[courtesy whos.amung.us]Thank you, one and all for visiting my Social blog and encouraging me on more write-ups.
PS: my marketing blog is at tajanjoseph.wordpress.com/ :D
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Truly Global
You guys just made my blog truly global. Find a snapshot of locations from whr ppl have accessed my blog during last one year. 
[courtesy whos.amung.us]
Thank you, one and all for visiting my Social blog and encouraging me on more write-ups.
PS: my marketing blog is at tajanjoseph.wordpress.com/ :D
[courtesy whos.amung.us]Thank you, one and all for visiting my Social blog and encouraging me on more write-ups.
PS: my marketing blog is at tajanjoseph.wordpress.com/ :D
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The Inauguration of BURJ KHALIFA: An Eyewitness Account
Published at YouthkiAwaaz.com
There is something about Dubai that gives me the goose bumps. Anything that this wonderful city does, it does in style and grandeur. So on this fateful cold Monday night, when thousands of souls gathered in front of the highest man made structure of the world, they all knew that the event would be spectacular.
Standing at a staggering 828 meters, the Burj Dubai, renamed as the Burj Khalifa, stabs into the azure winter skies of Dubai. Officially opened on the 4th of Jan to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the Accession of HH Al Maktoum, the whole world tuned in to watch its inauguration ceremony.
It took 6 years for Emaar Properties to construct this mega structure which has now become the icon on the city's skyline. Event experts from France, Britain and the United States collaborated on the project, demonstrating the global spirit of teamwork which defines Burj Dubai itself.
The building is in downtown Dubai right adjacent to the famous Waterfront Promenade, Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar. The Waterfront Promenade is very famous for its choreographed water displays and is located at the tower's base.
The inauguration ceremony was scheduled at 8PM, but the crowds started thronging the premises of Burj Khalifa much before noon. Dubai Mall recorded an unprecedented footfall with its spacious parking lots getting filled as early as 3pm. At night, when we started from our residence, the cab driver gave us a shrug wondering whether we would be able to reach the place on time. All the roads of Dubai led to downtown and we have never seen such heavy traffic on the city roads. After an hour of fitful driving, we were forced to get out and walk our way to the destination.
The inauguration started with a combination of dazzling fireworks, light beams, choreographed water displays, and sound & music effects. The music sang the story of Dubai and Burj Khalifa's creation while the fireworks shot out from the tiers of the world's tallest tower lighting the entire tower from base to pinnacle. There were concerted gasps from the spectator’s every time the firecrackers lit the night sky with searing blue and purple lights. The fireworks lasted for ten minutes and it made me feel that the effort spent in the crowd cramming for space was worth it.
However, when the event concluded, there was couple of thoughts that kept lingering in my mind. One was the pollution that the entire event had caused. The smoke across was so thick that even the high-powered 'stroboscope' lights beamed onto the towers got dimmed. Another concern was the realization that the famed city was not capable of handling huge crowds. The Metro station personnel, traffic personnel and administrators were clueless on how to manage the crowd. Together with similar problems that were witnessed during New Year’s Eve, I feel the city has much to learn on crowd management. Maybe the Burj Khalifa inauguration would be an eye opener for the authorities to train and equip themselves better.
To conclude, the experts might still criticize Dubai over it’s would be deadbeats, but the debt crisis has not dampened the mood of this city on being flamboyant in its ways.
We build the high-rise for people with strong will and determination. The highest point in the world should be linked to the big names and I announce today, the opening of Burj Khalifa
-words of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Vice-President and the Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
There is something about Dubai that gives me the goose bumps. Anything that this wonderful city does, it does in style and grandeur. So on this fateful cold Monday night, when thousands of souls gathered in front of the highest man made structure of the world, they all knew that the event would be spectacular.
Standing at a staggering 828 meters, the Burj Dubai, renamed as the Burj Khalifa, stabs into the azure winter skies of Dubai. Officially opened on the 4th of Jan to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the Accession of HH Al Maktoum, the whole world tuned in to watch its inauguration ceremony.
It took 6 years for Emaar Properties to construct this mega structure which has now become the icon on the city's skyline. Event experts from France, Britain and the United States collaborated on the project, demonstrating the global spirit of teamwork which defines Burj Dubai itself.
The building is in downtown Dubai right adjacent to the famous Waterfront Promenade, Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar. The Waterfront Promenade is very famous for its choreographed water displays and is located at the tower's base.
