There's something about Marketing!

I specialize in Marketing. Often I’m told, I look the “pakka” Marketing types. I take it with a pinch of salt. I’m never told I’m the “pakka” intellectual type.

Marketing takes me places. Literally, more than figuratively and currently places mean only Delhi and Mumbai. Often I wake up not knowing which city I’m in. There’ve been days when I’ve wanted to go to CP in Mumbai and Churchgate in Delhi

I’ve a great house in Jangpura Extension and an even better company guesthouse in Bandra. I’ve a Mom’s house in Guwahati and Dad’s house in Quilon. Yet, I end up spending majority of my time at my office.

I’ve been on Marketing since the last 6 months. I’ve been a part of a team that has launched a Radio Station in Delhi, a mega promotion in Delhi and am currently working on the launch plans for Mumbai. And of course, you can call a duo a “team”.

I’ve figured out Marketing is 99% common sense. The other 1% is your top-boss telling you what to do. I call it, “Will-power of the Mighty!”

In media in particular, I find a lot of Mallus either in top jobs or surrounded with great babes. Alex Kuruvilla is just “a” case in point. I’m a Mallu and yet to hit a top job and Salma Hayek can never give me time.

I figured it’s fashionable and intellectual to be late in Marketing. Late for signing off budgets, sites, creatives, everything. The fun is when you are actually late. If you do things on time, no one gives you credit. Be a day late or two and you must have done a fabulous job.

I haven’t perfected the art of screaming at agencies, media planners, printers to meet deadlines and budgets but I’m getting there. I can just feel it. I’m only looking for barters, great deals, good money and prominent positions across media and across avenues. I just want to bargain. Even when my maid tells me she’ll give me my Aloo Paratha in 5 minutes, I feel like asking her, “Can I get it in 2 minutes with an add-on of a Gobi Paratha?”

I don’t know whether this is to do with Marketing but I get along rather well with the security guards, housekeeping guys, liftman and the receptionists. The people who I haven’t broken ice yet with are the CEO and the AVPs and the VPs.

A lot of times Marketing has been considered too subjective a topic of discussion in organizations. No one knows where the bang for the buck lies. People are cagey about spending on Marketing. How the hell do we know Marketing has delivered? I agree.
But I find an uncanny similarity to this and “ Hey, I find that babe hot. How the hell do I know she’ll talk?”. At best, you can do your homework and back your instinct and hope your money is in the right place. And that’s what Marketing is all about! : -)