Igniting Brands, Igniting Lives!

My First digital ad agency experience...

2010-12-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

Yo estaba pensando que debo escribir en Español, pero mi español no es muy bueno… no importa, voy a escribir en Inglés. Por lo tanto, aquí va… [I was thinking that I should write in Spanish but my Spanish is not very good ... doesn’t matter, I'll write in English. So, here goes ...]

Well… it’s been only three months since I’ve joined, but I think I have already learnt a lot from all of you.

This is the first digital company I’ve worked with. I’ve had a lot of fun working with the team so far. It’s been a really good experience; every day I learn something new working with my team. In this regard, I would really like to thank Sreekant and Vikram for guiding and inspiring me.

I would also like to thank the Search team, Creative team, and Tech team, and all the other members at Ignitee, who’ve helped me a lot.

My first fully fledged campaign was Whirlpool’s Ek Jodi Kapda initiative. I didn’t realise it back then that it was going to be a case study for us. Again, I’d like to thank Vikram and Sreekant, who’ve guided me on this live project. I was worried whether something would go wrong. But I’d like to say ‘thank you’ to all the teams who supported me, because of which the project was completed smoothly.

I really enjoyed the Induction session when I went to Mumbai. Some people said things like, “Arre yehi hai… Ek Jodi Kapda… Pakdo isko…” I also enjoyed the welcome given by the tech and creative team there.

The audio workshop too, was awesome. It’s such a great idea to ask the employees to create a theme song for their own company.

Sitting late in office, working on weekends, shouting at clients, getting stinkers, bosses shouting at you—these things don’t create any negative impact. Instead, it gave me a new perspective and I was able to approach my work positively. Also, I’ve learnt that we, the client servicing people, are like ‘Dholaks: jo dono taraf se bajte hain’.

Here’s a small example:

Me: Hello, Saurabh, sir kaam kab tak kar ke doge??

Tech: Kaam ho raha hai yaar, jaldi de dunga…tere chakkar mein poora tech team baitha hai abhi tak office mein….

Me: Are mein bhi to baitha hun…

Tech: Karta hun yaar, jaldi karta hun…

Me: Bhai banner to resize karo jaldi… Aaj se campaign live hona hai..

Designer: Kal milenge saare…bahuit kaam hai yaar… Chal theek hai…. Half of them will be done today…rest tomm…

Me: Ok…Thanks…

So far it’s been a superb experience and I’m waiting for more challenges to come my way…

Saludos a todos!

Why my being with Ignitee was not a co-incidence?

2010-11-23T23:34:00.000-08:00

Most people say that time is like a river that flows swift and sure in one direction. But I have seen the face of time and I can tell you that they are wrong. Time is like an Ocean in a storm. You may wonder why I say this. Come, sit down, and I will tell you a tale unlike you’ve ever heard.

I still remember the time when I walked into ‘Sitaram Mills’ for my interview. How worried I was as the place looked like a ‘Bidi ka Karkhaana’ with a touch of place where you kidnap people for ransom. But then luckily it wasn’t. My first step into Ignitee was my first step into the Digital World. And thus the journey began.

At start I was very chilled about things and didn’t really care where I was heading but with a great bunch of people around, I was destined for bigger and better things. Things changed and I from being a ‘lukha’ was groomed into a social media person. I really didn’t know what changed in me but it was probably because I was always surrounded by people who had the passion to do more. To achieve. To be successful. To be what they really wanted to be. And then began my race for excellence. I strived, I faltered, I accomplished, I chose, I was Ignited.

Day after day I worked and laughed. Worked hard and laughed even harder. From being frustrated to really achieving Nirvana at work. I felt it all. But that was a part of my learning process which is surely the winner in this journey of mine. However it’s not only the work that got me involved with Ignitee. It was the fun. I learnt how you can irritate people here and still get a smile at the end of it. How to help others and still feel you haven’t really done anything. How your smallest of work get appreciated by people who don’t even know you. How you can truly be happy with what you do and leave the day with a smile. But above all, how you can make friends? Cause I truly did.

Slowly and steadily I grew as professional and as a person. It is because I gave ‘Time’ to everything. I was never worried about where I will reach? I never really thought about the destination. It is the journey that mattered. And here I am standing proud to be a part of what was destined to happen.

Sometimes I feel, that if it wasn’t for the call that I had got from Ignitee, how life would have been different?

Would I have been the same ‘lukha’ with no real aim in life? Would I still be happy in some mediocre job I would have found somewhere?

But then, in a magical world there are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason. It’s being at the right place at the right time. Time is what prevents everything from happening at once and I truly believe that though I still haven’t really pushed it to the limits, Ignitee has given me that thrust which will surely send me flying high in this journey of mine. And when sometime later in life I ever write a book about my life, the prelude will surely be ‘It all began at Ignitee...’

And here is special shayari for what I feel in this journey of mine with Ignitee.

“Main akela hi chala tha jaanib-e-manzil,

Log saath aate gaye aur caravan badhta gaya”

Khudahafiz
Mubashir

Ignitee is Second Home

2010-11-22T21:27:00.000-08:00

It’s been over a year since I first stepped into the Gurgaon office of Ignitee. At first I felt very lost. Coming from a hardcore brand strategy background I wondered what am I doing here? SEM, SEO, SMO - What are these complex terms? Now that moment seems a thousand years old!

What I love most about working at Ignitee is working on something new EVERYDAY! I have had a chance to ideate for some of the best & biggest brands in the market and that too in the most interesting & upcoming domain which is social media. And of course the other great thing about social media is our SMO team @Ignitee. I’ve had such a great time working with Gautamm, Deepali, Mubashir, Krutika, Shruti and Kowkab.

Even though I work out of the Delhi office, I feel like I have the best of both worlds. I get to interact & work alongside the Delhi team which is a lot of fun! At the same time I end up working at the Mumbai office often alongside all the teams.

If I were to close my eyes, so many images flash in front of me: My first meeting with Atul, my first day at Ignitee, My induction in Mumbai, My favorite work @Ignitee, living and working in Mumbai, our laugh riot night with the awesome cab drive, the Mumbai Bollywood night party.

Also, I’ve made some good friends at Ignitee. Priyanka, Vivek, Kowkab. Thanks for being there.

If I have a bad day I don’t feel like taking a day off. I feel like coming to work @Ignitee

Looking forward to more awesome briefs, more crazy deadlines and loads of fun with Ignitees!

Cheers
Aditya

My experience with Ignitee

2010-11-21T22:56:00.000-08:00

It has been around 9 months since I first stepped into the Ignitee Office. I remember climbing those lonely stairs of the office and telling myself that this not a scene from a haunted movie and nothing bad will happen here. Fortunately for me, I think God was listening. I got hired, and there was no ghost.

My initial days at Ignitee were a breeze and I spent most of my time complaining of how there is no work to be done. Little did I realize that I was part of a larger plot, which constituted of brain storming and washing sessions, and sending out more ‘docs’ than the words in my thesis paper in my university. I was welcomed in the SMO team with all the warmth anyone could have asked for. Along with hard work also came the laughter riots which at that moment certainly seem can be heard all across Mumbai if not India. With the perfect blend of fun, work and digitizing, Ignitee has been a Life Experience and not something that will just go down my resume.

In my understanding, Ignitee works just like a joint family, with everyone doing their bit to keep the domino straight, working together towards common goals. There are values, morals, respect for each other, and most importantly, support from all the different levels in the organisation.

I have not worked anywhere before, and I don’t really know how other agencies/organisations work. But I am pretty certain that it cannot get better than this. Now I find myself climbing the same staircase that once I used to think was haunted, and now I know, it is haunted. It will haunt me for the rest of my life and remind me of my associations, colleagues, and friends at Ignitee if I was ever to leave.

- Kowkab Naim

Work is Fun at Ignitee !!!

2010-09-27T01:26:00.000-07:00

It’s been almost 10 months since I joined Ignitee and it has been really a joyride till now (thankfully). The atmosphere in the office is always upbeat with someone or the other keeping the laughter challenge going on. We actually have laugh riots in the office with people going crazy and that too just by watching others laughing apart from the jokes. The events every week put forth a great opportunity to have a much required break from work and have some fun and team bonding as well in the process. The Birthdays and the beating sessions followed are much gung ho & popular amongst the guys to take revenge on their part.

Apart from the Fun quotient at Ignitee the work exposure is equally good, rather even better comparatively. I have got the opportunity to work on some of the best known brands across verticals and in markets across the globe. With some really popular brands, industry leaders and personal favorites as brands/ clients to work on, work doesn’t seem like work but a project with team effort & colleagues always ready to help out. It’s been a learning experience so far towards mastering my own skills and getting acquainted with new skill which will help shape my career in a wholesome manner.

