Consumer Psyche

Put on the groovy music DJ! Grab those glasses ladies and gentlemen. Time to celebrate. 20% off for all ladies out there. Today is Woman's Day!

Yes, go on and celebrate. You are doing a good job. Schools, colleges, work places, streets, shopping malls, pubs.. add whatever you want to this list. Everywhere there is a mood to celebrate and self congratulate for what a great thing it is to be a woman. If portraying a charming figment of imagination on this occasion is what is required, then you have the right to celebrate. So go on.

If you actually think about what is happening around, behind those doors, cubicles and in the dark corners of your mind, knock on that door and enter. Here is a dark but true confessional explanation that we should be looking at. Women are misused, shamelessly. Most of the infanticides are because the baby is a is going to be a woman! Most places you aren't allowed to go, most positions you aren't allowed to fill in, most things you can't do because you are a woman. Mothers, wives, sisters, colleagues, daughters, no we don't have a discrimination here when you go right out and sarcastically mock. All around the world you go and preach sermons and make statements of being chivalrous while in reality you are a chauvinist and a biased to the core. Lemme tell you something, first get that bill passed, for if you don't, it means nothing to the womenfolk. But it shows you are scared. You are held up to the wall that your hard-earned male domination is threatened in a fold that is supposed to be the men's area of expertise! Go on and grin to the flashes of press cameras and tell that you are all out for the woman's reservation bill and freedom while at heart all you want it to hold her to a string and control lest not she professes her own ideals which might damage your male ego.

First learn to respect the women around you. Then you have the right to grin. Watching shameless politicians creating a ruckus in the house made me sick. If there are women at their houses, kick them out. These are the ones, us the educated folk, have elected. Or did we choose them deliberately as this is exactly what we wanted to happen? Is this a reflection of our inane fears and wishes? Is this a mere representation of what the democratic opinion of the country is? Illiteracy, poor health, low income levels are some evils camouflaged in those smirks that try and push the fairer sex to oblivious dark dungeons of society. Don't get it? Flick on few buttons on your remote and see what our so called swamis/godmen are doing?

So do we actually need a woman's day? Oh yes, after all we need to assure them that apart from being suppressed and downtrodden, you are a celebrated item, a rare breed of disappearing species that has already lost a voice, opinion, choice and what not. So enjoy today and celebrate being a woman, for the rest 365 days aren't yours. These are the same folks that need a mother's day to remind them they have a mother.

Ha... stop this nonsense, go on DJ.. start that B grade item song from some Bollywood chart-buster, oh yes, remember that new small time supposedly 18+ model that was drenched in artificial rain grooving to some fast paced music that the director has made her to survive to suit your male ego and you watch with gaping mouth. Celebrate guys and go back to your drinks and happy times believing you are doing something special for woman's day. Congratulations! Now go back and be the same for the rest of the year till this occasion of false celebration comes up next year and you put on that same mask and dance to the false tune like the cobra does to the sway of the snake charmer's pipe forgetting that its mouth is sewn. Does it make any sense to you? Nope. Did I tell you to down more shots? DJ increase the music, these folks are actually THINKING! Oh! Did I forget to wish you a happy woman's day?

After years of making us wait, one of the very few people I respect, a good mentor and friend, Prof. Chowdari Prasad has decided to oblige the blogosphere. Interested in some real stuff? Not the polished, sale-able material that attracts but stuff that makes you think? You got to visit his blog. Welcome Prof, to the addiction.

I posted this about 14 months ago, and is still relevant.

Right from Yashoda who managed to bring up the naughty little Krishna and Balarama to Kunthi who was the God mother for all the Pandavas in their struggle to cleanse the world from evil Kauravas to the modern day Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mayawati, Rabri Devi, Jayalalitha, Brinda Karat, from Oneke Obavva, Jhansi Lakshmi Bai to the modern day Kalawati who dug a pond on her own and figured in Rahul Gandhi’s speech, Kiran Majumdar Shaw, Shehnaz Hussain, Vinita Bali, Kalpana Morparia, Chanda Kochar, Medha Patkar to Mother Theresa: women have proved that entrepreneurship is not only a mans word. Women have handled tough situations with equal and sometimes better ease. What keeps it going in India? Are we celebrating few success stories or is the system wrong?

If sanity exists in politicians, pass the women's bill. It is pending since ages.

