Kasvi Dawer’s Post

"The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse." A book which is like a warm hug for the soul. It serves as a reminder that we are all just humans in need of compassion and kindness. ❤️🩹 It's strange how I was trying to juxtaposition it to a documentary I stumbled upon on Warren Buffet this afternoon. Love, kindness, loyalty, and honesty are the most important lessons to learn, both personally and professionally: Buffet's statement that "forever" is his preferred holding time was a surprising divergence from the norm on Wall Street and beyond. To the postmodern ears, the term "forever" sounds atrocious, like something out of a dime novel or a fairy tale. At a time when loyalty was waning, he transformed business transactions into personal relationships, verging on a social compact. In a letter to his business partners in 1969, Buffett explained his vision for Berkshire Hathaway. "| certainly have no desire to sell a good controlled business run by people | like and admire, merely to obtain a fancy price" The book shows how friendship and kindness can transform lives, while Buffett has famously said that he invests in people, not just businesses. Isn't it these nuggets and perils of wisdom that will set us apart in the rat race that we're all tragically a part of, and remind us of the things that truly matter in life. 💫

So I recently stumbled across a plethora of brands harping on social causes and making claims that they don't stand up for. I did some study and it turns out they've actually coined a term for it, "WOKE WASHING". It occurs when a company pledges to support social concerns but fails to follow through on its promises. It's like slapping a "peace" emblem on a missile to make it appear as if your company is promoting peace when, in reality, it isn't. Consider it similar to placing a "fair trade" label on your coffee but not actually paying the farmers a fair rate. According to a Kantar study, 70% of Gen Z consumers are more likely to buy from a business that supports social and environmental concerns that are important to them. As a result of the pressure on brands to associate themselves with social causes, some have used these movements to cover up unethical actions or to increase their economic success. A case of woke washing; Pepsi was chastised in 2020 for airing an advertisement in which Kendall Jenner participated in a protest and offered a can of Pepsi to a police officer as a symbol of peace. Several people felt that the advertisement trivialised the serious topics of police brutality and social justice movements, and that it was an example of woke washing. The dilemma here is whether brands should actually make misleading promises and promote causes just for the sake of it? 🧠

We use mental models as shortcuts to forecast how things will behave and to make sense of the world around us. We are better equipped to make decisions and handle ambiguity with the more mental models we are familiar with. 🧠  But where the true magic comes is where two seemingly unconnected mental models collide. 🪄 📈 Let me illustrate. The law of Diminishing Returns and the law of Supply and Demand are two very basic mental models that we have all studied in school. In a nutshell, the Law of diminishing returns states that "the more we consume something, the less we enjoy it". And the law of supply-demand is that “when supply is high, demand is low, and vice versa." In order to become the greatest apparel retailer in the world, Zara created a competitive moat at the nexus of these two paradigms. 🎯 Law of diminishing returns taught Zara that consumers of both demographics want to see rapid shifts in the latest styles. So they put money into a cutting-edge supply network. They are able to quickly and reliably identify fashion trends and reduce the time it takes from design to manufacturing. Limited quantities of each design are made before they move on to the next. By doing so, they are able to meet customer demand without incurring unnecessary costs from stocking too much inventory. As a result, Zara has what we can call a "Fresh Fashion Fast" competitive advantage. An added benefit is that customers will visit Zara stores more frequently because they love discovering new fashions there. ✨

I'm excited to start my new job as a Marketing Manager at Samsonite South Asia Pvt Ltd Ecstatic and extremely stirred for this new endeavor. Okay then let’s get the ball oops bag rolling :)

I’m elated to share that I’m starting a new position as Group Head at Grey Group! Ever since I joined Grey Group, BODH always insisted on the need to be protean and fluid. So here I am stepping completely out of my comfort zone and pivoting to something where I can unleash my full potential. 🚀 I would wholeheartedly thank BODH and Shalini for their mentorship and for confiding in me with the different encounters during this stint.✨ Ok then, let’s get the ball rolling :)

Happy Friday :) Ah, meetings! They have the potential to be both the best and worst part of a job. Here are three quick tips for making meetings better: 1. Kick off with a prompt, and have everyone give a short answer. This helps people feel more comfortable speaking up and getting to know each other better. 2. Appoint a facilitator. On video calls, it can be especially hard to figure out how to chime in. I've definitely unmuted, muted, unmuted, muted, etc without ever getting a chance to say anything. A facilitator can watch out for this kind of thing and help ensure equitable discussions. 3. Bring back the phone call! Not every meeting needs to be on video, and picking up the phone instead (or turning off your cameras) can be a nice break from always having to be "on."

Have we ever considered why despite a plethora of options, we prefer to go with the same old classic one? Got this food for thought while nibbling on my go-to favorite chocolate since my salad days, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. Is it the nostalgia, which makes us go back to them? Probably not. The paradox of choice: An economics principle and also a book by Barry Schwartz! Cadbury has more than 23+ variants, agreeing that different people have different taste preferences, yet Cadbury dairy milk silk and fruit and nut are among the most popular ones. It is observed that many brands in spite of having multiple products in their product catalogue have very few one or two products that are known by all and are their most popular ones which then also become the classic product of their many many offerings. We as consumers often stick to one particular product of a brand because when we have many choices to choose from, we often go with the basics, as multiple options cause stress and problematize decision-making rather than making people happy. This phenomenon is called "The Paradox of Choices". Marketers need to create a fine balance between diversifying and expanding their product portfolio and not letting the customer fall into the paradox of choice, which often leaves a customer unsatisfied with their purchase, leading to buyer's remorse. #brand #economics #people #psychology #humanbehavior

We live in hope. Masterfully articulated! Ross Sutherland

There is no spring this year, only war. At this very moment, the Russian army is bombing houses, schools, hospitals, and kindergartens. I'm agitated, scared, and helpless. This emotional cocktail is so overwhelming that it paralyzes me. And yet I'm helpless and can’t act on it. The senseless death and violence Putin has brought down on them has appalled the world. While we all are in a state of despair and clueless as to what is happening, some empathy and togetherness are the need of the hour. If this is not a wake-up call, I don’t know what is.  Empathy is important because it helps us understand how others are feeling so we can respond appropriately to the situation. It is typically associated with social behaviour and there is lots of research showing that greater empathy leads to more helping behavior. While we all are on a wing and a prayer, I feel we should all collectively do our part and advocate for peace and a better tomorrow. If you think something is nice about someone, please tell them, praise them, and appreciate it. Perhaps this is the easiest way to add a hint of positivity and a beacon of hope, to a world that definitely needs it! :) What are your thoughts on the same? #ukraineinvasion #nowar