Life at Ignitee is balance of enjoyment, learning and sports also (though I hardly play any :P). At Ignitee cricket, table tennis & now carrom are widely encouraged with Team Ignitee winning quite a few Inter Agency tournaments. All in all it’s been an enriching experience and looking forward to much more worthwhile times ahead.

The Bhootbangla – Ignitee ;)

2010-09-25T00:37:00.000-07:00

This is the first name we all must have uttered for Ignitee because of its spooky entrance. Once you reach the second floor and enter the Ignitee office you feel relieved that you are at right place. Yes, that’s what exactly I feel after being here from more than 1 year- I am at right place! :)

In the last one year we have grown and added a lot of people, but yet nothing has changed much in terms of the youthful culture and atmosphere at Ignitee (which, by the way I like the most!). Ignitee’s spirit I mean team spirit (don’t get carried away by the spooky start) is incredible. Even new joinees are equally enthusiastic about every project. The Friday events: Be it a Jungle fancy dress competition, Raavan avatar or celebrating any festival, is always fun!

Last but not the least, work here is enjoyable. The mad and crazy socio search team make enormous projects also look like a cakewalk. We have the best lunch with laughing sessions lasting for over 10 mins eacg. These lunch breaks are mostly like inter team lunches. We eat, enjoy and even crib together about the food. The best place in office is the canteen where you get to see all the different ‘characters’ (Especially cartoon characters) in our office. Just watching them is great fun in evenings.

It’s been a great year so far working and having fun at Ignitee. Hope to continue this joyful journey for a longer time with all the jovial people around :).

ASAP

2010-09-24T06:55:00.002-07:00

Tring tring …hello

Caller: Hi Nikhil I am calling from ignitee (HR dept)

We need to schedule your interview <ASAP>, tell me by when you can come for interview.

Nikhil: Hello hello …hello ……I will come for interview on Saturday (:O).

Caller : Woohh ! Saturday …!!can u make it tomorrow !!

Nikhil : oaky than I will come after 8:30 PM ..

Caller : Okay , will wait for you !! do come !!

So I invented the <ASAP>tag from my first communication had with ignitee. Even on the day I got interviewed, I was asked whether I could join <ASAP>

To begin with my first high priority assignment. <ASAP>I got high on LSD (Love Sex Dhoka) and have no clue how will I land on the ground.

So my first project completed on the note of <ASAP>…as of now.

What to say about team Ignitees,

Gour Farmayiyega !!!

Teach Team = Khatro Ke Khiladi !!

Creative / Production Team = Bhagam Bhaag (aate aate jate jate khoye khoye jage jage baithe baithe dode dode sare srae peeche peeche aage aage gire pade bhage bhage…. bhag ….bhagam bhag )

Search Team = Saare Zameen Par (Jame Raho …Jame Raho)

Media/BD Team = Apna Sapna Money Money (show me the money ….dil chahe paisa)

CS Team = 3 Idiots (confusion hi confusion hai, solution kuch pata nahi )

Account Team = Rock On (Sinbad The Sailor)

HR Team = Singh Is Queen!!

Phewwww …finally I have done some interesting stuff for u guys ..lol

So ignitees are rockers as on all conditions I personally feel the team ignitee is one of the best team . As a digital agency ignitee have best environment for work , place is good when u have good people around you and you can find the best people in ignitee . I love working with ignitee ,,,,funky place were you cay say anything which you want to say !! Like iski ma ka ….sakinaka and all kind of stuff !! lolzzz

Lets, keep rocking all the time as we do always <ASAP>

- Nikhil Mishra

My Experience @ Ignitee

2010-09-23T01:55:00.000-07:00

It’s been a year since I made my move to Ignitee. Walking into the Ignitee office for the first time I thought hope I make some good friends and settle down fast. And that is exactly what has happened and even more.

The entire year has flashed past in a mix of clients, pitches, parties and a host of exciting activities at Ignitee. The amount of experience that I have gained in this past year has been one which will serve me for my entire lifetime and has helped strengthen my foundation. One of my moments where I felt pride in being an Ignitee is when I was given a chance to attend the IIFA awards in Colombo thus truly showing that in Ignitee the rule of hard work and dedication paying off handsomely is actually true.

I have also been lucky in getting seniors who have motivated me and given me the right amount of exposure and also having a team which is dedicated and helpful thus giving me some of the best friends I will make in life. Particularly I really love the insane laughing sessions we have had in the canteen taking everyone by surprise. Clients have also played an important role in molding my people skills and outlook to life.

There is finally only one perfect description for Ignitee – A place to explore your true potential and have FUN!!

Working with Ignitee

2010-08-31T06:11:00.000-07:00

The best thing about working at Ignitee is the CONSTANT opportunity to laugh: D

I think the SocioSearch team is now notorious for its laughing sessions. Whenever there is loud laughter, people don’t even wonder any more who the culprits are. I think Vivek, Krutika, Kowkab and I are perfect examples how it’s funnier to laugh at laughter than at a joke.

Apart from all the laughing (which does have its downside in aching stomachs, jaws, etc) the other exciting thing about working at Ignitee is working on some of the best Social Media campaigns. Be it Mahi Way of Sony Television or Living Your Passion of ICICI Prudential, the rush of increased fans on a Facebook page or ranking of the blog, has a high like none other.

I think the most memorable moment in office though was when Sachin made 200 runs in an ODI. The whole office was in the cafeteria watching the match. And the amount of cheering done after each run Sachin scored (towards the 200) was just out of this world.

The other very interesting venture at Ignitee is Ignition. I have been part of many SEM training sessions and courses but none is like Ignition. Ignition is unique because it is like a full-fledged full-time course in digital media. The students are enthusiastic and passionate about the digital space and hopefully in 10 months, they will have been placed in some of the top companies in the internet space.

The biggest difference and adjustment I find at Ignitee as compared to my previous company is the way teams are structured here. It was difficult adjusting to the fact that if I needed creative work to be done, I would have to go to a different department to get the work done. Of course there are lots of advantages in having teams by function.

It has been an eventful 9 months of learning, adjusting, enjoying, discovering, laughing, making friends, igniting brands, figuring out Facebook for business, ideating on applications and games and a lot more.

By - Deepali Punjabi

Experience at Ignitee

2010-08-19T03:40:00.000-07:00

This is the first time that I am trying my hands at blogging..never the less I am really happy that it is my company Ignitee that I am blogging for coz its not gonna take me much time to think about what I wanna say. Everythng is gonna be right from my heart.

I am new to Ignitee..just been here for roughly 4 months but cannot begin to tell you how much I have started adoring this place. In the beginning it was the same old feeling like ooh god I don’t know any one, where have I landed, why isnt any body talking to me etc…but all this was temporary.

The crowd is soo sooo full of enthu, I cannot begin to explain the amount of energy that these guys here at ignitee have. Plus I have never seen any organisation dedicate so much energy towards employee recreation. Man, you should have a look at our fun-filled Friday activities..right from magic shows to McDonald outings to birthday celebrations…you name it and we do it here at Ignitee. I am sure there is a lot more I can look forward to.

Plus since this is my first stint at corp-comm, im thoroughly enjoying my experience and have planned a couple of interesting things for Ignitee. Making sure I can feature Ignitee in all the Afaqs and E4M’s of the world. Enjoyed seeing Gautamm on NDTV… he was superb (my hard work finally paid off with the NDTV shoot…phew).

I know for sure that I am gonna be around for a long time and learn, excel and have a rocking time!

- Devlina Dutt Jadhav

CHANGE IS THE NEED FOR THIS HOUR – IGNITEE ROCKS

2009-07-06T00:33:00.000-07:00

As the heading goes “Change is the need for this hour” now you might ask why this gyaan session is happening. After joining Ignitee an advertising agency from a usability firm, I thought it will be just another Web Designing Firm but it is it surely more than that. Now you might ask, Why this title? Because just having a “Need for the Change” is not enough But “Getting Adjusted to the Change quickly” is also really necessary.

It really took me 1 & half month to adjust to this firm, but after 3-4 months I had a feeling that I was in Ignitee from 1 & half year or so.

Now you might ask, Why this difference?

Understanding the whole structure of Ignitee & in what way I am helping the company. As Ignitee have lots of Skill sets in many different fields, which makes the company different from a normal web designing firm. Tech team, Search Team, Creative Team, Operations Team, Accounts, HR etc & each team having different Skills sets within them.

AFTER 3-4 MONTHS…

The happiest thing for me as a part of Ignitee is, I get to interact with as good as everyone in one way or other & get to know them.

The other main happiest things to be in Ignitee are Table Tennis, Carrom, and UNO. Friday Fever being enjoyed with Dance, Fun-fair, Parties, in teams: Power Rangers, Fanatics, Angels & Demons, Holy Cow. These things are being carried out with loads & loads of work to everyone.

