Can You Eat Wisdom? A Reflection on Britannia Milk Bikis and the Thirukkural Challenge

 

Britannia Milk Bikis has recently launched the Thirukkural Challenge, a campaign that incorporates words from the Thirukkural onto select biscuits sold in Tamil Nadu.

For those unfamiliar with it, the Thirukkural is one of the greatest treasures of Tamil literature. Authored by the sage Thiruvalluvar and widely dated between the 2nd century BCE and the 5th century CE, it contains 1,330 couplets comprising just seven words each.

These verses cover morality, ethics, governance, friendship, learning, perseverance, and love. For generations, the Thirukkural has served not merely as literature but as a guide to righteous living. It occupies a place of immense cultural and emotional significance in the hearts of Tamils across the world.

Britannia's campaign is undoubtedly creative. Special-edition Milk Bikis packs contain biscuits printed with individual Kural words. Consumers are encouraged to collect words from multiple packs and arrange them to form complete Kurals centred on themes such as friendship, learning, and perseverance. A genuine Thirukkural consists of a complete couplet of seven words in each line

The campaign extends into the digital world through a dedicated website where participants can enter the words they have collected, assemble complete verses, and compete for hourly prizes.

From a marketing standpoint, one has to admire the ingenuity behind the idea. The humble biscuit has been transformed into an interactive learning tool. The campaign gamifies learning, encourages family participation, and creates repeat purchases because consumers need multiple packs to complete the verses. In terms of consumer engagement, it is undoubtedly an impressive piece of work. So far, so good.

But then the marketing teacher in me raises his head. Perhaps I am old-fashioned, but something about the execution makes me uncomfortable.

The Thirukkural, for many people, is not merely a collection of words. It is revered. While not a religious scripture in the conventional sense, it possesses a sanctity that transcends literature. In Indian culture, words themselves often carry sacred meaning. We touch books to our forehead as a mark of respect. We apologise when our feet accidentally touch a book. Knowledge is treated with reverence.

Against this backdrop, the idea of printing revered verses on something meant to be bitten, chewed, and consumed feels slightly odd and somewhat unsettling. The issue is not the message; the issue is the medium. Marshall McLuhan famously said, "The medium is the message." Britannia had a wonderful message, but perhaps it chose the wrong medium.

Not everyone will agree with me, of course. Many younger consumers may see nothing objectionable in the campaign and may simply regard it as an innovative and enjoyable educational exercise. Cultural sensitivities are subjective, and there is no universal response. I do not believe Britannia intended any disrespect whatsoever. Their objective was clearly to promote learning and cultural appreciation.

Nevertheless, I believe an even stronger campaign was possible. Instead of printing the Kural words on the biscuits themselves, Britannia could have printed them on the inside of the wrappers. Consumers purchasing three or five packets could have been given a beautifully designed art paper poster with spaces to paste completed Kurals. Children could collect the words, paste them in the appropriate places, and gradually create a set of complete Thirukkural panels.

Such a collectible approach would have transformed the campaign from a consumable experience into a keepsake. Children could then take a photograph with their completed poster and submit it, along with their name and phone number, through the campaign website. They could even be encouraged to write a slogan inspired by the Kural. Winning slogans and photographs could subsequently appear on future packaging or on Britannia's social media channels.

This approach would have achieved several objectives simultaneously:

• It would have increased repeat purchases.
• It would have preserved the dignity and sanctity associated with the Thirukkural.
• It would have encouraged creativity among children.
• It would have generated valuable user-generated content.
• It would have strengthened emotional connections with the brand.
• Most importantly, it would have left families with something tangible to treasure.

In marketing terms, Britannia could have transformed a consumable medium into a collectible medium. Collectibles create memories. Memories create emotional attachment. Emotional attachment creates brands.

Therefore, my observations should not be interpreted as criticism of the campaign's intentions. On the contrary, the idea itself is brilliant. My concern lies only with the choice of medium. As marketers, we often become so fascinated with innovation that we forget a simple truth: context matters. The same message delivered through a different medium can evoke completely different emotions.

Britannia deserves applause for attempting to bring the Thirukkural closer to younger generations. That objective is noble and commendable. Yet one cannot help feeling that a wonderful opportunity was missed. Sometimes, preserving the sanctity of wisdom while making it accessible requires not a different message, but simply a different medium.

