September 13, 2019

There is no Free lunch in this world - Swiggy, Zomata and Uber Eats - Food delivery Apps.


There is no free lunch in this world. Food delivery platforms like Swiggy, Uber and Zomata are not really giving any real discounts. Given below is the menu card of Ocean of Bakes a popular bakery at Nizam pet crossroads.

The rates at the bakery are at least 40 or in some cases 50 per cent less than the rates mentioned in the food delivery platform apps. So end of the day the customer is not getting any deal at all. Food delivery apps are simply encashing our inherent impulse behaviour and may I add our laziness to walk, drive and eat at the restaurant and enjoy the ambience.

Add to that cost the additional tax charged as tax (usually at 10%}), delivery charges, tip to the delivery boy and annual gold fees, the customer is ending up paying at least 20% extra! Good for thought. Let us get out and enjoy food as it should be enjoyed at the restaurant itself along with family and friends.

September 10, 2019

Tiger by the Tail - The art and practice of Comparative Advertising, Nagarjuna Cements takes on Lalitha Jewelers




Twins separated at birth. Not by a long chance. This is the MD of Lalitha Jewellers popularly called Gundu Garru. The rags to riches of the MD of Lalitha Jewellers may or may not have appealed to the masses but the claim of low cost, the comparability of the products and the sheer repeating (or brainwashing) of the campaign have had the desired results. Gundu sir has become an advertising icon by his own right.


Now, this guy is the imitating Mr.Kiran of Lalitha Jewellery. He is definitely not the MD of Nagarjuna cement. He is a model and Nagarjuna cement is unabashedly imitating or aping Lalitha Jewellery MD. Right down to the bald pate, rimless spectacles and even the blue t-shirt. imitation is the best form of flattery.

The Nagarjuna advertisement is trying to run down Lalitha Jewellers. I don't understand the logic. Nagarjuna cement and Lalitha Jewelers are in different product categories and Nagarjuna's cement brand promise is different from the brand promise of Lalitha Jewellers. Lalitha Jewellersis about smart buying and long-time investment, whereas Nagarjuna cement is about strength and durability. The persona of Lalitha Jewellersis that of the elder person of the house, whereas the persona of Nagarjuna cement model does not fit with that of a Monagadu (a tough guy) cement a brand persona that Nagarjuna cement has painstakingly built over decades of its existence.

Things to ponder Nagarjuna cement. Time your creative department went into overdrive.