This was what Ignitee is all about.

Now it is the time for a Joke (PJ) in Hindi:

Que: आगर एक आदमी के ३घुट्ने है तो उस का नाम क्या होगा?

Ans: Nitin he he he

Now this is the Change from serious talks to a Joke. Work to Games/party, from being a superior to a being a friend etc and everything at Ignitee.

What else can you Change???

So what did you ignite today?

2009-07-02T23:55:00.000-07:00

I am sure everyone reading this would be wondering what this post is about. Enlightenment! Perhaps you are considering becoming a speculator to comprehend the content of this post. Wouldn’t you like to know what it’s really about? Well, now you will! This series profiles a day in the life of every Ignitee professional.

All experiences are original & firsthand encountered. I hope you find this write-up handy as you go about reading it further or just too curious to know the end.

A morning, in the life of all Ignitee’s begins with a warm welcome, by our very own Julie at the reception further as you walk in to the office we are greeted with big smiles by our fellow colleagues. This gives us feeling of warmth that we share here at ignitee. Then starts a challenging day with some 10-20 odd mails to check & respond to over the past 8 hours of the last accessed mail box. Too time consuming to find that one message (Job list from our boss) in the mailbox offering a perfect day’s planning. After which begins the not so easy chores at work with a very little time for most of us to realise when the clock strikes 2 pm. Anxiously awaited cafeteria welcomes the cross table conversations during the lunch hours & unnecessary discussion accompanied with positive arguments amongst fellow colleagues or let me put it rightly as friends. 2.30 pm return to all the new challenges waiting for you to come & accomplish until you realise its 7 pm & people have started playing TT & fooling around in the office. Either you join them or you realise that there is too much of work for you to complete & submit for an upcoming pitch or complete some incomplete work for the existing clients. In fact right now while I am writing this post I realise there is still a lot of work pending for me & my team to complete for the day.

Well to cut this post short all of us would agree to this that despite the challenges that all of us face @ work, we are in no doubt that we @ Ignitee would always commit to hard & smart work without compromising on the output.

Cheers to all those who have helped Ignitee to prosper & attain a spearhead victory.

Still wondering about the title of the post.....Well the origin of this question comes from the scribble pad that acts as a true motivating factor for all of us @Ignitee. I don’t know how many of us have actually read the interesting facts at the bottom of every alternate page in the book.

PS: Spare some time to read the facts at the bottom of the book, some are worth reading.

A new synonym of ‘Faith’ = ‘Ignitee’

2009-07-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

“Faith is the confident belief or trust in the truth of or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.”

Its only when someone challenges your faith is when you stumble. In an ideal scenario one either defends strongly or gives up post struggling a little. Coming to the point and cutting the gyaan. Advertising agencies be it traditional or so called ‘BTL’, let me term is better, the so called ‘non conventional’ agencies are present due to ‘Faith’. Why? How? Is that what you are thinking? The answer is very simple. It’s because the client believes in the work. It is ‘this’ work that will do marvels to my brand. Obviously, not always does a miracle take place.

Just the other day I saw Bournville TVC again. To me it really didn’t make much sense. Well it’s my opinion. However back then the outdoor was just right! They did make the chocolate look very tempting and definitely they won at least one new customer (me). That too loyal. If a marketing head see’s that the communication message is actually showing what his customer wants to see, he is bought in. However, not always his prediction turns true because not all campaigns are successful. Point being, he had faith in what his agency did. Whether it is / was rocking or not.

It’s on this faith that we as agency survive. If they stop believing in what we are saying then digital agencies wouldn’t ever have got embraced by the brand managers. Going back into recent past, this new media- the world of digital was accepted by client because they liked what traditional advertising never got them. ‘Numbers’! This is exactly what marketing & sales manager’s love i.e. they exactly get to see what the ROI is. Hence the invention of CPLs. Is it just about getting leads? (coutesy: Dharma) Well, that’s what we made the clients believe and hence today we see lot of clients asking for CPL deals. That’s the faith they have in the medium. Rather that’s how they started believing in the medium.

However, as time changes and medium gets advanced, we always see revolution. Digital is one medium where magic happens probably every second. Today in this time of downfall where markets are collapsing, and companies don’t have money for advertising in traditional media, we see shift in digital media as well. Yes, this is the time when Digital media is being talked about the most. Yes, this is the time when we are seeing companies doing more of brand awareness campaigns and not just wanting a CPL deal. It’s right here in Ignitee where we beat challenges and battle the war and not let the client get misled. Its right here, that we speak their language, a language that they have been hearing for years ‘reach’ & ‘frequency’.(coutesy: Gautamm) We make them believe us and they do. Its faith after all. It’s their faith in us because of which we have made these magical campaigns which are one of its kinds.

They believe us not just because of what we commit but the experts behind it. The knowledge they have and with this expertise we win the clients faith. It’s about building the relationship with client. It’s in this wonderful place that I work where I have always heard Ramani challenging to client ‘We can beat your expectation and my team is ready to do that.’ Its not just client but internally we believe in each other and work together. We have faith in us. Yes! Ignitee Rocks!!

-- Mahek

Ignitee rocks!!

2009-06-30T00:46:00.000-07:00

Nine Months back when I was suppose to be dreaming about my much awaited wedding scheduled in October’08 all I was dreaming was the Launch of “Ignitee” which was scheduled on 30th September precisely 8 days before my ceremony. My first ever experience in an agency, my first launch ever and of course my first ever wedding. All I had launched previously was SOP’s (Standard operating procedures) and promotions in hotels! Butterflies flew all of that month in my stomach. To do list was endless and words like Virals, DM’S, and JPEG sounded Latin! I dint even know what Afaqs and E4M were.....hush hush!

Youngest Ignitees cut the cake on the day of Launch!

Now when I think back it truly has been the most amazing time. A roller coaster ride which I am never ever gonna forget. I enjoyed every bit of it and more then I enjoyed, I was learning something new every nanosecond. By the way now when I am asked to launch any project I always think of the Dhoni’s Aircel ad “Aur Bolo”!!!

Some of our prominent launches have been Spark, Our event initiative, Ignition and Ignitee but everyone’s favorite is Moksh. I feel elated when I see ignitees distressing and enjoying themselves in Moksh. I love Bhavna’s painting there. I am so happy to be associated with such a forward thinking company. I think ideas like Moksh and Spark are super cool!!!

Before concluding I wanna use this platform requesting all of you to chat with me as and when you think of any new initiative Ignitee should take!

Signing Off,

Ruchika

First Times...

2009-06-26T02:43:00.001-07:00

This week seems to be full of ‘first times’ for me.

This is the first time I am writing a blog!

We are in the midst of receiving our first major rain-fall of the season.

Today I will experience, for the first time, the flooding lane outside the office.

The new business we signed on yesterday was the first new business I helped get, since I joined Ignitee.

Last night was the first time I went for ‘post work’ drinks with my new friends from the office.

And this week I signed on my first recruit for Ignition.

First times can be supremely exciting, some times nerve wracking, sometimes easy and sometimes, the hardest thing in the world.

But it is something that we all experience at some point of our lives. And more often than not, it symbolises accomplishment.

This week saw exciting ‘first times’ for me and here’s to many more for all of us at Ignitee

Cheers

-- Tarini

Winning IS everything

2009-06-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

Revealed! 4 Friends that Get You Gold

And 3 Enemies that Take it Away

On June 19, 2009, the Power Rangers—a live wire team of fifteen (Captain Sahal and cronies Manish, Ritesh, Ajit, Rahul, Priyal, Devendra, Sandip, Suresh, Ganesh, Kaushik, Radhika, Harry, Sejal, and yours truly)—romped home with the GOLDEN TROPHY of the IHE series and individual medals inscribed with praise: ‘Best House 09’.

Celebrating the sweet taste of success

Missing in the snap: Power Rangers Harry and Radhika

Three days prior to our victory, on July 14, 2009, a team was defeated. India, Defending Champions, crashed out of the T20 series after losing by a whisker to England—a team we beat easily in 2008.

Both incidents compelled me to think about what it takes to win—or lose—a match.

From whatever I’ve read in Management books, there are 4 Friends that can undoubtedly ensure the outperformance of a team:

Friend # 1: Courage

To think BIG, to go against the grain.

Friend # 2: Conviction

To follow your heart—against all odds.

Friend # 3: Commitment

To give it all you’ve got—right till the very end.

Friend # 4: Confidence

In yourself, but more importantly, in your team.

And who are the enemies just waiting to snatch victory away?

Enemy # 1: Fear

Enemy # 2: Pressure

Enemy # 3: Wrong decisions

What warms my heart is that Ignitees have loads of Friends. How else could we have grown so exponentially—and won 3 of the most prestigious accounts in digital history: IPL, MOT (Ministry of Tourism) and the Indian National Congress? And still be hungry for MORE?

