Delhi’s Vada Pav Girl and Kumari Aunty – where are we heading?

 

There was a time when journalism was a noble career and journalists worked for years without becoming famous. We have had very few known faces.

Smartphones made everyone a journalist, a video editor, a TV producer, an anchor, and the deliverer of News and importantly judgements. There is no course on Smartphone journalism, and it is like the Wild West – Anything goes. People simply shoot what they want and upload. There is no editing and everything is extremely raw.

The example of smartphone vultures feasting on businesses is a dime a dozen. The small businesses thrive on whatever publicity they can get and invite these vultures to take videos and reels of their businesses. After all, it is free publicity. The business owners have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Some small businesses may give paltry sums or a free meal, but most don’t.

Kumari Aunty a small street food vendor  gained prominence over the last two years in social media with her witty commentary and the way she serves her customers. No one knows about the taste, but the cost of a meal was very reasonable.

But things spiralled out of control and her place of business became a traffic hazard. GHMC moved in and seized her business. This led to a hue and cry and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy intervened and let her restart her business.

The flip side is Kumari Aunty has become a celebrity and many real and wannabe celebrities queue up at her stall. Kumari Aunty appeared  in a  TV show, Suma the well-known anchor spoofed her and Netflix wants to do a documentary.

There are also news items that people are coming over from neighbouring states and even from Bangladesh to savour the dishes made by Kumari Aunty. Is it worth it?? I am sure it is not, but this is the hype that social media creates.

The problem with untrained smartphone journalists is that they have minimal comprehension of the actual issues that the society is facing like corruption, the elections, women's safety, environmental pollution and water scarcity.

They see Kumari Aunty getting famous and hundreds take their mobile phone and raid her humble food joint. It is a great inconvenience to the customers, the traffic on that road and poor Kumari Aunty herself.

Has Kumari Aunty gained? I would say yes, and no. Gained publicity but made many enemies too. She now regrets her popularity and her latest videos show a very sober and restrained Kumari Aunty.

The recent hype created around Rameshwaram café in Hyderabad came up a cropper. Many felt that the taste was not the same as in Rameshwaram, Bangalore and that the prices were high. But the food vloggers made their money, and no one was wise that most of the reels were paid for. The social media posts  were as synthetic as plastic roses.

The other social media sensation is the Vada Pav girl from Delhi. Vada Pav, dubbed the Mac Pav of India is the humble, cheap, and fast-moving street food snack from Maharashtra. There the Vada Pav sells for 10 - 15 rupees.

Delhi’s Vada Pav girl realized that there was a gap in Delhi Street food. Delhi street food fare is mostly North Indian, with roti served with many side dishes. Otherwise, it is the traditional South Indian snack food, Idly, Dosa and Vada.

The Vada Pav girl cashed in. Her charming persona her story (came from a middle-class family) her struggles captivated the social media journalists.

So far so good. All the buzz and fame attracted more vultures and more customers who wanted to bask in reflected glory. Her videos where she is beseeching  the customers to come in two lines made it to the top of social media charts. Yesterday she got into a huge fight with a YouTuber which gave her a lot of negative publicity.

Just like any new celebrity she is not able to handle the fame and gets into frequent fights both with her customers and with the social media journalists. And the Vada Pav at her place cost a whopping Rs 50. But Indians being Indians they shove, push, and create bedlam at her street food joint.

They all want quick service, and the Vada Pav girl is not able to control the crowd. The beauty of street food is that the overheads are low, places are cramped and the owner himself/herself  handles everything themselves.

The minute it becomes a regular hotel the charm is gone. Ram ki Bandi has posh outlets in many places including one in KPHB. The KPHB “Ram Ki Bandi” has the spic and span look of any upmarket hotel but hardly has any crowd.

The charm of Ram ki Bandi is the bandi itself. Mithun’s (Mithun Chakravarthy is often called “Poor man’s Amitabh Bachchan) fan base is different from Amitabh Bachchan, If Mithun pretends to be Amitabh, he will lose his loyal clientele and will not attract  Amitabh’s fans. 

This social media circus must stop. Let us not like, share, and subscribe to these types of YouTube channels. Once they don’t get what they want this type of unsavoury social media reporting will cease. 

