The World outside my Window

I guess I am really lucky to have such a picturesque view outside my office window! With the venetian blinds on none of us realised that we were missing out a pure and unadultrated joy of a beautiful sight. Now whenever I feel stressed at work all I need to do is to look out of the window!

Cherio!

Largest Metal Bird in the Sky

History was created yesterday during the first test flight of Airbus A380. The A380's take-off weight, at 421 tonnes, was the greatest take-off weight of any aircraft in the world. Boasting of superior technology than any other passenger aircraft the A380 promises to bring about a revoultion in Long Range Flights. Describing the First Flight Test to be a comprehensive success Noël Forgeard, Airbus president and CEO, said he and Charles Champion, executive vice president for the A380 programme, were “extremely proud of everyone who made this happen”. A true double deck airline the A380 is like a cruise ship of the sky! A result of absolutely marvelous engineering the A380 has given the Europeans a truly big leap and paved the way into the future. With already lots of deals signed up with customers accross the globe for both passenger and cargo versions, the A380 should hit the markets by early 2006.

Hats off to A380 team! Hope to fly one of these monsters Soon!!
Cherio

Ad Sense

I am What I am.

Walking back home from office I came across this big sign board having the Reebok Ad which made me stop and think. The ad-maker achieved his objective. Will I buy a Reebok (or Rbk as it is called now) next time I need sneakers or not is a question that I can't answer but then the Ad was powerful enough to make me contemplate and remember the brand.

During my B.Com days I had come across a book "Marketing in the New millennium by Philip Kotler". It is by far the only study book that I really enjoyed and never felt that I was studying whenever I was reading it. It contained many case studies and anecdotes about both successful and unsuccessful marketing campaigns. That Ads are a very powerful medium of reaching out to the audience is a foregone conclusion. But then you have all different types of Ads, some really good, sensitive and caring, some funny to the core, some with a message and some thrilling.

Which type of Ad is most effective? Now this is a million dollar question and I am sure lots of Thesis must have been written on this! It may depend on the product or the target audience or hundred other things. But which Ads have you liked the most? Recently I got a CD full of foreign Ads from my Friend Keerthi. Most of them were really good. Among the Indian Ads my favorite (and I guess one of the Longest running Ad campaigns) is that of Amul Butter. If you have the time check out the Amul Butter Girl Story and also various Amul Butter Girl Ads. Another Ad campaign that has always brought laughter has been the Fevicol Ads. Sticking to a simple theme relating to a common man its really strikes you and I guess Fevicol is now synonym with glue. Another Ad campaign which has always made me sway and humm to its tune has been the Cadbury Ads.

The other cool thing about some nice ads is their catch lines. Power is Nothing without Control - Firelli. Philips - Sense and Simplicity . I am sure a lot of thought and effort goes into creating such catch lines.

The most exorbitant Ad campaigns are most certainly by the cola giants. Barring a few I find most of them utterly senseless and preposterous. I guess even if 1/10th of the expenditure of the Ads of the Soft Drink companies was diverted towards development works we would have a lot of Development.....

Anyways do share with me your favorite Ad...
Until next Post...
Cherio

[photos ctsy: Reebok.com and Amul.com ]

In Search of Malgudi

Hello Friends...
The only thing that is constant is Change. And there has been a change for me too. I am now posted in Gurgaon for some time. Right now I am going through the process of searching for a place to stay. Well this place is certainly different from Chennai. The other day I was reflecting on my days spent in Chennai...Close to five fruitful years in Chennai. My first job! Though I haven't left Chennai permanantly, but hey I can still feel nostalgic about my time in Chennai.

I don't know how appropriate my thought was, but on landing in Chennai (I had come to Chennai after spending two wonderful years in Assam), the thought in my mind was "Will I find a Malgudi here?". Now let me explain. I know Malgudi does not exist. It is a mythical village created by R.K.Narayanan. What I was searching for was the essence of Malgudi. There are certain things that Malgudi and the people of Malgudi signified. Firstly the people depicted were a close knit group which had very strong roots but at the same time were forward looking. The embracing of newer things was a part and parcel of things at Malgudi. The other aspect that appealed to me was the simple thinking of the people and their god fearing nature. This is what I was looking for in Chennai and the people of Chennai.

