MxMIndia

Category: SANJEEV KOTNALA

  • Not every organisation has the capability, resources or a mindset to walk the Big Data and Data Analytics road, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Small Businesses Need Data Not Big Data

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    ‘Big Data’ and ‘Data Analytics’ is everywhere. It is the current buzzword, just like Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence and BlockChain. It seems unless you are not working with Big Data, you are not in business. However, not every organisation has the capability, resources or a mindset to walk the Big Data and Data Analytics road. Then what do they do?

    It reminds me of a question in IIM Ahmedabad first year. The problem was simple. How many Puri Bhaji packets must the vendor in Platform-II at Ahmedabad railway station make? He should neither waste and nor miss an opportunity to sell. It has sheets of probability tables of trains arriving, on time, probability of trains being late,  number of passengers alighting, passengers going to Ahmedabad, transit passangers, the likelihood of passengers being hungry and ordering Poori Bhaaij. Now that was real Big Data in 1985.

    We all had varied answer ranging from 28 to 169 packets. And we had our logic and rationale for the process we adapted to get to the solution.

    I asked this question to a business owner client of mine. His answer was straightforward. He said ‘forget the consultants and the data you are talking about.  If the vendor is enterprising, he will observe other vendors for two days, maybe err for the next 2-3 days. But, by Day 7, he will have his algorithm of deciding how many Poori Bhaaji packets to make.

     

    SMALL BUSINESS WITH CHALAK MALAK.

    I have the fortune of interacting with Chalak Malak, highly engaged owner of small- to medium-sized businesses. They are not capturing Big Data. Yet, they have all the relevant patterns at their fingertips.

    The Chalak Malak’s insight is based on his observations and an uncanny ability to connects the dots. The level of understanding is unbelievable. And, yes, most of these observations are ratified and endorsed by the excel-PowerPoint spewing MBAs and researchers in the company. These owners are not seeking data supported confidence.

    These owners work purely on observations. Their interactions with sales and market are their most valuable data point. At time hugely disjointed data. They do not encourage the interlinking of a multitude of variables. They focus on detailed microdata with limited variables that are essential to predict and control their business.

    They work with data that is easily accessible in the business and informative. Something that the organisation can make sense and understand the use of complex systems. It is just data; some data. Neither Big nor Small. Every data capture, recording and discussion are objective-driven and aiming at actionable insight. There is democratic discussion and ultimately a dictatorial approach which facilitate time-bound decisions and implementation.

     

    Unstructured Data.

    The Chalak Malaks in these small businesses are happy with such scarce data. They understand business is not all science. There is luck involved. They keep variables that are not in their influence and control outside the preview of discussion. Without Big Data and Data Analytics, they draw upon the predictive and prescriptive impact of their focussed data.

    The individual owners’ unstructured data mining ability is enormous. They can observe and analyse reams of data and come to a conclusion fast.

    They are not the CMOs looking for extension and a case study to create. They understand the need to act. They take the risk of acknowledging that failure is part of the process. They give themselves the time to Pause, reflect, absorb and move on with life.

    There is some sort of a black box in their brain. It uses acquired or genetically downloaded powers to analyse data, draw conclusions, unveil hidden patterns, with an undefined internal algorithm, define market trends and examine overt or covert customer preferences.

    Having made sense of the possibilities, they are only interested in actionable. They are least interested in ‘Gyan’ on background, opportunities, business environment and risk mitigation.

    We may interpret such decisions as gut-feel or biased. However, they are well informed and evaluated choices.

     

    Big Data Is Understood.

    They know of the existence of Big Data and data analytics. They know it requires a budget, resources allocation and talent for it to be leveraged. However, they understand their organisational culture and talent structure. They feel in the current stage, the internally generated data across minimal but crucial variables is what the business needs!

     

    Small Data Used In Big Way.

    If not, they are aware of the tools and inputs they could borrow from. They use their eCommerce partner for insights. Google Analytics tells them what the visitors are wanting. Social media acts as a listening post. The blogs and articles are trend analyser. E-mails on skeletally managed customer complaints and appreciation are their warning mechanism on quality and service. The everyday sales and cost reports are their health indicators. Market share is approximation through real groundwork on estimation validated by the sales staff figures. The healthy networked conversation with competitors and well-wishers help business environment understanding. They bank on their grassroots connect and relationship with vendors (mostly non-exclusive) to get early warning signals.

     

    Hate Grey Areas.

    There are rarely grey areas. They are comfortable in taking a polarised view, And that is more than enough.

    Segmentation is simplified. The consumer is a small, large, medium buyer, a repeat buyer or single user, a customer and/or a user. The data is not micro drilled but most likely aggregated. The regional and religion biases, taste and culture, form a different kind of filters while taking decisions.

    They are more dependent and sensitive to the Velocity; speed at which they can get data and Truth-fullness; how much they can trust the data. They are less concerned about the volume; quantity and size of the sample, And the Variety; depth and width of probe or multiplicity of parameters.

     

    Change Of Guard. Not Of Approach.

    The new generation taking over is all for robust non-challenged data. However, a few things do not change. Focus on crucial impact variables, eye on ROI, the confidence in gut feeling, willingness to learn and tweak and the speed of action.

     

     

  • Perhaps not till we move from Artificial to Alternate Intelligence, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Should Copywriters Fear AI-Powered Bots?

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    We are talking about the ad written by the Adweek Super Bowl bot. Adweek defines it as “an AI-powered creative force that generates ad concepts and posts them on Twitter”. These ad concepts were created using real brands and celebrities.

    Playfully, WIX.com went ahead and converted one of the ad concepts scripts as the voiceover for a real 40-second advertisement and pushed it in social media.

     

     

    Did we just make a video ad written by a bot? Yes, we did.@SuperBowlBot @Adweek https://t.co/9062iNUgjA pic.twitter.com/l59zTKIifX

    — Wix (@Wix) January 8, 2020

    It was an absolute lucid nonsensical copy, juggling non-contextual words that were primed to make some sense absurdly. I must check and stop writing like a bot.

    The visuals aid the ad concept. It is not too bad other than for the flower-flower repetition in the script.

     

    Adweek Super Bowl Bot

    The bot was trained on over 3,000 SuperBowl ad descriptions and powered by a cutting edge language generation model called GPT-2. GPT-2 is an open-source and its 1.5B parameter model released recently. It is touted as having a slightly better “credibility score” of 6.91 out of 10, but maybe not good enough to start making sense. However, as the machine continues to learn and creates more ad concepts, it will improve.

     

    Not The First Time A Bot Has Written Copy

    In 2018, Alibaba said it was using an AI Copywriting Tool that has passed the Turing Test. It has been generating copy for sites like Taobao and Tmall. It is capable of generating 20,000 lines of text per second and is used a million times a day!

    Now, the Alibaba e-marketing team sees e-commerce copy needs efficiency. Quite a lot of copy involves a high degree of repetitiveness. It needs variants and is a low-value work. A single product there might require up to 10 versions of copy for different ad formats and targeted audience.

