Facetious AD-Critique

Posted on March 26, 2013 by AbhishekAG

When it comes to advertisements, I’m embroiled in a very special love/hate relationship.

I hate TV advertisements because they interrupt my shows, that aside, I love everything else about them!
The weird world of ads never ceases to capture my imagination, from surreal settings, to lame slogans and hook-laced jingles! I’m enamored by the way brands choose their advertisement style and strategy.

However, there are some advertisements in the recent past that have left me unsettled and disgruntled.

Thums up:

Sticking true to their image of making ridiculous over-the-top ads, Thums Up doesn’t offer anything new in this particular TVC. My hopes for this brand were lowered beyond belief during the ‘Don’t be a Bandar, taste the Thunder’ campaign. That being said, I really have no expectations from this brand nor do I hold any grudges. But I absolutely love the product. Thums Up has to be the best soft drink ever!

So it saddens me a little when they make such ads.

Arbaaz Khan as the driver of the truck was irritating, but what ticked me off especially, was the treatment meted out to the general public! The scene where Salman gives a ‘Lift’ to the Thums Up van is so very depressing. When there is a traffic jam with so many people stuck on the road, isn’t it unfair to ‘Lift’ the whole truck and transport it, so that only Salman and his entourage can have a refreshing drink? What about the common man stuck in the traffic jam and sweating it out?
Very depressing.

2. Sony Experia Z:

So have you seen this teaser where Katrina Kaif talks about Sony releasing a new smartphone on March 12^th?

“Meet the phone you have never imagined” is what she says, while giving sneak previews of another generic looking smartphone.

Thanks Katrina. I would’ve preferred to have just imagined it though.

Maybe then, I’d have followed it up, curious to see the phone I could never imagine. What i’m trying to say is that, it would’ve done Sony a world of good if they hadn’t shown glimpses of the new phone.
But alas! Sony has many things to learn to successfully execute a buzz campaign.

3. Cinthol Deodorant:

This whole ad can be quite irritating, if overplayed, however I thoroughly enjoy the background score every time it’s on!

The highlight disappointment for me was ‘Alive is aww-saaam’ with that typical drawl. It’s not just the accent that perturbs me, but also the message, assuming there is one! Alive is awesome, go figure.
Very, very cringe-worthy.

4. Pepsodent Pro Sensitive:

Please accept my apologies as I’m unable to find a link for this Ad, in Hindi, so we will have to make do with Tamil.

Having watched innumerable dental care ads since childhood, I really didn’t pay much attention to this one the first time I saw it. Same old style of showing graphics of a tooth being attacked by germs with the same old toothpaste coming to the tooth’s rescue. However, all the old ads had a separate cut-scene where they would show a professional in a lab/clinic, who would further explain about the product features and benefits.

Not in this one.
“Meera, Lab.” He says! And poof she’s an expert!!

I can’t even begin to explain how silly that looks. So I won’t.

My condolences to the Ladies…Again.

Posted on December 19, 2012 by AbhishekAG

Delhi.

The country’s capital, known for its rich history and heritage, is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. For the benefit of those who have not yet heard or read about this latest phenomenon, amplified thanks to the power of social media, here is a brief summary of events.

A medical student in her twenties, who was traveling with her male friend in a bus from Munirka to Uttam Nagar area in west Delhi, was gang-raped by a group of men inside the moving bus and thrown off the vehicle near Mahipalpur in south Delhi on the night of 16^th December 2012. I do not wish to dwell on the specifics of the incident or the police investigation thereafter, for the plain reason that you can read it elsewhere. In a country where sensationalism is the bread and butter, so to speak, of the big-wig media houses; it’s not hard to find gory details about this incident. What I find interesting, is the nation’s response to this shameful act. The whole country is up in arms, while calls for protests are flooding websites like Facebook and Twitter.

It does seem like we have had enough.

The amount of dissent has reached such proportions, that our politicians are now compelled to talk about the situation. Now that’s quite an achievement for our society as a whole. The Chief Minister, Home Minister and Police Commissioner to name a few, have faced full-fledged criticism and are now under the gun to initiate some sort of change. In a span of 3 days, since when the incident was reported, the amount of activity on social media websites related to this incident has garnered such tremendous response, that it can’t be ignored any further.

What strikes me as particularly disturbing; is the new-found zeal to debate regarding the best form of punishment for the accused.

