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Be Her, Be The Leader with SheThePeople

No sooner did the folks at SheThePeopleTV invite me over to pen down my thoughts about ‘Women in Leadership’, my mind raced. I thought about writing about the women who have left a mark in their respective fields. It would be great to write about Coco Chanel for her amazing vision and creativity in the field of fashion or about Indira Gandhi who pioneered the Educate the Girl Child campaign in the early 70’s. Scanning the more recent times I thought to pen down my thoughts about Sunita Williams who paved a path for women even in space and Deepika Padukone who had the courage to embrace her weaknesses and walk out victorious. However I choose to write about someone more normal & real someone practically unheard about, someone who everyone knows but doesn’t recognise as much. 

#EveryWomanIsALeader is so true if I look around myself. Be it my mother, my aunt, my little princess and even my maid, I see leadership in each of them. However until a very short while ago, the only real leader I missed seeing was ‘Me’. 

With the best of education, the most enriching work responsibilities and numerous education and achievement awards in the study cabinet I failed to see the leader in me. When I pondered about it I realised even though people around me believed it, my leadership never occurred to me. However the dynamics changed a few years ago. Being at a helm of a successful career I was asked to choose between two really important things. I chose #PrincessHeer, I chose motherhood, I chose to be a business, I chose to risk, I chose to employ, and I chose to live on my own terms. 

Building my business from ground up, I felt a leader. Every adventurous route I chose to venture into to express myself, every project I pitched for to embark on a new path, every success and failure I tasted, I felt a leader. I realised that the radical approach I had in myself changed drastically giving me a sneak-peek into the person waiting there to be found. Much before the world sees your potential, you yourself need to see it to nurture it cause #EveryWomanIsALeader. If you’re a business person your leadership skills are in making your business grow, if you are a working professional your leadership skills are in executing the project assigned making the right decisions and implementing them and if you are a home-maker your leadership skills are witnessed in the smooth and beautiful running of your home. So you are a leader. 

Be Her, Be The Leader with SheThePeople

Over time the change that happened within me made me realise that there needs to be a new thought process that requires to be instilled in every mind to bring out ‘Leadership in Women’. 

EMPOWER: Be it yourself or other women, an environment that empowers women is the first step. 
ENGAGE: Strike a conversation to enable women to realise their potential and exploit those qualities. 
ELEVATE: Applaud women who have made a mark and raised the bar of success. Inspire and be inspired as everyday becomes a new benchmark. 

Closer home I have two great leaders that I look up to… My mom, whose journey I penned in my post ‘My Mom, My Mia’ and my aunt who inspired me to write, ‘A Woman Redefined, A Mardaani’. 

Be Her, Be The Leader with SheThePeople

These are my thoughts on ‘Women in Leadership’ and how to recognise the leader within for the #EveryWomanIsALeader campaign by SheThePeopleTV. Do share your thoughts on the subject and take a chance at winning an all-expense-paid trip to an exciting destination. To participate click here!
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As a stylist I am amazed to comprehend how fashion and style have evolved over the years. Historical events, climatic conditions and traditional beliefs have influenced the way people dress throughout the decades. Some styles have remained eternal standing the test of time to reinforce their power as the classics. 

While some came and disappeared within a single season, falling to the “going out of style” fad of changing trends. Thus by that permutation and combination the only constant in fashion is ‘CHANGE’. 

Change…. The only constant has not been restricted to fashion styles or makes. It has made a presence felt even in the experience that inculcates fashion into your lifestyle. At the onset fashion was first made available to people like you and me at boutique stores closer home and then with time were converted in huge malls with brands brimming with their latest collections. But for us professional stylists, we had to scale the fashion hubs all over the world to procure prevailing trends for our clientele. But this was so restricting that sometimes fashion wasn’t what fashion was supposed to be. Over the years thanks to globalization and the advancement in technology the world has become a relatively smaller and a hugely close-knit place. 

