Ladies in the Army... a Joke!!

No offence meant please :)

Russian Army

Israel Army

Indian Army

US Army

Brazilian Army

Korean Army

Chinese Army

& finally
!
!
!!
! !
! !
!
!
Pakistan Army

Posted via email from partha's posterous

Retrospective and Introspective!

My life before today, (well actually a little less than 2 years prior), flashed before my eyes!

When I was in school i was a "good boy", more importantly, "good 'mummas and daddys' boy".

Then I went to college and the party started! I did everything I could lay my hands on to experience life. No Drugs, but loads of alocohol, plenty of energy, and an uninterrupted source of money - (read: my part time jobs, my JHOLS and sometimes mom)!!! I tried everything I could possibly try without trying to get my life or my future into trouble. And what a blast it was! I flunked my college - I can safely say that was what happened because I got nothing to worry about who hires me and who does not - but i did not give up and eventually got that out of the way too!! :P

Once out of college, dads biz was not very tempting, but I was made-to join and figure out where I fit amidst all the hash and hullaballooo already existing there!! I lasted nearly 4 years there! but to no avail. I walked out of home, and went to stay alone, got a job in a BPO, thankless American Accent job!! I hated myself but I needed time to cleanse my mind, and it helped - 3 months of that and I was down approx 15 kgs, down to my last bit of savings... and then my mother, father and I agreed to give their life another try!! Then went 6 months and i was at my wits end there!! This time when I left the biz, i have not gotten back yet! But i still stay with my folks and I am thankful that such is the scenario right now!

I left my family biz and was left stranded in the big bad world, with nothing more than a few thousands in savings, my ego and a relatively blank CV. I was given a break into PR by a friend of mine, and then there was no turning back...

I owe my father and mother my life.. I am what I am now because (and I now understand this) of their hard work and contrary to the belief that I festered, they were doing it for my own good!!

Thanks Mom and DAD!!!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

PROgati - www.progati.co.in

Recession?

Although now the market is picking up and recession is slowly... receding... I was just discussing with my wife the other day, how has the recession hit us? Rather, why has the recession hit us?

First - what is my take of the recession?

I feel, and this is my thought only, that the recession is merely a rouse for the highly placed to reduce their overheads.. yes it started out earnestly in the US and spread slowly through the financial markets, but the repercussions, while they could have been softened to not reach the common man, were used favorably by companies NOT hit by this loss of financial state to reduce their overheads! 

Panic was created by these companies within their employees who subsequently spread fear into every living man in the world. It started by people who played with fake money, or faux money to be precise, ran out of options and declared bankruptcy.. then the people who HAD the money, decided, OOH lets use this and spend less money and save more, and they started yelling that they too LOST so much, that it hurts, blah blah blah!

Now this is only in the top 5% of the world population who had millions and millions and sometimes a few billion too! But what about the common man? He still worked, he still bought vegetables, his meat consumption was sent plummeting since it was too expensive and the company he worked for had a CEO and an owner who did not want to part with his money even though he had it! This in turn affected sales at every nook and corner.. but people still bought stuff, they still used cars, traffic jams still existed, clothes still made, tv still watched, and ac still run at night...

I was not working at any company and this had not affected my income (not then at least, now i feel the pain), and people who ran their own SME still worked through the night like they normally did and it worked for them.

SO what is this recession and can the people who had the money in the first place, just own up to the responsibility that you are answerable to the other people who work for you.. their lives depend on you paying them on time... 

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

Fear is a Factor!!

Saw today's episode... Water and then Tear Gas!!! Water apparently proved to be the harder task. The Panic was evidently a bigger factor in the water task.. and then to prove that they were not wussies, they pushed themselves to the limit for the tear gas trick...

The tasks are infact scary, I would think twice before signing up for it!!

Hats off to the people participating.... unfortunately no non celebrities are selected, they are just chosen...

The Khiladi shows off his attitude by performing the tasks himself and much BETTER than the participants - shows how much in shape he is!!

All in all - good tasks and great programming... but it started so abruptly, I wish there was some more advance notice to it beginning.

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

Swine Flu and the Conspiracy theory!

This is only my thought!!

Fact - more people die of malaria all across India in a year than people have died across the world of Swine Flu.

Fact - there is no reasonable cure for Cancer, AIDS, or even Chicken Pox till now. Just a few tablets to ensure the after math is not bad (this is for the POX only). Chicken POX is just a cycle. It comes and goes. The COMMON COLD has no cure!!!

Fact - most people die of an illness either because it is really that bad or because they have weak hearts!! But fear accounts for most deaths - like in snake bites, or even the recent flu strains!

Fact - the recent strains of flu have arrived with the "almost miraculous" availability of a cure!!!

Here is my thought!! When scientists have not been able to come up with a cure for common cold's, cancer and AIDS for years, how is it that these strains of flu's afflicting our world hit the world and almost instantly (give or take a week or so) the cure is available. This is when most scientists the world over swear that Malaria (which has over 6 different strains till date) is still getting harder to solve, but Swine Flu, and Bird Flu - NO SWEAT!!!

My take is these flu's have been created by some pharma companies in order to be able to keep their machines working and their labs busy... they create the problem, test them on animals(which incidentally is the fastest way for them to spread - plus the atmosphere helps them!!!) and then magically appear to save the day!!

But its just my take on it!!!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

Are you online?? The "RIGHT" way???

The key to any business today is having a good online business representation. An online presence is criticial because it is what people internationally have to refer to. It is what people base their judgement on whether to provide the opportunity of their business with you!

So, it is most important to have the right design and function to your website, while making it most reader friendly!! It should showcase the theme of the company, the thought of its management and the direction of its goal!!

If you look at most of the major websites, then what is important id organising all the information in a systematic manner. Make sure that you dont make it an overdose of only information! Make it lively, add some photographs, give it life.

Make the customer (potential and existing) want to interact with it, which in turn shows their interest in your company. Make it simple to understand and navigate. Making navigation complicated makes the customer lose interest. Their thought might be "if their website is so ill managed, then how would they service us?" Change that thought!

Give your existing website a makeover, or make a new one!!

Give me your feedback, and we will be happy to help!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

Stallone cannot pull it off

Even if he wants to, he cannot CANNOT speak hindi!!

He can punch like a gorilla on a rampage though!!!

The movie - Kambakkht Ishq. (Hope I spelt that right!)

Akshay Kumar cannot pull off slapstick hammy comedy!! But he tries.. the stunts are awesome - and there are some scenes where even he uses a body double!! Kareena did a tremendous job of being sexy - poor Amrita Arora was left soaking in her sweat!!! JJ could have been left out of the scene altogether!! but he did bring some real comic relief!!!

The flow of the movie was pretty nice!! The end predictable!! Sajid bhai needs to look beyond action and comedy!! but the formula was pretty good and money was well invested - especially Denise Richards!! :)

Anyway - time to go get a Hangover!!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

Just like Lightning!!

And with his super bark, he shall save the day!!!

"He is awesome!! He is Beyond Awesome!! HE IS BEYAWEZUM!!!! He is legendary!! My Hero - BOLT!!!" - Rhino the Hamster!! :)

Cartoons are not only for kids any more - strike that - they are for kids of all ages - and some adults who wanna relive their kiddiness but are too "mature" to accept their juvenility!! I love cartoons and BOLT just made sure I will NEVER grow old!!!

The characters were awesome!!! The story line although predictable was portrayed very nicely and there was nothing boring about it!!! In fact, we quite enjoyed that we could predict a movie!!! The talking pigeons and the cat with a heart and conscience were really nice!! The voices were done well!

The Trailer!!

If you like cartoons, then you will LURV Bolt!! He is BEYAWEZUM!!

Some Pictures from the movie!!!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com

Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

Please vote us up!! :)

Hi!!

My wife Dhanashree and I have signed up for a race of sorts!! Its a once in a lifetime chance for us to do something we both really will like!!

Please help - vote for us!! If you can then please write a testimonial as well!!

Appreciate it!!

I NEARLY forgot!!! The link - http://www.greatdrivingchallenge.com/application/1246638782436751/

Partha Srinivasan
"I make you famous!"

m: +91-9920399899
e: partha@parthasrinivasan.com
   srinivasan.partha@gmail.com
w: http://parthasrinivasan.com
   http://blog.parthasrinivasan.com

to contact me: http://parthasrinivasan.com/contact-me.htm

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Posted via email from partha's posterous

Just signed on for an Adventure!!

My brother, Pranay, told me about The Great Driving Challenge and I took the initiative and signed my wife and I up for this!!

I love driving, I love being on the road!! I was a biker for Gods sake!!! I have been all across India on the 6 bikes I had a while ago!!

Please vote for me!

the link is here: Click Me to Vote for Partha and Dhanashree

There is a badge on the page as well - PLEASE PLEASE help us!! :)

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

New York New York!!!

well not the Broadway at least!!

But performances surely did turn some heads - and raise some eyebrows!!!

Brilliant work on both sceenplay and dialogue work!!! Execution was awesome from Abraham and Irrfan Pathan. Neil Nitin Mukesh did a fantastic job at being comfused and harrowed. Katrina Kaif could have done a little better - she hammed a bit - but the part called for some bimbette type activity.

The concept was mind blowing. The transformation of a seemingly harmless man into a notorious cell leader and process was flawless! The modus operandi shown made my hair stand on end and sent shivers down my spine! Each time there was a twist, I could not stop exclaiming, "WOAH!! unexpected!"

Songs were unobstrusive! Background score was brilliant spaced! The end could have been a little better - I mean the kid recovers WAY TOO SOON for my liking!!!

Anyhoo... go see the movie - I am sure you are not expecting what it dishes!!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

PROgati - going live! Are you famous yet?

So my wife and I had planned long ago, we do not wish to be tied down under someone elses thoughts, or limit our thoughts to what the company we served hired us for!

Instead, we decided, and now we feel rightly so, to float our own solutions agency, a consultancy to make people and their products famous. This is of course subject to understanding if the concept is saleable... All said and done, we started it.. Like all good things, the start was rocky, but it i slowly building pace...

So far, we have concluded a lot of activities, like concept gifting solutions for Chilli's, the restaurant, (launched in Bangalore), a road show for the Royal Challengers, PR for the Kaneria group, Company film for the Kaneria group, website and Social Media for mig33.

With your support and referals, we hope to contact and conclude many such activities.. so please ask your friends who need solutions to get in touch with us!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

Corporate Gifting helps!

Ask yourself a question!

If you got a free gift, purely as a feel good factor, would you not cherish it and hold in high respect the person that gave it to you?

In the same way, Corporate Gifting also creates good will in the people who get gifted to! And if the gift either serves a purpose or represents the company, then it creates a positive brand image as well.

A well thought gift, need not necessarily be expensive, but should most definitely make an impact, and needs to bear with it the company love!

For a few concepts, an auto parts company can create a dummy model of the part they manufacture in miniature and use on a keychain. A laptop company can co brand a USB pendrive with their products. A company manufacturing Shoes, can have multiple options such as shoe bags, or customised socks or so on. The cost involved in developing these products are nominal, but the impact - TREMENDOUS.

In this fashion, there are many products in the market that can be customised - or even mass customised for that matter - to suit the clients need.

To know what best suits your need, contact us! :)

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

A birds eye view of PR

PR professionals are important. Whether you like it or not, they make the job of spreading information easier!

In my 3 years (and counting) of PR, I have come across many methods of conducting PR activities. But the best is a healthy mix of the traditional with the contemporary. And in my knowledge, IT WORKS!

Traditionally PR is only about Press Releases, Press Conferences and Media Interactions. Very limited interfacing. Now this has evolved. With the need for that little extra, that personal touch, some PR people take the extra step and stick their necks out! They interact personally with media, and understand their needs in a better fashion in order to dole out ideas to the client which will work.

Most agencies have realised the need for journalists meeting the client as a pure information sharing exercise. Not all have the capability of singing the right note to lure the journalists. What separates the wheat from the chaff is the ability to influence a person without being disruptive.

