A fun and enjoyable comedy, Murder Mystery 2 is the sequel to the popular 2019 film Murder Mystery. It follows the exploits of Nick Spitz (Adam Sandler) and his wife Audrey (Jennifer Aniston) as they become involved in yet another investigation.
Murder Mystery 2’s plot is more complicated than what the title might imply because the plot doesn’t really revolve around a murder. The characters are involved in a high-profile kidnapping case, which adds a new level of mystery and tension to the narrative.
This shift in course may surprise some fans of the original picture, but it ultimately benefits the movie. The kidnapping plot offers more suspects and motives, and it keeps the audience engaged right up until the very end.
The story begins when Nick and Audrey are invited to an exclusive island for a wedding and end up becoming the prime suspects in a kidnapping investigation.
Once again, the film’s highlight is the connection between Sandler and Aniston, whose sharp repartee and comic timing add to the movie’s charm. Even with a limited role, Akhtar serves as a wonderful counterpoint to the film’s comic sequences.
The movie’s plot is expertly written, with plenty of twists to keep the audience riveted.
The movie’s pacing is also excellent, with a wonderful mix of humorous and tense parts. The language and action flow seamlessly, making for a gripping and enjoyable film from start to finish.
The kidnapping narrative may not be what viewers were anticipating, but it is still a fantastic addition to the picture, making for a lively and interesting watch that is likely to please fans of the original movie.
The movie isn’t particularly groundbreaking in terms of its storytelling or plot, but it is a great follow-up to the original film, delivering more of the same humor and entertainment that fans of the first movie will love. Overall, Murder Mystery 2 is a fun and enjoyable movie that is perfect for a night in with friends or family.
Don Draper, the classy and dapper ad man from the popular TV series Mad Men, may have been a legend in his day, but he would have a hard time fitting into the structure of a contemporary advertising firm.
For one thing, Don Draper was well-known for his continuous chain smoking, but nowadays, smoking inside is strictly prohibited. He would have to go outside and wait like everyone else on the sidewalk. Imagine Don Draper walking down the street, smoking, and appearing as calm as a cucumber, while passerbys glare at him with annoyance.
Second, although Don Draper was a master of print and television advertisements, he would struggle to adjust to social media. Twitter? Instagram? TikTok? These ideas are alien to him. Would he be able to think of a hashtag or a trending meme?
Don Draper always wore a suit and shirt and looked impeccable. However, the dress code at advertising companies has become more lax in recent years. Imagine that Don wears a three-piece suit to work while his coworkers are sporting hoodies and trainers.
Collaboration is essential in the contemporary advertising firm. Don Draper had a reputation for working by himself, locking himself in his office, and only leaving when he had an excellent idea. He would presumably struggle to adapt to the team-oriented environment of the modern advertising industry.
Data is king in the realm of advertising today. Analytics and metrics are used by advertisers to monitor the effectiveness of their campaigns and make rational choices. Don Draper was more of a “gut feeling” type of person who relied on his ingenuity and intuition to generate ideas.
In order to grab people’s attention, today’s marketers constantly push the envelope, creating unique and unconventional campaigns. Even though Don Draper was an expert at creating print and television advertisements, could he come up with a viral marketing campaign or guerilla marketing strategy?
Artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and other cutting-edge technologies are used to create immersive and interactive campaigns, placing technology at the vanguard of contemporary advertising. Although Don Draper was undoubtedly a creative genius, he would probably find it difficult to manage the sophisticated world of technology.
In conclusion, while Don Draper may have been a legend in his time, he would definitely struggle to fit into a modern advertising agency setup. But hey, we can still appreciate his impeccable style and smooth talking ways!
Fishka is somewhat my best kind of review – a restaurant I wasn’t really planning to write about, but somehow it waylaid me. Hence, the lack of photos. Well, I’ve posted a couple but these are from previous visits.
People will always compare its previous location to where it has settled these days, and there’s no getting around that.
Its earlier location opposite the Alila Diwa fed it some uber cool crowd and it felt somehow shinier and full of that elusive thing called “buzz.”
Its current location isn’t bad. Well, it has more room, there’s a long balcony area, picture frames all over the walls and plenty of tables.
