Microsoft Adds a Swashbuckling Email Interface @Outlook.Com

Posted on August 1, 2012 by

I tried Microsoft’s new Outlook.Com email interface this morning. Its cool, clean and clear. While I am a big apple fan (and a google lover), there is some good stuff coming out from the M stable. Outlook.Com combined with Skydrive, Office Apps Online and Skype, makes for a potent online productivity suite.

According to a company spokesperson: “Outlook.com has been designed using Microsoft’s Metro users interface. The fresh, clean user interface gets the clutter out of a user’s way. The header has 60% fewer pixels and there are 30% more messages visible in inbox than the webmail most people are used to. And there are no display ads or large search boxes that take up extra space”.

Their promo video is below and the site is live if one wants to check it out.

Posted in Marketing & Advertising, Technology | Leave a comment

True Success, Needs An Eye for Detail

Posted on June 18, 2012 by

ET Image

Orientation to detail is critical

This mornings Economic Times in Mumbai misspells its title on page 18. This is not the only publication that has done it. I regularly see this in a few quality English publications in the country. The reason this is shocking, is having worked in the magazine and newspaper publishing business, I know how important this is to the editor/s. For an editor, the published word is sacrosanct and how it comes through, should be nothing short of perfect.

Even if the data entry operator has made a mistake in typing the correct word, the page proof reader should have picked it up and if not that, the page editor who finally signed off on the page should/could have picked it up, before the page moved for pre-press, pagination and printing. When this chain does not work, there is probably a larger issue at work.

Could it be, that in this fast paced life of ours, we have lost an eye for detail? Or perhaps we no longer care, for such outdated things like “spelling” and “sentence formation”? What with the new twitter, sms and chat cultures, correct spelling and sentence construction has become a lost art.

Perhaps its reflective of the Indian culture and its management practices? In field after field, one can see, we lack the “finishing touch” or the level of “detail orientation” true success requires. We will put up a swashbuckling building, but will not complete the interiors to “global standards”. We will put up a sea link, but not complete the entire design. We will create a new stadium, but leave it unpainted. True success, needs an eye for detail, and the ability to actually complete the job. Its called ‘execution’, all the way till the end.

Posted in India, Management, Marketing & Advertising, Media | 2 Comments

Simply talking is no substitute for actual execution

Posted on June 15, 2012 by

Because we have all become broadcasters now – we Facebook, Tweet, Blog, give opinions and a lot of us keep jabbering away online – it seems like we talk more about what we do, than actually doing it.

We talk in many subtle ways, about our performances, our glories, our achievements or we become online advisors, giving our solutions, theories and perspectives on things. And while this is satisfying from making our ‘egos feel good’ point of view, often we mix this (both the reader and writer) for actual performance.

I see many writers and consultants in my industry (Communications and Public Relations) and a lot of self-proclaimed opinion makers and opinion gatherers. Most can ramble on, but I only respect the writers and consultants who have some actual performance behind them. Those who have worked deeply and closely with brands, who have delivered on key performance areas while working on these brands and have clients and references that would vouch for their abilities in execution.

Simply talking (online, offline or sideline) is no substitute for the ability to actually execute and deliver results.

Posted in Management, Marketing & Advertising, Media | 4 Comments

Poverty Consciousness, Stinginess and No Payments in India

Posted on January 16, 2012 by

India may have a 5000 year old culture, deep religious understanding and a depth of philosophical breath that may make many countries and cultures around the world feel highly superficial in emotional and cultural terms, but India continues to be a country with significant poverty and all the related health, wealth, mental and social issues that come with poverty. Given that the Indian economy has taken off over the last 10 years and that liberalization has been in place since 1991, this further confounds the paradox; since significant strides should have already been made.

Economists and governments have tried to address it from several angles and in many ways – socially, distribution wise, financially, subsidies, better policies, loans, grants, schemes etc. you name it and we have tried it. But in my eyes most of these measures miss the mark. The reason is deeper and psychological. It stems from an inherent subconscious manner of functioning most Indians have. And that is a framework of thinking that they can get away with either fooling the system, or fooling people (their own and others) or fooling themselves. In the long run, none of these work. And as the old adage says “cheaters, simply do not prosper”. Continue reading →

Posted in India, Management, Marketing & Advertising, Spirituality | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“We want to grow organically, not exponentially”

Posted on January 16, 2012 by

In this competitive era where clients don’t mind slamming the brakes on services that do not bring much to the table, it is often the vulnerable who fall victim to the siege. And for an industry like PR which is anyway sidelined by clients and media alike, the scale is always in favour of large agencies. But then there are a handful of small – or rather ’boutique’ agencies, as Dennis Taraporewala, Director, Criesse Communications, would like to call it – which are changing the market dynamics and giving the biggies a run for their money.

With a flurry of big and key clients vouching for the services of this communications shop, the going has been very good for Criesse thus far in India. In conversation with MXM India’s Johnson Napier, Mr Taraporewala declares that boutique shops can redefine the way PR functions as a discipline in India, and talks about how the larger players will be compelled to work in a cooperative fashion with the smaller players, and not in isolation, in future.

Read excerpts here: http://www.mxmindia.com/2012/01/we-want-to-grow-organically-not-exponentially-dennis-taraporewala/

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Keep Me Alive – An Original Composition by Dennis

Posted on January 12, 2012 by

I maybe running a company, but I just cannot stop composing. In fact this is a service (composition) we provide our clients too. Music today is a strong part of brands and in some cases a key component.

But here is song that I wrote many years ago in college, recorded at a small live show at my place recently. Enjoy.

Keep Me Alive

Posted in Management, Media, Music, Spirituality, Technology | Leave a comment

Press Conferences – Useful?

Posted on January 6, 2012 by

Traditionally press conferences have been a useful tool to disseminate strategic information, background information to companies/new companies, present key spokespersons to the media, ensure key messages are clearly communicated or communicate something of urgency and importance. A press conference had many reasons – introducing a new product, revealing a new scientific breakthrough, unveiling a new advertising campaign, announcing a charity event with a celebrity or releasing company financial statements. In the past media loved press conferences, since they gathered information, got an opportunity to meet senior management, interact with brand ambassadors and all in all get an in depth preview into the company, product, launch, strategy, marketing message or key understanding about a company, institution, product or issue. But in today’s environment things have changed. Media may not always have time for a press conference. Or more so, while they may have time for it, they would rather have an exclusive angle, a unique connect with the client, a one-on-one interaction. Unless your topic is of great importance, a national issue where you are making a statement, or you are a celebrity star making a statement, or launching the worlds first sub 1000 dollar car, chances are the media will not make the effort to come to your press conference. Not because they do not want your news; but because they would get your information and news anyways. They are certain, that if they are a media house of importance, the PR agency will approach them with the requisite material anyways. And besides, there are a plethora of information sources today, for the media to not want to move from their chair. Continue reading →

Posted in Management, Marketing & Advertising, Media, Technology, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment