Youth and Politics

Politics-- are we interested or not?

With elections creating a buzz all over the country, and all news channels and papers only talking about elections (especially in West Bengal at the moment), one question always mystifies most people-- is today's youth really interested in politics?

The answer to this is quite complicated. Many youngsters very blatantly admit that they have no interest in  politics that they always prefer to stay far away from it. They skip reading articles in the newspaper, or change the channel when they see anything related to the subject, nor do they go and vote. This, in my opinion is wrong, because we are a democratic nation, and we should be happy that we have the right to exercise our vote, and choose the person/party we want to see at the helm of the country. However, we all know what the truth is. Very rarely do the desired or deserving candidates make it up to the 'chair', and those who do, rarely fulfill the promises they make while canvassing for elections.

But that doesn't mean that one should avoid voting completely. If we have the power to vote-- which is a HUGE deal, we should not let it go waste. If you do not know whom to vote for, you can always make use of Article 49-O of the constitution, which allows you to 'vote for nobody'. However, this has unfortunately not been revealed openly by seemingly notorious leaders. By exercising this right, you can ensure that your vote is not wasted, or misused by someone else to vote-in or elect an undeserving candidate.

But on the other hand, there are young people who actively participate in the politics of the country. Many of them have been inspired by the fact that the future of our nation lies in the hands of the youth. Young and eminent politcal figures like Sachin Pilot, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rahul Gandhi, to name a few, are seen as people whom the nation will reckon with in time to come. Not only that, the recent movement by Anna Hazare against corruption and to implement the Lokpal Bill saw tremendous support from the youth all over the nation. I doubt the movement would have been such a success, and the government would have given in to his demands, had it not been for the protests by the enthusiastic young people.

So there are two schools here as well-- one that is uninterested, and the other that wants to make a change in society. I only hope that there are enough of the latter, so that one day we can be a nation that is free from corruption, and all other political evils.

A controversial question

Controversies: good or bad?

This is a universal and one of the most debatable questions in marketing today. Are controversies good for marketing a product? Not just a product, even a service, or a person needs to market itself if it has to prove its worth. So when a product is launched, the makers are of the belief that if the marketing is made ‘controversial’, it will have a positive impact on the target audience.

Many products have done this and still continue to do so. International brands, like French Connection UK or FCUK created a furore because of its abbreviated nomenclature. However, the brand is one of the most sought after among the youth. Not only in the UK, but all over the world, FCUK is an iconic brand.  The Axe effect ads were controversial in India, but at the end of the day we all know that Axe deodorants sell like hot cakes among the youth.

Take the most recent example in India. Not a product, but a path-breaking initiative by India’s business honcho, Lalit Modi’s Indian Premier League. After a smooth run of two seasons, the last IPL witnessed one of the greatest controversies in India. From being a sporting event, IPL became a political issue, costing chairman Lalit Modi his chair, and also leading to the resignation of the then Minister (of External Affairs) Shashi Tharoor. Many IPL franchises came under the scanner, some were on the verge of being dismissed, and the controversy carried on for months on end. However, this did not negatively impact the brand that IPL is. These controversies on the other hand, took IPL to all the major news channels and newspapers which helped it garner more popularity and bank more money.

Not only this, even celebrities who are in the news for all the wrong reasons are in a way the most popular. Rakhi Sawant thrives on controversies. Rahul Mahajan is well-known for all the wrong reasons. So what, they are still talked about, and any kind of publicity is said to be good. They are seen as TRP garners for the channels that feature them. TV shows like Big Boss, which ran into controversy this season for showing adult content and was pushed into the late night slot rather than being aired in the prime time band became more famous after the problems it ran into.

But these controversies work only for selective brands or products. FMCG products will never work if hounded with problems. It was seen in the case of Pepsi and Coke which became highly controversial after being blamed for being contaminated with pesticides. They suffered a huge loss, and later celebrities were brought in to advertise and vouch for the drinks’ safety. Cadbury chocolates too were said to be infected with tiny insects, which led to the sales plummeting greatly. They of course took serious corrective measures and have gained back the consumers’ trust.

Therefore controversies are product specific. Everything cannot work well if surrounded with problems.  If we dig deeper into this, products that are actually ‘good’ need not need an extra ‘dose’ of publicity to catch the consumer’s attention. Products that deliver what they promise the consumers and keep their standards high, add value to their lives in any which way, and are loyal to them, will always be seen in good faith.

Thus the question still remains a debate—are controversies good, or not? The answer I think remains with the product—and whether a certain product needs it or not. Sometimes these controversies do help in marketing, but on the other hand, if the products are good enough to speak for themselves, then marketing won’t take that much of an effort. 

An internship to remember

I had never worked before this. Come October 2010, and I was all ready to set out on my first job-- an internship with an NGO. I was being sent to Actionaid India International in Kolkata for six weeks as a part of my course curriculum at Commits. I was excited, nervous at the same time because I had never worked earlier and was a little aware of what was expected of me and how things would be once I began my work.

