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Victoria

From time to time we will be giving a thumbnail profile of someone in the news. In Mumbai, one person who is always in the news is Piyush Pandey. This Ranji cricketer turned tea taster turned ad man with the handlebar moustache and a hearty infectious laugh who heads O&M is today Mumbai's most recognisable advertising person. Whether he is picking up international accolades, or just partying hard, Piyush has a profile as high as the creative standards he sets.

Last year, even the Customs officers at the airport (Sahar) recognised him on his return with the Gold Lions from Cannes. Piyush, who normally spends a week at Cannes every year recharging his creative batteries, will chair the jury there this June.

When someone mentioned the Chairman at Cannes gets to stay in a great big luxury presidential suite, he wryly noted that his wife would be pleased to hear about this. He himself would be too busy playing Chairman. Well, you know the burdens of high office ...

Shoaib in town

The newspapers were full of pictures of the Rawalpindi Express that steamed into Mumbai and checked into one of the North Mumbai hotels. Seemed like Shoaib Akhtar was in town to shoot a commercial. Every interview, however, has been highlighting the fact that the mercurial bowler might be opting out of the upcoming series against Sri Lanka. Not the most reassuring of news stories for the agency and client who have no doubt paid a bomb to get him to star in their commercial.

Retail boom

The Mumbai retail market is now acquiring a new spin. The Big Bazaar has been releasing full-page advertisements just showing pack shots and the prices clearly. There is also a `normal' price, and a `Big Bazaar Price' which looks significantly lower. And please note these are on everyday FMCG stuff. The Giant mega store (an RPG enterprise) in Mulund has been releasing similar advertisements. This way both city slickers and suburbanites have been covered. Now the Wal Mart formula seems to be sweeping good old Mumbai too. The customer is beaming.

Enrique passes through

Enrique Iglesias came, wowed the young at heart in Mumbai and left on the next leg of his whirlwind tour of the sub-continent. There were two other people who seemed to capture a fair share of the limelight. One was the lissome tennis star, Anna Kournikova, who accompanied Enrique. The other was a caterer who managed to get his picture into every newspaper. His claim to fame was the pasta dish he churned up for Enrique. Will anyone tell me which is his PR firm?

*******

Catalyst launched this new column out of Mumbai a few weeks ago. Why Mumbai and why Victoria? Mumbai is seen as the Mecca or Madison Avenue of advertising. This column seeks to take a bird's eye view of the happenings, events, personalities and of course the advertising that shapes, makes, and sometimes mars this exciting industry. The comments might sometimes be made, tongue firmly in cheek, but never with any intent of malice. And, Victoria is the name given to the tanga or horse-drawn carriage that is unique to Mumbai. A once regal way to get around Bombay, it now serves as a favourite tourist attraction to those who visit Mumbai. The name re-gained local popularity with the release of a Hindi movie called Victoria 203. It remains a very enjoyable way to take in the sights of Mumbai.

Sit back, relax and let this Victoria give you a periodic glimpse of the Mumbai Mosaic.

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