The Hindu Business Line : Provoked

No, this is not a review for the Ash starrer that is currently playing in Mumbai theatres. This is what we heard about the event called `Provocations' organised by the Subhas Ghosal Foundation.

Santosh Desai was the provocateur and the "provoked participants" were Vinita Bali of Britannia and Balki of Lowe. The topic was `Risk and Responsibility'.

We must say, as concepts for programmes go, there are few to rival this. A strategic thinker (Santosh) provoking a top advertiser (Vinita) and an outspoken creative head (Balki). What more could you want?

Well, looks like the irrepressible Balki was in top form. Notwithstanding the fact that Ms Bali is an advertiser, and a client to boot, he did some pretty straight talking and kept the agency's flag flying high. He also kept his cool while taking on Ms Bali, and it seems the only one who light-heartedly said he was provoked was Piyush Pandey who was in the audience. One quote we must give you. Ms Bali, commenting on the lack of ideas these days, spoke about the Miss Palampur advertisement where Amitabh shows off a cow as a beauty pageant winner and wanted to know what connection there was between a cow and Cadbury milk chocolate. Pat came the reply from Piyush in the audience: "Milk"!

Clearly, Balki did a great job and also kept the audience in splits with his very chilled-out demeanour.

Well, the first event of this kind had Piyush sparring with Alyque. This one had an agency and an advertiser. What will round three be?

Goafest

By the time you read this, the Goafest organised by the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) would have drawn to a close. Martin Sorrel and Subhash Chandra would have spoken at the exclusive conclave (invitees only please, they kept reminding us), the awards would have been given away and Goa would be returning to normal with all those ad-types tying up their pony tails and returning to base. We promise to give you some behind-the-scenes insights from our team which would have returned with some first-hand reports. Watch this space.

Jet Lite

Jet: What's in a name?

We have always been great fans of Jet Airways. We really believe they are one of the most professionally run airlines in India. Yet we never fail to wonder as to who selects names at the airline. Rewind to about 12 years ago. Imagine a room full of marketing and advertising professionals brainstorming about what name to give a new airline. Now imagine a light bulb going on above someone's head as she comes up with the name `Jet Airways'. Imagine the management types arguing about what would happen if they used turbo-prop aircraft or turbo fan aircraft, would the airline be called `Turbo Airways'?

Yet, it was Jet, and it stuck, and it was accepted by the customer, because a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Now imagine the same scene a few days ago and a name is being contemplated for the new low-cost airline that the newly taken-over Sahara would be positioned as. We are dying to know who came up with the name Jet Lite. We've heard of Nutra Lite and Dairy Lite and Bud Lite and Pepsi Lite, but they all conjure up images of non-fat products. I guess they are so Lite they just float away and fly? So then what's wrong with Jet Lite? At last there is something that is not just `lite' for you but also for your wallet. Jet Lite. We'll fly to that!

Kurkure Express

The news from Laloo-land is always interesting, to say the least. The enigmatic Minister who spends as much time running the Railways as he does lecturing to students from various American university delegations (the itinerary of any US management school visiting India is now Bangalore, Taj Mahal and Laloo Prasad) has another feather in his cap: branded trains. Three trains chugging out of Bangalore will be called Kurkure Express. We can imagine the shape of things to come. We could look forward to catching the overnight Two-down Lays Express, the Fifteen-up Bingo Mail, the Haldirams Super Fast and the Maggi Queen (it's different).

Vic's picks

The whackiest, zaniest TVC doing the rounds of a zillion channels is the one for Bingo from ITC. Never knew the tobacco giant had a funny bone tucked away somewhere. Took some time to get it, but it gets a chuckle out of us every time we see it. Keep at it, guys, we love smiling!

Victoria invites comments at brandline@thehindu.co.in

Victoria

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