Posts 61 to 70 of 107

Lynnisms
stray thoughts about stray subjects
Goddess with feet of clay [ edit ]
July 06 2006 (08:29:00) ( 2 views )


Yet another one has called me a goddess, someone who has made a huge impact on his or her life. In public. I cannot understand this. Not the compliment, and not my own reaction. I look down at my feet, and they are definitely made of clay.

Comments

Thats the best part about evolving thought. Today we understand and accept feet of clay. And we believe the more clay there is, the better experience has taught. Noone better to learn from. Usually I resist from making statements that are professional in nature on ur blog because I don't want to be unprofessional. This time I couldn't resist. When I got married, someone touched my feet as a show of respect for the first time and I remember I went back and told my Dad I was so uncomfortable. And, he told me something that has always stayed.I owed it to that person to accept his graciousness. I owed it to the person who was reposing his faith in me my indulgence.So, indulge us.....
Posted by svety on 07/06/2006 11:44:43 AM
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Happy Birthday, Keith [ edit ]
July 01 2006 (12:59:00) ( 2 views )

It's your birthday, but Gemma got the gift. The hock sock I ordered
for her from dogleggs.com arrived today, and so far she seems to be
okay with it.

For a 51 year old, you have packed in a lot of life
- done more things, seen more places, been through more ups and downs
than you probably care to remember. As long as they have made you grow
a little, brought you some happiness and maybe a measure of peace on
your journey, I guess it's ok.

But you still have miles to go
before you sleep, and several promises to keep. Here's wishing you
love, joy, faith, courage and a continuing sense of adventure for the
days ahead.

Your sister always,
Lynn
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Pacific Blues [ edit ]
June 28 2006 (08:45:00) ( 2 views )

This post is for Svety, post her comment.

The Pacific will be even bluer than in your dreams, that's a promise. That's nature for you.

But don't expect your friend to be waiting on the other side ready to shake your hand. Loyalty and fidelity haven't exactly been written into the human DNA.

However, on the bright side, human nature has been blessed with the ability to be 'bigger' than all of nature put together - forgiveness and compassion know no bounds. Remember this if you ever find that the ocean is a perfect blue, but the hand feels empty, because at the end of the day .....you're bigger than all of that.

Or so I try to tell myself!!!

Comments

Thank U
Posted by svety on 06/29/2006 11:47:06 AM

Hi. I think your layout is really adorable.
Posted by followthestars on 06/29/2006 09:48:24 PM
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No tomorrows [ edit ]
June 26 2006 (06:53:00) ( 2 views )

"To no tomorrows". That was the toast that Alan Shore raised to Denny Crane at the end of the first episode of Boston Legal that has just started airing on Star World. A carry forward from the Practice - Alan Shore had outdone Cosmo Kramer to become my most favourite TV character. It was good to see that he isn't going to let me down in this new firm, which is a little more Ally McBealish unfortunately, however Alan Shore as the Robin Hood lawyer is still great. There is something about James Spader's eyes that really grab you - they stare vacantly and yet seem to see too much, they pop out a little but are still the most attractive feature of his face, and they seem so expressionless and yet are the most expressive piece of anatomy on the entire show - better even than Rhona Mitra's entire figure.

I like the thought of no tomorrows - the episode was built around Little Orphan Annie's wonderful rendition of a song that encourages you to not dwell on the miseries of today, since there's always a tomorrow - and then Shore and Crane (and a good reverend) bring you back to reality with the one true truth I suppose, that you can never live in or for the tomorrow, can you?

Comments

Hi Lynn, I have a favourite line from a very favourite movie, The Shawshank Redemption. I'm sure u u must have seen it. "I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope." The story about tomorrow is the same to me - I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams....." And I absolutely loved The Practice. haven't seen Boston Legal yet. will catch it.
Posted by svety on 06/27/2006 01:17:24 PM
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Lightning strikes [ edit ]
June 22 2006 (08:11:00) ( 2 views )

The death of a college girl and severe injuries of her seven friends on Chowpatty beach the day before yesterday is like a real life bolt from the blue. Who dies by lightning strike in the cities these days? Moral of the story - be prepared, make peace with the world, do your duty, live clean, we never know when the Maker will decide to call us in. When He does, it may be better to go out innocently and instantly like young More, than in a blaze of indignity like Bibek Moitra.

