Shoptalk

Pen’s Mightier

The Indian army is seriously contemplating a change of image. Consider this one from the corridors of Ammirati Puris Lintas, the agency which replaced Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA) as the official agency (remember its "Do you have it in you" campaign?). AP Lintas now has been asked to devise campaigns to help attract not run-of-the-mill and option-scarce students but brilliant youngsters from all over the country. That’s not all. The Army Technical Board and the Army Management Board have mooted a proposal to fund students from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to undertake research work to help the army in both managerial and technological innovations. Looks like the motherland’s now ready to give a tough competition to the more affluent west.

Wait for Unity

Reliance Infocom will delay its launch of both basic and WLL services all over the country till it irons out what it calls teething hassles over interconnectivity issues. The service, which was supposed to have been launched from April 1, will now start some time in May. As for the name of the Reliance Infocom brand, the Ambanis are calling it Unity. With the nation embroiled in internecine violence, no wonder the launch of the Unity service is delayed!

Think Inc
Research is big business these days. NCAER and credit rating agency Crisil are jointly floating a research subsidiary which will be on the market for India Inc. That is, they’ll do both commissioned sector and project reports for corporates and also come out with their own insights independently. Headhunting for the new outfit is on. Subir Gokarn, chief economist, NCAER, will be one of the guiding lights, while some senior journalists have hopped on to the boat.