The communication for the new Ford Fiesta demonstrates the potential of the internet to divvy up and make quick work of the otherwise tedious task of building buzz.

Net, set, go

Business Standard

Are we becoming insensitive as a race?! It may seem a question out of the blue but this feeling certainly crosses our minds once in a while. We don&rsquo;t need to cudgel up our brains to answer this question because on some level we already know the answer. Just open your morning newspaper or turn on any news channel and you&rsquo;d know what am I talking about. Insensitivity encompasses us in various forms today.

Time to Review an 'Ideal Family'?

India is ranked third when it comes to minutes of mobile usage across the globe. The telecom sector alone directly contributes as much as $35 billion annually to the economy. It is estimated to have offered employment to as many as 150,000 employees during the recession. The prosperity that the telecom sector has weaved into the Indian society is one of the main reasons for the growth of the middle income group, says this column.

'Roti, kapda, makaan aur mobile'

Raj Nayak is described as the &lsquo;the superman of television ad sales&rsquo;. The fact is that the 48-year-old moved out of plain ad sales while at Star TV in its Kaun Banega Crorepati days. Earlier this year, Nayak joined Colors as the CEO. Colors is a general entertainment channel from Viacom18, a joint venture between the Rs 1,500-crore Network18 and the $9.4 billion American media major Viacom.

Q&A: Raj Nayak, CEO, Colors

Cement major Binani Cement is looking to expand its horizon, literally. The company has come out with a new television commercial (TVC) to highlight its grand plans and a larger than life image. Starting with the first cement plant in Sirohi, Rajasthan, in 1997, the company, under the Braj Binani Group, has expanded into foreign territories like China, Mauritius, Dubai, Sudan and Africa, and wants an image makeover to portray itself as a global brand.

Binani Cement: Larger than life

The professor and strategist on making the world round again.

Lunch with BS: Pankaj Ghemawat

In a bid to boost the buoyant export industry in the state, the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has partnered with Ahmedabad-based Global Network Institute (GNI) to launch a short duration course on International Trade Management Course at Ahmedabad.

FIEO, GNI launch international trade management course in Gujarat 

We all hate rejection. This time it is a cocoa bean crying for attention as it is cast off by a cocoa bean expert during a selection procedure. Sounds hilarious? Well, it is the creative route chosen by Cadbury in its latest commercial for Bournville. This is to drive home the message that the dark chocolate brand is crafted from the finest cocoa beans of Ghana (Africa) ensuring no compromise on taste.

Bournville targets the sweet spot

Starting next week, sales executives across 4000 Vodafone mini-stores in tier 2 and 3 towns will be hard selling its co-branded Facebook phone (officially launched yesterday), which costs Rs 4,950 and comes with free unlimited access for a year to the social networking site. The company is relying on Vodafone Blue, a device that will be manufactured by Alcatel, to find a consumer following in non-metros.

Vodafone Blue to woo data users with Facebook phone

The world&rsquo;s second-fastest growing economy does not have an educational institute in the top 200 global list this year.

Indian varsities missing in top 200 global list

The students, faculty members, administrative staff and alumni of the New Delhi-based Faculty of Management Studies (FMS) have opposed the Delhi University (DU) move to scrap the institute&rsquo;s own entrance test, and instead switch to the Common Admission Test (CAT).

FMS students and faculty protest as DU turns to CAT

A year after the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), changed its final placement process, its peers in Bangalore and Calcutta, IIM-B and IIM-C, plan to alter their final placement process for the next year. Both institutes are in consultation with each other to put in place a process that will extend the final placement period, making it less stressful for both students and participating companies.

IIM-B, IIM-C may extend campus placement period

An educational institution of high repute is known for its quality of students among the major factors. Creating a bias on gender, puts a question on the premise held.

Student&#8217s corner

The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) on Wednesday published its audited placement data for its three full-time management programmes, the flagship Post Graduate Programme (PGP), the PGP in Agribusiness Management (PGP-ABM), and the PGP for Management Executives (PGPX).

Consulting, finance top recruiters at IIM-A's final placements

Its first two million customers took 18 months to come on board. The next two million has taken eight months &ndash; something that Videocon d2h announced early this month.

This kid grows up fast

Arriving in style is fast becoming a statement itself, says Rajiv Viz, CEO of Carzonrent. He and his competitors are taking that seriously, which is reflected in the fact that leading private car rental brands are going upmarket with a vengeance.

Car rental brands thrive on luxury

As new players throw their hats into the ring, the stakes in online retail become higher Nivedita Mookerji &amp; Dilasha Seth.

Casting the net wider 

After McDonalds and Barista, Dunkin Donuts is next in line to try and shore up business in the morning lean hours.

Betting on breakfast

Two years after a children&rsquo;s game called punch buggy provided the basis for a popular Volkswagen commercial, VW is turning to another children&rsquo;s game for a commercial to help introduce the 2012 Beetle.

Clap clap, here comes Beetle

How premium companies can cope when competitors pile it high and sell it cheap Adrian Ryans.

Is 'good enough' enough?

The name Liberty might stir up nostalgia among those above 25. Even until two decades ago, when the Indian consumer had only a handful of brands to choose from, it used to be a brand the middle-class Indian aspired for. As late as in 2000, it was weaving an elaborate plan to dislodge Bata from its leadership position in the branded footwear in India.

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