I’ve eaten at least thrice at Fishka with my friend, who helps me rage across the menu with a few cold glasses of mango margarita. This time, we were placed at a table across from the bar. But there are cosier tables, if you’re on a snug date.
Frozen Margarita
We began with the starters section, particularly the chicken banjara kebabs and the veg pakodas. The kebabs were sleek, semi-soggy chunks that we polished off in a jiffy. Delicious!!!
I’m more of a meat and potatoes person. I’m fine with an occasional vegetarian meal, but not a huge fan of vegetarian pakodas. I can only give you my friend’s account on this, as I wasn’t inclined to take even a peck. According to him, the pakodas were air-light and melt-in-the-mouth, the perfect food to go with a glass of martini. Pakodas and martinis in the same sentence? Well, there’s a first :).
Meanwhile, twice we were interrupted by a confused looking steward who made to hand us a parcel of some sort. Apparently, the delivery orders seemed to have gotten mixed up. At this point, I wondered if the ever-smiling congenial owner was around. I wanted to suggest that he take a trip around the kitchen and initiate a judicial proceeding into its goings-on.
For main, we choose the Chicken Kolhapuri with rotis. A fearsome dark brown plate of gravy with chicken pieces, it looked “hot” and tasted “hotter”- all in a good way.
We almost passed on dessert, but the bebinca sizzler with vanilla ice-cream leaped out at us as delectable. When it came in, it was a stunner. We grabbed spoons and fully committed to walloping it all without looking up for a breath.
I can’t wind this up without a good word for the ‘frozen margaritas.’ I’ve slurped both the strawberry and the mango margaritas and they were evening-transforming. One is delicious, two is a wonderful idea, while after three, there’s a risk that you may end up abducting the bartender. So, stop while you’re not ahead.
Fried Prawns from my previous visit
If you haven’t been here yet, but want to check it out, Fishka is a useful place to keep up your sleeve for after-work drinks and some good food, without worrying too much about the price or the need to “dress up.”
As for me, I’m definitely planning to darken its doors again. Be warned, the next time you visit, it may be one bartender short!
It’s a time of mixed blessings. And in the current situation, you count them all. One is having the liberty to drive around on a Sunday, walk into a restaurant and know that it’s likely you’ll get a seat without reservation.
This was an adventure we attempted last Sunday. A detour to one of the hottest new gastrobars in Panaji, Goa. Opened only a month ago, in the heart of the city, it’s one that we’ve been meaning to visit ever since.
While Panaji on a Sunday was unsurprisingly quiet, it’s still a reminder that Goa, like everywhere, is the sum of its people, many of whom visit during the season.
Petisco is a softly lit gastrobar, with staggered green and gold patterns that define contemporary chic. Spread across three levels, it is well-appointed with dark wood and brick hues emerging as an even theme. It is an informal yet ostensibly formal louche dinner spot.
We are greeted warmly by David, the affable restaurant manager. We select the upper level, and settle down comfortably. We browse through the menu. It’s a riot of ideas. The food philosophy stems from using local Goan produce to create dishes influenced by flavours from the Mediterranean and Spanish colonies. There are small plates, slightly large plates and an extensive bar list.
From the small plates, we order the Prawns a la Plancha and the Chimmichuri Chicken. For drinks, we order the Smoked G & T and the Penicillin, which is smoked whiskey with a gingery lime finish. The drinks come first. The G&T is garnished with a sprig of thyme and I enjoy its smoky boozy kick. God, it felt good, experiencing this raging bubble of happiness rise up inside me.
The Prawns a la Plancha follows suit. It is a powerfully created mixture of garlic and chilli olive oil, seafood bisque, pickled bimbli and served with poie. I’m tempted to surrender to some serious head suckage and I refrain only to prevent my companion from stomping out in a huff. The gravy was so good, I polished it all off with the poie.
Prawns a la Plancha
The Chimmichuri chicken comes next. For the uninitiated (like myself), chimmichuri is growing in popularity and is the most perfect condiment to serve with chicken. Served with a sweet potato salad, each chicken piece is soft, moist and tastes intensely of itself.