Today, I see what’s happening all over the world and indulge in what I like from the comfort of my home. The digital world has enabled me to see what the fashion fraternity has to offer and follow the movers and shakers of the industry. I see what they are wearing, how top celebrities are styled and what brands are churning out one season after another and how I can adopt those to suit my style. 

Over the last few years online shopping has become such a routine thing for me that I prefer to shop online after comparing prices and products with a click of a mouse. Gone are the days when I made shopping lists or stood in long payment queue or lugged heavy shopping bags around. 

The beauty of technology has made shopping such a pleasure, for which I have to thank all those geeks working on the regular technological developments. And these crazy geeks don’t stop at anything. After addicting me with online shopping they have taken a step forward, creating mobile applications to keep me abreast with the latest trends when I’m on the go.

The next big thing in the Fashion-Technology segment is mobile-based applications. The gen-next no longer wants to be grounded (pun intended) and be dependent on laptops or desktops for their online shopping needs. They want to shop on the go… access fashion apps everywhere. 

So you will ask me what’s the deal about mobile-based apps when I can surf  the brand’s mobile site? 

Fashion Takes A Huge Stride Forward With Myntra App
Fashion Takes A Huge Stride Forward With Myntra App

Well for starters the mediums, mobile site and mobile apps allow me to access the brands but they are definitely not the same. A mobile site is the same as the actual website on a smaller space while a mobile app is a fashion corner on the mobile device.  Not only is the app easy to access every time I want to look for a product, it also is convenient and quick. The app is a clever friend that knows my preferences and sends me instant notifications on new collections that would suit my style, availability of products I’m interest in and a definitive better product price. Additionally I believe the mobile-app based shopping will enable a mobile payment option that could be used across various platforms making it secure and safe. 

But how many brands today have the courage to move from a tried and tested website mode to an app mode? Most play it safe with presence in both the versions, but not the trendsetters. Myntra, the major Indian fashion e-store has announced that keeping in line with the technological and digital advancements the brand will shut down its website and will going forward retail only through its mobile app.

The first of its kind initiative to become the only mobile app retailer will give Myntra a huge advantage before the competition catches up. I am looking forward to the systematic phase-out of the website into a more experience enhancing mobile app that shall up my style and fashion ante, cause #ItsPersonal.

What are your thoughts about this move? 
~ Heena
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Is Alkaline Water Good For Health?

One of the five most important elements in the universe is water and so is the case with the human body. Almost 70% of the human body is made of water and it is very crucial to maintain that balance. 

Thus time and again experts have emphasised the importance of drinking a certain amount of water daily. So how much water must a common man drink every day? Backed by a lot of research, health reports emphasis drinking 2.5 to 3 litres of water to maintain a healthy body, keep energy levels all throughout the day, have mental clarity and ensure vitality. 

It has been observed that even a 5% drop in body fluid results in a massive decrease in the quality of life. Dehydration causes a large number of complications and thus to re-energise we must replace dehydration with rehydration. However it is just not enough to rehydrate your body, but it is equally important to rehydrate with the right type of water which is clean, filtered and above all Alkaline. 

Not only you but even I would ask what the real difference between normal and alkaline water is. I would argue that the body will naturally work towards obtaining what it needs and get it from whatever is supplemented to it. But that is not true. Forget about discussing the negative effects of acidic water and lets concentrate on discussing the positives of Alkaline water. 

. Alkaline water has a much higher PH which helps the body neutralize acidic waste which is harmful for
  the human body. 
. Alkaline water has an abundance of negatively charged hydroxyl icons called Oxidation Reduction       
  Potential (ORP) which actively seek out and neutralise cancer causing radicals. 
. Last but not the least Alkaline water is micro-clustered into groups of 4 to 6 H2O molecules instead of 
  the regular 12 to 16 molecules per cluster. 
Is Alkaline Water Good For Health?

So how do you get Alkaline water? There are numerous ways to make water alkaline.... from alkaline sticks to household items like limes or lemons or adding PH drops or minerals. These options would definitely make water alkaline however they would not remove the impurities and pollutants from the water that I would consume.