Keep rocking, Ignitee! Here’s to greater times and still more success. Cheers!

Glory, Glory To Ignitee!

2009-06-24T23:21:00.001-07:00

Yes, I am an unabashed Man United fan. Who isn’t? It’s really great to see them win game after game (ok, so they lose a few times, but who doesn’t?) And, my favourite colour happens to be RED…

Oh, you must be wondering then what Ignitee’s all about. It’s the place where I work these days. No, sorry, not work, ENJOY. When you do something you really enjoy, you can’t call it work, can you? I’m a web designer and I get to do the coolest stuff around here. Websites, banners, site caps, you name it, I done it.

The best part about this place is that I don’t have to sit hunched at my desk all the time. We have a TT table, and a room for relaxation we call MOKSH. In the evenings, after office hours generally, there’s an army that gathers at the TT table. I form part of this small army and I enjoy myself after a day’s hard work (oops there I go again). Another great thing is the events that are staged every alternate Friday. It is fun to see everyone run helter-skelter at the last minute, and even through ridiculous deadlines and mountain loads of work, we do manage to have a lot of fun every time!

If I had to describe Ignitee in one word, it would be ‘magic’. It really is a magical place. Even my team is a magical team. And every day, from Monday to Friday, we perform magic tricks to amaze and appease our clients. Come over sometime. You’ll enjoy yourself, I promise!

- Elton Afonso

Ignitee Days

2009-06-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

As I was not comfortable working with my previous company, my friend Aurnob Mitra suggested that I should try out Connecturf (Connecturf had not changed to Ignitee back then). Gautamm took my interview—believe me, I was extremely nervous. But I realised pretty soon that there was nothing to worry. Gautamm called me a few days later and told me I could join from 29 September, 2008.

Ah! This indeed was the perfect place to work in. Every morning I am greeted by the smiling face of Julie, our receptionist, who wishes me good morning.

In the beginning, my team (Search Team) was a small one—it consisted only of Gautamm, me, Kamlesh and Monali. Within a short span of time, the number of projects increased tremendously and we had to hire two new recruits, Krutika and Bhakti.

But Ignitee isn’t ‘all work and no play’. We do have a TT table and a carom board. And we also have an ‘Inter House Event’ every alternate Friday, where Ruchika (Corporate Affairs Head) and Yamica (HR Head) organise events like karaoke, Antakshari etc. We also celebrate everyone’s birthday in office.

What I enjoy most is LUNCH TIME, when we all sit together and think about how we’re going to tackle the post-lunch session. The most memorable time is when Ramani (Chairman), Sandy (Vice-President), Gautamm (Business Head—Search/SMO aka my boss) and Kamlesh (Manager—Search, another boss of mine) sit together and share thoughts.

All I can say is that Ignitee has given my career a new dawn. Thanks to Ignitee, there has been a significant improvement in my work, skills, knowledge and thinking power.

-- Kunal Shah

Another Business Pitch?

2009-06-17T04:45:00.000-07:00

It’s really encouraging and heart warming to read all the passionate posts that have been put up so far. There are posts by the new Ignitees talking about how they like the place, how it’s not just an office, but a learning ground; and how they look forward to each day at office. There are posts by the older lot talking about how they have seen the undying spirit of Ignitees in good times and bad. And then there are posts by Ignitees talking about how they have embraced the digital media and how the digital media has touched every small spec of their life. And of course there are those entertaining posts and musings from Nihal after almost every post .

So what’s new about this post? Well, this post is about a business pitch at Chennai. (At this point, I’m sure you are thinking, what the hell? but just humour me)

It was in the sweltering May heat that three of us (Sandy, Ashok and I) had landed up at the Chennai airport for a business pitch. We were very pleased and confident of the work that we were carrying and therefore the usual nervousness and last minute fixes were missing. We gorged into the Masala Dosas and the Idli Sambhar at Suvarna Bhavan, courtesy our hosts (Priya and Arun). In our excitement, we landed up early at the client’s office. The client was also quite accommodating. We had a good meeting. Came out and celebrated at Kalakuddi with some awesome prawns, mutton, chicken and fish. Shopped in the bylanes of Chennai, saw the Marina beach, waited for four hours for our flight at the airport and reached home at 1:00 AM.

Sounds like any other business trip right? So, why am I telling you all this? Because, when we entered the client office, the client politely told us that he had shortlisted another agency and that the deal was done. But we insisted on presenting our work. Thirty minutes in that conference room and the client promised us more ‘eyeballs’ in a follow-up meeting to see the great work that we had put together! We made a client rethink his decision about signing up an established local agency, purely on the merit of our work!!!

And that’s what this post is all about—the pride I felt to be part of a brilliant team, a team that is

• So passionate and so hungry for winning that it opens up even closed doors

• So full of ideas that it there are ideas flowing in even at three in the morning

• And so full of life that it doesn’t miss out on its food parties and IHE even in the midst of handling the biggest three campaigns in the last six months of digital space!

I’m sure I echo the sentiment of all of us when I say, “Proud to be an Ignitee!”

- Harminder Kaur

My experience @ Ignitee…

2009-06-16T23:26:00.000-07:00

I distinctly remember my first day @ Ignitee. It was 10.00 a.m. when I, along with Dharini and Ritesh, three of us having joined on the same day, was waiting with immense anticipation in the visitor’s lounge. It being my first job, I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. I was scared, happy, excited, anxious, nervous, all at the same time. I didn’t know what to expect out of this organization. From what I had heard about the corporate world, I was not expecting much except for deadlines, targets, formal environment etc.

The wait got over as we met Yamica, and there began our day with friendly smiles and warm welcome. Next few days we got to know the industry we had ventured in, the agency we were now a part of and the people we were to work with, thoroughly. Each day and each task brought with it more inquisitiveness, excitement and exhilaration.

Six months down the line, I don’t yet feel I have taken up a job. Rather than an office, it’s more like a college, each day loaded with friends, canteen, and assignments. Your bosses at Ignitee are mentors who guide you at each step, making sure you not only perform but outperform. And not to forget, your performance is rewarded with appreciation, time and again.

I have been the quieter lot amongst the always buzzing Ignitees. But even in my silence, I have cherished each moment @ Ignitee. The lunches with Dharini & Samruddhi @ Cafeteria, the evening snacks, the Friday evening events, the rare but fun late work nights, the challenging tasks, the list goes on and on.

Here I end my note, awaiting more fun and thrill in my tenure at Ignitee.

What’s on my mind? I don’t know!

2009-06-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

I have started to type this sentence without any knowledge of what I am going to say in the next 300 odd words. This is a familiar situation to most creative people who sit and stare at the white blank paper everyday of his/her life while cracking an ad. A blank paper is scary at times; you don’t know where to start, what to draw or what to write.

The Facebook status asks ‘What’s on your mind?’ And I find it extremely difficult to fill in that blank. My mind is constantly churning thoughts. And they happen to be random every moment. Good, bad, meaningless, philosophical, childlike and wicked. And the list is endless. Information, Messages, Words, Images, Sounds gets tattooed on the brain. And this hard disk is storing everything I think or not think? Where am I heading? Why am I thinking in the first place? Why can’t I stop thinking? Shut my brain. Was it like this a few years ago? I ask this question to myself. I don’t think it was. Life was definitely not like this.

So, what has made this change? Not long time ago someone helped me open an email account. It was simple; writing a mail to a friend. Today, I don’t have the time to reply to any mails. Too much is happening in the virtual world which I have been part of it knowingly or unknowingly. I am sucked into it. It’s like I live another life in the virtual space. Can I discover a new dimension of myself? Am I the same person who is in the real world? I have noticed, otherwise unassuming, shy and quiet person suddenly showing completely opposite personality on the social networking sites. Should I call this double life?

We are social animals. But today we want to be even more social in a new world.

We like to know what is happening in other people’s lives, we want to share, we want to comment, we want to chat and we want to give our opinion. We want to sell, we want to buy and we want to get entertained. We have the option of changing our identity. Live vicariously. Will it stop here or is there something to be unraveled; something different and bizarre. Is life getting simpler or complicated? I don’t know. I don’t understand. I am not a psychologist.

We (Ignitees) live in one world and work in another. Isn’t it fascinating?

A project developed by American scientist for the United States Defense way back in 1973, known to us as Internet is now become part of ‘our’ DNA. And everyone’s too.

- Ashok Karnik

My Affair With Ignitee…

2009-06-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

Fast, challenging and thrilling, is how I can describe my journey so far. Travelling woes to action filled schedule, happy/not so awaited moments make every day special in its own way.

Day starts with Julie’s sweet smile at reception desk, smiling faces, greetings by fellow Ignitees as you enter, which is followed by witty & humorous comments of Naresh and Nihal (they sit in the opposite bay) and by the time the work station is up you are geared up for the week.

