Stand up, Speak up, Shut up!

Isn't it funny that the more someone talks, the more you know how much they know and, more importantly, how much they don't. Its a lesson I could learn too. To know when to stay mum.

Anyway, what I am referring to, is this discussion on CNN-IBN that featured Lord Meghnad Desai and Ad-man Suhel Seth on the Obama Nobel prize. Meghnad Desai wasn't too pleased with Obama's Nobel. This was in stark contrast to Suhel who waxed eloquent about the prize being 'symbolic' and how Obama's winning 'symbolised' a lot of things. He mentioned Obama's Germany visit and prophetic talk to prove his point. He also rambled about brands driving perceptions and how that was what Obama was about, and so on.

The more Suhel rambled, the more I knew he knew nothing about the real Obama. He knew just enough to ramble on TV. He knew nothing about Obama's disastrous policies on National Security (Guantanamo by the way is still open and rightly so), on funding partial birth abortion, nominating lobbyists and tax evaders to important positions, creating the posts of Czars who aren't accountable to anybody and having as czars, people like Van Jones and Kevin Jennings (supporter of a paedophile). I doubt if Suhel sees Obama as the socialist he is. Government Motors, and Nationalised Health care that he envisions, proves it beyond doubt. What about Obama's actions undermining the US constitution? Plus the fact that he has done nothing in the last nine months (Watch the video above).

Suhel, it seems knows zilch about Obama. Yet he waxes eloquent. Of course, I am not surprised. Part advertising is blowing the horn, loud. The only problem is, if you face people who are knowledgeable, they see right through your false cacophony. As experts, its important to focus. As much as its important to know almost everything about your area of expertise, its important not to know too. And to stay mum when its about the 'not known' stuff.

In business too, Brands can't be everything to everybody. They've got to focus on target consumer segments and be only what's relevant to them. If brands try and be everything, consumers will recognise them as nothing, sooner if not later. A company trying to solve multiple consumer needs or needs of multiple segments, can't have one brand doing all the work, instead must have a portfolio that caters to either multiple needs or multiple segments.

Just like, if CNN-IBN wanted to have expert comments on their shows, they must learn to invite a plethora of people from various disciplines. Not just one with a gift for the gab.