Chimmichuri Chicken
Pranav Dhuri, the owner, works the room, cheerfully. And he has every reason to be. He stops by for a quick word and we reassure him that everything up until now is wonderful.
We pour over the drinks menu. Tipples run from quaffable, dependable, pocket-friendly stuff like beers and classic cocktails to the wine labels and other fancier spirits.
We settle for a classic Cosmopolitan and a Manhattan. From the slightly larger plates, we choose the Potato Rosti and the Roast Chicken.
Roast Chicken
The Roast Chicken comes replete with lyonnaise potatoes, fried okra and curried jus. It was so prettily presented that it could win a beauty contest. The Potato Rosti with chipotle salsa will be a favourite among vegetarians.
Potato Rosti
The dessert menu is short and to the point. We choose a Tart. To say that it was heavenly, isn’t poetic frippery. An explosion of flavours, it was quite wobblesome and had me sopping it down theatrically while making those “mmmm” sounds. Small sugar bursts whisk me away from everything for a second.
Petisco is a small, independent labour of love – imaginative small plates, a dizzying bar list and fabulous service. Since my dinner there, I’ve told several people to earmark this place for a visit. Petisco is a birthday or special-occasion place, true, but it is also a place for any given day.
The space is a welcoming, beating heart in the center of Panaji city for those in need of a respite of so many kinds. It’s like it’s name. Petisco. In this case size matters. And we say, smaller the better.
Everyone needs a pick-me-up now and then. For us, this was between shopping and making the long drive home. The promise of a hot drink and a snack was too delicious to pass up and we end up at The Chocolate Room in Margao.
The Chocolate Room is tiny but mighty. A small counter is fitted to the left of stairs that lead up to a cozy mezzanine floor. The counter is interesting. It has rows of cute looking chocolates. Tempting for sure.
The top floor is small but well-appointed, with two corner couches and a few comfortable tables and chairs. The walls are interesting and mounted with frames bearing quirky messages. The room is pretty enough to hang out in and the ambience is sedate and cheerful all at once.
And then, the menu. A list of all things chocolate, it’s difficult to make a choice. We opt for cuddlecups of hot chocolate with marshmallows and cheese nachos.
Service was prompt and chipper and it’s only a minute before the nachos arrive. Served with spicy salsa, they are a whoosh of cheese, veggies and crunchy flavour. My companion makes merry while I implore him not to drench the nachos with salsa.
The hot chocolate with marshmallows is all that we expected it to be. It looked so pretty in its branded mug, that I almost don’t want to sip and break the spell. Dark and fluffy, it seemed like it would be heavy and cloying. But, it is lightness itself. Warm and welcoming after a tiring day.
We’re the only ones here at this moment, possibly because the Covid fairy still looms. We take our time, clicking photos, reading the literature on the walls and generally goofing around.
The Chocolate Room is a good pit-stop in between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner. Unless, you want to make a meal out of chocolate. In that case, drop in anytime. Nobody will judge you.
We finally leave smelling of chocolate, cheese and bliss. I’ll take my sweet moments where I can get them. And my sugar rush right up until dinnertime.
On the way from Vasco to Colva to Red Ginger’s new location, I noticed near-empty streets. It seemed like everyone had opted for a Sunday afternoon of telly or Netflix. It’s difficult to find consistently open restaurants these days and always a good idea to call beforehand. But Red Ginger was definitely open; the good folks there waiting to greet us with a thermal gun. Even that is somewhat comforting these days. It makes you feel mighty safe. Speaking of which, hospitality staff across the country must be exhausted trying to make this process cheerful.
I’ve been to Red Ginger earlier, but this new location is quite spiffy. There is a nice sit-out, a lovely interior and cozy looking first floor. We take a seat inside and find ourselves surrounded by a riot of grinning little Buddha statuettes that adorn the walls and interiors. I appreciate the well-stocked bar and the curious looking Oriental artefacts that are a fitting ode to the Asian continent.
The menu is accessed through QR code. Restaurants must now come up with creative ways to display their QR code and Red Ginger’s is placed most inventively on wooden blocks. The menu is impressive and traverses Asia like a backpacker on the run.
