MxMIndia

Tag: LondonOlympics

  • And the best news is that star athletes like Mary, Saina, Vijay and others will inspire a whole lot of young Indians to take up athletics very seriously

    Anil Thakraney: Indian media wins Gold @ Olympics 2012

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I am forever taking potshots at our media on all sorts of issues. Most of the criticism is well deserved, of course! 🙂 But there comes a time when one needs to applaud them for good work done. Must say I am extremely happy with the glorious coverage of the London Olympics. And it’s been an outstanding show across the media, in particular on the news channels and in the daily press. This is important for the nation’s sporting future, because the excessive attention to cricket leaves the rest of the sportsmen and women languishing on the sidelines. Thanks to all the excitement in the media, this is no longer the case. Mary Kom, relatively unknown till yesterday, is a household name today, she’s on the lips of every bachcha bachcha.

     

    The argument usually put forth is that the reason our media pays so much attention to one game is because India is a cricket crazy country. And the media is supposed to cater to the tastes of the masses. This theory has been blown to smithereens by the Olympics. We Indians happily consumed all the coverage, we passionately backed the contestants, so it’s clear that the media can take the lead on issues and influence viewer behaviour. And I must add here that I don’t recall this kind of hectic coverage during the Beijing Olympics, so it is refreshing to see things have changed.

     

    And the best news is that star athletes like Mary, Saina, Vijay and others will inspire a whole lot of young Indians to take up athletics very seriously. This will lead to a better score-card for India in the future tournaments. And the media hype will put pressure on the various state governments to honour and support athletes from their respective regions. It’s high time this happened.

     

    Yes, the London Olympics has been Indian media’s shining hour. A pat on the back to all the editors, reporters and studio heads. And I sincerely hope I get a chance to write more such happy posts in the future. Even I get tired of cribbing constantly, haha.

     

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    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjTLhW0c5cM[/youtube]

    PS: Louis Vuitton pays a rich, touching tribute to the great Muhammad Ali. This is the fash brand’s first ever campaign. The ad recites a lilting speech made by the legendary boxer inside the ring. Superb script, concept and direction.

     

     

     

     

  • Personally speaking, I am all ready for the future. I have decided to start a specialized scam ads shop. Which to me sounds like a really lucrative business

    Anil Thakraney: Cool Britannia!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    To be honest, I couldn’t bring myself to keep awake all night to watch the London Olympics opener. One, because I really am not a huge fan of the games. Stuff like long jump, high jump, pole vault, rowing, archery, and so on bores me enormously. Second, I was simply being my lazy old self. But the opening ceremony I did want to view, especially after all the orgasming on Twitter. And the internet videos came to my rescue as usual.

     

    Yes, the opening ceremony was spectacular. I don’t know what Beijing had done, and knowing the way the Chinese operate, it must have been all about tech prowess. The Brit event was more about drama and emotion. Which is why asking Danny Boyle to put the opening ceremony together was a smart idea. He used the opportunity to do what he does best: tell stories. The show took us through the passage of time. The industrial revolution, James Bond, Paul McCartney, Rowan Atkinson, and a whole lot of other symbols that have defined Britain over the centuries. Plus the stunning fireworks and the dazzling lights.

     

    Thehigh point, of course, was the Queen being parachuted into the park. I thought this was a master stroke, and only Boyle could have pulled it off. The stunt wasn’t just totally unexpected, it told you two things: One, that Britain is changing, that while they value their history and culture, they also understand the word ‘cool’. And in that one single act, they brought the old and the new Britain together. Clever thinking. Only a movie director or an advertising creative director could have come up with this audacious idea.

     

    All in all, a super show.Britain should be proud of itself. This is going to be a tough act to follow. I have just one regret: Millions and millions of pounds were blown away in one single evening. And to think it’s the Games that really matter at the Olympics. Imagine the things that could have been done with all that dosh. An entire underground train network in Mumbai. Thousands and thousands of flyovers. Anyway, let’s not go down that road, there’s no end to my carping.

     

    Let’s just hope, after all this mega shor sharaba, our folks return with at least one medal.

     

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    PS: Surely the best London Olympics ad. From Durex. Perfect. This is what is called seamlessly attaching your brand to a global event. With no chance of needless ‘spill over’. 🙂