I’ve often debated the merits of being an assertive, lead-from-the-front, the-boss-is-always-right kind of leader, versus being a nurturing, i-am-right-behind-you, what-do-you-think kind of leader. And for me, the latter has always won the debate. However, I hear plenty of arguments in favor of the former school of thought, and also see great merits in it. Today … Continue reading
Yesterday, a kid who joined my company just 2 weeks ago, quit her job with us, because she got a job with one of “the most wanted” creative agencies in the country. The bizarre thing is, she has no idea who she will report to, nor have any idea what clients she will work on! … Continue reading
Excerpts from the Inaugural Speech of President Barack Obama… thinking and vision we could all use. “Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be … Continue reading
Last Saturday evening, I spent around four hours with some of the friendliest, most unassuming bunch of people I have met in a long time. Which is surprising, considering I was at the IndiBloggers offline meet in Delhi. And Bloggers, as their reputation suggests, are a volatile and unpredictable bunch of people. “True, Bloggers around … Continue reading
I am not a negative person. I am not anti-India. It is in my blood to B+. And truly, I Love India. Which is exactly why I am writing this from the heart, with no holds barred. What is Brand India really about? What is the India beyond what we see in doublespread ads and … Continue reading
So there I was sitting in the office of a large financial institution in Dubai. I had just met Sandra at the reception. Vinod brought me a cup of tea. And I was about to sit in on a meeting with Gaurav, Rajan, Michelle and Aman* . As I looked at my fellow desis buzzing around the … Continue reading
I landed in the middle-east for the first time in my life yesterday – into Dubai. The first glimpses I got of the land below courtesy of the forward and downward camera of the Emirates Boeing 777, was of endless desert covered in a carpet of dust and heat. But as the aircraft landed and … Continue reading
Yesterday I read an interesting article in Mint, where CEOs of six of India’s large advertising agencies shared their perspectives on attrition and how they’re coping with it. The article, because it appeared in Mint which is a “business paper”, set the context as “attrition being a part of reduced ad spends and global slowdowns”. … Continue reading
In a move aimed at making the advertising and marketing business more professional and scientific, rather than amateurish and arbitrary, top agency heads and corporate leaders are expected to meet today and arrive at certain common guidelines for recruitment, training, work processes, and campaign evaluation. The meeting is supported by all the Ad Clubs of … Continue reading
Last week I was chatting with the CEO of a brand new company in the entertainment business. And as we talked about his business strategy and marketing plans, the conversation naturally veered towards advertising. It turned out he was on the verge of signing on an agency, which he admitted gave him the second best … Continue reading
