PROJECT OF MY LIFE!!!!!

Hello World,

I have always been a slacker in studies. My scores have always been consistently low. I am proud of this fact, not because I care less but because I know I love to take risks, follow my heart and believe my hunches. Anything that involves staring at printed material for a long time and repeating it again in a quick efficient way is boring to me. I don't like to do it and I can't do it either. No idea which one came first. 

But all the classroom work that involved creativity and performing the subject practically have captured my attention, in every sense of the phrase. This early morning today, as I am sitting in front of my computer after pulling a full-nighter working on one of my team projects, I begin to realize that I am tired, drowsy and desperate to get a good night's sleep at least tonight. But for some reason I don't feel like sleeping at all. I have enjoyed the night doing something I love, and the sense of satisfaction that every lazy guy like me gets to enjoy after completing a project in a marathon fashion is holding me from going to bed (well, my sleeping bag.... ;)     ...and I am typing away my thoughts as they come.....

I am recalling all the previous instances where I had the same feeling trying to get the best of my memories do a repeat telecast in my cerebral flat screen. Even before I go back a few years, my thoughts come to a screeching halt, almost making a default doughnut with flames, with the recall of my Marketing Project last spring. I was part of a 5-member team. We had to sell cookies on a specific date for a time period of 4 hours. Our target was to make the most revenues possible with a well planned marketing campaign. I should say I have always been lucky to get the best teammates possible for all my team projects. We brainstormed until tornadoes ripped off our brain cells. We made multiple trials for every aspect of our project. We leveraged every bit of resource we had. We gave it our best shot. Our class was divided into 4 groups and our group came third with a profit of $1050 out of the 4-hour cookie sale. The outcome was not what we envisioned but we were still satisfied, for we had a vision and we followed our vision with everything we had.

That marketing project is titled Bulldog Challenge and it happens every spring semester at Mississippi State. From any angle, in any perspective, through any prejudice, on every biased reasoning possible, that marketing project remains the best project I've ever worked on. I was in charge of brand development, advertising, public relations and promotions for my team. Here's my brief yet magical marketing experience:  

1. I created our brand logo for the cookies we sold.

2.      I designed our product label that was put on our cookie package. 

3.      I wrote and published two newspaper articles in Starkville Daily News, promoting our brand and our efforts to raise money for charity.

4.      I arranged for Public Service Announcements (5 times a day for 1 week prior to the sale) on Mississippi State Radio (WMSV – 91.1 FM). I also went live on air and spoke about our brand, products and our efforts to raise money for charity. 

5.      I designed the advertisement slide and had it broadcasted on Mississippi State Television (MSTV 98) for 10 days (displayed every 3 hours). I also had a MSTV talk-show make a mention of our brand and efforts. 

6.      I created a facebook page for our brand and promoted our product line with hourly updates for over two weeks. I maintained our brand’s status update on the top three of the most recent news feeds in our friends network during the final 48 hours prior to the sale. A lot of people felt annoyed with my antics and I take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience caused. All I wanted to do was go above and beyond the practical realms of executing my plan and  in the process let myself go in a "Eccentricity Unplugged" mode. I'll be honest. I enjoyed every bit of it.

7.      I designed the display boards that were put up at our cookie sale counter on the day of sale. 

8.      I designed the flyer that was put up on all the departments’ notice boards for 1 week prior to the sale. 

9.      I created a photo slide-show that was uploaded on YouTube. I played the guitar and recorded the background track for the slideshow. We used the YouTube video to publicize our brand and sale through facebook.
  
I thank all those who supported our team and helped us with our project. I also thank my team mates for having the faith in me and giving me the freedom I needed. I have bragged about myself here but every bit of what I did has my team-mates' contribution in it. Marketing Rocks!!!! 


On a very different note [a shameless plug], if you are interested in unique tamil short films, feel free to visit https://www.summamovies.com/. I couldn't tolerate the mass masala entertainers anymore and decided I will do my best to produce content with substance. I have a long a way to go as a producer and a start-up founder, but I am glad our journey has begun. I look forward to your support. Each film on our site costs INR 15. Thanks!!!


Regards,