SilentDog

What “wanting it on his face” taught me about insights.

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Tue, 8 May 2018 15:46:00 +0530

Recently, I arranged to pick my friend up for a drink. He was back in town after a long time. He must have waited for me for about 10 minutes at our rendezvous point, getting baked in the scorching heat. As soon as he got into the car, he tried to adjust the AC duct on the passenger side and I immediately gave him my “don’t mess with the settings” look, from the corner of my eye. He simply responded, “I want it on my face!”.

You would probably have expected me to continue on a particular train of thought, perhaps a cheeky reply or a dirty joke, even. Either ways, it could have been a moment invoking laughter, except that it wasn’t. In fact, the effect was quite the opposite. I was ashamed. Ashamed of myself, for not replacing the broken knob on the AC duct, when I saw the perspiration dripping down his face. Not only did I miss out on a potential joke, it amplified the shame I was feeling. The entire situation could have been neutralized or even made enjoyable, with a simple “I always knew it” or “you totally have the face for it”

Later that day, I was reflecting on my day’s learnings and had an “AHA!” moment about Insights. I thought, “how many more of these moments must I be missing because of my emotional reactions to situations?” Now this was a far bigger problem than you initially think, especially, if you happen to be a Brand Strategist. At this point, the mindfulness movement would say “we keep telling ya!”. But the bitter truth is, it’s difficult. Our emotions are triggered instantly and more often than not, it’s difficult to tune in to unconscious signals. William James suggested that our experiences are like a stream of consciousness. If they were in “bursts of consciousness” it would have been easier, at least for insight miners like us. But this is what makes the search for insight a meaningful one worthy of pursuit.

So, what did I learn from this simple, stupid encounter?

1 1) No “simple, stupid” encounter is actually a simple or stupid one, because seemingly mundane situations can reveal a lot, provided you ask the right questions.

2 2) Understand how your mindset works. What are your most easily triggered emotions and thought patterns? Chances are, they act as blinders and you will miss out on connecting those critical dots that make the fresh connections. This is a massive blow to insights mining.

3 3) Overcome these negative emotions and patterns of thought, by challenging them. In my case, being self-conscious has cost me dearly. A long time ago, I wrote a book on insight mining and spent almost five years doing it. After much hard work, my partner secured several interested parties including Wiley and Random House, and eventually secured a contract from McGraw Hill. I was so insecure, paralyzed by my self-consciousness, that I never published it. I was skeptical of my ability to be successful. I was frightened of failing, because the scars would never heal and fade away, or so I thought. In stark contrast to this, last week we published, perhaps the first ever Insight mining course, online, drawing material from the unpublished manuscript as well as from cutting edge scientific research. What changed? It’s the realization that in the eye of existence, both success and failure will soon be forgotten and, in the end, just treated alike.

Want to become a better insight miner? Check out our Udemy course “Aha! A practical guide to have more insight” Or use the coupon code SANAKELIYA to get a surprise price:) Follow this page to master the craft of insight mining.

My friend Jack is...

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 14:48:00 +0530

The other day, my partner and I were in the car, the radio playing the very catchy BoneyM tune from the 80’s. Having grown up in the disco era, we did what most of us would do – make up our own lyrics to the tune based on what we thought we heard in the song. While I heard something like “My Friend Jack is Shwedagon”, my partner obviously heard something completely different. Her’s was …” My friend Jack is chivalrous!”.That made some sense, considering that Jack is after all a man and Chivalry is a quality desired in men,by most women, and even some men.

Before we move on, click here to listen to this catchy tune and make up your own lyric...

So what lyrics did you make up for it? If you heard Shwedagon or Chivalrous obviously you have been nudged by this article. My lyric of Shwedagon makes no sense at all,considering that Jack cannot be the golden Stupa in Burma. Clearly that was quite absurd. I am sure most of you heard it as “Chivalrous” considering it is meaningful, especially with the follow up lyrics. But then, that’s the problem – a problem unique to us humans.

