A beautiful start to a New Year

What can be a better start to your new year than visiting a holy place like 'Bangla Sahib' followed by a fab lunch in the heart of Delhi.

Overpowering the fear of crowd at Bangla Sahib, we decided to, rather were blessed, to visit the Gurudwara on Jan 1st. It was packed and we managed to do the Darshan at peace. What a feeling it is to be under His shelter and the feeling of stronger you and positivity stays with you. A magical ray of bliss seems to seep in and you feel that unmatched satisfaction. No words can be enough to express the power of this place. 

After visiting the Gurudwara, headed for lunch to CP. 

Connaught Place popularly known as CP is a foodie's delight. Confused with the options we had, we decided to choose a new joint. We opted for 'Chew' - a Chinese joint, it's been there for a while but popularity seems to have picked up now. Located in the outer circle this place was a complete surprise package.

The decor was like a Chinese cafe - with a casual sitting. I loved the mix of swings and chair sitting. The staff was courteous enough to get us seated and bring the menu. We went for their specialities and didn't regret at all.   

Skipping the starters we ordered for the main course. Our usual chicken Hakka Noodles had to be there. We also ordered chilli burnt garlic chicken fried rice, spicy chicken hongkong style and stir-fired prawns with chillies. We loved the spicy chicken and it's very rare that even in fine dinning restaurants you find prawns cooked at the right temperature and not over or under cooked.

Though not a sweet tooth, the display of desserts forced us to order their chocolate mousse. The mousse, as it's suppose to be, just melted in our mouth and vanished from the plate in the split of a second.

A must try place. Highly recommended for chinese food lovers.

Food Freak Awards Painting the Foodie Inside me

We all have some kind of madness which we live for. And I am proud to say that my madness lies in

Food. My love for food was evident since childhood. From those after school chaats to dinner parties

with parents, I used to enjoy it all endlessly.

I along with friends from IndianFoodFreak.com poured this passion together in the form of 'Food Freak Awards' which I would describe as “the fantasy of all food buffs”. 

The Food Freak Awards has just passed and I have already started feeling nostalgic. For me it

was a glorious night with numerous stars studded in its crown. 

There is a not so long story behind this delectable Award show. I and some equally “Mad for Food”

people made this happen with their unbeatable enthusiasm and love for eating.  We worked endlessly

for the ‘Food Freak Awards’. Some believed in us whereas for some it was just another pie-in-the-sky idea.

Hope was all we had in abundance and an idea too which needed implementation. After endless

sleepless nights resulting in half sleepy days, we were able to roll out the Food Freak Awards, an initiative of SPAG Asia and Indianfoodfreak.com.

  

We had no idea that this Award function will gain so much limelight with the whole nation flocking together to vote for their favorite cuisines and eating joints in Gurgaon. Even after months of voting, we came across people who wanted us to re-open the voting lines so that they may make their favorites win. I was floored by the fervor that locals of Gurgaon and people across the country showed. This made me think, is food just a necessity today or has it become more of an important activity which people love to pursue?

I would say 26^th April, 2014 was a memorable date for all of us when the ‘Food Freak Awards’ actually

happened. With so many notable personalities around and obviously food for the heck of which we

arranged this Award was a big hit thanks to the Westin hospitality. We had some renowned list of jury including names like Chef Sabyasachi Gorai, MasterChef Kunal Kapur, Anoothi Vishal, Osama Jalali, Pawan Soni, Aalok Wadhwa and me.

The introduction of this event can never be done without mentioning the host Jeeveshu. The crazy jokes and madness that he sprinkled on the floor were outstanding. I seriously hate you Jeeveshu for making my jaws hurt and my mascara smudged due to laughter tears. 

The awards honored the finest eating outlets in Gurgaon which tickle the foodie instinct of every person. Where Made in Punjab was voted as the Best Debut Restaurant in the popular choice, the Parsi and Iranian cafe Soda Bottle Openerwala won the heart of the jury and became the jury choice winner in the same category.

The award for the best Microbrewery was given to 7 Degrees Brauhaus by jury whereas Soi7 Pub & Brewery was the winner in the popular choice.

The most enthusiastic category among all was the Home Baker who showed their zeal for this event on the social media platforms. Also, we had an out of the box category named “Aahata” which was adorned by numerous nominations each signifying an unusual style.

