How powerful brands communicate?

We all live in the world where information is buzzing our ears all the times. We are so much connected to machines and interested to see what people around us are doing. Sometimes we draw inspirations from them and sometimes we are comparing ourselves with them..It definitely arouses some or the other feeling in a person while they are consuming the media... 

No consumption of media is just a passive consumption, it triggers something or the other in our brain. What impacts one person the most may not impact the other one as we all differ in our empathetic scores. However, there are few things which definitely works with most of the people. What are the components of those messages ? There can be a good number of pointers which will say we have a great message. It has all the ingredients: we have a story, emotions, actors, creatives good social media presence and many more to enumerate. If everyone knows all the ingredients where is the miss? Most of the global brands were as much popular in one corner of the world as the other when there was nothing like internet and they are still amongst the favourite global brands. There is definitely something beyond just executing the messages and increasing the reach amongst the target audience. 

The key lies in the conscience of the message. 

Message can be a globally appeasing or locally appeasing message. 

If internet is providing the power to connect to the remotest corner of the world and allows you to choose people whom you want to follow or listen to, then so does the consumer decides which global brands they prefers to consume. Awareness is no more a major problem until innovation breakthrough is to be conveyed. 

So chances are if the message conveyed is global, people connect with it not just on the basis of the content but also because the same message is conveyed not only him but also to the people who live in developed nations. This vantage point makes people feel connected in an entirely different way and they try to lend a word of mouth amongst their peers. Humans do have the herd mentality. What others follow they tend to follow on internet. A socially driven experiment on comparing two pictures but altering the number of likes made a huge difference in swaying people's perception. 

Internet broadens the scope of conversation which are taken globally. It's interesting to see how culturally different people react to the same message? The exchange of ideas and discussions triggers and improves the mutual understanding of the participants. 

But that doesn't mean that all globally launched campaigns are successful. It's only the powerful ones which succeed. 

How to define powerful..its the power of "stories" which connects people which makes them believe in things like magic !

There is no boundary for the popular stories in terms of nations or developing or developed or whatever biases people can think of. A simple powerful story is the one which works for one and all. This is the reason the children across the world almost read the same stories in their kindergarten. 

The stories lives inside people, they can connect with it, they can feel for it and thus great brands always have a powerful story. Great brands also keep in mind one very strong human behaviour insight: They identify the human behaviour they want to leverage. They don't try to change people's behaviour but they leverage it. They are working on their today by grasping the present and develop a strong vision for future. Saying these words" Create a vision for future" easier said than done. 

Vision is not always built by the most smart or most intelligent people in the team, but from the people who are most adaptive to the change in the surroundings. 

Be vigil for the new researches going on the relevant area and think in your own context. It is not always good to pounce on whatever comes as the most new trend but what matters is to understand the sustainability. Fad works for small times only. Today on internet the spikes of fad are more frequent. Adaptability to them can be fatal or sometimes it may be like may hay while the sunshines!! who knows?

After all this is what the Darwin also said " It's not the most intelligent one who survives but the one who is most adaptive and human brain is an adaptive machine". 

Can "Free-will" overpower Brain circuits?

We have heard lots of jargons which talks about our willpower.

Strength does not come from physical capacity it comes from indomitable will: Mahatma Gandhi, 

Who is firm in will, moulds the world to himself: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, 

“People do not lack strength; they lack will.” Victor Hugo

“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” Vince Lombardi

and the list goes on.......

Since our childhood we are asked by our parents and teachers that no matter what comes in your way you should be able to do the task if you are willing to do. Enough of this will-power sermon. Here I am not going to talk about it. What's new on our plate in 21st century is something called "Free-will". I don't know how many of you guys have heard about it or are even aware about it but let me throw some light on it.

The roots of free-will lies deep into the field of neuro research. Sam Harrison has even written a complete book as "Free Will" which is a very debatable book. First of all let us define "free-will". As the word says the will which is not under any influence it is free, your brain can take any decision which it wants. People take lots of decision in a day. Most of the decision are taken sub-consciously and people don't even acknowledge that this is some sort of decision we have taken. E.g. What to eat in lunch if you have a buffet? What to wear today to office? and so on... But what if science says that all these decisions you have taken could be easily guessed by the person who is monitoring you. You are taken aback as if your identity is stolen. First thought: Am I too predictable? (Whole stuff on which OTTs hack your viewing choices!!). Yeah you are..

