Sylvianism

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly – 2 (Advertising Feature)

// April 21st, 2009 // 2014 Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2009/04/21/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-2-advertising-feature/The+Good%2C+The+Bad+and+The+Ugly+-+2+%28Advertising+Feature%292009-04-21+04%3A09%3A01Sylvian // Marketing

I am back with my advertising feature.

The Good

There can be lot of likes and dislikes to this brand. But the majority will like the advertising ideas of this brand. From the simple catchy Mango Frooty, Fresh N juicy jingle to the path breaking Digen Verma campaign, they have carved a niche in their segment.

The latest positioning makes even more stronger statement. The ad starts with a very intriguing image of a guy trying to suck the remaining out of the juice bottle. And its followed up with images of adults trying to do the same, which we would have done during our childhood. And we would have definitely got some bad scoldings from parents and if we do the same now, our friends would say Grow Up …

The ad ends up with the usual jingle asking Why Grow up?
A very strong proposition, wonderful positioning and nice execution. Watch it for yourself …

I love it just for the different concept as you see run of the mill ads in the same segment.

The Bad

The Bad doesn’t mean its really bad. It can even become good at a later point. When you see Vodafone ads, you have this very happy feeling. Stunning visuals, simple concept and lovely execution.

If you see the latest Vodafone ads coming up for IPL, you cant say any of those. There is something missing in it… I dunno what. Can you get it?

The Ugly

When do you take a trip on your competitor? You should either be superior in quality or you should be a cult brand or at least you should be famous with the people.

If you are not all three and you take a ride on your competitor, you end up like a fool. Microsoft always look like foolish blond when they come up with new advertising campaigns. The latest laptop hunters campaign speaks about the affordability vis a vis Apple Macs. Apple never speaks about low cost or affordability.

They speak about the quality of the product and the value you get for the price you pay.. And when you do a campaign on pricing, you are a blind man shooting in the dark…. Microsoft, why dont you grow up? ( in this segment, you have to grow up)

How to market your product to Indian Bureaucrats and Politicians?

// April 4th, 2009 // 152No Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2009/04/04/how-to-market-your-product-to-indian-bureaucrats-and-politicians/How+to+market+your+product+to+Indian+Bureaucrats+and+Politicians%3F2009-04-04+15%3A22%3A30Sylvian // Marketing

Do you know how to market your products to Indian Politicians and Bureaucrats? Ah there is one simple way – Money but how do you attract them to even look at your product? How will you do your advertisements?

A few ideas

1. Showing bribe offers in the advertisement – 30% commission on the purchase of the product.

2. Showing some plush properties as a gift.

3. “Sting Operation Free” assurance.

I dunno whether you will see these kind of adverts but one intelligent Israeli company (that’s a universal truth. I haven’t seen a dumb Jew) has come up with a sexy ad for wooing the Indian bureaucrats and politicians. Rafael (Rafael Advanced Defense Systems) has made a bollywoodish advertisement. They have some dancers dressed in India lehengas with all missiles all around as props. The most important part is the song – “Dinga Dinga Dee” and the way it has been written. It speaks about security, protection and being together …

Have a look at it …

Freakonomics reported that they eventually sold some missiles to Indian Government after the ad and Times of India is angry about it. If you have a Google search for it, most of them feel it atrocious. But as a marketer, i thought it was intelligent, cheeky and extremely innovative. Your take…?

P.S: I think the music is a copy of an hindi song, I am unable to identify it. Give it a try.

April 1- Why its not a Fool's Day?

// April 1st, 2009 // 1472 Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2009/04/01/april-1-why-its-not-a-fools-day/April+1-+Why+its+not+a+Fool%26%23039%3Bs+Day%3F2009-04-01+03%3A57%3A43Sylvian // Events

April 1- the day everybody calls April Fools day. The day you play prank on people. The day you have fun.

The origin of the day is not so concrete. Some say the name originated to make fun of people in Roman Empire, when they celebrate Spring Day prematurely in April rather than May 1. Some say it originated in France to bully those oldies who celebrated the New Year on April 1 even after King Charles changed it to January 1.

Anyways it has become a tradition that whatever you do that day becomes a action of a fool. But some people are born to break the rules.

On April 1, 1891, the Wrigley company was started.

On April 1, 1976 Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started the Apple Computers. And they showed why world will not be the same after Apple.

On April 1,2004 Google introduced Gmail to the world and it changed the way people looked at emails.