Keywords: Britannia Milk Bikis, Thirukkural Challenge, Thiruvalluvar, Tamil Literature, Cultural Marketing, Brand Strategy, Consumer Engagement, Gamification, Interactive Learning, Heritage Marketing, Sacred Symbols, Cultural Sensitivity, Packaging Design, Marketing Ethics, Brand Communication, The Medium is the Message, Marshall McLuhan, Collectible Marketing, User-Generated Content, Family Marketing, Children's Learning, Experiential Marketing, Product Packaging, Marketing Innovation, Emotional Branding, Consumer Psychology, Indian Culture,   Marketing Lessons, Marketing Critique, Brand Activism, Marketing Case Study,

#Britannia #MilkBikis #Thirukkural #Thiruvalluvar #Marketing #BrandStrategy #MarketingLessons #MarketingCaseStudy #ConsumerPsychology #CulturalMarketing #HeritageMarketing #BrandCommunication #PackagingDesign #MarketingInnovation #ExperientialMarketing #Gamification #EmotionalBranding #CustomerEngagement #IndianCulture #TamilLiterature #MarketingEthics #Storytelling #BrandManagement #MarketingProfessor #TheMediumIsTheMessage

From Tintin to AI: My Journey into Visual Storytelling

Books have always fascinated me. Born into a literary family, I grew up in an environment where books were not merely objects on shelves but constant companions. Authors, book discussions, reading sessions, and book reviews were an integral part of daily life. It was, quite literally, books everywhere.

My childhood reading was nourished by a steady diet of Enid Blyton, Erle Stanley Gardner, Agatha Christie, and James Hadley Chase. Alongside these classics came a generous helping of comics, Asterix, Tintin, Indrajal Comics, and Amar Chitra Katha. Those colourful worlds ignited my imagination and transformed reading into an adventure.

I was particularly captivated by visual books and comics. Frankly, I was often jealous of the illustrators. I used to wonder how they could draw with such finesse, especially the artists behind the Asterix comics and the Tintin series. Comics in those days were akin to movie productions; even a single volume could take two or three years to appear. Everything was painstakingly hand-drawn and crafted with extraordinary care and patience.

Times, however, have changed. The advent of Artificial Intelligence has made many things easier and more accessible. During this summer vacation, I embarked on an ambitious venture: I wanted to create visual books myself with the assistance of AI.

What appeared simple at first soon turned out to be a formidable challenge. Designing visual books using AI involved thousands of experiments, numerous failures, and countless iterations. Prompt engineering is often spoken about casually, but making AI understand creative nuances in the true sense proved to be far more difficult than I had imagined.

Maintaining continuity from one page to another was a constant struggle. Sometimes character appearances would change; at other times, the page orientation itself would suddenly shift. Achieving consistency, preserving subtle expressions, and getting the finer details right required endless patience. There were many moments of frustration and self-doubt, but each setback became a lesson in itself.

After hundreds of attempts, I slowly began to understand the medium and eventually succeeded in designing the comics. It was a journey of persistence, experimentation, and continuous learning. In many ways, I was rediscovering the joy I had experienced as a child while reading those wonderful comics, except that this time I was helping bring stories to life myself.

Throughout this endeavour, my institute stood firmly behind me. Prof. Zarar Sir, Ritu Madam, and Jitender Govindani Sir were pillars of strength. They continued to encourage me even when success seemed distant. Their faith in my abilities never wavered, and they were convinced that I would eventually succeed. Without their constant support and confidence, these books would never have seen the light of day.

Govind, our EDP In-charge, also made significant contributions by helping with the cover and back-cover designs.

Another major hurdle was printing. Colour printing is prohibitively expensive, and no printer in Hyderabad was willing to undertake such a small order. At this crucial stage, Mr. Krishna Singh Chauhan, one of our students, stepped in and located an excellent printer in Amravati, Maharashtra. The books were printed beautifully and aesthetically, exceeding all expectations. I am equally indebted to our students Bhagyashri and Shahbaz for their invaluable assistance.

Thanks, are also due to my wife, M. Padmavathi, who has always been my first reader and most candid critic. She painstakingly went through every page, pointed out numerous errors, and helped smooth out many imperfections. Her encouragement, patience, and keen eye for detail made the books immeasurably better.

Looking back, this entire endeavour was much more than a personal project. It was a collective effort powered by encouragement, faith, and teamwork. What began as a childhood fascination with books evolved into a creative journey that blended literature, art, and technology.

From admiring the illustrations of Tintin and Asterix as a child to creating my own visual books with the help of AI, I have come full circle. The tools may have changed, but the joy of storytelling remains timeless. If anything, this journey has reaffirmed my belief that technology can never replace imagination; it can only amplify it. And for someone who grew up amidst books and dreams, there could hardly be a more fulfilling way to keep telling stories'

Visual Storytelling Artificial Intelligence Generative AI AI-Assisted Creativity Prompt Engineering Comic Creation Digital Illustrations AI Comics Storytelling with AI Creativity and Technology Childhood Reading Tintin Asterix Amar Chitra Katha Indrajal Comics Book Lovers Literary Family Lifelong Learning Experimentation Innovation Creative Process Character Consistency AI Art Workflow Publishing Journey Independent Publishing Color Printing Challenges Teamwork and Collaboration Design Thinking Human Imagination Technology and Creativity Comic Book Creation Author Journey Visual Books AI and Literature Creative Persistence Future of Storytelling Learning by Doing AI Content Creation Digital Publishing Story Design Artistic Exploration Creative Entrepreneurship

#ArtificialIntelligence #GenerativeAI #VisualStorytelling #Storytelling #Creativity #PromptEngineering #LifelongLearning #Innovation #BookLovers #AuthorLife #ComicBooks #MadeWithAI

Pause the Film, Not Your SIP: Great Marketers Notice What Others Merely Watch

Just taking Marketing as a specialization won't make one a great marketing student. You need to live, breathe, and internalize marketing. You need to develop antennae that are permanently tuned to the marketing frequency. Marketing is not something you study only in classrooms; it is something you observe and absorb in everyday life.

