For most companies, marketing spend is one of the largest cost items on the financial statement. Yet the level of discipline placed upon that marketing spend is too often appalling. Habitual behavior over the years has resulted in marketing not being managed like the rest of the business.

Automated marketing: The future

Business Standard

Angels fell to earth recently, in augmented reality at least, in a recent advertising campaign in London. On March 5, Unilever-owned Lynx (known as Axe in the rest of the world), put signs in a London station telling travellers to look up to a giant video screen. On the screen, they saw an image of themselves plus the angels, who are featured in the ad campaigns.

When angels fell to earth

Cin&eacute;polis is betting big on megaplexes. The Mexico-based multiplex operator has tied up with Vivacity to open a 14-screen megaplex &mdash; the country's largest so far &mdash; in Mumbai&rsquo;s Thane. Vivacity, developed by Sheth Developers, would be spread over 25,000 square feet carpet area and house big brands like Shopper&rsquo;s Stop and Hyper City as anchor tenants, along with several mini-anchors and 150 shops.

Showtime gets bigger

The Rs 2,800-crore animation industry in India is struggling to stay in business. At the Ficci Frames 2011, experts raised concerns over the finances and said a dearth of original story ideas is hampering the growth of the industry.

Animated strategy: Working hard to get back on track

I'm thinking of upgrading from my 2001 Hyundai Santro. I do about 300-400 km a month with equal amounts of city and highway driving. I will occasionally go on long outstation drives where I need good service backup should anything go wrong, a feature I enjoy with the Hyundai Santro. My priorities are good interiors, exteriors, mileage , reasonable part costs and a reliable engine. I have shortlisted the Chevrolet Beat LT and Hyundai i20 Asta. Both cars impressed me with the exterior and interior design and features like automatic climate control, built-in CD player with USB/AUX-in. The Chevy Beat, topped with the three-year warranty offer, is tempting. Is the Rs 2 lakh additional money for an i20 justified for the extra boot space, rear comfort, ABS, airbag, etc., considering it has a not-so-powerful 1.2 Kappa engine and some reported steering and brake issues. Is there any other car which can meet my requirements within the budget of Rs 5-6 lakh.

The extra mile

Investment manager Arun Rangachari bought 400 works by a reclusive Italian artist.

First brush

Pasquale Natuzzi was an entrepreneur even in his teens. He tells Veenu Sandhu about spotting opportunities, staying independent, and building his global leather furniture brand.

Comfort king

I hope the news that the BJP is taking a nuanced view on Robert Vadra&rsquo;s business interests is indeed true.

Political husbandry

Archaeology, photography and authority went hand in hand in the colonial era.

Marshall's plans

F1 2011: Home run!

Europeans competed hard for the fame and spoils from early digs. Pradeep Gooptu weighs a book on one such rivalry.

Finding the Buddha

You never know who you might stumble upon in Lodi Garden &mdash; jogging junkies, amorous lovers or the Vadra family.

Round & round a garden

Malavika Sangghvi is off to Italy soon. She gets some tips for a luxury holiday.

An Italian experience 

It never fails; just as the wise municipalities of Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta issue their seasonal jaundice-and-typhoid warnings, my palate erupts in chaat cravings. The traditional remedy for this in Delhi has been made much easier by the Metro: get on the Yellow Line, take the train to Chandni Chowk and emerge from the bowels of the subway into the heart of Old Delhi.

Spice routes

Anita Singhvi has been invited to sing at the Urs of Nizamuddin Auliya. She tells Veenu Sandhu about her life in music.

Among the Sufi poets

Cello and sitar, Western and Indian classical, merge on stage and off. Subhra Mazumdar meets a musical couple.

In harmony

Anyone who remembers mainstream Hindi movies of a certain vintage knows about the garish sets that served as villains&rsquo; dens. In these hotbeds of vice, rogues and molls wore colourful futuristic outfits that made Return of the Jedi seem like a stark kitchen-sink drama in comparison. They connived, clinked Scotch glasses and rakshasa-laughed; the set decor included spiky walls, silhouettes of dancing girls, and hungry sharks circling in tanks.

White man's burden

V V S Laxman tells Aabhas Sharma about his encounters with Shoaib Akhtar on and off the field.

Facing the Rawalpindi Express

With natural disasters and human conflict gripping the headlines, this might be considered an awkward time to focus on horse racing. But actually, there is no better time. &ldquo;All men are equal above and below the turf,&rdquo; as the racing adage goes. Throughout history, the grace, speed and beauty of horses have offered hope in times of turmoil and stories of success against impossible odds.

A race of untold riches

At the time of writing, the last round of the last Amber tournament is yet to be played. It looks as though Levon Aronyan will retain the title he won last year. The Armenian GM leads with 14.5 from 20 games. Carlsen has a mathematical chance of catching up at 13.5. Anand is out of the running with 11 though he could clinch third place ahead of Ivanchuk (10.5) and Grischuk (10). Shockingly Kramnik (7) is tied in last place with Anish Giri (7).

Chess (#672)

Hazratganj, the heart of Lucknow, has been ailing. But that is about to change.

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