Jio Cinema - Premium Plans - Disruptive Pricing at its best

The eagerly awaited Jio Cinema Premium plan comes as a huge surprise. Most viewers expected it to be like an Amazon Prime plan at Rs 129/- or a Netflix plan at Rs 199/-. But Jio showed that it knows the Indian pulse. 

Jio Cinema went for the jugular. It wants to destroy the stranglehold of  Netflix, Amazon, and Disney Hotstar. Jio Cinema threw down the gauntlet down to the three majors. It came out with an invitation pricing strategy that takes our breath away. 

Jio Cinema's monthly plan starts at only Rs 29/- monthly. That is less than a rupee for the first month and then goes up to Rs 59/- less than 2 rupees per day. This offer is for a single connection but the steaming will be in 4K resolution. 

The cost after a month will be less than a dollar per month. this must be the lowest OTT charges/month for premium and in 4K resolution. This is exactly 1/4 of Netflix charges for a month in SD resolution. Netflix must be worried right now. There is now competition, big time!!!

Jio Cinema has another plan where the charge is Rs 89/- for the first month and from the second month it would be Rs 149/- for four connections. Great for the consumers. If Jio Cinema can shore up its content and deliver high quality at low prices there is no reason why it can't break the stranglehold that Amazon, Netflix, and Disney Star Star have on the OTT market. 

Telugu Translation Goof ups - Wolfa, Telugu Gibberish from Om Raut, Habi, Bli KCR and Chill Avvu

1.  Wolf Became Wolfa in  Telugu 

Nowadays it is trendy to release the same movie in different languages. But most producers don’t take enough care and make silly mistakes. Prabhu Deva acted in the movie “Wolf”. In Telugu, it was translated as “Wolfa”. Wolfa in Telugu means a useless fellow or a good-for-nothing person.

2. Adipurush’s does not care a hoot for the Telugu Language

What a sad state of affairs. Telugu film industry is known for making the best mythological movies which are still a great draw. Thus it is a pity to note that Om Raut takes Prabhas the Telugu superstar and makes him a caricature of a Ram. 

Rubbing salt into the wound, the tweet put out by the director himself has some gibberish touting to be the Telugu language.  It was written as

The above is not Telugu at all! The line should be శక్తివంతులం.. భక్తివంతులం. 

The Bollywood promotion designer team couldn’t read the Telugu lines, so they ignored the mistakes and posted it as it was.

The makers of the movies have spent nearly ₹500 crores to make the movie, but can’t they spend a few hundred rupees to get the Telugu lines properly written in their promotional material? No, they used  ‘google translate’.

3. Goof up at the World Telugu Conference:

One of the posters put up at the prestigious world Telugu conference held at Hyderabad in Dec 2017 had become a butt of jokes and anguished the lovers of the Telugu language.

The poster welcomes the Chief Minister of Telangana. In English, it would have been “The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Telangana”. There is no equivalent word for Hon’ble, and the word “Guaravaneeyulu” meaning respected is used. 

But the poster went one step ahead and asked, “Google to translate” and the result was ‘Habi, Bli’ (Google remembered Habibi Habibi the famous song of AR Rehman) which does not exist in the Telugu language. The pity was this was the poster put up at a conference that celebrates the rich legacy of the Telugu language.

The booklet distributed detailing the schedule of the conference has more  “gems”.

The word “Prasangalu” became “Pasangalu” (luckily it did not become Pessarattu or Punugulu. Google does not like these breakfast items!!). Cinematography became “Cine Autograph” and taking the cake “Telangana” became “telagana”.  

4. Sprite Telugu Ad

The Snap-on the left says Thand Rakho (meaning keep Cool). The right one says "Chill Avvu" which means hanging out or partying. The word on the right should have been Cool or శాంతగా ఉండు.

But common sense is not common. Chill sounds very much like Chali (cold). Maybe Challi was better than Chill. No Telugu person says Chill Avvu. They might say Chill but not Chill Avvu. Sounds very funny. No one talks like in the ad. They might say Scan, Joke vinandi, and Chill. !

Worst Indian Ads ever!!!

1. Tapa Tap soap Ad, one of the best if not the best of the worst: The most irritating ad. The soundtrack I so jarring that you hear it more than once it will haunt you in your sleep.   