Time actually flies, it’s been less than a year but it feels as if have been around for ages. The strength has almost doubled in last few months (renovation has already started), many new faces on the floor. However, the way they bond with each other, crack jokes and have fun while at work or in our small and special “Ganesh cafeteria” is awesome to see.

Friday (when we have IHE), I think is the attraction of the month as of now for Ignitees. Struggling with the daily work schedule, house captains & members running from post to pillar till the last moment, enthusiasm and the “Lets do it” attitude is something to look for. Bottom line is to have fun, fun and fun (no hidden agenda!!!).

Another common interest (how can I forget that!!!) of the Ignitees is “GOOD FOOD”, its one of the hottest and attention grabbing topic of discussion for majority of us. May it be the hard core maharashtrain cuisine of Annanthashram, Chinese of Shang Dynasty, Maroosh or any other outlet where you get taste bud tickling and to “die for” food. We, very regularly update each other of the newly discovered “Best food outlet” references too, which is almost a part of our TO DO list.

Even with all the fun, seriousness for work remains intact. Working on stringent deadlines, striving to do and deliver best is what I can see everyone is up to right now. Coming days are going to be filled with much more action and rocking stuff for sure!!!

Come so far but still a long way to go…

I'm Possible

2009-06-09T02:13:00.000-07:00

The first words which come to my mind when I think of Ignitee is ‘Unstoppable’.

From the days of evangelizing the medium day in and day after, with little returns. Interacting with clients who were otherwise comfortable with the advent of every other new medium, but had little or no understanding of the power of this new medium.

To the days when ‘we’ were the market. Our efforts saw long term gains. There was no ‘nearest’ competitor (there existed nearly a dozen others, in fact, make that a baker’s dozen) in sight. Euphoric days when we were the most sought after to take to the altar and say ‘I do’.

To a large trough after the crest. Where the Ignitees did not waver. In fact, the adversities brought out an even higher sense of commitment to achieve and reach dizzying heights.

To today, when we have once again proved to the world that no human is indispensable. People make the Company. The Company’s thinking, culture and vision, make the people. A team which makes me proud. A team which today is the most sought after by the head hunters.

What we have seen and achieved is just the beginning. There are many more plans to take this to much larger levels. And this can only happen, if the personnel and the management concur to action. The next 12 months are ‘all action stations on the GO’.

MOANDAYs!!

2009-06-08T00:03:00.000-07:00

Oh how I hate Monday mornings!!! This is a common wailing that happens in any office. Universally. For me, though Mondays are blessing...albeit in disguise. As I reach office, I am greeted by a bunch of mails and by the time we’ve had MMM I am totally charged up for the week ahead. If you look at Ignitee office from a bird’s view, it will seem as if industrious bees are working with a single minded dedication to nurture their bee hive. Truly, in sync.

At Ignitee, in the beginning you receive a diary in the shape of a matchbox with interesting trivia in it. You realize that this is a part of their branding. But, when you start working and get settled amongst Ignitees, one comes to understand the brand philosophy which is ingrained deeper than the match shape diary (no offence intended for the diary, in fact I find them really cute).

Another noteworthy aspect of this company (I like to call it a company as its values and work culture are far beyond that of a regular agency) is the seniors who are akin to pillars of foundation. They stop not at mere guidance or kind words of encouragement but motivate you, coach you so as to outdo your own expectations about yourself.

Achieving a family of 100+!! Seems impossible after Kauravas? Until you meet us Ignitees!

By the time, the so-called doomed day (Monday of course) nears its end I can’t imagine living without a crowd of Ignitees around me!

……And 9 Months after….

2009-06-05T01:18:00.000-07:00

It was 20th August’08…I was coming for the Interview in Connecturf……Gautamm gave me address. It was something like Sitaram Mills Compound, N.M.Joshi Marg, Lower Parel (E).

I got a cab and told driver “Sitaram Mills Compound Jana Hai “...he took me to all compounds in Lower Parel except Sitaram Compound. Lol. After the lower Parel darshan when I finally reached Sitaram Mills Compound I saw all the old mill buildings and I thought where I am? It seemed as if time had stopped, koels chirping merrily. The hot blazing sun silently continues to throw more heat. No noise of cars…it felt like I was far off from Mumbai. I started wondering is this the right place for me? After the nomadic roam around for half an hour, I called up Gautamm several times to help me navigate my way. I finally reached & to my amazement the office seemed exceptionally larger-than-life, serene & full of positive aura.

Looking back now, when we started Search Department, we were only 3 people and we had only 2 small projects to handle. But things changed very rapidly after that. We had the opportunity to work with reputed clients. It’s just the beginning...Goodwill spreads eventually & here we are- NOW looking out to grow our Search Team...And after almost 10 months…with Jai Ho Congress, MOT and may more clients. Sparks like Ignition happening, I can safely say that this is the right time to dive into Digital Marketing & Advertising. I am proud to be a part of Ignitee which has a blend of talent, creativity, madness & lots of fun…great people to work with…hardcore foodies…hilarious dancers…crazy workaholics…singers…actors…& what not!

- Kamlesh Ek Sawal?

Why Ignitee Is the Much Coveted Place to Work

2009-06-04T03:29:00.000-07:00

Ignitee is the coolest place to be on this earth! Ok I know the initial enthusiasm wears off like that for the newly married couple once they are back from their Lemon Sun (hmm honeymoon sounds too boring). But more than 3 months & I know I can safely say that the Lemon Sunny period is still going on man!

Ok here I go with some cool reasons to work with Ignitee (note: it’s NEVER ‘work for’ but ‘work with’)

* Words like ‘kit kit’ & ‘bossgiri’ ‘chamchagiri’, ‘I-am-the-boss-attitude’, ‘Only If…’, and ‘If you don’t then…’ blah blah blah don’t exist at Ignitee.

* Get unlimited access to internet, chai, kaaphi & nimbu paani

* Get Nihal’s idli chutney (early birds only!)

* Every Alternate Friday evening you can showcase your ‘kala’ i.e your talent

* Makes you feel at home (especially for the creative keedas who spend most of their weekends at moksh. (Ignitee’s abode)

* The fact that each karmchaari has some kind of uniqueness for e.g : Kunal’s taste for dukhi aatma gaane, my manager Kamlesh’s constant antics which include innovative style of mixing up a couple of songs & coming up with a funny composition, Monali’s amriki accent which tickles even our tongue bones (that was sad) & for my boss he keeps pulling our leg whenever he gets a chance hmmm…as for the new chick Bhakti we ragged her & made her remember her good ol’ college days! (Btw it was healthy ragging-we made her meow like a cat & dance her garba). As for the Creative team karmachari’s Nihal & Amyth (real name Amit) have the weirdest, funniest anecdotes just tell him anything & there it goes twisted & strangled to yet another ‘dilbert stumpleupon’. Creative Director Bhavna has a penchant for words, loves to scrabble & can smash guys! …I mean at table tennis…Our VP Mr.Ramani is a die hard cricket fan. There are many more characters here but for that you got to come to Ignitee for a live performance!

* We all keep dieting (decode dieting: a process of continuous diet intake)

* We have our lunch when the rest of the Iggi’s have their chai/kaafi/nimpu paani/etc & we still love it!

* You get a free body massage (b’day bums BUT only for GUYS!)

* Cool Ignitee Tees

On a serious note each day at Ignitee is learning & the people here are just so cool & chilled out! No one feels out of place here & infact each once of us discovers the ‘Ignitee’ in him/her. Hmmm till then will keep you updated with the Iggy Antics. Ciao!

IGNITEE NIGHTS

2009-06-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Big accounts. We’re getting some REALLY big accounts these days to work on. For security reasons (and to keep my sanity intact) I won’t reveal the names, but let it suffice to be known that they’re BIG.

And what do BIG accounts do? They keep the creative team up during the night. Yup, that’s us, the CREATIVE team. Web designers, art director, copywriter, creative director, illustrators, visualisers… the works. We stay up all night to work for a pitch that tons of other agencies are pitching for. We need to win, we WANT to win, we WILL win (it’s a kind of imaginary war cry I’ve made up in my head).

The best part is, we have fun during these nights. LOADS of fun. We do a lot of stuff in between work to keep us going through the night. We dance, we sing, we EAT (eat a LOT), and sometimes, if something interesting is happening on TV, we watch that too. Hey, I said we do this stuff IN BETWEEN work. We do work, you know. But we make sure that it doesn’t feel like work. We make it feel FUN and INTERESTING. Without that, you really can’t get through a night of work.

So, if you ever do want to know what having fun means, walk into our office past 10 PM on any given weekday (sometimes, weekend too). You’ll find us fooling and laughing around… and of course, working EXTREMELY hard. We just love this place. It’s truly ‘ignited’.

