Vishnu Speaks: Are you being Genuinely Meaningful?

1. “ A r e y ou
g enui nely
m eaning f ul ?
vishnu speaks
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2. vishnu speaks
“Vishnu Speaks” is a series of thought pieces about my passions-
storytelling, the media industry, and being meaningful.
in 140 characters..
I enjoy being a meaningful disruptor.
Currently, I lead Havas Media’s operations in Asia
Pacific, and I have a passion for educating the
underprivileged.
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A S I A P A C I F I C

3. Are your genuinely good
intentions transparent enough?
I am reminded as a contrast of the numerous occasions when
one is told to add a US$ 1 (voluntary of course) to their hotel
bill.
I have always wondered as to what they do with it though.
If they indeed do something, they are real bad communicators for I can bet every
dollar that not one customer knows about it.
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4. Are your genuinely good
intentions transparent enough?
Likewise,the "Change for Good" program on many flights
is a great concept that gets better use of the small change you have.
But again, one never knows to date how they get used and more importantly how
is the airline reciprocating the customer contributions.
I am like many others searching for answers - seeking the
elusive genuineness - hoping to find the soul in it.
h a v a s M E D I A
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5. You can make your vacation
meaningful too!
Would you go on a safari that promises an experience of a lifetime spotting
cheetahs, lions and rhinos and lets you enjoy a wonderful evening in a luxurious
tent on a moonlit night?
Here’s a meaningful example: The Micato Safaris in Africa
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6. You can make your vacation
meaningful too!
The Micato Safaris in Africa send a kenyan child to school for 12 years for every
safari booked.
As part of its 25th year celebration in addition to above donates one book to a
Nairobi Library, one "Huru kit" (a collection to sanitary supplies to help keep girls
from missing school) and a gallon of water for every gallon used by its guests.
All the makings of a genuine sustainability.
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7. You don’t need to compromise
on luxury or sustainability
Built with trees blown down by Hurricane Felix.
The glassware comes from a project that keeps 40 teens off the street and off
drugs by teaching them a craft.
Candles purchased from an organization that teaches disabled children.
The morning oatmeal comes from an enterprise where single mothers produce
solar-dehydrated fruit and, in exchange learn valuable skills.
The straws crafted from local wood hand made by a formal employee who now
runs the business full-time.
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8. You don’t need to compromise
on luxury or sustainability
These are just some of the many aspects of the Cayuga resorts in Costa Rica
where Hans Pfister, President and Co-owner says - “We have the
opportunity to show guests that without 'sacrificing' much a
more sustainable approach to living is possible.”
Indeed luxury sustainability at its very best born from the heart and imbibed as a
culture.
I would happily spend nights at this resort and feel good about it.
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9. Corporations, there’s more that
can be done
Here’s my last example- with reference to projects that I have seen from tobacco
firms and oil firms which surprise me for it appears more as redeeming exercise.
By very nature of the industry in which they are, ecological and health damage are
part and parcel of it.
Yet most of its efforts if not all are spent on sustainability
efforts in ecological and health preservation - an area where
credibility is least possible from a customer perspective.
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10. Corporations, there’s more that
can be done
I wonder why don’t these companies spend in other areas, education, community
development, human capital etc where a lot more positivity can be attained.
It brings us back to the same question - are
you being sincere with what you are doing?
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11. Be Genuinely Meaningful.
More than 400 brands across the globe are studied in the Meaningful Brands study
and we have learnt from our
by Havas Media every year-
research that 70% of them today are
meaningless.
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A S I A P A C I F I C

12. Be Genuinely Meaningful.
Will the Genuine, Sincere, Authentic believer
and practitioner of sustainability stand up?
h a v a s M E D I A
A S I A P A C I F I C

13. Are you one of the desired 30%?
So, ask yourself this- are you
genuinely meaningful?
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A S I A P A C I F I C