We assign meaning to what we sense. Things may appear to be meaningful because we are nudged by what’s surrounding the subject in question or even our own biases. Now, this was ok, because it was just a song, we were having fun as we drove around, and we were not going to fret over it. But the more news and social media I consume, it seems that people are declaring war on simple, stupid and meaningless things without understanding what primed them to see it the way they see it in the first place. If we draw a big insight from Existentialism, it’s the idea that everything in this world is inherently devoid of meaning. It becomes meaningful only because we assign meaning to it. Then we should keep all of it to our own selves. I think the time is ripe to start the “Meaningless Movement”

By the way,the lyric in the song is actually ..”My friend Jack eats sugar loaves” - scary, considering everything we know about diabetes and such.

Have a light and stimulating 2015!

We make our happiness beyond our own reach

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Tue, 8 Oct 2013 17:31:00 +0530

Today, I asked a few people how happy they were on a scale of 1-10. One person said she was a 7 because she had bought a pair of earrings. So I asked her what it would have been, had she not bought them. She said “I wouldn't be so happy then”. Another said “I am not very happy because if I am very happy, the chances are I will be unhappy soon” A few more people gave somewhat similar answers. It was obvious that these people felt that they aren't in control of their own happiness. They sought for their happiness in the external; other people and things such as another new gadget, a new friend, further education, more money, blah blah blah..none of which will ever bring them the lasting happiness they yearn for.Happiness is beyond our reach simply because of one insight; we look for it in all the wrong places.

Reaching outside ourselves for our happiness is akin to chasing a mirage in the middle of nowhere. No matter how close you get, you will never truly experience it. Eventually, you die feeling unhappy and unfulfilled. We have given the remote control to our happiness, to others, without relying on ourselves for our own happiness, while overwhelming evidence suggests that “Happiness is an inside job”. It is illogical to place such a central concept to our existence, in the hands of others, because nobody else can relate to you perfectly, each and every time. Making ourselves happy should be our own number one priority that isn't worth giving up for any reason. It’s your birthright to be happy every single moment of every single day, day after day. I am going to wrap up this short post with a couple of questions which I hope you spend a few moments pondering over; - How happy are you right now? Why do you feel the way you do?

The Meaning of Life

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 11:25:00 +0530

It’s what we dread the most, having to ever stop and think about the meaning of life. This question has bothered everyone,be they sinners or saints, politicians or philosophers. So, have I found the answer? I am sure everyone would be very skeptical about it, but then you have every right to be. So, here’s my answer..I found the meaning of life to be absolutely meaningless. But then I realized the profound nature of this meaninglessness, it being tied to one of the most important things we pursue in life; freedom. So, to put it directly, in plain and simple language, it’s the meaninglessness of life that gives us the freedom to pursue what we want. Imagine for a moment that there was some meaning to life. Then we will have no choice but to follow this meaning and our lives would be imprisoned, locked inside this meaning, unable to deviate from it.

I would assume that if there was a common meaning to life, there would be a far greater number of depressed, unhappy people jumping off balconies because of their inability to engineer their own lives. So the absence of a meaning is the ultimate blessing in disguise, because now we can assign meaning to our own lives in whichever way we want and follow that from the very core of our beings. So, here’s to the meaninglessness of life!

Being an out of form cricketer

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Wed, 3 Oct 2012 11:42:00 +0530

The form of just one or two players in every tournament can ruin our hopes of winning it. Now that the T20 World cup is gathering momentum, we are likely to see a few players going through a bad patch. Here’s a quick take on it from a psychological perspective based on the conscious competence learning model. The best way to explain this is to wind back to our own childhood days and think of something that we really wanted to do. In my case, Cricket.