April 1 is the birthday of Otto Van Bismarck,Edgar Wallace, Abraham Maslow, Stephen Fleming etc.,

Somehow I get a feeling that April 1 is not the day of fools but the day on which success written all over

P.S: Looking for some more April 1 startups and successes… Give your list as comments will update this post.

iPhone App of the Day – Free Memory

// March 20th, 2009 // 133No Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2009/03/20/iphone-app-of-the-day-free-memory/iPhone+App+of+the+Day+-+Free+Memory2009-03-20+12%3A00%3A43Sylvian // Tech News

Most of the iPhone related blogs give out information about the apps, which are mostly useful in the US. None give a Indian perspective except a few. I thought I would give my hands on experience of this magic device.

My first app feature would be on something very useful to all the iPhone users. I dunno how many Indian users are high volume data users, but anyways this app will be useful for those who feel their memory is clogged.

The application is called Free Memory, which frees your phones memory to 20 MB. It actually clears all the cache in the phone’s memory. Get it right, it’s not the storage part but the RAM. IPhone has a 128 MB RAM. The video will give you a better idea. The video is from Chris Perillo.

My experience with the app is exceptional as I use a lot of applications and I switch applications in a jiffy. For a high usage iPhone user, this one is a must have. You will see that the clog clears like a breeze after using it.

4/5 for this essential app and it comes at $ 0.99

Click here for iTunes Link

The Axe Marketing

// March 9th, 2009 // 1356 Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2009/03/09/the-axe-marketing/The+Axe+Marketing2009-03-08+23%3A38%3A48Sylvian // Marketing

It was boring Monday morning for me. I was taking my break fast (bread toasts) and watching tv. I always loved to watch advertisements and comment on it. Another advantage is that it helps me in business quizzing.

I saw this ad on tv.

I think everyone will love Axe ads. If not love it, it would have made you curious. I love the innovative ads they make. The famous train ad to the controversial chocolate man ad all their ads are intriguing. I was thinking about this latest ad while coming in bus ( I am typing this post with my iPhone). I was curious about the number in the ad and called up the number.

It answered Hi I am Tanya, would you take me for a ride in your bike? Press 1 if yes and press 0 if No

I was startled and sweetly surprised at the way these guys working out a marketing idea. I pressed 1. Then she said you can win prizes if you really have an axe effect and I will call you up daily for 5 days at the specified time. I created the alarm for 7.30 daily.

I got a message after the call explaining the contest and if I want to opt out. I left it as such to see how it works.

Sometimes I admire the way some marketing guys work out an idea. This one is extremely innovative, well executed and absolutely viral. And the wonderful part is it fits with the brand identity to the T. I have seen a lot of promotions which doesnt gel with the brand image and failing miserably. Only a handful stand out in the crowd like the Axe Effect.

P.S: 1.Before ending the call Tanya asked me whether I want to talk to her friend Natasha and the call went on…

2.The number is STD number and all are recorded voices. So have balance in the phone and some patience.

Company: Hindustan Unilever
Agency: Lowe Lintas

Play while you Tweet

// March 6th, 2009 // 134No Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2009/03/06/play-while-you-tweet/Play+while+you+Tweet2009-03-06+04%3A40%3A23Sylvian // Tech News

I believe Twitter is the 10th wonder. This platform is showing endless possibilities and limitless opportunities. And some people are using it in a interesting way too.

I think nobody feels Tweeting is boring nor does one get tired. But to make it interesting some guys have started to evolve it has a interactive gaming platform.

www.twitter.com/BeatMyTweet has a simple unscrambling of English words game. The words are simple to crack but definitely interesting.

www.twitter.com/TwitBrain gives you simple math problems to solve. The twitterers are so fast that most problems are cracked within 60 seconds. Both have a online leaderboard list where you can compare yourself with others.

Mind you, the games are extremely addictive and your manager catching you looking for tweets is high on the cards. BeatMyTweet guy has his screen name very appropriate – OfficeEvil.

P.S. I know you would be thinking about 8th and 9th wonders. 8th is Google and 9th is iPhone.(according to me)

Happy Tweeting and happy playing. Follow me on twitter @ www.twitter.com/sylvianpatrick

Update:

I have a found a new quizzing Twitter game too. www.twitter.com/Tweet_Quiz

Bebo, My Stupidity and Apologies

// December 28th, 2008 // 118No Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2008/12/28/bebo-my-stupidity-and-apologies/Bebo%2C+My+Stupidity+and+Apologies2008-12-28+13%3A24%3A28Sylvian // Tech News

I am currently using Ping.fm to make status updates to a host of Social Networks. It’s a awesome service, which i am happy about. It had a list of social services, which i was not part of and I randomly chose Bebo to Join.

