A no frills drink in a no frills airline.

Recently Dubai launched its very own low cost carrier or more euphemistically called a ‘budget airline’ or more relevant 'Austerity Airline' Fly Dubai. A no frills airline with in flight buying option which tempt the hell out of you. The products were so wonderfully displayed in their in-flight magazine called very aptly 'Fly Buy Dubai'.

While browsing through it during my maiden 45 minute flight, what impressed me was the beverages section of their in-flight catering services…keeping a short flight in mind they had a tailor made menu…pre mixed canned Bacardi & Coke and premixed Gin & tonic were on offer… (Sometimes Coke and Tonic can cost more than your drink)what better to up the spirits of a tired business traveller in a 45 min flight. A quickie of sorts… Or as they say in my native tongue a 'Nippan' (Having a quick drink standing in a bar) just that in this case it was a 'parappan' ( A drink while having a quick flight)

The flamboyance of simplicity

Back after a hiatus and the inspiration to return to the blogosphere with my thoughts were 2 print adds I saw recently in a business magazine.

One was titled the ‘Power of Simplicity’ and went on to mention that ‘simplicity might be hard to achieve but it’s worth the effort’. They might have been referring to the simplicity of its design but the product itself was no symbol of simplicity. The brand name and simplicity could not even be linked oxymoronically.

The product was a car and the brand was the Rolls Royce, Ghost.



Flip a couple of pages in the same magazine and viola!!! You have the image of one of the simplest men the world has known, endorsing one of the most premium of brands. What more, they have even launched a limited edition series in tribute to his words?

It is an irony that there are many an anecdotes in the life of Gandhi looking for a small piece of pencil gifted to him by a child, and another one about sending his grandson to look for an even smaller one which was thrown away. The irony was the product that was endorsed was also an or rather THE writing instrument…A Mont Blanc limited edition pen.



Was just wondering whether in these trying times even the most expensive of brands were taking the simplicity/austerity route…’a feel no guilt when you splurge’ approach.