Take, for example, Durandhar Part 2. Many of you must have watched it on OTT. But did you notice something unusual? Most viewers probably didn't. You saw it, but you didn't notice it. The marketer within you remained dormant.

Think about your own viewing habits. During ad breaks, what do most of us do? We check our phones, visit the kitchen, grab a cup of coffee, or simply wait impatiently for the movie to resume. Advertisements have become interruptions that people actively try to avoid. The challenge for advertisers, therefore, is simple yet daunting: How do you capture the viewer's attention when the viewer doesn't want to be captured?

This is where a brilliant UTI Mutual Fund advertisement comes into play. Whenever you pause the movie for whatever reason, the advertisement suddenly appears and remains on the screen. It carries a simple but powerful message:

"Pause the film, not your SIP." It is a masterstroke.

The ad appears precisely at the moment when you are least likely to ignore the screen. It transforms an ordinary viewer action into a highly contextual marketing opportunity. Instead of fighting for attention during conventional ad breaks, the brand cleverly inserts itself into the consumer's natural behaviour.

This is what marketers call punching above your weight, achieving maximum impact with limited resources. Or, as we often say, getting the maximum bang for your marketing rupee.

What makes the campaign particularly effective is not merely the placement but the relevance of the message. When the viewer pauses entertainment, the brand gently reminds him not to pause his investments. The message is timely, contextual, memorable, and perfectly aligned with the consumer's behaviour.

Great marketing often hides in plain sight. The difference between an ordinary viewer and a marketer is not intelligence but observation. One watches a movie. The other watches the movie, the ads, the interface, the consumer behaviour, and the strategy behind it all.

This ability to notice what others overlook is what separates good marketers from great marketers.

So, the next time you encounter something unusual—a clever package design, an innovative advertisement, a smart retail display, or a creative digital campaign—don't merely admire it. Analyse it. Ask yourself:

• Why was it done this way?
• What consumer behaviour is it trying to exploit?
• Why is it effective?
• Could it have been done better?

Develop your marketing antennae. Keep them permanently tuned to the marketing frequency. And whenever you notice something interesting, share it in the blog. Nothing would make me happier than knowing that some of you, too, have begun to see the world through a marketer's eyes.

Because great marketers don't just watch. They notice. And act on the insights. 

Keywords: Marketing Antennae • Contextual Intelligence • Consumer Behaviour • Attention Economy • Brand Recall • Punching Above Your Weight • Observational Marketing • Smart Advertising • Marketing Frequency • Seeing What Others Miss

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#Marketing #MarketingStrategy #DigitalMarketing #ConsumerBehavior #BrandStrategy #MarketingInsights #Advertising #ContextualMarketing #BehavioralEconomics #MarketingEducation #Innovation #LifelongLearning

Blog Statistics 07-06-2027

 

Blog Readership Statistics 04-06-2026

 

Blog Readership Statistics of 03-04-2026

Thank you Readers - 1,70,000 readers in May 2026.

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Stars without Success – The untold Story of IPL 2026

 

Seven IPL teams have at least one Indian player who was part of the victorious Indian squad that won the T20 World Cup 2026. Interestingly, three teams did not have even one player from the victorious Indian team, namely:

1. RCB
2. LSG
3. RR

Among these three, LSG are the bottom huggers, RCB are the table toppers, and RR can still qualify. What this proves is that in the IPL, it is not merely Indian stars but team composition that matters. RCB are proving that even without present Indian superstars from the World Cup-winning squad, a team can still do exceptionally well. RR, meanwhile, have terrific talent in Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal and might still qualify for the playoffs.

Mumbai Indians (MI): The most puzzling case is that of MI. They had the best Indian world cup winning players,  Surya, Tilak (batters), Bumrah (the best pace bowler in the world), and Hardik (all-rounder), yet they are already eliminated. Just imagine having nearly half the World Cup winning team and still getting knocked out!

Hardik’s form has dipped, and he does not seem to be on the best of terms with the team management and some of his yellow-star teammates. The dip in Surya’s form is also alarming, and he may have to retire in the near future, at least from the T20I format.

Indian World Cup Winners in MI:  Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and  Jasprit Bumrah – (4)

Delhi Capitals (DC): DC did not have a great season, and it might be difficult for them to qualify. Their team composition seems to be suffering, and they do not possess the batting firepower required in the modern slam-bang IPL style of cricket.

In a team devoid of explosive batting stars, there is hardly any chance for bowlers like Axar and Kuldeep to shine consistently. They may once again fail to qualify for the playoffs, and the IPL trophy could elude them for the 19th time.

Indian World Cup Winners in DC, Axar Patel  and Kuldeep Yadav – (2)

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): SRH are extremely lucky to have Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan from the World Cup-winning team. Add Travis Head and Klaasen to the mix, and SRH possess the most explosive batting line-up in IPL 2026.

