Welcome!!!

I have introduced, a new form of my blog, as "vibsmats.blogspot.com", for slower connections.

This for those of my readers, who suffer from poor internet speed, thus the blog includes lesser gadgets and widgets.

Moreover, there have been a feedback from my readers, that they wished to have a simpler URL, as "beastepahead.blogspot.com" seems cumbersome. Neither it was easy to remember, nor were they able to associate it with my name. Thus, I planned to run a parallel blog,by the simpler name as "vibsmats.blogspot.com", related to my name, and easier to remember.

So, friends, extend your support to this parallel blog as you all were being doing earlier.

Thanks.

Be a step ahead !!!

G for "Greed" or "Generosity"... !!!

Gone are the days when in business, the letter G denoted "Greed". After crisis, people of Europe, Japan and prominently USA are disgusted with these greedy corporations. As if they no more believe in the brands, they trusted before. Now no more, they follow brands blindly. Common man believes that the greediness of these brands and corporations led to downfall of their economy.

So what to do, to win back the trust of the common man!

I guess, corporations need to understand that in today's business arena, there is no room for greed.
To succeed, the letter G should be replaced to "Generosity"!

A corporation need to be more customer responsive, ethical and value driven. Brands need to crush their arrogance and should communicate their "Generosity" through Public Relation (PR)campaigns, Corporate Social Responsible (CSR) Activities and by providing more value to customers through their products and services.

Thus, it introduces new form of marketing, as "Generosity Marketing".

Trendwatching.com discusses this concept and explains how could corporations and brands can have long term success, and can be a step ahead from their greedy competitors.

What's your Facebook status... ???

Can you imagine, what is the impact of Facebook in the world's most powerful country, USA ?
Let me be blunt and straight.

A man brutally attacked his wife with knife and killed her.

So what’s so special about it?

He killed his wife just because, she changed her profile status on Facebook from married to single !

As per news from BBC, "Edward Richardson, 41, was found guilty of stabbing Sarah Richardson to death. He killed the 26-year-old hairdresser at her parents' home in Brown Lees, Staffordshire, on 12 May, 2008."

Among all the social networking websites, Facebook is the biggest phenomenon among US citizens.

I am speechless !!!

U.S.Future in Safe Hands... ???

George W. Bush is gone, after having two successful terms at the highest level, as the President of USA.
And here we welcome, Mr. Barack Obama, as the new "hope", as the new President, who promised "Change".

I still don't know, whom to laugh at, Mr. Obama, or his campaign "Change".

Or at the 2 million people of US, standing near Capitol and White House, just to be a part of inaugral ceremony, as if Mr. Obama is the saviour arrived, who has the magic wand and will "Change" the future of capitalistic US.

Could someone, please give me the rationale behind this!

Well, congratulations, to Mr. Obama.

When there is so much of uncertainty, its better to laugh at the picture beneath.

Future of USA, in the hands of both the leaders. Watch out for the reactions!!!



HA HA HA....

Calvin and Hobbes... view on Crisis... 15 years back !!!

My dear friend Sumit Gahoi mailed me this cartoon which is suggestive of today's economic crisis and bail-out packages.It clearly depicts today's scenario in a form of cartoon.

"Calvin's explanation of his Lemonade Stand's business perspective has a resonance to the American Banking and Auto industry's position in the economy. Remember that this cartoon was drawn over 15 years ago!"



"Calvin and Hobbes is a comic strip written and illustrated by Bill Watterson, following the humorous antics of Calvin, an imaginative six-year old boy, and Hobbes, his energetic and sardonic—albeit stuffed—tiger. The pair are named after John Calvin, a 16th-century French Reformation theologian, and Thomas Hobbes, a 17th-century English political philosopher. The strip was syndicated daily from November 18, 1985 to December 31, 1995. At its height, Calvin and Hobbes was featured in over 2,400 newspapers worldwide. To date, more than 30 million copies of the 18 Calvin and Hobbes books have been printed."

Oops... !!!

Sorry to say, but I get totally irritated with Hindi News channels especially like Aajtak TEZ, India TV, Zee News and STAR News. Their news stories are so dumb and funny that sometimes it makes me feel, as if there are no more important issues left in India.