Rohit Sharma - under fire

When I was about four years old, I was unconsciously incompetent, meaning that I didn’t even know whether I can play cricket or not. Then I started bugging just about anyone who could throw a ball at my tiny plastic bat. Even though the ball came at me at the speed of a thousandth of a Malinga delivery, most often than not, I missed, fumbled and fell. Now I had successfully graduated to being consciously incompetent. Then I tried playing more often, before school, after school, inside and outside the house and later on, by going for cricket practices. That was my attempt to be consciously competent. But that still won’t make a great batsman like Kholi, Amla or Mahela. That also explains why I am only writing this article and not playing in the tournament. As one keeps practicing, one becomes unconsciously competent. You no longer have to think of the shots to play, where to place them, how hard and at which angle to hit them. All of it comes naturally, almost like the ball wants to be caressed by the bat. That’s when you are a good batsman. You are on autopilot.

Thinking is an exhaustive process and a player can’t bat through many overs with higher levels of mental exhaustion. So, a few shots after a batsman has walked in to the middle, his autopilot needs to take over. Imagine the kind of pressure the reflective system that handles thinking has to deal with; playing for the country, the atmosphere, the target to reach and the overs remaining, with the speed of the delivery, the spin, the angle, the muscle co-ordination. It’s just too much. That’s when a batsman miss -times a ball and gets out. It’s purely because the reflective system in the brain is slower and this is further hampered by the situational pressures. He can play only a few deliveries with this kind of pressure but can’t keep it up for long. It is when the transition from the reflective system to the autopilot mode doesn’t happen, that a batsman is out of form, much to our dismay.

Not being a sportsman doesn’t mean you’re spared from being out of form. It is something we all go through, in our daily lives. Fortunately for us though, the entire world isn’t watching us when that happens

Selling the unsellable

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Tue, 8 Nov 2011 22:10:00 +0530

I just can’t get enough of this. Enjoy!

How the web decides what we see..

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:44:00 +0530

Click here to pop your filter bubble.

How to trick your mind into dropping those few inches from your waist

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:32:00 +0530

Google pics

Have you ever used your own bag of tricks on your own self? I have. Remember the way I quit smoking? It’s been a year and half and I am still off those cigarettes. And now I am on a new mission. To lose a good three inches off my pot belly.

The curse of being over-weight could be attributed to many factors, from genetics to culture, but really, it is mostly due to the sheer lack of will power, viz: not committing to regular exercise and giving in to the moment. The whole of last year, I set my mind on trying to walk regularly and going somewhat easy on my poor dietary habits. Both have failed miserably. I could say the walks failed because it rains here all the time, with no apparent weather pattern, even though I didn’t walk on perfectly fine days, sometimes. Going easy on food seems really hard considering I eat out all the time, but more often than not, I am guilty of giving in to my taste buds rather than choosing the healthier options out there. Since the strategy of trying to burn up the calorie intake has clearly not worked, I have now revised my approach to, ‘Reduce the intake and walk whenever possible’. So here’s how I have reprogrammed my thinking and am strengthening my will power. I have hung a regular measuring tape outside the wardrobe and every morning, I spend just five seconds measuring my waist and telling myself, “I am not eating high calorie stuff today”, then I open the wardrobe and survey all the clothes I can’t fit into any more.

So far, it has worked. It has been fifteen days, since. Hopefully, it will work.

The rich alone, can save the planet

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:40:00 +0530

Let’s assume that Al Gore and his goons were right about global warming. And that, we, being the most dominant species, are again the very core of the center of things. Which means that, we all need to unplug our chargers on time, may be even just take a nap instead of driving down to the park during weekends. While all eco messages burn a rather morbid image into the deepest recesses of our minds, that post Sunday mass we will all either be burnt toast or unprocessed-blast-frozen-human-meat (they are not sure which one yet), actions clearly scream otherwise, considering that all ecologically made products, be it solar panels or eco cigarettes, are exorbitantly priced.