Renovation @ Ignitee – Live Concerto by Nihal Dylan

2009-05-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

Don’t gather round in office, wherever you roam
And admit that the plywood around you has worn
And accept it soon that it’ll be up, through your nose
If your breath to you is worth breathing
Then wrap a hanky round your face
And stick to your zone
Coz the Ignitee, they are renovatin’

World Champs set to defend crown

2009-05-31T20:38:00.000-07:00

The Indian team was captured by a group of photographers, practicing at the Lords Cricket Ground. They appeared to be relaxed and completely at ease—a sign that this is a world champion team.

Yes, T20 is back (barely a couple of weeks after the IPL) and it promises to be another heart-stopping, pulse-racing event. India is in an ‘easy’ group, with Bangladesh and Ireland. You remember what these two teams did at the 2007 World Cup, don’t you? Going by that yardstick, India is actually in a tough group.

But nothing seems to perturb Dhoni. Captain Cool, as always, says that the team is prepared and is ready to enjoy this World Cup. Boy, he is so cool, he could’ve even been working at Ignitee. We’ve got some really cool heads down here, believe me.

And when the mind is calm and without fear, success automatically follows. We’ve learnt that as a team, it is important to stay calm and confident, without being COMPLACENT. And that’s how World Champs defend their titles. All the best to the Indian Cricket Team!

Turning into a woman?? No way!

2009-05-31T20:31:00.000-07:00

That’ll be my worst nightmare. I’m pretty much happy the way I am. I have committed no sins against women and I’m very appreciative of the fact that they exist. God knows we need women!

That’s just me, talking after viewing another episode of Bhaskar Bharti on Sony Entertainment Television. The thought is scary, you know. Because HE, sitting up there, is capable of anything (you have seen Bruce Almighty, haven’t you?). Basically, the reason I’m blabbering about all of this is because of the impact this serial has made on my senses. Whew! And of course, you might want to see the serial for Bharti alone (she’s cute, spunky, has attitude and… what we say… GUMPTION)

Another serial that reminds us why ladies are so important, and how nice it is to be a lady, is LADIES SPECIAL. The life of four middle class women, while it may not seem like a summer blockbuster prospect, is definitely a feel-good, emotional telly thing. And Neena Gupta back on screen after SO long—boy, you can’t miss out on THAT!

And oh yes, our place at Ignitee is full of special women. And yeah, we can’t do without them. But Lord, I still implore you to keep me the way I am. Not that I have anything against women, it’s just that I prefer being a man… for this lifetime, at least! ;-)

The People’s Verdict (and IPL’s too)

2009-05-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

Anti-incumbency. Worked for one, and not the other. While many feared that the Congress might give way to the BJP, few would’ve betted on the Deccan Chargers going on to win the IPL (those who did made a LOT of money. A LOT)

You might wonder why I’m talking about both of these mutually exclusive events in the same context. Simply because the outcomes were staggeringly similar. It’s simple: the people have spoken for clarity in governance, as opposed to divisive politics. In the same way, the Deccan Chargers didn’t just sit on their bums (like last year). Every player in the team was given a well-defined role. Deccan was a team of Supermen, who had to come down to earth like Clark Kent and finish off the job. And finish it off they did!

The Congress, with the clever use of online advertising—thanks, in no small part, to Ignitee—reached out to the youth more than the BJP did, and by the time BJP woke up, the Congress were too far ahead. They had a good mixture of youth and experience in their ranks, similar to the Deccan Chargers. If Pragyan Ojha took a four-wicket haul in one game, then Gilchrist would take over the next game with a blistering fifty. It’s all about youth and experience in one heady mix.

And oh, us guys here at Ignitee—we too are a blend of youth and experience. Otherwise we wouldn’t have won these two clients—Congress and Max. It required a special blend, and we had that. Oh, congratulations to the Indian National Congress and Deccan Chargers—Jai Ho!

Google Maps: The Next Big Thing for Social Media

2009-05-19T02:25:00.000-07:00

Google Maps is a basically web-mapping service application provided by Google to navigate you through your by lanes, your favorite restaurant..that new mall for shopping your levis jeans ( apparently Akki-Twinkle jeans unbuttoning tactics have started working on young men/old men/middle aged man!)...it helps you post reviews about any & every place on this earth. Note : Google Maps is very much similar to Google earth, however it is much more interactive. One can find out what's happening in your local area, post reviews about that latest food joint, connect with your school friends, add ratings & comments & much more.

let me throw some light on the intricacies & features of Google Maps, Somewhat similar to Google Earth, Google Maps are bundled with up teem features which will help you & your business visibility & easy access to your customers.

1.Put your business on Google Maps: Put you business on the Google Map & Expand your visibility.

2.Display your ads on Google Maps : You can Now Advertise on Google Maps..imagine someone searching for a particular location & he/she finds your relevant restaurant/store/product/service ad!

3.Google Maps for your phone :
*Download Google Maps for Mobile: Once you submit your mobile no you get a link, on activation of the link you can:
*Determine your current location with or without GPS
*Get driving and transit directions
*Get phone numbers and addresses for local businesses
*Run Exciting Contests on Google Maps: Recently a Book Launch did a exciting ‘Treasure Hunt’ with the help of Google Maps.

5.Add Videos & Pictures : On a specified location you can add pictures & videos

6.Write Reviews : Write reviews of your favorite restaurants, movies, places, etc

Google Maps overall is a great social tool for users as well as Social Media Enthusiasts.Way to Go!

Interesting Facts About Google That You Should Know!

2009-05-18T23:32:00.000-07:00

Google is a way of life. We just can’t live without it! We Google recipes, we Google news, we Google videos, we Google cricket, we Google Google itself! Let's take a look at some of the interesting facts about Some of the interesting facts about Google:

*1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) - approximate number of unique URLs in Google’s index

*2,000,000,000 (two billion) - very rough number of Google searches daily

·*$110,000,000 - approximately amount of money lost by Google annually due to the “I’m Feeling Lucky” button

*68,000,000 - The average number of times people Googled the word Google each month for the last year

*Google has the largest network of translators in the world!

*The name ‘Google’ was an accident. A spelling mistake made by the original founders who thought they were going for ‘Googol’

*They listen to feedback actively. Emailing Google isn’t emailing a blackhole.

*Employees are encouraged to use 20% of their time working on their own projects. Google News, Orkut are both examples of projects that grew from this working model.
*Famous Google Quotes : "Give Users What They Want When They Want It"
"Integrate Sensibly"

*Google's name is a play on the word googol, which refers to the number 1 followed by one hundred zeroes. The term was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner, and was popularized in the book, "Mathematics and the Imagination" by Kasner and James Newman. Google's play on the term reflects the company's mission to organize the immense amount of information available on the web.

*Google started as a research project at Stanford University, created by Ph.D. candidates Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were 24 years old and 23 years old respectively (a combined 47 years old).

*Google's index of web pages is the largest in the world, comprising of billions of web pages. Google searches this immense collection of web pages often in less than half a second.

*Google receives daily search requests from all over the world, including Antarctica.

*Users can restrict their searches for content in 35 non-English languages, including Chinese, Greek, Icelandic, Hebrew, Hungarian and Estonian. To date, no requests have been received from beyond the earth's orbit, but Google has a Klingon interface just in case.

*Google has a world-class staff of more than 2,668 employees known as Googlers. The company headquarters is called the Googleplex.

*Google translates billions of HTML web pages into a display format for WAP and i-mode phones and wireless handheld devices, and has made it possible to enter a search using only one phone pad keystroke per letter, instead of multiple keystrokes.

*Google Groups comprises more than 845 million Usenet messages, which is the world's largest collection of messages or the equivalent of more than a terabyte of human conversation.

*The basis of Google's search technology is called PageRank™, and assigns an "importance" value to each page on the web and gives it a rank to determine how useful it is. However, that's not why it's called PageRank. It's actually named after Google co-founder Larry Page.

*Googlers are multifaceted. One operations manager, who keeps the Google network in good health is a former neurosurgeon. One software engineer is a former rocket scientist. And the company's chef formerly prepared meals for members of The Grateful Dead and funkmeister George Clinton.

To SMS or not to SMS

2009-05-12T00:08:00.000-07:00

Just recently, MS Gill (Honourable Indian Sports Minister) made a big hue and cry over an SMS contest started by the IPL. It’s a simple prediction contest where you get cash prizes if you predict (correctly) the number of runs that will be scored per over. Mr. Gill says that this could lead to betting and gambling, which are banned in India.

So, is a harmless SMS really that bad? Many people have taken part in contests such as these before, and so far no harm has ever come out of that. Of course, some people would call it rampant commercial exploitation (like Mr. Gill), but the important thing to note here is, people like SMS contests. In fact in our office at Ignitee, many of us indulge in these SMS contests whenever we have the time.