The inauguration ceremony was scheduled at 8PM, but the crowds started thronging the premises of Burj Khalifa much before noon. Dubai Mall recorded an unprecedented footfall with its spacious parking lots getting filled as early as 3pm. At night, when we started from our residence, the cab driver gave us a shrug wondering whether we would be able to reach the place on time. All the roads of Dubai led to downtown and we have never seen such heavy traffic on the city roads. After an hour of fitful driving, we were forced to get out and walk our way to the destination.
The inauguration started with a combination of dazzling fireworks, light beams, choreographed water displays, and sound & music effects. The music sang the story of Dubai and Burj Khalifa's creation while the fireworks shot out from the tiers of the world's tallest tower lighting the entire tower from base to pinnacle. There were concerted gasps from the spectator’s every time the firecrackers lit the night sky with searing blue and purple lights. The fireworks lasted for ten minutes and it made me feel that the effort spent in the crowd cramming for space was worth it.
However, when the event concluded, there was couple of thoughts that kept lingering in my mind. One was the pollution that the entire event had caused. The smoke across was so thick that even the high-powered 'stroboscope' lights beamed onto the towers got dimmed. Another concern was the realization that the famed city was not capable of handling huge crowds. The Metro station personnel, traffic personnel and administrators were clueless on how to manage the crowd. Together with similar problems that were witnessed during New Year’s Eve, I feel the city has much to learn on crowd management. Maybe the Burj Khalifa inauguration would be an eye opener for the authorities to train and equip themselves better.
To conclude, the experts might still criticize Dubai over it’s would be deadbeats, but the debt crisis has not dampened the mood of this city on being flamboyant in its ways.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Soft Power Marketing
Soft Power Marketing
This article is inspired from the speech of Shashi Tharoor @ TED
“As a marketer, It’s not a question of what comes to your mind, it’s a question of why”
Soft Power Marketing (SFM) first came to my mind when an incident happened with my ex-roomie. My friend had found a new date from Romania. After two days of chatting, the Romanian girl drops a bomb when she says that her mother listens to old Hindi songs. She spans her camera and my friend is amazed to find an old rustic lady singing jingles of a popular old movie song. For this Romanian family in Bucharest, India is a land of sweet melodies and handsome actors.
So let’s talk about Soft Power Marketing. According to its creator Joseph S. Nye Jr, a Harvard Academic, Soft Power can be defined as a means generating a Foreign Public Opinion in line with the same outcome you desire through understanding and fine tuning your messages based on how the audience hears your messages and interprets it. As per my reading and understanding, Soft Power Marketing is a medium of attracting others through effective public diplomacy that involves not just age-old broadcasting, but by using an exchange basket of Intangibles assets like culture, political values and beliefs, well supplemented through physical trade of complimentary tangible assets.
To elaborate, let us consider India. As a nation, what does this mean for our country? For India, Soft Power has always remained its biggest strength. From Ayurveda, Yoga, Kama sutra and Tantric Yogis, today the Soft Power Marketing platform has shifted towards other mediums such Bollywood, TV Serials, Spicy Curries and (not the least) Information Technology. Though well structured, the fact of the matter is that no Indian Government Policy Institute would have thought of SFM as a weapon. What the country has gained is through ignorance and pure luck.
Consider this, 3 Idiots has grossed over Rs 100 crores (or 1 Billion INR) in its first four days. The distributors had released about 2000 prints across 40 countries and in places like Australia; there are reports that the shows of 3 Idiots were increased after reducing the shows of Avataar. It shows how the Indian Soft Power is flexing its muscle.
So while my ex-roomie remains glued to his online date, my Chinese friend from Guangzhou province complains that his mother is neglecting household chores thanks to the Indian Saans Bahu serials that are telecast in Chinese.
Like any other marketing, the success of SFM remains at the mercy of the audience. What could be the implications? What are the right media? How much of culture should be exposed? These questions confound even the experts. With a lack of understanding, even the big would fall square.
So when the American Army invades and topples the ruling dictator of Iraq, and the western world expects a thankful Iraqi nation, the Foreign policy and values conveyed forcefully to the Iraqi citizens forces him to think of America as a nation of Infidels who has destabilized their country into desolation. Even for a country like India, the soft power image was no match when the Indian Peace Keeping Force was sent to Sri Lanka which created an impression of an Intruder and Big Brother Foreign Policy that ultimately led to two warring factions to join hands and fight against the purported Peace Keepers.
To conclude, as a subject, we have enough history to understand why it’s high time to start emphasizing on Soft Power Marketing. And as Individuals and as nations, we have enough interests as our motives.