    It is natural that for such work, AI-powered tools can reduce the repetitive and tedious copywriting workload for human teams. They can help leverage the massive database of the existing copy and advanced AI technologies. I must clarify, I have no direct experience of working with such tools.

    HubSpot Content Strategy Tool uses machine learning to suggest content ideas. It is designed to generate ideas based on current competition and relevance. It automatically conducts research into the topic to evaluate whether the idea is worth spending time on.

    Not the real copywriting but definitely writing on your behalf, Wordsmith analyses and transforms data into a personalised narrative including real-time content updates, complete narrative customisation, and an API for flexible publishing.

    Acrolinx is a content strategy alignment tool. It is AI-based and designed to read your content and analyse it for factors including tone of voice, style and approved language. Then it suggests corrections to ensure it does not fail the brand standards. Maybe, it is good to have one at the agency or the client’s end.

     

    WILL IT KILL COPYWRITING?

    I know that it is a natural question. The answer is simple. Not so soon. However, copywriting is not merely putting together words together in an impact generating way.

    Copywriting is about using words and generating ideas to take the creative leap from the focussed brief, in a way helping the brand or the service to leverage the identified consumer insight. It is to help trigger that emotional lever, ride that comparative advantage and or to press the nerve that will help in creating the desired perception in the mind of the audience.

    Though we do have machines capable of accessing all the Internet data and communicate in a very humanly way, they still lack in the emotional interpretation and expression. The algorithms have set commands and expressions. They project an emotion as per the code and not FEEL THE EMOTIONS or DEEP DIVE INTO THE HUMAN CULTURE AND CONTEXT.

    Christina Lu, general manager of Alimama marketing in 2019, clarified: “such copywriting tools allows people to devote more energy to richly creative work”. And I hope the rich copywriting that he is referring to is way beyond the AI-powered system as of now.

     

    What Is Ai Powered Bot And Systems Work For?

    In the digital era, there is a need for highly personalised content. And the need for it only keeps growing. There is also a need for iterations with it being expressed and re-written in numerous ways. The AI-powered tools are best suited to help manage such digital experiences. It will take on repetitive work where minor variation is required, and where there is a need to operate within constrained defined boundaries. Where timely fast action is of the essence, and there is currently no need or expectation of a creative leap. And that is not the real copywriting.

    One thing for sure, it will write the 100th or maybe the 100th hundred line with the same degree of alertness and involvement. Additionally, the tool could link with the big data and data analytics to hep real-time tweaks by deep mining to draw upon what is really working. In many ways, work through the big data – reflect the insights from Data Analytics and give you the highly personalised content.

     

    What Else The Bot Wrote?

    The bot has been busy writing ad concepts. And it is one creative force that keeps generating concepts without asking for time. Here are the two that it developed for DINSHAWS ice cream and for DUREX CONDOMS.

    Super Bowl ad concept: @DinshawOfficial

    (by request from @S_kotnala) pic.twitter.com/mEVC9y9Lls

    — The Super Bowl Bot (@SuperBowlBot) January 10, 2020

    Want to read what all it has busy on, maybe follow the SuperBowlBot on twitter.

    So, till the time, we don’t move from Artificial to Alternate intelligence. Till the machine does not develop the complete capability to understand the emotions and feel the emotion layered within the social and cultural context, rich copywriting should not fear it. How early or late will it happen, your guess is as good as mine.

     

     

  • IPL 2020 performance in many ways will define the difference between 'IS' and 'WAS', writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Dhoni’s Brand-I Value Is intact, but for how long?

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    So, BCCI dropped former Indian skipper M S Dhoni from the list of centrally contracted players. It was coming he has not been in the national team for some time since July 9 2019, when he played the World Cup semi-final. That is long enough a gap. Surprisingly, when so many questions are being raised, Dhoni has remained silent on his plans. Even Indian selectors and the board find themselves in murky waters with nothing much to comment on this mystical absence of words from him.

    Naturally, the marketing community questions, if and will the Brand Dhoni be eroded. And the answers are not surprising.

    Brand Dhoni has enough of stickiness. CSK has already indicated that he will be retained in 2021. IPL 2020 will be a test.

    In 2014, when MSD retired from Test Cricket, there were thoughts expressed that his association with the shorter format will extend brand Dhoni longevity.

    In fact, after five years, Brand Dhoni was performing spectacularly on screen. In 2016, Forbes, in its list of most valuable sports brands of 2016, stated that MS Dhoni’s brand value suffered a 48% year-on-year decrease. Dhoni, the only Indian on the list, was placed tenth in the athletes’ category.

    In 2019, Dhoni retained his position as the second cricketer (Rank 12) after Virat Kohli, captain of the Indian cricket, who topped the powerful celebrity brand list of Duff & Phelps.

    But then the aura for sports person remains as long as they play and in Dhoni case, it will not be different. And every time his name will come up in discussions, there is going to be a debate. However, everyone is expected to hedge his or her bets.

    Brand-I is the image that rests in the eye of the audience. It like product image is the result of experience and expectations. If Dhoni the non-continues to perform with a similar level of success keeps his coolness quotient buzzing and dominates IPL, his brand value will remain intact. However, every player has his life cycle as a brand. Sooner or later, and as and when Dhoni retires from real cricket- the T20- national contention, with time, the brand will start having lesser meaning and attractiveness for the audiences.

    We must park this question for the next 100 days, until IPL 2020, which is crucial for Brand Dhoni. IPL 2020 performance in many ways will define the difference between ‘IS’ and ‘WAS’.

    We know Dhoni is unlike Gavaskar or Kapil or Sachin. Dhoni retired from Test cricket and one-days when people were still asking why is he retiring.

    We have seen him take a calculated gamble in the field. So, only time will tell if his silence is another such masterstroke.

    If IPL 2020 will bring him back into contention of the audience and their love for Captain Cool and his contribution. The flair of heart-stopping run chases and the sixes he fires. Maybe, Dhoni will reinvent. Whatever is in his mind, he has an obligation to his fans to reveal his plans.

    One must be warned that time and audience memories have limited elasticity of excitement and association.

    Brand Dhoni, will have to fight new faces, wins, memories and associations. And if the new breed of young cricketers delivers what we all believe they can, the slide for Brand Dhoni could be faster. And it is all about performing and dominating the audience mind space and nothing about the contract.

    Dhoni knows how to keep relationships alive. How friendship and business associations need to be nurtured. In fact, I expect him to further reap the benefit of this deep associations and brand endorsements.

    Dhoni has been slowly toying with his image we see in the advertising films. He seems to be conscious of the scripts he is picking or the way his persona is leveraged. There is a marked shift.

    Now, it is more about logic, rationality, maturing with age, and someone who has your best interest in mind. And a lot non-cricket and yet he is evolving and seems convincing enough. His advertising films are also seeing a Dhoni who can somewhat act and is not merely a prop on the screen. Though in the process, the legendary story of his dream and resilience wonderfully captured in the movie is missed out. His radiating success and being an absolutely loveable team player is missed out. But that inspirational part has already been utilised and has no additional pull.

    ……………….

