Van Chitgo - The Art of Life

the economic deconstruction of brand sachin

2009-11-23T21:32:00.003+05:30

T wo decades ago, when Sachin Tendulkar walked in to bat at the Karachi Test match, no one could have predicted that he would become not just an enormous run machine, but also a man paid crores by firms for endorsing their products.
Sachin is a fantastic cricketer. So he was probably going to do well as a cricketer anyway. But how can his commercial success be explained? One clue can be found in economics which talks of necessary and sufficient conditions that must be fulfilled for an outcome to emerge.

Thus while it was necessary for Sachin to be a fantastic cricketer, was it also sufficient? The answer has to be No, because there have been other fantastic cricketers in the past who have not achieved such striking commercial success. Being a fantastic cricketer is necessary but it is not sufficient. Something else was needed.

That something else was modern television. True, live broadcasts of cricket in India began in the mid-1970s. But that was done by Doordarshan through terrestrial telecast via microwave stations, in black-and-white with one fixed camera on the roof of the pavilion and it had radio commentators doubling up as commentators on TV. Had Sachin played in that era, he would not have been such a huge advertising hit.

But even modern TV alone would not have been enough. After all, in the 1980s, many of the elements of modern television had arrived. There was the 1983 World Cup which India won, followed by the World Championship of Cricket which also India won (1985) and the World Cup of 1987 which was played in India and Pakistan. Despite this, nothing even remotely resembling Sachin emerged.

Something more was needed and that something came with the economic reforms of July 1991 - just 18 months (and less than a dozen matches) after Sachin's debut. The reforms set in motion the process that led to the explosive growth of consumerism from about 1995 onwards, just six years into his career.

As product competition grew, the need for product differentiation grew; as product differentiation grew, the need for advertising grew. As these grew, the need for a cheap way of reaching audiences grew, which is where TV came in.

For an advertiser, the cost of getting his message across to a viewer is less than 15paisa per viewer during big matches and never exceeds 25 paisa. It goes up when the ad is played during non-cricket programming but not by much. But to make sure that people watch, a Sachin or a Shah Rukh or Amitabh is needed.
It was this combination – his cricketing prowess, modern TV and the economic reforms -- that propelled Sachin forward as one of the three top product endorsers in the country. The other two are both film stars – Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.

There is also the question of viewer competence. How many people who watch an ad featuring Sachin also know enough about cricket to truly appreciate Sachin's performances? At the risk of sounding insulting, let me say this: very few. How many people, for example, would rank his innings in the sixth match against Australia at Hyderabad, where he scored that 175 in vain two weeks ago, as one of his best ever?
There is another question as well. Sachin does not always perform well. He went through a very lean patch prompting a former India player, Sanjay Manjrekar, to refer to him as “the elephant in the dressing room”. At that time, Sachin's batting average was 62.10 in 24 innings when the side batted first and 26 in 27 innings in which India batted second. In Manjrekar's view, this was hurting India because he was not helping India win.

Manjrekar had also written that only Sachin's stature ensured that he was not dropped and that he had become an elephant in the dressing room that no one wanted to talk about. And this is the point. An expert was saying that Sachin was a liability to the side but the public couldn't see it (but the firms seeking his endorsements did, which is why some dropped him).

Finally, we don't really know if people bought products Sachin endorsed or merely contented themselves with watching him with the brands.
Perhaps brands use celebrity endorsements as a habit. After all, where is the evidence that a Boost did better than Bournvita in terms of sales growth because it used Sachin?

From here

threw it on the ground: Happy Childrens Day!

2009-11-14T09:26:00.000+05:30

SNL continues to rule in enormous volumes :) You guys will love this.

and while you weren't looking

2009-11-12T09:48:00.002+05:30

we went ahead and turned 26. Jesus.

bad day

2009-11-10T16:15:00.001+05:30

Bruised
battered
aching
traumatized

and kind of shit-scared.

40k poorer and 40 times as angry as I've ever been at myself. And it wasn't even my fault.

Delayed customer service by a whopping 3 weeks and 4 weeks before I get behind my little zippy...

it's been a bad bad 24 hours.