One of the most effective methods of making water alkaline is using a Water Ionizer. A simple home appliance that produces alkaline water through the process of ionization is the Hydro-Jal Plus Alkaline Water Ionizer that is the most advanced, compact, stylish and affordable alkaline water ionizer that fulfils the global health standards. Once installed it offers water that can benefit my body: 

~ Slows down the aging process and assists in weight loss
~ Removes the impurities, pollutants and toxins from the body
~ Improves mental health and concentration
~ Boosts energy, provides stamina and encourages sound sleep
~ Improves the immune strength, digestion and body metabolism

There are loads more. But do you still need additional reasons to incorporate alkaline water in your daily routine? I don’t think so. Do call the guys and check the acidic/alkaline levels of your drinking water by requesting a free demo and then take a call. 

Invest in your health, like I am, 
~ Heena
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See The Pepsi IPL Action Off The Field

Every IPL season Pepsi arrives with some of the best campaigns to engage their fans and this year they invited fans to #CrashThePepsiIPL in a very unique way. Fans were invited to make a 30 second Pepsi commercial that if made the cut would be aired during the Pepsi IPL 2015. Interesting isn't it? And guess what Blogadda invited bloggers to check the #CrashThePepsiIPL videos and dish out our take on them. 

But there is always a catch… The commercial needed to be unique, fun, quirky yet something that could be viewed on national television. And your efforts will be judged on originality and creativity and will be judged by some heavyweights too. However if you do have cold feet, fear not! There are some awesome people to help you with your commercial with their expert insights… So take their help and roll away to entertain us. 

Week on week new commercials made by people like you and I are added to the existing list and the competition sure is heating up. With some crazy one, some super cute and some downright silly ones too. With some time on my hands last weekend, I did go crazy watching advert after advert. And the array of expressions on my face every 30 seconds, my husband finally decided to join in, into the fun. As we sat watching the commercials, we had our own HITLISTS. 

One always tends to go with the shortlisted entries or finalists, but I decided to stay away from those. Scrolling through numerous entries I found a couple that I really liked. 


First up is the super cute commercial Pepsi Buddies about three friends by Muni Agarwal. What I loved about this commercial is the amazing production value, the fantastic screenplay and the three characters. What begins as a fun day-out, gives you a moment of shrill when the boys wink at each other and finally ends in exactly what the brand Pepsi is all about… fun! All the three actors are perfect for the advert cute, stylish and fun-loving. 


Next up is the hilarious commercial Boom Man by Gaurav Nayyar which mocks a superstar; with an interesting story line this advert deserves a place in the shortlisted entries for sure. Maybe in the coming week, it may move into the next phase of the competition. The end is definitely the clincher, super awesome super fantastic. The actors have done a fabulous job and played their parts to the ‘T’.


I was hoping against all odds that I didn’t counter the first night commercial in this initiative but I was so so so very wrong. Just like the geniuses I mentioned in my previous post, Honey Let’s Watch The Commercials First we have a super genius here too. Anshul Agrawal found some fault in the suhagraat aka first night and solved the problem with some Pepsi. 

Help me now!
~ Heena
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#Fame Launches The #LakméSchoolOfStyle

When I first heard about #fame, I wondered what it would be. As I scrolled through their site I realised the folks behind the concept were building a movement of sorts for fashion and beauty enthusiasts like me. With the Digital World becoming the most powerful tool today, the talent on it definitely are the most influential individuals. These experts do what they love and prosper to liv their #fame. Venturing into various genres of the digital entertainment segment #fame invites talented individuals to join their forces and grow with them building a community of like-minded people.

#Fame provides a platform, a network that provides an equal opportunity to everyone whatever is their interest. Inspiring partnerships #fame offers access to create, curate, communicate and capitalize your ideas and show them to the world. 

One such amazing initiative is the Lakmé School of Style. Known as one of the pioneers in the Indian beauty industry scenario Lakmé is now creating a legacy of style and beauty for new age enthusiasts. As things keep changing in the fashion and beauty industry all around the world, Lakmé is striving to bring these trends to the Indian masses via the #fame #LakméSchoolOfStyle.