What are YOUR views on the subject? Are SMS contests really that evil? Or is Mr. Gill just making a mountain out of a molehill? Awaiting your thoughts, dear friends.

FYI: Fridays At Ignitee Attend At You Own Risk!

2009-05-11T23:54:00.000-07:00

Finally the weekend's come
And everything is goin' down
Nine to five and now it's time
For me to get around
Good poppin' ain't no stoppin' everybody's in the mood
Mind blowin' once you feel the music startin' to get to you
Disco nights, party lights, it's all good for me
My sistas, enjoy your weekend
And may God bless all of you…..

I think every workplace has one thing in common; the common habit of staring at the wall clock/cell phones/ laptops/ etc to check the time on a Friday morning till evening. (Exceptions: Workaholics.) You mentally plan to get rid of all your earlier ‘I Swear’ promises and book tickets to a secret hideaway and buy/order a crate of beer and keep smiling & giggling while your colleagues wonder whether you need a psychiatrist or Ramdev Baba's Asanas.

However Ignitee is notorious for Fridays, especially when the good’ol friendly Ignitee’s turn rivalries! Fridays are Warzones at Ignitee. Lagaan ka team looks dry in front of our four teams: Holy Cows, Power Rangers, Angels & Demons & the Fanatix. We had a tough ‘Table-Tennis’ tournament which had mixed doubles playing & men’s double also. Though are beautiful babes never played TT ever in their entire life, they took rolled up their sleeves & were ready to give the guys run for their money! Then there was a “Whacky TV Commercial Idea’ which not only made our funny bones tickle but also led to the findings:

A.We had an amazing no of people who could mimic our bosses!
B.We had office junta from a non-creative background who came up with wackiest creative ideas.
C.The quiet ones suddenly became a chatterbox
D.Many hands went up for performing nautanki
E.Some of them became popular as Reshamiya’s & Mangeshkar’s with their singing talents

More on that later but on a serious note it helped me as a ‘fresher’ to bond well with peepal in Ignitee apart from my own team. It lead to a feeling of ‘oneness’ & ‘familyness’ with the ‘Hutke Friday Funda’s’ at Ignitee. The latest ‘Decorate Your Workstation’ was more like a ‘Kumbh ka mela’ with one workstation idea being ‘Ring Ring Ringa’ where the ‘workstation’ had the wackiest gifts to be won! Power Rangers did it amazingly well, the detailing like dressing up like a ‘pirate’ & shouting his ware like a typical mumbaiya & other members humming the ‘Slum Dog Millionaire’ Ring Ring Ringa enthusiastically. The judges tried their luck mostly at the Nokia Communicator. Better luck next time! Next was the ‘Baba’s’ workstation where in there were Multi-Cultural & Multi-Lingual Babas...buy a watch & your time will change says the ‘German Baba’ …it was amusing & visually appealing…good job Fanatix!

Then came our good old Nihal with an extremely whacky theme of the ‘Recession hai tou Hairkut ke Saath Bypass muft’ A ‘Doctor-Cum Barber’s Workstation’ which kept us laughing till we all dropped. Finally the Holy Cows…ahem ahem…well these poor cows took the competition theme quietly literally & decorated the workstation as they would for their actual workstation…but then the ‘Color Dip you Finger & Stamp it’ theme was like a fresh dew ..Apart from that the cow’s workstation had the ‘We are friendly & approachable’ theme...Chocolates, Cadburys & lollies were distributed & in the end it was a pleasant experience. In the end we are all Ignitee’s & we all love being a part of these amazing place where ‘Work is Fun & Fun is Work’! Yippee!

Me & Meri Maggi!

2009-05-10T23:51:00.001-07:00

Maggi Maggi Maggi Maggi!
Maggi Maggi Maggi!
Maggi Maggi!
Maggi!

Maggi sunte hi muh main paani aaja hain… I have the most profound memories with maggi as a kid & that’s still going on! Maggi has been almost like a staple food to me. The variations of making different styles of maggi are as numerous as the stars! Maggi with cheese, Maggi with veggies, Maggi with lemon & mint, Maggi with pepper, Maggi with baby corn, blah blah blah….

The ‘Bas Do Minute’ factor is the USP of Maggi making & scoffing it of course. Maggi comes in more than 25 assorted flavors! However the ‘apna wala’ original masala maggi rocks! For one you can experiment with it for two if you are too lazy to experiment you could have it just like that. There is something so simple about maggi that it uncomplicates your life. It’s like the ultimate survival kit that you can ever have in your life! Picture this : Its two in the night & I wake up head towards the kitchen even without opening my eyes…I frantically search through the cold, chilling refrigerator & to my dismay I find an apple, jam & bread…I am in no mood to eat any of these. I know my plan B & quickly open the shelf grab a packet of my maggi…grate the cheese…throw a few peas….a little butter…a pinch of pepper & salt …2-3 minutes & maggi’s ready to eat! Five minutes & I am done…yummy & I feel like a contented soul. Back to slumber…Maggi is a part of my life & I cannot even imagine a life without ‘me aur meri’ Maggi! Our sweet search team here enjoying maggi greedily ….the Maggi is a bit soggy but we don’t mind as we are dead hungry!

I Am an Indian….I Am A Mumbaikar…I Am an Ignitee! (PART-II)

2009-05-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

I hop in a train on a humidly searing day, looking out of the window I see a drowsy Mumbai dragging itself to a yet another day. Everything around looked quite & at rest surprisingly. I get down at Parel & take a cab to the Ignitee Office. It’s located in a quite secluded lane near Chinchpokli (Chinchpokli is the name of a railway station on the Mumbai suburban railway on India's Central Railway line. Also called Chinchpugli and Chinchpooghly). As I enter the lane, I find a deserted ghost-like building reduced to ruins..i mentally make a note to suggest it as a next Raaz-Part III series location…as I now enter my destination building, which gives me a positive aura & a warm welcome silently.

The structure of the building is pretty old & unpretending in style. We connect instantly & I climb up the stairs & reach the reception desk, there I find our Friendly Julie who makes me comfortable while I wait for Yamica to begin with the interview. I busy myself reading something…after some time she appears like a magician doing the trick & takes me to the meeting room. Later My then 'would be' boss Gautamm takes a 'make believe' grueling interview, which went well all set well, the last least expected question is hurled at me, “By the Way Krutika..Are you by any chance a vegetarian?” I try to hide my disbelief & curtly shoot, “I am a vegetarian by choice but here & there I take up a split personality & suddenly convert into a monster (non-veggie) hehe!”

I Am an Indian….I Am A Mumbaikar…I Am an Ignitee! (PART-I)

2009-05-03T23:30:00.000-07:00

On a lazy Sunday afternoon I was reading some fiction for the nth time, my only plan for the day was to chill & soak in the aroma that every Sunday carries with itself. Exams had just lifted its burden from my poor back (like to be melodramatic it helps to visualize you seeJ) & I just prayed that my mother’s brother’s sister-in-law’s father’s aunt’s son will not invite us to one more ‘bored to death’ weddings/dinners/lunches/ blah blah blah!

My phone rings & I just keep my finger crossed, I try to ignore it like you ignore so-called ‘Breaking News’ on news channels & arrow-like twangs of Nasal Reshamiya! I know I know…these examples are as clichéd as clichéd can be but can’t help it!

Ok so I finally drag myself to answer the phone & tan-ta-tan! I get a call from Farheen (a job consultant) for a job opening, Ignitee Digital Solutions. I take down the details without expecting a fairy-tale job. But that’s where the surprise lies…when you don’t have overtly ambitious & yeah unrealistic expectations the outcome is always pleasant & beautiful. Ok so things move on interview is fixed & I gear with my collective knowledge & enthusiasm to Ignitee! Ignitee I Am Coming! (To Be Continued…)

Desktop Cricket

2009-05-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

No, this isn’t a new type of cricket. It’s the way people watch cricket at work. With the IPL fever well and truly on, it’s hard to keep your mind completely focussed at work. I mean come on, we’re all human and we love cricket.

And of course, Ignitee’s also doing work for the DLF IPL, so it’s an added incentive to watch cricket at work! (No, I’m NOT making excuses. We seriously do stuff for the DLF IPL!)

Now if you want to know how exactly people indulge in desktop cricket, here’s a sample tutorial:

1. Make sure that no one’s looking directly at your computer screen or you.
2. Run your hands furiously over your keyboard, as if you’re actually typing something.
3. Without lifting your head, lift your eyes above your desk and look straight at the TV.
4. Then, when you know that everyone’s looking at the TV, get up as if nothing’s happened, and ask, “WHAT’S THE SCORE?”

PS: This works only at Ignitee at certain select seating positions. The others have to get up and go right into the canteen to watch the game.