-TJ
This article is inspired from the speech of Shashi Tharoor @ TED
“As a marketer, It’s not a question of what comes to your mind, it’s a question of why”
Soft Power Marketing (SFM) first came to my mind when an incident happened with my ex-roomie. My friend had found a new date from Romania. After two days of chatting, the Romanian girl drops a bomb when she says that her mother listens to old Hindi songs. She spans her camera and my friend is amazed to find an old rustic lady singing jingles of a popular old movie song. For this Romanian family in Bucharest, India is a land of sweet melodies and handsome actors.
So let’s talk about Soft Power Marketing. According to its creator Joseph S. Nye Jr, a Harvard Academic, Soft Power can be defined as a means generating a Foreign Public Opinion in line with the same outcome you desire through understanding and fine tuning your messages based on how the audience hears your messages and interprets it. As per my reading and understanding, Soft Power Marketing is a medium of attracting others through effective public diplomacy that involves not just age-old broadcasting, but by using an exchange basket of Intangibles assets like culture, political values and beliefs, well supplemented through physical trade of complimentary tangible assets.
To elaborate, let us consider India. As a nation, what does this mean for our country? For India, Soft Power has always remained its biggest strength. From Ayurveda, Yoga, Kama sutra and Tantric Yogis, today the Soft Power Marketing platform has shifted towards other mediums such Bollywood, TV Serials, Spicy Curries and (not the least) Information Technology. Though well structured, the fact of the matter is that no Indian Government Policy Institute would have thought of SFM as a weapon. What the country has gained is through ignorance and pure luck.
Consider this, 3 Idiots has grossed over Rs 100 crores (or 1 Billion INR) in its first four days. The distributors had released about 2000 prints across 40 countries and in places like Australia; there are reports that the shows of 3 Idiots were increased after reducing the shows of Avataar. It shows how the Indian Soft Power is flexing its muscle.
So while my ex-roomie remains glued to his online date, my Chinese friend from Guangzhou province complains that his mother is neglecting household chores thanks to the Indian Saans Bahu serials that are telecast in Chinese.
Like any other marketing, the success of SFM remains at the mercy of the audience. What could be the implications? What are the right media? How much of culture should be exposed? These questions confound even the experts. With a lack of understanding, even the big would fall square.
So when the American Army invades and topples the ruling dictator of Iraq, and the western world expects a thankful Iraqi nation, the Foreign policy and values conveyed forcefully to the Iraqi citizens forces him to think of America as a nation of Infidels who has destabilized their country into desolation. Even for a country like India, the soft power image was no match when the Indian Peace Keeping Force was sent to Sri Lanka which created an impression of an Intruder and Big Brother Foreign Policy that ultimately led to two warring factions to join hands and fight against the purported Peace Keepers.
To conclude, as a subject, we have enough history to understand why it’s high time to start emphasizing on Soft Power Marketing. And as Individuals and as nations, we have enough interests as our motives.
-TJ
Folks, Happy New Year 2010
My best wishes to all of you for a very happy and prosperous year 2010.
My new year start was quite eventful. Previous year i had spent the countdown in one of the downtown clubs of Atlanta. One of the best remembered memories of the night is a scuffle that one of the American Blacks had with the bouncers and how he was dragged and tossed out (there was no shootout as earlier, thankfully).
This new year's eve, we had gone to this club called Barasti which is a beach bar located in the heart of Dubai marina. Considered one of the finest, there were no second thoughts when we bought the tickets at 150AED per head (more than 52 tickets were spposdely sold to SP Jain students). We reached the club gates at around 11.20PM. Once outside, I found the event management of the famed club to be quite horrendous. There was a complete lack of planning by the organizers to control and regulate the new year crowd. There was this single gate which was shut and the people were allowed in one at a time (no idea why). And with close to seven thousand (estimated) party go-ers waiting for the bash, there was a lot of shouting and gate crashing. In fact, by the time we finally got into the club, it was already new year (Amen). My room mate Saurabh (aka Goel), was left outside to celebrate his first desolate moments of the year all by himself.. :). He came in later all storming and fuming.
Once inside, there was another queue to get into the main grounds (H'alleluia). Finally in, i was famished and rushed towards the food stalls [;-)]. The rest of the night was spent either lazying in the beach or walking around the club (checking, yet again, the night crowd of Dubai). Around 2am, we called it a day (it was an early retreat) and came out to search for some cabs. The night was cold and windy so the girls went home first. By the time we reached our rooms, it was 3am.