But thank god for saving my life. Thank god.

and you'll see that we just keep trying

2009-10-22T18:50:00.003+05:30

The pursuit of perfection is never-ending. With each passing phase , the lines become blurry but the 'distinctions' become vivid. There are doors forever closed but there are windows forever askew. I guess it was embedded in my DNA to just keep trying.

Keep trying to innovate, to push the envelope and explore avenues that would break the mould.

Keep trying to connect, re-connect and forge new bonds based on memories and experiences and the love of a common thread that binds our past. When after 17 months, the decision was finally upon me to break away and tear fearlessly down an unknown path, I dug deep into the well of courage I've been blessed with. What I found gave me a restless peace. Restless only because the one consistent theme that refuses to die - is the one that screams 'I'm going to keep trying'. Throw your challenges, your antithesis, your pressures, your societal mores at me - I'll keep on and I'll keep trying.

The Asian sojourn (as I have aptly coined on fB) was an effort and a wonder in well planned deservedness. It was barely 10 days but felt like a mini lifetime of vast beaches, jet skis and an array of little jems like Bangsar and CBD and the bella vista and the insanity of PD going for a 7 km run after what can only be described as a marathon session of abuse at the hands of duty free inebriation in a tiny island town off the coast of Malaysia. It was about watching a new relationship blossom and the self indulgent smiles that reminded me of difficult times that lay ahead for 'them' and the barriers 'we' had crossed to reach where we are now.

Pure relief was the only emotion upon receiving that email which reminded me that there is perhaps some justice in a system that had me scared from the word go. It would cut short a vacation which turned out to be the best eventuality in any case. I returned on the 10th with anxiety on my head and hope in my heart that the ensuing conversation of the consequent morning would be to my 'advantage'. It was brilliant. Could I have asked for anything more? Probably not. Will this mean a victory? I actually dont' know. The thing with casual conversations is that the outcome isn't always what you expect it to be.

That done, we spent an entire day doing a post mortem of the questions, the answers, the expectations, the concerns and the potential decisions that lay ahead. Thanks GH for opening the comfort of a family setting that morning. The creators were together in a deserved time of reduced insomnia and warmth much missed. I think the knowledge of that togetherness has proven to be the strongest weapon in my armoury these past 2years of insane introspection and self imposed doubt. How I let that happen to me is ridiculous in hindsight. But hindsight is just that isn't it? Easy to look back in wonder. The moment is what defines us. In my moment(s) of truth , I know I met my fundamentals of righteousness and integrity square on - time after time. I cannot ask more of myself. The 'conversation' that would 'judge' my time proved it to be so. There was an ease of delivery and a sense of 'been there , done that' which pulled me through. In flying colors? Time will tell. Either which way, I know I'm a happy man.

The week of Diwali was a lot more than I had expected. Home alone, there were things to do and a transition to achieve. A quick transition at that. I'm glad I had a bit of time on my hands. Iron those kurtas, polish thoes peshawaris, hunt out the clean bank notes so that the teen patti could be enjoyed in the company of close friends and consequently - an extended family that I increasingly find comfortable in calling my own. It sounds strange when I type it. It sounds strange when I say it in my head. What's stranger is that its a fuzzy, warm alternative universe that I'm hugely excited about embracing. Perhaps this is what they were talking about. Perhaps this is how it's meant to be - the roadblocks, the valleys and pitfalls will continue to come and go, but the companionship of an unconditional partner is unparalleled in its awesomeness. We played together, laughed together and watched the temperature drop late into the evening on the soon to be hazy Delhi skyline. After 8 flights in 10 days, it was good to be home. I lit the candles on either side of the handsome door of our abode and excitedly laid the gainde ka fool alongside floating diyas on the pathway. On another day, in another year, the festivities would have been marked in much grander a fashion. I however, could not ask for more. We forget what true wealth is. I looked around for someone to thank for my riches. You were all in my thoughts that night.

