Friday, April 8, 2022

Danish heritage at Serampore, ready for fresh start

Picture of St. Olav Church taken in April 2021 during a personal visit at Serampore

Thanks to the National Museum of Denmark, Chandannagar and Serampore municipal plus the local administration, the history surely came and is coming alive before this generation. During my vagaboundish trips last year during covid pandemic, multiple rides, crossing the Bhagirathi,  Hooghly, Adi Ganga or just the river, once the world trade center of the earth in terms of "richness". They've done it. Even the Old Denmark Tavern  by The Park is driving people, post pandemic.
The old court house (a portion) can be leased  out to government and private people, The Telegraph India reported.
 
True, the Danish heritage is getting back its sheen and vibe and "the new wave of restoration projects is doing wonders by bringing back a slice of history to the present generation.", the paper reports.

The next would be around my trips to the places and shall dwell a little deep then. 
News Source - 
https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/danish-heritage-renovation-over-old-government-house-in-serampore-ready-for-fresh-start-on-friday/cid/1859642

Tuesday, December 28, 2021

Year end thoughts 2022 and Beyond

 Why, 2022 is going to be the MOST  important year for everyone. 

EVERYONE means anyone. Why?

There could a billion reasons why, next year, the next week would be different. 03012022, is the next week. The letter 2 appears thrice and such a numeric figure is not going to occur in a long time. 

We've learnt our lessons, still learning the hard way starting 2020, we have crossed 2021 and heralding into 2022. 


As they say, FUEL the Fight and Drink Coffee....
 

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

December - 2021 Farewell - welcome 2022

 We've entered the last month of a painful 2021. We all have lost someone or the other,  in some or the other way, if not us directly, then indirectly. 

Like they say, we didn't happen to life, life happened to us. The school of our own thoughts has been schooling us in rather weird ways. They say, there are unknown parachutes (in form of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, family or maybe someone you never knew). Visible and invisible guides, mentors, silent observers, people from past and future leaders. I thank you all, from my deepest.











Words, ranging from CPs, "bhai we need fighters, not managers.", to SPSatish s "mere paas time aur paisa nahi hai, aage bolo.", RAs day 1 advice "free to do everything but always follow the CYA rule, "COVER YOUR A.r.E", NPS, proclaims, and no doubt he's darn right, "bro! opportunity comes at odd times, and wearing dirty clothes. To latest SKGs word of wisdom "samjho tumhe kuch nahi pata, and then look into things (imagine you know nothing, and then look into things. You learn something from it.). True, Albert Einstein said once 'The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.' Fits the bill. These are known, and thanks, we've somehow got selective memories programmed in our system. Thank you all. My family and wellwishers. Let's hope the last month of this year ends on a super good note, and we welcome 2022 in a gracious way. 

Ending with Seth Godin's quote "The Cost of being wrong is less than the cost of doing nothing." So let's just do it.

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

New blog name to experimentere

Thought of getting a name truly if not 100pc resonating something which this blog would really mean. 

This photo was taken in Shillong (unnamed date)


Started this blog in 2009 from New Delhi,  underwent 3 name changes in 12 years and I hope this could last long. Have been thinking of migrating from a blog to a website, which will essentially be a repository of experiences sometimes assisted with pictures (you can check the archive). 

The name change occurred my kind today in this crispy winter Kolkata morning of November. We keep experimenting with different things be it it at work, or cooking or ideas. 

You can take a glimpse of my visual experiences on YouTube https://youtube.com/c/palashdas, will be altering the flow of images from today on my IG -experimentere the original idea to rename this blog into a bit more conversational. 

Have been missing writing badly and the rashtriya patrakarita diwas quickly reminded me of a brush in journalism which I undertook 20 years ago in this crispy winter November of 2001. The name had to be experimentere. Wish me luck. 

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Not Just A Cadbury Ad

Again a masterpiece of an Ad by Ogilvy and Mather (India), Bombay team effectively portraying AI (Artificial Intelligence), they say for a 'good cause' this time Shahrukh Khan has come for support.😉.