2. Mahaveer Jeans ads. Another Great one. The girl wanted a slave rather than a boyfriend. Or maybe a servant boy!!

3. Some fitting company: It appears as if the girl wanted a plumber instead of a husband. So she married the nearest plumber who is more worried about Nul fitting, and toilet fitting than taking care of his wife!! what Gyan.   

4. Swami Narayana Furniture: It is a typical marriage-looking scene. The boy goes upstairs to the girl's room (Don't get naughty ideas). Rather he has other ideas. He admires the furniture. He comes down and says "I like". His mother gives a coy smile and says "The girl or the furniture". He says "both". what an ad. This ad needs an Oscar for the worst ad ever made  - the world over!!

5. Quba Mobiles: A dramatic ad where goons chase a girl throughout Hyderabad mohallas to find out where she bought her (Cute Mobile). 

6. Quba Again: In this classic ad the humble Doodh wala gets the better of the Bollywood hero-like man using what else - the Quba Mobile. wah kya, scene hai. 

7. Indu Technical Institute: This person can get the final degree from the genie right. But no, he asks the genie which is the best technical institute in India? And genie being genie tells him that "Indu is the best technical institute in the world". End of the story.  

8. JK white Cement: wow what a comparison. JK white cement and a bikini-clad girl emerging from the sea. David Olgolvy must be watching in total happiness. 

   

9. Dixcy Scott: One of the silliest ads ever. Why did Salman have to do such a trash? In the ad, Salman's friend wonders if Scottish people wear underwear beneath their skirts. The thought was creepy enough. But the ad does not end there. Salman plays a silly tune and promptly the Scots' skirts dropdown. To our relief, they are wearing underwear. But Salman has a last laugh. He smirks and says, "They do wear but they don't wear Dixcy Scott underwear like us". This is one of the worst under-the-belly ads.

10. Rajani Ganda Auction ad: The son of the hotel's gateman buys the same hotel for his father paying US 500 million dollars. The secret of his success. Eating Rajani Ganda pan masala right from his childhood. This is taking fantasy to the next level.   

11. MTR - IDLY Mahabharatha ad: Why are Hindus and Hinduism targeted for advertising creativity. In this deplorable ad an actor who looks like Arjuna throws an arrow that becomes a rava Idly and the entire opposing army is defeated. If only we had MTR - Rava Idly during the British times. We could not have been colonized in the first place. 

12. Mahindra Gusto Ad: one of those confusing tongue twisters of an ad.  If you want to buy a Gusto buy it. If you don't want to buy a gusto, buy it. I am totally confused. 

13. XXX soap: Classic case of an ad where there is a mismatch between the product's name and the tagline, "Samskaravanthamaina Soap". The soap makes people gentle, cultured, and deeply rooted in the Indian religion and the country. Great so far, as all of us know XXX stands for pornography, and XXX videos are the rage on the internet. Dont know if the makers realize this mismatch!!!

  

Consumer Attitudes - I don't care to Negative - how to change??

Consumer attitudes are the beliefs, thoughts, and feelings that influence consumer opinions and decisions. They are the emotional responses individuals have towards products, brands, services, or experiences. Consumers have emotional responses that are not logical but emotional. Attitudes can be positive, negative, or even neutral. Let us look at some extreme attitudes towards products and services.

I don’t care attitude: The entire world is driven by health fresh and thickness. Consumers worship an image of themselves. An image in which they are "lean, mean, and fit". The fitness industry is worth many billions of dollars. But surprisingly an exact reverse of extreme fitness also exists. it is called the "Heart Attack Grill."

Heart Attack Grill is a restaurant in Los Angeles. Heart attack grill worships gluttony and large people. The Octuple Bypass Burger offers a whopping 20,000 calories in one go. Many consumers have suffered seizures and some have even died. Heart attack gill has waitresses dressed as nurses; Drinks are served not in glasses but come through pipes styled like IV drips in a hospital. Consumers dress in hospital aprons and the nurse spank consumers who are not able to finish their food. Consumers weighing over 350 pounds get to eat free.

The trigger here is being anti-establishment. In a world that worships thinness, consumers of Heart Attack Grill have no qualms about their size or girth. They worship obesity and have no discomfort about being big. In their world, thin people are seen as sissy or unnatural.