The new phase emerges like a phoenix of opportunity and I try once again to greet it wholeheartedly. There is excitement, there is a semblance of control. With control, comes responsibility. Ready as I'll ever be.

to the victors belong the spoils

2009-10-10T09:21:00.002+05:30

albeit a brief victory of the body, mind and soul. These 'spoils' deserve a much more elaborate description.

until then:

the closing

2009-10-01T09:19:00.004+05:30

The promise of partnership and the idealism of potential lay gutted and bleeding in a simple one liner that reminds me of the futility that lay in the dilemma of my decision.

"Let's not fool ourselves".

After all I've been through, how could I still be so naive?

Time to move on, and as always - the knowledge of a well crafted, inspiring and cumulative effort walks alongside. The laurels, praise and almost wide eyed wonder at what has been witnessed reinforces the faith. A faith I had all but lost in the sickening constriction of self belief by another.

Let no man dare to judge. Let no man dare to drop even a shred of doubt in your mind. It is the mind's own eye that is posed to question -

"are you worthy?"

I am.

buzz...

2009-09-29T10:45:00.001+05:30

here

here

here

Oh hell yes!

2009-09-21T12:54:00.002+05:30

CHITGOPEKAR/DHRUVMR
1. MH 193 L 03OCT BLRKUL HK2 0055 0740
2. MH 192 L 09OCT KULBLR HK2 2210 2340

And to top it off, there's some mid trip awesomeness planned with khatts, bheesh and dave in singaland...

djokovich and mcenroe

2009-09-10T10:16:00.002+05:30

this was absolutely brilliant :) Defines why the US open is one of the most enjoyable grand slams to watch in its fierce competitiveness and awesome crowds. Djokovich and Mcenroe put on a little show!

kalyug

2009-09-05T22:33:00.004+05:30

this process sure does leave you stripped and bare. Riding through the wave to witness the 'other side'.

Just got exposed to Porcupine tree and the latest MOS CG. Side by side, Monster Magnet's greatest hits keep me company to an age of rock-hopping gone by.

A good friend called from across borders a few days ago, can't believe it's been nearly 9 years since 'dem schoolyards.

Kalyug the title has nothing to do with any of this ofcourse.

Working weekends have their own charm to them - NOT. Over and out.

It's all happening

2009-08-25T22:24:00.002+05:30

The communication vehicle that aims to raise the decibel level around issues of urbanisation in India is here. The morphogenesis installation went live this morning, the press conference has led a new wave of interest in the project and with 30 days left to go, there's a legacy to be created with many aspirations astride...

great promise

2009-08-20T10:21:00.002+05:30

the upcoming months whole great promise. A project with serious potential takes off and hopefully becomes a pursuit worth taking to my network across the planet too. More importantly, it's a pursuit 'in partnership' with 2 people I love intensely. One, the creator; the other - a person you'd find smiling back at you in the dictionary under 'fantabulous homie'.

An ex-colleague and shoulder-cryer achieves a life goal with his engagement the 29th of this month. It's been an honest pursuit so painstakingly beautiful (insert tongue in cheek here) that I can't help but feel overwhelming joy for the inevitable. Many evenings outside a small Saket office were spent thrashing out the 'whys and why-nots' of this scene. It's only righteous that he's seen it through. With high hopes that this will last - my blessings are but the beginnning.

Mega party preparation underway for the creator's superbly crafted half century. It's going to be one rocking night. The calendar blocking smses have gone out. Next step - calls and follow ups. Venue booked. Advance paid. Setting laid out. Can't wait.

The application process to ze premiere management school has to begin - and fast. Lots of ideas and hopefully, engaging stories to tell.

A venture with counterparts from a past semi-perfect is also underway. Datelines are still to be formalized.