A friend of mine posted this picture in his Orkut profile. See what a co-ordination between the news and the forthcoming news.
I just couldn't imagine what would be the news with the tagline "इस कुत्ते से सीखिए" ("Learn from this Dog").
And does this news has enough relevance.
I guess its better to keep our brains shut, and laugh our hearts out at this blooper.

Sorry Advaniji and BJP fans!

Mahindra XYLO… an answer to Tata Sumo Grande !!!

"Tata Sumo Grande", have you heard of this car before? Yah, I know friends, some may knew it, and some would have never even heard of it. Since, I did my internship in Tata Motors, and was handling specifically Tata Sumo Grande, I know this car in and out.

Tata Sumo Grande was introduced in the market to compete the likes of Chevrolet Tavera, Mahindra Bolero, Mahindra Scorpio and especially Toyota Innova. It was positioned as a mix of SUV and a family car. The major advantage it had was its price. It tried to market itself an SUV with comfort of Toyota Innova, looks of Mahindra Scorpio and Mileage of Chevrolet Tavera at the price of Mahindra Bolero.
The result, it failed miserably !!!

Reason, it tried to target everyone, and hence couldn't satisfy, anyone. Neither SUV lovers as it lacked power and pick-up, nor families as it lacked good interiors and had poor rear suspension(leaf-spring) with almost no luggage space.

Now Mahindra has launched "Mahindra Xylo", on the similar lines of Tata Sumo Grande, as projects itself as a mix of sedan and SUV. The target market is same, competitors are same, positioning is same.

Exteriors are good. It has more power than Sumo Grande and better rear suspension (coil-spring).

Let's see what lies ahead of Xylo!!!

Slumdog.... INDIA !!!

I am eagerly waiting, for the Oscar nominations to announce. "Slumdog Millionaire" has won 4 Golden Globe awards and many others prestigious awards. The best part, an Indian, A.R.Rahman, winning international awards all round the world. Now, its time for Oscars !

But I have always felt that, only those movies (related to India) have done well in Oscars, which depict India as a underdeveloped poor country. Movies like "Salaam Bombay", "Gandhi", "Mother India", "Lagaan", "Water" and finally "Slumdog Millionaire", all depict India living into villages and slums. These movies showed poverty, socio-imbalance, riots, and what not. I guess, for the Oscar jury, India is still a land of "snake charmers".
Amitabh Bachchan rightly says, "Slumdog Millionaire has portrayed India as a Third World dirty underbelly developing nation"!
I still believe, that there were many other movies, which were equally good, and deserved an Oscar nomination, atleast!
My fingers are crossed, and all the wishes to "Slumdog Millionaire".

But I still wait for a movie, winning awards globally, depicting India's economic success.
I still wait for a movie, winning awards globally, that talks about Indian culture, diversity and unity.
I still wait for a movie, winning awards globally, that talks good and positive about India.

This one is for Ghajini...!!!

Thanks to my friend,Sumit Gahoi, who got me the ad of Ghajini, an Amul's perspective.But I still prefer the "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" one.
What's your favorite?

Amul's take on "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi"... !!!

There is been a war between the fans of Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan. Which movie will be the highest revenue grosser this year, "Ghajini" or "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" ?

Amul, has its own take on it, via humour.

I am waiting for the Ghajini ad !!! Are you ?

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

"Walt Disney of India"

I guess, many of we Indians must have read CHACHA CHAUDHARY, SHRIMATIJI, PINKI, BILLOO and RAMAN comics in their childhood. All under the banner of Diamond Comics, were the favorite pastime of children. Let me introduce you with Walt Disney of India, Father of Indian Comics, Mr. Pran Kumar Sharma. Entertaining generation after generation, PRAN'S comics have been constant companion of every youngster's growing up. His all character are drawn from middle class society. He was the one, who in 1960, created first indigenous cartoon strips having Indian characters and based on local themes. Before that all comics were imported from foreign countries. Pran began his career in 1960 as a cartoonist for the Delhi-based newspaper Milap with comic strip Dabbu. In 1969, he sketched Chacha Chaudhary for the Hindi magazine Lotpot, which made him famous.