Everyone who witnessed this glorious award show stated that it has set a benchmark in the world of food. The endless list of categories followed by huge number of nominations was surprising for all. We gave equal platforms to both popular choice and jury choice awards deciding upon which was a big task.

The guests had a whale of a time experiencing the overall entertainment quotient including the hilarious host, dazzling dance performance by one of my favourite dance troupe of Gurgaon ‘Urban Dance Center –UDC’ and rejuvenating and very fresh handpan show.

The idea behind the Food Freak Awards was to see the world from the eye of a foodie who takes food as a beautiful canvas painted with multihued colors of cultures, regions and lip smacking spices. Now I am looking forward to have more of such Awards in future to give a platform to such an important part of our life.  

I would like to thank our sponsors The Westin Gurgoan, Artize, KhaugaliDeals.com, Black Dog, QUA, Kingfisher, Aresa spa, Kingdom of Dreams, Comparetofly.com, Cornitos Nacho Crisps, Food and Nightlife Magazine, Urban Dance Center and Handpan for offering great support in making this Award happen.

We induced our heart and soul in the Food Freak Awards and I can proudly say that it was one of the best Awards eve based on the feedback and responses we got. We are planning to take this craziness for food to some more cities in the future. Keeping my fingers crossed! 

To know the winners in other categories, please go to the link http://awards.indianfoodfreak.com/winners.php

Here is the story of Food Freak Awards in pictures. Keep enjoying and keep eating!

The prestigious jury who took the task of picking the best out of all nominations

  

Chef Kunal Kapoor, Chef Sabyasachi Gorai – Perfectly dressed

Very graceful and a lovely Person Anoothi Vishal along with the Food Critic Osama Jalali awarding 'Cocktails & Dreams - Speakeasy'

Chef Manjit Gill awarding the winner with our honorable jury - Pawan Soni and Aalok Wadhwa

Rocky Mohan in conversation with Sanjay Mathur of 7 Degrees Brauhaus

UDC Dance Group rocked the stage with its pulsating performance. They were fantastic, they were energetic and they were boneless too

The guy who made us laugh like a drain - Jeeveshu

Awarding Home Baker category was really exciting as the smile on her made us feel great - with one of my favourites, Chef Saby and Editor in Chief of Food & Night Life, Sumit Goyal

A smart click with Lalit Ahlawat, – Man who loves when others Party J owner Soi 7, won the Best Microbrewery award in Popoular Choice

This duo has a bag full of humor which they never fail to pour on others – Rocky and Mayur HOMP

We took a moment while they were enjoying dinner- Ridhima Sawhney, Vineet Kochhar, Shalini Kocchar, Sumit Sawhney

 My lovely husband who has been my support Thank you Aman!

Last but not the Least - Team SPAG Asia without whom this would not have been possible..Few missing from the picture and specially Chinki who worked inspite being down with Typhoid...

How ‘The Third Observance’ Happened

“Sometimes we cannot give to the people in need just because we spend too much in something we don't need."- Andy Stanley

Public Relations is a serious business. We are making a difference in people’s life on a daily basis but of course, it is our job. As luck would have it, Team PRinINDIA realized that there is still more we can do and thus, resolved to give back to the society, using our otherwise professional skills in something benevolent. That is how we launched ‘The Third Observance’.

Christmas Eve seemed the most auspicious day to give form to a thought, to take the first consequential step to shape otherwise fuzzy dreams. @Swati Mehrotra, a famous shoe designer and @Pooja Motwani, a remarkable fashion designer, and I got intertwined by fate; we came together to start an association to rehabilitate street kids. I, for one, consider myself fortunate and privileged for having me as much as I have today. But there are some who don’t get half as much love or support – The Third Observance is for those kids who need help and who want to be helped.

Saint Nicholas, who our kids know as Santa Claus, wandered around Europe helping people anonymously and selflessly. Taking inspiration from him, our group members including Swati Modo, Pooja Motwani, Stylist @Aamer Zakir, singer and writer @Vandana Vadehra Ayesha, and designer @Amit Talwar Trekaaya and everyone from our @PRinINDIA team visited street kids at Harmony House in Gurgaon. It was there that we started our journey, and what a start at that!