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Posted by Morbid-Calendar on 01/16/2007 10:20:23 AM
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SMALL STEPS, BIG IMPACT [ edit ]
June 15 2006 (09:16:00) ( 2 views )

(Published on June 19, 2006 in the 'by invitation' section of the second anniversary issue of Impact)


When a meteorite crashes into the surface of the earth, it makes a huge impact. Besides leaving behind a crater in which life may never grow again, unless water accumulates within it, destruction of life during the impact itself is inevitable.

That’s the kind of impact I don’t like. Very big, very quick, very focused, lots of noise, lots of destruction.

Small steps, committed, thoughtful, careful, courageous steps – those are the ones that leave behind real constructive change. Real impact. Like the steps the Mahatma left behind on the sands of Dandi.

Like the steps Subhash Goyal took when he founded Zee TV, the ones M G Krishnamurthy took when he set up MICA, and the ones Roda Mehta took when she set up the Media Research User’s Council. They all stood for something new, something challenging, something that filled a need gap. They were all small steps, which required a lot of support, a great deal of commitment, and resources that came from within and without and went beyond the financial. Measured persistent steps that have stood the test of time, and resulted in making a real difference to the world of advertising and media in our country. And not just to the people and the organizations that set them up.

There are many more examples like the ones above – forgive me if I cannot list them all here. Sam and Meenakshi, I salute your fearlessness and your professionalism. You are today’s role models, many media people wish to walk in your footsteps.

So when Impact asks me to describe what I consider to be the most impactful event of the past one year – it’s so hard to say. In the final analysis, it’s not the headline grabbers that will make the impact, it’s the small acts of innovation, inspiration, courage and motivation, happening every day in clients’ offices, media houses, research agencies, media agencies, production houses and so on, that will.

Let me try to list out a few small ones nevertheless – not in any order of importance.

The Goa Fest. Set aside the ego wars that our industry has unfortunately become synonymous with, and give credit to the idea itself. A national festival. A setting to die for. A commitment to the young people, to the future. An introduction to international practices. An organizational coup. Congratulations to all those who worked behind and before the scenes – whether you finally made it to the Goa Fest or not. One day you will. Because this is an idea that will grow bigger and better with each passing year, if properly watered and fed. The waters of Goa will help, I am sure!

The Television Ratings debate. We haven’t heard the last of it. While TAM continues to posture and promise endlessly, aMap has quietly set up its 6000 meter panel across the country, with an analysis and software platform that will require media planners and media houses, who do get on to the system, to completely unlearn their current method of working. The change will be the equivalent of paper memos to email. If aMap does not become the industry standard, a new improved TAM, or a third dark horse alternative is very much on the cards. Once again, congratulations to the MRUC for upping the antennae on this debate, even as the JIB tries unsuccessfully to squash it.

Mumbai Masala. Hindustan Times and DNA took on the old lady of Boribunder… and how. An unprecedented Rs 160 crores was spent on print and outdoor media promotion within one month by all the newspaper biggies – that too in a monsoon month. 990 mm of rain coupled with 9 lakh free copies doing the rounds – oh there was a lot to read, and a lot to read about. The impact of the success of these two launches (and indeed of the Mumbai Mirror, the old lady’s youthful response) on India’s most wanted consumers, will continue to be felt over time. Not just on readership and its migration, but also on the kind of advertising rates that a mighty monopoly may have once extracted far more than the market ever felt comfortable with.

330 FM radio licences, with a more sensible revenue sharing model. After the LPT explosion of 1982, this may well be the Government’s most impactful move to date to fuel the growth of a good medium. A medium without a face but with a whole lot of fortune.

Anil Ambani, media mogul. Rs 500 crores reported ad budget. Second only to HLL. Meteorite in the making? I don’t know.

Children’s television. Malls and multiplexes. DTH. ITC e-chaupals. Blogs. Media education. All these have made their presence felt last year. With small steps, and big futures. I have left out many more developments, I am sure, but you get the drift.