Hang them? Parade them in public? Let the victim shoot them? Castrate them? These are some of the suggestions and ideas that I came across, while people were discussing vehemently.

Why is the ‘aam aadmi’ entertaining such macabre thoughts?
The present laws are not harsh enough of course! How can we deter rapists and eve-teasers if our laws are not a reflection of the severity of the crime?

So are we implying that, equating rape with murder will ensure more women do not get raped? Is it a fool-proof method of saving our women-folk? Will fear of prosecution/conviction actually decrease the frequency of these incidents? It seems more like wishful thinking coupled with old-school barbarianism if you ask me.

In a land where the female form has always led a life of duality, one of the pious mother/wife and the other of the evil witch/vixen, it is but evident that the problem is not with the law.
The problem lies way deeper, within the labyrinth of the male psyche. Conflicting ideologies would be my best guess for this sort of sociopathic behaviour. Conflict caused by an existing image of a ‘Mother figure’ who embodies love, trust and purity as opposed to the ‘Modern Temptress’ who is attributed as western above everything. Torn between these images we are witnessing the coming of age of a new breed of men, who are confused and insecure about their feelings towards the fairer sex and thus develop these twisted notions on how to deal with them.

But of course, I’m not a psychologist. And I do not intend to provide a profile of the ‘Indian rape victim’ or the ‘Indian Rapist’.

The one point I’m trying very hard to make is that, people are misguided. Our fears and feelings of angst are misguided.
Sitting on a desk and planning a protest on Facebook for the cruelty faced by women in our country is a fabulous idea. I wish you all good luck with your protests and calls for change.
However, I would not count on them to actually make a change.

On behalf of our society, I offer my condolences to the ladies. Again.

Life Cycle Ride

Posted on October 18, 2012 by IBSAdministrator

I went through an amazing experience this Sunday. It was a ride to Darewadi on Satara Road with a group of Germans who completed their journey of 10,000 kms on Bicycles. They started their journey from Germany in April 2012 and completed their final leg of 10,000 kms in Pune last week. They have travelled all the way from Europe via Iran and Pakistan to India. Darewadi is 30 kms away from Pune. The to and fro distance to be covered on bicycle was 60 kms.

We began our cycle ride at 7.00 am on Sunday, 14^th October 2012. We were 20 of us including the cyclists from Germany. The journey began from Rajaram Bridge on Sinhagad Road.

It was early morning. Two of my fellow cyclists chatted with me for a while and left me behind. I was a little disappointed and thought they could have waited for me, could have gone a bit slow. I felt as if I should leave this journey at once. But then I looked behind and said, ah, there are people behind me. Great Deal! Let me push the pedal hard.

We reached the bridge connecting a valley after taking a turn from Sinhagad Road. The journey started becoming interesting. A bus full of children waved at us which was so motivating, I was glad I did not mind others going ahead of me at the start. I realized I was so foolish, it was not about going first; it was about finishing the journey.

Thanks to the mountains, Sun rays were not reaching us yet. And guess what, Maoushmi, the only girl of the elite group of four German Cyclists, meets up with me on her Bicycle who was on her way to complete final few Kilometers to make it a 10,000 kms mark. I chat with her for a while and push the pedal harder. She tells me a few experiences of her journey in Alps and Iran. It further boosts my morale.

Now we are in the great tunnel connecting us to Shinde Wadi on Satara Road. I have travelled through this tunnel umpteen number of times in the Car, closed windows and AC on. Never felt the real thrill of the Tunnel all this time. I entered the tunnel and felt as though there is so much darkness ahead. Life brings you surprises all the time to make it interesting and entertaining. The cars were rapidly moving past me and all cyclists were pushed to the wall to form a queue automatically. We followed each other without any competition or complex. It was not cyclist against cyclist any more but it was cyclist against automobiles.

The tunnel was unending. It was full of carbon emission and felt I might die due to suffocation. I was remembering if I did anything right to be remembered by others if it was my last breath. And here ended the tunnel. All of us relieved with fresh air and bright sunlight. So the good hours were back. We headed to Satara Road with rejuvenated enthusiasm and double the speed. All of us reach our next halt to receive water bottles which was like nectar to us and Peanut bars. Then I have a greater surprise. I am told now we are leaving the smooth highway which we travelled all along and taking a turn inside which is a village road. I try to find the road. There are more pits than the road. I take a deep breath and say “Oh my, charge up lady, you have a tough task ahead”. We begin our journey on a single lane so called village road. The people are coming from the opposite side and I hear a German saying Kshama Kara in Marathi, a synonym to Sorry. He says, to me, he finds the traffic of India amazing. Slightly embarrassed I say yes it is crazy. He then says, I go mad in Germany when people do not decide whether they want to go or not. Instead here in India, everyone wants to go and wants to go very fast. I laugh but in the heart of heart salute him for his positive attitude.

