Category Archives: Books

1-By Laksh, Books

Being Digital

In the information and entertainment industries, bits and atoms often are confused. Is the publisher of a book in the information delivery business (bits) or in the manufacturing business (atoms)? The historical answer is both, but that will change rapidly as information appliances become more ubiquitous and user-friendly. Right now it is hard, but not impossible, to compete with the qualities of a printed book.

In 1995, Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the MIT Media Lab, published “Being Digital,” a manifesto of musings and predictions for the digital age. His main thesis is information moving from the realm of atoms (physical matter) to that of bits (the digital ether) has profound implications on how people work and play.

“User in control” is a consistent thread throughout Negroponte’s book.

Two small sections in the book are particularly insightful: “Place Without Space” and “Being Home and Abroad at the Same Time.” They describe separating physical location from identity. Location independence comes from the power to access the network from anywhere. Once you have access to the network, you have access to communications, media, applications, family, friends, colleagues, and customers. Enter Wi-Fi (define), and access is further separated from wires, making it possible to “jack in” just by being in the proximity of a hotspot.

Most of his predictions have come good in over a decade’s time. It’s a good time to revisit ‘Being Digital’ and explore the possibility ‘being virtual’ in our lives and business.

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1-By Laksh, Advertising, Books

Then we set his hair on fire


This book is about insights. Insights that lead to a zillion of ideas. Even when these ideas take different forms–a TV commercial is just one of them–one can still see the insight shining through.

And where does an insight fit in the overall scheme of things? RAISE–Research, Analyse, Insight, Strategy and Execution.

Phil Dusenberry gets to the point quickly and then reinforces the point in the subsequent chapters. While at it, he presents a slice of life from his illustrious career propped with real anectodes and management wisdom.

An adman all his life, Phil pays brief lip service to the science of advertising, describing the kind of background research that underlies great ad campaigns. He makes a strong case for research that is grounded in the customer reality. Data is just a means and not the end. Hence, research need not be an expensive and long drawn affair, sometimes it could be as simple as a trip to the restaurant or a movie or a chat with the target consumers. But he admits a greater faith in gut instinct sometimes overriding research.

He picks up the universal problems of any business–parity, moving the needle, launching, competition, mission and image–and presents his experiences with his clients like HBO, Mars, Cingular, Pizza Hut, Fedex, Pepsi and Ronald Reagen.

While the book is not about advertising, he offers interesting episodes involving Michael Jackson and Don Johnson. He also recounts how BBDO staged a pro bono campaign for New York City shortly after the 9-11 terrorist attacks, using celebrities such as Henry Kissinger, Robert DeNiro, Billy Crystal, Ben Stiller, and Barbara Walters to illustrate the power of the dreams that draw so many young people to the city, even today.

Finally, he presents a process to nurture and protect insights.

His sign off note? When you are armed with a powerful insight, the ideas never stop flowing.

Note: The cover design is a little misleading. You do get a feeling that you are in for a Archimedes-kind-of-serendepity throughout and the insights that followed. Instead the book outlines several other ways that lead to business-changing insights.

1-By Laksh, Books, Etc.

The blue ocean strategy


When a book is titled “Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant  “, it is bound to attract attention 🙂

Who would like to get his hands red anyway?:-) Here’s how to get blue from Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne.

The authors take a blue ocean metaphor to competitor-free markets that innovative companies can navigate. Unlike “red oceans,” which are well explored and crowded with competitors, “blue oceans” represent “untapped market space” and the “opportunity for highly profitable growth.”

The authors make a case for pursuing a blue ocean strategy (Although 14% of new product launches are blue ocean launches they contribute 38% to revenue impact and 81% to profit impact out of all launches)

The book outlines the following steps of the Blue Ocean Strategy:

1. Reconstruct market boundaries. (Strategically examine your industry’s key competitive drivers. )
2. Focus on the big picture, not the numbers
3. Reach beyond existing demand.
4. Get the strategic sequence right.
5. Overcome key organizational hurdles.(Cognitive,Resource,Motivational and Political hurdles)
6. Build execution into strategy.(Sustainability and Renewal)