The cocktail menu at Red Ginger is interesting. There are feni cocktails and my ever so experimental companion chooses a Cazulo Granita, while regular me settles for a perky cosmopolitan. We walk up to the bar and watch the bartender mix the Cazulo Granita. A pain-staking process for those who are interested.
A concoction of cashew fenny, gently stirred with lime and sugar and garnished with frozen raspberries, this Cazulo Granita looks like a work of art and tastes like the work of an expert mixologist. We’re impressed.
For starters, we choose theRed Ginger sesame prawns and the Chicken Dumplings. The prawns served with a salad in vibrant hues of red and green, are a textural delight. The dish is intensely comforting and I love the way the silken pieces jolt my taste-buds each time I introduce a spoonful to my mouth.
The dumplings are served piping hot and fully flavoured. You lift the lid to reveal pearly cream skin that gives way to chunks of butter-soft chicken. The meat courts my tongue. Bliss surges through my veins. All of a sudden, I am ten years old again tucking into my very first dumpling.
For main course, we share a good-as-heckThai red curry and a humble bowl of rice. A delicious blend of strong flavours, the spices were perfectly balanced to create one raver of a meal. The red curry is not just multi-layered, but so intense that you mop it up until its last stain. It’s definitely one of the areas where this restaurant earns its stripes.
Red Ginger feels like a pianist trying to find its rhythm again after its relocation. The tables were not full, the ambience was slightly somber, but we’re grateful that it’s open. Well, nothing is perfect anywhere these days, but at least the kitchen fires are burning and the doors are open. It’s a good start. As far as the prices are concerned, while I wouldn’t suggest that they are giving food away, I would definitely argue that there is value here.
Red Ginger, no doubt, takes all the anxiety out of the quest for quality Asian cuisine. It’s impressive without being ostentatious. And in these uncertain times, I’d definitely take it lock, stock and chopsticks.
A romantic outing to Purple Martini isn’t included in “Tips to help your relationship“ because people are just too stereotype. Move over candlelight dinners and serenaders. A restaurant with a heady view can bring back the magic too.
On a day when I didn’t have the emotional bandwidth to travel all the way to the North of Goa, my companion suggested a change of place. After some resistance, I concurred and off we went driving to catch the sunset at Purple Martini.
Let’s first acknowledge that the weather these days has been playing truant. It could be sunny one day and downright rainy the next. Or somber with an overcast sky, but no rain. Today was one of these. Thankfully, all of this played to our advantage.
There are certain places that make everything better. Purple Martini is one of them. When we get to Anjuna, everything seems isolated and washed out. But just a five minutes walk into a tiny lane on the left, is a pulsing sign of life.
Perched on top of a cliff at Anjuna, Purple Martini has a vantage point. The most breath-taking view you can imagine. It’s a pat on the back. A splash of rain on the cheek. An exuberant hug of welcome.
You can see the sea for miles- undulating slowly, swelling and receding, crashing on the rocks below splashing sprays of salt water into the air.
It doesn’t go by time constraints or dress codes. You can show up whenever, looking sophisticated or dishevelled. You can order a pitcher of sangria at 5 pm or a coffee at 9 pm.
While I’m flirting with the view, my companion browses through the menu. It’s vast and has a selection of Asian, tandoor and practically everything desi and continental, making it tough to narrow down our choices. The server is cheerful and made us feel very welcome.
For drinks, we order a Manhattan and a Sangria. The Manhattan is a delightful shade of liquid gold and the sangria was just right.
For starters, we order the masala peanuts and tandoori prawns. I thought that, with a view this perfect, the food didn’t have to be grand. It just needed not to be bad. It wasn’t.
The masala peanuts may seem pedestrian, but they were simply delicious. The tandoori prawns were plump and pleasing featuring a side of salad and some meaningful pudina chutney. And each mouthful got a lift from the elements : the breeze, the salt, the slight drizzle.
The breezy view and relaxed ambience, made us yearn for some hookah. But the excessively high price which started at Rs.2000/- onwards was a big deterrent. Anyway, if that’s not your thing, there are lots of other less worryingly priced items that you can order.
Two Manhattans, one sangria down, and we’re buzzing like bees with an overdose of honey. Our senses leap even more, when a saxophonist begins the early evening with some jazzy arrangements, a few classics and contemporaries.
