes me admire him more.

Time is money!!!

Funny, how age-old sayings can translate to completely different meanings in modern times.

Jagran Solutions, a below-the-line agency (in marketing jargon, called on-ground activation, marketing communications agency) in India took this saying and gave it an amazing twist online.

This Diwali, they tied up with an NGO (Akanksha) and posted about it on a blog. The NGO works in the field of education for underprivileged children. The post invites comments to itself, and Jagran contributes "a humble amount" for each comment posted.

While I would loved to know the exact amount that Jagran will contribute for my comment, I am going by the logic of something is better than nothing, and that this act of mine will add to whatever I do otherwise too.

So here's cheers for the effort!

And you can contribute too by visting the blog here.

Arts and Sciences

The whole idea seems cliche actually.

We have been probably talked about this for years now, especially whether a particular thing is an art or a science. This post is a different take on the argument.

We always consider these two as two separate concepts. What I believe is that these two are stages of an evolution. Think of them as first floor and second floor. Science is the first floor, and arts is the second.

Why do I say so?
The idea is based on a lot of thoughts related to activities we consider analytical, and therefore scientific, and other activities which we consider creative, and therefore artisitic. For almost every field of man's efforts, things start with taking more and more information and organising all of it.

Let us take the example of a science considered as one of the purest of sciences - physics.

The quest to the physics knowledge bank that we have today started out with the inventions of the natural numbers, and then moved to whole numbers, rational and then real numbers. Of course, on the way, we invented equations, mathematical operations. We also created all theories of phenomena that we considered natural and factual in the world around us - geometry, gravity, repulsion, e=mc2, et al.

But then, we got stuck at finding out the square root of -1. Here, the analytical brain stopped, but the creative brain took off... and created an imaginary number i. It led to more discoveries and inventions.

What's more, it is in the field of physics (the pure science) that we have probably the most number of creative theories. The Big Bang Theory, sub-atomic particles, multiple Universes, string theory, the list goes on. Most of them have their own set of believers and critics. But none of them can conclusively prove or disprove their own convictions. Talk of purity of science!


Let's look at the arts field. How does one start off in painting or photography? By understanding the science of colour combinations and brush strokes. And by understanding the impact of lighting and perspective on the final photograph.

What are the first things taught to dancers? Understanding their body movements and the science of beats.

What is the first thing taught to musicians? The science of the sargam (Sa Re Ga Ma or octaves).

It is from this basic understanding of science that becomes the launchpad for take off in the unexplored and unexpressed forms of colours, images, dances and sounds. Take any good piece of art, and chances are that the fundamentals of that work would be in place too.

If science and art were indeed opposites, what would you call this post - an article on science because it's rational, or a piece of art because it's a unique point of view on things around us?

Amazing songs, amazing lyrics!

I listen to both Hindi and English songs very frequently, mainly while on the move. Some of them serve good to pep me up while others are good when I am in a mood to appreciate poetry. A rare few are good for both these reasons. And the following 3 are the creme of the rare lot.

Song: Move Your Body
Album: Johnny Gaddaar OST
Lyrics:

Life is a gamble, boy,
so you know that you better play your cards right
If you wanna take the chance,
then you know that you better stand up and fight
This is just a game
So you gotta keep on playin'
'Cause you know what I am sayin'
Then you know you might even win this tonight!

Tell me can you handle it,
Kya hoga woh hai teri kismat
Tell me can you handle it,
Lekin baazi khelega iss waqt


Song: Animal Song
Album: Affirmation
Band: Savage Garden
Lyrics:
(while I love the entire song, this is the best part!)

I've been having difficulties keeping to myself
Feelings and emotions better left up on the shelf
Animals and children tell the truth, they never lie
Which one is more human
There's a thought, now you decide


Song: All The People in the World
Album: Safri Duo Episode II
Band: Safri Duo
Lyrics:

All the people in the world
Every boy and every girl
Just imagin that we could
It isn't hard to do

All the people in the world
Every boy and every girl
Just imagin that we could
Face up brother hood

Give it up...
You just got to give it up
You just have to give it up
You just got to give it up


I recently did a course called the LandMark Education 'Curriculum for Living', and most of these lyrics also fit with the learnings from that course. Maybe that's why I noticed these lyrics in the first place, because I have been listening to these songs for quite some time.

Everybody is someone else's weirdo

Although it seems ironical, it is a statement as true as it can get. I stole it from a friend's Google Talk status message, since it is so apt for this post.

Come to think of it, everyone of us knows at least one person who we think is weird. At the same time, each of us also knows a person who thinks we are weird. While I don't know the reason for this happening among girls, I have a theory on why this happens to guys, as in, why do some guys seem weird to girls. I analysed my own behaviour after reading a lot on the topic of men vs women, and realised this.

