BrandTags Express Edition #13 :: NOKIA Lumia Range

A week back Nokia released its first set of offerings based on the Windows Mobile Platform at the annual Nokia World event held in London. Nokia has moved on from its Symbian based platform to the Windows Mobile platform for its SmartPhone range. LUMIA is the first range of smartphones released by Nokia which are based on the Windows SmartPhone. 

There are two phones which are introduced under the LUMIA range. The Nokia Lumia 800 and 710. There is also a new range which is developed aiming the regional and low cost markets. This range is called as ASHA. The ASHA set of phones although not being SmartPhones provide a amazing QWERTY keyboard and touchscreen interface along with one click access to Social Networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. 

The tagline for Nokia Lumia 800 is Continuous Entertainment whereas the tagline for Nokia Lumia 710 is Designed Around You. ASHA set of phones will continue to denote the tagline of the Nokia corporation which is Connecting People

As part of this launch, Nokia also communicated its new ad campaign titled "The Amazing Everyday". 

For a closer look here is the photograph below of the Nokia Lumia 800:

Nokia Lumia 800

BrandTags Express Edition #12 :: 2011 FORMULA 1 AIRTEL GRAND PRIX OF INDIA

India had a truly big last week from every dimension. Start of the week saw onset of the biggest Hindu festival Diwali and towards the week closure we saw the Metallica Concert in Bangalore and Lady Gaga performing in Delhi. But there is one event which stood out and put our stamp in the Motor Sports. It was none other than the 2011 FORMULA 1 AIRTEL GRAND PRIX OF INDIA. Without the mention of this historic event, BrandTags will be incomplete and hence this event features here. 

The event is very special in several ways. We hear only positive news about it unlike the commonwealth games where we heard only negative news. The circuit is amazing and it was ready in a record time. The country embraced the sport extremely well from every angle and presented to the world the capability to host the costliest sport. Drivers enjoyed the tracks and equally happy were the team engineers and the teams themselves. The track was completely built by the private sector (JAYPEE Group) with no involvement of the Govt. With no incidents to report, the Indian Grand Prix is a huge success and gives India a podium finish. 

Lets have a look at the logo of the Indian Grand Prix. The logo is a stylized B in the colors of orange and green which symbolize the national flag. The logo is shown below. The circuit is designed by Hermann Tilke. Most of the European circuits are designed by Hermann only. 

BrandTags Express Edition #11 :: VERTU

VERTU is a global luxury brand of mobile phones which are handmade with the finest of the materials sourced globally. The keys are made from Sapphire, the leather is sourced from Northern Europe and the material is resistant to almost anything you can think off. The most interesting thing about VERTU is that its a fully owned division of NOKIA and continues to remain profitable since inception. 

The tagline of VERTU is Experience Life, Beautifully Arranged. 

Recently in Malaysia, VERTU released its first SmartPhone called as Vertu Constellation Quest. Specialty of VERTU phones include services like VERTU CONCIERGE, VERTU FORTRESS, VERTU CERTAINTY, VERTU REMOTE ASSIST and VERTU ME. 

Logo of VERTU is below:

VERTU LOGO

Blog Crosses 400000 mark

Its a pleasure to know that the blog has crossed the 4 LAKH mark in terms of the footprint and is going strong day after day. Thanks to all the readers. It has been a great experience to write on this blog. 

BrandTags Express Edition #10 :: Cool Things about KFC

KFC stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken. The fast food giant set up its restaurant in Corbin, Kentucky and hence the name Kentucky Fried Chicken. In its early days KFC was famous for southern style chicken. 

The current tagline of KFC is sogood. The past tagline was its finger lickin good

The logo of the chain is below. The tagline is in red and black letters. The image is of Colonel Harland Sanders, founder of KFC. 

KFC Logo

Steve Job :: Rest in Peace

An event so unconnected still make an impact,
so shattering yet silent
so adhoc yet stimulating
so distant yet can bring tears - Steve Jobs RIP.

BrandTags Express Edition #9 :: Troika, Operation Twist, QE

While we are in midst of a financial crisis once again after the 2008 fiasco, several terms have emerged which definitely need a mention on this blog as I work in the very center of this trading business. 

Troika - This is actually a Russian Bulgarian word which essentially means the number three or three of a kind. In the current financial crisis this refers to the combination of European Central Bank (ECB), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Commission. This is special conglomerate which is formed to rescue Greece from the debt crisis which is causing a global contagion

Operation Twist - This is a slightly complex "operation" by Federal Reserve to understand. In the past, Fed was buying a lot of short term government securities in the market to infuse dollars in to the economy. But with this Operation Twist, Fed would actually be trading the Short term securities like US treasuries for the Long term bonds. Its expected that such operation will lower the rates associated with the long term securities like mortgage or auto or other long term loans. 