Do visit the comments section to check out a reaction about DOing something. Deeptaman blogs at Marketing Environment. True... sometimes being SAFE is the best choice .

Can't say I love you directly? Now Dial ****** on your mobile and download love quotes! Subscription Rs.5/Quote.

This is the flash message I got today on my DOCOMO number. Please someone help me say I love you. The sick part is that there is a TV commercial featuring similar content! This is being telecast on prime time.

These messages come even after I entered my number in the DND list. Every day I get a call from an automated service to subscribe to some hellotune or the other. Happens to you too? I can stand the irritation to an extent as long as your pulse billing doesn't accelerate mine.

My question is, are there someone in the whole mobile user universe that still depend on some stupid mobile sms quotes that go around for expressing love, invest in stocks, buy stuff that might change my fortune? If yes, I sympathise with you. You should try talking in your own terms, not depend on some mobile quotes. If no, welcome to the club. Mobile operators should take a cue and send the sms' or flash messages only to those that care and respond. If I don't care, please DND. May be you should try your luck at something like the Jaago and Jeeto.

Raj in his elements. Talk about Segmentation Targeting Positioning! I bet very few could have such a following in Karnataka.

Placement season is amusing, excruciating. Makes people jittery and on their edge. I guess it is okay to be so. This is when people start calling up everyone they know to clear their confusions or at least get a word of solace. Most of the decisions taken at this level go on to shape your career, life and in a way change your trajectory. Not all decisions are permanent in their outcome but most of them do. Talking to a junior today, I realised I am a minority!

Let me elaborate.

Sure, I belong to a specific kind, a very rare breed of B-School grads who just shelled out 7 figure amount to get an MBA and yet ready to take up a different/non-conventional career decision. The junior I was talking to told me that all her friends and some seniors have suggested her to choose a safe job, in an established firm, with a systematic way of functioning, HR practices in place... translated as a guaranteed paycheck at the end of the month, bonuses at the end of the year and so on. Who said small firms don't pay well? [ Ever heard of stock options? ] Not that I mock these safe ideas or dreams. Not all can try their luck and risk their career. A lot of things should fall in place, like commitments, family, etc. But seeking challenges and venturing in to paths that have been neglected is stimulating.

If you think you are exceptional and want to do something in life, here is an option, a short cut to fulfill your dreams. Go find a firm that has a good and sustainable business model. Work for the CEO or top management, at some place you actually get to learn and do stuff. The key word here is DO. You might have to stretch longer than most your friends, postpone your dreams but trust me the kick you get out of doing something is worth the effort. And guess what, there is a time to shine, for your efforts to be rewarded. The experience you get out of it will be more than your peers for sure. Wait for another five years and then compare. What are alumni meets for?

Another option which some of my batch mates chose is to start out on their own. They have their own firms and are working towards realizing their dreams. They face many hurdles, need to slog more, do all the dirty work themselves but the satisfaction of having your dream come true is awesome. You could actually help your employees take care of their family.

So you can choose a 9 to 5 job in a big building that teaches you nothing or go out and actually do something. Safe is boring. Safe is dumb. Safe is risky. What say?

A specific link, a small thread that is invisible to the human eye, mostly incomprehensible to the mortal brain. This small, thin yet strong fiber connects us to something supernatural, which I would call God. Mostly considered as childish, unrealistic and ignored, this is also the most debated topic in the intellectual circles. Now how does God come in the context of Consumerism and Psychology? Lemme explain.

Facing tremendous pressure at work usually makes us question the reasons why things are not happening and how everything is like a sheet of ice which makes the ship that we are in, freeze, stuck. Hope for survival seems far off and destiny disappears in a mist of fog and we start smelling gloominess and death. Usually in such situations we start blaming things around us, people, team, colleagues and how things could have been better. I like looking at things around us and checking as to what is wrong and correct it but I also would like to bring in the element of God. God helps!

If you have been following this blog for some time, you would observe that most of my posts tend to show my reverence to the supernatural power that makes me what I am and how I behave, achieve and grow in life. I have been fasting (or hibernating as I call it) for the last 14 days and asking for some answers from the Lord and nothing seems to move. I have seen this earlier... Locks falling off, doors that have been closed opening, stubborn solidified people melting and being super nice, approvals long pending passed, etc. This time it is taking much longer and I am growing weaker by the day. But when He opens up things, who is there to close? I will wait for things to open and trust me they would.

