Srinivas Padma: Personal Musings on Life, Growth, and Connections

Questions, Replied with witty answers! Customer : Waiter, there's a dead beetle in my soup. Waiter : Yes sir, they are not very good swimmers. Customer : Waiter, there's a fly in my soup. Waiter : That's all right sir, he won't drink much. Customer : Waiter, there's a fly swimming in my soup. Waiter : So what do you expect me to do, call a lifeguard? Customer : Waiter, what's the meaning of this fly in my tea up? Waiter : I wouldn't know sir, I'm a waiter, not a fortune teller. Customer : Waiter, this soup tastes funny. Waiter : Funny? But then why aren't you laughing?

If you want a glimpse of the future of advertising, you can hire a consultant — or you can travel to Britain. British marketers are embracing new techniques for the Internet. For example, Hewlett-Packard used an email campaign in Britain, to try to attract potential customers to a Website promoting its products. Online advertising is racing ahead in Britain, growing at a roughly 40 per cent annual rate, and is expected to account for as much as 14 per cent of overall ad spending this year, according to media buying agencies. That is the highest level in the world, and more than double the percentage in the United States. There are big differences between the advertising markets in Britain and the United States. In Britain, much of the advertising is national, while there are strong local and regional ad markets in America. Still, some believe that online advertising in Britain provides somewhat of a roadmap for where online ads in the United States and elsewhere may be heading. “The US...