The sign up page was so simple and I thought “Ok, these guys don’t ask me too many information.” Then the usual search page came up, where I will be able to give my mail id and they will find my contacts who are present in Bebo. They found mine and about handful of them were already there, it also gave some friend suggestions and usual list of non-members whom I can invite. 

It was all fine untill then.. They had three “Add Friends” buttons, as if they were for 3 different sections – Existing Members, Friend Suggestions and Non-Members. I checked out some of the existing members and clicked ‘Add Friends’ button at the top, which i thought was for existing members. 

The next moment it moved me to the next page of profile completion and then i realized my stupidity… I have been fooled at last to send mails on behalf of Bebo to all my contacts requesting them to join Bebo. I have been double careful in sending invites. I have never asked anyone, who is not part of any site to join that site because i feel it’s like spamming and wasting their time.

I get 100’s of such invites from my friends each week and i used to scold them in my mind for sending such invites. It’s sheer spamming of your mail box according to me. If some one is already there, then it’s good to join their network but not forcing someone to join them. I have been so careful in using my contacts. But this time Bebo cleverly cheated me in to it with 3 Buttons.

1. They didn’t have a single announcement on what action will happen on 3 different buttons.

2. They didn’t have a Uncheck all button for the Non-Members.

3. Not even a message after sending the mails.

I accept it’s my mistake to think that there were 3 different buttons but how come I would know that these are same action buttons. If they can fool a normal tech savvy person like me to send invitations, they can definitely cheat some of my friends, who are not at all tech savvy. 

My Apologies

1. For sending you spam invitations from my mail id for Bebo

2. For scolding some of my friends who sent me such invitations

The End Result

I cancelled the account in Bebo and I am never going to join it. And I advice you not to join too.  Has any one got the same experience with any of social networks, post your thoughts.

P.S: I got this Tweet from Twetteurd on this  @sylvianpatrick stay away from crap like Bebo, tagged etc… They’re not social networking…they’re more like phishing..lol..

Wordpress App for iPhone-Review

// September 11th, 2008 // 100No Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2008/09/11/wordpress-app-for-iphone-review/Wordpress+App+for+iPhone-Review2008-09-11+09%3A25%3A15Sylvian // Tech News

I used the wordpress app in the morning bus ride to post a moblog. And I did succeed in it with minor hiccups.

Positives

1. It takes the formating of the original posts of your blog. For instance, I post blogs using justified text but this editor doesn’t have those formatting options. But it automatically took the settings from my blog. (Surprisingly nice)

2. The simplicity of the app. It doesn’t burden you with options you don’t need.

3.It automatically saves and retrieves the the text you have typed in case you want to attend a phone call between.

Negatives

1.I dunno why the post was scheduled for publishing after 4 hrs when I checked in admin panel of my blog. (have to check my settings.)

2. I tried to add a pic by using the “take now using camera” facility available with the app and the phone hanged.

3.The formatting options should have been given. Anyways it’s the first version so can expect more from the world’s best blog client.

So a 2.5/5 for the wordpress app. I will try to post with a pic tomorrow.. This whole post is made while travelling in D70 bus.

The Wordpress App for iPhone

// September 11th, 2008 // 99No Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2008/09/11/the-wordpress-app-for-iphone/The+Wordpress+App+for+iPhone2008-09-11+08%3A51%3A53Sylvian // Tech News

When the indiblogger meet happened In Chennai,Aravind made a presentation on moblogging.. I even took his expert advice in making one but I never could…

After the iphone coming in to my hands it’s atrocious if I don’t do that.. Shozu never lived up to my expectation.. I expected the same with Wordpress App for iphone.. I could not install it for the past three days and it’s because I could not give it’s due time for setting up my blog…
And atlast today with sheer determination I have set it up atlast… And this is my first mobile blogging experience using the wonder toy called the “iPhone” and for the review of the app, wait for the evening bus.

Google Browser

// September 2nd, 2008 // 98No Comments »http://www.sylvianism.com/2008/09/02/google-browser/Google+Browser2008-09-02+01%3A48%3A08Sylvian // Tech News

Well Well Well, Why people call the Google as the coolest company on earth, because you never know what they will launch the next day. Here comes the Google Chrome – the next generation browser from Google.

Google Chrome will be a combination of Google Apps, Gears and Cross platform browser…And ofcourse how did they announce it…with a cartoon. ( Common guys, they want to be the coolest company on earth)

More News

http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/09/01/no-joke-google-introduces-its-own-browser-with-a-cartoon/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7593106.stm

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/fresh-take-on-browser.html

Will i try it? I would try it if they give a mac version for me. But of course i love my Safari more than any other browser on mac. More head aches for the developers and designers around the world.