A puppet show on cancer, free tickets for a movie night, special Karvachauth thali on the occasion, engaging competitions in housing societies — corporates are thinking out of the box to beat the cut throat competition and to reach out to the public. A time when print and TV commercials are just not enough, various companies are getting innovative in their attempt to appeal to the consumer, plus fulfilling their share of social responsibility— time is to kill two birds with a stone.

A big name in jewellery Tanishq uses its own innovative way to spread the significance of our ancient traditions. On Karvachauth, it gifted special Karvachauth thalis and on Lohri, special Lohri baskets to its customers. The thalis and the baskets had all the basic things for celebrating these festivals. Tanishq team also explained the background of these festivals and their significance. Says Mayank Kampani from Tanishq, “Our endeavor is to make the inner self as glittering as the outer self of the person wearing our stylish jewellery.”

Vodafone has come up with many initiatives. “Our Go Green initiative has received tremendous response from the customers in Punjab. We also have another interesting initiative called ‘Vodafone Tuesdays’ where customers can enjoy ‘Buy1get 1 free’ offer at multiplexes and restaurants,” says Rajiv Kohli, CEO, Vodafone, Punjab, HP in Jammu. ‘Go Green and Save Trees’ initiative encourages Vodafone postpaid customers to reduce the usage of paper by opting for the online mobile bill.

The thinking cap is on at Airtel also as they reach out to people in the region in an interesting manner. Recently they did a series of ‘family-fun’ events that brought entire families together in the community where powerful social messages were delivered to them in an interesting format. Airtel team visited various housing societies and invited the families for the event which were held in the society itself. The full day event had something for everyone in the family — a painting competition for children, cookery demonstration and competition for the ladies, a tug of war for the men and fun games for all. Clubbed to these events were social messages, the theme of the painting competition was environment, cooking competition on healthy food using less oil.

The innovative ideas are on to get across message on serious diseases as well. Fortis, Mohali keeps organising events —puppet show and tambola to spread awareness about cancer and a special AIDS related qawalli which was performed it at various important locations in the city amongst assembled audience which comprised of truckers, mechanics, migrants, women and youth. “The basic idea is to get the attention of the audience in an interesting but relevant way and get them to focus on you,” says Dr. Manmeet Mann, DGM, corporate communications, Fortis Hospital, Mohali. “We have found using this technique especially useful in driving home the message of prevention and treatment of diseases like AIDS and cancer where people normally tend to switch off their mind because of the fear and phobia attached.”

Various PR agencies are helping corporates introduce novelty in their campaigns. Shanti Bhanot, Shaan PR shares, “Today, clients are prepared to take that extra effort to make a meaningful contribution to the community while achieving their own objectives. This is a very healthy trend and one in which our entire team is happy to participate in.”

mona@tribunemail.com

The romance is already in the air for all lovebirds. Once again love-stuck couples are busy making plans to celebrate Valentine’s Day in their own unique way. While some are planning a quiet evening together, others are looking forward for a blast.

Markets are abuzz with activity with youngsters buying gifts ranging from few hundreds to a few thousands. Highly decorated galleries are flooded with special valentine cards, love statues, teddy bears, photo frames, mugs among other things. Also, wood and metal craved love quotes are present in abundance.  

Earlier, heart shaped pillows, balloons, red roses, teddies were much in demand but this year jewellery items too have found their place among the top choices. Many city jewellers have sold special jewellery items like lockets and rings with initials and diamond rings.

“When it comes to giving gifts these days, customers generally don’t care about the price. They want to present something different and classy for which they are ready to pay any amount. I have made various items especially for Valentine’s Day. What is interesting is that it’s not just the newly-married couples, even committed guys are opting for a piece of jewellery as a gift,” informed a jeweller.

Gurpreet Singh feels celebrating this day is important because it gives you the chance to express your emotions in a better way. “Though any day is good enough to express your love but the very idea of celebrating this day gives you the strength to express love. I have invited my girlfriend for lunch. Then I will take her for a drive where I am planning to propose her for wedding by presenting her a ring. I have been waiting for this moment since long and want to make it really special,” he says.

Bikramjeet and his friends have decided to spend a fun-filled day in Chandigarh followed by a night of dancing at a disc. Bikram things it just gives you a chance to know more people. “But if at all I had to celebrate it with my beloved, it would be really private,” he adds.

Inderjeet Singh, on the other hand, has planned to spend the day with his wife in Shimla. He believes in celebrating this day with full enthusiasm. “Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love. Even before I got married, I had decided to celebrate all these occasions to keep the romance alive. I am glad that I am being able to keep up my promises and keep my wife happy,” smiles Inderjeet. 