If Abhishek and Head can put their heads down and bat sensibly, with Cummins returning and Eshan Malinga along with the rookie fast bowlers doing well, SRH could go all the way. They need a little bit of luck, and this could still be SRH’s year.

Just wait for a day when all the top four click together, and we could be looking at a 270+ score. But the real surprise is how well SRH’s Achilles’ heel is performing. SRH’s bowling has always been ridiculed, but this year the bowlers are finally coming to the party. Against CSK, it was the bowlers who restricted the opposition to 180, which SRH later overhauled, not easily, but effectively.

Indian World Cup Winners in SRH, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan (2)

Chennai Super Kings (CSK): CSK’s 2026 campaign has been hampered by the continuous chatter surrounding Dhoni. The talisman who carried CSK for 18 years has ironically become the team’s biggest weakness this season. The constant debate over whether Dhoni will play or not seems to have affected everyone in the CSK camp.

Even two explosive players like Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube have not been able to stem the rot. Ruturaj has proved to be an insipid leader, and the famous “Whistle Podu” spirit seems absent this year. The whistle simply refuses to blow.

Fleming says the team is in transition, but that sounds more like false bravado. It is almost confirmed that Dhoni will retire after this season, and the CSK management should answer its fans as to why commercial interests outweighed the team’s interests.

If CSK had let go of Dhoni last year, maybe it would have hurt financially, but perhaps the team would have performed better. Dhoni is not merely a wicketkeeper-batsman and leader; he is an institution. The void created by his fading presence has proved too deep to overcome. CSK might not qualify for the playoffs.

Indian World Cup Winners in CSK. Sanju Samson and  Shivam Dube – (2)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):  Varun’s mystery has been cracked, and Rinku’s blow-hot, blow-cold form has not helped either. Rahane has been a total flop and might find himself back in the bidding pool next year.

He could face the same ignominy suffered by David Warner,  captain one season, thrown into obscurity the next. For players like Rahane, the sell-by date appears to have already expired. It was a bad decision by  KKR to retain him as both player and captain. A costly mistake. KKR might not qualify for the playoffs.

Indian World Cup Winners in KKR, Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy – (2)

Gujarat Titans (GT): The surprise team this year has been GT. They started slowly but have shaped up magnificently. Shubman Gill is playing well and leading from the front, ably supported by Sai Sudharsan. The bowling unit also looks solid, with Rabada, Siraj, and Rashid Khan firing on all cylinders.

Washington Sundar is lucky to be in such company. So far, his performance with the bat has been good, though he may still get opportunities to prove his worth as a bowler. GT, along with SRH and RCB, look like the strongest contenders to win IPL 2026. Mohammed Siraj has been a revelation and, along with Rabada, forms perhaps the best pace duo among all IPL teams.

Indian World Cup Winners in GT, Washington Sundar  and Mohammed Siraj – (2)

Punjab Kings (PBKS): What do we say about PBKS? They have been the biggest enigma this year. After winning six matches and collecting 13 points out of a possible 14 from their first seven games, some even predicted they would win all 14 matches. But how the mighty have fallen.

After losing six on the trot, they may now not even qualify for the playoffs. PBKS have deservedly been receiving bad press. There have been accusations of indiscipline within the squad, especially against Prabhsimran. He has been accused of not practising enough and not giving his best. These allegations appear to have negatively affected team morale.

The cocky antics of Shreyas Iyer have also not gone down well. He seems to have taken his non-selection very badly, and his leadership appears to be faltering.

Most disappointing, however, has been the behaviour of Arshdeep Singh. His aggressive sledging of teammates and his insensitive comments about Tilak Varma have outraged Indian cricket fans.

Arshdeep Singh must understand that he is a senior Indian player and that he will continue to play alongside Tilak Varma in the future. Publicly targeting a fellow Indian player in such a manner was unnecessary and avoidable. Even now, a public apology would help heal matters. Punjabis themselves have historically faced prejudice, and Arshdeep should understand how hurtful such comments can be.

Indian World Cup Winner  in PBKS, Arshdeep Singh – (1)

Conclusion: All IPL stars must understand that once the IPL ends, they will return to their respective state teams and eventually the Indian national side. Let there not be deep divisions like those seen in certain European football leagues, where club loyalty sometimes appears greater than national loyalty.

The former Liverpool manager once remarked rather condescendingly: “I have to let go of my players so they can play in a small tournament in Africa.” The tournament he referred to was the Africa Cup of Nations, one of the most passionately followed football tournaments on the continent.

Let the IPL feed and strengthen Indian cricket, not become the reason for weakening it at its roots.

IPL Captains and Their Fate After This Year’s IPL

1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Ruturaj Gaikwad might retain his captaincy, but personally I would prefer Sanju Samson as captain. Sanju has the aggression, modern mindset, and natural flair that CSK currently seem to lack. Ruturaj appears too calm and understated for a side that desperately needs fresh energy.