This brings us to the point I want to make. Spirituality is a superlative dimension and associating it to work helps a lot. Doesn't matter if you believe in it or not. Helps you reach your targets, win over people, get hikes, promotions, perks, open doors, change people, change government rules, gets bills passed, deals closed and what not. Each one might take time to happen, but will happen. Trust is the key. I am not suggesting only God helps even if you don't work, but that this is an additional dimension to add to your hard work and passion. You must give 200% in whatever you do and then this would help. I always give my 200% and am asking for His help, specific things which need to happen and I am sure they will. I have seen things happen in the past, happening now and will see in future. Things that come out of no where, doors that you thought never existed open, help from the unexpected. When all else fails, try God. No let me refine that and tell you what I do. Try God and all else will fall in place. He will fill your cup to an extent that it overflows and you will know the force exists.

Try and I am sure it will pay. My cup shall overflow and I shall not want.

Pic is from Dr. Dave's site

Kim Yuna is worth a million million now in Korea.

No one can escape Kim Yu-na in South Korea. The 19-year-old has just dominated the skating rink in Vancouver, and is now raising her share of the advertising market to another world-record level.

There was more than enough advertising and merchandise featuring the sensational figure skater even before her winning of the gold medal at the Winter Olympics; Yuna milk, Yuna bread, Yuna SUVs, Yuna air-conditioners, Yuna supermarkets, Yuna earrings, Yuna facial cream and Yuna teddy bears.

But now the competition for product endorsement is so high that firms are happily spending billions of won just to use her name.

Read full post here.

Continuing with the Monday Blues series...

We know that the no. of muscles needed to smile are much less than what we need for frowning. This Monday try and bring some dimples, make people smile, change the environment around you, your team. People flock around those who make them smile and run away from those who make their smiles fade.

Dimples are much more cuter than wrinkles. Don't you think so? Ensure your count for the day is at least like this: Wrinkles: 0, Dimples: 1.

Today is holi in India and this is a good time to start a month. Spend some time with your family friends and have lot of fun, love and prosperity. Google's logo today is too cute, you should check (loading a small screenshot). Missing fun at Alliance. Have a great day.

For a change Monday is fun. Enjoy your holiday while in Kerala we are going to work :)

Just a crazy herd of thoughts going helter skelter in my mind.. leaving with a prayer...

Hibernating is painful. That is a fact. Especially when you travel. Living sparingly on a liquid diet to strain the body and lose some extra fat accumulated over the last decade is tough. I am told this is not the right way to do it. I mean the weight loss. Now that I am doing it for the past 10 days while going to work, traveling to three states being exposed to cuisine you would be gulping otherwise is... Hmmm... Irritating to say the least.

While I strive to reach my target of 76 kgs as my BMI tells me is normal, my advice for you is to stay hungry, feed on fruits, indulge in leafy vegetables and go for a walk/jog everyday. For the last four months, since October 4'th 2009, I have intensified my struggle in to war mode and lost around 20 kgs. What really helped was jogging for four kms everyday and cutting down on intake.

Not that my work stress(Marketing Stress so to say), personal commitments, reading books, writing articles, working on a P.hd thesis, MA Business Economics exams, setting up new businesses, reaching targets, making an angel fall in love everyday didn't help. But the glee on my face when I try a 40'' slim fit shirt or a 32'' jeans at the store is awesome. For a change I can hug someone and not just neck for there is no tummy tussle! The pain and endurance was worth every inch. Those four km jogs on the beach early mornings paid off. Interestingly MJ repeated what my Mom exclaimed when she saw me after these four months... 'Where is the other half of my son?' Now if that is what I get from my mom, I should have made some progress! Oh! yes, the angel still has to see me like this.

I am writing this post from my Blackberry, sitting at seat no 55, coach no S2 in Chennai Mail (name of the train) on the way to Chennai from Calicut and trying to keep my nostrils and taste buds busy while people around me are gluttonly feasting on veg pulav, chapatis, parantas, peas pulav, chicken fry, fried banana chips, halwa, meen (fish) curry, sipping coke and laughing out. I silently sip salty butter milk as a reassurance to my taste buds on a bland tongue and growling tummy that the lavish food mongling days are yet to return. Indulgence, my friend, is easy.