    A sportsperson brand value is in her/his earnings, minus the average income of that sport’s Top 10 athletes.

     

     

  • There is more fake news than news floating around in media, rues Sanjeev Kotnala

    Sanjeev Kotnala: Human Intelligence needs a Robot

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    On January 26, 2020, the internet was flooded with videos of people reading the preamble. It was not a one-off incident.

    Nowadays, the constitution is debated threadbare. There is more fake news than news floating around in media. People are taking a polarised stance in spite of incomplete information. The politics of politics is getting dirtier by the day. So dirty that citizens are no longer sure whether they should live by ideologies or behave in a more tribal way. They are doing, what they believe they are expected to do. Most are living for the image that has been created and not for what they may want to.

     

    THE INSIDE STORY

    In this arena, I count myself. For some silly reason and irrationality of fear, I cautiously avoided being part of it. I now regret it.

    Reading the preamble or refocusing on the constitution is such a pure act of referencing. Yet, I had this rational fear that I did not do it. Feared as a citizen to even voice the thought. I can presume that there are many more like me in the country

    So, I in my time of PaRAM; Pause, Reflect, Absorb and Move on, got stuck. I questioned, who am I? What is this zone of uncertainty? The answer was not complicated. It is the lack of information, transparency, coupled with the fear of getting into the crosswire of people I don’t even know.

     

    HUMAN INTELLIGENCE (HI) is now ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

    Our algorithm of making choices and decisions is corrupted, and it needs to be rebooted.

    Our personal HI algorithm works and feeds on past experiences, expectations and new data that it keeps absorbing. Humans are more of a machine than the machines are human.

    The algorithm loop is leading to a venous cycle. The Machine codes are given the initial input and are guided by Humans. The new inputs of sharply polarised inputs like ‘my way or no way’ is further rebuilding the block of skewed reactions.

    These inputs are continuously strengthening the already polarised behaviour. Or they are breaking down the understanding we have. The result, there is perpetual chaos of dissonance, self-pity, uncertainty, fear – that challenges the morality and ethicality of understanding.

     

    WE MUST REBOOK HI

    We are the result of our past decisions and experiences. Since childhood, social tensions, cultural biases fed on faulty education and deep-rooted suspicion has tweaked the DNA of our HI.

    The personal experience-, any day over-rides the universal experiences. Unfortunately, today, there is so much of skewed information and access to other’s experiences that the HI forgets to question.

     

    THE GOVERNMENT FEEDS THE HI ALGORITHM.

    I am not judgmental. I am no Arnab Goswami, who can wear his polarity with business pride. And that is just a reference, every media is doing the same.

    I am not taking any side if the currently debated acts are wrong and right. Yes, I have my perception of what is happening and what should happen, but then I am keeping silent on the subject.

    The government has a responsibility to provide as much correct information as possible as inputs to the troubled HI. Take on every conceivable media, and bring for masses the real picture. When I say every imaginable media, I mean it.

    A media blackout would be excellent. Supplement with detailed explanation in Newspaper and magazines. Fixed, if needed one hour of simulcast on every news channel- every means all entertainment- sport- news – music- films. At the same hour, every radio station in the country to broadcast on the subject. Hoardings which can give loud and clear- non-ambiguous messages. And then, straight answers in social media. It is important to repeat this exercise many times over to reach everyone. Any day, it will be a lot less costly than the current situation.

    After this onslaught of true transparent information! People will still be free to take sides. They will have something substantial to confront the rumourmongers and may not be swayed that easily. They no doubbt retain their right to peaceful protest.

     

    THE OTHER HI CORRECTION THE NATION NEEDS.

    For decades, we have allowed the law and order situation to become un-manageable, the uniform respect to deep dive, misuse of institutions and minority-majority polarisation.

    For long, we as a nation have allowed the uniform to be used for purposes they were never meant for. They have been asked to box with hands tied. The nation has used them as political puppets. Every tom-dick and harry has questioned what they did in the line of duty. And we have expected brilliant control from people we keep in below human conditions. We must stop that. 

     

    YOUR HI ALGORITHM IS WHAT YOU FEED IT.

    So, no surprises in how people law-abiding or otherwise behave. No doubt, they break the rules, the corruption is rampant. The education system is not creating good citizens. Morality and ethicality are questioned.

    The algorithmic of citizens HI is corrupted. It is not definitely what is desired. But the HI is a result of experiences and expectations. A lot of consistent positive corrective actions are required.

    Hope someday we will make a beginning. And sometime soon, people like me will not have illogical fears to read the Preamble as a right.

     

     

  • Sanjeev Kotnala picks his 12 best advertisements of the just-held Super Bowl 2020

    12 Super Bowl Ads You Must Watch

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    If you are in Marketing and advertising, you would have watched all the Super Bowl ads by now. Every year around this time, the heat is on between brands to make an impression and get maximum instant reach for their messages. Some try being playful, some introduce new themes, and some try to provoke.

    In all, a total of more than 50 advertisements get released in the Super Bowl at an astronomical figure (by Indian standard) of $5.6 Mn per 30 seconds. Most brands must be finding it relevant and efficient, as some brands always have spots aired with the  Super bowl. The inventory is almost sold by November of the previous year.

    Brand, creative and media specialist mourn the absence of any such opportunity in India. Neither the pre-festival advertising in October nor the hyped-up IPL. And let us not talk of the opening episodes of any of the famed reality shows like KBC, KKK or Bigg Boss – none have the oomph, aah and wah of a Super Bowl.

    Not unexpected there is beer advertising as a category dominating the super Bowl commercial. And surprise, everyone investing what we would call a long story format to get their simple message across.

    When brands invest in an immediate reach build-up with an event that guarantees a massive number of eyeball, it is good to see them invest big. The super bowl spots maybe shorter version, but these extended versions show the intent.

    Like every Super Bowl event, many brands spots are just nice or templated around their style of storytelling. They made you smile and at the same time got the brand message across. All under one roof. You can watch all these spots at Adweek.

    ……………………………………

    So here are my 12 favourites brand spots. That’s a high percentage of likability from the commercials aired during the Super Bowl. They are rightly messaged, superbly crafted and executed.

    While watching the Super Bowl, the consumer mind aperture is open for entertainment and excitement. Hence, the ads that have a similar story presentation style that stimulates and engages are contextually better placed than others trying to present the message in a different way.  And one who use the context and the DNA of the event best, win.

    ……………………………………..

     

    MICROSOFT screened a lovely commercial. The protagonist Katie Sowers- first female super bowl coach, explaining that she wants not to be the best female coach but the best coach. People expect women to do certain things and do not expect to do many other things. However, the first in the filed opens the arena for others. That is like ENCOURAGED BETI ENCOURAGED FUTURE. An attitude we mostly miss in advertising. It is one of the best-crafted spots. It is my Favourite ad.

     

    https://youtu.be/_xPn4DXIj5w

     

    GOOGLE has this ad about how people lived before Alexa. It is contextually better placed in the event environment. It is humorous with some crazy situations to drive home a simple point of what Alexa can do.

