Of Aloos, FB and The IIML Mess

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Last few days have been engaging,tiring and exciting for most PGP2s at Hell including me. Given the back to back sessions by visiting faculties and a long adventurous sunday, it was a weekend that probably nobody wants to repeat. This explains the tiring and engaging part, but the exciting part was ALOO. Yes ALOO.

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It was onion which troubled BJP and interestingly it is aloo for Piyush (Mess Secy).The whole act could be converted into an interesting small case study. However key points worth discussing are:

1. The role of Social Media

2. The role of Humor

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Today Social media is the “talk of the town” and everybody uses it but the way it was used in this case, it was unique. Most of the hellites were tired by eating Aloo day and night and there were some noises in the mess everytime an Aloo dish was seen but nobody had time to really discuss it with the Messcom/Secy, though few persons (as I know now) complained about this. So when people don’t have enough time to discuss and protest because they are busy FBing what do we do? Here comes a revolutionary idea. Bring the protest on FB.

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Dheeraj (our very own Sec D CR) brought this to FB with a bang bang Mess Menus of Bade Aloo, Chote Aloo, Lambe aloo and what not aloo. As of day it has 30 “likes” and almost same number of comments, of which few are from Our mess secy. The fact that it was discussed, noticed and appreciated meant that it was a genuine problem which the batch was having. It was also worthwhile to note Mr. Mess Secy was active enough to respond to these discussions. Thus the message was clear and loud and reached where it was intended to.

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The Mess Menu by Dheeraj

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Another aspect of this whole act is the use of humor. There were 2 pictures which were put and both had humor content. So while the message was put right there in the middle, it was made receptable. So Mr. Aloo was being saved for our future generations using a PeTA movement though no nude celebraties were used.

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PeTA by Dheeraj

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The latest update is that the August mess menu is out and happily our PeTA has worked. Now we have four Aloo dishes in a week compared to earlier of Ten. I am not aware and can’t say was this the direct effect of this FB thing but at least it must have accelerated few discussions among Mess Comm.

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P.S.: The Aloo fever has caught Hell. Blondie Poll and Blodie Doodle both have Aloos all over. A beautiful doodle by not so beautiful designer Mayank Singh.

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P.S.: The purpose of this post is not to protest against our Mess Comm/Secy and in no way to undermine the amount of work they put (Hell loves you GUYS!!). I understand that partly a reason for serving so much of aloo could be because of no real options available  during this season.

Brand Loyalty or Blindness?

At times I wonder about some terms used in marketing. One term that recently strike my mind was “Brand Loyalty”. Now what does brand loyalty really means. The following lines from wikipedia try to explain it:

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“Brand loyalty, in marketing, consists of a consumer’s commitment to repurchase or otherwise continue using the brand and can be demonstrated by repeated buying of a product or service or other positive behaviors such as word of mouth advocacy.

True brand loyalty exists when customers have a high relative attitude toward the brand which is then exhibited through repurchase behavior.This type of loyalty can be a great asset to the firm: customers are willing to pay higher prices, they may cost less to serve, and can bring new customers to the firm.For example, if Joe has brand loyalty to Company A he will purchase Company A’s products even if Company B’s are cheaper and/or of a higher quality.”

The key lines for me are the last few where it goes to the extent of saying that “customers are willing to pay higher prices”. Thus true brand loyalty can make a person blind to an extent that he/she will pay higher prices just for the sake of brand. Then why don’t put a tag of “Brand Blindness” instead of “Brand Loyalty”.

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Why don’t marketers refer them as brand blind?

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One of the reasons may be that marketers may sound rude and raise the anger of these consumers by calling them bluntly a blind.

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Another reason may be the degree of loyalty, thus only-very-loyal consumers may behave as blind ones and the lesser-loyal ones may still consider other brands. But then should these lesser-loyals really be referred to as brand loyal?

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More reasons like brand blindness may have been used to define something else. I searched for it and found that at few places it was referred to the phenomenon when your customers do not really differentiate between the different brands. But why are we calling a person blind who is judging different options, considering his/her parameters and making a rational decision. This person in no way is a blind, except that he/she might not want to see what the marketers want to see him/her.

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For me a brand blind should be the one who is not able to make the difference, for whom Brand ‘X’ is always better than others, no matter what the others have to offer. When I am reminded of people who were itching to buy an Apple i-Phone even when it was no where near its launch , I am reminded of that brand blindness. So can I refer to this as “brand blindness” and not “brand loyalty”.

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All you marketers….answers/comments please.

To my wife

A few lines which I wrote for my wife, sharing with you all.

मुझे कहना नहीं आता,

तू सुन लिया कर |

मुझे नहीं मालूम कैसे बोलू,

तू पूछ लिया कर |

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मुझे खत लिखने का तजुर्बा नहीं है,

तू मेरा चेहरा पढ़ लिया कर|

मुझे मनाना नहीं आता,

तू कभी रूठा ना कर|

A two liner

I don’t know if I can claim this to be a ‘sher’ or not, call it whatever you like.                             Here is a two liner which popped out of my mind (or may be heart)…

हाँ भी नहीं करते, वो ना भी नहीं कहते,
मेरी मुहब्बत मेरा वजूद तलाशती है|

Mornings, thou shalt come to see

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I am a nocturnal and I have been a nocturnal through out my life, and as they say, I am proud to be one.

So these lines are dedicated to all the nocturnal creatures of this world.