Then we reach the steep Ghats. This is deadly. Most of us are not able to cycle now. We hold our bicycles and keep pushing. We reach the peak and then with a slight slope and one turn we enter Village Darewadi. Villagers welcome us with drums and all the pomp up but more warmth. After spending two hours with them we descend our journey back home. Total 30 kms. On bicycle. 30 more for the return journey.

I am amazed at the descend of the same Ghats which I hated so much while climbing. I am almost flying now. I am at the top of the world. But I do apply brakes and try to remember the hardships I had to keep my feet grounded.

Same journey back home. However, feel so relaxed and triumphant. I feel proud of completing this cycle rally. It does not matter to me now, whether I am first or last. For that matter I am actually pedaling very slowly because, I do not want to give up now. I have the backup van right behind. It is tempting me to decide against pedaling. But I gather all my courage and pedal though the peaks, tunnels and amazing slopes. Afternoon sun is burning us now. But it is a journey back home hence nothing matters. And here I complete my final mile with accomplished feeling, light heart, heavy legs and numb arms.

Life is also a long cycle rally. It is more important to finish it than secure first place. There will be scary tunnels, bumpy rides and difficult ghats. But there will be easy slopes too. There will be people who will go ahead of you, but there will be more who will be close behind. It is more important to look at it positively and thank the almighty for whatever he offered. Sunshine or Darkness. Sunshine for a reason to smile and Darkness to wipe your tears without letting others know.

Contributed by Dr. Ashwini Sowani (Faculty & Placement Coordinator IBS Pune)

We’re serving Barfi! at the Oscars

Posted on October 1, 2012 by AbhishekAG

Anurag Basu’s Barfi! got the nod to be India’s official entry in this year’s 85^thAnnual Academy Awards. The Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Ileana D’Cruz starrer has garnered rave reviews across the country and seems poised to be remembered for years to come. Barfi! Seamlessly brings together heart-wrenching performances by the actors, while set in the breathtaking backdrops of Darjeeling and supported by an elegant yet powerful storyline.

After the initial aplomb, the movie was talked about in all forms of media- including the ever-growing social networks. However once the news of Barfi! going to the Oscars was confirmed, it has been receiving a lot of flak for being ‘unoriginal’ even to the point of calling some sequences plagiarized. Videos comparing sequences of Barfi! to some scenes from Charlie Chaplin movies, as well as other lesser known international movies have started surfacing. These videos have gone viral and a raging debate has ensued regarding the choice of the movie as India’s Oscar nomination.

Well as I have an aversion towards raging debates, let us try nipping this in the bud right here:

Why Barfi?! : Well this is simple enough isn’t it? If public opinion and box office numbers don’t speak volumes, then we have enough critics to back this movie as one of the best ones this year.

How Barfi?! : As per the Oscars committee rules, the 11-member jury comprising of people associated with films, like directors, technicians etc., watch 20 Indian films in different languages. Barfi! didn’t get all 11 votes, but it was chosen by the majority. It was subsequently learnt that Kahaani, Heroine and Gangs Of Wasseypur were other contenders from the Hindi section of movies. Yes, I was equally surprised to see Heroine in that list!

Who before Barfi?! : It’s interesting to note that of the last 45 movies which were sent to the Oscars by India, only 3 managed to get nominated for the Academy Award Best foreign language film category. Lagaan being the latest after Mother India and Salaam Bombay!

The Academy Award is an award bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors and writers.

Yes, it’s American. So why are we lining up our movies, short-listing them and picking a winner to send to the Oscars? The media of course! For the coveted Best Foreign Language Film award as well as a chance to showcase our movie industry along with the rest of the world.

Why not Barfi?! : In one word? Unoriginal. Not a unique work of art.

Well this seems like a weak reason to slam this movie. Though there are striking similarities in Ranbir’s demeanor in some of the action sequences to that of Charlie Chaplin’s, it’s a far cry from being copied. It is evident that Barfi! is inspired by some of Charlie Chaplin’s works, but that’s all there is to it. Anurag Basu’s masterpiece can’t be tainted by offering minutes of video footage from older movies wherein some scenes may look similar!

