Skip to main content

Ek Kilo Google eh?

What do Indian Halwai's (dessert makers) and Google's mobile operating system have in common?

That depends - apparently a lot of said purveyors of desi delicacies use their trusty Google OS (Android) powered phones to operate a business or conduct idle chit chats (to go with some chaat).

Also in its latest incarnation of an oriental twist on a western brand, Android is out to get a short list of sweet names for its latest OS version.  Hot contender after Jelly Bean is Kaju Katli.

I saw other suggestions like Ladoo, Jalebi and even Vada Pav (desi burger). 

If that came to pass you can imagine the local yokels saying they have the latest Kaju Katli in their pockets.  It can be viewed favorably or with angst by Chitale (a regional brand leader in desserts comparable to a Parisian Bakery) and their other Bandhu (brethren).  Imagine people wanting to come to Chitale and ordering their mithai (sweet bites) and then walking to the phone shop next door and asking for Kaju Katli?

You mean you get Kaju Katli from either place?  I thought it was a Chitale monopoly?  No?  How come?  What does that mean for the Bandhus that crank out the delicacy all over the country?  Perhaps its a blessing in disguise?  Much similar to the formal partnership Hershey chocolate did in the US with Google to cobrand and comarket Kit Kat candy bars with Android?

More ignoramus in India will wake up to taste the luscious joys of the cashew and milk blended (Kaju Katli) cakes or rolls or bars although the classic is the diamond shaped delicacy with the silver foil adorning it.

Perhaps Kaju Katli would attain world fame and the price of cashews would skyrocket?  Perhaps the Chinese will duplicate the product and undercut the Bandhus creating a full scale trade embargo on all Katlis?

Then Bollywood will produce a movie called 'Kaju ka Katal' (Murder of the Cashew)!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Of Jims and Johns

Here is another essay on the subject of first names. As in birth names. Or names provided to an offspring at birth. While the developed world tends to shy away from the exotic like Refrigerator or Coca Cola for their new production there is a plethora of Jims and Johns and Bobs or Robs. Speaking of which I do not think there is a categoric decision point at the time of birth if a child will be hereafter called as Bob. I mean have not yet met a toddler called Bob or Rob for that matter. At some point though the parental instinct to mouth out multiple syllables runs out and they switch from calling the crawler Robert to simply Robbie to Rob. Now speaking of - it is strange that the name sounds like something you would not want Rob to do - i.e. Rob anyone. Then why call someone that? After all Rob Peter to Pay Paul is not exactly a maxim to live a young life? Is it? Perhaps Peter or Paul might want to have a say in it? Then there is this matter of going to the John. Why degrad...

But What If We're Wrong?

I attempted to read this book by author Chuck Klosterman backward to forward but it started hurting my brain so I decided to stop and do it like any other publication in the English language.  Start from page 1 and move to the right. Witty, caustic and thought provoking this is a book you want to read if you believe that the status quo might, just might be wrong. At times bordering on being contrarian about most things around us it tries to zero in on the notion of what makes anything believable and certain in our minds.  The fact that there is a fact itself is ironic.  Something analogous to the idea that you can never predict the future because there is no future. Many books and movies have tried to play on this concept - best that I recollect (I think I am) was 'The Truman Show'.  This book by Klosterman attempts to provoke the reader to at least contemplate that what they think they know may be wrong. He uses examples like concept of gravity, and how it ...

Presumptive Society

Today's world is hyper connected.  I am not so sure what it means but you hear it a lot.  It is probably hyper but not sure how connected it is.  Sugar (fermented or not) is available in many ways than before and so getting hyper is easy.  It is probably more a threat than cocaine since it is sold legally. And what is this connected stuff?  Most people I encounter seem disconnected from reality.  So going back to this assumption that we are connected there are subtle and no so subtle instances of how brands and companies and middle men try to portray someone - A linkedin profile for somebody working for X years at a place advertises to the connected network that so and so is CELEBRATING X years @ Such and Such Inc. Do we know if (s)he is celebrating or cringing?  Perhaps a better way to portray will be - So and So LASTED X years @ such & such inc. Then it exhorts the readership to go ahead and congratulate them for this lasting effe...