But here comes the twist!! Research says that if consciously monitored a person can take charge of himself and can make the best decisions which may not be predictable, if he takes charge of the "Free Will". Imagine some random options are provided to an audience to select any one thing from the menu. Now, each and very individual will make decision at different point of time. so the time when a person thinks of some option and freezes that option completely there is a lag of time. This lag of time is basically called the Illusion of free will. It is at this moment that person feels he is making a decision but in reality he is NOT! But it can be shown through scientific techniques like fMRI that you didn't take decision,  it was the impact of the surroundings or other external factors which just pushed you forward to put a seal on the obvious decision. Your decision can be influenced (This is the game which marketers want to play around with you so that you just buy their brand ..lol!!) Now, this is a moment of crisis for a person as people think that they are unique but if they are puppets guided by external factors, this does not make sense!

Now, Prof Moraf Cerf, a neuroscientist has shown that our brains do not have one identity there are lots of conflicts and lots of fight going  inside and it is like whosoever wins the arguments inside wins the battle. He further says that our brain can be profiled by understanding its true nature of decision mapping with the brain activities. It can prove that some people can take better decision in morning, some in evening, some when they are hungry some when they are full and so on...These critical findings about oneself makes person to perform the best in the current state of affairs. and therefore he is actually on board of so many multinational companies to help CEOs better decisions!!

So what is in there store for us because not everyone can access the means to oneself better in these ways and improves in day to day affairs. So there is a very powerful narrative which plays a role in each and every individual's life. It is this narrative to which we all are tied and just make a boundary and define ourselves. If someone says Life has dejected me that person will always live in that impression and never be able to take control of whatever is going around. Prof Cerf further tells about that we have a memory with which we can actually play with. The illusion created by our imperfect memories is just what we feed daily to ourselves. If we recall one particular incident which was crucial in your life, each and every time narration will be painted by the present state of mind and will be restored in memory. We slowly and slowly alters our memory and our emotions unconsciously. The type of people who are around us affects our brain activity. Science has shown that when two person are sitting next to each other their brain activities do interact with each other. It alters our brain deep inside. If you are in the company of humorous people it will start altering your brain activities and both brains will become similar after much interaction. It's very important that we should surround ourselves by people who we like to become. 

Thus Free will becomes guided will if we are conscious about it. Its illusion of being free is in existence only till the time we don't acknowledge it. The moment we acknowledge it's Boom....

Human beings are special because they communicate with each other, they are affected by the environment and makes an impact on each other's thinking process. Our brain circuits are complex structures which interacts and evolves. this is the reason we have strong communities, we can influence people by the way we talk, by the way we have a narration, a story to talk about we have belief systems. This is the reason that movies, stories, Tv shows across the world influences our belief system. In today's electronic world, we can watch videos, access books from any corner of the world, this is what alters our brain. Our brain always communicates, it always talks this is how we improve ourselves. It surpasses thoughts which it don't want to be strong and solidifies the  persona which it wants to wear. 

So just try to feed good to your brain as a daily dose!!

Why Reading is important ?

Why we often see the great CEOs or billion dollar empire owners are always well read people? 

Well, we all know literacy is important and that is the success pillar of any nation. more literate the people are better is the society to live in. But is literacy the ultimate goal?

Nations which have stopped at this goal have not survived long in the race of innovativeness. Then what next? Should we not take baby steps to reach a goal and set a goal?

The answer is NO. Goal becomes our destination and we stops there and then. We may thrive for more and more feeding a monster inside us who is ever hungry. This is the time when we run out of our sanity and takes a hyperbolic path towards where we started. This tears apart people. 

Then what is the real solution? should we not consider fulfilment of a goal? or even define a goal? because then we become slave of that desire. What is the middle path people should take? where is the solution?

No body knows the right answer. But yes defining goal definitely constrains us and restricts our potential. However the continuous evolution of a human being constantly reminds him that there lies a bigger picture. Nothing should be seen in silos. From where do people see these bigger pictures? even bigger than themselves?