He has influenced all our lives through his cartoon characters. I still remember buying Chacha Chaudhary, Pinki and Billo, whenever I used to cross any bookshop. But, today Indian kids are no more interested in reading comics and that to Hindi… never !!! Indian kids are over burdened by high standards of education.

I am proud, to be born in that generation, who had enough time to live their life up, had fun and spice in life. We dreamt and desired, and see them fulfill through these comic characters.
In the end, very famous lines from these comics,

"Chacha Chaudhary ka dimag computer se bhi tez chalta hai !"
&
"Jab Saabu ko gussa aata hai, to Jupiter me kahin na kahin jwalamukhi phatata hai !"

Reebok vs. Nike !!!

When Nike outbid Adidas and Reebok, to become the official kit supplier for Team India and used its famous ‘swoosh’ on the arms of the Indian players, every one thought it would be Nike all the way.
It spend 200 cr, to get best possible form of branding available in India, i.e. sponsoring Indian Cricket Team.

Reebok, answered they rivals in style, with the following steps,

1) Seven players of Indian Team, endorse Reebok which include, Rahul Dravid, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma and Irfan Pathan.

2) Reebok persuaded them to sport the Reebok logo on their bats, pads and gloves.

3) Around 50 domestic and international players sport the Reebok logo on their bats, compared to almost none by Nike.

Now compare the impact of "Swoosh" on the arms and "Logo" on the bats !

According to Subhinder Singh Prem, MD of Reebok India,

"A cricket lover perhaps wouldn’t remember the logo on Sachin Tendulkar’s jersey but ask him about his bat and pad would come the reply — is it MRF? It makes sense because according to industry estimates, a promising player who has just burst into the scene earns only a couple of lakh of rupees to sport a logo on his bat for 2-3 years. And with Rs 200 cr you can have a lot more players doing that with greater effect. The trick is to catch them young. "

For Reebok, its now, jingles all the way !!!



***In the Rs 800-crore Indian premium sportswear market, Reebok is the leader with a marketshare of 51%, followed by Adidas at around 25%. After Adidas acquired Reebok globally for $3.8 billion in September 2005, the combined share stands at 76%. The balance is accounted for by Nike and Puma, with Nike in the third spot.

Source : Economic Times

End to Early-Age Rat-Race !!!

Let's get back to memories of the childhood!
Remember, you always wished play with your friends or to watch cartoon, but were always pulled back! Remember, all the scolding that you have got, either from your parents and teachers!
And every time you protested, you were repetitively told, "Study, otherwise you will FAIL !"
From the day we entered the school, we all were victims of tuitions, coaching, peer competition, parent's expectations and what not!
Thank god, the next generation would not be victim of this "Early-age Rat-Race".

Recently, Rajya Sabha, have passed a bill, "Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2008", according to which, a student cannot be failed for the reasons of poor performance, up to a certain age.

As quoted in economic times, "No school in the land can fail or turf out children for reasons of poor performance until a certain stage. The onus of responsibility for academic progress would, in fact, rest on the schools themselves. Now this is reason enough to cause rapturous joy among the youngsters, hitherto victims of the undeniable tyranny of an early-age rat race. "

Hurray !!!

People's Car - Not for people !!!

Tata Nano will be launched soon in months of January to March. But the shocking news is, it would be rolled out in limited quantity. Ravi Kant, the company's managing director announced, "We are looking at something to bring it (out) as fast as possible ... kind of an interim arrangement ... from one of our existing plants. These will be small quantities. Let a few customers at least have a touch and feel of the car."

It’s a risky strategy!
Reason, "First impression, is last impression!"

I believe, Tata Nano should not be launched in a phased approach. Because, if customers found some technical glitch (high probability) in Tata Nano, it will spread the negative word of mouth. Also, all the auto experts would be ready to give reviews on Nano. And if reports would be negative!!! This negative image would lead to sharp fall in the demand of Tata Nano, for the next phase of roll-out.

Tata Motors, have never been famous for product quality. Moreover, questions have already been posed on Tata Nano's safety features. People will rather wait for a better quality product, than a poor product.

Adding to that, it will also give competitors a chance to have "touch and feel of the car". Competitors like Bajaj could also influence in spreading negative word of mouth.