As my consulting partner and colleague @Jishnu Changkakoti and I spent more than 25 years each in the FMCG industry we have become compulsive viewers of advertising and enjoy putting ourselves in the client’s mind, grappling with the challenges and the issues. Which is why the new Air India in-flight safety video attracted our attention. …
Prepare to be surprised! In the nook of the country where I grew up, the epitome of a government office was the Accountant General’s office. Known for being the first building to have a lift in our town, it was more famous for employees never being on their seats. No, it was not MBWA (look …
During our lifetime managing brands, we always found advertising development to be exciting and stimulating. That’s why we get pumped up when we see great new campaigns, much like kids in a toy shop. The recent ad for Brooke Bond tea caught our attention and we couldn’t resist the temptation of sharing our thoughts on …
Over the last few months, Business Schools across the country have been concluding their Placement Season. Graduating MBAs are busy doing the math to determine the likely ROI of the past two years in context of their Confirmed Job Offers. Many are struggling with the disappointment of having failed to secure the elusive “Dream Job”. …
Timing is everything in life or so the popular saying goes. It could mean anything – being in the right or wrong place at the right or wrong time, speaking or keeping quiet when the other was the best option, or whatever takes your fancy. But being on time is not something that can be …
This is that time of the year when first year MBA students are stepping into their Summer Internships. For many without prior work experience, it will be a first taste of the corporate world which will be home for another thirty-five years. Making the experience memorable and valuable is what all students hope for. Many …
Young executives often complain of boredom in the work place. Whether it is the repetitive nature of the job, the monotony of seeing the same people daily or being in a business that tends to follow a predictable pattern, the feeling of boredom can happen, prompting some of us to think of changing jobs. But …
A common refrain I hear from lots of new and budding executives is about the preference for Strategy related work over Ops or the daily grunt work that keeps businesses ticking. Many of us regard strategy as the hot area to drive industry modifying thinking and make our professional mark. The foot soldier work by …
Some of my MBA students don’t entirely appreciate the value of the corporate world’s jargon and resist learning it. There is scepticism that it is in fact used in the real world. If I insist on the use of appropriate jargon, during say a case study discussion, the class splits into complete naysayers, engaged adopters …
What makes a Brand Management role exciting is the cross-functional interface, with its diversity and scope to learn different aspects of the business. Most Brand Managers I have met will rap easily with Sales Teams and enjoy the road less travelled, cracking wholesale markets, fighting the good fight to push up sales forecasts and partying …