Being anti-something itself is an attraction. Now we see Similar tendencies in Indian street food which is greasy, oily, cheesy, and extremely buttery.  Many consumers want to taste and saviour such unhealthy food.

Converting Negative attitude to neutral to positive:  Motorcycles had got a very unsavory reputation in the USA during the 50s and the 6os. People riding motorcycles were seen as tough and mean guys. In short, motorcycles were seen as vehicles for the tough and the anti-social elements. The tough image of the Harley Davidson riders and the looks of the Harley riders did nothing to bolster confidence that motorcycles were for the entire family. Consumers had a very negative attitude towards motorcycles and motorcycle riders.

Honda did a campaign, ‘You meet the nicest people on a Honda’. This campaign was executed by Grey Advertising, USA.  The advertisement depicted housewives, a parent and children, young couples, and other respectable members of society referred to as "the nicest people" riding Honda motorcycles for a variety of purposes.

Honda succeeded in its appeal to the American public. It was seen as a casual vehicle for daily activities, and as such was an entirely new consumer value as a vehicle for the entire family. It erased the motorcycle's deeply rooted image of evil and discontent.  This iconic campaign legitimized motorcycles and made motorcycles and motorcycling reputable again in the USA.

Shifting Consumer negative Mindsets: some tips that might work

1) Pinpoint the Origin: Identify the root cause of consumer dissatisfaction. Address the Persistent Issues: Concentrate on recurring customer grievances.

 2) Offer Trustworthy Data: Supply reliable and consistent information.

 3) Stir Emotions and Values: Appeal to consumers' emotional and moral compass.

 4) Encourage Trial and Engagement: Motivate consumers to test and engage with the product.

 5) Strengthen and Acknowledge Loyalty: Bolster and recognize consumer loyalty.

 6) Monitor and Adjust: Stay vigilant and adapt to evolving consumer perspectives.

 7) Craft a Strategy: Formulate a comprehensive strategy to rectify negative perceptions, possibly through enhanced staff training and product enhancements.

 8) Align with Communities or Events: Connect the product with communities or events admired by consumers.

9) Resolve Attitudinal Conflicts: Resolve any existing or potential conflicts among consumer attitudes.

10) Transform Brand Perceptions: Alter how consumers evaluate product attributes, shift brand beliefs, and improve overall brand sentiment.

Lost in Translation - Hindi to Telugu ads and one great Tamil to Hindi - Paying back in the same Coin!!

1. Po Ra Pu, Surf Excel: Sometimes I feel very annoyed that I seem to be the only person who critically analyzes the way advertisement campaigns are made and executed. Take for instance Surf Excel’s “Po Rub Pu” campaign. 

The campaign (yawn) takes the usual tack of dirty clothes becoming sparkling clean with Surf Excel. But what makes the ad annoying is the language (Hinglish). Everyone in the ad mouths the words Po Rub Pu which is the short form of the phrase “Pour Rub Pour” or saying that a a little Surf Excel is enough to make the toughest stains disappear. 

But an issue crops up when a Telugu-speaking person sees the advertisements. It sounds like Po Ra Po (పో రా పో). Po Ra Po is slang, it means “you!! Get lost”. children can never say Po Ra Po to their elders. It is quite jarring to see young kids saying Po Ra Po to elderly women. No one has even protested and it is business as usual. 

2. Na Cheez Anta - Amul Cheese Telugu Advertisement - Lost in Translation - Translation blunder!:  This advertisement was really funny, I want Hindi readers to comment (Clue the key word's meaning in Urdu), of course, Hyderabad being quite Urdu dominant many Telugu-speaking Hyderabad friends too might get it. As they say, the devil is in detail! 

Nacheez is an Urdu word that means - 'nothing'. But it is often used to describe oneself. E.g. Nacheez ko Maneesha kehte hain - I am known as Maneesha. It is used to convey or denote a sense of humility about oneself.

3. Parimatch Sports’s ఆమె ఆడుతుంది, మీరు జరుపుకోండి:  The above advertisements were on the metro pillars in Hyderabad during the WPL tournament in March. This became a talking point on social media. It means, “She plays, you celebrate” in Telugu.

I had many doubts racing in my mind. Celebrate? How should I celebrate? Why should I celebrate if she is playing? (don’t even know the person). Not my wife, daughter and I don’t even know her remotely?

