Sakshi Jain

We talk about equality all over the world. We talk about women rights, gender discrimination and issues along those lines. But we often fail to acknowledge that gender inequality goes beyond that. There are many other issues that need our collective attention and support when it comes to gender equality. In a country that is gradually stepping towards development, Transgender Bill 2019 is a huge step backwards.   #stoptransbill2019 is a hashtag currently trending on social media. People are coming up to support the transgender community in hopes of establishing equality across gender. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 5 th August 2019. Since then communities have been protesting against it.   So let’s understand the root of this issue. In this blog, we will explore how Transgender Bill 2019 violates the rights of the community. The bill is in direct contradiction with the NALSA Judgement: National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA) declares the transgender

Recycle, Reduce, and Reuse- We all have studied the three R’s of waste management but with worsening climate conditions and increasing environmental issues, they are not enough. Climate change is a prominent issue posing as a threat for human survival in the long run. It needs to be addressed soon, we are already late but, better late than never. Plastic is said to be the cause of most of the environmental issues, but in its favour, it is also one of the most valuable innovation which makes our life easier. The excessive and wrong use of plastic is a problem for the environment. The government has banned plastic, but, banning it without providing a viable substitute is of no use. This blog is not about plastic or its use, it is about the use of resources in general and the change we need to bring in our lifestyle for waste management. Following are the six R’s for waste reduction: Rethink: We have been ignorant of the environmental problems for so long, now it’s tim

Amidst all the fairness creams, foundation, and concealer commercials to hide the flaws in your skin, to come across content like #ItsKayToBeYou by Kay beauty is refreshing. Katrina Kaif recently launched her beauty line, Kay beauty in partnership with Nykaa, India’s largest beauty retailer. The launch collection includes feature lip, eye and brow products. The products are available across 50 Nykaa stores and online portal. The beauty line was launched with #ItsKayToBeYou campaign which talked about diversity in the skin tones and different definitions of beauty for individuals. The campaign was launch through digital media with the videos streaming on platforms such as, YouTube, and Instagram. The brand is positioned as the beauty products which Kare for your skin. For the launch campaign, the brand identified a certain set of influencers representing various target audiences such as Kusha Kapila, Nayanthara, Saina Nehwal, Raja Kumari. During the launch event Katrina

By: Chip Heath, Dan Heath Published on January 2, 2007 Publishing House: Random House Made to Stick is a detailed perception of two brothers, Chip and Dan Heath about why some ideas survive and others die. We, humans, are curious being, sometimes our minds work in overdrive, many times it comes up with ideas and stories, fiction or perception about something occurring. All of us have thoughts, opinions and ideas but only a few of those have the ability to stick. By ‘stick’ the authors mean that the ideas are understood and remembered, and have a lasting impact- they change the audience’s opinion or behaviour.   The book gives an interesting perspective on why some ideas stick and others don’t and how to make your ideas stick longer. The book starts with the popular narration of the ‘Kidney heist tale’. The tale is of doubtful origin, but despite that, it is very popular. It is a ridiculous story with many different narrations but something that stood out and had the ab

Press Release is an official statement issued by an organisation sent out to news media to provide information, or to make an announcement. It is written by a communication professional on behalf of the organisation to achieve the communication objective. Press Release is the most basic and frequently used form of writing when it comes to business writing, especially in the PR fraternity. But not all messages need a press release to be conveyed to its target audience. A press release should be appealing enough for a journalist to work on, otherwise, it would just add to the waste. Journalist possibly get various press releases, some don’t even see the light of the day again. So, as communication professionals, we should be able to identify where a press release is needed and where it isn’t. If your communication goal is to convey a hard and fast message then writing a press release could be the best option but, if the message has any scope for creativity, be creative and

What is a nightmare? Is it a bad dream or more than that? Who is more prone to getting a nightmare? Have you ever had one? This blog is an abstract about a word that we use carelessly to express ourselves without addressing the more intense and serious meaning that it has. Nightmare is basically an unpleasant dream which distresses a person sometimes to the extent of extreme panic. People with a traumatic experience are more prone to getting a nightmare then others. We usually misunderstand a bad dream with a nightmare, but the word has an extremely negative and traumatic association. How many of us have had a nightmare in our life? According to a survey by American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 50 per cent of the children between the age of 3-5 wake their parents up because of severe nightmares. 50-85 per cent of adults report an occasional nightmare. Nightmares have a very negative impact on a person’s life, to the extent of affecting their mental health. Many people in

