Karthik S | beastoftraal.com

Name-search gets a boost from Google’s virtual visiting cards

August 17, 2020August 17, 2020 by Karthik S

One of the more important aspects of personal branding online is a name search. I know that sounds utterly vain, but when you see it from the perspective of others name-searching you to know more about who you are, what you do…

No comment

Adult diapers using the sanitary napkin narrative

August 14, 2020August 14, 2020 by Karthik S

I recall seeing ads for adult diapers/dry pants in US-based magazines that do not have the ‘look’ that the category usually gets in India. In India, for some reason, the ads tend to use a fuddy-duddy outlook. But one Indian adult diaper…

No comment

Google’s Sounds of India

August 13, 2020August 15, 2020 by Karthik S

Google India has a nice activity for India’s 74th Independence Day. Go to and try it out on your phone. The idea is simple – you sing the Indian National Anthem. The system records it using the phone’s mike and converts it…

No comment

What ails Brand India, today?

August 12, 2020August 12, 2020 by Karthik S

Had a say about what ails Brand India, today, and what could be done to improve the branding, for today. This is a special feature ahead of the 74th Independence Day on Saturday. Some additional context. About the current state of Brand…

No comment

Pets as dependents in an insurance policy?

August 11, 2020August 26, 2020 by Karthik S

UPDATE (August 26, 2020): Really glad to see Bajaj Allianz promote their pet dog insurance, on International Dog Day (today). ORIGINAL POST: Recently, I renewed my annual family and once again marked my wife and 2 kids as ‘dependents’. It’s at times…

4 Comments

The business of fake Likes & views – unethical, but not illegal. Yet!

August 10, 2020August 10, 2020 by Karthik S

Rapper Badshah, to paying a company Rs.72 lakhs, including 18% service tax (GST, I presume) to ‘generate’ social media views so that he can claim the world record for most views on YouTube within 24 hours. In the Mumbai Mirror story that…

No comment

LinkedIn’s promoted tweets!

August 7, 2020August 7, 2020 by Karthik S

As someone who was involved in recommending that LinkedIn India join Twitter, more than a decade ago (while at Edelman, when handling the LinkedIn India mandate), I recall creating their Twitter handle myself… literally with my own hands. So, to see them…

No comment