The mystery was solved when I googled to find the original English version. The English version was “She plays, you win”. This app is a game and we can bet as the game progresses. The more we interact the more is the chance to win.  

4. The dosa ballebaaz (batsman): Idly/Dosa batters are the saviours in many houses. The cumbersome process of making the batter is taken out of hand with the onset of ready-made idly/Dosa batters. Very convenient and reasonably priced they are hugely popular. Wanting to take advantage of ready-made Idly/Dosa batters a Tamil company foraged into the Hindi markets ( north Indian markets). 

So far so good. The package said Idly/dosa batter in English and Tamil. Trying to attract the Hindi buyers they translated idly/Dosa batter into Hindi. Google translate feature nicely kicked the company in the rear side. 

Idly/Dosa batter became Idly/”Dosa Ballebaaz”, Literally idly/dosa batsman. The buyers would have scratched their heads in bewilderment. They must have thought that this Idly/Dosa mix was only for CSK batsmen. Jokes apart never trust Google Translate when your life, brand, and career are on the line.

Megashot smart Cricket Bat - mighty six or a first ball duck!!!

"Megashot smart Cricket Bat" - is a new offering on the Flipkart platform. We can draw a parallel with the Telugu film industry which spends 100s of crores on hero's remuneration and not on great story and gripping screenplay. The same is the case with the Megashot smart cricket bat. Seriously, "common sense is not common". not a memorable brand name.

The word Meta does not exist in cricket. The smart cricket bat has to be consumed by many who have only rudimentary knowledge about technology but still have a passion for cricket. Megashot sounds like an app for a Facebook page offering mini shots of alcohol.

ChatGPT has thrown in some interesting names, check them out (don't tell me that the makers of this smart cricket bat did not have access to ChatGPT)

1) ChakkaMaster: Combining "Chakka" (a term used in cricket for scoring runs) with "Master" to denote mastery of the game.

2) GullyGuru: Referencing the popular street cricket culture in India, where many cricket enthusiasts start their journey to become skilled players.

3) BalleBaazi: A playful name incorporating "Balle" (batting) and "Baazi" (a term often used to describe a clever or skillful move), capturing the essence of cricket strategy and skill.

4) SixerSangam: Highlighting the excitement of hitting a six (sixer) in cricket, combined with "Sangam" (meaning confluence or gathering), implying a gathering of cricket enthusiasts.

5) KhiladiKonsole: Using "Khiladi" (player) to denote the participants in the game and "Konsole" (console) to emphasize the gaming aspect, appealing to fans who aspire to play like their favorite cricket stars.

6) ChaukaChampion: Incorporating "Chauka" (four runs scored in cricket) with "Champion" to signify excellence and victory in the game.

7) HitWicketHub: Playing on the terms "hit wicket" (a mode of dismissal in cricket) and "Hub" to suggest a central place for cricket gaming enthusiasts.

8) CricCraze360: Combining "Cric" (short for cricket) with "Craze" to denote the passion for the sport and "360" to imply a comprehensive gaming experience.

9) BatBhoomi: Using "Bat" to represent the essential equipment in cricket and "Bhoomi" (meaning land or field) to signify the cricket ground, appealing to fans who love to play and watch cricket.

10) DhamaalDugout: "Dhamaal" (a Hindi term for excitement or fun) combined with "Dugout" (the area where players sit when not actively participating) to suggest a fun and engaging cricket gaming experience.

I find all the above ten names better than Megashot (somehow mind is still fixated on the banned "shot liya kya" campaign).

Moving from the name itself, I have watched the video of the Megashot Smart cricket bat on YouTube and found the gaming part to be amateurish. The animation is flat and there is not much interaction. Many free game apps give a similar or even better gaming experience. Megashot is only about hitting the ball. One can't bowl or field. So it all boils down to swinging the bat. The game can only be played by a single player at a time. 

I wish the makers of Megashot studied the daddy of interactive games Nintendo Wii carefully. There was a time when parents frowned upon video games. They were seen as the ultimate evil, a drug no less. The adults never played video games. They thought it was silly, a waste of time, and worse made players fat and lazy.

