SlapGate & Jadu Ki Japhi

As a marketer, I thought of it was an excellent media strategy. In the full glare of the media a common man gives a resounding “late-cut” on the face of our polity. Maximum TRPs. The proof - the “Chammat Song” has gone viral, with around a million hits and still clocking.

This trend has been in the news for quite some time, shoes have been regularly hurled at our public figures, let it be P Chidambaram, Naveen Jindal or Kalmadi. To my surprise, however, all politicians reacted with consternation and calculated response, condemning the incident. Maybe it is OK for them to hurl chairs, mikes at each other in the parliament or Shiv Sena & Maharashtra Navnirman Sena to harass and beat the common man. We all witnessed the state justification of police brutality against baba Ramdev and Team Anna. But if the common-man does it – it’s condemned.

Personally, I think it was an expression of hurt and helplessness that a common-man feels that just got expressed through the hands instead of the mouth. It’s like the shock treatment that you give in an event of a heart attack, which we presently are suffering. The nation has become a hot-pot of scams, being souped out, one-after-another. The credibility of the politicians and the belief in the governance is at the rock-bottom. Add to this the spiraling-prices, plunging sensex, inconsequential value of the rupee and the looming danger of rupee depreciation because of the European crisis, and the leaders  are still wondering what did they do to arouse this dander in the population.

Inequality in earnings has doubled in India over the last two decades, making it the worst performer on this count of all emerging economies says, Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in a new report. The proverbial Rich are getting Richer and now Poor Man (read the common man) is now on a Short Fuse.

Still, the bells haven’t tolled for our politicians. This incident going viral and team Anna threatening to prolong their stir against corruption has given them (Kapil Sibal) another excuse to defend their demand to block incendiary content on global networking sites.

I am not justifying the incident and it may also go against the espoused designs of the perpetrator, but personally, I do feel that it is reflective of the bathos change which could hit our political system. Politicians may get OUT with the common man attempting these late-cuts on their cheeks.

Failure to arrest the growing angst among the population will create a genuine law and order problem situation. Let it be Anna’s agitation or the SlapGate, the casual attitude towards the situation could give rise to a Naxal/ Maoist flavor at the pan-India level.

Sachin Tendulkar has been on record saying that a Slap from his coach changed his perspective towards cricket forever. This incident too should be taken by our polity as a learning experience to be aware that they are not in sync with the Aam-Janta. In the true Gandhian spirit, why can’t the politician offer their other cheek or extend a Jadu-ki-Japhi to the Janta?

Because People’s Patience is Palling… and praying for the “Chammat Song” to reach 1.2 million – just to indorse that atleast 10% of my Nation is AWAKE - Jai Hind.

Why did Kolaveri Di Go Viral Part II

Here is it … as promised…

In addition to the three things (being free, status of becoming a Giver and meeting the unsatisfied, unfelt aspirations of the population. Yet another, aspect responsible for the success of Kolaveri Di was the possibility of customization for the song.

Here’s the detailed download:

a.      Being in the local Lingo (Tanglish – Tamil + English) it vibed well with the Indian Janta.

b.      A catchy tune? – ok-ok its’ debatable, but that the whole point – more the debate more the hits – as now the Janta wanted to know for themselves, what the Fuzz was All About! This perhaps worked wonders. When few music directors (including Javed Akhtar) didn’t find it catchy enough – the Janta decided to pass the Verdict by themselves. The result as we all know – it went Viral! Similar thing, happened with the Anna Campaign – had the government not arrested the aging septuagenarian, his struggle would have not gone Viral. Fact of the matter is as a society – we favour the under-dogs.

This also happened with the Kolaveri Di – with a few music veterans, dismissing the score as a frivolous attempt by green-horns, the young replied by passing their verdict!

c.      Kolaveri-Di like the Anna Anti-Corruption Campaign had the possibility of being customized by the people it reached. The world which exists on the web is always on the look-out for the new exciting stuff. This song, because of its simplicity has been rendered in more than 25 variants by the Netizen. There is an anti-inflation version for Sharad Pawar (remember the Slap), one Mullaperiyar Dam issue and even one by a girl turning the tables on this gender-biased song!

Well, the one I liked the best is the one rendered by Sonu Nigam’s Son (embedded below)

Viral Marketing is an internet mob on adrenaline. To capture its power – the marketers need a mix of Novelty, Freedom and Cause - an expression, a public opinion. I would love to see Virals being used to form pan-national public opinion for public policy decisions and not just for movies, songs or MMSs.

 

Why did Kolaveri Di Go Viral Part I

'Why this Kolaveri Di' song crosses 10 million mark – Why did it go Viral?’

With the India’s best Management Institute Professors trying to find answers to this phenomenon – here’s mine.

Virus Attacks – Virus is already inside us – lying dormant and at the opportune time – it ATTACKS! It multiplies using the host’s body and replicates till it overpowers the immune system. Virus don’t have to mate they simply it replicates geometrically. Social media mimics this biological phenomenon.

In the recent past we had seen the effects of Anna’s Movement on LokPal Bill, Kolaveri Di and Flash Mob video at CST: Mumbai.

Marketing Gurus would agree that – Viral Marketing strategy tempts (Pull strategy) the individuals to pass on the information/ message creating exponential growth in the message’s appeal and dispersal. The classical “word-of-mouth”, “buzz-word marketing”, “media-multiplier effects”, network marketing – have all condensed into “Viral Marketing”.

But how I asked myself – to my aide came some basic principles which are at work:

a.      Virals derives their strength from the inherent strength of Internet “ It’s a strategy of Giving – Giving free”. Free email accounts, free songs, free information, free content, free platforms (facebook/ twitter) FREE is the operative word. It’s easy to GIVE something away which is free.

b.      Network marketing gives the power to share information through our network (facebook/ twitter). Giving is powerful – it elevates an individual to a status of being a GIVER – a Demi-GOD and when the information or message doesn’t cost him anything – the effect is heady for the individual. Lots of ego massage happens in the process as the information is dispersed through the personal networks.

c.      Lastly, it exploits the dormant unsatisfied needs of the people to surface to be recognized. As they want to be the GIVER of that information to their networks. In Anna Hazare’s case – a good quality life for the common Indians. Netizen became the Change Agents for a corrupt-free India. For CST Mumbai – the amazement of movie Song-n-Dance becoming Real on a railway station! Netizen gratified in terms of being the first to share this First Flash Mob incidence in India. For Kolaveri Di … well you guess…

Ok – tomorrow … pacca..