WestJet: Christmas miracle (Heart touching marketing campaign)

When I was a child I eagerly waited for Christmas because I was told that at this time of the year Santa Clause visits us when we are sleeping and gives us gifts.

Christmas season is on I can sense that all of you are cool, happy and very anxiously waiting for celebrating Christmas. If you aren’t quite in the Christmas spirit yet then maybe this viral video from Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet will help you getting it.

Canadian airline WestJet has surprised more than 250 customers on board two Calgary-bound flights with their Christmas wishes, earning worldwide praises for the company. Christmas came early for the fliers at the Toronto and Hamilton International airports, when they were surprised with Christmas gifts upon arrival at Calgary.

It started on a snowy Nov. 21, WestJet set up interactive video screens in airport departure lounges in Toronto and Hamilton, which allowed two planeloads of Calgary-bound guests to scan their boarding passes and speak to Santa. The passengers were filmed when a virtual Santa Claus was asking what they wanted for Christmas this year.

The travelers told a virtual Santa Claus their Christmas wishes. The wishes ranged from socks and underwear to a big-screen TV.

While the passengers were enjoying their relaxing flights, the WestJet staffs were busy getting the presents to the airport, wrapping them up and ensuring that each package has the name of the person who asked Santa for it.

All this involved some 150 WestJet employees who did everything from coordinating logistics at the airport to high-speed shopping and wrapping, clearing gifts through airport security and serving hot cocoa at baggage claim.

After the passengers finally touch down in Calgary we see them milling around baggage reclaim, which has been decorated to look as seasonal as possible with giant gingerbread men and even fake snow.

Then the baggage carousel starts up and rather than their luggage, the passengers are greeted with individual gift boxes containing their specially-requested Christmas gifts.

The footage of the passengers opening their presents is very touching, especially a young boy who looks super excited to receive an Android tablet and a young family get the biggest present – a big screen TV, looking slightly less impressed is the poor guy who only gets some socks and underwear.

The event was filmed in real-time, inspiring adults across the globe to once again believe in Christmas miracles. As children, many of us grew up believing in a Santa who was always watching, who could read our minds, the Santa who sees you when you’re sleeping, who knows when you’re awake. In a stealthy, slightly creepy way, WestJet, with its hidden cameras, made that fantasy real. WestJet gave those traveler’s the gift of magic.

I personally feel that it was really nice, well-thought out and well executed campaign. It brought life to the brands core values and most importantly it wasn't expensive. They have raise the level of marketing by making smart use of technology.

Thank you for visiting.

Wish you a very Happy Merry Christmas.   

6 Ways to Invigorate your Morning

To have a truly delightful day, getting it started with your best efforts.

You become more productive when you face every morning with positivity. Here I will suggest you some of the best ways to start your day with extreme positivity and keep it moving till the end.

1. Instigate your body.
When you're sleeping, your body is at a relax mode so waking up leaves you sleepy. Don’t shuffle through your morning, just stand right up, shake yourself out, and take three long, deep breaths. Remember, the root word of "inspire" is Latin for "to breathe."

2 Instigate your mind.
As you wake up just recall the list of your goals in life. After you've instigated your body, read your goals aloud, not in a drone but with real feeling. Imagine as vibrantly as you can how you'll feel when you achieve each goal.

3. Ignore emails and messages.
If you are like most people, you'll be tempted to check your phone to see what's happened while you were sleeping. This is one of the bad move. Unless you've got something that is "really important", postpone the emails and messages. Try checking out the pic of the day, quote of the day, jokes etc. this will delight you early morning feeling. 

4. Make yourself best cup of coffee.
If you're going to drink coffee then I suggest make it yourself. Your morning coffee is the first experience of the day and it blends the capacity to go through the rest of your day. 

5. Fuel your mind & body.
Breakfast is the first fuel to your mind and body, it defines your physical condition for the day. Fruit, vegetables and lean protein will sustain you for hours.  Good food and good music brings positive zing to your life. While commuting listen to your favorite and some inspirational music rather than the news or stupid talks on radio. 

6. Be cheerful.
It is one of the most crucial that you must take note while caring out activities. Try to be cheerful throughout the day. You are not required to change the world but you need to disperse your enthusiasm in a manner where you can do your job in the best manner overcoming all the difficult situations.

Re-branding the Yahoo! Way.

The Internet giant Yahoo!