     

    https://youtu.be/RF9t2rFmTVE

     

    GOOGLE has another emotionally powerful linking ad. It is very product dominant in all its visual impact and experience and hence my favourite Number II. ,

     

    https://youtu.be/6xSxXiHwMrg

     

    So, how can beer as a category be away from the super bowl?

     

    BUD LIGHT two spots, INSIDE BRAIN, are highly engaging and entertaining.

     

    https://youtu.be/wsnnU3fJTWg

     

    https://youtu.be/pj1meOmpezs

     

    Then there is BUDWEISER, identifying Typical American with their beer. And I am partial to beer advertising.

     

    https://youtu.be/yt-zXuAAD6Q

     

    MICHELOB ULTRA does it one better with its simple message, ‘it is only worth it if you enjoy it.’

     

    https://youtu.be/U7h6Vls-uO8

     

    MICHELOB ULTRA PURE GOLD makes a passionate appeal to pick 6 packs and see how it can change American farming. I literally love this very Patriotic beer ad.

     

    https://youtu.be/ANarZ_113Xc

     

    Another category that uses Super bowl best is cars. Here HUMMER ELECTRIC makes an impactful promise and delivers message quite soundlessly.

     

     

    HYUNDAI SONATA is not far behind in its impact with self-parking demonstration has an extra edge on conversation and experience. It is nothing new, but it engages because of the conversation and the way it clarifies self-parking at any place.

     

    https://youtu.be/85iRQdjCzj0

     

    But PORSCHE, Wins the category battle of commercial with THE GEIST. It is so captivating and smart. My favourite number, -3.

     

    https://youtu.be/FJNmHwBgV4M

     

    In FMCG, coke, Pepsi, Doritos, Mountain Dew, Cheetos, Sabra SodaStream and others were there. But there was not much excitement around them. They were what they were.

     

    HEINZ innovative ‘four in one’ commercial does stand out. However, it is a bit disorienting to see them simultaneously- but does that matter?

     

     

    There was this REESE’S TAKE 5 with ‘The best bar that you have never heard of’. Likeable but then you have seen Bars and chocolates in that territory so many times. For me, SNICKERS beat it hollow any day.

     

    https://youtu.be/SLAV4LYO-yU

    ……………………………………………………….

     

    And the last one for Milo Kotnala, the WEATHER TECH spot.

     

    ……………………………………………………….

    What say, will we see such hype with brands and IPL, I doubt, but one never knows. Why do you think, IPL will never reach this type of hype as a powerful window with such a hype?

     

  • Police represent the civil authority of government. It is typically responsible for maintaining public order and safety by enforcing the law, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Sanjeev Kotnala: Traffic Campaigns – because ‘We are like that only’

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Whenever I see a campaign by traffic police, I wonder why Indians do not obey simple laws?

    Most likely we know, in India we will get away with it. Moreover, we see everyone breaking the law. It is not the best of the excuse, but then ‘We are Like that only’.

    Jokes apart, the civic sense in the country is missing.

    Police represent the civil authority of government. It is typically responsible for maintaining public order and safety by enforcing the law. The responsibility extends to preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activities. In short, they are to protect the people and the property. Yet, citizens seem not to respect the laws from any angle, be it Uniformed officers, Detectives, Highway Patrol, Traffic, Tourist, Railways and even border Police. tAll of them keep trying for corrective action and at times threatening the law-breakers with penalties.

    Time to time, traffic and city police do run special drive and challan the offenders. ‘Drink and Drive’, ‘Helmet’, ‘Honking’ and ‘Traffic rule violations’ are some subjects Indian Police run campaigns on continuously in an attempt to help change the predictable behaviour.

    There has been some success. However, traffic Police have more often failed than succeeded in their efforts. We all contribute to this failure by our actions and inaction.

    SAAM ( Logic), DAAM ( Price/penalty), DAND ( Punishment) and BHEDH ( difference) – the four pillars of persuasiveness and behaviour moulding and Police have used all of them. However, we have remained true to our DNA, ‘we are like that only’.

    The heightened penalties have been foolishly contested and toned town, withdrawn, or the Police has been asked to look the other way.

    Here are some of the efforts.

    If we can behave appropriately, maybe this money could find some other better use.

    I am not discussing ‘Drink and Drive’ as it has been discussed many times- and as they say- right now is the time for it. And you can see many good campaigns here at the ‘bored panda’.

    One of the most talked-about campaigns on traffic rules has been the one featuring Akshay Kumar. It takes on the simple catchphrase ‘Mera Baap Kaun Hai’ and turns it around into humorous situations. We all saw it, loved it, laughed at it and then broke a rule as per need and convenience.

    Recently Mumbai Police tried using technology to get their point across to the travellers who never behaved right. They took action against un-necessary honking, even when the light is not green. So, if you honked and the collective sound crossed a pre-identified decibel threshold, the traffic light counter would reset to original. The more you honk. More, you are delayed.

     

    Chandigarh Police is seen as one of the most efficient and unbiased. They are neither impressed by your network nor interested in knowing ‘Trea Baap Kaun Hai’. Here is their attempt to use music to pass on the message on traffic rule violations.

     

    And this is not the first time. Earlier the Chandigarh police had focussed on illegal, unauthorised parking. Now that they have done it twice, I would like to believe it is effective and not because Chandigarh Police force is interested in singing.

    https://youtu.be/7-IunD84r-o

     

    Many times Police and other NGOs try innovative methods. Such, videos go viral. However, the way they are shared and appreciated, one would think they will be making an impact. The ground reality shows there is no difference. Here is an example of Air-hostess at Indore humorously relaying the message.

     

    Here is the Singapore police ad for road courtesy. It is informative; however, don’t think it has been as effective as the ‘fines’ in the fine city.

    https://youtu.be/J8CnRH2hBlY

     

    REDFM tried making people understand what ZEBRA crossing is all about with ‘Walk The Haq’ campaign. It was shared a lot. However, there was no change in behaviour. It is an irony that there are hardly any roads with properly painted Zebra crossing. The only time we saw people stop was when the high penalties were imposed before most states rolled them back.

     

    YAMRAJ has been called into action in various campaigns and here is Hyderabad police using him to drive home the message. Even Mumbai railway police have used Yamraj for people crossing railway tracks.

    So, hoping that we do put hefty fines on people breaking these simple rules. And well, here is to more campaigns knowing that ‘we are like that only’. Or I am wrong and this is a perfect case of  ‘Perceptions are adulterated with reality’.

    ………………..

    ADDON

    Just to close on a good note. Watch this dancing cop from Indore. He is totally devoted to his job and enjoying his work.

  • Sanjeev Kotnala on what worked and what didn’t with the advertising around Valentine’s Day 2020

    Did brands succeed in staying relevant on V-Day?

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Valentine’s Day 2020 is just another day. For a majority, this templated festival of expectations, the celebration of love and care would come and go like the other such days, Rose Day, Proposal Day… associated with it.

    It was Valentine’s Day, and the prices of roses expectedly hit the circuit-breaker around February 14. In the era of proximity, floating or fleeting loyalty, the app-led search for love and commitments, high cost of expression and permanence of tattoos, it was templated.