A lot of people might not know Harmony House. It is an NGO that shelters kids from neighbouring slum areas and provides them food, education and counseling. Not a school exactly, it tries to help them build a future for themselves and stand on their feet. After arriving there with gifts, goodies and clothes, we first interacted with them to see what they know about Christmas and Santa. What was really surprising was that they already knew the Christmas stories and even sang jingles for us. If one wanted to be a doctor, other aspired to become a teacher, which was heart warmingly beautiful. The innocence of their dreams and tranquility on their faces could have fooled us into thinking they had all they needed.

As a mother, it was an experience of epic proportion to see small kids jumping with joy on seeing a fictional character. The two Santas turned their smiles into laughter and it was all we needed.

The purpose of the association was not just to provide them financial support; we want to go beyond that and counsel them. They need love and care as much as any other kid in this world and just because they don’t have enough, doesn't mean nobody cares about them. We do. 

Public Relation is indeed love, for I love my profession and I love the initiative we have taken!

All those who are wondering ‘Why the name ‘The Third Observance’?’, it is one of the ten niyamas in Hinduism. Hinduism suggests a set of rules or observances that each person should follow. These 10 niyamas are adopted by Hindus to lead a happy and content life. The Third Observance or Teesra Niyama in Hindu beliefs is “Dana” or charity which explains that each individual should be generous to a fault.

I’m posting a few pictures of our Christmas with them. I know I am a bit late but it is really worth the wait.

For updates about The Third Observance, you can follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheThirdObservance

Few Basics of Launching A Store/Restaurant - PRoint of View

 There is something said about beginnings: they are hopeful. When you open a new store or a restaurant, obviously you expect it to do well; you want it to and you have faith in it. But do you have faith in your PR professional who asks you to change the date of your opening because another event is colliding with it?

Press is a prerequisite for any launch. Any business needs people to know about it – you have opened a restaurant but no one knows you are in business or where you are located. What’s the point when your customers are oblivious? To incite good response from the media (so that they cover your launch and inform people about your store), you need to keep a few things in check.

Ready? Here is a check-list for you: 

·         Be aware of any other event in town on same date –Always, always make sure that there is no other event happening in town of your genre that could take the limelight away from your launch.

·         Place and time: It may seem like a simple or small detail but even the place and time could obstruct the success of your launch. Both the things should be according to the availability of the journalists you want to bring to your launch. Obviously, you can’t keep everyone happy so try to score majority of them.

·         Share the confirmed guest lists with journalists: In case a celebrity or socialites are going to make an appearance at the launch, make sure you let the media know beforehand so as to make the launch more appealing to them. Celebrity association wins brownie points as a thumb rule.

·         Press Kit is an unsaid rule: Keeping the press kit ready with photographs, press release and a CD is always a good call. Journalists appreciate if you are fast on your feet. Don’t miss out any opportunity of winning a story due to tardiness.

·         Prepare your client for media interaction: Media would want to talk to your client about his future plans and vision. There are things he should say and things he shouldn’t. Prepare him beforehand so that you can avoid blunders that day.

This is your pre-launch checklist. Now we proceed to the things you should keep in mind on the day of the launch.

                                                                                                   Image courtesy: Anita Dongre 

       Photographer is a must-must: You can’t hold a launch without hiring a professional photographer. He needs to be there all the while and capture the moments for media as well as you (but mostly for the media). No story is newsworthy without photographs – it is the first rule of journalism. And if you have a celebrity on board, photo-op is your best shot at getting the coverage!                                     

                                                                                           

Be punctual: Start the event on time. Nothing puts off the guests and journalists more than someone messing with their schedule. They have things to do, people!

No Street-like promotion: Avoid lame flyers and advertising leaflets for openings. This ruins the brand image. Rather hire a professional graphic designer to design your ads and copy.

Check, double check and recheck: Is your press kit ready and in hand? Is your celebrity here? Do you have a candle to light the lamp (or scissor to cut the ribbon)? Is AV set-up and functioning? Do you have power backup? If the answer is yes to all these questions, you may proceed.

Few Things PR People Must Know About Diwali

It has been a maddening month. Festive season is overwhelming for PR professionals; Diwali brings more jitters and anxious sweats than any other festival in the country. Apparently, the dynamics of the market change around this time and so does consumer perception. They will be looking at newspapers for products, searching the market for variety of things – we just need to make an impression around this time. Everyone wants to sell their clients (and thus their products); everyone wants to be the first one to reach out to their audience and last one to leave their minds. This is the time when sales can take any business to another level, not just financially but as a brand too. Hence, the PR professionals are between a rock and a hard place trying to live up to the expectations.

