Archive for July, 2007
Why journalists should stick to what they know best.
July 25th, 2007 • 1 comment Culture Briefings
"Journalist Suzanne Boyd combined Caribbean warmth and Canadian cool with European chic and Afican boldness to make her apartment a home like no other."
- Oprah AT HOME, Summer 2007 Issue
(Should’ve thrown in a couple more continents….)
Moments in Digital History
July 19th, 2007 • 1 comment Culture Briefings
Members of a facebook ramp up and bring the community together to save a flailing print magazine. How ironic is that that the magazine is called Business 2.0 ?
Over 600 members strong (including me) the group is still rallying on to save the print magazine that Time Inc, it’s parent company hopes to dissolve.
I enjoy the magazine and would hate to see it bite the dust. But this effort will mark a milestone in the history of digital — a social network as a lifeline to save the fate of a print entity.
Monocle – here to stay.
July 18th, 2007 • Culture Briefings
The magazine industry, like most other traditional media entities has been a flux for the past few years. While there has been much debate and talk around the magazine industry on it’s deathbed, it hasn’t stopped hundreds of intreprid entrepreneurs and enthusiasts to launch new magazines every single year. For some, it’s a brand extension, another jewel in the crown and for some… it’s passion. In both cases, it is crystal clear.
Monocle, a nascent magazine only a few issues old, created a ton of buzz when it launched primarily because of it’s illustrious founder, Tyler Brule – the visionary and brilliant editor behind Britain’s famous WallPaper* magazine. The 200 some pages of this magazine brim with sparkling wit and editorial insight – a sharp voice in a culture that is so ridden with glossy-fancy magazines with celebrity-like editors at the helm and socialites on staff. Monocle’s simple vision, "A briefing on Global affairs, business, culture and design," and craftfully designed book – gives every issue a collectible status. It’s a book you want to hold on to. The smartest attribute about Monocle is that it does not underestimate the intelligence of it’s readers. Also, that it does not employ an iota of ethnocentrism. It writes about young politicos in Azerbaijan and the ornamental fish business in Japan and puts together a list of world’s most liveable cities (that do not include New York or London) and it does so because it expects it’s readers to be (rightfully so) interested in this perspective. The internet, if anything, has only made us more intelligent and more curious to become more intelligent.
I do not know it’s circulation or it’s subscription list – and at 75Euros/ year – it is an expensive subscription and even an expensive purchase at $10/issue. It’s website – complements the book instead of cross-selling subscriptions and advertisers. The advertisors, thankfully respect the magazine’s environemnt and it’s international audience. And this strategy interests me because this magazine has no pretenses about who it’s audience is.
Most mistakes that new magazines (and existing!) make is that they try to create a commerical product that will appeal to the masses — and thus to advertisers. (Conde Nast’s Portfolio for example) Assuming that a magazine’s audience appreciates glossy paper, expensive photo-shoots and star celebrities is perhaps the single-most insult to the readers intelligence. Ofcourse certain magazines are flourishing and will continue to do so, but perhaps if they understood that the reader is willing to pay a premium for a fresh voice not mired down in efforts to appease advertisers — we’d have more magazines like Monocle.
Magazines don’t lose advertisers – they lose their audience. And magazines don’t die – they burn out trying to bring new advertisers when they perhaps should be wooing their audiences. Moncole, I hope, will continue to keep the balance and it’s audiences I hope will recognize this and award it with their loyalty.
The definitive example that….
July 16th, 2007 • Culture Briefings
lies on the intersection of culture and commerce. (and how!)
Ofcourse I pre-ordered. But something tells me, I will be rushing to the Walnut Street B&N at midnight to buy a copy….
About me
July 15th, 2007 • Comments Off To be filed
Hi! I’m Jinal.
Culture and commerce fascinate me. And in particular, the diffusion
of culture via new media. I’m interested in intelligent exploration of media as it relates to brands, fashion and the global psyche.
I’ve been blogging since it used to be called ‘diarying’ (circa 2001) Even though I have worked mostly in new media, I do not believe ‘traditional’ media is ‘dying’ or that it will become non-existent. To me, digital, is a media/communication platform that will alter and act as a catalyst in helping us, media professionals, re-invent, re-think and re-imagine the world of communications. But never replace media as we know it. Maybe I am wrong or maybe I will revise my opinion at some point – but for now, this is where I stand.