India’s first fashion-beauty video channel brings in perspective not only from the movers and shakers of the industry, but also from the view point of normal everyday people. Celebrities, Designers, Stylists, Bloggers and Vloggers contribute towards the channel via short refreshing and interesting fashion, make-up, beauty and relationships videos. While browsing through the videos I chanced upon a really great video by Shivan & Narresh where they talk about how to sculpt your body with the right swimwear.

The duo takes us through the four most basic Indian body types and the swimwear that would be most ideal for each. The video is a lifesaver for many girls like me who are unaware swimwear styles that would suit our body types and end up buying and wearing the wrong ones. See the video to know more…



I have sure benefitted from this video in identifying my body type and picking the right swimsuits that would enhance me. Just to think I've been picking the wrong swimwear until now and doing it all wrong. Rest assured now coming from the custodians of India’s first luxury swimwear brand, Shivan & Narresh who aim at making swimsuit an active part of the Indian wardrobe, I'm going to be picking the right stuff. A great informative video sure helps to make a splash by the beach-side. 

What really sets the #fame #LakmeSchoolofStyle apart from other numerous channels is the versatility in content that comes straight from the experts. You should definitely check it out to stay abreast with what’s happening in the Fashion and Beauty world. 

So start watching and get dressing, 
~ Heena

Lakmé School of Style is a first of its kind show that will not only bring the newest trends and happenings from the fashion world but in the process will also create new age fashionistas and idols. A fashion brigade led by Editor-in-Chief, Karan Johar himself will bring the fashion news, views and events from all over the world to the internet screen.
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Summer is here and Café Coffee Day has launched its delectable menu of summertime refreshers. And to celebrate it they invited some awesome bloggers to come and sample the gorgeously refreshing line of Slushies and Smoothies. As I made way to the Bandra outlet I was full of enthusiasm to fight it out in the #CCDSummerSlam to find the best flavor of the launch. 

New Drinks Menu Launched At Cafe Coffee Day

Keeping in tune with the current IPL fever the drinks were categorized as each team in the current IPL season. As I was dressed in a creamy yellow shirt, they assigned me to Team Kolkata Rasmalai Smoothie. Likewise all bloggers were assigned to different teams to participate and play some fun activities. 

New Drinks Menu Launched At Cafe Coffee Day

We began with a blindfold tasting session where a few flavours were sampled in cute short glasses. First up were the Rasmalai Smoothie, Strawberry Blast Slush and Tropical Spice Slush. 

The Rasmalai Smoothie was a royal variation of the Indian sweet re-imagined with a divine creamy concoction in the almond flavor with bite size pieces of a rasmalai. It was heaven to taste. Next up was the Strawberry Blast Slush a perfectly blended combination of strawberries and pomegranates. And then was the Tropical Spice Slush infused with granita topped with jalapenos to leave a tangy taste in the mouth. It was fun to watch fellow blogger try out flavours blind-folded and their reactions to the taste and aromas. 

New Drinks Menu Launched At Cafe Coffee Day

Then there was teams fight between the Slushes and the Smoothies and guess what team smoothies won beautifully. Hitting the corresponding suspended in air mini-standees we hit bull’s eye each time and scored a gorgeous Café Coffee Day mug. 

The next set of samplers arrived and gave an amazing high to the taste buds with the fruity Strawberry Pom Smoothie and Mango Peach Smoothie, finally topping up with the Pink Lemonade that was loaded with the goodness of the pink grape fruit. Within the chaotic fun and mingling among the bloggers lunch was served in a variety of CCD sandwiches and pastries. Smoothies and Slushes were doled out in huge numbers according to the likes of every person present. A rainbow of hues was seen cooling down the highly charged atmosphere. 

New Drinks Menu Launched At Cafe Coffee Day

If there is one thing you must do during the rising temperatures in Mumbai, it is to visit the nearest Café Coffee Day outlet and enjoy a refreshing beverage to cool off. 

