Arun Rajagopal

Who am I?

Jul 12, 2007
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Award-winning interactive copywriter. Footloose wanderer. Fanatic rail nut. Aspiring bus driver. Ardent cinema lover. Living in with a Blue-cheeked Bee Eater in a land called ‘Oh-man’. Social Media Conversationalist.

What I do for a living

As a ‘Content Strategist’ at UMSi, Oman’s leading interactive agency, I deliver web strategy, user experience and content solutions to telecom, industry, FMCG, corporate and automotive brands. And yes, I come with a few awards as baggage.
I'm an advertising copywriter to boot as well. Click here to download my resume.

Age of Conversation

My Latest Avatar

Author / Social Media Conversationalist. I joined 102 marketing bloggers from around the world in contributing a chapter to the path-breaking tome 'Age of Conversation'. Read more at: www.ageofconversation.com

My chapter is titled - The Rules of the Garage. For Digital Media Conversationalists. and is about how digital media participants can take inspiration from HP's Rules of the Garage to create inspiring interactive conversations. The book was launched worldwide on 16 July 2007. Click here for the lowdown on 'Age of Conversation'. Click here for the book's press coverage in the Middle East.

My Blog

Visit www.arunrajagopal.com for the buzz on my travels, social media conversations, digital media, advertising, rail-fanning & life in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

Buzz Me

Email me at arunjoboy at yahoo dot com

My Digital Work

Jul 12, 2007

What is Social Media?
A PowerPoint that is a short sweet summary of the e-book 'What is Social Media' by Antony Mayfield. I used the theme of 'Hands in Motion' to visually tell the story.

The-Night-of-the-AdEaters

www.adeatersmuscat.com
Brand: The Night of the AdEaters, the world-renowned advertising festival
Clientspeak: Help us promote 'AdEaters' through PR and online media.
Lowdown: Created an event-blog promoting 'The Night of the AdEaters' in Oman. Showcased world's best creative ad commercials. Promoted the blog in print medium through an AdEaters syndicated thought leadership media column in Times of Oman daily. The weekly column features some of the world's leading marketing bloggers.

www.nawras.om
Brand: Nawras, a leading mobile communications service provider in Oman
Clientspeak: Create a website that reflects Nawras as ‘The Sultanate’s customer-friendly communications provider’.
Lowdown: From creating a presentation that won us the pitch to developing an effective web strategy; donning the hat of a project manager and canoodling the team to work against looming deadlines; writing over 500 pages of content; conducting usability studies; and content management – Nawras is my baby on the Web. Winner of 2 Gold awards at Oman Web Awards 2006: ‘Best of Best’ Website in Oman & Best ICT website in Oman.

www.imtac.om
Brand: IMTAC, a leading business technology solutions provider in the Middle East
Clientspeak: We need our corporate website up and running in time for the Arab Health Expo 2007. But hey, that’s only 1 week from today!
Lowdown: My claim to fame here is project management – ensuring that this leviathan website was designed and developed in just a week’s time. Met the deadline for both Arab Health Expo and Oman Web Awards. And walked away with a Silver award at Oman Web Awards 2006: Second Best ICT website in Oman.

www.yarisoman.om
Brand: Toyota Yaris
Clientspeak: I’m launching this new car for youth and I need to create a splash on the Web. How can you help me?
Lowdown: Created an exhaustive strategy presentation (my first ever) that helped produce and sell the work to the client. Since then, I've made many online strategy presentations for clients across the Middle East, helping us win new business. Yarisoman.com was the Gold winner, Best Automotive website at Oman Web Awards 2006. And, Silver Award winner at Pan Arab Web Awards 2007.

Click here to see more of my digital work.

My Advertising Work

Jul 12, 2007

“LONDON LAUNCH - OMAN AIR” - 2007

“LONDON LAUNCH - OMAN AIR” - 2007

"TOYOTA COROLLA & LAND CRUISER” - 2007

Style AD-1

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"MURIYA REAL ESTATE / ORASCOM LAUNCH IN OMAN” - 2007

Orascom Painting

Orascom Vintage Car

Orascom Diamond

"SOHAR BRANCH OPENING - HSBC” - 2006

HSBC

"GOT MORE? - OER CORPORATE CHALLENGE” - 2007

“KNOCK OUT THE COMPETITION” - 2007

OER-CC-DM

“OER CHAMPIONS OF PROGRESS” - 2005

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Click here to see more of my advertising work.

Interesting Work

Jul 11, 2007

A collection of interesting advertising & digital work that excites me.

Meet the mother of all viral media / user-generated content. THE DIET COKE-MENTOS EXPERIMENT

Spiffy MASTERCARD COMMERCIAL. IT'S PRICELESS and outrageously hilarious, if not R-Rated.

1984 - THE APPLE COMMERCIAL that announced the launch of the MAC to the world. Considered one of the best TV commercials ever!

EVOLUTION from DOVE is one of my favourite commercials. Here's to real beauty!

HONDA COG. Impressive ad from Wieden & Kennedy, London.

ANIMATOR VS. ANIMATION-II is one of the slickest computer animations on the Web. As you watch this badass stick figure take on the system, one can't help but think of the immense possibilities animation offers to digital communications.

Check out the 10 best TV commercials ever made. Via Tangerine Toad's Nawras ADEATERSPEAK column for The Night of the AdEaters, Muscat - 2007.

Inspiring Reads

Jul 11, 2007
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A collection of interesting reads that I turn to for occasional inspiration.

THE 10-HOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE. My attempt to explore social media from a broad perspective and understand the elements that constitute it in a 10 hour marathon blogathon.
THE SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE-2: BLOGS. My ‘Blogging Resource 101’ for newbie bloggers who want make their mark in the blogosphere and have a very rewarding and enriching experience while doing that.
HOW TO BE CREATIVE by Hugh MacLeod, professional blogger & cartoonist extraordinaire. Here's a bunch of 31 tips that will work if you wish to be creative in art, in business, whatever.
HOW TO GET A STANDING OVATION by Guy Kawasaki, the original evangelist, entrepreneur, investment banker, and venture capitalist. I swear by his 10/20/30 RULE OF POWERPOINT.
INTERVIEW WITH LEE CLOW, Worldwide Creative Director & Chairman - TBWA. Brilliantly talented, yet so down-to-earth. My role model.
5 RULES OF SOCIAL MEDIA OPTIMIZATION (SMO) by Rohit Bhargava of Ogilvy PR Worldwide. What started off as 5 rules has now organically grown into 17 rules. Must read for those involved in social media conversations.
INDEXED captures the simplicities as well as complexities of life through elegant graphs on humble index cards.
SOLBEAM inspires me to take off an never-ending journey to explore the world, like a pilgrim with no pre-destined mission.
I'm bit of a travel freak myself. Read about my month-long marathon INDIA TOUR ON RAILS. Or adventures at IGATPURI, ASHTAMUDI LAKE & KONKAN RAILWAY.
Do you belong to the legion of die-hard iPhone fans? MUST READ FUN STUFF FOR IPHONE FREAKS should whet your appetite for banal buzz on the iPhone.

Potpourri

Jul 11, 2007

Click here to check out my snap collection on Flickr. My shutterbug captures popular & offbeat travel destinations in India, trains on Indian Railways & Kerala.