2. Delhi Capitals (DC): Axar Patel may not have had a great season as captain, but K.L. Rahul himself had a poor season too. My guess is that Axar might be given another chance. DC do not have too many strong leadership alternatives, and changing captains repeatedly has never really helped them. Axar at least brings stability and calmness, even if the results were disappointing.

3. Gujarat Titans (GT): Shubman Gill has been exceptional. He will definitely remain captain. He has matured enormously as both batter and leader. GT look disciplined, balanced, and tactically sharp under him. Gill seems destined to become one of the long-term leaders of Indian cricket.

4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Ajinkya Rahane might lose both his captaincy and even his place in the team. The big question is: who replaces him?

My bet would be Sunil Narine, a wonderful choice for captaining KKR. He understands the franchise culture, has immense experience, and commands natural respect within the dressing room.

5. Mumbai Indians (MI): Hardik Pandya might either quit or possibly get traded — maybe even to CSK. Bumrah would probably be the best choice as captain. He is calm, respected, disciplined, and leads through performance rather than theatrics.

MI’s biggest problem this season was not talent but dressing-room harmony. Too many stars, too many egos, and not enough cohesion.

6. Rajasthan Royals (RR): RR should retain Riyan Parag as a player but make Jaiswal the captain.

Jaiswal has the aggression, confidence, and long-term future needed in a leader. RR need to think beyond temporary fixes and build around young Indian talent.

7. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Rajat Patidar did very well as captain and should definitely be retained. RCB finally looked like a disciplined, balanced side instead of merely a superstar-driven franchise. Patidar brought calmness and clarity without unnecessary drama.

8. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Pat Cummins did well and will remain captain next year too. His leadership style suits SRH perfectly, aggressive when needed but composed under pressure. More importantly, the players seem to trust him completely.

9. Punjab Kings (PBKS): Even though PBKS’ campaign appears to have derailed badly, Shreyas Iyer might still retain the captaincy simply due to lack of alternatives. PBKS always seem to promise much and deliver little. Leadership instability has been one of their biggest long-term problems.

10. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): Rishabh Pant had a horror show as captain, but he might still remain captain because LSG do not have too many alternatives. What choices do LSG really have? Markram? Shami?

Maybe Markram could take over and relieve Pant of the captaincy burden. Pant’s decline, along with Surya’s dip in form, does not augur well for the Indian national team,  especially Pant, who seems to be fading alarmingly fast. Once considered the future of Indian cricket, he now appears burdened, distracted, and short of confidence.

Keywords: IPL 2026 , IPL 2026 analysis, IPL 2026 critical analysis, Indian World Cup winners IPL 2026, T20 World Cup 2026 India, IPL team analysis 2026, IPL captaincy changes 2026, Mumbai Indians 2026 analysis, CSK 2026 problems, SRH batting power 2026, Gujarat Titans IPL 2026, RCB success story 2026, Hardik Pandya IPL 2026, Suryakumar Yadav form decline, Jasprit Bumrah captaincy, Shubman Gill leadership, Rishabh Pant captaincy debate, IPL superstars vs team spirit, IPL controversies 2026, IPL playoffs race 2026, IPL dressing room issues, Indian cricket future after IPL, IPL and Indian cricket, Cricket leadership analysis, IPL team composition, IPL tactics and strategy, PBKS collapse 2026, KKR captaincy crisis, Dhoni retirement debate, Sanju Samson captaincy, Rajat Patidar leadership, Sunrisers Hyderabad explosive batting, Mohammed Siraj IPL 2026, Tilak Varma IPL 2026, Arshdeep Singh controversy, Cricket opinion article, IPL editorial, Indian cricket analysis, IPL franchise culture, One Nation One Dream cricket

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A Pepsi too Far!!!

Coca-Cola recently completed 140 years of existence, which, for a drink consisting largely of sugar, coloured water, and a formula guarded more carefully than nuclear launch codes, is not bad going at all.

Invented in 1886 by Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton as a refreshing alternative to coffee, Coca-Cola has since risen from humble medicinal beginnings to the status of a global deity. There are tribes in remote jungles who may not know the capital of their country but can identify the Coke logo from three kilometres away in dim light.

I often ask my students why marketing professors speak of Coca-Cola in the hushed tones usually reserved for saints, freedom fighters, and retired cricket captains. The answer, of course, is simple. Many companies sell products. Coca-Cola sells emotions, nostalgia, happiness, friendship, Christmas, American capitalism, and occasionally, if time permits, soft drinks.

From a nutritional standpoint, Coke contributes approximately the same value to human health as eating sweet sugar pills. Yet millions consume it with tears of joy in their eyes. That, ladies and gentlemen, is marketing.

The company’s famous line” that there are places where water is unavailable, but Coke is not” sounds at first like a cheerful advertising slogan. On closer inspection, however, it resembles a declaration of planetary dominance issued by a highly sophisticated empire.

Last year, Coca-Cola Company reported revenues touching 48 billion dollars, which is larger than the GDP of nearly 100 countries. There are governments which, if Coca-Cola executives sneeze during quarterly meetings, begin checking their fiscal deficits nervously.