Light-headed joy fills the inner vortex in anticipation of the post September period. 2 months of potential trips to BLR and KL, the pursuit of hyper-active health consciousness, oodles of ravenous literary consumption, catch ups on the 'missed episodes' of the last couple of years and general re-connectivity with a life most pleasurable. This however, can wait. It's almost scary to think of so much 'creative-time'

Like I said, the coming months hold great promise. There will be dissapointments, down-times and struggles; but they pail in comparison to the enviable sense of totalitarian control on this life I lead, on this life I love.

stories to be told

2009-08-10T18:49:00.003+05:30

there's one to be told about this family as well. My 'sisters'. I re-learnt the heart wrenching beauty of how wonderful human beings can be to one another. A story I want to tell properly. For now, a picture.

magical night

2009-07-30T14:47:00.002+05:30

Will tell you guys about this soon...quite a brilliant night in Chandigarh.

Opportunity knocks! The biggest Urban Event of the year

2009-07-28T14:18:00.003+05:30

Are you interested in hearing India’s leading urban Practitioners, designers, policy-makers and think tanks talk about the country’s challenges and opportunities ?

Are you keen to know how India will approach the opportunity of mega-sporting and cultural events?

Are you interested in networking with stalwarts from the real-estate, retail and urban architecture space?

Are you interested in a green career?

Are you between 18 and 35?

If the answers to any of these is yes, then you need to rush yourselves over to the Habitat Summit website and apply to the Urban Habitats Forum Fellows Programme. Chosen fellows will get a chance to have their entire delegation fees sponsored by the Forum and be part of the biggest urban event of the year!

For queries, write to fellows(at)mirabilisadvisory(dot)com

Cheers.m

of weekend trips and a thankful existence Part 1 (Mumbai)

2009-07-11T11:23:00.008+05:30

6 months had gone by since I had allowed myself some respite. 4 months had passed since I had consumed the juice or the nucleus. I was just about finding that thin line between passion and cool objectivity. It was time for a break.

Bombay was everything and more- as it has always been. That Friday (the 19th) I checked my watch a few more times than usual over the course of the day. T was already in the maximum city living it up with a frenetic energy that would surprise anyone who knows her in D-town. Her excitement of jumping from one set of friends to another, one pair of shopped shoes to another and one exciting plan to the next had me smiling on the 6th floor of the climatically cooled environ of my india habitat centre office. I was also relieved with the knowledge that the creators would be together as I returned to the city of dreams for a weekend of unabashed relaxation. As I look back, we ended up doing a heck of a lot of things in the short period of time. I headed to the Blahs' right after landing in the now super cool bombay airport. A quick auto ride was accompanied by shrieks of ' get here fast' from a now 'well past her capacity 2 drinks' -T. It was going to be a long, fun night. Reunions with vesky, himank(an old @ friend) and ofcourse akhila along with a couple of jds were followed by a sprint down to HRC. Undoubtedly my favorite place in Bombay, the place was packed to the core. T's friends are an extremely warm and engaging bunch. I realized on this trip how lucky I was to be inducted into this 'scene'. Pure gems. When we finally wound up at the vintage, a bunch of us zipped off to a hotel in the vicinity for some midnight grub. There is nothing more pleasing than pulling off a 20 hour day in between cities with a club sandwich and comedic conversations. Plans had already started to get made for day 2.

Crashed at Niel's and woke relatively early on Saturday. His collection of nonsensical but inanely enjoyable magazines kept me occupied while he had his 4th dental check up in as many days. Note to self: take care of your teeth! The pain and suffering of future issues just isn't worth it (plus it's friggin expensive). We then proceeded to Bandra where T joined up for what was a brilliant and extremely filling lunch at Five Spice (we never miss this when we're in Bombay together, the last time around it was right after a crazy night with these guys and a gracious night spent at her place). The brilliance that is this restaurant can be defined by its location (across totos and at the descent of pali hill), its gargantuan (is that a word? is that spelled correctly? Do I look like I care?) servings and its relaxed ambience. The lunch was increasingly pleasing thanks to a huge reunion with old mc bro - aalekh. His stories from the modelling/acting world (aka tinseltown bombay) were enjoyable to say the least. It was good to see that he hasn't changed a bit :)