Barfi! & Controversy: How can we send a plagiarized movie to the Oscars?!

Well you didn’t seem to notice that the first time you saw the movie did you?

Only after talks about Barfi! being unoriginal started appearing online along with the viral video comparing scenes from the movie, did people start discussing heavily regarding this subject. Every movie can seem like it’s been plagiarized if you spend enough time researching it! The bottom line is that for a movie, which breaks the traditional song and dance routines of Hindi movies and attempts to tell a tale in a different way, Barfi! deserves way more credit than what has been given to it.

As the process of selecting a movie and sending it to the Academy is based on a vote (Just like our esteemed and beloved political system), the results are never quite satisfactory.

That should not be a major concern. The industry maturing to a point where we get to see movies such as Barfi! is reason enough for celebrations!

Personally I’d have preferred to see Gangs of Wasseypur 1 & 2 sent as a package deal to shock and awe the Academy, but that’s just me.

Independence Day #66- Start your fight

Posted on August 14, 2012 by AbhishekAG

So year after year the whole nation gets together to commemorate India’s independence from the British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation. The beloved tricoloured flag adorns every nook and corner of the country. As a community that loves to celebrate, we take full advantage of this national holiday as well. I can already foresee a barrage of sms’ and every social networking site flooded with patriotic messages. From songs about our country’s greatness to movies portraying the heroics of our soldiers, Independence Day truly captures the whole country’s imagination.

For one day.

Even though this is the 66^th time we are celebrating our independence, we seem as confused about it as the first time. We embrace the diversity that exists amongst us, while glorifying everything Indian and basking in our pride of being part of such a great nation. We forward messages and wish each other a ‘Happy Independence Day’ while remembering our past struggles and how we overcame them.

But, the very next day we go back to living our lives.

Freedom is an elusive term:

The state of being free or at liberty rather than inconfinement or under physical restraint.
Exemption from external control, interference, regulation, etc.
The power to determine action without restraint.
Political or national independence.
Personal liberty, as opposed to bondage or slavery.

Of course we are celebrating political and national independence, but are the other interpretations of freedom impossible for us to achieve?

How free are we?

Are we really exempted from external control, interference, regulation?

Can we actually determine actions without restraint?

Finally, is every individual of our country liberated from bondage or slavery?

I don’t think so.

I don’t have a solution, or a practical approach to deal with any of these issues (if we can call them that).

However I do believe that on this day, when we remember history and all that our forefathers stood for, we should realize that some things are worth fighting for. And fight we must.

Let this day be a reminder to constantly struggle against any form of oppression. Our freedom struggle was characterized by the absence of violence and that is a great distinction to have, but it’s imperative that we embody the soul of freedom and fight for our rights. I do not want to highlight a particular cause that needs attention and help. I implore you to look around and inwards and find that cause.

And start your fight.

My condolences to the Ladies

Posted on July 19, 2012 by AbhishekAG

Guwahati.

A city formerly known as the “City of eastern light” and commonly referred to as the “Gateway” to the north east region of India has been in the spotlight recently due to an infamous incident. I don’t want to dwell on the details of this incident and the video which went viral, simply because enough has been spoken about it, and enough opinions have been formed already.

However I do want to dwell on a slightly sensitive topic which has been racing in my mind for quite some time now, even before the Guwahati-molestation case became a subject of national concern.

I want to talk about the conflict between two very distinct, yet heavily supported, points of view regarding the subject of a woman’s modesty being outraged. The opposing points of view being that “Women should know better i.e. they should dress carefully and be mindful of their surroundings” Vs “Rapists are the ones to be blamed”.

“Women should know better”

Well, this does seem like an archaic line of thinking and I can sense the blood of feminists across the board boiling with dissent. However I intend to provide a rationale for this line of thinking, only because it does exist. The rationale being that; we know there are men out there, who are capable of such dastardly acts, committing this crime day in and day out without signs of stopping anytime soon. The only course of action left for women to take, is to be scared and careful. It’s a sorry state of affairs to be in, but wouldn’t everyone rather be careful and avoid such incidents from happening to them? This thought first came across my mind a few years back, when one of my female friends voiced her concern about molestations and how it can be dealt with. The adage ‘Prevention is better than cure’ seemed befitting and that’s what I told her. I don’t want to entertain thoughts of equality of sexes and how even men can be victims, frankly because I do not hear or read of many men being molested or raped in India, and not liking it.