Marketers seem to follow the same old ice-age marketing tactics, like first capturing the innovators and then finding ways to spread to other segments. Now, is it due to sheer lack of imagination that they can’t find another way, whereby more people could be converted, or is it born from the belief that only the rich can save the planet?

Anyway, here are a couple of easy things to do if you are broke and still want to do do your bit for Al. Make it hip to wear crushed clothes. It saves a lot of electricity and I absolutely hate ironing. Go back to basics and to our savage ways by eating uncooked veggies and meat. If the Japanese can, so can we, emancipating those millions of women from legal slavery while we are at it.

Insightful 2011

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Sat, 8 Jan 2011 10:22:00 +0530

I guess by now many must have wished you a happy, healthy, peaceful, and prosperous 2011. But here's my wish for you - an Insightful 2011. Watch this video to see one woman doing just that!

Why we must all shop like women do

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 12:26:00 +0530

I am sure this is going to hurt a lot of people, especially every kind of Marketer. In my opinion, Consumers must ensure their highest loyalty to themselves alone, by exploring new options. Benefits reaped, such as improving one’s knowledge base, enjoying new experiences and opening up new avenues of opportunity, definitely weigh heavier than loyalty.

The truth is, when all other sellers are thinking of making money from their buyer’s repeat purchases, Consumers must be smart in making the most from their first transaction, each time, much like a woman shopping for her clothes, bags and shoes. Exploring some places not usually on your radar may not work for breakfast cereals and candy bars, but it’s surely going to work for most other stuff.

So in 2011, make the better New Year resolution: “to be loyal to yourself and yourself alone!”

Have a fantastic 2011

Silentdog

Why is it good to fail these days?

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:47:00 +0530

Image via Wikipedia

If a long held belief suddenly changes, you are entitled to feel suspicious, be critical. When we were growing up, we were constantly told not to fail. A taboo, socially, it was always frowned upon. But now, disguised as a paradigm change, a new circus has hit the town.

According to them, it’s good to fail. They have ridiculous ideas like, ‘failure is the best teacher’ and so on, to defend failure. But teachers always just had good lives, never great ones like Sir Richard Branson’s. Back then, we had a culture of winning, with the business system directly linked to it. But today, with a population of nearly 7 billion, not many can be winners and the other side of the spectrum shows more potential anyway. It is hard to sell stuff to winners, because they’ll probably see through it, whereas the failures become a great target market in company marketing plans, with abundant marketing opportunities for everyone, from manufacturers of electric shavers to furniture. There is endless stuff you can sell to a man who has just failed, including self help books on when to say ‘No’ to something.

So try to fail in something today and keep the economy afloat.

Beware of doing the right thing!

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Mon, 6 Sep 2010 11:44:00 +0530

Image via Wikipedia

One of my regular short cuts to work, has recently been turned in to a one way street. This means, I could take this road in the morning without flouting any laws, but not so in the evening. The alternative route meant adding one more traffic light to the list. I was as pissed off as the next man, so pissed off that I ignored the sign and continued on, as usual. In the absence of cameras and cops, it didn’t take that long to realize that I wasn’t the only one committing this offence every evening.

But it wasn’t the offence that started bothering me later. I soon realized that my attitude changed significantly, every time I drove down this road. In the mornings, when I see drivers in the opposite lane, who were committing the offence, I would drive right in the middle of this narrow road, expecting them to stop and give me right of way. I would also punch them, with my eyes of course, hard enough to knock even Tyson out in the first round. The truth is, I would be committing this same offence, on the same day, just 10 hours later. Now, this is irrational, mean and blatantly stupid behavior. In the guise of a ‘what’s up’ call, I quickly contacted three others who take the same route.

I was relieved to find out that, like me, they too were being horrid to those drivers. It made me think. Can a simple, stupid thing like a traffic sign make us so mean and irrational? Does doing the right thing, like being law abiding, eventually transform us into horrible people? Does it mean that, being righteous would one day lead us to blow ourselves up?