The fourth would be ideation of the entire flow of the AD through SEO (Search Engine Optimization), particularly local SEO. Something GMB - Google My Business talks about. 
The production house was Country Boyz Productions, Mumbai, and Advertiser Brand being Mondelez, Mumbai which is still basking under the Piyush Pandey led, kuch khaas hai 2.0, and earned another feather made out of pandigitalendemic.
The ogilvy website reads

"The pandemic has had a crippling effect on the economy, particularly smaller businesses. Big brands, with their deep pockets and ad spends are more equipped to fight back, but local businesses and stores do not have that luxury. Ogilvy India and Cadbury Celebrations worked together to lend a helping hand to small businesses struggling during the pandemic. The data-driven campaign created advertisements that doubled as ads for Cadbury and thousands of local businesses—depending on where the viewer was located, they would see an ad for a local business that they could support."
https://www.ogilvy.com/work/not-just-cadbury-ad

Great work, charity must begin from home. True good. 👍 

Sunday, October 24, 2021

The New Drone Policy 2021 by Ministry of Civil Aviation liberalised Drone usage

In March 2021, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) published the UAS Rules, 2021.  They were perceived by academia, Startups, end-users and other stakeholders as being restrictive in nature as they involved considerable paperwork, required permissions for every drone flight and very few “free to fly” green zones were available. Based on the feedback, the Government has decided to repeal the UAS Rules, 2021 and replace the same with the liberalised Drone Rules, 2021.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, offer tremendous benefits to almost all sectors of the economy like – agriculture, mining, infrastructure, surveillance, emergency response, transportation, geo-spatial mapping, defence, and law enforcement etc.  Drones can be significant creators of employment and economic growth due to their reach, versatility, and ease of use, especially in India’s remote and inaccessible areas.In view of its traditional strengths in innovation, information technology, frugal engineering and huge domestic demand,India has the potential to be global drone hub by 2030. 
30 key features of Drone Rules 2021          

Built on a premise of trust, self-certification and non-intrusive monitoring.Designed to usher in an era of super-normal growth while balancing safety and security considerations.Several approvals abolished: unique authorisation number, unique prototype identification number,certificate of manufacturing and airworthiness, certificate of conformance, certificate of maintenance, import clearance, acceptance of existing drones, operator permit, authorisation of R&D organisation, student remote pilot licence, remote pilot instructor authorisation, drone port authorisation etc.Number of forms reduced from 25 to 5. Types of fee reduced from 72 to 4. Quantum of fee reduced to nominal levels and delinked with size of drone.  
For instance, the fee for a remote pilot license fee has been reduced from INR 3000 (for large drone) to INR 100 for all categories of drones; and is valid for 10 years.Digital sky platform shall be developed as a user-friendly single-window system.  There will be minimal human interface and most permissions will be self-generated.Interactive airspace map with green, yellow and red zones shall be displayed on the digital sky platform within 30 days of publication of these rules. No permission required for operating drones in green zones.  Green zone means the airspace upto a vertical distance of 400 feet or 120 metre that has not been designated as a red zone or yellow zone in the airspace map; and the airspace upto a vertical distance of 200 feet or 60 metre above the area located between a lateral distance of 8 and 12 kilometre from the perimeter of an operational airport.Yellow zone reduced from 45 km to 12 km from the airport perimeter.No remote pilot licence required for micro drones (for non-commercial use) and nano drones.No requirement for security clearance before issuance of any registration or licence.No requirement of Type Certificate, unique identification numberand remote pilot licence by R&D entities operating drones in own or rented premises, located in a green zone.No restriction on foreign ownership in Indian drone companies. Import of drones to be regulated by DGFT. Requirement of import clearance from DGCA abolished.Coverage of drones under Drone Rules, 2021 increased from 300 kg to 500 kg.  This will cover drone taxis also.DGCA shall prescribe drone training requirements, oversee drone schools and provide pilot licences online.Remote pilot licence to be issued by DGCA within 15 days of pilot receiving the remote pilot certificate from the authorised drone school through the digital sky platform.Testing of drones for issuance of Type Certificate to be carried out by Quality Council of India or authorised testing entities. Type Certificate required only when a drone is to be operated in India.  Importing and manufacturing drones purely for exportsare exempt from type certification and unique identification number. Nano and model drones (made for research or recreation purposes) are exempt from type certification.Manufacturers and importers may generate their drones’ unique identification number on the digital sky platform through the self-certification route.Easier process specified for transfer and deregistration of drones through the digital sky platform.Drones present in India on or before 30 Nov 2021 will be issued a unique identification number through the digital sky platform provided, they have a DAN, a GST-paid invoice and are part of the list of DGCA-approved drones.  Standard operating procedures (SOP) and training procedure manuals (TPM) will be prescribed by DGCA on the digital sky platform for self-monitoring by users.  No approvals required unless there is a significant departure from the prescribed procedures.Maximum penalty for violations reduced to INR 1 lakh. Safety and security features like ‘No permission – no takeoff’ (NPNT), real-time tracking beacon, geo-fencing etc. to be notified in future.  A six-month lead time will be provided to the industry for compliance.Drone corridors will be developed for cargo deliveries.Drone promotion council to be set up by Government with participation from academia, startups and other stakeholders to facilitate a growth-oriented regulatory regime.