Signing off on a refreshed note,
~ Heena
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Last year when we were planning on redoing our home it was such a tough task. We were so very confused about each detail that we choose options with the old age inky-pinky-ponky rhyme. We soon realised that if we continued with this stupidity we would make a mess of what was supposed to be our dream home.

Hiring Professional Interior Designers from Floorspace

Finally we decided and spoke to our parents about bringing in an interior designer, but we were shooed away. Their argument; we were educated enough to do it ourselves. There was no point in paying huge amounts to the interior decorator who not only charges a fee but also a percentage of the purchase bill amounts. Educated we are but not experts. We had no idea about design specifications, costing, timelines or man-power. 

Thus instead of taking the risk heads up we decided to wait it out until we found someone that had the expertise to hold our hands and walk us into a house that we wanted to build but couldn’t envisage the journey that would take us there. 

And then a few days ago we were introduced to Floorspace an exquisite, professional interior designing brand that makes your dreams a reality. The in-house experts understand your needs from classic to modern and bring in the contemporary individualistic glam-chic within the concept to give the design your personal touch. They offer interior design options that house you in a way that compliments your lifestyle. With hundreds of designs and pricing details available on their website, we could discover our budget without having to waste our time going from store to store.

Hiring Professional Interior Designers from Floorspace

Floorspace Interior Designs offer solutions for all your design needs via a new generation adaptive interior design concept which is very unique indeed! The platform offers pre-designed interiors that fit into living spaces of thousands of apartment and villa floor-plans thereby enabling you to save design costs. They also undertake niche and totally custom work incase your project is not yet a part of the Floorspace landscape or you need that complete need tailor-made solution. Be it modular wardrobes for your gorgeous bedrooms or a statement modular kitchen to suit your lifestyle as well as your available floor space.

While browsing through the numerous available designs I loved the fact that these modular components are available in various options to suit your budget, color combinations and materials. Not just the bigger picture, there is also a lot of flexibility in customizing each and every little aspect of the cabinets and shelves. 

Hiring Professional Interior Designers from Floorspace

4 easy steps and you can be on your way to start the interiors! You can begin with selecting something that you like on their website and discuss your design needs and choices with an expert without having to pay anything. With more clarity on your needs, the consultant provides you a pretty close estimate for your dream space. Depending on the budgets you can then go about redoing bits and pieces to suit your style and budget at the same time. Floorspace indeed is that bridge that takes you from your dreams and aspirations to an honest reality. 

So when you decide to take the home plunge, call out to Floorspace to hold your hand.

…and oh! The best part – Not only we got our dream home but that priceless pat on our back from our parents for we seem to have certainly broken their myth !

Untill then, 
~ Heena
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A Rendezvous With AskmeBazaar, Kangana Ranaut

Last week the lovely folks at AskmeBazaar invited me over to witness the splendor of the brand at Bungalow 9 Bandra. 

The event was designed as an interaction of the brand custodians with the media whilst a brief rendezvous with lucky winners of the online campaign hosted by the e-commerce major. The online campaign was a fun valentine contest where participants were to use innovative methods to profess their love for the Bollywood Diva Kangana Ranaut. Winners were chosen from a pool of over thousands on participants on the basis of innovation, expression and style. 

As the event began there was a lot of buzz around the diva’s own style choices and I for one love the edginess she inculcates in her style. She arrived for the event much on time wearing a silk top and tiered maxi skirt from Plakinger. I loved the color of the ensemble and it looked great against her skin tone; however I felt the bust-line was a bit loose for my liking. 

With conversations, photo opportunities and loads of questions, Kangana stayed calm and composed and politically correct in her responses. She shared her thought on online shopping and personal styling. While she does have a personal stylist to style her for professional commitments, she revealed that she shops for her day-to-day needs herself and just like us she does her own hair and make-up. 
I really loved her views on Women Empowerment. She emphasized that only women themselves should not be required to fight for equality but every single individual in the world should work towards creating a powerful yet supportive environment for women. She said she wants a world equal for all beings without having to struggle for it.   