Impact has also asked me to send out a message to the advertising and media community. I don’t think they will mind too much if I make it more personal than professional. So here it is –

“We live in a country where people are still poor, hungry, and dying of unnatural causes everyday. Where discrimination continues to be practiced and encouraged. Where cruelty and violence are prevalent even among our peace loving people. So when we are already beset with so many problems, one cause that seems terribly unfashionable is that of animal rights and animal welfare. That can be a truly myopic approach. We cannot get away from the fact that we are all animals too, that the entire universe is inextricably interconnected, and that the exploitation of any one specie, or individuals within that specie, including the human race, can never lead to any ultimate good.

Please do not exploit animals in advertising and programming, intentionally or otherwise. They cannot speak for themselves and will not complain. Please use the powers of persuasive communication that we have been blessed with to help them instead. They will not write you a cheque or give you an award or feature you in Brand Equity or send you to Cannes for your effort, but if you can help the life of even one of them unconditionally and unexpectedly, you will have made a real impact.”

Comments

How did you get to be so smart for a dolphin? I agree with all that you say. I'm glad there are still some people out there who care about these things.
Posted by bumponablog on 06/16/2006 08:30:10 PM

Thanks for your kind comment, Jamiesuzanne. Wish I really were as smart as a dolphin!
Posted by lynnisms on 06/17/2006 10:51:24 AM


Posted by Morbid-Calendar on 01/08/2007 03:03:55 AM
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OVERLOAD! [ edit ]
June 13 2006 (11:33:00) ( 2 views )


(Published as my column in Business World in June 2006)


The number of ads aired on television in an average week has increased by three times in the last five years – from 86000 in 2001 to 260000 in 2005. Three times! No other media has seen such phenomenal growth in inventory in such a short time. Though television airtime is perishable, this steep increase has been made possible by the addition of nearly 200 channels during this period. Indeed, in 2005, the maximum number of ads aired was not on the general entertainment channels as one would expect, but on the newer news channels! Perhaps a reflection of the increase in male targeted goods and services like the telecom and automotive advertisers.

How has this commercial overload affected the viewer, and the advertiser? Have they both welcomed this trend with open arms? Or are they concerned? I think it’s a bit of both. Let’s see why.

The first worrying fact is that while the number of ads aired may have gone up, the number of ads actually viewed, at least according to peoplemeter ratings, hasn’t kept pace. Indeed, in 2001, 83% of ads aired were viewed – that is, the peoplemeter recorded viewing, though eyeballs may or may not have actually been focused on the TV set. In 2005, this proportion has dropped steeply to just 72%. Which means that a good 28% of ads telecast have simply no ratings, and in actuality, the number could be much lower, since we know that ad avoidance behaviour has now reached a peak.

This is definitely cause for concern for the advertiser, who must now find ways to ensure that his ads are telecast at time slots, and on channels least likely to have zero ratings. For example, while news channels aired an average of 45000 ads a week last year, as many as 18% of those ads had no viewership. By contrast, the Hindi general entertainment channels had only 20000 ads per week, but a good 93% of these were viewed. And the favourite on this measure by far is Doordarshan national, with a very low clutter level of just 2200, and almost all ads seen!

The analysis done by Lintas Media Group’s Intellect shows that ads telecast during the noon, evening and primetime sessions have the highest likelihood of being seen, with zero ratings at the 20 to 25% level. However, early morning and late prime time slots, where channels push in the ‘deal’ inventory, can have a zero rating component ranging as high as 41 to 83%.

The good news however is that more ads are seen by the ‘attractive’ audiences than by any other. The average TV viewer watched 313 ads per week last year. For women over 35, the target for most household products, this was up at 417. And for the young people aged between 15 to 34 years, at whom almost half of all ad spend was targeted last year, the average number of ads watched was as high as 514. Again we must remember, that these figures are what the peoplemeter captures, but provide no reflection of whether the young person in the room was actually watching the TV set during the ad break or not.

The other interesting insight is that being associated with a channel that runs low on ads can actually be good for you. Doordarshan national may have the lowest number of ads telecast per week, but this does translate to the highest number of ads viewed by the average TV viewer – at 102 per week. With its competitors in the Hindi general entertainment space much lower at 29. This does give a whole new meaning to the term ‘bang for buck’, doesn’t it?