PR since long has been important, since the bigger companies have no time to sit and reach out to the media, to share their information with them, but since it was the only medium to reach out to potential business deals and customers, they hired professionals who would do this on their behalf, either from within the company or, as time would make it, through PR agencies.

As the economy progressed, smaller companies came into existence and they held in their eyes, the dream to be seen on the same platform as their bigger and probably better competition as a possible option to the market runners. So for them, PR became an important tool.

The older breed of professionals are a little strait-jacketed in terms of visibility options, but the newer strain of workaholics understand the dynamics and are open to the concept of being part of the industry.

From the media perspective, although they tend to be high maintenance, the PR professionals are a boon to them. Had it not been for PR, the media would forever have to try their investigative skills to figure out where the information came from in the first place. Getting their hands on the right source with the right information, is of key importance to them, and it is PR people who facilitate this. Yes, sometimes - it may happen, that information cannot be shared, which is then dubbed as a failure on the part of PR people.

Even here, the older strain of journalists feel that PR of today are too infectious and are trying to hard to make the journalist do the company's bidding, whereas, the newer line of reporting specialists understand how to improvise and get the best of both worlds, the information and the source!

Please do drop in your comments and suggestions below.

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

PROgati is Now LIVE!!

PROgati is Now LIVE!!

What is PROgat? Its our baby! I mean my wife Dhanashree, Moksh Juneja and I! Its up and running. The website will be too!

We offer communication services the likes of which are not seen anywhere in this country. A Value for Money proposition for startups of ANY kind, or for corporates looking to setup a footprint in their industry. We can ideate, create, design, and execute any concept you want in terms of your face to the public!! Ergo we are a publicity consultancy!!

Your enquiries are most welcome and we will consult to your satisfaction - and if need be, we will also execute and make your dreams OUR reality!!!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

The importance of a Publicity Consultant

In the Gargantuan task of a company trying to manage its public image, it ends up spending money in hiring various people to manage the uphill task of doing so. Large organisations can manage it, but the smaller companies prefer to outsource individual agencies to do parts of the total package.

Publicity is needed for every brand in either the local market, or the international arena. Its just a matter of how much is needed and in what area!

For the uninitiated, Publicity covers the various methods to make public the activities one carries out. They are:

1. Advertising via ATL / BTL methods: BTL stands for Below the Line which is all advertising that is done at outlet/retail level as well as direct marketing. ATL stands for Above the Line for advertising activities performed via traditional media, such as press, the tv, cinema, radio.
2. Public relations - often referred to as PR - gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of public interest and news items that do not require direct payment. Because public relations places exposure in credible third-party outlets, it offers a third-party legitimacy that advertising does not have. Common activities include speaking at conferences, working with the press, and employee communication.
3. Online Promotions - using methods such as Social Media Marketing (for more on this contact Moksh Juneja (go on google him)) and SEO/SEM.

With professionals in these fields moving laterally across these arenas, the key point to remember here is that, they have a lot in common.

1. Creativity - They all need professionals who have the innate ability to convert seemingly boring jargon into interesting information for the end consumer without altering the actual focus of the company. Some also need the ability to create imagery for the same - tough job
2. They all use the same brief and the same guidelines.

So for a consultant to guide a client would be easier, since he has relevant experience in all fields, and is aware of the way things work, and can also define the best path to take with the least resistance, and the best output!

Ensuring that the company does not lose focus on its prime reason of existence, that is providing the service / product to the consumer, the consultant has to make sure that the company is represented correctly and has to manage the public image being created using the various tools he / she has in their power.

Hope to have shed some light in this area. Please do comment with your feedback and suggestions!

For Bouquets and Brickbats, please email me at partha@parthasrinivasan.com
Partha Srinivasan, Publicity Consultant

Word Of Mouth, Referral, Online Media, the latest buzz words for a brand new business!

And if you feel that you are missing out on the action, then check if the above are in place!

If you are in business, the first thing you need is passion. Passion gets you places you aint never seen before! It reflects in the way you talk about your work, the product / service, your goals and your ability to perform. Without Passion, the chances a person may take you seriously are extremely limited.

This passion will spread - contagiously - through the people you meet, and the more you are able to talk effortlessly and as plainly as possible, the better the chances of you getting visibility of your services / product.