2. “Rapists are the ones to be blamed”

This line of thinking does not need much elaboration or discussion but I will give it the due attention. Simply speaking the blame lies only on the offender and it should in no way be shifted to the victim. Let her be dressed provocatively or highly inebriated, it does not give any person the right to abuse her or take advantage of her. When men can walk around anywhere anytime of the day, dressed however they please, why should women be singled out for their choice of clothes or the places where they choose to be? However such double-standards don’t just exist in our country, but are prevalent to an extent that we can’t imagine. All these double standards have come into existence only because women are subject to more sexual offences than men. Period.

I do not intend to compare and say that one of the above approaches is better than the other, or that one is right and another is wrong. Good or bad are words of subjectivity and i’ll let them stay that way. I only intend to lay down the consequences, because they are concrete. The 1^st approach, no matter how narrow-minded it may seem, will lead to a future where women are constantly judged for their outlook as well as behavior. The 2^nd approach does aim to free the victim of any responsibility for the crime, but does it cleanse the trauma faced by her?

Truth be told, sexual deviants are criminals just like thieves and arsonists. The degree of their crime varies from groping to rape and assault. What amazes me is that when such an incident unfolds in full public view, how does the culprit manage to escape? Would the same happen if someone tried robbing someone in broad daylight? Wait a minute, yes it probably would!

As a society we are a group which just loves to look and ogle. Starting from drunken brawls, to petty thievery, people choose to distance themselves from an incident unfolding in public. We pass the buck, and we do it with panache. “The police are responsible for safety, why should I run behind a thief or molester?” Of course there are a few who would act in such a situation, but these few include the offenders in such incidents as well. So that makes for a really small group of people who would, without any self interest, act and help someone who is in trouble.

If being idle in such situations is not enough, we have another way to deal with such issues. We talk. We talk and talk and talk about what we think is right and how things should be done. Dissonance is a funny thing to have. The only way to rid oneself of it is by giving suitable explanations and achieving some sort of closure. We do this by talking. What we ideally do, is discuss a topic to such an extent that all the possible arguments are exhausted and after gaining that closure we move on. Carry on with our daily lives, hoping we would never be subjected to such torment.

Though this seems like a rather bleak outlook, it is the truth.

As a group of individuals, we do not act, instead we watch and we talk. (Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect if you don’t believe me)

I would love to be proved wrong.

I’d love to read about how a crime, on an innocent girl was stopped by a group of onlookers. I doubt that would happen anytime soon though.

On behalf of our society, I offer my condolences to the ladies.

The Impact of Online Graduate Programs

Posted on July 13, 2012 by IBSAdministrator

Today’s post by Linda Zabriske touches on an issue important to IBS and all other learning institutions providing advanced degrees—online graduate programs . Her article will discuss the potential drawbacks of these programs and what still needs to be done to bring them up to par with traditional learning environments. Zabriske currently collaborates on a site for people interested in learning about graduate degree programs.

As online education rises worldwide and more students get additional certifications and complete doctorate programs remotely, many economists speculate the massive influx of e-learners will have a continuous impact on the global market, though not necessarily in a positive way. In theory, web-based learning should provide much-needed opportunities for students. But many employers posit that traditional college is still the most effective channel by which to receive education – and they note the rise of online programs is merely over-saturating the job market with under-qualified applicants.

Yet, online college education is now a worldwide phenomenon.

Some countries have seen massive growth in online college education in recent years. The 2011 Sloan Consortium reported that more than 6 million American students – or roughly one-third — were enrolled in at least one online class. Over the past decade, the United Kingdom also recorded a 28% increase in the overall number of undergraduate and graduate students – and the advent of online learning is partially credited. While enrollment numbers in India are still low, the nation recently launched the National Knowledge Network, a one billion dollar project that virtually connects more than 1,500 colleges and universities across the nation. And though only 384,000 Canadian students, or 11%, enrolled in at least one online class last year, the nation’s largest web-based academic provider, Canadian Virtual University, has reported a steady rise over the past decade.

But to many, the online college spike is not a good thing. Compared to ‘traditional’ college, web-based higher education presents a number of challenges that are problematic to graduates-turned-job applicants. Some critics have posited that online university courses are overall inferior to campus-based courses, citing inexperienced faculty and insufficient course materials. Others argue that online curricula vary nation-to-nation, and this subjectivity goes against the universality that is crucial to global economic progress. Currently, many online programs are only practical if the graduate plans to work in his or her home country. Finally, critics have also voiced concern about the lack of standardized material, a deficiency that hinders development on a global scale.

