During my carefree and unemployed days, I used to love this time of the year – Jan, Feb, March. Not only is there a Valentine’s Day in between, but these three months are also filled with “End of Season SALE” at various showrooms and malls.
Now that I am finally working, I suddenly hate this time of the year.
Yeah, it’s only when you actually start earning and stop depending on your folk’s money that you realize this time of the year sucks. Uberly.
With the financial year coming to an end, you are either making desperate attempt to invest more in mutual funds, life insurance etc. or running around in the last minute to get your rent receipts or medical bills in order etc. or trying to build up a certain amount of savings that you can’t touch or getting a large chunk of your salary deducted due to tax because you didn’t invest enough etc. etc. Whatever be the case, you end up with hardly anything in your wallet.
And yes, every year since I started working, the same story repeats itself. Ah sometimes I miss the bliss and freedom of not getting paid…
Now you know why all these brands and outlets have humongous SALES and offers during this time of the year - Because they know most people will be extremely tight on their budget. Hah. End of Season Sale, my ass.
Seeing such ridiculous sales does not even humor me anymore. Like for example, this offer I saw at a Mall yesterday. Five years ago, I would be laughing at such a sign. Today, it is no longer funny.
Ok, I confess it does bring a small smile…
but it’s not as funny as it used to be.
And it’s not just the malls and shops that are filled with such offers and discounts. Even our newspapers are blatantly covered with them. TV commercials and sms campaigns bombard you incessantly about Valentine’s Day specials. Seeing all these ads makes me dislike Valentine’s Day even more.
I don’t hate this day because of the Ads. After all, I do work in the advertising industry and it would be really ironic of me to do so. Lolz. No I hate this day because of the timing – why the hell does Valentine’s Day have to fall bang in the middle of tax season? Why not April to December when the cash flow is so much smoother then?
Did the evil old Emperor Claudius foresee all this when he killed Saint Valentine many years ago and said, “Years from now, young lovers will celebrate their love to commemorate his death, but this will also be the time when they’ll have to file for income tax return, submit investment proof etc hence making it difficult for them to buy expensive gifts. This will be the worst mental torture I can bestow upon them. Therefore as a super badass villain, I have just fulfilled my ultimate goal! Bwahahahaa!”
Maybe. Maybe not.
But when you see (or make) such ads shouting out to people that there’s only one way to prove your genuine love and that is by buying her a diamond ring, it kinda makes you cringe as you dig deep into your pocket.
And hell, it’s not just expensive gifts like diamond rings, pearl necklaces and Swiss watches. Today’s TOI frontpage talks about cosmetic surgery as the ideal Valentine’s Day gift!
Well I may be giving my girl a gift. Or I may not. That’s personal. But one thing’s for sure – I am definitely going to include one of those free coupons too, you know, the ones that say “This coupon entitles you to one free hug from me” or “This coupon guarantees that I will be at your beck and call any time of the day from 16 Feb to 25 Feb, 2011” types.
Sweet. Romantic. And cheap
Here’s one such coupon my girl showed me yesterday. As she showed me the ad, she did a slight “ahem” with her throat.
Quickly reading it, I turned the page doing a slight “ahem” with my throat too. She punched me.
But yeah I have to admit – I love this Ad.
At first I thought it was a public service message. And then I saw it was an ad for Nicorette - that TV Ad where the cigarette packet is stuck to the dad’s hand as he tried to throw it in a dustbin. Yeah, very clichéd idea *yawn*. But this new campaign (Quit India – Movement for a Tobacco Free India) is amazing and I just love it.
Upon further investigation, here is their website | Facebook | Twitter links. Follow them. I wonder which Agency made this. And why had there been no louder buzz regarding this campaign??? I really am contemplating about quitting… one day…
Maybe I’ll update my blog with those free coupons I was talking about earlier (free foot massage etc). But for a free coupon, this Nicorette campaign “I quit smoking for the one I love” Valentine’s Day coupon is freaking awesome. I love it! I think this coupon is way better and more precious than all the D’damas and De Beers gifts a guy can give to his girl.
Ladies, what do you think?
Now that I am finally working, I suddenly hate this time of the year.
Yeah, it’s only when you actually start earning and stop depending on your folk’s money that you realize this time of the year sucks. Uberly.
With the financial year coming to an end, you are either making desperate attempt to invest more in mutual funds, life insurance etc. or running around in the last minute to get your rent receipts or medical bills in order etc. or trying to build up a certain amount of savings that you can’t touch or getting a large chunk of your salary deducted due to tax because you didn’t invest enough etc. etc. Whatever be the case, you end up with hardly anything in your wallet.
And yes, every year since I started working, the same story repeats itself. Ah sometimes I miss the bliss and freedom of not getting paid…
Now you know why all these brands and outlets have humongous SALES and offers during this time of the year - Because they know most people will be extremely tight on their budget. Hah. End of Season Sale, my ass.
