Did you know that the state of being high is when you start wondering about things rather logically?
11/11, 11.00 AM, as I was about to start off for my meet with M.R.K, my sister sneezed, and my mom asked me to sit for a minute before I stepped out! I left home at 11.01, the lift had just left the floor, and I was the first on the route to be stopped for the passage of a political convoy!
I reached at 11.50 AM (normally takes me 20 minutes!!)
M.R.K: I’ve been expecting you for the past 30 minutes.
Me: At least you know whom you were waiting for! I was waiting for this stranger in a tinted car for 20 minutes!
M.R.K: What?
Me: A political convoy had to pass by and I was just in time for them to stop me! Only if my sister hadn’t sneezed!!
M.R.K: Again… WHAT?
Me: My sister sneezed, so I had to wait for a minute before getting out of the house, and everything was just getting delayed by the moment!
M.R.K: Wow, so you believe in this superstition?
Me: I don’t, but my family does! India is a land of superstitions man! You cannot ignore them.
M.R.K: I know that! And as a marketer it is a very important aspect, as it plays with your customers’ sentiments! While on the topic, do you know about the NELSON superstition in cricket?
Me: Yes, the scariest 3 digits – 111! A score that is dreaded to be a bad luck for the batsmen. Thanks to David Shepherd though, he made the world believe ‘not standing completely on two feet’ is a solution to this.
M.R.K: Exactly! Even studies have proven that 111 has a lower failure rate than many other scores. The highest number of wickets have fallen at a score of 0! That’s the power of “Word of Mouth Marketing” in today’s world! All you need is one hashtag/video/incident.
Me: How exactly is this marketing?
M.R.K: Let me explain. The whole cricketing world had started to believe that 111 is unlucky. This superstition just went on with time even without proper credibility. The same way most of the things happen in India!
Me: I don’t understand where we are going with this!
M.R.K: Being a marketer, I think David Shepherd wanted to work around this superstition that something bad might happen at 111!
Me: (laughing) Wow! What are you high on?
M.R.K: Marketing! Now listen. So, one day he stood on one leg and said “This will help escape the bad luck at 111”. He made it so popular that this act started the most viral wave in the cricketing world.
Me: Truly viral! In a match between Australia and South Africa, majority of the crowd and umpire Ian Gould stood on one foot to help SA beat bad luck when they required 111 at 11:11 AM!
M.R.K: In all these years of my experience. I have seen 60-70% of the firms losing businesses to superstitions in India. Surprisingly, they have learnt to live with these beliefs.
Me: In fact, I have seen that too! You know, we have marriage insurance but people believe that taking this is equal to expecting a hindrance in marriage! People are ready to put lakhs at stake just for the sake of superstition.
M.R.K: Besides, one thing these businesses forget is that sentiments are not just believed, they are also made. So, sentiments that cut through existing sentiments can be made too. Marketing makes it possible! Thus my love for this field! Now, how about this to counter the marriage insurance problem?
<<Video>>
Me: There is a lot of crazy stuff out there in the world of marketing! And looks like you’ve smoked all of it!
M.R.K: I wish I could, but it’s too much for one to consume. That’s why I got you along.
Me: By the way, wouldn’t David Shepherd make a great shoes brand ambassador?
<<Picture>>
M.R.K: See, that’s something I didn’t smoke!
Me: Yeah, it was a small bit put aside for later. Okay, I guess I’ll leave, I’ll have to put this discussion on paper now.
M.R.K: Okay. But let me warn you, there’s a black cat outside!
Me: Yeah, but I’ve got these HM shoes that help me fight misfortune!
