When something sells, everyone flocks to be associated with it and of course, the brands will not stay behind. For some years now, during the Cricket World Cup time, we get campaigns specifically to encash the affiliation and inflame patriotism for the country. There are brands, which directly relate themselves to the Pakistani team, while others simply joyride on the frenzy that ensues.

The first one to pop the bubble this year was Coke, who have been quite aggressive with their Cricket frenzy in Pakistani spirit for some time. Pepsi of course, would not be left behind and came up with a recent ad, which shows the Pakistani team having some fun in the airport.

Oh wait, doesn’t this look familiar? I trawled around the web just to search what was up and here’s what I found:

A football based ad of Nike from ’98…

If I say I’m speechless, it would be right. Both ads even start the same way, but where the football commercial keeps you sitting at the edge of your seat due to its quick pace and quality, the Pepsi ad bores you with the same old story about the last Pepsi being reserved for the winner.

Is this the best that could be done on a brand that should by now be evolving into the new generation’s voice, rather than giving audience stale ideas that have been pulled off of youtube? I mean, we are entering the digital age here, where the target audience is just sitting there waiting for something good. You just have to know, how to reach them.

The only thing I can say in the end: “Son, I am disappoint”.

Wear Your Pride

Thanks to Pakistani team for uniting the country at such times of turmoil and giving us a reason to cheer. Treat for Fathers especially at their special day ;)

The new American Consulate

The new American consulate was an unwelcome neighbour in most locations. It was previously proposed to be constructed near the Karachi Grammar School on Boat Basin. However, its security headaches prompted local area residents to sue for having it not built in their neighbourhoods. Consequently, it is now being constructed at the junction between M. T. Khan road and the Mai Kolachee bypass. If you pass by there and see two tall construction cranes, that is the site. I am highlighting the location in the satellite image below.

It so happens that this location falls on my daily route so I have been able to observe the stages of its construction from day 1. The construction activity is being carried out jointly with a Turkish firm. The structure has two perimeter walls, an outer brick wall with barbed wire on top, and an inner wall. The building structure itself is very solidly constructed with even the walls of the building being built of  steeel re-enforced concrete — in order to make it bomb proof. The location itself is not very cleverly chosen since KPT just constructed a flyover in the vicinity which can give an aerial view inside the perimeter of the compound. Not to mention, it is located at the junction of two critical arteries of the city.

The residential block?

Nevertheless, the American government has been given a generous amount of land here so they can construct offices as well as residences for their officials in Karachi. However, they should now try to be good neighbours and avoid being a burden on Karachi’s citizens. The roads crossing near this location are main city arteries and any kind of blockade of these roads by the American Consulate should not be allowed by the city authorities. Very importantly, the location straddles important public transport routes and mini-buses and rickshaws should NEVER be dis-allowed from passing this area (as it happened on Abdullah Haroon rd). Hopefully, once this building is functional, the citizens of Karachi will once again be able to enjoy the gardens of the beautiful Frere Hall in un-inhibited peace.

Storehouses for construction equipment?

Before parting, I must differentiate between American citizens and the American government (as pointed out by a commentor on my earlier post). The citizens of the United States can be of all kinds, just like the citizens of Pakistan. Of the ones who visit Pakistan, most would not like to live in such castles as the American consulate, and may go around to live in different hotels or even people’s houses. However, the American Consulate is an office of the American government and therefore represents an institutional entity which, due to its prominence, has understandable security needs. Since this location is being built from scratch, hopefully, the US government will be making sure that all its security needs within the city are being taken care of within the perimeter of its compound.

McDonalds - Sab Sey Best Teacher Kaun? Campaign Billboard

Surely this is a commendable social effort, appreciating the hard working teachers. On the form provided by McDonalds the student has to write a short comment as to why the teacher should be selected and in order to complete the entry [possibly to also win the prize] they also share their personal contact information and school particulars, submitting these entries to the respective McDonalds outlets

Hundreds of Student entrants for the Sab Sey Best Teacher Kaun Campaign - Names and Contact numbers on display

The organizers then place these submissions on all their outlets but quite surprisingly have not bothered to concealing the personal particulars of the participating students. Their personal contact details which include his/her name, school particulars and even their home/cell phone numbers are publicly on display. Quite apparently a serious lapse in protecting the privacy information.

Contact information openly available

Here is just another one of the heartbreaking narrative: http://dhaliving.org/murder-innocence/

 Vitalized by shots of redbull served in the beginning of the session the bloggers were all charged up and full of energy. The discussion initiated with activism and the participants voiced their concerns that no one was promoting the country positively, some said there should be a code of conduct and some even suggested a far fetched idea of having a regulatory body. Over politics the debate heated up a little, even the incident of a noted politician’s personal family pictures came into the discussion and was condemned by all. The political bloggers were agreed that putting up news without investigating, or reporting rumors as fact is not a sensible practice and results in anarchy, while much tolerance should be practiced to accept and respect opposing views over the blogs.

During the discussion someone, excuse my goldfish memory for the particular slipped of my memory, suggested that the illiterate shouldn’t have a say, or a right to express them selves freely. My concern was who or how do we define literacy, does it come with a “degree” !,  but then point was quickly opposed and sanity prevailed.

Thankfully one thing every one was agreed upon was to promote Pakistan positively, either by highlighting the good things about the country, (City being a part of it) or by raising issues so as to pinpoint faults and work on the solutions.

On the occasion Fariha Akhter told us she is planing to initiate a blog to highlight issues faced by the women of our society, like the common sort of harassments women face on a day to day bases while commuting on a public bus or while out shopping or at work and how torturous it is for them.

In the end came the resolutions and everyone committed to contribute in one way or another to build a brighter and more positive image Pakistan and bring about a change through blogging. People agreed among other things, to blog more positive things about Pakistan, photoblogging more of Pakistan’s art and cultural events and tagging every blog post or picture they upload properly.     

At the end of the meetup a lucky draw was held which won Tamjid Aijazi a free WiMAX from Wateen.

Pakistan’s blogsphere and technology savvy people can play a vibrant role in promoting around the globe, in clearing out the misconception the world carries about us and in bringing about a social and even economical change. The need is to is only to feel your responsibility and work together for it. 

For more a detailed view at the event visit Here.

From DAWN:
“An award winning American magazine Foreign Policy, has chosen Nazim Karachi, Syed Mustafa Kamal as second among the three best mayors in the world for the year 2008.

The magazine has included the names of Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit and Wang Hongju, Mayor of Chongqing as the other mayors of the moment, said a CDGK statement issued on Sunday.
The magazine said no city globalises on its own, but with shrewd investments and smart urban planning, a mayor can help turn a regional player into a global powerhouse. About Mustafa Kamal the magazine wrote that the mayor of Karachi is an unlikely poster child for innovative urban planning.
It said the 36-year-old Mustafa Kamal governs a city that’s more often in the news for religious violence than cosmopolitan ways. But the hard-charging Kamal is looking to change all that. He’s courting foreign investment, encouraging international ties, and boosting the city’s tourism.
According to the US magazine Kamal is not shy about his goals: He has said he wants to turn Karachi into the next Dubai. His Green Karachi project aims to plant thousands of trees in the city. Kamal is not letting anything stand in the way of his grand plans. He has threatened to arrest anyone who tries to cut down the new saplings, it added.
In a statement, the Nazim said that in the past there was no concept of ownership in Karachi. He said his administration carried out development works on a large scale, but added that lot of work still remains to be done.”

Source : http://www.dawn.com/2008/11/10/top11.htm