Its the good literature which gives them a company! There is a constant state of flux which tells them to look beyond and just not trapped in your little vision. How to define a good literature? Well, that's a question which no body can answer upfront. But yes one thing is for sure, if the literature which you read do not troubles you or brings agitation in your thoughts it is not a good literature. This can be a little thumb of rule in my perspective. 

Just as 3R's are important in services which are "Reachable", "Responsive" and "Reliable" makes a service consumable similarly the good work should also be available, Talked about or discussed about and should have reliable sources in its content that makes a book noteworthy. 

Books defines and refines our perspective. It evolves us with time. It challenges our brain. it gives us food for thought. It helps us to be humble to be patient and there are so many other countless reasons which are to be written down. 

The biggest one is though " READ AS IF YOUR SUCCESS DEPENDS UPON IT". May sound cliche but its true and very very true.

 

Ask yourself a question? Why do I read 

Simple answer is the more ideas you absorb from your environment more ideas you will assimilate and give them a new perspective. You will always remain relevant in your field of work. You will always be able to think out of the box! There will be times when some things don't make a sense to you, but it's not a pitfall. Either resolve that conflict or put it aside in peace. Even if you are taking away some things its a achievement.

Always keep challenging yourself for good reading speed. It's fine to be a slow reader speed will come with time. In digital space we have so much options now, we have app like Audible which can do the job for you even when you are on move! So save time in whatever manner you can

Read all genres even those which do not fall in your comfort zone. Some like art, philosophy, literature, fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, motivational, self-improvement,mystery and the list goes on. But the true beauty lies in switching the genres. It definitely teaches you something which you could not imagine. That's what sucks out the best version of you from you. 

There are so many good communities which encourages you for reading. My personal favourite is #Goodreads. You not only comes across other readers who shares their views but at the same time its a virtual collection of all books from where you can select the best out of the best! You really feel inspired. Its true that drive has to be from within but sometimes external factors just accelerates it for you!.

KEEP READING! 

Will keep you posted some of my favourite books!

What to watch with Kids on NETFLIX? Post-1

It's not an easy task to watch the desired content on an OTT. Especially when there are so many players in this domain each with their own web series, own set of movies and classics along with the regional stuff.

The limited time when people usually have their dinner time everybody sits together and watch tv together. It's a great challenge to cate to the demands of everyone. Moreover it's not easy to dig out a content which children sitting with you can also watch. Here I will be posting frequently what all content is a must family watch specially for kids. Now-a-days parents want their kids to have limited time screen watching. 

Thus to make the best use of time here is something to the rescue.

Movie: Back to future

The three movie series is available on #Netflix. 

Its an amazing watch for kids in the age of 7-9. The sci-fi movie which introduces time travel is a movie full of adventure. Kids watching a teenager going on a time travel trip is a fascinating concept for them. This is one of the humorous movie which everyone will enjoy. The anticipation of coming back to the present state of affairs is also shown in a curious manner. It keeps you thrilled till the nail biting finish of the events takes place at a roller coaster speed. 
Though the movie was released in 1985, it story takes place in different timelines of 1955 (as status quo time which is the referees present time), 2015 and 1885. 

 The Old America is shown in a very beautiful manner.  A very interesting piece of movie with kids at home on a weekend.

Thumbstoppers

Recently #Facebook has come up with a series of two advertisement talking about the social issues in 10 seconds. The campaign runs especially for mobile consumers as the format is adapted to mobile.
Format of advertising is going tremendous changes in the recent times with the overlapping of social media. The stronger the prevalence of social media more and more people are attracted to exploit it at their own terms.
Facebook has brought in the issue of moral stories where the bias should be removed. they have not only addressed the issue but at the same time posed a solution for it as call for action.
Just like the big firms invest in the CSR activities to grow beyond, this is a simple act by Facebook to dedicate its existence being socially responsible. If this investment brings in the positive change in the society, this is capable enough to become a law of social media "Investment in addressing the social causes". Though it is a very debatable genre to work on, still some major threats which are globally seen as root cause of problems like global warming, Gender bias, Healthy eating habits etc can be addressed by powerful narratives.
Both the narratives by Kiran Rao are amazing!

Both the stories are a must watch!