It seems so. This behavior could be well explained with the famous Stanford Prison Experiment. In this study, 24 under graduates were recruited to play the role of prison guards and prisoners in a mock jail. The experiment was supposed to go on for 14 days, but it was stopped after six days, considering how well the respondents assumed the guards’ role and started abusing their fellow respondents in the experiment.

So what happens on the one way road was evident. In the morning, we assume our role of the law abiding citizen so well, that we are horrid to the law breakers. Now this explains why cops are naturally mean, and why some religious fanatics would one day blow themselves up in a crowded bus station. The next time you believe you are doing the right thing, think of what other consequences could ensue because of it.

But don’t be in the wrong lane tomorrow morning!

SilentDog

If you missed my last post click here What Brand Managers can Learn from good parenting

What Brand Managers can learn from Good Parenting.

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 19:57:00 +0530

I know many parents who smoke, while telling their kids not to. They cheat on their spouses and expect their children to carry a good moral compass. They tell their neighbor she looks great in a new outfit, only to bitch about it the second she disappears. Perhaps you may have called in sick on a Friday only to miraculously recover within moments, to take your children for a picnic in the park. We lie to just about everyone around us and expect our children to always speak the truth. Needless to say, we are just deceiving only ourselves and setting ourselves up for a big disappointment.

See, it’s not what you say that counts. It is your behavior that is adopted and followed.

When a child watches an adult smoking, a subliminal promotion of the act is already completed. So no matter what we tell them, they will be inclined to do as they saw, not heard. As countries adopt stricter anti-smoking laws, I am sure a smoker will have to smoke in isolation, since lighting one up is quite like a yawn for other smokers, triggering them off immediately, to light up as well, which too may well be outlawed in the future.

In many ways, customers are akin to children. They miss most of what you say, because their minds are occupied by other, more interesting things. The problem is that Brand Custodians still don’t get this. Branding is like parenting. No amount of talking, educating and asking for actions will deliver results unless you walk the talk. Restricting your effort to just empty words and slogans is a surefire way to fail.

So, while everybody is still busy talking, you should actually do something and stand out.

Men get lost no more!

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:34:00 +0530

It is some time now, since I wrote my popular post on, ‘why men are clueless’. Now, Microsoft has launched ‘Street Slide’, their version of Google maps. With ‘Street Slide’, I reckon no one will ever get lost anymore. Rather than Google’s satellite perspective, as the name suggests, it has got the street perspective, which would be far more user friendly. Although ‘Street Slide’ is an awesome product, I think Microsoft is a lousy marketing company, and that might eventually decide the fate of this product.
Watch the video below.

(Can’t see the vid? Click here)

Want to arrive safely? Then take that call!

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 00:09:00 +0530

One of my dear friends met with an accident recently, over a useless news alert from the Operator. Having heard a text alert, he had let go of his brakes while reaching for his hand phone. Fortunately for him, his insurance covered the cost of his ruined bonnet and his silly mistake, but not the biggest mistake he committed by telling us the truth and becoming the butt end of our jokes.

A quick question for you: how many times have you met with an accident, while on the phone? If you are reading this, you survived it, if at all.

Here is a surprising observation. When we answer that ‘irresponsible’ call while driving, unlike my good friend, we tend to be more vigilant, even slowing down, to do so. However, accidents can occur as a result of what follows that call, especially if it happened to be your wife, yelling at you for not mowing the lawn. We will try to catch up for the loss of time incurred due to the call, taking more risks by speeding and overtaking, etc,. So, what is really dangerous is not the call itself, but how it alters our behavior after that.

Now, unfortunately, most communications tend to miss this fact and always depict the driver as being caught off guard while on the call. Because we instinctively know this to be rare and especially, since we compensate the call by lowering consumption of risk while on the call, we dismiss the claim and go on with our behavior, rendering that piece of communication ineffective. I believe that the proposition should revolve around, “it’s what happens after the call”, and not, “it’s what happens during the call”.