As the event progressed Mr. Amardeep Bajpai, Chief Marketing Officer of AskmeBazaar recounted Kangana’s dependability, versatility and talent in the very competitive film world. He reiterated that the contest was a natural step to introduce fun and excitement amongst the huge fan-following that Kangana has. 

With rushing out for her other professional commitments, Kangana was extremely courteous and wonderful. It was a fun event where I got a chance to spend time with some fellow-bloggers. As we headed home we were given a gorgeous goodie-bag with loads of blogger-useful stuff. 

Until more,
~ Heena
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Bad Lifestyle Habits That Make Insurance Most Important

In this day and age, we are all largely responsible for turning our bodies into a living corpse, giving the medical fraternity every opportunity to invent names for the diseases that plague us. The need of the day is to improve our lifestyles, abstain ourselves from bad habits, and embrace a healthy life; the way it is supposed to be. 

Most youngsters today would question what bad habits are? Everyone has their own different reality of ‘bad habits’. What keeps you from feeling healthy, fit, and better? Here is a checklist that keeps you away from ‘everything good’. And if you see one or more from the list that you’re bundling yourself with, drop the extra freight and race ahead. 

Smoking Kills
When someone thought of the statutory warning ‘Smoking Kills’, there must have been some grave thought that went behind it. Every year, over 20 million people worldwide die or are rendered disabled owing to the diseases for which cigarettes are the direct/indirect cause. Each of these deaths are completely preventable; just kick the butt! 

Alcohol Ages
Every drop of alcohol is in some way damaging to our body and brain cells. In addition, alcohol contains chemically active additives that numb logical thinking and behavior as well. 

Stop being a night owl
Sleep deprivation makes the worst of all problems when it is completely unnecessary. There is no real need to stay up late for any reason whatsoever. Switch off that idiot box, create a cozy atmosphere and get a good night’s sleep that can beat any vacation. 

Drugs or Prescription Drugs
There is a reason why they are called drugs. When abused, prescription and OTC drugs can be addictive and put abusers at risk for other adverse health effects. 

The Two W Woes
It is needless to mention how the two Ws, Weight and Worry, can have a debilitating impact on our health and wellness. Maintaining a disciplined lifestyle and abstaining from unnecessary indulgences can go a long way towards good health. 

When we are young we are reckless, but as we grow older, get married, start families and build businesses, we come to realize the importance of security. And with such sense of security, comes the fundamental need of having sound financial plans through Royal Sundaram’s Lifeline Health Insurance. Lifeline is a holistic indemnity plan from Royal Sundaram that covers the health insurance needs of you and your family. Lifeline is offered not only as an Individual plan for adults above 18 years of age but also as a Family Floater option that covers the applicant, spouse, and up to four dependent children aged between 91 days and 25 years. Lifeline Health Insurance options are available as Classic, Supreme and Elite variants covering from INR 2 Lacs up to INR 1.5 Crores.

What could possibly be more comforting than the knowledge and assurance that your money will be available when you most need it or when your loved ones need it in your absence? If this primary reason isn’t enough for you to ink the deal, here are a few more reasons you must rethink: 

Protect Your Loved Ones
Reason no. 1 to get insurance is to ensure that your family, which is financially dependent on you, never has to struggle for monetary support in your absence. It becomes doubly important if your dependents are young children and elderly parents, who have no direct source of income.

Supports You
Insurance gives you the space, opportunity, and the peace of mind when you need it the most. Be it an accident, a health scare, or a lifestyle issue, your insurance will help you put the best foot forward.

Financial Security
When you are a responsible parent, one thing you always want is that your children are taken care of at all times. Financial security ensures that your children go to school, get quality education, get married and continue to live in the same way in your absence as they do while you are by their side. 

Pay Debts
Apart from providing security for the future, insurance also helps in clearing any past debts that may put the family in a difficult situation. Mortgage, loans, and day-to-day expenses just keep mounting up and weigh down the family with the financial burden aside from the tremendous emotional stress. 