Nintendo Wii changed it all. It came as a breath of fresh air. Wii was incredibly easy to set up and play. It introduced games that everyone loved and played physically at some point in their life. Wii had games like tennis, bowling, boxing, baseball, cricket, cycling, archery etc.

So what makes Wii a much better option? The games are very interactive. Up to four players can play at a time, the action is very realistic and players experience exertion when playing the games on Wii. That was the USP (Unique Selling Proposition). Wii was a wholesome family entertainment device.

The minute exercise was mentioned, the elders took to the game as fish took to the water. Wii sold a whopping 10 crore gaming consoles throughout the world and continues to sell in North America. Wii became one of the few gaming consoles that the entire family played together and may be the only Video/TV game that parents encourage their kids to play. In 2008-2012 there was a waitlist of two months in USA for buying a Wii gaming console. Wii showed the world how to reinvent a product category.

Crystal gazing, Megashot might not do well. Sold at Rs 5,449/-, it does not offer that much value for money. Sure, people may buy it out of curiosity but my guess is the product might sell in a few hundred. Megashot needs to improve on all fronts if it wants to compete in the tough gaming business. All the best Megashot.

Playing ads in UPI sound Boxes - Interesting Concept!!!

Did you know that India clocks 41.7 crore UPI transactions per day!! The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was launched in India on April 11, 2016, by Dr. Raghuram G Rajan, Governor, of RBI in Mumbai. Just 8 years ago. This must be the fastest product diffusion in the world.

India must be the only country in the world where you can just carry a mobile phone and happily live without having any money in your pocket. From the humble beggar to buying air tickets all the transactions are on the UPI. 

Recently at the India-England cricket test match at Hyderabad, I was stunned to see the plight of English fans. Many vendors were not accepting credit and debit cards. They were also refusing to accept large currency notes like the 500 and the 2000 rupee notes. Everyone wants UPI payments, but English fans lack the magic - the UPI interface.

Behind every problem lies an opportunity for a product or a service. UPI payments were a great advantage to the customer but were a disadvantage to small businessmen who have many small ticket transactions. 

For example, a small tea stall owner might have as many as 10 to 15 transactions in as much time. Mostly managed by a single individual, there was an additional stress of making tea, serving it, taking cash, and checking the mobile to see if the payment was received.

Pay TM, Google Pay, Phone Pay, and other UPI payment gateway providers came out with a wonderful product innovation. A simple sound box. The sound box has a QR code that can be scanned. 

Once it is scanned the payment gets transferred to the seller and an audio message comes out "Received payment of Rupees 10". This relieved the stress of watching the mobile to see if the payment was received. Sold at a very affordable cost with a monthly rental of Rs 149/- sound boxes quickly found market acceptance.

Marketers wanted to up the ante. Now they are toying with the idea of introducing advertisements after every 10 transactions. There is a huge space for product promotions that can be customized and localized. For example, in Miyapur all the ads can be for the business establishments in and around Miyapur.

Great Idea. It could be a win-win for both the sound box provider and the vendor. The sound box provider can make money and share it with the vendor. The vendor need not pay any rental and could get some additional revenue. But I suspect the person who might find it irritating is you and me the poor customers.

Let us assume that a single ad will play after every ten transactions. This would irk the 11th customer as he was to wait for 10/20/30 seconds for his UPI transaction. You might say that 10/20/30 seconds is not long. I suggest you try to hold your breath. 10 seconds is a lot of time!!!

The ambiance of the store too might be disturbed by the inane advertisements. Also for high-volume vendors like tea shops, there could be advertisements coming in thick and fast adding to the chaos and confusion. Anyway, it is early days and let us wait and see how this new media evolves and adapts to the market scenario.

"Parle G - Mane Genius" - Great campaign by Parle G - The king of biscuits - throughout the world.

Think of it - what are our best memories in life?  A childhood full of happiness and being carefree. The only tension was getting to school and not coming back home. Coming back was automatic.

A beautiful moment in our lives was evening tea with our parents. As children, we were not allowed the guilty pleasure of sipping tea or coffee with our parents. But we found a way out - dip the ever-present Parle-G biscuits in their tea and have the best of two worlds, tea, and Parle-G biscuits.

Parle G unabashedly is THE INDIAN BISCUIT. It is found everywhere and is the traveling companion of all Indians who travel a lot. It is available at a very affordable Rs 5/-. 

