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I am looking forward to the judging at the APAC Effies. It has been my privilege to be associated with the Effies in various capacities over the past half decade : The ‘Iridium global awards’ jury, the ‘global best of best jury, head of APAC jury and member of the jury APAC. The Effie platform is ,in fact, a distinguished institution that plays a vital role in advancing the marketing and advertising industry. By evaluating and celebrating campaigns that achieve real business impact, it elevates the importance of effectiveness over mere creativity. In doing so the Effies awarded to the best provide a benchmark for strategic thinking, smart execution, and measurable results. This recognition inspires agencies and brands to strive for marketing that not only captivates but also converts. By encouraging data-driven storytelling and long-term brand value, the Effies drive accountability and innovation across the industry making it not just an awards platform, but a critical force for better marketing worldwide. No one has the exact prescription but over these years of high quality case evaluations, jury deliberations and with the benefit of hindsight I can list a few boosters , enablers and facilitators of marketing effectiveness: 1. Clear Strategy & Objectives 2. Impact& Distinctiveness 3. Data-Driven Decision Making 4. Long-Term Brand Investment 5. Cross-Functional Collaboration 6. Media Optimization Bee Hong C. APAC Effie Awards Effie Worldwide

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o , the Kenyan writer, thinker, and activist whose work profoundly shaped African literature and postcolonial thought has passed away. I was first introduced to the work of the Nigerian author Chinua Achebe by my maternal uncle. I read Achebe’s novel “Things Fall Apart” written in 1958. Then I got drawn to writings championing indigenous languages and cultural self-determination. That made me read several authors : Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Mahasweta Devi, Bama Faustina Soosairaj , U.R. Ananthamurthy. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o was a very deep person in what he saw and explained through his writing. I highly recommend his short story “The Upright Revolution: Or Why Humans Walk Upright” and it’s easily accessible. His core observation was that dominance by one or two nations, culture and languages ought not to lead to cultural homogenisation. “If you know all the languages of the world and you don’t know your mother tongue, or the language of your culture, that is enslavement.”— Decolonising the Mind (1986) No language is ever marginal to the community that created it. Languages are like musical instruments. You don’t say, let there be a few global instruments, or let there be only one type of voice all singers can sing in…… RIP

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.” – Maya Angelou(4-4-1928 to 28-5-2014)

A PROBLEM OF PLENTY Over the last 10 years, content on platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok has exploded due to a combination of user access, creator tools, algorithmic discovery, and monetization models. The significant change is that this humongous amount of content is tightening the exclusive grip of “the algorithm” as a filter, curator and even creator. Here’s a general breakdown to give you a sense of size and scale: – YouTube Scale: Over 500 hours of video are uploaded every minute (as of 2024). Shift: Polished long-form content to shorts, live streams, and niche content. Screening : Algorithms as the all o owerful recommendation engine that drive visibility, even for new creators. – TikTok Launched globally in 2018; by 2024, it had over 1 billion active users. Millions of short-form videos uploaded daily setting the benchmark for snackable, repeatable, and remixable content. Their “For You” page promotes endless discovery, favoring content quantity and engagement spikes. – Spotify Content Boom: Over 5 million podcasts and 100 million+ tracks on the platform Tools like Spotify for Podcasters enable daily uploads by independent creators. AI-assisted music creation is accelerating volume (via tools like Boomy, Suno). WHAT IT ALL MEANS ? All of this means going further, faster and with shorter legs. This explosion is thanks to cheap creation tools (smartphones, editing apps, AI) a totally monetised “Attention economy” where more content equals more engagement opportunities with more audience. The Platform algorithms favour constant uploads. A boom in global internet access has widened the creator base at a count of ~5 billion smart phones on the planet. I discuss all this and much more at the 2nd edition of BW Marketing World Momentum Conference 2025 where industry leaders and changemakers share valuable insights on how they are redefining the industry with their creativity and strategic thinking hashtag#BWMarketingMomentum followed by hashtag#BWTheMerits Awards 2025! At Novotel Hotel, Andheri East Mumbai On May 27, 2025 Annurag Batra l Chetan Mehra hashtag#MarketingExcellence hashtag#ModernMarketing hashtag#BWMarketingWorld hashtag#BWBusinessworld