Source - PIB https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1749154

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Covid19 and Impact of Education in India and World – A Broad Overview

 “Doing what’s meaningful — acting on what really matters to a person — is the antidote to burnout.” Added Mr. Daniel Goleman, a psychologist, former New York Times columnist and author of the highly influential book “Emotional Intelligence.” He suggests, “Face what’s happening. What does it mean to me? What really matters to me now? Is there a way I can act upon what’s meaningful to me?”

As per a UNICEF report in 2020, over 1 billion children were at risk of falling behind due to school closures aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19. Now that schools and colleges are reopening slowly, we wanted to explore, as in to what extend children have been affected. It is unprecedented to look at how kids are dealing with this pandemic. Across the world, education institutes and schools have been implementing remote education programmes. The report reads “Many of the world’s children – particularly those in poorer households – do not have internet access, personal computers, TVs or even radio at home, amplifying the effects of existing learning inequalities. Students lacking access to the technologies needed for home-based learning have limited means to continue their education. As a result, many face the risk of never returning to school, undoing years of progress made in education around the world.” 

They say, nothing is temporary, now that #Covid19 situation is passing and students are getting back to their grind. Staying indoors and social distancing orders are extended across India, forced lockdowns implemented, schools, colleges and educational institutes are closed, as we write indefinitely is becoming the new norm.

We are sure, that your life has turned upside down, has been tumultuous and turbulent filled months. We are also sure; things might appear to be out of control. However, this is the time to regain control, and the solution for the same is to handle this situation on your own, right now. 

What did the report say?

While more than 90 per cent of the countries adopted digital and/or broadcast remote learning policies, only 60 per cent did so for pre-primary education. 

Policy measures taken by the governments to ensure learning continuity through broadcast or digital media allowed for potentially reaching 69 per cent of schoolchildren (at maximum) in pre-primary to secondary education globally.

31 per cent of schoolchildren worldwide (463 million) cannot be reached by the broadcast- and Internet-based remote learning policies either due to the lack of necessary technological assets at home, or because they were not targeted by the adopted policies. 

Online platforms were the most used means by the governments to deliver education while schools remain closed, with 83 per cent of countries using this method. However, this allowed for potentially reaching only about a quarter of schoolchildren worldwide. 

Television had the potential to reach the most students (62 per cent) globally.

Only 16 per cent of schoolchildren could be reached by radio-based learning worldwide. 

Globally, 3 out of 4 students who cannot be reached by the remote learning policies come from rural areas and/or belong to the poorest households. 


How To Keep Yourself Motivated In Pandemic Times?

Many students who are realising this fact that working from home, learning remotely and keeping social distance is going to be the ‘New Normal’, for some time at-least. Few tips, mentioned below can additionally help in finding what’s best for you.  

Talk to Academic Counsellors - Students can identify and talk to expert counsellors with practical education experience and successfully handling critical situation might be another option for you. The anxiety around the next year’s exams (board HS and competitive), in pandemic times, can be excruciatingly overwhelming. 