I clearly remember my first day in the Actionaid office. Located in a narrow lane next to Menoka Cinema, Southern Avenue, the office is small, but welcoming. I was told that I had to work on issues and problems faced by women in West Bengal. This involved regular field visits, and later preparation of a report based on the information and data collected from these visits.

I went on six field visits, met and interacted with a lot of women living in both rural and urban Bengal. Women who were poor, deprived, victims of domestic violence, eviction, physical and mental abuse. Their stories were heart-rendering, but it was amazing to see how some of them fought, despite all odds. They were made aware of their rights and responsibilities, understood the importance of education for their children, and also knew that they had to raise their voice against any form of violence inflicted on them. This was all thanks to the NGOs that are working for them and are constantly striving towards their betterment. Some women, of course were afraid to speak about or against any of the atrocities meted out to them, thinking that it was their 'right' to be abused and kept in inhuman conditions.

The field visits, whether in rural, or urban Bengal were more or less similar. Each trip involved meeting and talking to these women, knowing how they coped, earned their livelihood to make both ends meet. But each visit was unique in a very surreal way. I realised how fortunate I am-- to be able to enjoy the luxuries and benefits I have been brought up with. I have started appreciating my life much more now, and I am more grateful to God than ever before for giving me the comforts I have today. What touched me was the warmth with which the women I met treated me, the respect they gave me, and the hope in their eyes that I would be able to do something for them was something I'll never forget. 

I don't see myself working with an NGO in the near future. But I do hope that I can some day work towards making a positive difference in their lives. All they need is encouragement, hope, and the confidence that they can make their lives more meaningful and worth living, with monetary aid of course. Hope I can contribute to society by helping people who need it, and bring a smile on their faces.

It's bulletin time!

I'm in the middle of a tough semester. It's news bulletin time! Despite being a marketing student, I'm glad I've got the opportunity to try my hand at broadcast journalism. I've always been in awe of news reporters, and had at times wished to hold a mike, face the camera, and do what I now know is called a PTC or Piece to Camera.

The experience so far has been very challenging-- right from zeroing down on a good story idea, to deciding the name of the news channel, finalising the signature tune, getting an apt montage, etc, have been things that have given me great insight into how a news channel works. I have also discovered how different print journalism is from television journalism. There is a vast difference in how both are scripted; simply because in the latter, the visuals do most of the talking.

 Script writing for a television news story has been the most interesting thing I've learnt so far. Writing to visuals, editing text to suit the needs of stills/graphics/visuals, and all other nitty-gritties are some of the many things I'm glad I've learnt. Holding the camera correctly, taking the right shots, recording sound bites, coaxing people to talk on camera -- are experiences I will always cherish.

Even though I will not get into this profession, I am happy to have learnt all that I did, and am still learning. Making the news bulletin in the second semester at Commits will in a large way teach me what it means to be a professional, and the hardships that one has to face to do anything perfectly, or almost perfectly.
With this, I wish all my classmates all the very best for their respective news stories. I hope we raise the bar this time again and all our relentless efforts bear fruit :)

All that I have learnt

The media...

Lights, camera, action...  are probably the first three words that come to people’s minds when they think about the media industry. Glamour, fashion, and pots of money are characteristics of this profession, assume those who sit at home and watch their favourite celebrities on television, making news. I was also under the same impression until a few years ago. I thought that everything about the media, everything about the industry was resplendent with glitz, fame, and big bucks. What I failed to see or understand, was the hard work and labour that goes into making a media professional.

When I became interested in being a part of this industry, I knew that I wanted to do so without being seen, or rather without being in front of the camera. I decided to be a part of it handling its work behind the scenes. So a career in public relations seemed to appeal to me the most. When I came to Commits, I knew that I wanted to be an MMC (Marketing and Management Communications) student. But after coming here, I realised that I was spoilt for choice. Today, brand management, advertising, retailing, and event management also seem lucrative and alluring options. But knowing what I am good at, I will stick to PR, for as long as I can. I’m of course glad that at the end of my course I will have a good knowledge about all the other fields which will help me in case I need a change.

Training to be a media professional had opened my eyes in more ways than one. Correct grammar, good writing, a whole lot of reading, presence of mind, a plethora of talent and creativity, street-smartness, persistence, and more than enough dedication are what one needs to thrive in this profession. Understanding what the public wants is foremost when you are a part of this industry. You’re constantly ‘selling’ yourself, marketing yourself in such a way that you look appealing to your target audience. The other side of this is that there are people who help groom you in a way that you have mass appeal. This is not just true for people it is also true for products that are advertised every day. It is all about how you ‘package’ yourself. Just as a consumer can be fed up of using the same product because it does not add any value to his or her life anymore, similarly, a star might not be as appealing to his or her fans if he or she is either replaced by a younger star, or does not perform up to his or her potential. Thus, it is all about changing with the times. Since the media survives because of the masses—it is the common man who decides the fate of a person or a product, it is HE who needs to be kept happy all the time. 

The job is not easy. For that matter, nothing really is. But if you keep at it, needless to say, the rewards are many. The success is exhilarating! But that DOES NOT come easy—you have to work your way to the top...

So this is what I have learnt so far, and I hope to learn much more as time goes by...