Paradox of Brand Immunity

Brand positioning, Brand revival, Brand royalty..... It was almost branding bombardment in the marketing class. The MBA student was fed up with this daily brand staple. Brands followed him even when he was out of class, at home as TV commercials, on road as billboards, while surfing on websites and now also during movies. Brands were not only giving him mental torture but they were also pinching his pocket. He was almost addictive of brands and often ended up spending on unnecessary brands.

MBA decided to get out of this brand addiction. Suddenly an idea of creating a Brand Immunity Vaccine struck him. A vaccine such that whoever uses it won’t be affected by branding campaigns; he’ll buy only what is needed and not what he is persuaded for.

MBA always wanted to start a new venture, so he decided to make a business out of this idea. When he analyzed business proposition for this idea, he found that according to a research, people end up spending around 40 percent more money for buying branded products than non branded products of same quality. So the value proposition for brand immunity vaccine was to save those 40 percent. This vaccine would have large market of almost everyone with good disposable income.

To implement the unique idea he roped in a psychologist to analyze effect of brands on minds of people and a scientist to create the vaccine.

After a thorough research and testing the product was ready.

"Hey, the product, Brand Immunity Vaccine is ready, now we have to sell it", scientist told MBA.

MBA instinctively responded, "Sell immediately, No; first we have to create brand, people don’t buy product they buy brand."

Honest Question

Placement season in the B-School. Pressure, anxiety and tension was palpable in the air. I was just another rat in the race, attending one GD after another and many interviews in between.

In one such interview I was sitting opposite a panel of experienced interviewers who were ready to test me. They asked me all sorts of questions, HR, academics, currents affairs, economics, extracurricular activities and what not. The interview was very long, it lasted for more than half an hour. I managed to answer all questions really well. The panel was very much impressed and almost ready to hire me, I guessed that from their expressions.

At the end of the interview, one of the interviewer asked me, "Would you like to ask something about our company?"

One question I was waiting to ask for half an hour and I couldn't resist the temptation.

I asked, "What is the name of your company?"

-- Disclaimer- This story like all my other posts is fictional.

Cocktail of Indecision

Three friends from a big B-School were facing a difficult question, "Which Specialization?".

From so many specializations, they decided to choose from either Finance or Marketing. To discuss this difficult question they thought of doing brainstorming in Juice parlor.

In Juice Parlor

"This menu is too much confusing, if we look at all options, we cannot decide which juice to choose from."

"I guess we should choose from either Mango juice or Orange juice. Because both are popular and this parlor is famous for both of these juices than any other."

"I believe we should think only in short term while choosing juice. We should choose the one which tastes better."

"No, we should think from a long term perspective. We should choose the one which is better for our health."

"I don't agree with both of you. We should choose the juice which we like."

"Well, I just can't decide which one to choose. I'll choose the one which most people like in this parlor."

"I look at it from a different perspective. If we choose Orange, we risk losing Mango and vice-versa. I believe we should de-risk this."

Discussion, arguments continued between these three friends. Now waiter enters in the scene.
"Sir, Please decide quickly, after ten minutes we'll close this juice parlor."

"We'll go for cocktail !!", all three replied.

Counting Curse

I was eating strawberries with my friend.

After that strawberry feast, I asked her, "How many strawberries you ate?"

She replied, "I didn't count. I was enjoying its taste. Its taste is amazing. Did you like taste of strawberries?"

"Uhh.. I was counting strawberries while eating. I missed out on its taste", I responded.

Next Experiment

New blog for new thoughts!!

Here is my next experiment, Shailesh Speaks . All are invited to be a part my new journey.

"The Ignorant's Blog" for my Soul.
"Shailesh Speaks" for my Brain.

Love
- The-Ignorant

The-Ignorant in B-School

I have got a big break. I couldn't resist the temptation to share this great news with readers of this blog.

I'll be joining JBIMS , one of the best B-School in India, this academic year.

By God's grace, this is reality, not fiction :)

- The-Ignorant

Middle Path

A group of men and a group of women were involved in heated debate.

Men believed - "God is a man."

Women argued - "God is a woman."

'Wise' man thought he was master of negotiations. He believed that solution for every problem can be found by taking a middle path.

Wise man made heroic entry in this fight.

Wise man suggested to the fighting groups, "God is neither man nor woman, God is somewhere in between."

His suggestion had serious conclusion. Both groups were furious. They beat the 'wise' man to death.

The wise man died on middle of the road, on the 'middle path'.

Everything But Work

I was furious, my flat was not ready and builder's reply was "Work in Progress". I decided to check whats happening at construction site.

I reached at construction site. What I saw was really unexpected.

Almost no worker was working. Some were writing letters, some were busy meeting their friends, some were playing football. Even this was not enough. Some people were busy with pundit matching their kundlies and looking photos of possible future life partners.

No one was working.

I decided to contact the supervisor at this construction site. I was shocked again. He was writing diary.

"Why no one is working? Why everyone is busy with 'other' things?" , I asked him.

Supervisor was truly shyless. He didn't answered my question, he asked, "What is your profession?"

"I am an IT professional, a Software Engineer.", I answered.

"You shouldn't be surprised. What you people do with computer and Internet, we are doing same without them. You all are hooked to personal emails, blogging, orkut, computer games and matrimonial sites. We are on the other side of digital divide, so we are just doing same in a different way." the supervisor gave me this biggest shock.

I had nothing to say. I left that place.

Bookish Leadership

I was travelling by train. I was reading a good book sitting on a window seat.

A teenager sitting opposite me was also reading a book, "Swimming Guide". I thought he was the most stupid person on earth. Can art of swimming be learnt by reading book?

I curiously asked that teenager,"Do you believe by reading this book you will learn how to swim?"

Teenager confidently replied, "Yes!! This book is written by a legendary swimmer who has won half a dozen Olympic gold medals."

This confirmed my assumption that this teenager was the most stupid person on earth.

Then I continued reading the book, "Leadership Guide", the book by a legendary CEO.

People ARE System and System IS People

People make System OR System makes People ?
Probably Both.

People make System AND System makes People.

People ARE System and System IS People.
Still People crib about System.

People -> System -> People -> System -> People
Its a Circle, Origin is End and End is Origin.

Sometimes this Circle is Virtuous,
Sometimes this Circle is Vicious.

When it is vicious, someone should break it.
Who should break the vicious circle?
System or People?
Probably People.