Has decided that it will change its logo on and is carrying out an interesting campaign “30 days of change”

The reasons behind the change was revealed in an early morning blog post, by Yahoo’s chief marketing officer Kathy Savitt who wrote,

"Over the past year, there's been a renewed sense of purpose and progress at Yahoo!, and we want everything we do to reflect this spirit of innovation. While the company is rapidly evolving, our logo — the essence of our brand — should too."

A statement on the official Tumblr blog post for the company also explained the thinking behind the new logo.

Here is a video of the campaign

“We’ve introduced beautiful new products that have changed the way you see the weather, read email, share photos, and follow your favorite sports teams. We’ve partnered with great artists including Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, John Legend, and Imagine Dragons to take Yahoo! On The Road. And of course, we are excited to come together with tumblr, and by extension, its incredible community of creators.”

Specifying the details of the new logo Savitt also wrote,

“The new logo will be a modern redesign that’s more reflective of our reimagined design and new experiences. To get everyone warmed up, we are kicking off 30 days of change. Beginning now, we will display a variation of the logo on our homepage and throughout our network in the US for the next month. It’s our way of having some fun while honoring the legacy of our present logo.”

This change in the logo gives us the insight how the new CEO Marissa Mayer is transforming the company. She took over last July and now the company has acquired acquisition over Tumblr, Summly, etc.

Mayer has also emphasized on the push for mobile and under her stewardship the company released, a new email app for smartphones, revamped Flickr photo service on the iPhone and iPad and the web. An improved Yahoo Weather app was also released which won much praise for its sheer beauty. The logo change is just another stamp that Mayer is putting on this company.

As part of the logo campaign Yahoo, will unveil a different logo each day on its blog, Facebook and Twitter page. The final logo will be revealed on 4 September.

The waiting time is over Yahoo! has announced its new official logo.

There is an interesting blueprint video of this logo. If you are keen to know more then you must watch this video.

Thank you  for being patient. Keep blogging.

Bus Branding @ Singapore

Singapore is a top class city that I ever experienced. I feel it is the best place to work, live, study and play. Singapore is globally connected, multicultural and cosmopolitan city state that offers wide range of opportunities. Singapore is a beautiful country with greenery all around.

Visiting Singapore is the best pleasure I can say in this site. I have never experienced such a beautiful palace in the world. Very innocent peoples, well arranged places of interest. Good and neat food, fast MRT’s, best taxi drivers and wonderful shopping malls. The Birds Park, The Universal studio is one of the best which I loved. Singapore is the best in Asia for all.

Since when I came here I observed the amazing Marketing activity that was taking place on the streets of Singapore. Standing at the road side I could see brands having a race. I could experience the competition among the brands even before I entered a shopping mall.

Brands are an important part of the scenery of Singapore. Brands play major role in everyone’s life.

Brands use public buses as their medium of promoting their brand. The bus is decorated in the theme of the brand and left to move around in Singapore.

This concept of advertising highly creative, full of colorful graphic images on a large bus, Brands try to capture the attention of shoppers, drivers, passengers and pedestrians a like – in highly populated areas with major traffic flows, as well as on well-traveled motorways.

Buses are made in such a manner that it naturally attracts the attention of all. Marketing has been taken another level here at Singapore. The use of concepts and design of branding on buses is amazingly displayed at Singapore.

Hope this post brought some knowledge of use.

Stay Connected.

Cricket 2012- The Businessmen’s Game

Cricket 2012- The Businessmen’s Game

The game of cricket which is otherwise known as the Gentlemen’s game has been evolved in the southern England in late 1500s has become the new mantra of entertainment today. From the 5 days long test matches to 50 overs a side one day matches to the newest avatar, the Twenty 20 format, the game of cricket has certainly come a very long way. 

Cricket, whenever this word is uttered, many bats are wielded in a hurry to play, as the striker goes ahead to smash the balls. This is the game of “cricket” which is another name of religion in a country like India. In India, every child is given a bat and a ball on his/her birthday, and this is something which has been followed traditionally all over the country. And in tune to that, the branding process in cricket has also evolved in a dramatic manner over the years.

From the beginning of the human civilization, the process of communication or what we say delivering one’s understandings to another person seems to be very vital in every stage and every age. From the days in the caves to this modern day ultrasonic jet age, it is the one by virtue of which the man has proved its mettle against the time and against all other creatures. From this very concept of sending or spreading the understandings from one to another the concept of

Advertisement has taken birth.

And to advertise or simply spreading the news or views about a product or service in this hyper-competitive market place is very important to survive and thrive for modern day marketers. And to rip on this, now-a-days marketers have started to exploit every opportunity as they are starting to attach their brand names with various products, services and events.