Top Tips

• Stay organized

• Do not multitask

• Making the most of the time

• Set a schedule

• Create new study strategies 

• Picking/Creating a team or a group 

• Stay connected 


Place to Study- Ask yourself, what kind of environment will help you study better. You can recreate the likeable environment at your own home. Do you like to hear a little music to recreate a café experience or you prefer a bright spot, Or is it the chair, your bed or the couch which will motivate you? Do, whatever makes you feel comfortable. Have a virtual or a phone-based study session with your chosen group.  Make a fixed place for home assignments and practical tests. In that way, your mind will precisely know that this place is sacred and it will invariably help you focus, and work quickly. 

Staying Organized- Just because you do not have to go to school, should not mean, that we stop organizing our things. It helps and helps you create things easily and importantly faster. Your assignments and information related to your mock tests; weekly tests organize as per subjects. If possible, create a notebook, folder or binder neatly. You can trash out unwanted things. Just offload them. Set and organize a time and take the help of a plan that will help you keep track of assignments of important subjects. In fact, it would be a good idea to keep a due date for all the assignments and when you have the pre-board exams or internal tests. 

Set small daily goals – Make small goals and try to achieve them. Once, you achieve them and cross them off, motivation levels will move up by an inch. Small feats every day will add up significantly.  

Get Dressed-Staying all day in knickers and pyjamas is comfortable, however, getting dressed can instantly shift your mindset and kick in positivity.  

Socialise- Apart from studies, make time for yourself, family and friends. We all know, that social distance is the hardest part for many students, something, that’s unprecedented. Many kids, don’t even know how to react, however just because the times are taxing, doesn’t mean we say Bye-bye to social life. Technology can come as an aid to this social vacuum. How about a digital get-together, or a Zoom Happy Friday evening, maybe a Skype call or a virtual music session, a virtual Yoga, Facetime your friend. That’s the good news, that we all can stay connected, so, why don’t you plan a time for hanging out.

Do What You Have to Do- You will still do, what you have to do, so why not doing it well. Play the song you love, light a candle, treat yourself with chocolate, prepare yourself a tea or a coffee. Be a mentor buddy for someone or ask your best friend to be your study buddy. Make that video call to your close friend and ask how he/she is doing. Walk a little and breathe. Deep breathing can do wonders. Help someone (even a stranger) with no expectations. That humble act will give you happiness. Find a new hobby or continue your old one, but keep yourself engaged. 

Your Mental Health is a Priority- We understand, that keeping yourself motivated in trying times like these can be very challenging. Taking care of yourself and managing your mental state is of paramount importance. Have a balanced meal, have lots of water, try meditation, and please have at least eight hours of sleep for your brains to take rest. 

Please remember, and do not forget, this too shall pass. Till then, let’s take a deep breath, give our best, get some rest, wash our hands and continue to wear a mask. 


Pic Source - https://www.brookings.edu, apa.sdg4education2030.or

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Four Emerging Trends in Cloud Computing - Gartner 2021 Says The Importance of Data Is Paramount

 Gartner in its recent study predicts that overall global end-user spending on Public Cloud Services Expected to Exceed $480 Billion Next Year. In a note released in August 2021 it says, that the four new trends in cloud computing are continuing to expand the breadth of cloud offerings and capabilities, accelerating growth across all segments in the public cloud services market, according to Gartner, Inc. The four trends are: cloud ubiquity, regional cloud ecosystems, sustainability and carbon-intelligent cloud, and cloud infrastructure and platform service (CIPS) providers’ automated programmable infrastructure.

Gartner forecasts end-user spending on public cloud services to reach $396 billion in 2021 and grow 21.7% to reach $482 billion in 2022 (see Table 1). Additionally, by 2026, Gartner predicts public cloud spending will exceed 45% of all enterprise IT spending, up from less than 17% in 2021. Scalable database management systems (DBMS) for intensive application workloads and decision support systems specifically descriptive and in-depth analytics will become, the most critical aspect of cloud infrastructure based economy.  The findings did emerge out of the Department of Computer Science, University of California.  The fellow members of the university also assert that  owing success of data management solutions in the prevalent cloud environment, series of solution based research is important.  