Image Courtesy: Mayank Sharma

Mornings, thou shalt come to see

Another nocturnal crawling till wee

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From routine to habit till necessity

This noctrine medicine is followin me

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Promises to live the old school rhyme,

Early to bed and Early to rise

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I shalt risk my health, don’t have wealth anyhow

Also My friend!! Wise is no more a fashion now,

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I shalt make promises, and break them,

I shalt find new excuses to live by the night

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I shalt love thee night

I shalt owe you my life, I plight

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If you don’t watch..You M-ishqiya…

It is really hard not to compare when you watch two movies within a gap of 3 days. I may try hard not to compare Veer and Ishqiya but then, I fail to do so.

First,  let me start with Ishqiya. It is a movie that keeps you involved for its entire length. What I really liked about it is the rawness of the movie. Its raw acting, lyrics, dialogues..almost everything. As if everything is directly from the state of UP where most of the movie is set.

The three main roles characterized by Vidya balan, Naseer and Arshad have been well sketched and acted. Vidya has once again proved her mettle. She keeps reminding us that there is much more than a size zero in Bollywood. Arshad keeps growing movie by movie. The “circuit” has very well groomed into a bhopali tapori. Naseer has played much more than being “Naseer” . He has portrayed an innocent khalu and a clever thief moulded beautiful into an old-age romance.

The music by Vishal is awesome. My favourite being “Dil to Bachha hai ji” sung beautifully by Rahat. Sampooran Singh Kalra (aka Gulzar) has once again used his pen with ink dipped in heart. Beautiful lines like “Umar kab ki baras ke sufaid ho gayi” and “Kisko ptaa tha pehlu mein rakha dil aisa baaji bhi hoga” really bring out the real emotions of an aged KhaluJaan. Director Abhishek Chaubey has done very well as a debutant. The screenplay by the trio Vishal, Abhishek and Sabrina Dhawan reminds you of Omkara. Though the movie does not take you to the Omkara heights but the screenplay is as authentic as it can be, be it bhopali or gorakhpuri,where the movie is set.

All in all, Ishqiya is a must watch if you love to watch “Real in Reel”.

Oh!! Did I say I watched Veer too.Sorry All I can remember now is the song “Surili akhiyon wale”.

P.S.: Naseer means Supporter

Perseverance

Perseverance

Below are my thoughts about being persevering and tough within. This poem is inspired by the famous song of Bryan Adams, “Summer of 69“. Remember the line ‘Those were the best days of my life‘ and I thought why it happens that we look towards past and say those were my golden days, probably because we try to escape problems of the present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Its for the life to remember,
when you walking on a knife  
                         to get further.

When you are tumbling on the ways 
                                  you used to run ,
               when you are amidst arena
               fighting with none but one .

when you are trying
                  but in vain ,
when you are crying
          of eternal pain ,

When heaven are your dwellings ,
               but hell are the feelings ,

When solitude becomes your choice, 
                    and silence your voice,

when body is at its best
but mighty soul needs rest.

When the rays go on diminishing, 
                  the lights disappear.
 
THEN 
make a pause,
     for a cause.

 
Forget what is beside,
just recite somewhere inside,
Make a feeling something like,
 “These are the best days of my life”.

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P.S. : I would appreciate your feedback.

Farewell

Farewell

Few thoughts that I penned down during last days in my engineering college. Here they go.

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Travelling in the life,
I just opened the window
to look outside.

I saw some faces ,
Preparing for an event,
deciding dishes  & the places !!

Now I turned inside ,
Saw hopes, plans, Dreams.
puzzled for going left or right.

So, college days were ending,
We , sitting inside , just waiting.
Once again ,after four miles ,
life was bending.

Four steps we walked together,
Ate , slept ,played , learnt together.
Destiny! can’t continue further.

Photos , memories , knowledge ,
We will have  nothing more,
While walking out of the college !

There is “nothing” in our college,
We used to say ,
But that “nothing” counts for me now ,
I will miss it all the way .

Travelling in the life,
Now , I must close the window
and say a final Goodbye.

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P.S. : I am trying to keep my promise. Promise that I will be a regular writer on this blog, although its only the third post and I am already feeling I am getting into writing habit.

IPL – The Indian Phoren League

The IPL 2009 is at its fag end and eight teams are fighting hard. Please don’t count KKR out, they are up for making a new low in the small history of IPL. This IPL is in news for many more reasons than pure cricket and that reminds me of the last cricket world cup.

The controversies begin with the problems that started with the bigger IPL (Indian political league) and smaller one scheduled to take place at same time. The irony was that South Africa held the elections during the same IPL. Though I am not comparing SA’s elections with the India’s big show of democracy. All this ended with our own Indian Premier league becoming Indian Phoren league and suddenly mohali was replaced by kingsmead.

The inauguration ceremony was a real Indian-South African culture mix – one of the few positives out of this dis-placed tournament. With inauguration came another unscheduled and surprised masala of this IPL. Yes Mr. FIP. If still you didn’t get the name, I am referring to the Fake IPLer. He/She is making it all the more interesting. Kolkata team has been in news for all other reasons than cricket. The super-over gamble, racism, four-captain theory and the list continues. And to add to it Chris Gayle has carried the euphoria of T20 to Test cricket. So frustrated is the Caribbean big-guy that he is ready to put off the captain-ship burden. I really want to know what pressurized this big-guy to carry this so-called burden so far.

Another dimension of IPL that hits me is the “catch me if you can” attitude of the ball. Every match we see some dollies on the ground out of the hands of some good fielders. There may be many reasons for this including the gala-wind that blows. Yet it can be improved with all the excuses well accepted.

Still we are not over with the tournament and lots is in store for us to see, read and experience.

P.S. – I just finished watching Rajasthan Royals beat Mumbai boys. A really close match ; Sanath at the top could have reversed the result.