Branding which is known as giving a unique name, sign or term to one’s product so that it will acquire a specific position on the minds of the consumers and differentiate the product of various companies.

In this post I am trying to focus on the same branding effect on the new kingpin in the world of entertainment, the game of cricket!

A flashback into the Gentlemen’s game 

If not long, only we can go back to some 20 to 25 years back, we can see the very classic and very cleanly image of cricket. With scenic arenas, large spans of green grasses, clean wickets, clean stadiums, unbranded equipments like bats, wickets, boundary ropes, perimeter boards, spotless white clothes, basic score boards, simple presentation ceremonies…etc. In addition to that the players, be at a national or International level were also involved in very few endorsements.

The Change

With the advent of liberalization and the growth of television viewership have given a huge popularity boost to the game. With the birth of cable and satellite television came a deluge of programming options for Indian advertisers. Cricket stood alone, as a means to cut through barriers of age, gender, geography, language and socio economic class classifications. It is today a medium by itself; one which accounts for approximately 15-20% of total television advertising in a given year.

Cricket has allowed marketers to effectively combine the power of television and the potential of the sport. And the result is that today, astronomical sums of monies are being pumped in to garner a slice of this highly lucrative pie.

So seeing this big opportunities, the marketers need to disregard the old ways of advertising and bang out to mega advertising efforts both on ground and on television which will help them to stand out and get noticed. Whether the brand is relevant to the spot it is getting advertised or not, it has added value to the whole game; both on ground as well as on television resulting in involvement and consumer appreciation. We can say here that, pockets do get deeper when it comes to cricket.

The Changed

The painted Playground on all four sides

The bill boards around the Boundary

The brands that find their way on to the Bats of the players

The main and associate sponsor of the team whose logo gets reflected on the Jerseys

 

Various brands that get advertised on the Wickets

Brands advertised in between the Over

Last but not the least The Drinks trolley – vehicles that carry drinks in to the field during breaks

HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO NOTICE THE CHANGE BROUGHT ABOUT. STAY CONNECTED.

“BOLLY BRANDING” ON THE RISE

The entertainment has remained the part and parcel of the human life for years. Hollywood is the flagship of all the entertainment of the world. There are versatile ways of entertaining the world. In course of time different sorts of human being joined the earth to teach and propagate entertainment to the world. Especially, in these days the Indian bollywood movies have touched the heart of every Indian across the globe.

A brands association with the bollywood movies is a rising trend. For obvious reasons, this type of association minimizes the risk element posed by infilm branding. Moreover, with technology advances, any brand can be placed in a suitable scene from the film after it is made.

Bolly Branding is a term introduced to bring about the combination of bollywood movies and the brands for their mutual benefits. To be very logical in explanation this type of branding activity results big screen joining hands with the small screen. The practice, is quite popular in Hollywood, is making its presence felt in Bollywood too, recent examples being

Parachute Hair oil from Marico and Sunsilk shampoo with movie Cocktail;

Nimbuzz with movie Kya Super Cool Hain Hum;

Nokia Lumia, Citizen Watches and Cadbury Bournville with movie Dark Knight;

Amul macho with the movie Agent Vinod;

Montecarlo Celebrates the movie Barfi ;

Lakme, Head and Shoulders, Monarch, Universal, Cera, Rupa, Jealous21, Sugar Free and Cocoberry have associated with the film Heroine &

Thums Up and Suzuki with movie Ek Tha Tiger.

I have enlisted in details the style in which brands carry out BOLLY BRANDING

MOVIE NAME: - Cocktail

RELEASES ON: - 13 July 2012

ACTORS: - Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty

DIRECTOR: - Homi Adajania

Deepika in Cocktail: A vision to behold

Deepika plays the role of a character named Veronica in the film, a girl who looks like a million bucks, and knows it. Confidence drips from her as she struts around in her casual day wear and sexy party wear.

Sunsilk a famous hair nourishing cosmetic company came to with an ad campaign “When you have thick hair like Veronica’s, you can style it anyway you want! GET Veronica’s cocktail style TODAY!

It said -If you want Veronica’s rocking look, just remember, the side ponytail style will only look good if you’ve got thick, healthy, voluminous hair. So make sure you’ve got Sunsilk Thick and Long shampoo and conditioner, which makes your hair look 2 times thicker.