QE: QE stands for Quantitative Easing. This was one of the operations of the US Fed to pump in additional money into the ailing economy and foster growth and create employment. There were two rounds of QE 1 and 2. A third QE3 was expected but Fed instead decided to do a Operation Twist.

BrandTags Express Edition #8 :: New Brand Identity of Hero Honda

In Dec 2010, the Joint Venture between Hero Group and Honda was called off and Hero purchased the whole stake of Honda in the JV (26%). Very recently in London, Hero Group came up with its new identity along with a new logo and new tagline as well. There was a new advertisement campaign as well which has been well appreciated by all. The music for the ad campaign has been composed by none other than the Academy Award winner, A R Rahman. 

The new Brand Identity and logo was designed by a London based firm called as Wolff Olins. The company's branding has major clients in its list which includes names like London 2012 Olympics, PwC, Sony Ericsson, AOL amongst others. 

The new name of Hero Honda would be Hero MotoCorp. The new logo is below. Its actually a 3D logo and you will need to notice it a little carefully to see the 3D H. 

Hero MotoCorp Logo

The new tagline for the firm is: "Hum Mein Hai Hero". The video for the new advertisement is below as well. It actually inspires you. The song is sung by AR Rahman himself and its actually refreshing to see such campaigns. 

New Look for the Blog

Have modified the blog design with a new theme. The name of the template is Ethereal. Also rearranged the icons for more clarity. Lot more rejig is expected to come in the near future. Watch out for more content, better presentation and theme based sections. 

BrandTags Express Edition #7 :: The Ping Service from Apple

I was checking my iTunes playlist and then is when, I came across Ping. Ping, a service offered by Apple, is a A social network for music. It allows you to follow your favorite artist and check out the latest music in the offering. 

Here is the logo for Ping. Next time you check out the iTunes, do not forget to have a look at Ping as well. 

Logo for Ping - Social Network for Music

BrandTags Express Edition #6 :: Global Fast Food Chains

Last night I was reading a article on Bloomberg on Burger King, regarding how the restaurant is looking at revamping its existing brand identity of King to something which is more closer and relates better to the families. The article is right here. Lets look at the global fast food chains as part of this edition. So here we go:

1. McDonalds : 

• Global Tagline: I'am lovin' it is the global marketing campaign of McDonalds used across almost every country. 
• Mascot: Ronald McDonald is a clown which is a primary mascot of McDonalds Restaurant.
• Logo: The main logo which represents the M is actually the Golden Arches Logo introduced by Richard and Maurice McDonald
• Big Mac Index: Another achievement of McDonalds is the Big Mac Index. The Economist uses the price of the ubiquitous McDonald's meal to calculate the "Big Mac Index", a guide showing how far from fair value different world currencies are. The Big Mac theory (a.k.a. purchasing-power parity, or PPP) says that exchange rates should even out the prices of Big Macs sold across the world.

2. Burger King

• Global Tagline: Taste is King
• Mascot: The King
• Logo: The current logo is Burger King written in two bun halves engulfed by a blue crescent. 
• Often abbreviated as BK

3. TacoBell

• Global Tagline: Think outside the Bun
• Mascot: The Taco Bell
• Logo: Bell 
• Famous for its Taco's and products which are all under $ 1. Primarily Mexican food. TacoBell, KFC and Pizza Hut are part of the Yum Group of Restaurants. Created out of the spun from PepsiCo in 1997. 

BrandTags Express Edition #5 :: London 2012 Olympics

Few days back there were celebrations in Trafalgar Square and couple of other places in London to celebrate the fact that 2012 Olympics are exactly 365 days away.  Soon, thereafter I had a closer look at the London 2012 logo which has been appreciated and criticized equally. Here is the logo :

London 2012 Olympics Logo

2012 Olympics Mascot

Olympic 2012 Medals

The logo spots the year 2012 along with the London in the first "2" and the five familiar rings of Olympic in the "0". The mascot for the games are Wenlock and Mandeville. The characters are named after the small town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire - which hosted a precursor to the modern Olympic Games in the 19th Century - and the birthplace of the Paralympic Games, Stoke Mandeville hospital in Buckinghamshire.

Also few days back the Medals were unveiled for the games. Designed by British artist David Watkins, the circular form of the medal is a metaphor for the world. The front of the medal always depicts the same image of the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, stepping out of the Pantheon to arrive in the host city. 

The design for the reverse features five symbolic elements: 

1. Curved background implies the amphitheatre.
2. The core emblem a metaphor for the modern City
3. The grid suggests both a pulling together and a sense of outreach – an image of radiating energy that represents the athletes' efforts. 
4. The River Thames in the background is a symbol for London and also suggests a fluttering baroque ribbon, adding a sense of celebration. 
5. The square is the final balancing motif of the design, opposing the overall circularity of the design, emphasising its focus on the centre and reinforcing the sense of 'place' as in a map inset.