The disaster began, as many great disasters do, with student volunteers carrying trays. At first everything had gone splendidly. The auditorium was full, the microphones were functioning, which in itself bordered on the supernatural, and our distinguished guest from Coca-Cola India sat upon the dais radiating the serene confidence of a field marshal inspecting conquered territory.

Then came the refreshments. To this day, I maintain that the students were innocent. Young minds, though energetic, cannot always grasp the intricate blood feuds of multinational beverage corporations. To them, cola was cola.

And so, smiling brightly, they placed before the Coca-Cola executive... bottles of Pepsi. What followed cannot adequately be described as surprise. I have seen people react with greater calmness upon discovering cobras in bathrooms.

The lady’s eyes widened to dimensions rarely achieved in nature. Her expression suggested that she had just witnessed the assassination of civilisation itself. One almost expected distant thunderclaps and the sound of cavalry bugles.

She turned slowly towards Dr. Madhusudan Kota a former Coca-Cola man and loyalist of almost medieval devotion and began whispering with the urgency of a wartime intelligence officer reporting enemy troop movements.

At that point I understood that immediate action was required if the institution wished to survive the afternoon. I summoned a volunteer with the desperate authority of a ship captain ordering lifeboats lowered and instructed him to remove the offending bottles before the guest decided to quit.

Our explanation, though truthful, did not help matters. “Madam,” we said weakly, “Coca-Cola is not available in the canteen.” She looked at us with the sorrow one reserves for morally collapsed societies. Then came the immortal line.

“No issue,” she said with icy dignity. “Give me water. Tea. Coffee. Buttermilk. Coconut water. Boiled rainwater collected from tree leaves. Anything. But I will not share the dais with that thing.”

Keywords: A Pepsi Too Far, Coca-Cola vs Pepsi, Brand Loyalty, Marketing Satire, Corporate Rivalry, Beverage Wars, Cola Wars, Marketing Humor, Business Satire, Funny Marketing Story, Coca-Cola India, Pepsi vs Coke, Brand Power, Emotional Branding, Consumer Psychology, Advertising Humor, Soft Drink Rivalry, Coca-Cola History, Brand Wars, Marketing Musings, Humorous Blog Post, Cola Brand Loyalty, Funny Corporate Story, Indian Marketing Seminar, Marketing and Branding

The decline of reading habit and my experiment to revive it!

 

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipLessons #Storytelling #VisualStorytelling
#ComicBooks #ReadingHabit #ReviveReading #LearningThroughStories #AIComics #EducationalInnovation #ManagementEducation #LifelongLearning #Books #ReadingCulture
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#CreativeLearning #AIinEducation #FutureOfLearning #KnowledgeSharing

Thank you readers for the 1.6 million readership mark.

 

The chappal theory of modern Marketing – The case of AJIO Mother’s day advertising campaign

So, this is where advertising has finally reached, absolutely rock bottom. The first time I watched the AJIO Mother’s Day advertisement, I watched it absent-mindedly. The second time, it felt slightly uncomfortable. By the third viewing, it had become so jarring and disturbing that it compelled me to write this piece.

Let us first understand how all this began. Greeting cards and gifts always existed. People have always exchanged tokens of affection. But it was the brilliance of companies like Hallmark that transformed greeting-card giving, and later gift-giving itself, into something almost mandatory to prove love and affection.

Slowly, new “special days” began appearing everywhere. Mother’s Day. Father’s Day. Grandparents’ Day. Friendship Day. Valentine’s Day etc. And hold your breath, even “National Nothing Day” where one was encouraged to give a card or gift for absolutely no reason at all.

Marketing had discovered something very powerful: emotions could be packaged, sold, and monetised. Surprisingly, in India, this concept of formally “celebrating” parents with gifts on designated days never fully worked for many older-generation families. Perhaps it still does not, even today.

My father was at his sarcastic best whenever we mentioned such occasions. He would acidly remark: “What Mother’s Day and Father’s Day? You live with us, we love you, and you love us back. There need not be one single Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Every day is a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day.”

Then he would mischievously add that the words “Mother’s Day” and “Father’s Day” sounded suspiciously like “Amma Dinam” and “Nanna Dinam”, which in Telugu could almost sound like mother’s and father’s death anniversaries!

That old-school Indian mindset may sound amusing today, but there was wisdom in it. Relationships were meant to be lived daily, not reduced to annual shopping festivals. Advertising, however, has become extraordinarily skilled at converting emotions into consumption.

Coca-Cola, for example, helped popularise and commercialise the modern image of Santa Claus. Many believe that the predominance of red associated with Santa today aligns beautifully with Coca-Cola’s own brand colours and Christmas campaigns. It shows how deeply advertising can shape public imagination and cultural memory.

And now we come to the AJIO advertisement. The advertisement shows mothers “practising” and warming up as though preparing for combat. One may initially assume they are training to shoot enemies. But no, their targets are wooden dummies representing their own children. And how do they attack these dummies? With chappals.

