Indian Eye

Digital Advertising Agencies - The Woes and Ways ahead

Advertising on the Internet is almost a decade now, but its potential and benefit to marketers have only been realized fairly recently. The measurability, the innovativeness, the cost benefit and the unprecedented reach to a global audience has made marketing on the Internet a favourite amongst a growing number of marketers.

However, because this is a new medium, the number of online marketing agencies that can handle a client’s end-to-end internet marketing requirements are virtually non-existent. There are specialists in all kinds of areas - from SEO (Search Engine Optimization), PPC (Pay Per Click), Blogging, Online Media Buying, Banner Creatives, Facebook applications, Virals etc.

The good part is that there are many good specialists in their area of expertise, the problem is that all these areas are relatively incoherent. You need someone to orchestrate your campaign, route it to all these specialist areas and bring it all together to make the campaign successful.

If you manage the online initiatives for your company, you will relate with it, especially if your company has a big budget in the online space.

There are many so called generalists who claim to provide end-to-end, seamless online marketing solutions. But dig the surface, and most of these agency claims are empty and fail to deliver on their promise.

Many of the traditional advertising agencies have forayed into the digital marketing space, and are attempting to fill the gap for their clients. Their “attempt” however leaves a lot to be desired. Most of the client servicing guys handle the Internet business with the legacy of traditional advertising, and handle this medium with the same gloves.

That said, some of the big agencies are also acquiring specialist digital agencies, in the hope of completing the spectrum. It will be interesting to watch, how these acquisitions pan out over the years.

Will good digital marketing agencies thrive on their own, or would they need to be part of a traditional agency needs to be seen. Whatever may be the case, marketers/clients need a single point interface and a partner to maximize the brand and revenue potential.

Tags: Advertising, Internet

Posted in Advertising, India, Internet, Marketing, Opinions, Sales | 4 Comments »

Holi - The Festival of Colours

Holi is a Hindu spring festival, observed in India and Nepal, also called the Festival of Colours.

On the first day, bonfires are lit at night to signify burning the demoness Holika, Hiranyakashipu’s sister.

On the second day, known as Dhulhendi, people spend the day throwing coloured powder and water at each other. A special drink called thandai is prepared, sometimes containing bhang (Cannabis sativa). People invite each other to their houses for feasts and celebrations later in the evening.

Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colours.

Holi takes place over two days in the later part of February or early March. As per the Hindu calendar, it falls on the Phalgun Purnima (or Pooranmashi, Full Moon).

The Legend of Holi

There are two versions.

Hiranyakashipu, the king of demons was granted a boon after long penance by Brahma, which made it almost impossible for him to be killed. The boon demanded that he not be killed “during day or night; inside the home or outside, not on earth or on sky; neither by a man nor an animal; neither by astra nor by shastra“. Consequently, he grew arrogant, and attacked the Heavens and the Earth. He demanded that people stop worshipping gods and start praying to him.

Despite this, Hiranyakashipu’s own son, Prahlad, was a devotee of Lord Vishnu. In spite of several threats from Hiranyakashipu, Prahlad continued offering prayers to Lord Vishnu. He was poisoned but the poison turned to nectar in his mouth. He was ordered to be trampled by elephants yet remained unharmed. He was put in a room with hungry, poisonous snakes and survived. All of Hiranyakashipu’s attempts to kill his son failed. Finally, he ordered young Prahlad to sit on a pyre on the lap of his sister, Holika, who could not die by fire by virtue of a shawl which would prevent fire affecting the person wearing it. Prahlad readily accepted his father’s orders, and prayed to Vishnu to keep him safe. When the fire started, everyone watched in amazement as the shawl flew from Holika, who then was burnt to death, while Prahlad survived unharmed, after the shawl moved to cover him. The burning of Holika is celebrated as Holi.

The other version.

Kamadeva’s(God of love) shot his weapon at Shiva in order to disrupt his penance and help Parvati to marry Shiva. Shiva then opened the debilitating third eye, the gaze of which was so powerful that Kama’s body was reduced to ashes. For the sake of Kama’s wife Rati (passion), Shiva restored him, but only as a mental image, representing the true emotional and mental state of love rather than physical lust. The Holi bonfire is believed to be celebrated in commemoration of this event.

Source and adaptation: Wikipedia

Tags: Festivals, Holi, India

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The Cancer Within - Corruption Aided Terrorism

I saw an investigative report on the television channel CNN IBN titled Citizen X, that outlined how easy it is for a terrorist to operate in India.

According to the report, all it required was less than Rs. 50,000 for the investigative reporting team to acquire all of these - an Indian driving license, a proof of residence, an MTNL phone, a birth certificate, a PAN card, a ration card and shockingly the Indian passport and Voter id!. And all this in less than 20 days. Incidentally, if you were to go about legitimately acquiring a passport or a ration card the period could exceed 45 days!

With corrupt government officials, politicians and policemen in collaboration, all you need is an interface, a tout who gets the work done and passes on the commissions to everyone involved in the pecking order.

And the strangest part of all, the individual for whom these documents were made didn’t even exist, so you can officially exist and become a citizen of India without even existing!

These are facts well known to terrorists across the border, and infiltration and setting up base in India is only a matter of a few weeks and a few thousand $.

As an Indian citizen I’m more worried, because this problem is widespread and has spread like a cancer throughout the administration and offices of national integrity.
The greater enemy is within, and the roots are running deeper within our system like a parasite.

If the integrity of our nation is at the mercy of touts and corrupt officials, I wonder how long before the heinous grip of corruption reaches out for the throat of our nation.

Tags: Corruption, India, Opinions

Posted in Blogging, India, Opinions | No Comments »

The Ancient Indian History Series - An Introduction

We are aware of India’s rich past and heritage, but do we know anything beyond that. The legacy of India is rich, deep, varied and spans roughly 10,000 years!.

The span of ancient India refers to the following periods…
3400 - 180 BC which covers the Indus Valley Civilization, the Vedic Period, Mahajanapadas, Magadha Empire, Gandhara, Maurya Empire, the Pandyans, Cholas, Cheras.

250 BC - 500 AD which includes the middle kingdoms of Gupta Empire, Kadamba Dynasty, Pallavas.

Of these time periods, I shall start with the Mahajanapadas, then to the Magadha Empire and so on.
I shall attempt to unravel this time period in a concise and interesting manner through the Ancient Indian History Series.

Tags: Ancient Indian History, Introduction

Posted in History, India | No Comments »

Rickshaw Fare Unfair - The Naysayers of Chennai

If you have been to Chennai, you know by now what this post is going to be about. For all its progress, and stride forward amongst the southern Indian states, this is one issue that hangs like an albatross on the city’s neck.

For the uninitiated, its never a pleasant experience traveling by an auto rickshaw in Chennai. And why?, well they never go by the meter (which seems to be some old decaying relic); they quote the most ridiculous rates - even if the destination is just a kilometre away; and worse, they are uncouth and abusive.

When designing those attractive and  poetic tourism posters there should also be a disclaimer warning the tourists of these rogues.

To sum it up in the words of a colleague who left the city after 6 months of work, “I’m glad I wont have to deal with the rickshaws any more!”

Tags: Chennai, City, India

Posted in City, India | No Comments »