This would normally happen to any attractive girl, and would also happen to most girls with respect to a particular guy. More often that not, the guy seems weird to the girl primarily because the guy is trying hard to make an impression on her. Given that guys do not know much about girls anyway, and that their interaction with the girl they like is very limited, they are not sure of how the girl would react.

Coupled with the fact that he likes her, the guy is terrified of losing and is very nervous. For all these reasons, he changes his attitude, his statements, his posture and body language a number of times during the interaction, in his desperate effort to adapt to the girl's reactions. (What many guys also do is to talk to the girl in the same way as he would talk to a guy, or even worse, as if the girl were his buddy who already knows that he likes her.)

As a result, the girl gets different verbal and non-verbal messages during a single interaction, and is thoroughly confused. Of course, the guy too is all nervous and offers no help in making the girl understand him. Net outcome: the girl thinks "this guy is weird".


Moral of the story for the girls: Be happy and feel appreciated when a guy appears to be weird to you. He likes you!

Moral of the story for the guys: Be confident when you talk to girls, than coming across as a clumsy person.

Truth, Lies and Advertising by Jon Steel

A book written about advertising, and by an adman, would invariably talk about truth and lies, and how advertising is somewhere in between. However, this book says nothing about such issues, and maybe that's why, talks a lot of sense.

An interesting read by any measure, 'Truth Lies and Advertising' takes the reader into the fascinating world of account planning, and how it is not the next fad in the advertising world. It explores the depths of the job and how!

Some interesting statements made in the book, attributed to the original quoters:

On research: The average American has one testicle and one breast.

When you prepare a mousetrap, leave enough room for the mouse.

On enthusiastic clients who focus on product features: "It's just a f*cking chocolate cookie."

You don't have a good strategy till you have a good ad.

(Don't have the book with me now, so not verbatim)

In addition to all the information and 'insight' into the world of account planning, this book also helped me understand why 'got milk?' is such a great campaign.

It turned out that the campaign was not what I thought it was. All the print ads that you must have seen, showing celebrities with a milk moustache, are Phase 2, or maybe Phase 3 of the campaign. The original idea leaves you spellbound with its creativity and simplicity.

The weird side of me

While technically speaking, the title is incorrect, since there is no other side of me.

I was tagged for doing this, more than a month ago, but couldn't get myself to complete the list. Now that I have, here is the post.

Before i give my list, a small detail on what the tag is about:
- Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
- Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself.
- Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
- Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So here's my list of 7 weird things about me:

1) My drawers, wardrobe, office bag and office desk are extremely unorganised, while my files and folders on the computer, and articles on my blogs are very organised. (I started 5 different blogs just so that the topics don't overlap and confuse my readers!)

2) I would eat ghar ki roti's by tearing them in exactly 4, almost identical, parts. I have been doing this ever since I have been carrying a tiffin box from home for lunch, that's about 8 years now.

3) I won't be seen dead with a crumpled handkerchief in my pocket. It would be perfectly folded 4 times to form a small square, and would be placed perfectly in my pocket.

4) I would know what's cooking in the kitchen, just by smelling it. But I can never tell for sure whether last night's food has gone bad or not, even after tasting it.

5) Left to me, all my PowerPoint slides would be in black, white or greys... background as well as text!!!

6) I am indecisive about most of the important things in my life, but would have very strong opinion about most of the trivial things in life.

7) I would watch even the most boring Hindi movies multiple times, but can't stand a very good movie more than a few times.

Won't be tagging anyone for now. But would update this post once I find 7 people to tag.

Absolut Fun!

What does a marketer do if it wants to sell a product that:
1) has no odour, taste or colour by itself
2) is just another product in an already crowded market
3) whose country of origin has no credibility in the making of this product, and
4) has to build the entire business from scratch

Would you believe if I told you,
that this brand is the largest selling imported brand in the US in its category?
Or that it sells at a premium much higher than other brands in the market?
Or that its bottles have become collectibles over the years?
Or that it still runs that same advertisements that marked its launch almost 3 decades ago?

That is the fascinating story of Absolut Vodka, a name that was invented just 3 decades ago, but claims to continue a tradition that's centuries old.

The book 'Absolut, Biography of a Bottle' written by Carl Hamilton presents a wonderful account of how the business and advertising of Absolut started.

The writing style too is commendable - one that makes the reader think he is tracing a scandal of sorts right from its origin to its launch and success in the United States. Throughout Carl demonstrates the power of advertising in building a brand, and the apparent disrespect the advertising world has to ethics. Overall a fun read, though.

The essence of the advertising campaign behind Absolut Vodka can be summed up in this paragraph taken from the book.

In Germany, several brands had been beaten into extinction when Allied bombers blew the factories to rubble in World War II, halting production for several years. After the war, they rose like a flock of Phoenixes from the ashes, and qucikly regained their previous market shares. Brand names had an iron grip on the people. This was a problem for new products, like instant coffee and frozen food. Simply put, they had no history. Such products were as scary as a person with no past. The only solution, Dichter said, was to invent a past.