    It was celebrated because the marketing community had put peer pressure for you to celebrate it. The ritual of love, roses, gifts and dining were performed. It was no longer about what you wanted to do but about what you should be doing.

    For the brands addressing young adults, It was an opportunity to stand apart, be quirky, cheeky and leverage the festival mood.

    In my timelines, WhatsApp was full of silly jokes around love, sex, wife, girlfriend ex or otherwise, commitment and future relationships.

    For me, the evening was spent with wife dressed in Valentine colours at the St Andrew’s College Auditorium, Bandra. Ad Club COO Bipin Pandit and his group of specially talented singers and musicians under the banner of Khumaar, a celebration of love and romance kept one entertained with songs of love and romance.

     

    BRAND AND VALENTINE’S DAY.

    One of the regular readers of my blog (thanks) sent me two clips. In her view, they were a great example of brands attempts to remain relevant. The brands were willing to innovate within the constraints. And that made me think.

     

    VALENTINE AND AFFECTION

     

    Oh, Yes, the nation again saw some groups disturbing couples in a few cities. The self-proclaimed extra-vigilant valentine social regulators took upon themselves to draw the line according to their ill-defined interpretation of culture and social expectations.

    Brand Manforce after having burnt their fingers during Sunny Leone Navratri hoarding some year back recognised this unbridged gap in the era of video traping. It urged young couples to exercise caution during Public Display of Affection (PDA) and digitally capturing their moments of intimacy. It was purpose-led safer sex. #YouAreNotAlone follows their earlier campaign #ShutThePhoneUp. Lovely, to see a brand continuing to focus on the same idea.

    Durex, the other condom, moved towards 365 days of love, care and sex. Three years back, the brand asked couples to connect on Valentine’s Day and give your mobile a rest. The brand has been slowly evolving. And if you see their international work, you will realise they are at different point of evolution across countries.

    So, Durex now sees the redundancy of Valentine’s Day. Who needs it when every day could be Valentine’s Day. It seems to talk the language of the current generation, always-on, curious, and questioning traditional relevance.

     

    Valentine’s Day is here and we’re NOT excited! Because let’s face it, with Durex everyday is a celebration and hence #EverydayIsValentines! So, select the most boring gifts you have received on this day from the options below and we will gift you something super exciting instead!

    — Durex India (@DurexIndia) February 11, 2020


     

    OTT GOES OVER THE TOP ON VALENTINE DAY.

    Netflix, on the other side, has a finger on the pulse of young adults. Their message ‘We are sincerely and terribly sorry for all the drama we’ve caused before. We promise to be better’ was definitely beautiful and relevant. Netflix apologised for all the fights it has started. It silently made the point of its high viewer engagement and involvement. It is a nice cheeky way to leverage the festival with strong product service association. It was treated like a Netflix original and starred ‘Maskaby’ cast, a Netflix original to be released later this year. I hope the audience loved it.

     

    BURGER KING BRILLIANT TAKE ON VALENTINE’S DAY.

    The Burger King and McDonald’s rivalry is well-known and documented. The brands have given us many moments of wow. This one is no different.

    This year, way Burger King looked at Ronald (the McDonald Clown Mascot) and branded it as the most lonely person on earth, it is just superb. The script remains true to the valentine ethos while refocussing on the competition.

    The communication is cheeky. The loneliest man in the world has always been in front of their eyes. Burger King asks customers to go ahead give company to the loneliest man on earth, take a picture or two and tag @burgerkingindia to get a free Whopper this Valentine’s Day. #LonelyNoMore. Must compliment the team that saw this opportunity.

    PEPSI SOLO LOSES THE PLOT.

    Now compare Netflix, Manforce with a brand like Pepsi using an overexposed fifty-plus star for Solo Swag. The timing absolutely bang on. The message and brand ambassador choice questionable. The spot has high visibility and attracted millions of viewers. Hope, the brand does not misinterpret views with brand affiliation.

    https://youtu.be/MOVM4757i-Q

    BOROSIL FAILS ON VALENTINE METER.

    BOROSIL in the changing societal environment tries exploring the first Valentine Day for the same-gender couple. The idea is excellent. The curtailed expressions of the same-gender couples in the earlier era have been well-captured. ‘I hated Valentine Day, not because I did not have someone to share, but because I did’ is brilliant and powerful.

    The brand missed because of a weak product association. And whatever was left was destroyed by adding the end-super about Supreme Court’s favourable verdict on section 377 in 2018! Should it be the first or the second Valentine’s Day? The subtlety was lost, and the forced brand integration is fragile. It happens when brands search for a purpose and find one that is constrained.

     

    BRAND GRAVEYARD ON VALENTINE’S DAY.

    Few brands remained functional, so they played safe with their communication on Valentine’s Day, neither gaining or losing. Brands like, Hide and Seek, KFC (Bucket bae), and Platinum Bands.

    Kalyan Jewellers tried to play the patriotic card to align with the feelings of women missing their husbands who are on duty at the border.

    Don’t forget ‘The Man Company’ trying to make it simple for all kinds of love. ‘Love knows no age, religion or gender’. Very stereotyped expression.

     

    MELORRA RUINED SOMETHING.

    Here is the one I loved until it exposed itself as a pure selling tool. Upping the game fell flat when it got down to giving brand items as a gift. Melorra campaign was was bubbly, strong, confident, cheeky, empowering and full of attitude and then it was just about sales. #UpYourGiftingGame

     

    THEY DON’T MAKE THEM LIKE THIS ANYMORE.

    The one that I would rate highly is SBI INSURANCE Valentine’s Day ad. Watch it to know how it touches the chord. It is an excellent example of emotion and product linkages. ‘Hira Kya Zane Tumhari Umar’.

     

    Leave it, if there are no dots, stop connecting them. If you have a real purpose that is brand linked and allows you to leverage an opportunity- go right ahead. Otherwise, it is a waste to do forced integration.

     

     

  • It's rare for a brand to come with two exceptional executions in quick succession, but the Burger King-McDonald's rivalry has ensured , writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    This Burger is Moldy, but..

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Now, it is rare for a brand to come with two exceptional executions in succession. May be it is the rivalry between the two big brands; Burger King and McDonald’s that have made it possible. Personally, I wish for a hattrick.

     

    THE FIRST WIN FOR BURGER KING WITH THE LONELIEST PERSON ON EARTH.

    Recently during the Valentine’s Day week, Burger King made one relook at Ronald, the McDonald’s mascot as the loneliest person on planet earth. One was still admiring the way they did the Valentine’s Day communication when one was rattled with the MOLDY BURGER- celebrating no preservatives.

     

    IMMORTAL MCDONALD’s BURGER.

    Before, the Burger King- Moldy Whooper, let’s talk of the immortal McDonalds burgers. Time to time reports of McDonald’s burgers that seem to defy time has been flooding the internet. There have been reports of people having 10-12-20-year-old McDonald’s Burgers  that have hardly shown any change. They seem to be fresh. The internet even offers the explanation for such a phenomenon- but then life is all about Perceptions adulterated with reality.