I have actively
been adding to this dialog and am most interested in continuing this
discourse with like-minded people.
More about me:
I moonlight as a fashion journalist/ writer and hold a full-time job as a strategist at an innovation shop. I’ve lived in Bombay, Rome, Philadelphia and now, New York. To me, the concept of home is very fluid and non-linear. I love learning and I am always hungry to know more. I am a better communicator as a writer, than as a speaker. Writing is my passion but sadly I don’t dedicate enough time to it. When I was younger, I dreamed of fame and glamor, now I value simplicity and contentment more. I don’t pause often. I live fast and I live large. I want to cram seven lifetimes in this one life and from the way it looks – I will most certainly end up achieving that 
Talk to me: jinals28 AT Gmail
What to do if you suddenly run out of fancy paper bags
July 7th, 2007 • 2 comments Marketing/ Advertising
It’s good news when Victoria’s Secret Beauty has a 50% – 75% off sale.
But really bad news when the store runs out of their fancy-schmancy paper bags and begins using these ‘Thank you for shopping’ polythene bags.
How could a gignormous retail giant like Victoria’s Secret run out of paper bags during a sale? And how could they not have a PLAN B in place? If using polythene bags was indeed PLAN B — perhaps the company needs to consider hiring someone who understands brand touchpoints.
Literally every woman in that Santa Clara, CA Victoria’s Secret store was a little perplexed at the idea of carrying their goodies (beauty supplies and undergarments) in flimsy grocery store bags. When I asked the cashier about the state of the bags, she replied, “We’ve run out our bags for like.. forever.”
It probably was an honest mistake and the store thought that was their best solution, but perhaps this is a good opportunity for the store to realize that they need an actual plan in place to conitnue to maintain their terrific brand integrity and image.
Here are some ideas for retail giants that suddenly realize they are out of bags:
1) Run to the nearest dollar store and buy every single paper bag available there. Or Have store printed stickers handy to paste on every bag so atleast the customer knows where the bag came from.
2) If you must use plastic bags (god forbid) – get a little creative. Use ribbons, bows or make creative use of left-over props from past store displays.
3) Create a temp-sign on your window that says the store won’t be using any bags that day as the store’s contribution to saving trees and promoting a green earth. (With the curent bro-ha-ha about going green — this is a very smart strategy when you think about it) Customers can bring their own bags.
More on this.. later. (Off to dinner now!)
L.A has standard
July 6th, 2007 • 1 comment Culture Briefings
I’m in Los Angeles for a business trip and am staying at The Standard . I wanted to try a new hotel even though I am a Starwood preferred member which would have earned me some pretty sweet points towards a free stay at a Starwood property had I stayed at one. But this hotel was a fresh change.
The rooms are gorgeous – simple, stylish and very well designed but what surprised me the most was their attention to tiny details like (pictured above) providing an L.A city guide, Motrin painkiller, Mr Bubbles bubble bath (for kiddies) Kodak One time use camera (for the ones like me), a Volupsa candle (to set the mood for a romantic date….) and condoms (for after!) with the regular mini-bar items.
Oh and even a mixtape CD.
Ofcourse, the hotel charges obscene rates for using any of the items from the mini-bar, but I thought including non-food items such as these was a nice touch. (Although I have no use for any of these right now… it’s nice to know that the management anticipates it’s audience’s needs (and in some cases, desires!)
That said, charging for internet is ghastly! Whether it’s the Westin or the Standard.
(Excuse the quality and styling of the photograph above. Taken using the Macbook photobooth. Glad it came handy!)
Constant Beta
July 3rd, 2007 • 2 comments On my mind...
There are moments in history when the pace of change is so fast and the shape of the future so fuzzy that we live in a constant state of beta. – Bruce Nussbaum in a speech at the Royal College of Art, London
There is no such thing is writer’s block. But there is laziness, and then there are excuses that have no real grounds. Often when there are too many boundaries drawn around a piece of creative work, it loses it’s appeal and instead of becoming something to look forward to, it becomes a cumbersome chore. That’s what my blog became for me for the last few weeks. When I couldn’t find something intelligent to report on, I despaired. But I suppose, this blog doesn’t have to be extraordinary. It could, well… just be me. An ordinary person with (if I may say so myself) an unusual perspective.
I welcome myself back.