I have been thinking about a perfect blog topic for a long time (3 weeks to be precise) and this one hit like raging bullet. Now that Diwali is over, I would like to share a few observations that I made this year during the festive season.

Diwali isn’t a one day festival
The whole week is jam packed with one festival after the other starting with Dhanteras, followed by Choti Diwali, Diwali, Vishkarma Day, Bhai Dhoj. It may not seem that way but people celebrate all these days with as much enthusiasm as Diwali. You have between five to seven days to influence your public on different products and mindsets. Find interesting stories for each of these days; pitch them to different publications and see how much value it adds to your client’s product. Moreover, ad rates during this season shoot up like a rocket (pun intended). Consider how much profit you would be fetching your client if you can get a few stories this time around. Let him also know how happy you made his Diwali.

On a side note, remember that newspapers are not published a day after the festival because of reasons no one can fathom. As frustrating as it might be, it is a day lost for you. Planning any story a day after Diwali would be a waste of time – save yourself the trouble and heartache by keeping this in mind.

Shopping time of the year
As a buyer, Diwali is auspicious as well as profitable. With discounts and attractive offers on everything from shoes to designer clothes to designer jewelry and digital products, there is no better time for a consumer to shop than Diwali. Similarly, there is no better time for you to get your client out there. Also, it is also a foodie’s delight for the festival is associated with delectable food and sweets (Pakwaan to be precise) so it is a field day for restaurants as well. No, PR is not advertising; it is branding and such opportunities can get you ahead of your PR game.

Early Bird Catches the Worm
Magazines, in particular, work their socks off for Diwali issues starting 2-3 months in advance. It is a big chance for even the magazine to score and they make the most of it. In case you want your story in a magazine during Diwali, make sure you approach a journalist at least 3 months early. Then the ball is in their court - all you can do is wait and follow up. Even newspapers these days have themes and concepts around Diwali and you might need someone to let you in about the concept well in advance so that you can pitch your stories accordingly.   

We work; others don’t
The most important lesson you need to learn is that while you may be following up on a story or trying to get something covered, people usually don’t work around Diwali.

Your kids might have a full week off from school which should tell you something – it is holiday season in the country and mostly, people don’t work. Some states are completely shut (I’m looking at you Gujarat) for 10 full days which should put a comma in your work. It is probable that the journalists you contact may be on leave for a day, two or probably a week. You are working, they aren’t. So how do you get stories around Diwali? They will file their stories early and this means you have to be faster in contacting them. Plan your pitch emails at least 2 weeks before to stay in the game. Journalists will appreciate it. And this takes us to my next suggestion.

Call them to wish, not to pitch
Journalists hate it when you disturb them untimely. They hate it even more when you call them on their off days. Not all journalists might be on leave that day but it is a tit bit rude to pitch them a story on Diwali - don’t do that or you will get on their nerves. If it’s crucial, wish them politely; if he is in a joyous mood and doesn’t sound mad, talk business or else just drop a line in the end. It would be better if you let them be and enjoy your day!

That’s How Hermes Birkin Bagged It!

When a woman can wait 2-6 years for a bag, it is something worth talking about. Birkin bag is a superficial luxury item that most people don’t need but they still have it, others want it and the rest might spend their life’s saving to get it. It is a matter of pride, status, opulence and exclusivity. A brand doesn't come to this level in a day – it takes years to reach a point where people would kill for your product (metaphorically). For Hermes, it took much more than that – 6 generations to turn the tables in their favor.

The company was established in France in 1837 by Theirry Hermes. It may sound bizarre but the company produced harnesses initially and then expanded to horse’s saddles. It was much later, about 100 years down the line, that they produced their first handbag. The rest, as they say, is history.

So what do we learn about promotion and branding from Hermes? 

Picture courtesy: Ladyincharge.blogspot.in

The Story!
You don’t need much of promotion when you dedicate your bag to a mainstream actress. That’s what Hermes chief did. While he was on a flight to London, he was seated next to Jane Birkin, a popular English actress, who complained about not having a good travel bag. Next she knew, she was carrying a Hermes Birkin (named after her) which the chief presented to her 3 years later. The bag became an icon and now every girl has the secret desire to own one. 