    A few of these immortal McDonald’s burgers were recently featured on the internet. One could presume that it may have something to do with the other brand. If it did, then Burger King’s Moldy Whooper campaign becomes that more exciting.

     

    So what is Burger King MoldY Whooper?

    Moldy Whooper is a simple demonstration. A Burger King’s Whooper deteriorating with time, because there are no preservatives added in any component of the Burger King’s Whooper. As per reports, this is Burger King’s way to move towards more natural ingredients and food. Currently No preservative is a claim across 400 outlets in the USA, soon to be the fact across all US outlets and then take on global sales.

    https://youtu.be/oSDC4C3_16Y

    Frankly, it is unappetising to look at. There would be debate among brand strategists and creative teams if this was the best way forward to make the point.

    We must remember, marketing is all about sacrificing and not merely choosing what to present. I frankly have huge respect for the Burger King’s team. They have taken a disruptive way forward to use such a powerful demonstration. Most of us would love to be a part of a Brand team that does such work.

     

    Moldy Whooper, a creative winner too!

    In India, some well-known creative heads have tweeted the possibility of Moldy Whooper winning big time at Cannes. The timing is just right, and most likely, the statements will come true. I, on the other side, am waiting for a hattrick.

     

  • It has been a thought that was not verbalised for the sake of freedom of expression and creative licence, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Sanjeev Kotnala: Should advertising rethink its role in communal harmony?

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Should Advertising seriously think of these emotions it fuels at times? Is it evaluated during the debate of cause marketing? It does not matter if the end if perfect and everyone lives happily ever after. It has been a thought that was not verbalised for the sake of freedom of expression and creative licence.

    During the recent DemoCrazy times, it forced one to rethink. There was some help in thinking from the What’s app university of knowledge. I am fortunate enough to be a member of a few groups that poke you with exciting reading, thoughts and debate them out.

    In one such group, dear friend Prahakar Mundkar shared two articles:

    One from Live Mint by Manu Joseph, it said ‘Riots happen because we tend to romanticise chaos’.

    The other one from Harvard Business Review (HBR) by Nicole Torres which speaks of a study by University of Warwick’s Andrew Oswald, in which they found that Advertising makes us unhappy. That more advertising leads to more unhappiness.

    I realised we referred to a specific incidence or an event everytime we touched the emotion and associated feeling of secularism, inclusiveness, regional and regional unity,

    In a way, we reiterated that it is not an everyday affair. Where was the fun in creatively using it, if these were part of our daily life? They would lose their potency.

    In a way, reignite the skew between communities, their primary deep down reasons of angst and distrust.

    Can we be a bit more sensitive while using such narratives for a commercial purpose? Do not at any stage hint at any of the reasons of conflicts based on religion, caste, creed and gender. Currently, more important is to consciously avoid Hindu-Muslim, Minority- Majority conflict even if it is used to reflect on the positive side. Daag Aache Hai par Har Daag Aache Nahi hai. Spots are good, but not every spot is good.

     

    Rethink

    Now with this in mind, see the following TVC and rethink of the emotions they fired up.

    The Google ad- Reunion, which is about two friends across the border meeting with the help og Google.   It reminds of the raw emotion of partition.

     

    Daag Achhe reminds of the gap between communities.

     

    The cement advertisement that I was so enamoured with, now reminds me of the internal rivalry and the interference of religion. The Ambuja Cement Independence day ad.

     

    Even the Tea spot by Red Lable  silently reminds you of the gap and the mistrust among communities.

     

    The famous cricket world cup communication was all about teams and nations. Yet, there were undercurrents of religion and hatred. It is not for anything that whenever we are in such a condition- we are willing to accept losing the trophy but loosing to the neighbouring nation.

     

    There maybe many more such advertisments which may not pass the new scrutiny. However, these were the few that immediately popped up in my mind. And it speaks about their potency and impact.

     

    The Question Remains Unanswered

    Can we really avoid creating such ads?

    Is it asking too much from the Industry?

    Should Government interfere in this or should ASCI self-regulate such representation?

    Once you start thinking about it, it becomes clear that this battle of self-regulation is far critical than the fairness, magical remedies or celebrity brand ambassador issue. Even this article in a way contributes to polarising your thinking, hopefully in the right direction.

    I am sure that none of the advertisements and the brands I listed had anything other than a positive outcome in mind.

    What I am not sure is how much subconsciously they provoked the very thinking that they wanted to avoid.

    You know, if I ask you not to think of Micky Mouse or Eiffel Tower, you will feel about it. You can’t avoid it. And that is where I rest my case.

    I like the writings of Sadat Hasan Monto, and they are compelling stories. Unfortunately, they also keep igniting the wounds that the nation may want to forget. Should such films, literature and advertisements be banned? Or am I unnecessarily linking them? Will it be further strangulating advertising with social expectations?

    Do share, What you think about it?

     

     

  • While the Coronavirus scare may have stopped onground celebrations, there was no stopping digital/video messages and forwards, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    No major impact on Brand Holi…

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    This March 10 could possibly be recorded as the driest Holi in the recorded history.

    What governments, NGOs and schools could not do, Coronavirus did easily.

    It once again proved that the human subconscious mind works on the first directive of survival. The moment it became apparent that the enemy is unknown and contagious; it can attack from anyone; fear took over.

    HOLI THAT WAS NOT TO BE.

    The collective celebrations in societies like Holi Milan, rain dances and organised Holi parties were the first victims. The cheap pichkari and colours coming from China were missing from the market. Even if the colours and pichkari of Indian makes were available, the buyers were limited.

    People started questioning the need for family friends gathering or visiting friends and relatives for Holi celebrations. Most decided to remain confined to their private spaces for god reasons.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he will not be participating in any Holi celebrations. The health minister appealed for not using Chinese products. Significant events were cancelled. Talk of postponing events like IPL and Olympics was all over the media. All this further accentuated the Corona Virus fear.

    The masks and sanitisers disappeared from the market. Whatever was left was killed by the reports of rising cases in media did the rest.

     

    SOMETHINGS DID NOT CHANGE.

    The digital messages and playing fastest finger first in forwarding the forward continued. I loved the message boards by Indian Express. One could have used these Indian Express branded messages as Holi wishes. It is different that none of them landed on my timeline- but the idea was excellent.

    THE BRANDS CONTINUED WITH THEIR FILMI HOLI

    The brands and influencers rightly did not see the reason to curtail their activities to connect with audiences. Anyway, Holi dampeners started too late, and by that the time the brands were most probably ready with their intervention and did not have many options.

     

    THE 2020 HOLI ADS

    The Facebook film is an emotional pot pourri. But, the brand uses and possibilities are well-demonstrated in the film. It is an engaging story. Well done.

    Livpure leveraged the still relevant water-saving message. Here, the children talk about water-saving by not using water-balloons. The production qualities are questionable. However, the message is right on the dot.

    FBB, on the other hand, tried tackling the expected but unacceptable part of Holi celebrations; zor zabardasti in Holi.