Many groups and organizations are hard at work to mitigate these challenges. For instance, in November 2011, panelists for the World Innovation Summit for Education agreed that online education should be subjected to universal standards in order to benefit the global economy. Significant aspects of this system would include a standardized curriculum, faculty orientation and training and a strong system of student and peer support that students can utilize throughout their online program. The panel also identified contextual challenges that might hinder a universal system, such as cultural/language misunderstandings, varied learning styles/academic standards and public perceptions of e-learning as a viable educational outlet.

Despite these efforts, public perception of online learning programs remains speculative. “Presently, the job market is more willing to hire an entry-level online graduate in accounting than a high-level marketing executive with an online graduate degree,” wrote Global Economic Intersection contributor Brooke Folliot. She noted the overall economic impact of these programs would be significant – and ostensibly quite positive – if online academics were held in the same high regard as traditional college. But most online graduates are currently unable to find work, and the increased number of unemployed and underemployed individuals – many of whom are forced to default on their student loans — has merely hurt the economy.

The rising number of online students heralds a new, digital age of global education. However, the transition will not be complete until web-based programs are in equal standing with campus-based academics. In order for online education to benefit the global economy, employers must begin to consider graduates of these programs for positions that might otherwise be awarded to traditional degree-holders.

Authored by Linda Zabriske.

5ForFb

Posted on June 28, 2012 by AbhishekAG

This post is just a tongue-in-cheek outlook on the most happening Social Networking Portal- Facebook.

After a disheartening IPO the mania that used to be Facebook, is diminishing every succeeding day. Maybe people are just getting bored of Facebook, or maybe this is just another phase in the effervescent life-cycle of Facebook. Only time (and Mark Zuckerberg perhaps) can tell how the growth of this portal will affect our lives and how we connect with people.

Facebook is not without its flaws however, here are a few that irked me and I personally found bothersome.

1. “Dislike” is a heavily demanded for button.

Think about it.

X- I’m so happy with my life, my car, my wife, my bottle… and here are the pictures for you to see and like!!

Y- Dislike.

People are really craving for this button to materialize on Facebook. Everybody wants to share their discontent/displeasure regarding topics that crop up on their network. No need to give a lengthy comment to defend one’s stance on a topic, a simple click on the ‘Dislike’ button will do the trick.

If I was motivated enough I would have made an online petition, pleading people to like & share for the “Cause of the ‘Dislike’ button”. And include a false promise like “If 10000 people share this post, Facebook will incorporate the ‘Dislike’ button!” but, obviously, I’m not motivated enough.

2. “Comment” is an overrated button.

My parents always advised me against commenting on other people’s affairs. It’s intrusive to say the least.

My parents are terribly old-fashioned though and have no idea about how Facebook has changed the definition of the word ‘Comment’. It is however very interesting to notice how Facebook, through its many changes to the interface is encouraging comments. If you scroll down through your news feed, you will notice your display picture at the end of every post along with the caption ‘Write a comment…’.

The step of clicking on the ‘Comment’ button has been eliminated, thus enticing (the laziest) users to share their opinions regarding posts.

3. “Disable Comments” would be a lovely option to have.

Youtube has it. So why not?!

It’s a crude form of imposed censorship, but it does give people more control over their content and how they would like to share it. And let’s face it, this will help reducing the immense amount of spam that is being generated these days only through comments.

4. “Home” tab is inappropriate nomenclature.

Do I need to elaborate?

‘Home?’ In which twisted way? Agreed that every website has a ‘Home’ page and that it is important for the identity of the brand, but does Facebook need to call it ‘Home’?! Why can’t it just be called the ‘News Feed from Friends’ or ‘News’ if length is the issue! They say “Home is where the heart is”, well I sure don’t want my heart to be in my Facebook Home page, or anywhere else except for my chest cavity.

Isn’t the concept of home dedicated to a close nurturing group of people (Family) who help each other live & survive? ‘Home’ on Facebook, is slightly less pious than that.

5. “See Friendship”

Disbelief was what I felt the first time I chanced upon this tab.

Horror was the succeeding emotion, as I visualized a time in the near future, where everyone is connected and life is lived through the internet.

No more going out in public, no more chatting over a cup of coffee.

