IT AIN'T JUST ANOTHER BOOK........IT'S A SLANT BOOK

It feels great when you see things being done differently. Doesn't it ? At least I do. I love when people talk about new ideas, wanting to break stereotype and embark on a completely new thinking. I have always believed there's no dearth of people with money, but what is really in short supply are people with ideas, new ideas, innovative ideas.

During a quick stroll after lunch in the afternoon today, I happen to hop into a book store and laid my hands on a rather odd shaped book called THE SLANT BOOK by Peter Newell. It's a picture book published in 1910, filled with rhyming poetry telling story of all the mishaps that can occur when things are on a slant.

I am sure one might wonder, what's so special about a children's book, published 100 years back? A book very few have heard and seen, one which never made it to the top 100 bestsellers list of all times.So what am I really talking here?

Well, for the curious minds, all I can say is, it's neither the title of the book nor the author that has given the spark for this post. In fact it's the beautiful amalgamation, of the core idea SLANT and the choice of the SLANT sized book to narrate the story to young impressionable minds.

Today, due to advent of Internet, the printed word is facing a real challenge. And if the authors, the editors, the publishers of books, periodicals and magazines around the world continue to turn a blind eye and fail to innovate, the future could be full of mishaps. It's time they wake-up and realise that things are on a slant. And they need to innovate like Peter Newell and his publisher did with THE SLANT BOOK.

YES, IT'S NOT JUST ANOTHER BOOK..........IT'S A SLANT BOOK.

UTTERLY BUTTERLY DELICIOUS !!

Sorry no marks for guessing. We all know it's Amul.... An Iconic Brand, a true lovemark( please visit the link at the bottom of the Postcard, to know about the concept of Lovemarks & the guru Kevin Roberts). Coined from Sanskrit word "Amoolya" meaning priceless, Amul is a brand loved by young and grown-ups alike in India. It's a brand that's been used in millions of homes since 1946.

The spark for this post came from the new outdoor advertising message that I saw while driving to the office this morning. And this time the theme for the latest brand communication was based on last week's Volcanic eruption in Iceland. Brilliant I say. Though I don't exactly remember, but it went something like this " FLIGHTS DIS- ERUPTION", NOT TO WORRY........AMUL! YOU'LL SIMPLY LAVA IT ". Coming to the visual, no Amul poster is complete without the famous round eyed, chubby cheeked utterly butterly girl ( Amul Moppet), who was right up there towering over the advertisement copy .

A journey of excellent storytelling about anything that's newsy, from anywhere in the world, that started way back in 1967, is still going strong.................AND I AM SIMPLY LOVING IT.......... ALWAYS HAVE.

http://www.saatchikevin.com/

THIS WAY PLEASE...........WELL GUIDED !!

The most simple things in marketing are more often than not, the most important ones as well. Companies spend oodles of monies to attract the customers to their stores every year. But in their unending quest for grabbing the attention, many of them often tend to forget the basics.

Look at these two pictures. A small ordinary restaurant in Connaught Place, New Delhi called English Dairy uses every trick in the bag to capture the attention of office goers as well as shoppers. Since it is not front facing, it tries to woo the people by giving them directions.

Well, when the customers can't find you, you better reach out to them and bring them in.

Interesting I thought........worth a postcard.

DIFFERENT STROKES !!............HIT AND A MISS

Last week I came across two contrasting marketing promo ideas, well worthy of a postcard. Good times or bad times, its imperative for marketers to pool all their energies n creativity to keep the company register ringing all the time.

MJ in death has pushed the record sales beyond our imagination. Fans just don't seem to get enough of his music. His albums are topping charts all across the globe. Sony Music is working overtime to make the MJ catalogue accessible to his ardent fans in India post his untimely death. In fact it has given a shot in the arm to the sagging fortune of this Music Label.