Tousled children prance around deck chairs, the wind whistles, we move to the rhythm and can’t help but grin foolishly.
As the twilight turns to dusk, the place fills in with tourists and the music becomes more trippy. Looking around, you get a sense that people have thrown caution to the wind, forgotten the pandemic and are just out to live their lives once more. This isn’t a new normal. It’s a whole new reality. Possibly one that I can live with quite happily.
As the crowds kept pouring in, right in tune with the now pelting rain, we decide to call it a night. There were magical moments but we’ve learned to leave before the party is over. This is after all, a restaurants main role at the moment : offering short, intense, lively moments of magic.
It’s not quite fine dining. Nor is it star service or budget-friendly. But it is dining outside with a terrific view. And at the moment, we should all grab it where we can get it.
I’ve been wanting to write this post for some days now. So, finally here I am with a cup of coffee getting down to revealing more about myself with the The Liebster Award.
At the onset, I want to express my gratitude to Moksha Hegde from Happy Panda for nominating me kindly. Thank you. This is my first ever award here and I’m so happy that you thought of me. I love reading her posts. They are so peppy and thoughtful. Do read her posts and follow her, if you aren’t already.
The Liebster Award
Liebster in German means – sweetest, kindest, endearing, beloved and so on. It’s a great initiative to support new blogs.
Rules:
Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate 11 bloggers
Ask your nominees 11 questions
Notify your 11 nominees
Moksha’s Questions :
If you could wear only one colour for the rest of your life, which would you pick? I love white. It’s been a favourite for a long time now. Though technically it’s not a colour, I appreciate order and simple elegance and I think white embodies both perfectly. I wish my wardrobe had more whites in it.
Favourite dessert? Jelly is my all-time favourite. It reminds me of when we were school kids and used to freeze jelly for a tea-time snack. In addition, I love brownies and cookies.
Which country are you from and if you had to pick a different country to live in, which would you pick? I am from India, but would love to live in the UK. It has both bustling cities and a quiet countryside. Moreover, you don’t have to learn any new languages to adapt and it’s so cosmopolitan.
A novel you recommend that everyone should read? I would say “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand. It’s such a thoughtful and insightful book and really influenced how I approached life and work, both generally and specifically. The main theme was individualism versus collectivism, not just in politics but in the souls of men. In the book, Ayn Rand presents her concept of the ideal man, “as he could be, and as he should be.”
Can you cook? If yes, what’s your favourite dish to cook? I’m not a good cook and can just get by. I think a pulao and fried fish is as much as I can handle.
Pick between – travelling with friends or travelling solo or travelling with your partner.- I think I’d pick travelling solo first and travelling with a partner second. I love solo travelling because you can take time to explore without being pressured to follow someone else’s itinerary. You can sit at a cafe watching the world go by or make new friends with people you’ve never met before. Travelling with a partner is also lovely because it’s so wonderful to have someone to explore a new place with. On the other hand, the memories of that place often become tied to the person you are with and that can colour your memory, if God forbid you’re no longer with that person.
Do you prefer outdoors or being indoors? I think both, depending on the weather and my mood. I like to be outdoors at the seaside, if the weather is bright and sunny and indoors in a cozy corner if it’s rainy and chilly.
A goal for 2020 that you’re still hopeful you’ll manage to do? I’ve been wanting to complete 60 blog posts before end of this year and hit 500+ followers. I’ve so far completed about 40 posts and still way short of that 500 followers mark. But let’s see. Miracles can happen.
If you could only write about one topic, what would you write about? This is a tough one. Being restricted to one topic is so limiting. But, I would write about personal growth and self-development.
Do you like adventure activities like hikes, rafting, etc.? Have you done any? I love adventure and exploring new activities. I’ve been on hikes. Never been rafting but hope to change that this year. I love being in the water and have been on jet ski rides, boat rides, kayaks and tried wind surfing also. I’m afraid of heights, so I guess bungee jumping and sky diving is a no-no for me.
How would you describe your personal fashion style in one word (eg: comfortable)? Understated.
Thanks for reading through. Do let me know if any of my answers resonate with you in the comments section.