Now, in India, hitting someone with a chappal is not merely punishment. It symbolises contempt, insult, humiliation, and public shaming. The visual itself carries a deeply negative emotional undertone in Indian culture. So what unforgivable crime have these children committed? They gifted their mothers coffee mugs or cushions carrying sentimental messages like “Best Mother in the World.” Apparently, according to the advertisement, such gifts are “useless.”

So, mothers speaking different languages are shown violently attacking dummies with slippers because their children gifted them inexpensive but affectionate presents. And all this is packaged as “therapeutic” in the advertisement.

At this point, one uncomfortable question arises: Since when did a mother’s love become measurable by the price tag of a gift? Any normal mother would probably be happy with almost anything given with affection, a simple phone call, a handwritten note, a rose, a hug, or yes, even a modest tea or coffee mug saying, “Best Mom.”

Are we now telling young people that unless they buy expensive dresses, luxury handbags, or vintage watches, their love is somehow inadequate? Certainly, elegant gifts are wonderful. Nobody is arguing against gifting. A beautiful saree, a dress, jewellery, or a watch may indeed make a mother very happy. But was there no better way to communicate that message without insulting both the gift giver and the gift receiver?.

That is where the advertisement collapses completely. In one stroke, AJIO managed to antagonise both the customer and the consumer. It indirectly mocked youngsters who may not have the financial means to buy expensive gifts. Worse, it attempted to create guilt around small but emotionally meaningful presents.

The symbolism became even more absurd when the advertisement suggested: “Gift anything,  even a chappal. That is better than gifting a coffee mug.” That line alone probably destroyed whatever warmth the campaign was attempting to create. And then they showed mugs literally breaking. Wonderful.

Nothing says “Mother’s Day emotion” quite like smashing sentimental gifts with aggression and contempt. Perhaps AJIO wanted to create a disruptive advertisement. Perhaps they wanted controversy, conversation, outrage, and virality. In today’s digital advertising ecosystem, shock value itself has become a marketing strategy.

If that was the intention, then perhaps the campaign succeeded brilliantly. But emotionally? Culturally? Creatively? The campaign failed spectacularly. Instead of celebrating mothers, it reduced Mother’s Day into an exercise in material comparison and guilt-driven consumption.

This advertisement may well enter the annals of advertising as one of those campaigns remembered not for brilliance, warmth, or emotional intelligence, but for how completely it misunderstood the very emotion it was trying to monetise. And perhaps that is the tragedy of modern advertising. Somewhere along the way, emotions stopped being felt and started being packaged.

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 Key words: AJIO Mother’s Day ad, AJIO advertisement controversy, worst Indian ad 2026, Mother’s Day marketing controversy, commercialisation of emotions, emotional marketing criticism, Indian advertising analysis, controversial Indian advertisements, consumer psychology in advertising, gift culture in India, Mother’s Day consumerism, AJIO ad backlash, advertising ethics India, marketing gone wrong, sentimental advertising criticism, modern advertising trends, materialism in advertising, branding and emotions, Hallmark marketing strategy, Coca-Cola Santa Claus marketing, Indian family values, social commentary on advertising, digital marketing controversy, emotional manipulation in ads, brand communication failure, viral Indian advertisements, consumer behaviour analysis, critique of modern advertising, advertising and culture, marketing psychology India. 

The Zoo, KFC, and the Magic of Creative Marketing

What a beautiful thought process. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the Hyderabad Zoo proved exactly that. More importantly, it showed that inspiration can come from any quarter.

Today, anyone with the name “David” was given free entry into the zoo. You may ask, why? The occasion was the 100th birthday  anniversary of David Attenborough, the world-famous wildlife photographer, broadcaster, naturalist, and conservationist. Brilliant, wouldn’t you say? But the idea itself is not entirely new.

When KFC entered Hyderabad in the mid-1990s, it pulled off a very similar marketing stunt. On the opening day of its first outlet, KFC came up with a wonderfully innovative sales promotion. Anyone whose name started with the letter “K”, Krishna, Kavita, Kranthi, Kushal, Keerthi, and so on was given a 50% discount.

Of course, in those days, people had to produce proof such as birth certificates, college ID cards, or other identification documents to avail the discount. Simple idea. Memorable execution.

That is the beauty of creative marketing. Sometimes the most effective campaigns are not the most expensive ones, but the ones that make people smile, feel included, and talk about the experience long after the event is over.

A campaign like this does more than attract customers. It creates curiosity, generates word-of-mouth publicity, and gives people a story to share with friends and family. Long after the discount ends, the memory of the experience remains. That is the real power of creative marketing.

Bumber opening on 1st May 2026

 

An Unintended Cultural Lesson

 

One day in Bahirdar, Ethiopia, my wife and I were walking home after a heavy shopping trip. It was one of those days where we clearly bought more than we had planned. Naturally, I ended up carrying all the luggage, bags in both hands, a couple hanging from my shoulders, while my wife walked behind me. She was carrying our two-year-old daughter and holding our seven-year-old son by the hand.