Tough times can come on anyone. So the best thing to do is be prepared before disaster strikes. 

Be prepared & be insured!
~ Heena
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Honey, Lets Watch The Commercials First

Apparently when I was studying Advertising at St. Xaviers; my understanding was that commercials are information dissemination tools for brands. Boy I couldn't be more wrong! 

The world of commercials is a great space, however over time exploited by some serious dummies. Advertising has graduated from some outstanding brilliant moments to some tummy churning hysterical epics to some downtrodden disgusting pornography. 

Forgive yourself if you think I’m wrong or rude or obnoxious, because I forgive you.

When I was young and silly I presented my project for Brand Communication in college emphasizing on the positive and happy elements that advertisements bring to a common man. My thoughts behind the rationale then were the super sweet commercials which viewers could relate to? Remember the Cadbury Dairy Milk advert of a young woman running on a cricket field when her friend scores a century. I could so be that girl and I’m sure many guys can relate to the main lead in the commercial. The Hamara Bajaj campaign that was so Indian that eventually the song became close to an anthem.

Over the years very many commercials have hit the bulls eye and left a tear in the eye and a smile on the face of the viewer. The Daag Aache Hai campaign by Surf Excel changed the mindset of so many Indian moms, the Tanishq campaigns that instills a sense of pride in women. Adverts that tickle the funny bone also leave a great recall value like Fevicol and Xerox that have become synonyms of the product they promote. However some great minds think that bad adverts too leave a mark and thus conceptualize irritating campaigns like the one for naukri.com surrounding the tyrant boss Hari Sadu and the series of super stupid and dumb Havells cable adverts.

Then comes the concept of trickery, bullshitting about a product so much that even the known lie seems like the truth. In a way it is a genius, tricking people into buying a practically useless product. Wouldn’t it be so tough for the women to fall around if every man used the same deo or face wash that claims that all women will fall head over heels for you. Or the fairness cream that makes you the fairest of them all, why didn't Snow White's step mom use it instead of asking her mirror repeatedly? 

Of all I salute the con artists … superstars like Shahrukh Khan promoting men’s fairness cream to Saif Ali Khan ridiculously dancing his way to win a race wearing an undergarment to Priyanka Chopra’s mouth freshener ad to Deepika Padukone’s weight loss challenge to Yami Gautam's fairness challenge. Some creative liberties seem so lame. 

Unfortunately the thin line between creating brand awesomeness and brand recall is diminishing. Marketers are using the concept of brand recognition as they please following the rule of publicity…. Good or bad doesn’t matter; it is publicity. 

The ads that titillate for apparently no reason to begin with and then douse in cold ice water take the crown for well actually nothing.  But realistic they are…. first night commercials with the blushing bride and the can’t-wait-to-get-my-hands-on-you groom. These are perfectly thought out commercials, the only ones on the idiot box that you shall instantly identify with. Oh yes you would. Either you have been there or you definitely want to be there. Here are the gems from the treasure box..

Center Fresh Endless, brings in the classic first night for the bride and groom… Hey listen girl I am so concerned about my hair, oh wait I need some endless lasting mint flavored freshness to work my magic tonight. So wait baby… 


VGuard understands how long you’ve waited for your babe. So no waiting anymore, jump onto the wagon straight. But wait you jumped straight to the adoption center. But why? Watch to know how you could have full time power for non-stop happiness. 


Eurovision has some great vision into the first night of young couples, so they did send out a very important and an extremely sound warning to the new generation. Whether you want to follow it or not, definitely rewrite it so someone else may follow the heed.




Anyways if you have not erred as yet, stay calm and be careful; because if your furniture is not Kitply compatible then you get a really different first night gift. Don’t believe me? Watch!


And then two supercool brands Zatak Deo and IndianOil show us that if you make your bride wait too long there are dire consequences….. Check the TVS to know more. 




And if everything goes well everyone will ‘Know What You Did Tonight’ but it’s just that you didn’t do it. Or maybe you end up listening to the track ‘And I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that’ on your brand new Motorola mobile phone. 