My nominees for The Liebster Award :
Blessing Pius from My Diva Blog for the lovely quotes, poetry and motivational posts.
Buzz is a crucial lever of the restaurant scene. It will put more patrons in seats and napkins on lapels than grand taste, fancy seasonings or organic produce. Tataki has made moves on Panaji- in a swashbuckling yet subtle way by placing itself in Panaji’s most happening corner that houses Soho and Down The Road, the mouth of the lane leading to Fontainhas.
I’ve been keeping an eye out for this re-opening for quite some time now. I’ve been here twice before and loved the place. So, it is with much anticipation that we decided on a third outing here.
I would have loved to reserve the balcony area but was informed that the whole verandah was booked. Impressive, for a restaurant that has re-opened merely four or five days ago.
We enter and I’m reminded of all the reasons I loved the place on my previous visits. It has the sort of ambience that can drive you to paroxysms of poetry, a vast room in shades of clotted pink, brown and rose gold, with a choice of low and high tables. The lovely candles on the tables lend a soft romantic glow to the atmosphere.
We’re seated inches away from the luminous bar, with a cherry blossom installation fanning the top and its subtlety highlighted by the flashy beauty of the many vivid bottles. The walls are punctuated by curious looking art and the menu trots around the Orient with the same kitschy attitude. My companion chose a high table close to the bar because, unlike me, he believes that salvation can be found at the bottom of a glass.
The server takes our order for drinks. My companion chooses the Mr Macho, a concoction of Bourbon, spiced tea and maple. I’m so confused that we ask the server for recommendations. She is so evangelical about the Black Rock, an activated charcoal infused gin cocktail, that I feel obliged to order it.
The Black Rock looks interesting, but sadly for me the taste wasn’t remarkable. It’s green-black, for crying out loud, and tastes similar to the celery juice I had that morning. On the other hand, the Mr. Macho has inspired a psalm of praise from my delighted companion.
Mr. Macho
For starters, we order the Classic La-Zi-Ji with Sichuan chilli peppers, scallions and Goan cashew nuts and the Malay style butter garlic prawns with curry leaves and chillies.
The service is super-rapid. The food arrives gaily: hot, fresh and vibrant. The presentation is exquisite- beautiful crockery and lovely arrangement. The chicken is delicate, diced and has an oomph of flavour. The Malay prawns are plump and glossy, intensely flavoured but not overwhelming. Both dishes are extremely satisfying and accomplished in their own way.
Malay Prawns
We’re thirsty again. Being seated close to the bar has its perks and my companion has his own chemistry going on with the barman. He orders a Manhattan. Feeling slightly left out, I holler for a Sangria. No recommendations from the perky server this time. The Manhattan with Jameson looked rich and was super delish. The Sangria was just right, garnished with an orange slice, that provided just enough of a fruity kick.
The Manhattan
For main course, we decide on a vegetarian truffles and pepper sushi roll. This is the star of our show and is a visual delight. I’d like to say it is life-changingly delicious, but I don’t have that many reference points to compare with. So, all I can say is that everything came together just as it supposedly should, and we gobbed on with perverse pleasure.
Vegetarian Truffles and Pepper Sushi Roll
Dessert came next. We zeroed in on a coconut panacotta with caramelised bananas. I wasn’t too keen on the choice, but unwilling to leave without dessert, I agree to go with the flow. It’s a pleasant dish, kind of bouncy with the caramelised bananas and gooey sauce adding gravitas.
Coconut Panacotta with caramelized bananas
It’s time for the bill. At Rs. 525/-, the Malay prawns was the most expensive dish we ordered that day. But we’re not complaining. The bill had us beaming. And we’re stuffed as comprehensively as a roast turkey at Thanksgiving.
As we make our way out, I realize I’m truly smitten by Tataki. Again!! The food, the ambience, the drinks. Needless to say, I’m impressed. And most definitely immersed.
The other day I came across this news article that stated that Maurizio Cattelan’s much talked-about Banana artwork is now in the Guggenheim museum in New York, courtesy an anonymous donor.
The piece of art which went viral, Maurizio Cattelan’sComedian– a simple banana, duct-taped to a wall and priced at $ 120,000 was the subject of much controversy. To recap, Cattelan is an Italian artist and known for edgy work. In 2016 he replaced a toilet at the Guggenheim with a fully functioning gold one. He called the artwork America.
