The total advertising expenditure in 2015 is estimated to be Rs 54,320 crore, as compared to Rs 47,490 crore in 2014. The FMCG sector contributes most to this revenue — Rs 8000–9000 crore and is the number one spender. The telecom-mobile sector spends Rs 5000 crore each year, and should retain its number 2 position. Currently, the auto sector is the third hivhest spender — Rs 1500-Rs 2000 crore. The e-commerce companies spent Rs 1483 crore, and with a growth of 15-20 per cent, the e-commerce might overtake the auto sector to become the third largest spender.
Author: Shabbir Chunawalla
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Digital Banking
Digital banking has to respond to the consumer behaviour. Banks have to assess the needs of the consumers in real-time. Big Data is the most widely used mantra, since it analyses, based on life styles, the requirements of the consumers so that they can be offered the right product at the right time. The data that is processed is both demographic and financial. Social media platforms provide a wealth of data. The banks can use both the internal data and external data. Based on your past choices, the banks try to predict about the future choices. Internet either on the computer or mobile opened up vast avenues for digital banking. The loans are being approved online. In case of an existing customer, there is pre-approved amount being shown on his account. He has just to click on agree to get the amount in his account. In an emergency situation such as hospitalization, how convenient this becomes.There is an app that divides the bill equally among friends at the food outlet. Digital banking is not just used to acquire the the new customers but it tends to serve the existing customers better. SBI uses USSD interface for customers not having a smart phone. SBI’s InTouch branches has just two staff members. An account can be opened at an InTouch branch through the use of machines in 12 minutes, with a debit card being given bearing the name and photo of the customer. There is gamification table for planning investments and expenses. There is dreamwall to look up options available to finance the customer’s needs. A remote expert is a bank official to advise a customer. InTouch Light is another digital branch of SBI which has just account opening facility.
Traditional banking through cheque payments and the use of counters is still strong. Perhaps, banks are not proactive in educating the customers about the digital initiative.
Digital banking by digitizing the processes end to end will improve productivity and sales and would bring down the manpower costs. It will lead to higher CASA balances. There would be alerts before an account becomes bad.
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HyperGraf for Big Data Analytics
MPhasis has launched HyperGraf for big data analytics to fascilitate real-time decision-making. It comes from MPhasis Next Lab. It provides real-time and actionable customer engagement insights across data points. It is cloud-based platform. It enables to innovate and take strategic decisions. It bridges the gap between internal data within an organisation and the external data and third party data. External data could come from credit rating, multi-media, social media and open data.
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Nude Models for Art Schools
Just as cadevers are important for the medical students, nude models are important for the art students. Such models are given a fee of Rs 1000 per day. Models are anytime better than photographs for study purposes for two reasons –muscular tension and emotions. In the USA, su,h models are gym trainers and ballet dancers. In India, they come from a poor background. As they have to sit for long hours, they suffer crom cramps and back-ache. When they are exhausted, they are given relaxing poses. Live portraits in Maharashtra are common since the days of the British regime. As there is stigma attached to this type of modling, students will have to paint soon from pbotographs. Male models are difficult to get. There is a fear that they may be a corrupting influencr on the female students. Many students and at times professors volunteer to double as male models.
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Exclusive Credit Cards by Invitation
There are credit cards for high net worth individuals or ultra rich. These are available by invitation only. Dubai First Royale MasterCard is one such card. Most members are Emiratis, but it is open to clients other than Emiratis. The card has a dedicated relationship manager, and a life style manager. It organises anything for the client. Another exclusive card is American Express Centurion Card ( Black Card ) . It was launched in 1999. You have to build a history of relationship with American Express to get the invitation. And you must have held American Express Platinum Card at least for a year. Black card is pricey ,$ 5000 a year in fees and the initial set up payment of $ 5000. You will have to maintain yearly spending of at least $250,000. There are a host of benefits, you can access exclusive lounges at the airports, flivht upgrades, free hotels and a 24 hour concierge. Many hold the opinion that instead of the Black Card, it is better to hold the Platinum Card, as it offers more or less the same benefits.
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54 Years of Jyoti Kalash Chhalke
Jyoti Kalash Chhalke complete 50 years in 2011, and has now entered 54th year in 2015. This song is written by Pandit Narendra Sharma and was set to music by Babuji Sudhir Phadke, and sung by Lata Mangeshkar. It was picturised on Mina Kumari and Master Ajiz for the film Bhabhi Ki Chudiya (1961). The original story was picturised in Marathi Vahinichya Bangdya (1953). It was a story of Y G Joshi. This song uses two symbols — jyoti and kalash and has retained its freshness even today after 54 years.