In sum, I would say that it’s no longer enough for advertisers and their agencies to look at viewing behaviour and ratings in isolation while striking deals, and to simply rush along with the herd. It’s now even more important to study what our competitors and our consumers are not doing – and to strike out on a lonely but perhaps much more productive path.

Comments

There may be even more disturbing to advertisers trends. For example, I don't watch TV at all. At present, I do read blogs but as advertisers start appearing, I expect I'll leave this scene as well.
Posted by charleyisbob on 06/13/2006 05:26:35 PM
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True Love [ edit ]
June 12 2006 (06:06:00) ( 2 views )

London was unexpectedly lovely. I am so used to a damp grey slightly dirty Central London. This sunny spring-summer freshness was wonderful. Since the flight in was 30 minutes ahead of schedule, the pilot took us on a 360 degree sky tour - from which the Bridge, the river, Kensington Gardens and Cardinal Place were breathtaking. The WSPA Symposium hotel (Royal Lancaster) was just across the street from Hyde Park, where the manager's residence, Planter's Lodge at Lancaster Gate, was still absolulely unchanged with its old world log cabin look. New life - both flora and fauna - turned the Park into a heaven I never found it to be before.

The conference itself was an eye opener. Every single presentation full of substance, wisdom, passion, compassion, immaculately and creatively delivered. Interacting with animal welfare people from 112 countries has made me realise how shallow and hollow this world of advertising and media is. How weak and egoistic its industry leaders are. I try to change things - it's an uphill task, self interest reigns supreme. I don't belong here, I belong there, always did I suppose.

Perhaps I have found true love after all this time.

Among the most significant aspects of the symposium was the inauguration of the petition that will go to the UN, making the Universal Declaration for Animal Rights a statutory requirement for member UN countries. The target is to get 10 million signatories to the petition. I was fortunate to be the 144th person to sign it (why does this number keep coming up at all important events in my life?!) If you care about animals, please log onto www.animalsmatter.org, and sign in.

While on the subject of true love, I came back to find Sqawky missing, and Peter and Paul both gone. Specky too was not to be seen. Then this morning at breakfast, Fluffy sqawked his way right up to the table, cawing incessantly. I was a little taken aback, because he had already been fed, but then I followed him to the rightside balcony with some egg, and there was Specky, miserably wet and hungry, but alive and well otherwise. He waited close by her while I fed her. She must have been chased off by the owls who made off with her babies, I guess. Fluffy's still by her side, drying her out, crop feeding her.

True love. Yes, it does exist. In sunny London and wet Mumbai. And maybe across the oceans in other places too. Someday soon, it will fly to me.
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Forgiveness... [ edit ]
June 07 2006 (09:30:00) ( 2 views )

.....is like expertise.
It seems hard at first,
but once it's done you realise how simple it was.
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Peter and Paul... [ edit ]
June 06 2006 (06:46:00) ( 2 views )

...were hatched during the weekend, Peter on Sautrday, Paul on Sunday. Most likely they are a pair, one male, one female, but till I know better let's just call them Peter and Paul. It was the first time I have ever seen crow babies. Peter looked like a little piece of pink ugly flesh, which grew twice its size by the end of the day, and now on the third morning, black feathers have already appeared.

Meanwhile Papa Fluffy has been dancing on Mum's bed in the mornings, cawing loudly for his boiled egg, which he stuffs up his crop with and then goes off to feed Specky and the kids. Very very sweet. But some people say it's not such a good idea to have the crows making free with your house, I don't know why, they don't mess up the place like pigeons, and are very very clever and responsive, I quite like them.

Sqawky is still alive. He fell from his nest a fortnight ago onto the 4000 square feet terrace of the building at the back, where an old Jain lady feeds the birds every morning. He is being fed and watered by her and his parents, survived the rains so far, but refuses to fly. I wonder how long he will survive like this.

As for the crows on the third floor, of the four eggs we first saw (two of which were Mrs Koel's), one was tipped over the nest, one chick died soon after being hatched, and one nestling got run over by a car after his first flight out. What's left is one solitary fellow who has turned out to be a cuckoo after all. His crow parents still feed him daily, while his real parents, the crooks, live happily and lazily on the neem tree nearby.

Nature is such a contradiction. Here is Fluffy, loving father, and there is the cuckoo pair, selfish and smart. A lot like humanity, right?
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