Six killer, but cheap, social marketing ideas

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 19:07:00 +0530

It is not often that I keep my promises. I have learned somehow, that promises get better when you break them. When we actually deliver a promise, it is never appreciated, and when we don’t, all hell breaks loose. So, what really is an unbroken promise?

Anyway, I promised to give a free ebook on “Six killer, but cheap, social marketing ideas”, so here it is. Just click on the image and download. I hope you like it. If you do, share it with anyone you please, including your neighbor’s cat. Some of my subscribers have written to me personally, asking me for more digital media case studies and insights. So, I will try to oblige, but, no promises.

Free ebook - six killer, but cheap, social marketing ideas

(Can't see the ebook? click here to download)

Catch you soon

SilentDog

Your father is a cockroach

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Sun, 8 Aug 2010 23:11:00 +0530

In countries like ours’, insurance penetration is less than 10% of the population and naturally, having tried everything possible, insurance companies struggle to expand their market. A combination of the culture and political systems makes it really tough for them to penetrate the market. We have free healthcare and free education for our children, and when we get old, we will have our children to take care of us, eliminating the need for a pension plan. Even if we don’t have children, we will still fit in somewhere within the larger context of our family, and one of our distant relatives will be more than happy to accommodate us. But things are changing, and fast, as we adopt a more western outlook and become increasingly disconnected from our roots.

So, what really stands in the way of these insurance companies? A lot of things, and that’s exactly the problem. One example is Superstition. There are people who actually believe that strange cosmic powers protect them from possible disasters, although it’s so blindingly obvious that a lot of shit happens to ‘people just like themselves’ all the time. It’s the ‘I am not vulnerable’ belief. Here’s a funny thought. Superman jumps from one building to another, slides down a ramp and lands smoothly on the pavement. Just as he lands, he gets hit by a truck driven by a drunk.

We always have someone to take care of us. When we were small, our parents took care of us. In school, our friends did that, and now, our partners do it. But when that person we count on, is gone, how vulnerable we then become. Here’s a thought on this line. Batman along with Robin, about to take on the goons of Joker, one of whom knocks Batman out completely, with a single punch, resulting in the pathetic scene of a very vulnerable looking Robin, now having to face the whole gang on his own.

But here is the one I really like. If ever one buys insurance, it will usually be for his dependants, rather than for himself to become a prosperous Silver, because he will still expect his children to take care of him and keep him company right to the end, etc. The cultures of the South East Asian belt are deeply rooted in the Buddhist belief of ‘karma’, or cause and effect. If you live badly in his life, your next life will surely be worse. So, imagine bidding your byes prematurely, before doing all your fatherly duties? One of the possibilities is that you could come back as a cockroach, or even a stray dog everyone chases away from everywhere. So, finally, it could lead to this. “Get insurance for a better rebirth”.

Have a great week.
SilentDog

‘Sorry’ isn’t really the hardest word.

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Tue, 3 Aug 2010 22:37:00 +0530

Apologies! Apologies!

My last post was published under the same feed title, “These Boobs will bust your Monday morning blues”, not because I was trying to capitalize on breasts to enhance my blog traffic, but because, apparently, I had not saved the new title under my email branding settings. It’s not as easy as A B C, as blog platforms always like to claim. Blogging needs discipline and commitment, and sometimes, I lack both.

And here is another thing. Something awesome happened to me last week. I was delighted to find one of my articles published in Singapore’s AdAsia magazine. Seeing your work published on real paper, still matters to most writers. I know we need to think differently, at least for the sake of those trees. But it takes time. The article carried six cheap, but killer, social media marketing ideas. Now that they are in the public domain, I can freely share them with anyone I please. So, I will turn the article into an ebook, which you can download for free, from my blog. So, with that, I think we should be square.