Jyoti kalash chhale, jyoti kalas chhalke
Hue gulabi lal sunahre, rang badal ke
Jyoti kalsh chhalke…1
Ghar aangan van upvan upvan, karti jyoti amrut se sinchan
Mangal ghat dhalke, mangal ghat dhalke
Jyoti kalas chhalke…2
Ambar kumkum fal barsaae, ful pankhudiya par muskaye
Bindu tu hi na jalke, bindu tu hi na jalke
Jyoti kalas chhalke…3
Paat paat birva hariyala, dharti ka mukh hua ujaala
Sach sapne kalke, sach sapne kalke
Jyoti kalash chhalke…4
Usha ne aanchal felaya, feli sukh ki shital chhaya
Neeche aanchal ke, neeche aanchal ke
Jyoti kalash chhalke…5
Jyoti Yashoda dharti gayya, neel gagan Gopal kanhaiyya
Shyamal chhabi jhalke, shyamal chhabi jhalke
Jyoti kalsh chhalke,,,6
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Officer’s Choice (OC) : World’s No. 1 Liquor Brand
India in liquor consumption is the second largest market ( consuming 290 million cases ) after China ( consuming 620 million cases ) which is number 1 in the world. Just five states of India contribute to 78 per cent of liquor consumption.
Many countries have an indigenous liquor to boast about, e.g. Tequila in Mexico, Vodka in Russia and Baiiju in China. India does not have such an indigenous spirit, but it produces European spirits here which are called India-made foreign liquor ( IMFL ).
Smirrnoff vodka from Diageo was the number 1 brand in the world but has now been dislodged from this numero uno position by Officer’s Choice from Allied Blenders. In 2014, Officer’s Choice sold 28.4 million cases ( or 255 plus million litres ). Smirnoff sold 25.6 million cases. The third brand is McDowel No.1 from United spirits.
Officer’s Choice is a 27-year old brand in 2015. It was originally targeted to blue collar workers, and daily wage earners. It is now sold across the segments. Its premium versions are Officer’s Choice Blue and Officer’s Choice Black. OC Blue was launched three years ago. OC offers good value for its money. OC is made from grains, as against other whiskies which are made from molasses.
Retail distribution is through 65000 licensed outlets. There is one outlet per 18000 people in the country. It is very low than the global average.
Because of heavy taxes, retail prices shoot up, which are sometimes as high as six times the ex-distillery price. Taxes on liquors contribute substantially to the state exchequer — say 16 per cent of the overall tax revenues.
OC’s sales by volume equals four times the Titanic tank Cameron built for the Hollywood movie. Roughly, its sales convert into a quarter bottle every Indian citizen. Its 100 times the size of an Olympic-size swimming pool. It is more than three weeks of milk collected by Amul.
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Aviation History
Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright — popularly known as the Wright brothers — were mechanically gifted. This quality they had inherited from their mother. They were good at school, but illness prevented them from attending college. Smithsonian Institution in 1899 responded to Wilbur’s query on the list of books on aeronautics. They pursued all the works. They studied the weather data of Kitty Hawk, which they selected as the ground for their experiments. They did work for three years on rudders, wings and their ratios and angles. After this preliminaries, they installed an engine on the plane. They built a wind tunnel to study wing designs. They also constructed a launch catapult. All experiments were documented. They designed their pioneering aircraft — each and every part was machined by them. Dec 17, 1903 at 10.35 AM Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA. After four years of work,history was created. The plane was air-borne for 12 seconds. Orville was at the controls. A photograph was snapped.
Later they improved the design at Ohio. They could succeed in longer flights. First the French and then the Americans joined the bandwagon. They patented many things, and became wealthy. A decade after Kitty Hawk, airplanes used in the World War I showed how they can be used as war-birds. Wilbur expired in 1912. Orville was alive till 1948.
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Biomedical Waste
Any waste generated during —
- diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings or
- animals or
- in research activities in the production or testing of biologicals.
Bio-medical waste consists of —
Solids such as:
- catheters, tubes
- disposable geuins, masks
- scrubs
- surgical staplers
- gloves, surgical sutures and staples
- wound dressings
Liquids such as :
- blood
- body fluids
- tissues and cells
- organs
- tissue cultures
Sharps such as :
- razors, scalpel, blades, lancets
Materials made of glass such as:
- curvettes and slides
Materials of metal such as :
- stylets, needles
Plastic materials such as :
- pipettes and tips
- syringes
Laboratory waste such as:
- animal carcasses
Hazardous chemicals with biological components
Medicinal plants
Radio active material with biological components.
Norms
- Bio-medical waste shall not be mixed with other waste.
- It should be segregated into containers/bags at the point of generation prior to its storage, transportation, treatment and disposal.
- Untreated waste should not be stored for more than 48 hours.
- If necessary to store more than 48 hours, the authorised person must take the permission of the presented authority and ensure that the waste doesnot effect human health and environment. ( Source : MPCB ).
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Dont’s for Carrying Yourself
- Wear your husband’s T-shirt
- Dress down
- Go out without jewellery
- Wear one colour
- Wear crocs
- Wear cropped linen trousers that are crushed
- Wear a watch for an evening out. It is inelegant.
- Save that expensive dress for fancy occasions. If you have spent a fortune, wear it.
- Highlight your upper eyes with a pencil.
- Get stuck in a style rut.
- Underplay your looks.
- Feel guilty about being glamorous.