Life would have been so easy if it could be certain. If one could see their future. Then no one would be unhappy because they would know which way will lead them towards their happiness. If we could see our future we would know everything. We would know that the person we consider a close one is going to betray us one day, that the person we are talking to right now is going to be the love of our life, that the future has this or that plans for us. Then we could even take actions to change the future if it’s not in our favour. Because not always the plans fate has for us are in our favour. The main problem in a person’s life is that life is uncertain. That life has the power to surprise you, to shock you, to challenge you and you don’t. You don’t have the power to control your life and that is where your problems start from. A writer would say, ‘’Life is wonderful.” But I won’t. Because I don’t think life is wonderful. I think the way you live your life is when you

2. Coca-Cola Happiness Machine-  Happiness Machine is one of the most popular campaign by Coca-Cola. The brand installed a special wending machine in college campuses which upon inserting a coin gives the student more than they expected. The machine surprises them by giving free coke bottles in different sizes, pizzas and coke for their friends as well. The idea behind this campaign was to spread happiness through a wending machine and make the break special. The campaign was a huge hit and was highly appreciated by the customers it was able to spread smiles on everybody’s faces. 3. Coca Cola India Phone Booth Viral Campaign-  This campaign was done by the brand in Dubai. Coca-Cola took a small insight from the country that there are many labourers living in the country to earn money and provide for their family back home. They call their families once a week because the calling facility is very expensive and lessens a huge amount from their daily wages. The brand to

Coca-Cola is one of the most famous soft drink brands worldwide. It would not be wrong to say the Coca-Cola is very where it is sold in around 200 countries worldwide. There are countries where Coke is cheaper than water and thus has huge demands. The brand is conveniently available in most of our neighbouring stores. It is fascinating to study how the brand became what it is today. And even more fascinating is to see their campaigns over the years across the globes. It is widely known that Coca-Cola means ‘open happiness’. They have instilled the message through their advertisements, marketing and PR Campaigns. Over the years they have done many such campaigns with different themes and creative ideas and ‘open happiness’ as the core message. In this blog, we will study some of those campaigns to see how they have sustained their purpose over the years. 1. Coca-Cola Friendly Twist-  This campaign was done by the brand in 2015. They took a very basic insight from the cu

Am I being stalked? It feels as if somebody is stalking me. They know everything that I want. I would wish for something and they will show me how to get it, with just a click of my finger. I have a confession to make. I love shopping. And I mean it in the most serious way possible; I really love shopping. Anything that catches my attention at the first glance, I need to have. I am trying to be better, if not for myself, for my bank balance, which keeps on decreasing day by day. So many times in the past few days I have decided, no more shopping. Last time I even left the app deciding not to buy anything (for those of you who don’t know me, that is a big deal). But, it feels as if the universe does not want me to change. I left the app and it followed me where ever I went, each and every website I visited I saw an advertisement for the same product that I was forcing myself to forget about. I resisted three times, but, in the end, the heart wants what it wants. Now I have a

♫ The hills are alive with the sound of music With songs they have sung for a thousand years The hills fill my heart with the sound of music My heart wants to sing every song it hears♫ In 1965, America saw one of the most iconic movies of all time, a musical drama film, The Sound of Music . Starring Julie Andrews as Maria and Christopher Plummer as Captain Von Trapp the movie was a masterpiece directed by Robert Wise. The film is based on Maria Von Trapp’s book ‘The Story of The Trapp Family Singers’. It is a true story of the Von Trapp family, their unusual circumstances and their love for music. The movie is about a young Austrian postulant who was sent to the villa of a retired naval officer to be a governess for his seven children in Salzburg, Austria. Her bubbly personality, honesty and charisma is novel for the kids who have grown up with great discipline by their father. She forms a romantic relationship with Captain Von Trapp and later becomes his second wif

Public relation is the practice of building and enhancing the reputation of an organization or individual. It acts as a liaison between a corporate and its stakeholders. Amongst the responsibilities that fall under public relation, crisis communication is the most crucial, especially keeping in mind today’s digital influenced world. What is a crisis in PR? A crisis is anything that has the potential of hurting your client’s reputation. Crisis communication is the messaging a PR professional puts out to deal with a crisis on behalf of their client. In scenarios like this, the message needs to be carefully planned and crafted to defuse the situation. Crisis can be briefly classified into three categories: Strategic Crisis: This is the crisis because of the operation of an organisation. This type of crisis has a direct impact on the working of an organization and affects internal as well as external stakeholders. Existential Crisis: Existential crisis, as the name sugge

