Three weeks and the magic is still on.
The TRPs may be high for Bachchan’s KBC but TRP is definitely not an authentic or an acceptable rating in today’s age where social networking is such a wonderful platform to measure people’s responsiveness to an issue.
The whole day, #Dowry has been making rounds on twitter throughout the nation. What more testimony does one need to prove that the show has touched the minds of young Indians?
It isn’t enough if we keep talking about the problem. The best part of the show that I personally I like is the progressive & solution oriented approach it takes for every issue handled.
The problems are discussed in a manner that touches the heart. Melting stories of grief and agony that all of us can empathize with prepare us to see the problem in and out. It arouses sympathy, tears and then a feeling of anguish against the issue. A sense of frustration and shame towards the core issue develops and that feeling is the root cause for triggering action.
Every sunday morning, Rang De Basanti repeats itself and a movement is triggered at the end of each episode.
We need more of such TV shows with a purpose and meaning. Game shows, reality shows, gossip, paid-media etc. rule the television industry and have taken it to a pathetic state. Satyameva Jayate is a breathe of fresh air among such garbage and the frangrance still lingers.
Jai Hind! Satyameva Jayate!
There was an interesting discussion about popular brands and strategies. On that note, this post should have gone to my ‘Marketing blog’ but the thoughts are very personal. There will be a very few areas that may remotely relate to marketing in this context from my point of view. Hence, it is published here.
With that explanation, here goes:
Pepsi & Coca-Cola(and all the soft-drinks that come under the banner), have become household names even in the remote villages of India. It has not reached a point where it acts as a substitute for tap water that most Indians drink till date but their presence cannot just be ignored. On an average, we end up drinking at least 3 litres of any of these in a month, What does it mean to us?
I am not covering much on how the indigenous brands like Gold Spot, Bovonto etc. have been mercilessly sidelined due to a variety of reasons from pricing to marketing to what not. But, the impact on our longevity & health is much more than alarming.
The controversy that arose due to the usage of pesticides in these drinks was pushed under the carpet by the Government which operated back then. But, did it in anyway change the way we looked at Pepsi/Cola? Yes, it did. It was seen as not much of a threat & we began to believe in the Khans & the Kapoors of Bollywood that acted in Ads visiting the factories. Our trust on our celluloid icons was well-utilized to restore the brand image of these drinks. But, what exactly was the issue? Why don’t a majority of us even remember Dr. Sunita Narayan?
Well, here is the story. The same quantity of Coke is priced at one tenth of the price in the US. The shelf-life has to be increased to make it available in consumable condition for a longer duration to make good for the cost. This directly reflects in the amount of allowable preservatives. With the amount of red-tapism and the back door policies prevalent in India, even the laws could be modified with the exchange of a few dozen briefcases and that is what should have happened. Out leaders give a s*** about the welfare of our health. Nevertheless, in most cases, they aren’t even aware of the injurious effects of those chemicals in the human body. Well! Its only natural when the Food Minister never ever studied chemistry or biology. The only way he would know about human anatimy is by counting some bones that he broke to get to the Parliament with an office in the South Block.
Now, that is not within our span of control at least within 2014. I don;t believe that things are going to get any better even then. What is within our span of control is to not kill ourselves by drinking slow poison. It is not fashionable/mandatory to make slow-poison be a part of our birthday parties. It would only reduce the ones to come. It is not a cool thing to sip poison while enjoying a movie. Brightly packed colorful cans with the Kaifs, the Khans & the Bachchans aren’t doing any good to us except shooting our blood sugar levles, making our doctors richer, shooting our medical bills and reducing our life span.
So, stop killing yourself and find out better alternatives which are many.
Well! Well!! Well!!! I’m here on Feb 13th evening, typing this post with V day round the corner. That explains it all! :)
I was part of this interesting discussion with a group of youngsters yesterday about the entire concept of V day & how much sense does it make. And the final word(actually a book!)came from me. Me, being, so typically me, started saying something and as usual extended it and stretched it and went on and on and on to finally get myself lost into the rigmarole and concluded it with the typical ‘It’s all in one’s perception!’. That is sooooo meee! :)
As usual, people will wake up tomorrow. Buy flowers, make the Toblerone, Cadburys guys richer! Mannn! Q1 profits soar high for these chocolate companies!
And then, the Dominos guys will get rich in the afternoon. The CCD fellows in the evening & so on.
And then comes the big bang!(oops… pun unintended!) I meant those fancy candle light dinners at Radisson, RainTree etc.
What is the whole point?
IMHO, another wasted day and to rub salt in the wound, a punctured wallet!
Money isn’t everything. Agreed! But, is it worth at all spending it on the above mentioned?
In most cases, I can vouch for the fact that it would be father’s money. And to the fairer sex, these things are very normal. Not just normal, in most cases, it has to be dynamic. The chocolates need to keep coming! The Pizzas, the coffee, the phone calls, dinner stc. remain but the guy? Well.. Everything but the guy stays!
The next V day, the next guy comes. That is how it is in 95% of the cases.
So, where am I getting at?
Single rocks? May be or may be not!
It feels like heaven to sit and type this all.
It feels like heaven to simply enjoy watching a lot of funny stuff happening around!
It does feel like heaven to be in love as well but I wouldn’t limit that to just one day in a year! A heart that is in love everyday is the healthiest and the happiest.
So, stop getting yourself into the trap of all the hype & feel the real love everyday. Relish every moment. Love every moment. Live every moment.
Let peace be all!
Well! What else makes my thursday more special? :)
I want to become this. I want to do that. Making it big in life. I’m destined for greatness.
And what not!
Well! I have heard that a lot. I have, in fact, heard myself saying that even more.
And this moment is very special since life has taught me when I’m still young that saying or even thinking about these is of no use. Of course, the thought is positive and feels good and what not! But, where does it take you? Not an inch this way or that way!
Life isn’t that easy. There are millions like you thinking the same things. Being good isn’t any good at all. Being good enough isn’t good enough either. These are typically Darwin’s ‘Survival of the fittest’ moments. It takes more than mere talent to get somewhere.
Identifying that extra bit of something that you need to make it big is the defining moment. And the journey to it begins with this realization.
Well! Mine has just begun and quite a long journey awaits. :)
A random festival market
“Opinion(when asked) Onion(when volunteered)” — Unasked opinion volunteered cuts the pi and makes it as significant as a piece of onion.
There is an opportunity behind every challenge. To see it or not to is another challenge in itself.
When a door closed, many windows opened and that makes me even more thankful to the ones that shut them. In many cases, it is that person that shut those doors shows other doors. That experience is indeed invaluable in the road to success.
Typing is not that easy on the phone but when i dont have a comp it aint a bad alternative.
“Be the change that you want to see!” — Original!