Every person’s whims and fancies will be catered to, online.

Every product as well as service, will be available online and tailor-made for each end user.

Isn’t this the web-based utopia we are heading towards as a community? To try and establish a perfect market on the internet? Well what happens to the human connection in this future?? Will all our conversations be online??

“See Friendship” would be a really useful button at that point of time.

Why all this fuss about Cricket being in the limelight???

Posted on June 22, 2012 by IBSAdministrator

Since the last few years, there is a lot of fuss in India saying that Cricket is a very much hyped game and the only game in limelight in India. Many big names in the journalism industry keep on writing articles as to why not any other game and why only cricket?

According to me, what is wrong in Cricket being the only game in limelight in India? Cricket is a game which is easily accessible to each and every kid during childhood. It is a game attached with both the mass and the class. Ever seen a middle class or a lower middle class kid playing Tennis, Snooker or Golf on his society streets?

Cricket is the only game that a kid plays and as he grows up, his love for the game continues, hence he hypes or pushes this game into the limelight. Yes, there are other games also which are commonly played which include Badminton or Carrom etc. But ever seen TV coverage of these games as frequent as Cricket? No. Cricket has a connect with the lives of Indian audience.

Now if something is not covered on TV or in the print media, how would one be aware about the tournaments and schedules of that particular game or how will one have knowledge about that game itself?

Yes, I do agree that like Sachin Tendulkar or MS Dhoni in Cricket, we have other high performers and famous players also. For eg. Take Vishwanathan Anand, who recently won the Chess World tournament, but do you expect an average minded person to learn or develop interest in Chess. Its not at all possible.

Take Saina Nehwal, she recently won the Indonesian Open for the third time, but many of us who love watching or playing Badminton never knew the schedule of the tournament.

There have also been sporting legends in these games who have gained a lot of popularity and has given a brand image to their respective sport. Take Major Dhyan Chand or P.T. Usha for an example. There was a time during Major Dhyan Chand era that hockey was the most famous sport in India. But did hockey, hockey federation or players save this image of hockey? Of course not. There may be many reasons for the same but degradation of the sport has been there, which is a practical fact.

Cricket as compared to that has been always routed in the hearts of Indian fans since ages. Now if a sport is able to dominate the Indian sports viewer crowd, what is wrong in that??? Why do people have problems with that?

Another factor which keeps someone linked to the sport is the performance by the sportsmen. During the last hockey world cup which was hosted in Delhi, we had lots of awareness and promotions being done by private players also. This had in fact created hype about hockey as well as the tournament gained good viewership. But the Indian hockey team disappointed with just 1 win in the entire tournament and it was difficult to again gain the same viewership in the next hockey tournament.

Cricket as compared to this has good sportsmen, who perform better in their tournaments as compared to other sportsmen. Yes, we do have losses series after series in Cricket as well, but that is not the regular status which is the case in other sports.

We can not to blame the satellite television providers for this as; they are here to do business. They will telecast what has TRP or what can give them maximum revenues. If IPL gives them more TRP then Indonesian Open or the Chess World Tournament, no doubt they will telecast IPL.

If there is someone who can do something on this, it is the media. They can spread a word of awareness for other games which in turn would generate the interest of the Indian audience. But this group of people are busy in writing or showcasing what has maximum readership or viewership. Now a days, writing an article which has a headline “NO CRICKET” gains readership, hence authors and reporters who were once the most trusted and the most acknowledged, have turned into writing articles which excite people against cricket.

Even if there are people who are promoting other games there is no media coverage on the same. Just to describe a recent event, Shah Rukh Khan has shown interest in purchasing one of the Indian Football club, but there has been very less coverage of this event as compared to what Shahrukh does during IPL matches, what kind of alcohol does he consume to celebrate the victory and things like that.

My message to such media content writers is that, by writing such articles you can fool us and make us non-cricket viewers but you might also turn down sports viewers. As after Cricket we would not have any other option in sports left.

Hence instead of turning down Cricket, why don’t you educate us about other sports and develop our interest in other sports also. If in case an interest is developed, we would surely start having satellite coverage for these sports. If in case there are satellite coverage, there would be investments pouring down in the sport which would further develop the sport and the sportsmen.

Hence, instead of turning down a sport, why is not another sport being promoted to build an option for the sports loving crowd of India.

Contributed by Chirag Vaishnav(Batch 2006, IBS Bangalore)

IBS India Blog

Category Archives: Out of the Box