MOVIE NAME: - Agent Vinod

RELEASES ON: - 23 March 2012

ACTORS: - Saif Ali Khan & Kareena Kapoor

DIRECTOR: - Sriram Raghavan

Where the previous ads of Amul macho really made you smile, this ad goes a bit far. The ad tries to be too funny, but actually it isn’t. Although the buildup of the ad is good and has humor in it, the end is disappointing. However, it does fit the tagline “Bade aaram se”.

Saif ali khan is probably promoting his own role from his upcoming movie Agent Vinod. He is dressed in an Amul macho and is cross questioning several people for the murder of the owner of the house. Of the four people he questions (including the owners wife) each of them has red liquid on their clothes (meant to be blood) and each of them has some reason for the blood to be there. Finally Saif begins thinking who will give the answer to the mystery. The dead owner then wakes up and points to his wife and says that she had done the murder. Saif ali khan then says the tagline “Bade aaram se”

MOVIE NAME: - Barfi

RELEASES ON: - 14 September 2012

ACTORS: - Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ileana D'Cruz & Rupa Ganguly

DIRECTOR: - Anurag Basu

This film brings about a concept of Co-branding. Co-branding has been there for ages but as picked up rapidly in resent few years. We can say it is utilization of two known brands to come up with a new product or service. Co-branding refers to use of two renowned brand names in a way that they can collectively offer a distinct product/ service that could not be possible individually. The success of composite branding depends upon the favorability of the ingredient brands and also upon the extent on complementarities between them.

“Montecarlo Celebrates Barfi”

This campaign is good example of co-branding activity between apparel brand Montecarlo Fashions Limited and UTV for the upcoming movie Barfi.

Montecarlo has come with an interesting campaign to promote its association with the movie Barfi and named it as “Montecarlo celebrates Barfi” wherein users answers few simple questions and get a chance to win Barfi movie passes which will be facilitated by Montecarlo. The gratification is a mixture of Barfi movie passes, Barfi CD’s and Montecarlo merchandise.

Montecarlo has also come up with a co-branded TV commercial currently promoted on all the television channels.

MOVIE NAME: - Ek Tha Tiger

RELEASES ON: -15 August 2012

ACTORS: -Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Ranvir Shorey , Girish Karnad & Roshan Seth

DIRECTOR: -Kabir Khan

In Ek Tha Tiger, Suzuki in-film branding is being complemented by a TVC and a contest. The film has also associated with Ireland Tourism, close on the heels of the Spain Tourism-ZNMD success. Ireland Tourism has its hopes pinned on Salman Khan, considered an opinion leader, and a TVC around the film has just gone live. Suzuki has launched the ‘Ek Tha Tiger, Ek Hayate’ campaign, which offers Suzuki Hayate buyers a chance to meet Salman Khan in person. Six winners will meet Khan in Mumbai and one of them will get a free Suzuki Hayate motorcycle. The campaign has reportedly received tremendous response.

You might be aware that the Toofani campaign being carried out on all television channels all across the country. Coca Cola officials (Thumbs Up’s parent company) are ready to confirm the deal with Salman. Recently, Salman Khan had everything but not a cola brand to endorse. The wait however is over as we hear the man has been roped in for Thumbs Up’s ‘Aaj Kuch Toofani Kartey Hain’ campaign.Only time will tell if Salman really is seen endorsing this fizz! I must also add, that Thumbs Up also went in to a brand association with Ek Tha Tiger.

MOVIE NAME: - Heroine

RELEASES ON: - September 21, 2012

ACTORS: - Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, Randeep Hooda, Shahana Goswami

DIRECTOR: - Madhur Bhandarkar

Women-centric films have caught the right attention in recent times, thanks to unique content and strong roles. But for Heroine, Kareena Kapoor has gone a step ahead and managed to bring as many as eight brands on board – said to be the most for any female-oriented Hindi movie so far.

Lakme is launching Heroine branded makeup under the Absolute range, endorsed by Kareena, and apparel brand Jealous21 will introduce a special clothing line inspired by the clothes worn by Kareena in the movie, which narrates the behind-the-scenes life of an actor.

Lakme, Head and Shoulders and Monarch Universal are the brands Kareena endorses and have associated with the film, apart from others like Cera, Rupa, Jealous21, Sugar Free and Cocoberry which have come on board for in-film integration and various media associations.

These all above mentioned array of cases bring about the clear scenario of branding of the new era. These are the strategies that the brands are executing in order to gain maximum coverage over the minds of the audience.

Starting from munni ki badnami to life ki naughty kahani yeh halkat jawani brands have associated themselves with the upcoming movies and have gained remarkable results.