What really made me sit up and admire the brilliance, was a simple idea put across by the music company to sell a compilation of all MJ's No.1 songs at Traffic Intersection , for a mere Rs 99 . Given MJ's popularity and the all round buzz post his death, I think it's killer of an idea which needs to be applauded. Guy's at Rolling Stone ! hope you are listening.

In store promos is a great way to attract the prospects, but one has to be little careful in choosing the place. A personal hygiene product company has tied up with Cafe Coffee Day to Sample it's new range of sanitary napkins - K. Nothing wrong with that I suppose. But where the idea has got messed up , is the choice of display area. The placement of the towering stands, which look more like replica of Eiffel Tower is placed right between the hot seat and the Male pee pot. Given the size of the rest rooms, it can be rather discomforting if someone is in a real rush. Imagine pushing the stand and making a place.....ummm, now that's quite a drill. Isn't it?? I think these guy's have got it all wrong.

Thank God not every marketer has an eye on the rest rooms............... just yet .

OUT OF THE MATTERBOX !!

Every marketer today is grappling with a big question. How do I make my offering count ? How can I get the customers to buy my products . Whether it's about enhancing the visibility for an existing product or inducing trial for a new one, the job on hand requires innovative solutions. Same old beaten path isn't good enough any more. I seriously think that the famous four P's ( now a generic term) have to be coupled with a big "S" now. Customers are smart , you can't take them for granted. Problem is, we think we know everything there is to know, about this extremely whimsical lot.

" S" could be the new P according to me. We all love SURPRISES. Don't we? Even our potential customers would love a surprise or two along the way. The last thing we marketers need is, to be seen as a predictable lot by our esteemed buyers.

The other day I was reading about a perfect example of "S" started by Britain's Royal Mail as a direct mailing exercise on Chris Andersons blog. Sending people a box of free stuff. Surprise! Surprise!! Called " Matter" the box contained Books, DVD's, CD's, Shower Products, A candy bar, a pre-paid SIM card and few other goodies. The idea was that the customers should try them, maybe give some to their friends, tell people about them, interact with products in a way that's more interesting than traditional direct mail advertising.

Now that's what I call........OUT OF THE MATTERBOX!!

Let's hear it for the new "P" !!

Marketing has come a long way today. And the original four P's have been stretched and transformed into a huge never ending list . And I presume we aren't finished yet. All the necessary "P's" in place, still success ain't easy to come by. It can't be guaranteed. There are umpteen examples out there. So close, yet so far. The success and failure of a brand today is not just the result of getting all the laid rules right, but taking one extra step. Or is it a giant leap?

P for PASSION is what this giant leap can be termed in today's context. Having a visionary at the helm, an excellent offering, a great set of employees , is a surefire recipe for annihilating the competition in their trenches, we all know this. But, in the long run if this new "P" is not an integral part of the whole mix, it could spell trouble.
Every soul behind the brand,irrespective of the levels and roles, need to be supremely passionate about what they do .
Apple a classic example, a company, a pioneer, always exploring new technological frontiers, fosters a culture where every individual is on fire....so full of passion. i mac, i pod ,i phone and many more such marvellous technological innovations, which are yet to come, are result of unparalleled passion.

Marketing ! Who is doin' it ??

"Marketing is too important an area to be left alone in the hands of the marketing department ". How true Mr. David Packard........how true. Marketing should encompass every function, every department, every individual on the floor. Marketing is the lifeline of modern business. It should permeate right to the core, the very being of an organization.

Unfortunately very few indulge in the real deal. And even lesser number foster a culture where marketing takes the center stage. As long as marketing remains the fiefdom of the upper echelons of the corporate ladder, the real power of this pivotal discipline can never be unleashed.

The need for marketing to become a way of life across the board, has never been stronger. Every individual has to learn the importance of marketing. In these fiercely competitive times, the only thing that will differentiate the winner from an also ran, would be a 360 degree marketing approach. The deft handling of this fabulous ...........Art........or is it Science?? will save the day for any organization.