If you discarded my previous mail as duplication, here is the link to that post, “why bother washing your hands after using the loo”

Await the ebook

SilentDog

Why bother washing your hands after using the loo?

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Mon, 2 Aug 2010 21:28:00 +0530

Image via Wikipedia

This is not a revelation. Guys, in general, don’t wash their hands after using public toilets. So, when they don’t, to me, others doing so, seems futile. Imagine. I wash my hands and then have the daunting task of getting out of the loo, without contracting the germs of others who had not washed theirs’. The doorknob isn’t really the culprit, considering that if there was no door, we could walk out without touching one. But eliminating the door is not a solution that all of us would agree upon. It leaves too much to deal with, from aesthetics to hygiene.

Another alternative is to fix a wash basin just out side. Again, it’s too complicated logistically, and aesthetically unappealing. Getting cleaners to wipe down the door knob after every person, or fixing remote-sensor doors, could be too costly and may not always be the most sensible option. How about designing a ‘snakeskin’ type doorknob, which sheds it’s ‘skin’ every time you use it? Well, if you have a lot of time on your hands, work on that. You could be the proud owner of its patent, one day.

I am sure there could be hundreds of solutions, but the way forward is if we can find a solution that is cheap and easy. Here is an idea for a brand of waterless hand sanitizers, that could be placed just outside. It will get you noticed, and tell people that you think a bit further than your competition, especially if that brand has secured a place inside the washroom.

“Have you just come out of a public washroom?
It is time to look for the ones you dearly love.”

SilentDog

These boobs will surely bust your Monday morning blues

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:02:00 +0530

If they are still continuing, that is. Hopefully, inspiration from these magic boobs will trigger some great ideas inside your head. Personally, I love this campaign for several reasons. It's clever, cheap and engaging. And based on an insight, men are known to be nothing but overgrown babies! (Can't see the video? Click here)

Check out these boobs! from nienaut on Vimeo.

The second vid is created by Improv Everywhere, a company boasting about causing scenes in public places. (Can't see the video? click here.)

Like what you saw?

Get a free subscription by registering your email id.

Catch you soon

SilentDog

Why it is better to be a dentist

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 20:35:00 +0530

                   (Can’t see the picture? click here)

Yes, ultimately, after all those long hours of studying, specializing and practicing, they become a mere ingredient in toothpaste. It is the ultimate answer to those profound questions, “what is the purpose of life?” and “Why am I here?” So if you are a dentist, you have your excuse to hit the pub tonight.

On a serious note, marketing skills aside, this is nothing but a sheer lack of common sense. The proposition, “Professional clean with a dentist like ingredient” is absolute, positive, disgusting drivel. These folks don’t know what a proposition is. Now, it may already be too late to learn, because the buzz around the branding circles suggests that branding needs to evolve from propositions to more engaging platforms. Critics suggest that propositions are far too assertive and that, in these digital WOM (word of mouth) times, they deter people from getting engaged. But, still, we see a lot of propositions. So it is worth explaining.

If I draw an analogy from general human behavior, a proposition is akin to why you would flirt with another, while you are already committed. Why? You already have a spouse, or what you use now, but you still think it is worth a try when she/he mesmerizes you, however fleetingly. Thankfully, switching a brand won’t cost you as much as it does to split up your home and kids.

Here are some good propositions. “Power to you – Vodafone”, “Let your fingers do the walking – Yellow Pages”, “All the news that’s fit to print - The New York Times”.

This brand of toothpaste believes that their ‘dentist like ingredient’ will make consumers switch from their regular brand of toothpaste.

The question is, will you?

SilentDog

iPhone app makes your BF wear condoms!

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:25:00 +0530

There are a zillion iPhone applications, from lie detecting to figuring out what your next hair style should be, but none to beat the Durex Baby application. Although done as a trial, it’s super cool and insightful. Remember, men are a clueless bunch anyway and based on the behavior of men, their aversion to wearing condoms and the fact that they don’t give a shit about STDs, this innovative application shows men the downside of not wearing condoms. It makes a great connect between condoms, men, contraceptives and the brand in question, Durex. Click here.