Future of Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is in its nascent stage today and pose several issues and opportunities in tandem. Cloud computing is expected to generate more than half of the total revenue from cloud related services, Cloudcomputing.org has revealed in its survey.  Also known as utility computing or virtual servers on the web, cloud based services is the talk of the future and will change the way IT has functioned traditionally. Importantly, smooth transition of  applications from traditional traditional enterprise is a challenge indeed. 

Challenges and Possible Solutions Cloud Computing As Security

Amazon's (AWS) has been a pioneer in cloud related services since 2006.  There are some fresh challenges cloud computing security technologists will face. We will also discuss possible solutions to successfully tackle them. Malwares in Mobile: There is a sharp increase in Malaware attacks (a rise of over 70%), especially on Mobile/Cellular computing operating platforms, McAfee reported in ten years ago. We all can assume that cellular technology will comprise a substantial part of technology (cloud). Hence, vendors need to take extra care to tackle the issue. Web 2.0: As previously discussed, cloud vendors, high infrastructure companies and companies are not only facing incident breaches and issues, they are also ill equipped to handle new set of problems and issues the web 2.0 will unleash, while at using it.  Incident Response: Any kind of abnormalities in collecting and assimilating data such as data breaches, suspicious intrusion detection alerts is known as an incident response. As an organisation grows, issues like intrusion detection systems and firewalls too add a substantial problem in cloud computing. Cloud computing security should have quick a mechanism in place to check incident response time aided by an expert team to solve such problems.  

Regional Cloud Ecosystems

Growing geopolitical regulatory fragmentation, protectionism and industry compliance are driving the creation of new regional and vertical cloud ecosystems and data services. Companies in the financial and public sectors are looking to reduce critical lock-in and single points of failure with their cloud providers outside of their country. Regions not able to create or sustain their own platform ecosystems will have no choice but to leverage the platforms created in other regions and resort to legislation and regulation to maintain some level of control and sovereignty. Concerns among politicians, academia and tech providers in these regions are increasing, leading to initiatives such as GAIA-X in European countries.

Sustainability and “Carbon-Intelligent” Cloud

Nearly half of the respondents in the 2021 Gartner CEO Survey believe climate change mitigation will have a significant impact on their business. Cloud providers are responding to this growing focus on sustainability by instituting more aggressive carbon-neutral corporate goals, which creates new challenges for infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders. “New sustainability requirements will be mandated over the next few years and the choice of cloud services providers may hinge on the provider’s ‘green’ initiatives,” said Cecci. 

CIPS Providers’ Automated Programmable Infrastructure

Gartner expects the broad adoption of fully managed and artificial intelligence (AI)-/machine-learning (ML)-enabled cloud services from hyperscale CIPS providers. This will rapidly eliminate the operational burden of traditional I&O roles in the public cloud. “Infrastructure is becoming programmable, and its operation is subsequently becoming automated,” said Cecci. “Modern IT infrastructure, whether deployed in the data center or consumed in the public cloud, requires less manual intervention and routine administration than its legacy equivalents.” 

Security: We can witness a spurt of equipments and hardware getting more sophisticated every day. Security threats posed by certain malawares and hackers have also increased. Hardware form an inseparable part of the IT security, thus vendors should develop and initiate further R&D processes and create intelligent tamper proof equipments. A decade ago, a report prepared by the McKinsey Global Institute, predicted that the US would need at least need 140,000 to 190,000 additional workers with “deep analytical” expertise plus 1.5 million more data-literate managers. Now Data Science is at the helm and considered as the hottest job of the century. Considering the analysis being made, the time has arrived to not just gear up with the current demand and supply of cloud security professional but also be prepared to novel challenges IT will pose in years to come.


Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Logo Ka Kaam Hai Kehna - The Job of a Logo is to Talk

 

Every time, they talk about Logos, the most iconic brand which comes to my mind is NIKE - Just Do It. 