Seeing such ridiculous sales does not even humor me anymore. Like for example, this offer I saw at a Mall yesterday. Five years ago, I would be laughing at such a sign. Today, it is no longer funny.
Ok, I confess it does bring a small smile…
but it’s not as funny as it used to be.And it’s not just the malls and shops that are filled with such offers and discounts. Even our newspapers are blatantly covered with them. TV commercials and sms campaigns bombard you incessantly about Valentine’s Day specials. Seeing all these ads makes me dislike Valentine’s Day even more.
I don’t hate this day because of the Ads. After all, I do work in the advertising industry and it would be really ironic of me to do so. Lolz. No I hate this day because of the timing – why the hell does Valentine’s Day have to fall bang in the middle of tax season? Why not April to December when the cash flow is so much smoother then?
Did the evil old Emperor Claudius foresee all this when he killed Saint Valentine many years ago and said, “Years from now, young lovers will celebrate their love to commemorate his death, but this will also be the time when they’ll have to file for income tax return, submit investment proof etc hence making it difficult for them to buy expensive gifts. This will be the worst mental torture I can bestow upon them. Therefore as a super badass villain, I have just fulfilled my ultimate goal! Bwahahahaa!”
Maybe. Maybe not.
But when you see (or make) such ads shouting out to people that there’s only one way to prove your genuine love and that is by buying her a diamond ring, it kinda makes you cringe as you dig deep into your pocket.
And hell, it’s not just expensive gifts like diamond rings, pearl necklaces and Swiss watches. Today’s TOI frontpage talks about cosmetic surgery as the ideal Valentine’s Day gift!
Well I may be giving my girl a gift. Or I may not. That’s personal. But one thing’s for sure – I am definitely going to include one of those free coupons too, you know, the ones that say “This coupon entitles you to one free hug from me” or “This coupon guarantees that I will be at your beck and call any time of the day from 16 Feb to 25 Feb, 2011” types.
Sweet. Romantic. And cheap
Here’s one such coupon my girl showed me yesterday. As she showed me the ad, she did a slight “ahem” with her throat.
Quickly reading it, I turned the page doing a slight “ahem” with my throat too. She punched me.
But yeah I have to admit – I love this Ad.
At first I thought it was a public service message. And then I saw it was an ad for Nicorette - that TV Ad where the cigarette packet is stuck to the dad’s hand as he tried to throw it in a dustbin. Yeah, very clichéd idea *yawn*. But this new campaign (Quit India – Movement for a Tobacco Free India) is amazing and I just love it.
Upon further investigation, here is their website | Facebook | Twitter links. Follow them. I wonder which Agency made this. And why had there been no louder buzz regarding this campaign??? I really am contemplating about quitting… one day…
Maybe I’ll update my blog with those free coupons I was talking about earlier (free foot massage etc). But for a free coupon, this Nicorette campaign “I quit smoking for the one I love” Valentine’s Day coupon is freaking awesome. I love it! I think this coupon is way better and more precious than all the D’damas and De Beers gifts a guy can give to his girl.
Ladies, what do you think?
10 comments:
Vanlentines day hian i lung aleng thei awm ! :-)
Thlaka khi eng phone camera alak nge ?
:P
Samsung Galaxy S.
I know that Cantabil discount. They sell 1 pair of 3rd-class badly-cut poorly-fitted pants as high as 2500/- Their discount is kinda like an insult to the educated mass.
Valentine's Day is a commercial Holiday! Had it not been for the Archie's, Hallmarks, etc. it would be something like May Day, Everyone knows when it is, but don't really know why. hehe..
But sure, when you look at it from the Advertising perspective, it definitely establishes the triumph of Advertising as a powerful weapon for mass-mind-control.. :) Hope you had a good one.
Happy Valentines Day Kima!! :D
Hope you had a great day! ;)
The Ad is hilarious and bordering on ridiculous! I saw this here in Bangalore as well and couldn't help but roll my eyes!!
The quit smoking certificate is a good deal if you ask me! :P ;)
I'm the brokest I've ever been in two years I think. I've been running around with my insurance, investment, medical, rent papers. And after all that I realised I made some mistake in my 'cleverly' planned out tax saving plans so it seems I'm going to be paying a LOT of tax this year. I hate hate hate this season. And for V day to fall in between of all of these :( I was able to buy a decent gift only because I used my credit card. As for the coupon, bah! I don't think there's any point in putting down a lie on a certificate when you can get away with just saying it.
MURDER THE CUPID!!!!
yelp, it's always prudent to plan these tax savings and investments , hopefully finalized all of these bills and rebates by december for the whole financial year.... that way we can have more breathing space.
why don't someone introduce 1 girlfriend 2 free or something like it...hehe
The campaign was done by my agency, BBDO. One of the accounts i work (am working) on. Glad that you liked this campaign! :)
This is perfect actually I used to buy cheap things during Valentine days, because I consider love is based in special details not if it is expensive.
Very effective piece of writing, thanks for your post.
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