Parle G would have satiated the hunger of many an Indian who can't afford to have something expensive when they travel. It is a biscuit available in all nooks and corners of India. It is the, "Biscuit that India eats".

As the Management gurus, Al Ries and Jack Trout have said in their seminal book "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind", Positioning is the space that the product occupies in the minds of the customer.

When asked "First man on the moon" we quickly respond  "Edmund Hillary/Tensing Norgay. " First person to score 10,000 runs in test cricket?" Sunil Gavaskar would be the quick answer. Who cares about the second person on Mount Everest or the second person to score 10,000 runs. No one knows or cares. It is the first that matters.

In all categories, we have a product or a service in the "Top of Mind (TOM)". Only TOM matters and not any other Dick or Harry (Punning from the phrase Tom, Dick, or Harry). If you ask me the best brand in chocolates, I will blurt out "5 Star".

In the expensive Detergent category, it is, "Ariel", for daily wear clothes it would be, "Surf" and for washing bedsheets and towels it is, "Nirma". Occupying the space in the mind is important.

Interestingly the space occupied by India differs from country to country. USA is the most inward-looking country in the world. They are bothered mostly about themselves. When asked about India, most would feign ignorance. Some would come out with Taj Mahal, some with the concept of "Bangalored", some might associate India with "Bollywood songs" and lately, Indians are being recognized for their prowess in Software and now India is being recognized for its food. Indian food is a rage.

Interestingly in Ethiopia Positioning about India and Indians is quite different. Indians are recognized and yelled at, "Babuji" a reference to Mahatma Gandhi. They could also holler "Namaste" as most Indians they would have encountered were teachers who taught in Ethiopian schools and later in universities.

All Indian men irrespective of size, shape, colour with or without hair on the head would become "Sha Rukh Kha (Shah Rukh Khan)" and all women would become "Ranis (Rani Mukerjee)". These were the famous film actors when we were in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia circa 2002-2006.

Parle G is a giant and it has crossed US 2 billion in sales only in biscuit sales. Its name itself was an interesting coincidence. It was started in 1929 in Vile Parle, a suburb in Mumbai and Parle derives its name from the locality. Parle added the magic word Glucose to emphasize the product's benefit, Glucose gives energy and nutrition.

Success usually spawns rivals and Parle-Glucose was no exception. Competitors climbed on the bandwagon, and everyone started using the same name "Glucose". This strategy was eating into the sales of Parle-Glucose, and it had to act fast. The shove became a push when Britannia did a campaign "Gabbar Singh ki asli Pasand". In 1980 Parle Glucose became Parle-G and it remained the same over the years.

The letter G has been used very cleverly by the company. They are already synonymous with Glucose biscuits, and they need not repeat it ad nauseum in their campaigns.

Parle did many campaigns including "Biscuit of India, You are My Parle G, Nostalgia campaign "things have changed but Parle-G remains the same” etc. But the campaign that they have stuck all along is Parle G and G means genius or now being politically correct G mane genius.

The play is on the word "genius." The positioning is that Parle-G is good for geniuses (past, present, and future). The latest set of ads focuses more on the human side of the geniuses rather than on the materialistic end results of the being geniuses. The girl and the boy ad, for example, play on the genius of the girl who longs for a toy.

But it is not for herself. Rather, it is for her brother. That is the genius part of Parle-G. Similarly, there is another very interesting ad about a couple who move into a new Mohalla (locality). The lady feels very lonely that she is not part of the Holi celebrations.

A teenage girl cleverly (another genius) makes the lady become a part of that Mohalla and helps her celebrate Holi happily. The positioning tack is slowly moving from biscuits for the kids to biscuits for everyone. Just like Cadbury Dairy Milk, which went from Cadbury for children to Cadbury for all ages and all occasions.

I am totally okay with the campaigns, but the only complaint that I have is that girls are more in focus in the advertisements, and the boys and men are used as sidekicks only. Is it because Parle-G has a picture of a girl on its packaging, or is it because girls rhyme with the "G" of the product? Your guess is good as mine. 

Anyhow, women complain of inequality and not being represented in good numbers. Parle-G has seen to it and has made girls and women its prime spokespersons!