    MP CEMENT went overboard in trying to establish durability with colours and Holi. The long film has good lyrics, but the message and brand integration is forced.

    MAX went too functional layering it with ‘Holi Hai rango waali’. Well, it does nothing. A waste of time and energies. Even Fanta with its absurd reasons to avoid Holi was a letdown.

    AUDIENCE INTERPRETATION CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED

    The video entertainers on various digital platforms continued with their Holi messages. In a few of them, there was an attempt to add the un-necessarily communal religious angle.

    Social media debate on what was right and what was layered continued. One realised that what the audience sees or interprets could be very different from the brand or communicators intent. What one controls is just the message and the media.

    It’s about this video pic.twitter.com/wqGQiX12Q2

    — Kurshi (@Kurshi) March 10, 2020

    People have seen this communication as stereotypic communities, their reactions and expectations! Hindi and Muslim polarisation. Maybe the intent was right, but the resultant forced interpretation by many is colouring it differently.

    BEST HOLI ADS

    In my last blog, I commented on the SURF advertisement as an example of reiterating communal tensions. However, I still find it one of the best Holi advertisements.

    Another one that is full of colour and an extended holi and still lays the brand promise of binding the nation is the 2013 IPL film; Koi Nahi Bachega.

    https://youtu.be/iNUx5LnJQLs

    And I must mention the spirit of Holi and a silent brand integration is well done in the Parachute Holi ad. It would have been best if the last slate with the oil bottle was subtle.

    Sanjeev Kotnala is a senior marketer and brand strategist and educator. He writes on MxMIndia on Wednesdays. His views here are personal

  • Sanjeev Kotnala offers tips on ensuring the new experience can work for you

    Working from Home during Covid-19

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    The Covid-19 situation is worsening across the globe.

    Functions and events are getting cancelled or postponed. People are avoiding large gatherings, and travelling is curtailed. The result: people and organisations are promoting work from home, which could be a new experience for many of us.

     

    DEFINING MOMENTS.

    For most organisations, this is new. Some think they will lose out as productivity will drop. In contrast, there are people who believe that workers will be happier and more productive. You will decide the post-Covid-19 way of working for your organisation, by the way, if and when you act and deliver during this period.

    It is just the location of your office that has changed. There is no change in the role, responsibility and expectations. So, similiarly, it is for you to ensure that your family role, responsibilities and the expectations don’t suddenly change. Most of us will be back to working in and from office in a short time.

     

    WORKING FROM HOME.

    Working from home requires self-discipline. In such a situation, it is natural for people to first relax and see it as an opportunity to get away from their pressurised, timeline-dictated schedule. With hardly any travel time to work and for meetings, things may seem better. However, nothing much changes. The need to be productive and still deliver the timeline soon catches up.

    This leads to experimentation and re-educating people on working from home. And when the situation improves, quite a lot of organisations would have learnt the advantages of this ‘new’ way of working. Moreover, they would have recognised the degree and quantum of unnecessary travel they had been indulging in. And how new era technologies like Skype, Facetime, Slack, Zoom, Google Hangouts, cloud computing, drop boxes etc. can be of help.

     

    MY EXPERIENCE.

    Till 2014, I too was trapped in a 10am-to-you-don’t-know-when office-working syndrome.

    Then I turned independent and started working from my home-office. It took me time to realise how one can remain productive in such a work scenario and the amount of self-discipline needed while working from home. Otherwise, it can have a reverse impact. The life-work balance instant of improving may deteriorate as a result of you being available all the time or having the flexibility of stretched working hours.

     

    KEEP THE OFFICE HOURS FOR WORK.

    Do not redefine your work-day. Stick to your office timings. I have found that dressing up for the day- as you would do if you were going to work helps. It psychologically keeps you in a work mood. At the same time, do not give office time to house or family work. Sounds so silly. But in case there is essential housework, then apply for leave to yourself and then attend to the tasks or re-schedule your work, just like you would have done if you were working from the office.

     

    DEFINE YOUR WORK AREA.

    In case you have space, please mark an area as your work station. It could be a study table, dining table, living area. It does not matter what it is, but it matters that you have a defined work area. Better if it can be quiet, well lit private space that is nearer to the router. Not to add, that minimise distractions.

     

    GET THE TECHNOLOGY YOU NEED.

    Make sure you have the technology and infrastructure required to do your job. From getting to a higher speed internet connection in case, you need it, to having an electricity point or an extension cord to charge your phone and laptop. Remember, your home WiFi is going to be heavily overdrawn and divided with multiple family members accessing it.

    Check if your job profile and the organisation allow logging in from public or domestic WiFi. If not get alternate arrangements made.

    It is best, unless your work requires it, avoid facing the television and watching the news or any other programme. This is not really the time to catch up on all the episodes you missed on Netflix, Amazon Prime, OTT platforms, or surfing through the enticing e-commerce platforms.

     

    FIND THE BEST HOUR TO WORK.

    Experiment. Remember, we all have our unique work clock. Most of us do not have any idea, which is the period we are most effective and productive. Use this opportunity to realise, if you are the morning person, the mid-day person or late afternoon person and once you know that, schedule your most important task during this period.

     

    BE BETTER PREPARED AND AVOID PROCRASTINATION.

    Now, you don’t have the liberty of cooler talk, discussing things over smoke, or lunch or repeatedly meeting over the same thing over and gain. It would be helpful and far more productive to be better prepared for meetings over the phone and drafting easy to understand simple e-mails. The advice will be to do more on-mobile and face-time communication with colleague them on e-mail. E-mail should be the best use to share document and or record decisions. Otherwise, the ping-pong you will end up playing over e-mail will be the ultimate destroyer of the advantage of working from home.

    You will need to let people know when you are available for discussion. And more importantly, if you are interacting with multiple sets of people, get into a habit of also defining end time for such distance meetings and conversations. Maybe this is the time to really use the calendar on your mobile to best advantage.

     

    DON’T DO ANYTHING YOU WOULD NOT DO AT OFFICE DURING OFFICE HOURS.

    Please don’t keep the TV on and start watching OTT offering on it. If you used to keep your Whatsapp and Facebook off during work hours, keep the good habit. Don’t spoil yourself with the newfound liberties.

     

    AVOID STRETCHING WORK HOURS.

    Try sticking to your office reporting time and exit time while working from home. Give the additional hours to your family. It always belonged to them. This extra time is what you had previously stolen from your family time and sacrificed it at the altar of your professional career.

     

    BATTLE OF EXTRA TIME.

    This will be battle you will have to win on yourself.. Now you are more at home. So what constructive use you put these additional hours may really be the key to working from home. Use it to connect with friends and relative over the phone. Use the internet to gain further insight and updated in your field. Or maybe read books or chit-chat with the family.

     

    RELATIONSHIPS REDEFINED.

    One can only hint at it. Once you are now at home all the time, the relationship gets redefined. Your role in how you tackle them will be important. For example, I ensured that my tea breaks were defined. My lunch hour was fixed. And if my wife suddenly wanted to go shopping, I refused getting trapped without prior notice. That was not the covid-19 period, and you could actually go out to pubs-malls without any fear.