OMG as I join in on all the Pepsi IPL action in my own style with the #CrashThePepsiIPL activity at BlogAdda I realise Pepsi isn't far behind in exploiting the bride-groom equation. However they still haven't reached the first night stage, but have attacked the pheras with guess who? Tanmay Bhat! 


If you've managed to survive this far and think it's in you to #CrashThePepsiIPL, make your own Pepsi advert and if its impressive it could play on TV during the Pepsi IPL. And well, if your advert is one of the finalist you stand a chance to win prize money to the tune of One Lakh rupees. So what are you waiting for guys; shoot, edit, upload now.

And if you want to collaborate leave me a comment. 
~ Heena
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Every year new trends find their way into the fashion sector and fashionistas rush to inculcate these into their wardrobe. Sometimes with the rapid changes in fashion, women find it difficult to keep up with these changes. However, changing your taste as per the changing trends can surely pinch your pocket and create a dent in your bank accounts. So when you are shopping for evening wear, invest in evening dresses that are timeless pieces that you can wear multiple times.

Tips To Accessorise Your Evening Dress

The catch here is to get simple yet solid colours and straightforward designs that are easy to mix and match. Some quintessential evening dresses that will never go out of style are: 
  • A V-neck maxi dress in basic colours that is very flattering yet stylish with a deep neckline that flatters all body shapes. 
  • A strapless heart-shaped or corset style cocktail dress in metallic or pastel colours depending on the skin tone. 
  • A single shoulder fitted dress that emphasizes the slender neck and petite shoulders that is very theatrical. 
  • A halter neck upper body-hugging tea length evening dresses that flatters most body shapes while highlighting the feet. 
  • A noodle strap dress that suits petite and delicate frames and looks fetching in prints and stripes. 
Tips To Accessorise Your Evening Dress

Picking the right evening dress is not enough alone. It is equally important that you accessorise it right as well. The thumb rule is not to have more than 4 colours going on at any point in time while dressing so as to look sophisticated and not like a rainbow. Here is a cheat sheet to accessorise the best you can.

Tips To Accessorise Your Evening Dress
  • Make a statement with just one accessory. If you plan to wear chandelier earrings, keep the neck free. If you opt for a cocktail ring, keep the neck-piece and earring simple.  
  • When confused go for the classic combination of studs, chain necklace and a simple bracelet.
  • Do not accessorise a heavily embellished dress with any jewellery, go for a delicate purse. 
  • Pick a gown keeping the jewellery and heels you have in mind.
Do you agree? Did I miss any tips? Leave me your thoughts.
~ Heena
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Kutch is so mesmerising that every time I look at the #RannUtsav pictures I feel I’m still there. When I first penned my post 10 Things To Do During Rann Utsav in Kutch I wanted to go back and visit it all over again. Next year again maybe.

What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert

I may change a few things along the way but I will still stay at Shilp Gram Kutch just outside the city of Bhuj. It has been the best lodging decision we made. With a small little colony of luxury cottages made of red mud, painted with the traditional white limestone amidst the barren land, the property is cosy and comfortable.
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert

After a couple of hectic days, a day spent at the Kalo Dungar and a day when we paid our respects at the Narayan-Koteshwar Temple we finally had a day with a relatively rested morning. As soon as we woke up the excitement to visit the White Desert took over. We had already obtained the permit the previous day and our next destination was the much applauded White Rann, after the Amitabh Bachhan’s campaign. 

As we reached Khavda we were surrounded by little children asking for money as we drove towards the #RannUtsav. The road is a single lane drive, well maintained and well patrolled. After about few kilometres it was romantic, picturesque and virtually impossible to write about. So I’ll let the pictures do the talking. 

Enjoy!

What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert
What To Do During Rann Utsav, Detailed Itinerary For A Day At The White Desert

#PrincessHeer just wasn't ready to leave. Finally, when her daddy promised to bring her back again the next day did she relent. 

I really wish we could have gone back again the next day. 


Until more #iCynosureTravels,
~ Heena
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