WHAT I’VE LIKED
Friend, Philospher…Brand!
Let’s face it. If you are a premium fabric brand, it is very difficult to stay away from the fashion circuit. But one brand that effectively manages to do so (at least on television) and still stay on top is Raymond Suitings. This is not to say that they avoid talking about fashion altogether but in the dynamic medium of television they have chosen to be viewed as your warm, caring family friend. The recent television commercial adds to this perception with their storyline of a father reinforcing his daughter’s commitment to her newly-wedded husband at their reception. It appears that he is reassured that his daughter is in very safe hands indeed. All the emotions evoked are that of trust, warmth and caring which on one level is what being cocooned in warm clothing is all about but on the other hand it also reinforces the brand’s time-worn stance of being someone you can trust and look up to whenever you need a friend and guide. Raymonds used to run a very strong campaign years ago where they were the ultimate guide to spiffy dressing. And then they moved on to the Complete Man stance and the recent series ‘Feels like heaven’ takes this further. The brand is perhaps the oldest suiting brand in the country and has always remained one of its top sellers but what’s more important is that their advertising too matches the solid stability of an iconic brand. Rather than flitting directionlessly from stance to stance, they have charted a clear course and have managed to stay on it despite all the changes and distractions that might have come their way. And that is what leadership is all about.
WHAT I’VE LEARNED
Rise! slave. Be your own Master.
Call it right-sizing, weight reduction, flab cutting, waste management, whatever the jargon big industry justifies it with, there’s no getting away from the fact that there is a sudden influx of well-educated, highly skilled, well-experienced professionals in the unemployment market today. There are also, interestingly enough a respectable number of start-ups. Small one-man, two men units are cropping up all over the country offering a wide variety of skills from architecture and design consultancy to advertising, leaflet and bill printing services and almost every conceivable niche service possible. These are the ones who dare to risk their hard-earned savings on charting their own course. Because of the smallness of their size, they have tremendous advantages like speed, personalised service, a more in-depth knowledge of their field, and what’s more the client gets access to some of the sharpest minds in the country personally rather that having to deal with the small fry as they might have to do earlier. It is also a very refreshing sight to see so many youngsters trying to standing on their own feet instead of continuing to have their careers and their livelihood jerked around by the vagaries of inclement business weather conditions.
Admittedly entrepreneurship is not in everybody genes. Who knows? Of the 1000 odd one-man shows trying to make their way maybe only a fraction might survive the journey. But the good news is that rather than seeking negative outlets, they are keeping their chin up and at least trying to make a brave attempt at independent livelihood. This is when they will begin to slowly relish the joys of being their own master. Not having to report to seniors they despise, not having to curry favour, not having to justify when and why they come to office or stay out of it. The freedom of being on one’s own is a particular joy that only the free know. In fact it is a high that is so addictive that one takes on its flip side — the responsibility and the worries of where your next business will come from — quite willingly. So while I hope that these brave little ventures do manage to reach their goals, I am sure that this is one move they will definitely not regret.
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