Thursday, February 27, 2014

Marketing the Brand - "You"


Anecdotes, make for valuable lessons. People who share their life stories mentor us fortuitously. It is over one such conversation I was told that, in personal and professional life you always get what you negotiate for, not what you deserve. Well, the original thought was Chester L Karrass'  “In business as in life, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.” However, what made it meaningful, was the narrative that followed. Needless to say, I had been subject to deft demonstration of negotiating capabilities.
On my drive back, I thought to myself that great negotiators would be rather capable in the craft of persuasion. A skill, I assume, we all would love to bargain in favor of.

Persuade means:
to prevail on (a person) to do something, as by advising or urging:
to induce to believe by appealing to reason or understanding; convince:

Thesaurus, can be quite a tool for learning. I don’t mean it from a "replace with a tougher word" perspective, alone. Look up, persuasive. Dwell on and internalize each of these synonyms.

Influential | Effective | Alluring | Cogent | Compelling | Conclusive | Convincing | Credible | Eloquent | Energetic | Forceful | Impressive | Inspiring | Logical | Plausible | Potent | Powerful | Valid | Seductive | Smooth| Actuating | Convective | Effectual | Efficacious | Forcible | Impelling | Stimulating | Moving | Inducing | Strong | Winning

Three thought bubbles popped in my head. First, how the often cited mechanisms of being persuasiveness were really not tactics, but aspects. Second, how advertising and politics had thrived on this expertise. Lastly, individuals are brands that need marketing.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Black


White is all colors
Yet
We call it pure

Black is absence of color
Yet
We call it impure

White reflects everything,
An impenetrable chill.
Black absorbs everything,
An inclusive warmth.

White is blinding
Black is blind

White is marriage
Yet
White is death

Black is protection
Yet
Black is death

Transition from life is peace
Peace is white
Yet
Rituals are black

Transition in life is chaotic
Chaotic is black
Yet
Ceremonies are white

Coal hardened to diamond
Black seasoned to white

Black is the reason for light
Black is the soul of white


Shouldn't white be black?

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Unboxing Indian languages

My tryst with languages has been that of, love-hate. Education, across a string of schools and cities throws at you challenges, of what some might recall, as 2nd and 3rd languages. Compulsory languages, that you had to cross the mark on, to make it to the next grade. I had my encounters with Hindi, Bengali, Gurmukhi, Sanskrit and acquainted myself with French and Urdu. Thankfully, English was the marathon friend.


When it came to taking a second language, for boards, the hoity-toity had, French. As much as, the bourgeois bug appealed to me, I had to resign to Hindi "A". Then, I had kicked myself for not having scored lesser, so that I could have been assigned to the batch of Hindi "B". The scholarly subscribed to Sanskrit- oh boy, for that cramming! I have a fundamental disconnect with the whole, memorizing without understanding, school of education, but addressing that would merit an entire post. Honestly, I would have opted for neither French, nor Sanskrit, or the long tail German, Russian, and more. It’s the lack of choices, which sets you off on the "what if" mode. Sometimes, no option is not such a bad option, after all. It makes life simple.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

A-Z Brand Slogans & Advertising Tag lines


A | B | C | D | E |F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z


A

  1. We know Money - AIG or American International Group Insurance Company
  2. Making the Sky the best place on Earth - Air France
  3. Its good to be home - Airwick
  4. Thodi Sharafat, Thodi Shararat - Aliva
  5. Macharoan ka Yamraaj - All Out
  6. Friday Dressing - Allen Solly
  7. My World, My Way - Allen Solly
  8. The Power on your side - Allianz Group
  9. You are in good hands - Allstate Insurance Company
  10. Lalach Aaha Laplap - Alpenliebe
  11. Lets Go - Alto
  12. Lasts Long, Really Long, Ting Tong - Amaron
  13. Fragrance Your Imagination - Ambipur
  14. Its Gone - Amrutanjan
  15. Kick Out Pain - Amrutanjan
  16. Pure Healthy Essence - Amrutanjan
  17. Ye toh bada toing hain - Amul Macho
  18. Better Ideas - Amway
  19. We are listening - Amway
  20. Racing DNA Unleashed - Apache
  21. Cool Drink to Hang Out With - Appy Fizz
  22. USA 1851 - Arrow
  23. Be Life Confident - AXA UK
  24. Stop @ Nothing - A Star
  25. Making More Possible - ABN AMRO Bank