 

BrandTags Express Edition #4 :: The Amazon Logo

Ever wondered what the Amazon Logo represents. Here you go:

The arrow in the amazon.com logo actually connects the two letters a and z. This indicates that the online store sells everything from A-Z. Also the orange curvy line indicates a smiley.



BrandTags Express Edition #3 :: Tablets Galore

Once considered to be a dominion of Apple, the tablet space is now filled with multiple vendors offering several variants of the tablet to the consumers. The consumer is spoilt with choices of which one to go for but no Tablet has been able to come near to what iPad/iPad 2 can offer. Over a period of time, newer Tablets have become more promising but I think the rest of Tablets are way behind Apple in terms of innovation. With Apple iOS 5, I think all iOS devices (iPodTouch, iPad, iPhone) will take a quantum leap and leapfrog the competition by a humongous amount. Lets know which are the tablets which are available in the market:

1. Apple - iPad/iPad 2 

     a. A magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price

     b. Thinner. Lighter. Faster. Facetime. Smart Covers. 10 hour battery.

2. HP - TouchPad

     a.Works like Nothing Else

3. Motorola - XOOM

     a. 2011 Feels a Lot Like 1984

     b. The Tablet for the Next, Next Generation

4. BlackBerry - PlayBook

     a. The World's First Professional Grade Tablet

5. Samsung - Galaxy

  a. Life Without Limits. Entertainment Without Limits. Communication Without Limits

6. HTC - Flyer

     a. A Tablet like No Other. 

7. Asus - Eee Pad Transformer

8. Acer - Iconia Tab A500

9. Cisco - Cius (Intended for only Business Users)

10. LG - Optimus Pad

BrandTags Express Edition # 2 - CEAT India Logo

The other day, I had a closer look at the CEAT logo in one of the CEAT showrooms and was wondering what do the three horizontal lines indicate or represent in the logo. I analyzed these findings and this finding is now part of the second edition of BEE.

In the year 2008, for the first time since inception, CEAT changed its logo from the well known "Rhino" and tagline "Born Tough" to something different. The idea of "Raising the bar". This is what is reflected in the three horizontal bar which we see in the new logo. Also according to the company, the combination of orange and blue describe the mix of the youthful and contemporary worlds. E in the logo represents motion and movement. 

Ceat Old Logo

Ceat New Logo

BrandTags Express Edition # 1 - New Corporate Identity for Zee TV

Last week when I was watching Zee TV while browsing through all channels, I came across the revamped logo and the new slogan for this channel.

Punit Goenka, CEO and MD of ZEE Limited unveiled this new logo with the new slogan as "Umeed se sage Zindagi".

Old Logo of Zee TV 

New Logo of Zee TV

Introduction of the BrandTags Express Edition

To rationalize and organize the content on this blog and to ensure that its more user friendly for the readers and followers, I am going to modify the posting of the items on this blog under a new title called as "BrandTags Express Edition". 

BrandTags Express Edition (BEE) series will attempt to pick up a new theme and put together all information around it with special emphasis on the Brandline, Tagline and Punchline.

The introductory series of the BEE is coming up in the next post. 

Continue to pour in your comments and suggestions on this initiative and I promise to update this blog with more useful stuff time after time. 

RISE - Mahindra's New Positioning

Group Mahindra has come out with a new brand positioning called "RISE". This is their first ever exercise towards bringing together several businesses under one umbrella.

Very recently this brand campaign completed six months and I have been trying to understand what is it all about. Broadly Mahindra group is trying to revamp the way we live in four areas namely : Education, Health, Infrastructure and Transportation and Rural Empowerment.

Some other facts about Mahindra

1. World's largest tractor company in terms of Volume sold

2. Was founded in 1945 as a Steel Trading company

3. Tech Mahindra, one of the biggest IT companies also is a IT vendor for the AADHAAR project, Government of India's largest identity management program.

4. The credit for bringing the iconic Willys Jeeps to India also goes to Mahindra and Mahindra group only.

5. The word Rise is now part of the Mahindra's Logo.

The 37-run over

This is just a Crazy Stuff. Gayle makes this really LOOK LARGER THAN LIFE. Follow the below link

The 37-run over

Change of Guard @ Infosys

KV Kamath takes over as Chairman of Infosys. More to follow ..

Anna Hazare

Anna Hazare - That't the name you hear the most now these days. This post is my tribute to this great soul about whom I read only in my school books.