So, what did Nike's Swoosh, did to us. According
 to a recent study, in US, more Americans have searched or typed in the keyword - Nike over shoes, on Google, when they have searched for footwear. That's the power of the brand and its logo. It talks. A direct Call to act, - Just f....g DO IT - a strong verb. So, did OTC - oppurtunity to see a brand, everytime a sportsperson has worn a Nike's apparels? The first endorser of Nike was Romanian tennis player, Ilie Năstase, since then, Nike never ceased. The fact is that, Nike happens to be the number 1 brand in the world, that invests in sport sponsorships. Forbes, compiled a list where, out of the top 100, Nike must have endorsed 51 athletes. Historically, there were Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Sebastian Coe, Michael Jordan in 1984, and now Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Neymar, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Wesley Sneijder, Wayne Rooney, Rory McIlroy,  Oscar Pistorius and Landon Donovan. 


The entire Indian team, and our Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra too, endorses this iconic brand. In fact, Vinesh Phogat landed in a controversy, by sticking to wearing a Nike's singlet, instead of Shiv Naresh. Not sure why. Guess, Nike is aspirational. Frankly, a website or some logo can never be your brand. The brand, needs to be built, step by step, and it might take years to build a brand, that lasts. The experience people get and the perception, they have about a brand, is all that matters. Tangible elements, such as logo or typography or just a colour is merely an expression from a brand, and not necessarily branding. The marriage of text and imagery, is called a logo. 

Believe, me, every minute one website is being launched, probably with a logo. Do you or me really care about any logo? No, definitely No, barring a graphic designer maybe, the reason why a logo is important because that's what people care about. The experience a brand provides to people and what exactly, the brand stands for and advocates. It's merely, maybe an exclamatory or something to that effect.

They say, that the right kind of logo can speak everything, even without saying a word. Like Nike's - Just Do it, since the brand or brands are pure connotation of homegrown honor, unbreakable trust, major pride, peak of excellence and definitely, integrity. 


So, what does a logo does? It talks. Iska kaam hai, kehna, since a single logo can communicate ownership, the quality of the product and the value it speaks.  The right kind of logo can also inspire loyalty and like Nike or TATA, might just instil an eternal love for that bang on design, Like NIKE's. Hence, it's important to choose the logo so carefully, because if you do so, the business might just grow and you will make profits. 

The logo ka kaam hai kehna was put forth by Kalpak Guha - https://www.instagram.com/kalpakguha/


Brand Identity Design– What does it mean to you? Why should You care?


 Like your face, which is unique in every way, unlike a doppelganger, who happens to be your twin, this isn’t the case in brands. It is not only philosophical and emotional, its identity comes with an important visual component sprinkled across various collaterals associated with it, it’s a representation of a LARGER IDEA. 

A collection of elements, which defines the brand identity which a company portrays before its audience is brand identity. Usage of the term brand cannot and should not be used frivolously, branding is an important component before identification of the core brand identity and the designing process, which will eventually shape the perception you are creating before the world, people – generally, like you are in a social gathering, conference, intercultural business meetings at every step, your identity reflects the culture of the organisation. Your brand identity is the mix, which will differentiate you from others in the crowd. The image on the left is of Vodafone's Pacific offline brand identity collatral. I personally liked Vodafone, previously Hutch or Hutchison, and how they have evolved, with Ogilvy and Mather.   

Developing a strong brand identity

There is a difference between ‘brand identity and ‘brand image’ or even for that matter ‘branding’ per sé, although different, they are interloped, as and when. The definition, however a little different when it comes to the corporate brand, meaning, what does the parent company and its name really stand for, and how it is perceived in the market, as well as its positioning itself within the company.  An absolute unified and clear corporate identity is critical. It not only enhances the image of respective individual products, it also helps headhunt and retain employees, but the followers or customers (in digital times) might also come as brand ambassadors or cheerleaders in PR firefighting reputational damage during troubling times. However, this needs to be correctly articulated and communicated by brands. 



Visual Brand Identity Design – the foundation of your brand

Nike’s – Swoosh or its tagline ‘Just Do it’, TATA, RELIANCE, APPLE, McDonald's or IBM’s iconic logo, they are all a part of the visual identity. An internet company like GOOGLE has a strong brand identity with design being a core component. So, what are the ingredients needed for a visual brand identity design, which shapes up your company? Typically, a 5W1H exercise must be undertaken. 