Is your marketing insightful? Does it connect with people?

Give it some thought.

Don't forget to wear a condom tonight!

SilentDog

Why men are clueless

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:12:00 +0530

In the course of my random thoughts, it occurred to me. Seriously, why don’t men ever ask for directions?

This doesn’t apply to me though, because I am an avid traveler and I tend to stop every now and then to ask for directions whenever I am behind the wheel. In fact, I stop and ask way too often and I will always end up asking more, and usually unrelated, questions. Over the last weekend, we went on a road trip from Colombo to the forgotten kingdom in Yapahuwa, and then turned right back around and drove down to Kalpitiya and onward to Negombo. During the more than 500kms we traveled, I must surely have asked for directions more than a few dozen times. My motivation to stop and ask is more than just for directions. In Galgamuwa I asked a man for directions and we ended up talking about his shoe shop and fast moving shoe designs. I indulge in asking for directions because it is truly an opportunity to learn something new every time.

To a great extent, we Sri Lankans being these weirdly wonderful people, helps me do this. If strangers don’t ask us personal stuff, we get highly offended. Coming from a place known for it’s genuine hospitality, we consider them to be aloof and indifferent. Quite often, I end up discussing very personal stuff with strangers I would never meet again.

So seriously, why don’t men in general, ask for directions?

To me it seems, asking other men for directions is futile, because they are usually as clueless as you are. Then why don’t men ask women for directions? On the suggestion of my partner, the few times I asked women, they were spot on.

Now this raises another question. Why do women get their directions right, almost every time? This hurts my male ego, but truth be told, women are far more intuitive and possess higher levels of awareness, than their male counterparts. But specific to the question of directions, it could simply be that if you stop on some street and ask a woman for directions, the chances of her being a local from that very area are significantly higher than if it were a man, men being the eternal wanderers!

Still, look at the obscured truth in the question itself. “Why don’t men ask for directions?” Obviously, men would not make such negative observations about themselves, so we can safely assume that the observers of this notion about men, are predominantly female. So, by any chance, if you asked for directions from a woman on the street and were impressed that she got it right, you will still get lost because the woman in the car with you, will give you grief over that!

So if you are a man, get lost on your own. It’s the manly thing to do!
Hopefully, soon, Google maps will come to the rescue.

See you on the catwalk!

saj009@gmail.com (Silentdog) — Mon, 5 Jul 2010 14:19:00 +0530

I read this horrifying article on Telegraph, about how Australia is forcing magazines to carry an air brush warning.

Under a new code of conduct for the fashion industry, magazines must now agree to refrain from heavy retouching of body parts, including the common practices of lengthening of legs, removing of freckles and trimming of waistlines. The Australian government’s latest strategy to tackle body image and eating disorders now requires that where photographs have been altered, all images must carry a disclaimer. I felt momentarily sorry for my fellow art directors, knowing how painstakingly they work on models’ images, to make that perfect piece of communication. Before we know it, this law will filter down to the Advertising circles. It is just a matter of time.

So is it really bad news for the fashion industry?
Most of us will assume that this is bad news for the fashion industry and for those who dream of taking up a job, strutting the cat walks. There will be fewer models earning more, we could assume. But, I think, this new law will the benefit the fashion industry in toto. How? Brands are good at exploiting laws. So, instead of scrambling to find those zero size models, they would rather turn to real people to showcase their products. This means that now there will be a larger population of potential models, my guess being that every other person will eventually become a model. :)

And what exactly will these potential models do?

Consume more fashion products, ofcourse. And considering that all of us are born with the ‘ape syndrome’ anyway, we will end up consuming more. This will be the ultimate Armani dream, coming true.

So see you on the ramp soon.

SilentDog

SilentDog

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