Cadbury Gems - the retro Gems pack vs the atom Gems pack

Cadbury Gems was one of my favourite chocolates as a kid. Still is. Its shape and the fact that it comes in such lovely colours, just make it stand out. The taste definitely is awesome. Crunchy from the outside, soft inside. It is a hot favourite not only with kids but also among adults.

A few days back, its new packaging caught my attention. There was something amiss. It lacks the fun, mischief and therefore the happiness that the brand promises. On a white background, these groups of connected circular shapes give more of a feel of a chemical formulation. And I guess that is what the problem with the new packaging is. Though the Cadbury gems website says that “Gems has changed its pack graphics to a more modern, contemporary and an edgy design, together with a change in logo graphics”, I am not sure if it truly reflects what Gems as a brand stands for. Designing is one thing, designing that truly reflects the brand is one thing.

Compare it with the Old Gems Packaging and you will know what I am talking about.

Hoardings/Billboards the way I see it

I rush out of the house and jump into an auto “Bhaiya, Andheri station.” Finally made it in time. Phew! Just then I pass by a hoarding “Aapne aaj naya kya kiya?”And almost instantly, something strikes me! “ Bhaiya u-turn lena please.” I head home straight. I have left my keys hanging on the door.

While traveling back home, my tired eyes scan the surroundings. I see a hoarding right before me. Everything else a blur. It says…Take a Break.Go to Phuket. Aah! I close my eyes and I am there, happy and relaxed. Suddenly I am rudely shaken by the train halting at one of the stations. Unperturbed! (surprisingly!) I still smile to myself. I gaze out of a window and my eyes fall on a hoarding which reads “When income stops, expenses don’t. Have you planed your future?” The thoughts of going on a vacation to Phuket has long since evaporated. My smile turns into a frown. I get worried and contemplate on restructuring my financials plans…

Just then the train halts again. I get off the train and see a woman smiling at me. I look at her quizzically – wondering if we know each other, if I have met her somewhere…my eyes falls on a badge she is wearing “ Loose weight now, ask me how.” Aaah! Now I know. “Next time please” and hurriedly I make my way out of the crowded station. I see a Mc Donald’s right out there. I am going to love it. I smile a greedy smile. What harm would a cheese burger do? But there is already that smiling face haunting me…Lose weight now.

I reluctantly turn to the fruit guy “Bhaiya, apple dena.”

People talk about how these hoardings/billboards/Mobile hoardings ( I use that word for the “Loose weight now, ask me how” kind of communication) are becoming a big nuisance. You find it everywhere. I find it very fascinating though. How each of the information your eyes chooses to pick and how it coaxes you to think and at times act. It forces you to think about yourself - They communicate to you when you do have some time to yourself. They don’t really interfere with your existence or come in the way of your work. Like it doesn’t pop out of your computer screen, when you are doing something urgent; it doesn’t come as a sms on your mobile phone when all you are expecting is a reply from close friend. It doesn’t annoy you the way those leaflets pouring out of your letterbox do. It doesn’t force their way into your life. See or Ignore - it's upto you.

aman ki asha!

I came across this in the 'Wedding Times', a supplement of the Times of India. An initiative by Aman Ki Asha aimed at 'joining hearts together across borders.'

What I really like about this, is the appropriateness.

Really?

I could spend an entire day in a Reliance Fresh/Food Bazaar/Star Bazaar/Big Bazaar etc etc just going through the endless products and the companies that own them. I also like to look for new brands on the shelves.

I spotted one a few days back. Now there is a reason why that particular Drinking water bottle caught my attention. I liked the name - 'BONAQUA'. Coca Cola recently launched 'BONAQUA' (april 2010) in select markets of North India.

The tagline for BONAQUA reads 'When taste matters'. Why should taste matter especially when we all know that pure water should ideally have no taste, colour or smell. It would have been a different thing if it had introduced flavoured water (which I think they do intend to in the months to come).

Also the visual that accompanies the brand name reminds me of versace though this guy looks slightly older :)

Basmati brand names...Bas!!!!

I was working on an Annual Report for a Client - the largest rice millers and exporter of Basmati rice in India. I am intrigued how most of the Basmati Brand names have names like 'Lion', 'Necklace', 'Aeroplane', 'Train', 'Handi' etc etc.

Considering that Basmati has always been associated with being a rich man's diet, these names don't sound as appropriate or in-class. Never-the-less, quite amusing.

But if you see, most of the guys who own these brands are thet baniyas and I guess as long as the 'biznes' helps him make pots loads of money, he would care very little about what name the brand is given.

Also, and interesting observation pointed out by one of my former colleague was that housewives at that societal level don't go grocery shopping. They generally send across their drivers, maid/man servant to buy it and the names are simple enough for them to identify with.

So indeed these name do make sense after all...

Frootreat! :)

Came across this. Interesting!

Capacity 3 idiots

To promote his movie, 'The 3 idiots', Aamir has printed these stickers for 10,000 ricks and has introduced them into the places like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gujarat, Jaipur, Kota, Lucknow, Kanpur, Patna, Kolkata, Bhopal, Indore, Bangalore and Chennai.