Hey, I got to get back to work. Believe me, this is a fun place to be in. Now, you know why.

Jesus Christ, Ignitee! It’s January 1, 2009!

2009-01-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

Before I dig into the various gratifications, ramifications and assassinations (ok, so I’m rambling) I’d like to wish all of you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Actually, there is nothing much to tell, except that I didn’t even realise how 2008 flew by, and now I’m faced with the mouth-watering prospect of 2009. It’s a new year, folks! Time to celebrate!

We did have a jolly time, you know. An amazing Christmas party at the Ignitee office (yeah, the Santa was someone real cute) and me spending New Year’s Eve watching Pirates of the Caribbean (you cannot miss Johnny Depp, can you?) just made up for the perfect year-end sign off.

Let’s see what this year brings. I hope November 26 doesn’t happen again. I hope people start playing cricket in Pakistan. And I REALLY, REALLY hope to lose some weight this time around (I’ve not taken any resolutions; let’s see how this non-resolute year goes by).

Viva Las Vegas! (Uh, ok, really time to sign off now…)

Visualising an Ignitee-d Mind

2008-12-19T10:37:00.000-08:00

The Indian Cricket Team just pulled off an impossible victory—at least that's what the Englishmen think. 387 runs in one and a half days… nah, it'd never been done before!

That's the thing about changing history. Just like Virender Sehwag has a delightful disregard for history, and at Ignitee, so do we. It's all about VISUALISING the situation beforehand. Just think that you've already done it… visualise the winning moment time and again—and voila! Even reputed Olympic champions have used this technique to perform nigh impossible gymnastic stunts. That changes the course of history.

Ignitee too visualises stuff beforehand. Like doing a website in 3 days flat. Getting a campaign live within a few hours. Making award winning websites. It's all the power of visualisation, of what we believe we can do.

Right now, I'm visualising food. It's time to grab a bite. But oh, I always visualise food. Darn! I should've become a chef…

From Chinchpokhli (Ignitee's Office) to China!!

2008-12-10T22:57:00.000-08:00

Chinese food is always enjoyable, especially when there's LOTS and you have good company. And Ignitee, of course is a REAL GOOD company. That's what I found out when we all sat down to have some amazing Chinese food (don't ask me for the name of the restaurant… come on, a rose by any other name would still smell sweet, right? I've been reading Shakespeare lately). It's pretty evident from the photographs that all of us Ignitees are pretty chuffed. I was smiling through a mouthful of noodles (oh yeah, and that double chin became a triple chin). And what can beat a beautiful 1,000-watt smile into the camera? The food, maybe, but that's a different issue altogether.

Before you could say Ignitee, we'd wolfed down most of the food. Our plates were—LITERALLY—licked clean and everyone was kind of dazed after the whole thing. It's like when you have really good wine, your head starts swirling a little bit—that's EXACTLY what had happened to us.

Oh, when we got back to work, the eyelids started drooping. MAN how I wish I was Chinese (at least nobody will know whether you're sleeping or not). But here's to more food, more Chinese, and of course, a whole lot more of Ignitee. Cheerio!

A resignation doesn’t mean repentance

2008-12-08T21:45:00.001-08:00

It’s happened. Politicians have come out in a show of ‘solidarity’ and resigned from their posts, thereby ‘taking the responsibility of the blasts upon themselves’. My foot. Not one of them repents even a little bit. The blame-games and grandstanding continues—one party at the expense of another. And where do we go in all of this?

By the way, the show of solidarity by the common man at the Gateway of India was something to behold. Here was a city, in its full cosmopolitan force, stepping up and giving these ‘Mantralaya’ men something to think about. Some of the posters were actually very funny—I actually vouch for showing RGV Ki Aag as torture for the terrorists. But on a more serious issue, it finally showed that Mumbai was not going to take anything lying down. The ‘spirit’ of Mumbai has changed—no longer is it CHALTA HAI. Mumbaikars have taken this to heart, and no one will be spared.

But do you think the politicians are listening? If they are, then I am Barack Obama’s long-lost brother. They will not repent, not until we actually give them a few tight slaps across the face. Then even we can say, “Bade-bade shehron mein aisi choti-choti baatein hoti rehti hai.” So come on guys, let’s make them repent.

Bombs, Bullets and B***ards

2008-12-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

My apologies for the use of expletives upfront. I know it’s no match for the kind of explosive debauchery we’ve been seeing over the past few days, but I had to get it out of my system, somehow—feeling absolutely powerless hurts. Really does.

My heart first goes out to those victims who were trapped or who had their dear ones trapped behind enemy lines, as it were. Commiserations won’t do, I’m sure, but that’s all I can give you at this moment—along with a sense of hope that ONE DAY, we can send children to school in a bus without having to think about the religion of the bus driver—terrorists do not deserve the stamp of religion, anyway.

My salutations to our brave commandos, policemen and army officers who put their lives in the line of fire. They are the real heroes—not the plastic (or cardboard, whatever you wish) ones we see on 70 mm almost everyday, using body doubles, stunt doubles and what not. There’s no ‘replay’, no ‘double’—just one shot at either saving a life, or losing yours. This makes me think—I wish we had an army of James Bonds or Max Paynes. Now maybe is not the right time to discuss movie/video game characters, but they’re needed—cold-blooded, hardened professionals who will show no mercy. Professionals with a license to kill, not bound by the red tape that so often slows down the most critical operations.

I’m rambling now. I don’t know what else to say. My mind has been too murky these past few days. I will take some time to recover. But we need to stand up for ourselves, before it is too late. Is it already too late, I wonder?

India—out of the world and in it, too

2008-11-24T22:21:00.000-08:00

Pirates off the African Coast—a scary thought. It's been a long time since I've heard of a ship being hijacked. It's mostly those metal birds in the sky (that's what the tribal Africans would call a plane—please refer to the movie The Gods Must Be Crazy).

Can you imagine though that it took the efforts of the Indian Navy to knock those pirates over? I do not doubt their capabilities, please no. I have the utmost respect for all the people serving in the armed forces. It's just the involvement of India in such a major international siege. Makes me go dizzy.

Another thing that makes me proud is Chandrayaan. Technology has evolved, and how! As the Indian tricolour flutters proudly, I sit back and wonder… how about a holiday on the moon? As it is, I need a break.

Oops… I've been woken from my stupor. Time to get back to work. But then, it isn't too bad to dream, especially when your country is on a high.

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Markets?

2008-11-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

Ok, so you've invested in the stock markets. Have you? It's all right, everyone's lost some money along the way. I'll feel worse for you though, if you're from Lehman Brothers. Sigh. I think that saying came true after all, "THE BIGGER THEY ARE THE HARDER THEY FALL". Never have I seen fortunes change so rapidly… it's all happened in one year!

They need some kind of inspiration. How about putting up posters of MS Dhoni around the place? He's definitely the most 'bankable' name in India today (okay, that was a bad one). But seriously, they need a turnaround. The 'experts' (yeah, right) 'predict' that there will be a change in fortunes sometime soon.

What until then? Maybe a little visit to our office wouldn't do harm. We're inspired all the time! (OK! Most of the time!) Of course, we can't make magic and set the bulls free in a day, but at least as long as I'm around, they'll have some good jokes to laugh at (this one was the best!)

So… mutual fund investments, anyone?

And now, give it up for the Ignited Band of Boys ‘n’ Babes

2008-11-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

(Sung to the tune of WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE – thanks, Billy Joel)

We did start the fire,

On the World Wide Web,

Making it hot ‘n’ hep!

We did start the fire,

Sparking digital passion,

With a mouse in action!

We did start the fire,

Just about everybody’s,

Clicking on and on and on…

Yeah baby, we’re definitely switched on!

Coffee@ignitee.com

2008-11-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

The cries continued. I was desperately waiting for my morning cup of coffee, but nobody responded. That was when I got up and had a look around. Cups of coffee were being handed out to everyone else. That’s when I suddenly realised… this place has so many people! What was I doing sitting in front of my PC? Let’s have a round, I thought!

I exchanged pleasantries with everyone, right from the bosses in the cabins to those tireless guys in the pantry. Yeah, this place is well and truly ALIVE! Ignitee is abuzz with activity every second—you won’t find a dull moment here! Ah, the tussles between Business Development and Creative… India-Australia, step aside. But it’s fun, real fun. Work keeps churning out at the rate of knots and more work keeps coming in. I just LOVE this place! It just feels like home!

As I stood there day-dreaming, I was rudely shaken out of my stupor. There he was, my boss! I looked back towards my seat—a mob of 5 people, waiting to give me work. No problem. I smiled, hugged my boss, went back to my seat and started work. And oh, the coffee had reached, albeit by this time it was cold. I drank it though. Ignitee has a way of making you like things.