Now that they know the food isn't coming, my senses are super active and I can smell the passing wafts of french fries from the platform, sense a pinch of more salt could make the chicken biryani in the seat no 59's plate more palatable and so on... I guess you get the drift by now.

Isn't it surprising that our body is like a wild animal? Taming it needs a lot of patience, grit and will power. No wonder many fail in this battle. Consumer psyche is amazing and interesting. Setting out something, a brand, beyond your limits and telling you can't have it will make you yearn for it more. Telling you how you can get it will make you think you should try. Making the path difficult to take and long enough to drain your will power makes it coveted. That is what an Audi ad in a newspaper tells you. That is what a curvy semi nude girl hugging a Ducati tells you. That is what an apartment ad in posh locality in Bangalore tells you. That is what a chiseled hunk tells you when he says he is just jockeying. YOU CAN'T. True that the few might actually want it but trust me the few that are behind your brand are going to stay forever. Covetousness is a good tool for marketing.

Do you have it in you to be coveted? Can you be in the top 1% of what you do? Like I said, taming a wild animal is easier than taming the human brain. I am trying to tame mine. They don't call me Tiger for nothing. What about you?

[ Did I mention what I would gift myself when I reach 75 kgs? A Volkswagen Polo ;) ]

Sent on my BlackBerry® from Vodafone

Kiran sent me this...


Agree you have done GREAT……

BUT BUT BUT BUT

25 x 4s = 100

3 x 6s = 18

IT implies that you have done 118 Runs in 28 Balls.

And 12 x 2s = 24

58 x 1s = 58

IT means you have done all 200 Runs in only 98 balls

So you have wasted 147-98 = 49 balls

Considering only 1 run scored on each of these balls you could have earned 49 valuable RUNS FOR OUR TEAM

MANAGER’S COMMENT: So you only met the expectations and NOT EXCEEDING (though anyone of our team could not do it) and your rating is 3

All managers manage.....!

Compliment someone and let their happiness rub off on you. Giving people compliments really helps someone to work harder and do a lot better. Just by saying You look nice today it makes a person feel good in the inside and see that even other people that you don't really talk to much are complementing you. It's a good feeling and it's also nice to give compliments to others like your friend. Give a true heartfelt compliment and make someone's day happy. You will find smiles multiply faster. Have a great day at work.

You can read the full Naukri JobSpeak report here. Overall highlights of this report:

• 4% increase in hiring activity: The Naukri JobSpeak index at 743, indicates that hiring activity accelerated by 4% in Jan '10 as compared to Dec '09
• Hiring in Mumbai at an all time high: The index for Mumbai at 748 in Jan '10 is noted as the highest index for the city in the last one year
• Uptrend witnessed in all sectors: Hiring activity increased across most sectors in Jan '10 after the holiday season lull in Dec '09
• Good news for IT and Sales professionals: Professionals in IT, BPO, Sales and Accounts saw increased demand, while the demand for professionals in production and maintenance retracted

Will blog on this soon, consider this as a thought. Tiger was worth a fortune. Worth more media moolah once the scandal broke. Worth much much more now. Just needs a good PR. What do you think? Got any crazy ideas to do that?

I am sure you would have faced this. You spend time together, talk and do things together and after a point think you know the other person in and out. Usually after this point your confidence and trust on the other person has reached such a state that small aberrations would skip being noticed and even if they are, they wouldn't matter much to you. But you think you know someone until you find out things that scare you. Some people are so good at acting, tricking and cheating that if there is a doctoral certification, they would be eligible for honorary bestowing. Ever heard of wolf in sheepskin? Well there are too many phonies in sheepskin around and I hate that.

Does this mean I am asking you to doubt everyone and everything? The answer would be no, a firm NO. But shouldn't you be careful? You can act most of the time but somewhere your real attitude would come out and you are busted. You can't fool all the people all the time. The best thing is to stay what you are. If you hate it so much, think of how you could change. Pretending as someone else and showing off a false attitude wouldn't help you for long. There would be temporary gains and fun but the aftermath is usually worse.

How would you handle this? Especially when you see the actual colors of someone you trust come out before you? Depends on how important the other person is for you and how long you could cope with that. How would I handle this? Hmmm... lemme see... There would never even be a question of the person being important or not, close or not. Better keep your mask on or be far away. Really really far away.

Pic

Pic