So, what was the thought behind the banana duct-taped to the wall?
A glimpse into what the gallery had to say about it may help throw some light on the matter. “Back then, Cattelan was thinking of a sculpture that was shaped like a banana.Every time he traveled, he brought a banana with him and hung it in his hotel room to find inspiration. He made several models: first in resin, then in bronze, and in painted bronze (before) finally coming back to the initial idea of a real banana.”
The idea behind it, according to the gallerists, was to explore ‘how we assign worth and what kind of objects we value’.
The artwork caused so much of a stir that large crowds assembled before it. To court even more controversy, New York-based performance artist David Datuna literally took a bite of the action by plucking the banana off the wall and eating it in front of stunned onlookers. He claimed that it was performance art and his answer to the supposed question posed by Catellan.
What began as a work of art soon turned into a meme that went viral across social media and brands had a field day with their own version of the duct-taped “banana.”
This was a prime instance of moment marketing. Moment marketing is the development of relevant and consistent links between current trending topics and a brand’s messaging and then communicating it on various media platforms. The question is, does it really help brands?
Burger King is quite well-known for its moment-oriented social campaigns. It has always found ways to integrate its brand with trending topics through social platforms and influencers. Having previously launched campaigns around ‘net neutrality’ and the horror movie ‘It’,it only made sense to get onto the Art Basel banana wagon.
However, bouncing on a trend isn’t simple. For certain brands, the choice feels organic and seamless. For others, it feels laboured and forced. You may get a high number of impressions, but it’s unlikely that one meme will impact the long-term success of your brand.
There are too many bad examples of brands attempting to “get with” the trending news in their web content, especially when they try to connect with a younger audience, and get it wrong- often comically, sometimes tragically. The impact is similar to the elderly uncle who loves to dance with the younger folks at weddings.
Remember the ill-fated Pepsi commercial featuring Kendall Jenner. I would have liked to be a fly on the wall of that creative meeting. Pepsi wanted to position their product as a cultural diversity unifier. The goal was well-intentioned but the idea failed. It showed reality star Kendall Jenner settling a Black Lives Matter standoff between the police and the protestors by offering a Pepsi can to the police officer.
The result was an outcry. The commercial was spoofed, memed and ridiculed to death. Eventually, the spot was pulled. Pepsi’s in-house ad group had conceptualised this disaster. PepsiCo president Brad Jakeman stepped down six months later, and said that the spot was “the most gut-wrenching experience of my career.”
The other issue with moment marketing is that it tends to go stale pretty fast. Its relevance can last from a day to a few weeks and then it loses out to the next “hot” thing. Such messaging is also quite context-driven. Most are referential to their geographic location or cultural surroundings, and may not make much sense out of this captive context.
The impact value of viral content like “memes” is very low from the strategic marketing perspective. For one, memes are constructed on their own history and not on the foundation of your brand. Moreover, there is always the underlying assumption that the audience already knows what the subject in question is. If they don’t, they’re either going to be racking their heads wondering what’s so funny or they’ll just pass it over without a second thought. Both aren’t desirable outcomes for brands. Memes have plenty of width, but no depth. If you really want to target your whole audience, and not just parts of it, you need content that has depth.
But what about brands that are built entirely on Moment Marketing? The Amul girl has always caught on to trending topics, both political and non-political. Till date, the Amul girl engages the Indian audiences with its phenomenal one liners nearly every day. In this case, Amul did not merely cash in on the moment marketing trend. Rather, it was the trail-blazer and was doing it for years, even before a word was coined to describe this kind of marketing. Its marketing is an intrinsic part of the brand itself and can’t be considered as exclusive from it. It’s something that the audience has come to love, accept and look forward to from the brand.
So, while moment marketing can create a connection between brands and consumers, it should also be handled with kids gloves. The questions to ask are : Is it high impact? Will it create a lasting impression? or Will it destroy what the brand has built over years of careful positioning and messaging? Most importantly, will it connect with your target audience or alienate it? And lastly, if it goes wrong, will the audience be laughing with you or at you?
Honest Reviews 