     

  • You have to refresh your approach and attitude towards work, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Sanjeev Kotnala: 7 Tips to make a success of Work From Home during the 21-day Lockdown

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    On 24th March 2020, the government, in the fight against Coronavirus, took another hard step of imposing complete LOCKDOWN for the next 21 days. Thus in effect extended your WFH ( Work from Home ) period. This lockdown is long and can be further extended, so it calls for another re-look at what all you can do to ensure a smoother curve when we all back to the new normal.

    I do hope you have read my earlier article on productivity during WFH and implemented a few of the suggestion. The Lockdown Watchlist on Alt-Balaji and Netflix will be of help in filling the gaps.

    I believe it is an excellent time to catch up on some reading. You may want to refer to my 2018 list of books that I will never UnCage  or 10 recommended books. You can also refer to my recommended reading lists 2017. There is also the list of books to read from 2016 and 2015, but maybe these lists are outdated.

    By now you have a first-hand experience of WFH first-hand experience. You have found your space at home and realised which part of the day best works for you. Life is changing. The new 21-day lockout has raised many questions about the new normal that will hit us after the Corona crisis is over.

     

    WFH – NO LONGER  EXCITING.

    WFH now may have outlived initial excitement. The advantages and disadvantages would be reasonably clear.

    The 24 hours of in-home experience is contributing to the different type of itch and stress that has started building up. You are missing the constant aligning and syncing of project development and thoughts with the stakeholders, teammates and colleagues.

    You are working in isolation physically and most of the time, even mentally. You have ventured into a space that has no sensors. It is an alien space for you. It is not comfortable. It is tough for when no one is nudging, guiding, discussing every step. The need to rescheduling work priorities time and again is breaking your new-found work rhythm. You have started noticing how much time does it really takes to complete a given task!

    Time to remind yourself of two simple things:

    WFH is just a change of location and not job responsibility. Your organisation’s expectation may be recalibrated, but they are unchanged. You as a person have not changed, and the team or organisational dynamics has not changed.

    Professional success is not merely a function of your performance, skill and talent set. How you are branded in the organisation is what majorly impacts your growth. This is the time to realign your Brand-i.

     

    WFH Demands A Change In Approach. 

    There are newly acquired pressures. You have been on calls, on chats and on groups and quite a lot on WhatsApp. You kept answering e-mails, and the pile of e-mails never seem to end. You now miss the instant praise, reprimands, feedbacks, approvals, colleague appreciation and the infectious smiles along with high-fives and much more. So, you have to refresh your approach and attitude towards work. Here are few tips to help.

     

    WFH Tip 1- Suffocate E-mails during Lockdown

    Here is a trick, it worked for me. Some of my friends adopted them, and they swear by how effective these are. it

    The first part is easy, open your e-mail box only thrice during the day.

    Once around an hour after your WFH schedule kicks in. Once post-lunch- when you are anyway more lethargic. And the third time around- an hour before your time to call it a day. Act and respond. Clean your inbox and then close the e-mail inbox.

    If you start playing e-mail ping-pong, you will be the loser. The best way is to call and discuss if it involves up to 3 people and kill possible e-mails. Be sure while addressing e-mails.

    You should use ‘TO’ to address the person who is expected to take action. ‘CC’ for the person who should technically be aware of the situation and ‘BC’ to the person who should be kept in the loop for CYAUYH. TO and CC never see the BC address and hence are unaware of the third party. Understand and accordingly act when you are addressed in TO, CC or BC part of the e-mail. Avoid reply all.

     

    WFH Tip 2- Restrict Social Media during Lockdown

    The second part is tough but equally important. Close your social media when you are working from home. Access social media profile for 15 minutes just before accessing your e-mails and then forget about it. So what if WhatsApp is the second most trusted brand. You are unnecessarily getting too many forwards, fake news, alarming nudge and hardly much of value in social media. Fix a time and apply, three times, 15 minutes each time visit to social media during your office hours while you WFH. And restrict the  TV news to 2-3 bulletin of 15 minutes each across the day.

     

    WFH Tip3- During Lockdown Invest in developing Network Over Phone

    The third is simple and easily doable. However, it may not make any sense right now. Network over the phone. Call your colleagues, teammates and talk to them. Call your business associates, family members and friends. It does not matter if you have any specific relevant thing to talk or discuss. Just keeping conversations going, hearing each other voices and knowing of their well being helps.

    Remember, there is a post-Covid-19 life, and your network during this period will lay the foundation for future success.

     

    WFH Tip 4- Take Breaks In Between

    Fourth and the last one is to take rest from time to time. Use that mobile phone. Build-in alarms for e-e-mail check as well as for resting. Take a break every hour. You are at home, but you are WFH. And now, life-work balance calls for a different strategy than taking the family out for a movie or dinner. Each one of us has to find our own keys to this balance. The only thing you must believe that the Key is there. Maybe this is the time to find it.

     

    WFH Tip 5- Deploy CYAUYH Protocol during Lockdown.

    Remember, the coronavirus threat is an extended one. Many things would be redefined by that time. Post-Covid-19 era is not going to be the same. Get ready for the new normal.

    Work styles, evaluation parameters and expectation, will get tweaked. Workforces will get realigned. New processes will be forced upon and maybe here is where most will learn what is synchronised aligned coordination is all about.

    Do not forget the CYAUYH protocol. For people who do not know it- it stands for ‘Cover Your Ass Using Your Head’. Document all the decisions and approvals. Be available for skype and facetime and any other way your team want to discuss things.

    If you are merely an observer, don’t be Sanjay of Mahabharat, the unbiased narrator. Nobody needs a Sanjay, take sides and make your stance clear. Before doing so, think things through. Keep on contributing to the system.

     

    WFH Tip 6- Its Lockdown Be Sensitive

    If you are responsible for the brand image, then it may be worthwhile to see how you are engaging with your audience. Remember, the customers will recall and brands and services through the new filter of Covid-19 experiences. Don’t push and don’t get too aligned to any forces. At the same time, do not quaratine the brand. Engage audiences in the new scenario with relevant brand-centric communication. Do not create realignment that reeks of commercialisation- the customer can smell it from far.

     

    WFH Tip 7- Use Lockdown to Develop Expertise

    Think of the new normal post-Covid-19 era and the probortunities it will force brands and people to face. Identify which of these could you best address based on your strong past experience. Now, every day, in the next 22 days – get into the digital world, search for articles, opinion, case studies and read at least 4-5 of them a day. Treat Digital as Dronacharya, and you be the Eklavya. No there is no Guru Dakshina of right thumb at the end of it.

     

    Two Simple Rules to Remember

    WFH, is just a change of location and not job responsibility. Your organisation’s expectation may be recalibrated, but they are unchanged. You as a person have not changed, and the team or organisational dynamics has not changed.

    Professional success is not merely a function of your performance, skill and talent set. How you are branded in the organisation is what majorly impacts your growth. This is the time to realign your Brand-i.