Quality over Quantity
Birkin bags teach an invaluable lesson – focus on quality of your product. Each bag is hand sewn; no machines, no shortcuts. It takes up to 48 hours to make a bag and it is handcrafted. And then there is the fact that it is made of ostrich, crocodile, lizard and calf skin which totally justifies the cost of the product ($9000-$150,000). They arrive in Hermes boutiques in limited numbers and without a notification and automatically create exclusivity.  

Less is More
If you want to stay on the top of your game, create a scarcity and don’t let just about anyone get their hands on your product. A waiting period of up to 6 years is what made Hermes almost irresistible. People always want what they can’t have. In case of Hermes Birkin, it is the idea that “Why is it so special?” that made people curious. Then there is the fact that it is a rage in popular culture with celebrities, singers and hot shots of corporate world own these bags. It is a fashion that might never go out of fashion because of its “hard to get” approach. Oh, thrill of the chase!

Opulence is the key
People like to catch eyeballs and they do like to make a statement. With Birkin, you send the message, “I can afford it!” Hermes Birkin has created an air of elite around it – it is a status symbol, something that not everyone can meet the expense of. Once you have it in your arm, the world envies you, gives you respect and you get that nod and that smile saying “Ah, the Hermes…” On the contrary, you get frowned upon if you drop the bag or mistreat it.

Yes, everyone knows what a Hermes is. People take it very seriously.

Nothing trumps Hermes
People have tried, time and again, to create a replica of Hermes. Some have been successful and others failed. But the point is that it is worthy of an imitation. Those who can’t afford the real one buy an imitation. Nonetheless, there is just one Hermes and most people can tell the difference. Free of logos, it is still the most recognized bag in the fashion world. Carry a fake to any fashion event and the press will bury you! 

P.S.: Thanks Apeksha for all the support :)

Fashion Designing, Celebrities and More

Did you see the newspaper this morning? No, I’m not talking about Arvind Kejriwal or Robert Vadera. Drop the main paper and move to the supplement. It’s Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week! One of the best Fashion Weeks in India, Wills India Fashion Week takes the cake every time - everything about it is spectacular, grand, and exemplary. The extravaganza is always star studded – celebrities, designers, stylists, models and everyone you can think of. So you get the drift why this is such a big deal for any designer. Earning a place there, displaying your collection and having a celebrity walk the ramp for you is the best thing that can happen to you. Or not.

Now that so much is being talked about the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, let’s get into the PR angle.  Katrina Kaif or Shahrukh Khan walking on the ramp in your clothes or Ranbir Kapoor as a showstopper for your event can effectively make you a brand, a name people want to be associated with, a designer magazines want to feature on the front page probably. But what next? He walked on the ramp for you, it worked very well but you still need to make and sell clothes, isn’t’ it? 

It starts small. You work hard, design clothes, sometimes they get appreciated, sometimes they go unnoticed, sometimes they get featured in magazines and papers and other times they don’t. Your publicist will pitch stories to the media about your inspirations, your journey as a designer, what makes you and your designs special. The focus right now is making you a brand, promoting your work and getting you the publicity. When a celebrity wears your clothes to an event – awards, party, launches, screening, it is definitely grand: it gets you media, it helps promote you as a brand and people start paying more attention. However, it is not the long and short of it. You can’t chase after the celebs to get your foot in the fashion industry, quite the opposite actually. Firstly, a brand has to reach that level that a celebrity would wear your clothes and it involves hardcore public relations. The job of a designer is to concentrate on creating fashion. As your publicist will tell you, just work on your designs and rest he/she will take care of. 

Even after you score a celebrity to endorse your brand, you still need to come up with celeb-worthy designs, don’t you?

A brand has to make a mark in the world of fashion through its creativity and uniqueness. A well-known personality wearing your clothes can get you up there but your clothes need to shine with him. Imagine someone overpowering your clothes, outshining them completely and taking all the attention away. This is one of the disadvantages when a celebrity wears your clothes – his grandeur takes away from the clothes aura. 

A PR professional who gets these requests often would always suggest that there is a lot more to brand building. Undoubtedly that will position you as a celebrity fashion designer but unless the brand talks about its unique proposition, it will be just 15 minutes of fame.