When I started blogging, the entire blogging community was at its nascent stage. Witnessing the indiblogger event was a reality check into how the entire blogging community has evolved over the years. For starters, a blog is a tool for communication and the reach it has obtained over the years is simply astounding.
Without a proper platform to write about, my blog posts varied from global meltdown to sorcery. I just had a feeling if I go to this blogger meet, then I might be able to settle on a platform to write about.(Yes, I was able to settle on writing a tech blog for helping people understand their requirements to buy a suitable mobile). Okay I guess that’s enough of me yapping about my blog. So this is how it happened.
Indiblogger Meet @ chennai
The bloggers met at Hyaat regency, it’s a Star hotel and a big hall was booked for this event (yup!! Luxuriously sitting under the chandeliers). The blogger meet started off with the registration. By then everyone started tweeting with the hashtag #ambipurfreshnhappy, and then the tweets would automatically appear on the projector display. It was fun to see our tweets on the big screen. By then our hosts took the stage, all dressed in black tees and Jeans.
30 seconds to fame
Everyone was asked to introduce themselves and describe their blog. It was a good stage for new bloggers to meet the main stream bloggers. Like everybody else, I got my chance to speak. I didn’t know what to talk first, and then settled for talking about my blog. Wherslifetakinme.blogspot.com as the name suggests, I started this blog when I was doing my engineering. As everybody, I was totally clueless about my career. Simple enough was the reason to name my blog. More than hundred bloggers had introduced themselves (gave a rich insight into the diversity of the topics which people blog about), and then we proceeded to the next event.
Expecting lunch :P but surprise surprise
This was the time I started feeling hungry and was expecting lunch. But little did I realize a treat was awaiting us. So it all started with some huu haa huu haa noises made by a voice expert I guess. We all shouted in sequence, then it turned to Scooby dooby doo kind of noises, yes it was all for exercising your vocal cords they said. So we did. Then picking of the numbers game, getting rewarded with movie tickets, spot cash Rs500 (really!!) and one lucky winner to get the rock itself (Lol it was worth nothing). I won myself a couple movie ticket and going to the movie Fast & furious 6 at Inox cinemas. Then prizes were given for bizarre things like the loudest table, for not wearing collared shirts, torn jeans (seriously!! for torn jeans??)
Lunch time
I must say it was a sight for sour eyes. The food ranged from salad to briyani (both veg & non-veg), bread varieties, papads, desserts & ice creams (my favourites). Free food never felt so free. Thanks to ambipur & indiblogger for filling our stomachs with mouth watering foods & more of desserts and ice creams. This was one of the best sessions in the meet, as I could talk to many experienced bloggers and got lots of ideas for my new tech blog. Food for my stomach and the brain happened simultaneously. Also, made a few business connections in the process.
Being blind folded
The greatest gift to mankind is the ability to see the world. The thought of being blind folded momentarily didn’t seem like a bad idea. Then after being tested that I was completely blinded, I was taken to the back seat of car (filled with garbage, which I didn’t know). It was like a paradox, it was there but it wasn’t there. To know that it was there, I should be able to sense it. But I couldn’t sense even the faintest smell of the garbage or the shoe. After removing the blind fold, I saw all the garbage and walked out of the car immediately. Then I started thinking how I could not sense any smell of garbage. Is ambipur really that effective solution for turning smelly air to smiley air?
Questions Answered at last!!
This question kept ringing in my mind for some time. By then, the lunch time was over and everybody went back to their seats. The best tweet was chosen and the girl won herself a brand new Galaxy S4 (too bad she was an Iphone owner, but worry not; her lucky sister gets it from her). Then the marketing executive from Ambipur took the stage, he was explaining the chemistry behind all the smelly to smiley stuff.
(Skip this part if u don’t like chemistry or tech stuff)
Inside any car, there are lots of stuff which can create bad odour, these odours can be give us a very unpleasant driving experience especially on long drives. From shoes, gym clothes, pets, foods, etc create odours which linger inside the car despite using car fresheners. Ordinary car fresheners try to mask the smell with some pleasant scent, a temporary solution I would say . After that, the bad odour lingers on. But this isn’t the case of ambipur, which kind of neutralizes the odour by adsorbing using a chemical bond. The chemical bonds are pretty strong and very hard to break. It would be safe to assume that once ambipur neutralizes the odour, the car actually turns from being smelly to smiley. Owing to the kind of confidence the product inspires I m pretty damn sure that I will use it myself (I will need to buy my car first of course)
It was good to know how it really works. I didn't realize P&G owned this product. Then there was Q&A session with the ambipur executive, who was patiently answering everyone. One question sure to have tickled his senses was “Why hasn’t ambipur invented a product for bikers? As a biker I have to travel a lot in pollution. Are u planning any?” Well guys, there isn’t any product right now for bikers, but probably this feedback will be given to our R&D team.
Skit time
Then we all got ourselves a pack of ambipur. It comes in different flavors (ohh wow!!), I got myself a Lavender flavor. Then we were asked to shift our tables according to the flavours (neat way to make people move from their friends). Then a leader from each table was invited on stage. Then a skit was to be performed by each team. Our team was to perform a Malayalam art film (what is it by the way??), thank God we had a malayali in our group who could share some knowledge about it. Then rapidly ideas were being generated. But the final idea chosen was that of a Kerala style boat race (vallam kali) consisting of two teams. We exhibit the effectiveness in improving the performance of the team when using ambipur and without it. I must say, we were a close 2nd. But the winning team was better, hats off maties!!! Aargh!
Call for help
Well there should be a good cause for every blogger meet. In this meet, certain good initiatives were being explained and help was required for improving them. I really wanted to help the dark is beautiful initiative, which helps to fight a growing socio-economic issue in India. Being dark skinned isn’t a crime, unlike the way fair & lovely markets it product. Fair skin doesn’t make a person beautiful, what is on the inside which really counts (inner beauty).
Finally, the event was coming to a close. We got ourselves free T-shirts which had Indiblogger and Ambipur logos in red and blue. I liked my t-shirt thanks to indiblogger. Everybody left the place followed by a little photoshoot and lots of new friends & lasting memories.
That’s All Folks!!