Nothing comes free, and a fee for networking through the right channels is the way to go today. Finding agencies like BNI, and the like are a boon to local businesses. Promotion is unlimited and propensity to grow, infinite!!

It is here that you understand the value of WOM, and referrals.

Online media is another need of the hour. The whose-who are online, looking for solutions for their problems. It could be basic like which quality of wood, or something as complex as the chemical formulation of the enzyme wash used for garments!

If your website is not user friendly and informative, chances are you are cutting your business down by MORE THAN HALF!

Do yourself a favour and ask me your questions and I will solve them for you, right now on this blog, it is free.. but the best things, as best said by Mr. Ledger as The Joker, "If you are good at something, then dont do it Free!"

Partha Srinivasan
Publicity and Gifting Solutions!

Using the Posterous Bookmarklet - Posterous Help

via posterous.com

trying the post bookmarklet!

Posted via web from partha's posterous

In response to a post I read!

Partha "Opinionated" Srinivasan has left a new comment on the post "How to approach a journalist":

What you have treaded on is dangerous territory!!

My thoughts on what you have posted may or may not be a figment of my imagination! I too have been on both sides, but thankfully was never hounded by PR people. I know I was also a hounder and so I had always maintained a particular etiquette in approaching journalists or writers!


1. I prefer to add you on gtalk first and then if I get to know you better, on FaceBook too. Will you take offence?

I have all my close media people on my personal email id and they respond well to that since they know me and I do not Bother them with information unless I need guidance or it is relevant to them. And I DO NOT SELL THEM SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY SAID "NOT POSSIBLE" TO!

2. Would you take offence if I called you out for lunch to know you better? If yes, what do you think is an alternative?

I think meeting more often socially is a good alternative but pick the people you go out with - not everyone appreciates it! Sure it is work first but a little friendship hurt no one!! If you have ONLY ulterior motives on your mind, then its a strict NO NO since a journalist never forgets! Be nice - they are humans too and have self esteem!

3. I have this really big announcement to tell you about and you are not willing to take my calls or reply to mails, is there any other way apart from pestering you by repeatedly calling and emailing?

If it is big enough - You will be called back - if it is urgent to get in touch - DO NOT REPEATEDLY CALL - SMS apologetically - then wait - call post 7 in the evening and understand their situation! This is one off only - not to be done regularly!

4. What is the best way to approach a writer? (a reply of more than 20 words would be most appreciated.)

Personally - If I know the writer well, then I would call - since I know that my call would be taken and I can have constructive conversation! Always ensure you know what you are talking about - most journos today can pick out the wheat from the chaff - be the wheat! They will appreciate you more - and not have any grudges talking to you, since their opinion is better valued! Understand their domain, talk to them - allow them to talk and understand, absorb and use for future reference. Put yourself in their shoes (you were there so it is easier!)

< /rant >

Posted via email from partha's posterous

What are you upto nowadays?

I just got married and I think that has changed the way I look and react to things.. For instance, I am more thoughtful on how my words and actions will affect my family.

Has that ever happened with you?

Anyway - I just wanted to upload a photograph of Dhanashree (my wife) and I - this is one of my favs - hope you like it too!

Partha

Posted via email from partha's posterous

The smothering

The smothering, originally uploaded by Miss Aniela.

A friend of mine suggested this picture to me!

I saw it and I was BLOWN!!

Just had to share it with you guys!!

Lookie lookie

handwriting exercise

handwriting exercise, originally uploaded by Partha N S.

And so I was tagged by Bee and CWLUC

Like Eric said - I too am not much of a writer... so to speak! And here goes nothing!

The trick here is to do the following:

Flickr Tag

Here's the deal, in your picture write down the following items.
1. Your name and your flickr name
2. Are you right or left handed?
3. Favorite letters to write
4. Least favorite letters to write
5. Write out the sentence, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
6. The names of the six of your flickr contacts that you'll be tagging

And you must do the same to follow!

My Passport Photograph - Over the Years!

See the way I have "evolved" over the years!!!

Partha

Posted via email from partha's posterous