From Five spice, T and I split from Niel as we head off to meet with her gang and the much awaited tattoo experience. Now I'm an inked up grandmaster as you guys are well aware but the fact that she wanted one had me slightly jittery. Not because I dont think she can pull it off/handle it but because she does have sensitive skin and getting a tattoo needs to be a bit more of an experience. Needless to say this was mocked quite vociferously :P . T's best friend J took us to this big indian dude (ben?) who spoke like a crack dealer from ghettoville queens. He wasnt too convincing with the tatoo advice but it was the most entertaining 40 minutes of the day. I left in splits hoping that the next tattoo parlour would prove to be a bit more comforting, given the fact that the girls wanted to get inked in a place that didnt look like a 3x3 shanty with a delapitated dentists' chair in the centre. Proceeding back to bandra with 5 of us squeezed into R's redmobile, the conversations ranged from the inability of mumbaikars to speak in our national tongue and the uncelebrated qualities of trust company. R and I bonded like crazy over musical tastes the entire weekend. It never ceases to be a soul connection amidst people that found answers more often in an inspired riff rather than a textbook. The trip to avengers, a night at R's full of random card games and sneak peaks at India's best death metal band displaying their talent finally wrapped up around 4am. With a content *sigh* I fell asleep under the soft humming of the air-con and the delicate reminder of mumbai's oncoming monsoon outside my window. If there was ever an image of tranquility, it would be of a room full of friends - asleep in their knowledge of what they have, and whom they share it with.

Sunday went by in a blur. We woke up pretty late - greeted by groggy faces all around us. The plan was quickly made (thanks to A and T) to jet towards town for the awesome sunday buffet at Not Just Jazz. A perfect setting for the closing hours of my bombay getaway. R & I dropped the girls to A's houee, after which we spent an hour at Niel's as I packed my things. I felt bad about not spending more quality time with him but I knew he understood. Will be making it upto him this weekend when he's in town on work. Not just Jazz turned out to be filled beyond capacity so we decided to dine in the semi-outdoors Pizerria which proved to be excellent. We were joined by T's old school friends, one of whom is an up and coming south-Indian film actress. Loads of jokes, boisterous laughter and discussions around south vs. the rest of bombay ensued. I was not looking forward to this brilliant weekend coming to an end...

As the hours wound down, I slowly began extricating myself from the buzzy sense that was the weekend. J and I knocked a quick beer at a roomy (read empty) restaurant next to the gateway whilst T continued to lament on how she'd love to shift back to bombay someday - soon. She voiced this desire repeatedly on this particular trip. Whether it was having her closest friends in a proximity unmatched the previous 3 years or the sheer freedom of roaming unabashed along the winding streets close to midnight, I'll never truly know. When you love someone, even giving them everything sometimes seems inadequate. I found myself yearning just that little bit more too.

I boarded the delayed flight with a sense of bitter-sweet happiness. My terrible phone connection ensured that my goodbye message to T's gang ended up being delivered 17 times. It probably looked a bit desperate :) but I didn't care. I had to thank them for what was the perfect 48 hours after what seemed like a lifetime of sacrifice and toil.

:)

2009-07-11T10:12:00.002+05:30

so much to tell

2009-07-08T10:06:00.003+05:30

The Mumbai weekend

Gwalior

'The Hangover'

The challenging paths ahead.

Lots to tell you guys. Expect a major update this weekend.

why it really hurts that Michael died

2009-06-30T14:03:00.003+05:30

Explained the way only Cornelius can..

"He was your Elvis, and when your Elvis dies, so does the private lie that someday you will be young once again, and feel at capricious intervals the weightlessness of a joy that is unchecked by the injuries of experience and failure"

True.

the fire evens out

2009-06-29T17:33:00.002+05:30

You know there was a time, at the point when I begun my professional life as a young student volunteer for a non-profit organisation to my time with the UN to my time with a private equity firm, to two years ago at a sports marketing agency to even 6 months ago with the my current start-up experience when- there wasn't a work-life differenciation. A 7am start meant a compulsory checking of email, a dogged and determined view that a workplace conversation could happen anyday and at anytime. I scoffed at those who yelled work-life balance at the top of their lungs, I cynically looked down upon senior peers who boasted about being able to switch off their blackberries.