To me, this felt normal. In fact, I was quietly pleased with myself, thinking I was doing my bit as a responsible husband and father. But what I didn’t realize was that we were being closely observed.

As we walked, I noticed a few Ethiopian men and women looking at us with curiosity. Some of them were whispering among themselves. At that time, I didn’t think much of it. I assumed it was just casual curiosity, perhaps the usual attention that families sometimes attract in public spaces, especially foreigners.

I was wrong. The next day, at work, one of my Ethiopian colleagues walked up to me with a rather serious expression and said, “You are spoiling our wives.”

I was completely taken aback. Spoiling their wives? What had I done?

Naturally, my first instinct was confusion. I even jokingly tried to “analyze” the situation, wondering how on earth I had managed to create such an impact simply by walking home after shopping.

Seeing my puzzled look, my colleague explained. “In our culture,” he said, “it is usually the women who carry the luggage. The men walk ahead, freely.”

Then he added, with a mix of frustration and amusement, “But after seeing you carrying everything, our women have started asking questions. They are saying, ‘Why can’t you carry the bags like that man?’ They also want to walk freely now!”

That’s when it hit me. What I considered a small, personal act—simply carrying shopping bags—had unintentionally become a point of comparison in a completely different cultural context. Without meaning to, I had disrupted a visible social norm, at least in a small way.

I stood there, quite nonplussed. It was a fascinating reminder of how everyday behavior, which feels entirely ordinary to us, can appear unusual, or even provocative, in another culture. We often think of cultural exchange happening through big ideas, policies, or formal interactions. But sometimes, it happens in the simplest moments, like a man carrying shopping bags.

This incident stayed with me. Not because of the complaint itself, but because of what it revealed: how quietly and powerfully norms operate, and how easily they can be questioned, sometimes without any intention at all. In the end, all I did was carry a few bags. But somewhere along the way, I may have also carried a small idea across cultures. 

20% of all views in just two months, March and April 2026, thank you readers.

1,74,000 in March and 1,27,000 in April and Still counting.  

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“Why People Pay for Food When It’s Free Next Door – A Consumer Behavior Case Study from Banjara Hills, Hyderabad”

Free food on one side. Paid food on the other. Strangely, the queues are the same.

Every day, on Road No. 7 in Banjara Hills, a fascinating social experiment plays out in plain sight. On one side, a street vendor sells food. Just a few feet away, a good Samaritan distributes food for free. Both places are crowded. Equally crowded.

At first glance, this defies basic economic logic. If something is free, demand should overwhelmingly shift. Yet, it doesn’t. Why? This isn’t about food. It’s about human psychology.

1. The Price of Dignity: Free isn’t always “cheap”. Sometimes it’s costly in a different currency: self-respect. Many individuals would rather pay Rs 30 to Rs 50 than feel like a recipient of charity. Paying preserves identity: “I am a customer, not a beneficiary.” In behavioral terms, this is about autonomy and preservation of dignity.

2. The Stigma Effect: Being seen matters. Taking free food in a public space can carry an unspoken social label. Even if no one explicitly judges, the perception of judgment is enough. So people choose the vendor, not just for food, but for social invisibility.

3. The Speed & Control Bias Free services often imply: Waiting in longer queues. Less control over portions or choices.   A paid transaction, however small, gives a sense of efficiency and agency: “I choose what I eat, and I get it quickly.” In today’s fast-moving urban life, time often outweighs money.

4. The Quality Conundrum:  There’s a deeply ingrained belief: “If it’s free, something must be compromised.” Hygiene, taste, and freshness, people subconsciously assign higher credibility to paid offerings, even if the difference is negligible. This is classic price-quality signalling at work.

5. The Psychology of Fair Exchange: Humans are wired for reciprocity. When we pay, the exchange feels balanced. When we receive something for free, especially from a stranger, it can create subtle discomfort, an unspoken obligation. So, paying becomes emotionally easier than “owing.”

6. Choice Architecture in Action: The two queues represent two different “choice frames”: Free food means a charity frame, paid food is a choice.

What This Means for Marketers & Policy Makers: This small street-side observation carries big lessons: Free is not always the strongest value proposition, Perception often beats price, Dignity can be a stronger motivator than savings, and context shapes consumption more than logic

For anyone designing products, services, or welfare programs, the takeaway is clear. If you ignore human psychology, even “free” can fail. On that street in Banjara Hills, two queues stand side by side. One serves food. The other serves insight. And both are feeding something deeper than hunger.

Key words: Consumer behavior, Human psychology in marketing, Behavioral economics examples, Why people pay instead of free, Perception vs reality in marketing, Why people avoid free things psychology, Why customers prefer paid over free products, Dignity and consumer behavior examples, Stigma of free services in India, Real life examples of consumer behavior,  Banjara Hills street food behavior. Hyderabad consumer behavior case study, Urban India buying behavior insights, Psychology of pricing, Value perception in marketing, Decision making behavior examples, Social behavior case study India, Marketing musings blog, Real world marketing insights, Everyday behavioral economics, Street level business insights

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