There were some really funny moments witnessed though. One was when Saurabh (once again) tried jumpimp across a divider and failed miserably. He came down kinda hard and but was up and walking hoping no one had noticed!! Another one was that of Amol (Joshi). From a CLEAN Soul, he became a NEAT Soul ....target readers would understand!!!
My resolutions for 2010...
Continue writing my blogs
Prepare a To-Do list....
& find more resolutions.
(Famed) To-Do list so far:
Sky Dive in Dubai
Go for the Burj Dubai Inauguration
Have a BBQ while its still winter out here.
Interested parties may join!
HNY once again!
-TJ
My new year start was quite eventful. Previous year i had spent the countdown in one of the downtown clubs of Atlanta. One of the best remembered memories of the night is a scuffle that one of the American Blacks had with the bouncers and how he was dragged and tossed out (there was no shootout as earlier, thankfully).
This new year's eve, we had gone to this club called Barasti which is a beach bar located in the heart of Dubai marina. Considered one of the finest, there were no second thoughts when we bought the tickets at 150AED per head (more than 52 tickets were spposdely sold to SP Jain students). We reached the club gates at around 11.20PM. Once outside, I found the event management of the famed club to be quite horrendous. There was a complete lack of planning by the organizers to control and regulate the new year crowd. There was this single gate which was shut and the people were allowed in one at a time (no idea why). And with close to seven thousand (estimated) party go-ers waiting for the bash, there was a lot of shouting and gate crashing. In fact, by the time we finally got into the club, it was already new year (Amen). My room mate Saurabh (aka Goel), was left outside to celebrate his first desolate moments of the year all by himself.. :). He came in later all storming and fuming.
Once inside, there was another queue to get into the main grounds (H'alleluia). Finally in, i was famished and rushed towards the food stalls [;-)]. The rest of the night was spent either lazying in the beach or walking around the club (checking, yet again, the night crowd of Dubai). Around 2am, we called it a day (it was an early retreat) and came out to search for some cabs. The night was cold and windy so the girls went home first. By the time we reached our rooms, it was 3am.
There were some really funny moments witnessed though. One was when Saurabh (once again) tried jumpimp across a divider and failed miserably. He came down kinda hard and but was up and walking hoping no one had noticed!! Another one was that of Amol (Joshi). From a CLEAN Soul, he became a NEAT Soul ....target readers would understand!!!
My resolutions for 2010...
Continue writing my blogs
Prepare a To-Do list....
& find more resolutions.
(Famed) To-Do list so far:
Sky Dive in Dubai
Go for the Burj Dubai Inauguration
Have a BBQ while its still winter out here.
Interested parties may join!
HNY once again!
-TJ
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Smitten -by Mahua
They say that chocolates symbolize romance
And red roses show love so pure;
Why would I need these or any other gifts..
When you’re everything I ever asked for
My cheeks go pink without any rouge
Your presence makes my heart pound;
Why would a doctor need a stethoscope..
To hear my heartbeat when you’re around?
Deafening sounds, busy crossroads;
Scared to cross the busy streetline;
Why do I need to look left and right..
When your hand is entwined in mine.
Eyes and smiles do all the talking
Words actually spoken are very few;
Why do I need to look at my watch..
When time stops when I’m with you
Head starts spinning, the world goes round,
I smile without any reason why;
Why do I need to do bottom's up on alcohol..
When your kiss gets me this high
Completing your sentences, reading your mind
Holding you tight in times bad and good;
Why do we need to say an ‘I love you’
It’s something.. To Be Understood
-Miss Roy
July 19, 2009 :)
********Smitten is written by my friend Mahua...
More of her poems are available in: mahuaroy.blogspot.com*****
And red roses show love so pure;
Why would I need these or any other gifts..
When you’re everything I ever asked for
My cheeks go pink without any rouge
Your presence makes my heart pound;
Why would a doctor need a stethoscope..
To hear my heartbeat when you’re around?
Deafening sounds, busy crossroads;
Scared to cross the busy streetline;
Why do I need to look left and right..
When your hand is entwined in mine.
Eyes and smiles do all the talking
Words actually spoken are very few;
Why do I need to look at my watch..
When time stops when I’m with you
Head starts spinning, the world goes round,
I smile without any reason why;
Why do I need to do bottom's up on alcohol..
When your kiss gets me this high
Completing your sentences, reading your mind
Holding you tight in times bad and good;
Why do we need to say an ‘I love you’
It’s something.. To Be Understood
-Miss Roy
July 19, 2009 :)
********Smitten is written by my friend Mahua...
More of her poems are available in: mahuaroy.blogspot.com*****
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
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