I used to ask ..why? How can you not love your work? How can you not want to be running at full throttle 24/7 balancing the brilliance that is professional ambition, success and challenge with the bitter-sweet of life and it's highs and lows. I was a rock with an insatiable appetite for mach3 speeds in the goals that I thought made me who I was in the atmosphere that egged me in further, faster, higher, stronger.

See and that's the the beauty of life. It lets you build your fantasies, your mind-sets and your opinions before laying brick walls of such enormity, of such intimidatory quality - that it forces the DNA that defines your personality to challenge its existence. It forces you to believe you're wrong and re-approach everything you've believed in. This change, it says, can be self-driven or forced upon you. That's where winners lie. In the thin but clearly visible gap between survival and defeat.

These past few months I've been forced to change. I've come face to face with an increasing desire to balance life, to turn that phone off at 6pm, to be comfortable with not checking emails in the dead of the night worrying about the best solution to a problem I know isn't mine. I'd rather make time for that conversation with a friend, that help a parent might need, that movie I might have missed and that song that's left unheard. Yet, in my heart of hearts I know that I miss those old days. Simply because I knew that I lived life to the extreme with the knowledge that I brought value to everything I did professionally whilst striving to maintain a balance personally. I succeeded more often that not because both goals were within my grasp. I know that at this point in my life, despite the seemingly decent value I add, this just isn't mine. I used to hurt from the protracted and disconnected feeling this 'act' would bring, now I am just plain numb. It is time to take some big decisions. Phenomenal opportunities that I have worked tremendously hard for knock on the wooden door of deservedness. Do I have the courage to embrace them with open arms and return to the days of wonder? Or do I continue to be enslaved by a demon that wants nothing but to suck the very soul of my brilliance in an effort to achieve its own, undeserved end?

I have the courage and I have the answer. It lies before me.

question

2009-06-22T16:34:00.002+05:30

Readers and friends of the Van Chitgough blog - an Indian friend of mine is going to the UK to study for a year and intends to travel around Europe before and after the academic year. He was curious to know which 'International Youth cards/memberships' he should sign up for? I remember an International youth travel card that got me some bad ass deals in '05-06.

Any suggestions? Hit me at dhruv(dot)chitgo(at)gmail(dot)com or just respond in the comments section of the post. Cheers.

and in the blink of an eye

2009-06-17T16:09:00.002+05:30

It feels alright. It feels justified and righteous.

and I feel ready. 6 painstaking months - set alight with one liberated morning. We now move on to next steps. Albeit with trepidation - for there are further challenges up ahead, yet with a sense of calm and confidence that can come only with a battle survived, an enemy vanquished, a thirst quenched.

A tougher test awaits. Ready?

Ready as I'll ever be.

UKIBC Report Released

2009-06-10T15:02:00.000+05:30

A survey conducted by trade facilitation body UK-India Business Council (UKIBC) has ranked Pune as the most suitable place for British investments in India. The survey report, titled ‘Opportunities for UK Plc in Emerging Cities in India’, also ranks eight other cities — Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Goa, Indore, Kochi, Nagpur and Vadodara — as the most conducive destinations for UK investments in India.

The report is a product of “qualitative research through a process of in-depth interviews, reviews and perception surveys across various professional and social networks”. The report said in its preamble that close to 200 survey responses were analysed and over “150 key informants” were conducted to ensure an extensive and representative coverage.

While the report’s annexure lists 41 cities in the survey's ranking with Pune holding the top rank and Ranchi getting the lowest rank, it provides a detailed study of nine cities that merit UK investment the most.

UKIBC’s CEO Sharan Bamford, however, cautioned that the immediate priority of the report was to take the investments forward by pointing at prospective cities for UK investments.

The rankings are based on physical, social and cultural infrastructure and key economic indicators. Good quality roads, power connections, number of banks, health institutions and colleges, per capita income of each city and market size are some of the key parameters considered for the final listing.

-------------------

An intense and interesting project comes to fruition. Will be interesting to see what the response and spin-off from this is in the coming weeks.

so tired

2009-06-08T21:04:00.000+05:30

so very tired.