The most-celebrated day of the year is here and everybody is busy innovating ideas, making plans and scripting sweet somethings for their love story. While the more brainy ones stick to devising new ways to express their love, the others still choose to stick to the conventional methods. Like classic fondant-filled beauties, anything with a heart shape is the star of the day and a chocolate dipped in anything makes a great gift. All you need to add further is your love.

But of course, the love wouldn't be any less attractive because these chocolates, specially the customised, handmade pieces, that make this day high on flavours and presentations. "Valentine is the best time to sell chocolates, heart shaped varieties and liquor-based fillings and flavours. Right from the packings to mould and theme- based pieces, they sell like chocolates," says Ramneet Bakshi, proprietor, Crown Chocolates.

Well, we do get the point. We don't need a reason to enjoy chocolate, but on Valentine Day, indulgence has another meaning. So, that dark Belgian chocolate filled with rum and caramel and nuts would come handy in saying, "I am nuts about you."

"Truffles, pure chocolate boxes, labeled baskets and customised chocolates with valentine messages on them and presentations in red and gold are special attractions for the day," says Nidhi Bhageria from Celeste chocolates, a store that sells handmade customised chocolates. Serving over 150 flavours, signature, diet chocolates, liquor chocolates, customised presentations, Celeste offers an array of sweet somethings for your loved ones.

"If you want to get creative with chocolate, then here's another offer. "We have alphabets made out of chocolates, so you can create your messages by shaping then into one," says Ramneet. "Though the experimentation happens only with the flavours and fillings, the hot favourites for the day includes, rum and raisins, liquor and apricots and caramels," she adds.

Now, it's just not the chocolate that speaks out your feeling but also the effort. If you want to put in that extra effort, then make your own chocolate. "Girls come to me to learn how to make chocolates specially for Valentine gifts. Preline rocks with white chocolate and butterscotch, statue truffles, dark chocolates in shapes of sun signs, peanut butter bites and cookies are the things for the day. Also, only for Valentine Day, we have tried small cup cakes with jam dug in and desiccated coconut spread over," says Dimpy Anand, a cookery expert and teacher.

Well, it's a give and take deal. Give chocolate boat, chocolate filled strawberries, truffles, rum filled rolls of cocoa, and get a sweet, chocolate kiss. What say?

nehawalia@tribunemail.com

An open mind, hard work and being a child at heart - these are the three things that Sandeep Goyal lists for success in the advertising world. From being a 'small town boy' (we are talking of Chandigarh about 30 years back) to a media mogul, his is one success story.

Sitting comfortably at his childhood home in Sector 21, Goyal is in the city for a CEO Forum with The Indus Entrepreneurs (Tie), Punjab and Chandigarh, on issues relating to building high performance teams, organisational branding and differentiation.

One of the India's most celebrated communication professional, Goyal is a stakeholder in Dentsu Inc, world's major advertising giant, Group CEO of Zee Telefilms and CEO of Rediffusion DY & R, apart from many others.

"Advertising is a fun, a creative profession. But behind the glitz and glamour lie lots and lots of hard work and demanding deadlines," offers Goyal.

He happened to join advertising even before he turned 21 and has not looked back since. "Being from a small town, I got a high outsmarting my competitors from metros and then it became a habit," he laughs. Handling one of the plum accounts Horlicks for JWT (then called HTA) was the first high of his career and since then, he has handled numerous brands. He worked in a team that created brand Airtel when he had no clue about cellular service, launched Revlon in India when nobody thought beyond Lakme, was the first Indian on the global jury of Emmy Awards 2002.

"One cannot afford to be a cynic in this profession and keep learning with a childlike curiosity. If I do not relate to today's Facebook, Twitter generation, I am a dead man," he says. To keep in touch with the latest, Goyal doesn't mind being tutored by his 16-year-old daughter. He is also taking a course on Owner President Management at Harvard University.

The writer of bestseller Dum Dum Bullet on the business of advertising, Goyal attributes his success to his bringing up in a small town, "Hard work and never says die attitude is what I got as a part of inheritance."

Online wave 
Love being flavour of the season, Goyal's www.gardenoflove.in is a site wherein your beloved can tend virtual flowers for you. His www.lastinventory.com is one of the largest fantasy platform in the world.

Valentines is the perfect time to shop and Beyond Art and Fashion, a Valentine special exhibition, provides a perfect opportunity for that. With more than 50 stalls focusing on the latest trends in apparel, jewellery and home décor, leaves you with plenty of choices.

Light weight designer suits and saris from Drapes, shawls from Kashmiri traditional weavers, jewellery from Kundan Creations, exclusive kids wear by Jingle Bell and spices from Egypt, the exhibition has all these and much more. Heart-shaped homemade chocolates and balloons are the Valentine special buys here. If a wedding is on your mind, check out Wedding Bells and other wedding planners and decorators.

On at Hotel Shivalik View till February 14. — TNS