And did I find them? Was my search for Malgudi successful in Chennai? Well don't be shocked if I say that Chennai is all that Malgudi signifies. At least the people that I came in contact with signified all these things. In my quest for knowledge I found an able mentor who was able to not just guide me in my learning but also motivate me to go beyond what I thought were my limits. I found a friend who always went out of his way to help me. I was really lucky to have had a group which was very forward looking and goal oriented and at the same time had very strong roots and their feet on the ground. I am proud to have been associated with such great guys and I am sure this association will continue for a very long time.

Well Malgudi had its share of treachery and I too had a small share of treacherous and selfish people who tried to use me or take me for a ride. But then my stay would have been Utopian without them and as we all know Utopia does not exist. I don't hold anything against them.

Well so for some time its bye bye Chennai and Hello Gurgaon (Delhi). I hope that this land of Guru Dronacharya (that's why its named Gurgaon) blesses me in a manner that Chennai blessed me with. So folks more postings soon.......
A Belated Happy New Year to all my Tamil Friends and Happy Bihu to my Assamesse Friends....
Cherio

2005 - World Year of Physics

Every student must have had a love-hate relationship with Physics! Sometimes cool, some theories too tough to comprehend. I remember one of my classmate who was so passionate about physics. He used to be way ahead of all of us when Physics was concerned. As I reflect back Physics was much better for me than Chemistry or Biology. Anyways did you know that 2005 is being celebrated as the World Year of Physics. Read on to know more ....

Why is 2005 being celebrated as World Year of Physics? The reason is that 2005 is the 100th Anniversary of Albert Einstien's "Miraculous Year", the year in which Einstein wrote his legendary articles which provided the basis of three fundamental fields in physics: the theory of relativity, quantum theory and the theory of Brownian motion.

As the year 2005 marks the 100th anniversary of a series of great scientific advances made by Albert Einstein in 1905, the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) at the suggestion of the European Physical Society, declared in its 2002 General Assembly resolution that the year 2005 should be commemorated as the World Year of Physics 2005. The activities have begun in January itself and will continue throughout the year. There are a wide range of seminars and competitions organised in India too. Click on the logo above to visit the official website. Who knows by attending some activity a hidden physicist may come out of you.......

Is It Sonia Effect?

Pope John Paul the II, was the pontiff for 26 years. Same as my age! Leaders across the world have sent their condolence messages and it is really sad that a man who represented peace in this era had passed away.

Two news items in today's newspaper caught my attention and made me think. Item one the problem of Prince Charles' marriage on coming Friday clashing with Funeral of the Pope. Now that is a real problem for Charles. After so many years he is finally going to marry Camilla Parker and divine intervention has put a spanner into that! Well let him get married, poor fellow has been waiting desperately for so many years for official sanction for his relationship with Camilla Parker.

The other news item is that India is in state mourning for the next three days out of respect for His Holiness the Pope. I wonder in which capacity of the Pope, has this state mourning been announced? Is it in the capacity of the Head of the Vatican? But then we don't have state mourning for death of the Head of States of other countries. We didn't do any such thing when President Kennedy was assassinated nor any other prominent Head of State. Is it in the capacity of The Pope being the Leader of more than a billion Roman Catholics. Well here again there is no precedent. And if this is to set precedence then in India will the government declare State Mourning at the time of death of every religious leader irrespective of the religion. I don't think so. Then why for Pope John Paul II ? Is it the Remote Control that is operating the Indian Government which has pressed a button to cause this effect? Seems very likely, doesn't it?

Well if things continue as they are currently in Indian Politics, then I think very soon we will be having holidays as per Italian holiday calendar!