A few days back, I got a an SMS from one of my friends which read as follows: "When a 72 years old man is fasting unto death against corruption he's not doing it for himself or his generation. It's for the future of our nation. Can't sit back. Joining the relay-hunger strike in support of Anna Hazare's fast for 'Jan Lokpal Bill', our Only Hope for a better India." This message kind of created butterflies in stomach and forced me to think "How can I be part of this?". I surely missed out the hunger strike but by posting this entry on my blog, I am ensuring that I remember this historic event and be part of it as well.

Anna started this fast on Apr 5, 2011 and ended the fast on Apr 11, 2011 leading to formation of a committee for drafting an effective Lokpal bill. This committee is being headed by Pranab Mukherjee for the moment and is expected to submit its report soon.

Lokpal is a hindi word and refers to "Ombudsman". The idea of this bill is to create an ombudsman for the corruption prevalent in our system and actually enact a law around it.

Anna is also popular for the RTI act which has gain significance prominence in our country.

India Lifts the ICC World Cup

India has done it. Its a feeling which is here to stay. Rocking and outstanding knock by the captain which ensured that we cruise through safely. Superb effort by Gambhir along with Virat Kohli. We are world champions

IndiaPay is RuPay

Couple of days back in TOI I read about RuPay. Until I read that, I was unaware of what it is.The National Payments Corporation of India has built an indigenous payment gateway for India by name IndiaPay. The IndiaPay Payment Engine is a comprehensive, end-to-end, modular solution that offers several key features, including immediate paper check truncation with straight through processing from merchant’s counter top, which can enhance security and control for financial institutions and their corporate customers.

IndiaPay is now being rechristened to RuPay as there was a conflict with two other organizations who have a similar name.RuPay is a institution whose shareholding pattern is covered by 10 banks six of which are public sector banks, two private sector and two foreign sector bank. Its promoted by RBI.

RuPay is going to take Head On with international giants like MasterCard and VISA in the cards space to increase the expense via cards to the global standard of 40 %.

The tagline for IndiaPay is India's Payment Superstore.

Japan Earthquake - Person Finder

Just added a google gadget for the Person Finder on my blog. Contributing in some way to ensure that it helps the victim of Japan.

Maruti Suzuki - Kizashi

Last week, Maruti Suzuki came out with its very own luxurious sports sedan. Named Kizashi (Kizashi is a Japanese word meaning prelude or foretaste. The name symbolizes the change within Suzuki), this sedan is a 100% imported one for the Indian market. Priced between 16-18 Lakhs, it competes head to head with other luxury sedans like CAMRY and ACCORD.

I thought it will be a great idea to present a compendium of the taglines related to Maruti Suzuki and its fleet of offerings. So here you go:

Maruti Suzuki - Way of Life

Kizashi - A Sign of Great Things to Come

Grand Vitara - Play it Your Way

DZire - The Heart Car

Maruti SX4 - Men are Back

Maruti Swift - You're The Fuel

Ritz - Live The Moment

A-Star - Stop @ Nothing

Maruti EECO - Happiness Family Size !

WagonR - For the Smarter Race

Maruti Gypsy -There is a Gypsy in everyone

Omni - Fits All

Estillo - Take a Fresh View of Life

Alto - Lets Go.

Maruti 800 - Change your Life

ICC World Cup 2011 - Mascot and Tagline

With Cricket World Cup 2011 around the corner, how can I be behind in getting the tagline and mascot for the same.

The tagline for the ICC 2011 Cricket World Cup is - THE CUP THAT COUNTS

The mascot for the ICC 2011 Cricket World Cup is - STUMPY

STUMPY is an elephant with a human age of about 10 years. He resembles and brings back the memories of the 1982 Asiad where APPU a mini elephant was the mascot.

Ranbir Kapoor brand ambassador for John Players

Ranbir Kapoor is the new brand ambassador for John Players. He replaces Hrithik Roshan in this new year.

John Players is a brand owned by ITC Group. The tagline for John Players is Play it cool. ITC is a well diversified with operations in IT, Retail, Paper Manufacturing, Cigarettes. Its initiative for rural india "ITC E-Choupal" is a business case study in itself. The tagline for e-Choupal is "Lets Put India First".

Nutrilite :: Amway's New Offering

Amway has come out with a new offering in the nutrition space. The name of the offering is NUTRILITE.

Nutrilite is actually the first multivitamin and multimineral supplement. Carl Rehnborg, the founder of nutrilite created the first nutrition product to be sold globally. Nutrilite is also a global leader in nutrition research, development and innovation.

Now the question is what connects Amway and Nutrilite? Actually the founder of Amway, Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel were distributing the Nutrilite products well before they found Amway in 1959.

Amway stands for AMerican WAY

The tagline for Amway is We're Listening

The tagline for Nutrilite is Best of Nature. Best of Science