Good Friday: Mercy, Peace and Love

Wishing you peace and humility in this age of violence and spiritual arrogance.

Tuesday In India: Believers In Democracy, It's Your Time To Speak Up

This year's Indian Elections, the largest democratic election in history, has begun.

It is believed that over 800 million voters will cast the vote (holy mackerel!).

Are you still a bundle of apathy?

Google India created a beautiful video on a sweet 97 year-old Shyam Saran Negi, India's first voter.

Its aim is not to bring you to tears but to get up, go out and cast your vote.

After all, if an almost 100-year old ancestor can walk miles just to vote, come rain or shine...What can possibly stop you?

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign used to raise awareness for social issues? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

Friday Research: Do You Put The Wool Over Your Eyes About Your Food Portions?

When Will You Use This?  

Creating copies and packaging for your food products..

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 

It is noticed that super-sized meal portions increase food consumption mainly because people rarely read the size information on the labels and fail to realize just how large super-sized portions really are.

Current series of experiments* examine people's perceptions of large portion sizes when they are presented alongside a smaller known portion size, where the estimation is purely visual. People's ability to accurately assess the size of increasing portions simply by looking at them is referred to as their“visual acuity”.

The results show that attitude of desiring a food but at the same time perceiving it as unhealthy boosts visual sensitivity to increasing portion size.

 Moreover, low-fat health claims on food packaging might reduce the feeling of conflict or guilt associated with unhealthy foods. This decreases people's negative feelings about unhealthy foods and thus worsens their ability to keep track of changes in unhealthy food portions.

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

 

If you are running a food business and want to improve consumers' portion size perceptions, this research brings some valuable insights. It suggests that your customers’ size estimations can be changed by shifting their attitudes about food without requiring any changes to its physical attributes. As researchers say, “this could be done, for example, by highlighting the inherent conflict between the desirability and healthiness of hedonic foods prior to the consumption decision.”

*Yann Cornil, Nailya Ordabayeva, Ulrike Kaiser, Bernd Weber and Pierre Chandon. “The acuity of vice: Attitude ambivalence improves visual sensitivity to increasing portion sizes.” Journal of Consumer Psychology: April 2014 {Thanks for the material}

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with creating visually-stimulating website? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.

Tuesday In India: Embracing 'Jai Hind!'

This caught my eye from the first visit in India.

Not everyone might know how to write ABC or have proper roof under their head but every Rakesh, Ramesh or Rajesh can sing national anthem by heart.

Not only that. You can notice rapid changes in the posture, the look, the micro emotions playing on the face.

So few of us still do that in Europe.

Check this sweet video, one of many many more, created to encourage Indians to respect their national anthem.

Despite appearance, this isn't just a trick.

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign circulating around? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

 P.P.S. Thank you my dear friend Karan for sharing this video with me ;)

Sunday Video: Show Your True Voice, Dear Brand

Brand's voice should be more than just a cool phrase - make it work for you.

Watch this light video and learn the basics of your brand's voice.

Because it matters big time.

P.S. When you’re done watching, leave a comment or Tweet me how did you like it. Can't wait to hear from you!

Friday Research: Gloss And Glimmer Makes The Winner?

When Will You Use This?  

“Human beings are attracted to glossy objects. Shimmering lipsticks, gleaming cars, dazzling diamonds and sequined gowns conjure up images of the good life. This attraction to glossy can also be observed in everyday objects. “

Current series of experiments* focus on an evolutionary psychology framework and test the hypothesis that the preference for glossy comes from an innate preference for fresh water as a valuable resource. Specifically, since fresh water has a shiny surface, being drawn to glossy surfaces may have increased the likelihood of finding fresh water sources and surviving.

The results support this idea and find a continuous fundamental preference for glossy images. It is confirmed that many consumers prefer glossy to matte. Furthermore, being thirsty (as well as recently having been thirsty) seem to increase preferences for glossy.

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

 

As consumers have a significant liking for glossy and relate it to higher perceived quality, it might be useful to review and modify your branding campaigns and the look/packaging of the product to increase its attractiveness and sales.

Water is valued as a necessary resource to survive, therefore, its presence might generate positive feelings and affect one's choices. However, it’s important to note that preference for glossy might change conditional on the circumstance. Authors suggest a few examples: “glossy wrapping for unhealthy food products (e.g., oven baked potato chips) might raise connotations of greasiness as a result of which such products might choose to use matte packaging. In a similar vein, an intellectual magazine printed on glossy (versus non-glossy) might weaken perceptions of its credibility, and clothes made out of patent leather or shiny fabrics might raise perceptions of commonness as a result of which their matte counterpart is most likely to be preferred."

* Taking a shine to it: How the preference for glossy stems from an innate need for water. Katrien Meert, Mario Pandelaere, Vanessa M. Patrick. Journal of Consumer Research (Volume 24, Issue 2), April 2014 {Thanks for the material}

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with glossy and matte branding? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.

Tuesday In India: Will Mumbai Police Stand The Test Of Time?

Mumbai prides itself on being one of the safest cities in India.

However, the on-going incidents (regarding various women safety issues in public) and recent rape cases are disturbing and sends shivers down my spine.

I personally have a few female friends in Mumbai who never leave the house after 8PM, never drive alone, never eat alone in public. It's tough, tiring and  freedom-limiting.

Having these issues in mind, Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai came up with a campaign on women’s safety. The short movies are demonstrated in police stations in Mumbai (for officers education and awareness) as well as externally, on media channels (for the general public).

Check a few of them here:




P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign used to raise awareness for social issues? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!