“If writing doesn’t excite you, then you are not reading enough. Once you start reading, writing becomes effortless.” This was one of the many learnings that we took from our session with Mrs Rashmi Naik, Managing Partner, Global South Continuum- LDV    at School of Communication and Reputation (SCoRe). In her one and a half-hour session, she managed to give us multiple insights and tips for our lives and our career as PR professionals. At SCoRe we have regular masterclasses, where professionals from the corporate communication industry come to interact with the students. Each session is unique in its own way and this one was no less. Amidst the regular talks about core PR and corporate communication, her session was like a breath of fresh air. Following are some of the advice she gave the aspiring PR professionals to apply in their career: ·          Punch a little above your weight: By this, she meant that do more then you are expected to. Move out of your comfort zone

The Palace of Illusion is a retelling of the ancient Indian epic, Mahabharata from Draupadi’s point of view. We all have grown up listening to different stories or instances from Mahabharata, but how many of us have really read the epic? It is said that keeping Mahabharata in the house is a bad omen and it brings negativity and misfortune. It is a story of the struggle and the ultimate war between two groups of cousins of the Kuru clan, Pandavas and Kauravas. The novel revolves around Draupadi’s side of the story from her birth till the end. We all know the story of Mahabharata, so in this blog instead of retelling it, I will tell you the facts I learned from The Palace of Illusions that might be new to you. Draupadi and her names: Draupadi was also known as Panchali. The name, Draupadi was given to her by her father, Raja Drupad, it meant ‘Daughter of Drupad’. She was not fond of her name and she found it very egoistic of her father to name his daughter after him. Many people

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” This quote of Sam Levenson was her favourite and she used to say it so often that people mistook it as her own piece. Audrey Hepburn, through her work and beliefs became an inspiration to all. Her contribution to cinema is unforgettable, and her contribution for the greater good is to be appreciated even more. Audrey Hepburn was a British actress recognised as a film and fashion icon. In the golden age of Hollywood, she not only gave amazing movies but also brought a new wave of fashion and style. Her charisma and beauty made her a popular star in her early years and her intelligence and values made her a legend. In this blog, apart from her movies and her contribution to cinema, we are also going to acknowledge her work for the society. The actress got stardom after her romantic comedy, Roman Holiday (1953).

The attraction, the instant connection The feeling of getting lost in a world so beautiful, yet so unreal The warmth consuming my heart that seemed perfect and surreal I thought, I thought it was love, but it was not.                         I was there, discovering the new language of love the sentiment and emotions gripping me like a glove My heart craving an affection so deep  And with it the contentment that brings relief I thought, I thought it was love, but it was not. The undying love always told in stories and tales The fancy words that define everything in details It was all there, the connection and passion, everything from attraction to genuine emotion I thought, I thought it was love, but it was not It was infatuation, It was plain attraction It was a crush that I had with the looks of you Times slips away easily and so did you I thought, I thought it was love, but it was not Now I know it was not Because when love finall

India is all about its culture, colour and spices and an Indian wedding is an amalgamation of all three in abundance. Apart from the bride and groom, an Indian wedding includes the family, rituals, believes, attires, sentiments and of course, the cost of it all. The concept of a big fat Indian wedding comes from the belief of spending a huge amount on the wedding, sometimes just to maintain a status in the society. The cost of a wedding in India can range from Rs 2 lakhs to an obscene amount of Rs 100 crore. According to studies, 10 million weddings take place every year in India. The Indian wedding market is estimated at $50 billion (around ₹33,000 crores), the world’s second-largest, after the $70 billion US market. And it is growing at an estimated 20% a year. Investors are eyeing the market because it is always lucrative and more so in the last few years. Like any other market, Indian wedding market also has trends; what sells and what doesn’t. Nowadays destination wedding

The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44 th President of the United States of America signified renewal or rebranding of America, a sense of the ideal America finally within reach. Obama and his accomplishments have created history in world politics and to study the person, his personality and his leadership in depth, Sasha Abramsky has created an intriguing read covering different aspects of Obama’s life and his journey. While describing the big event Sasha has written “ America, the country that lavished wealth and attention on the few while neglecting the needs and stories of the many, is being ushered out today. Welcome to the unveiling of a new-model America. Welcome to a new beginning. ” America has witnessed disparity in race, identity, gender, national visions and community for ages and to elect Barack Obama as the first black president of the country was a great transformation within the country and its individual voters who had held their own prejudice with regards to t