“To live for a time close to great minds is the best kind of education.”  – John Buchan On 12 July 1927, Mahatma Gandhi visited the IISc, Bangalore (the first of his two visits). This picture that was taken on that day. Gandhi ji spent time at the Department of Electrical Technology, with CV Raman , Kasturba Gandhi, Kenneth Aston (head of the department), and Mahadev Desai(Gandhi’s personal secretary) In 1930, Raman received the Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery and was the first Asian to receive a Nobel Prize in ANY branch of science. He was knighted in 1929. (Photo credit : IISc) hashtag#CVRaman hashtag#MahatmaGandhi hashtag#NobelPrize hashtag#IISC

At the Kyoorius Creative Awards last night The highlight was meeting so many friends, colleagues, maestros and icons Congrats to Piyush for being recognised as the “Master Of Creativity”. The standing ovation was deafening Congratulations to Rajesh Kejriwal Nupur Vaid (Kejriwal) Animesh Das and entire team for another grand event. hashtag#KCA25hashtag#LeaveYourMarkKyoorius Creative Awards

Real creators.Real impact.Real Work that speaks for itself. It is a great platform and institution that’s being created and strengthened at the Kyoorius Creative Awards, celebrating excellence in advertising, marketing, and communication. I was there last year as well. It got bigger and better and even more vibrant ! KCA25 in a snapshot: – 4000+ entries– ⁠Only 166 Blue Elephants + 3 Purple Elephants I was honoured to present 14 Elephants to 10 campaigns and 7 entrants who were the winners of two disciplines: “Creative Use Of Media” & “Creative Use Of PR”, along with an industry leader Lara Balsara Vajifdar Rajesh Kejriwal Nupur Vaid (Kejriwal) Animesh Das and your entire team : take a bow ! hashtag#KCA25hashtag#LeaveYourMarkKyoorius Creative Awards

Happy Birthday to Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) one of the greatest songwriters of all time… How many roads must a man walk downBefore you call him a man? How many seas must a white dove sailBefore she sleeps in the sand? Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs flyBefore they’re forever banned? The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind The answer is blowin’ in the wind…..

The shift in the media ecosystem from “placements to partnerships “ can just as well be about transitioning from “platforms to partnerships “ and it signals a strategic evolution driven by saturation, algorithm fatigue, and the rising cost of attention. As media companies and creators confront diminishing organic reach on traditional social platforms, they are increasingly forming direct partnerships namely with brands, other creators, and even audiences so as to ensure sustainability and control. This transition reflects a broader desire to move beyond dependence on platform algorithms toward more predictable, co-owned value chains where engagement, revenue, and content integrity can be collaboratively nurtured. The future of media may hinge less on virality and more on trusted alliances. Scale matters : you can’t float a speedboat in a bathtub Creative strength matters : you can’t fight a tiger with a toothpick Empathy matters : you can’t deal if you can’t feel Above all emotions matter : no data tells you why we laugh or cry …. hashtag#media hashtag#brand hashtag#partnerships hashtag#ai hashtag#data hashtag#goafest hashtag#tac hashtag#aaai

Delighted to be back at Goafest 2025, celebrating creativity, collaboration, and the ever-evolving world of media. This year, the festival finds a new home at the stunning Taj Cidade de Goa – Horizon & Heritage and its buzzing with creative energy. Here are a few snapshots from a memorable evening at the Abby awards, where I had the honour to hand out the awards for the Media category—a true celebration of sharp strategy and standout storytelling. I joined by Mr. Rajeev Jain of DS Group, sharing insights, laughter, and our observations on those who are building impactful brands. My congratulations to all the winners : Bronze, Sikver and Gold. Strength to you all. “Great stories happen to those who can tell them well.” — Ira Glass hashtag#Goafest2025 hashtag#Abbys