The ‘WHO’ of your brand name might comprise of few vital elements 

Your overall mission 

Values

Brand Personality 

Positioning as a brand

Brand voice 

The importance of developing a strong brand identity is by knowing who you are, exactly

By Asking ourself:

What made you start what you are doing? Why?

What beliefs do you possess inherently and what values means to you? 

What are you REALLY good at? Better than others

What makes you special?

If your brand could be described in 2 to 3 words, what it would be? 

Creating a brand style guide sets, your brand name apart and an SOP is created on how to manage a brand, online or offline, ATL or BTL, everything.  To take your respective business to the next level you need to get in touch with someone or something, which you feel is a complete solution. Be it Brand design, Typography, Color Palette, Logo, Website, Product Packaging, Business cards, Email design, logo and identity, web and app design, business and advertising, clothing and merchandise, art and illustration, packaging and label, book and magazine, films, advertising, outdoor and everything creative. Brands and brand building is a constant process, which leaves an indelible mark in whatever you do, or want to do. 

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently." 

- Warren Buffett


Sources 

https://hbr.org/2019/12/build-a-culture-to-match-your-brand

https://www.pwc.com/us/en/careers/campus/assets/img/programs/personal-brand-workbook.pdf

https://99designs.com/categories

https://www.lucidpress.com/blog/the-7-key-elements-of-brand-identity-design

Pic source - Virgin

What is in A BRAND Name? Why a Brand Identity?

 They say, naam mein kya rakha hai (what’s there in a name)? Well, Identity is the first thing that everyone needs. “Whether you are an individual or a brand, you need to create your identity first. Creating a powerful brand identity is a significant step towards a great business. There are teams to make all the magic happens, but where is the team, what is the team, can there be a 1 man team or a 1,000 member team? 

So, there needs to be a team to make it all happen. But how?? They say, one shirt doesn't fit all, hence, like people, all brands have a distinct identity, those need to be identified. Basically, it's the creative approach in developing the perfect brand strategies has worked wonders for all the brands.    

Is like asking, ‘Hello What is your name?’ Now, different people would express or say their names differently. The next obvious question would be, generally in form of questions, to P2P ‘Where are you from? Or What do you do? And then, the communication begins, Or NOT, depends on how you have positioned your ‘Identity’. Here YOU are the BRAND and the communication becomes the Brand Identity. 

Marketing guru, Seth Godin had an awesome description of what qualifies to be called a BRAND, he says, "A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer's decision to choose one product or service over another." Exactly branding is more than a logo or a name, it’s much more than that. A brand is also full of emotions, has a distinct visual with specific history associated with it and the touch points throughout its existence and relationship it has built, and most importantly, it is human. The output of the creative will need different channels, to justify the design element needed for branding. 

Now it is time to live up to the brand identity – brand name, logo, tagline, colour, context, fonts, mission, core values et all. 

Post Covid19, however the brand promises to ‘deliver’, hence sticking hard with brand name, it earns, by sheer- ‘work’. Come what may – it doesn’t matter if this disastrous pandemic is affecting businesses everywhere, the idea was still to sail through this covid wave, successfully. Brand Identity is a constant process, however, the DNA of any brand or the basic remains unchanged. 

Source 
https://www.columnfivemedia.com/how-to-create-a-brand-identity
https://www.lucidpress.com/blog/the-7-key-elements-of-brand-identity-design
https://hbr.org/2019/01/what-does-your-corporate-brand-stand-for
https://hbr.org/resources/pdfs/hbr-articles/2018/R1901E_GREYSER_MATRIX.pdf
https://hbr.org/2019/12/build-a-culture-to-match-your-brand
https://hbr.org/2019/12/build-a-culture-to-match-your-brand
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/careers/campus/assets/img/programs/personal-brand-workbook.pdf
https://99designs.com/categories

Sombre Memories Reloaded : Tribute to my late Father This Pujo

 "You will always be in my heart… because in there you’re still alive." We are in mourning, and whether I call him Papa, DasBabu, ...