The MICANVAS BLAAG... WELCOME!

Hello everyone, to the blog.. Er... Blaag of MICA's brand management fest, MICANVAS! :D

This time MICANVAS is bigger and better than ever before. This blog will take you all around MICANVAS - giving you a preview of everything and give you everything you need to know! :)

So what are you waiting for? Click on any of the links before and let's get started :)
PS: Make sure you keep checking this page for regular updates!!

THE SCHEDULE: The wheres and whats and whens of MICANVAS!

The Canvas : What MICANVAS means to us.

The Kick-Start : How it all started...!

Formal events at MICANVAS : All the formal events and details you need!

Semiformal and Informal events : Time to have some fun... And get some dough in the process!

The Concerts : Still having doubts as to whether to attend Strings, Parikrama and Zero? Click here and remove all doubt!

The MICANVAS party : Yes, MICANVAS culminates with a grand party at Palaash!

MICANVAS 2006 photos : Memories on Digital celluloid from last year!

MICA Photos : Our li'l campus! :)

The PDFs : Check details of formal events here!

MICANVAS goes Global : Our first venture outside the country! :)

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For any problems or queries, please contact:
Shaggy @ +91 99740 92725
Scrap us @ http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=3387767187632253895
Mail us @ micanvas.2k7@gmail.com

SEMIFORMALS AND INFORMALS @ MICANVAS

by ChUcK
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Okay, so you're done with the formal events, and have got out of that very stuffy blazer. But before you can get that collar off totally, we have a few spicy events for you to sample.

SEMI - FORMAL EVENTS AT MICANVAS

BUSINESS BARONS: THE BUSINESS QUIZ
So, you know the revenues of all the Fortune 500 companies inside out. But is that good enough? The MICANVAS business quiz. You've been showing off how you read each BizMag that reaches your college library. Here's your ticket to quizzing glory!

INQUIZITION: THE TRIVIA QUIZ
What do Eddie van Halen, Lord Swraj Paul, Paris Hilton, Jonathan Woodgate and PG Wodehouse have in common? Well, they all have equal chances of being the answer to the conondrums tossed at participants in the mind-numbing MICANVAS quiz. Try your hand at this event, which will have you pumping, clutching your hair in how-did-I-miss-that agony and a lot of adrenaline.

CASTING COUCH: THE ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ
Whether its Bollywood, Tollywood or Hollywood, we leave no one behind as the quizmaster takes you through a series of uppers and downers over three days and finally build up to a smashingly entertaining Casting Couch.

AD-DICT: THE ADVERTISING COLLAGE
Some old magazines and newspapers. Some ad-hesive. Some chart paper. A collage. One idea. Ad-dict - creating new patterns of a legacy left behind. Pure ad-renaline. Think you can ad-dress it?

SELL HELL
... To people other than Satan, of course. If you thought selling was easy, try selling hell in a buyable manner. Who knows, you might just end up discovering a hot new real estate property! :D

CINEMA PARADISO: FILM APPRECIATION WORKSHOP
An esoteric journey into the past, present and future of international cinema by our own Professor AF Mathew. You thought Hollywood was something? Wait for this man to shatter all your notions! Like a student once famously commented, "He will fight ignorance with hard facts, one-dimensional thinking with broad-mindedness, irrational assumptions with rational arguments and challenge his students to shake off their beliefs for a few minutes and drink in his brilliance."

SPOTLIGHT: THE THEATRE FESTIVAL
‘Spotlight’ marks the dawn of a new era for MICANVAS, the annual brand management festival of MICA. On the night of October 26, 2007, MICANVAS will witness magic as the best theatre teams in INDIA descend upon the MICAn dais to vie for honour and pride and of course for a lot of great prizes too!
Click here for a detailed description of the entire event.

INFORMAL EVENTS AT MICANVAS

They say that MICAns work hard, and party harder. And through the informal events, all the way to the grand finale - the party, we prove to everyone that this is one legacy we refuse to let go of.

ADRENALINE:THE ROCK SHOW feat STRINGS, PARIKRAMA, ZERO
It is no secret that BSchoolers love their rock, and a bit of Floyd after a gruelling day of Finance is what hits the sweet spot. In the past, bands like Parikrama and Indian Ocean have graced the campus to raptuous audiences. Oh, and did we mention, Euphoria?

And this year, we have no less than Stings, Zero and Parikrama gracing the lawns of MICA. 'Nuffsaid.

On the wonderful green lawns of MICA, guitars, drums, bass and vocals get together in a frenzy for a melodic orgasm that will be the perfect ending to a great day of events. Be there!
For more details, click here.

CULTURAL NIGHT: KATHAK PERFORMANCE
A special Kathak dance recital by the danseuse par excellence Padmashree Shovana Narayan depicting the theme of our festival “THE THIRD AWAKENING – BRAND INDIA RESONATES”. She has blazed a trail in Kathak, bestowing it with dignity and enriching it with a deeper and wider canvas of expression and dimensions. Her name is not only synonymous with Kathak but also with ennoblement. Be prepared to be mesmerized on the 25th evening, right here at MICANVAS.

TREASURE HUNT: MEMORIES OF MIDNIGHT
When the aesthetics of a beatiful campus marry Dan Brownian cunning (or, if you prefer, National Treasure-ian cunning). MICANVAS presents a very unique, first-of-its-kind midnight treasure hunt. From cryptic clues to spooky locations, participants will discover the MICA Campus and it's incredibly diverse flora and fauna in a way they would never have imagined, all in the ultimate hunt for a giant treasure that will be theirs for the taking at the end of the journey.

MEMENTO

Participants are asked to capture images of what they think the theme of MICANVAS means to them. These have to be authentic pictures from their B-School campus, and the participants send those photographs to us. The best receive a prize while the rest will form a collage of images on display at MICANVAS for all to see.

ARENA: ONLINE GAMING

It all started when some truly industrious souls decided that the MICA LAN could be used for activities more exciting than sharing Powerpoint presentations. Out of this seed was born the idea of Arena. For all those who believe their fingers can do the talking. For those who converse in terms of FPS and Frags.

SALSA: TWO TO TANGO

At MICA, we truly believe that “All work and no play make Jack and Jill dull people”. So wear your dancing shoes and move to the salsa beats. It indeed takes two to tango!

Latin Dance India, an associate of Latin Dance Australia (Sydney), started by the well-known duo Sai Raja and Kirthi Kishore, aims to help people to express themselves and build relationships through dance. They offer Quality dance instruction, exposing people to international art forms and talent.

By transcending countries, culture, we bring people together in an attempt to explore and push the envelope of dance and challenge the traditional notions of dance. Through this Workshop conducted by Latin Dance India we promise to bring together body, mind, music and other forms of art eventually translating into the development of the individual and his relationship with society.
With LDI on campus we make dance affordable and approachable!!

SLIDE RULES

Picture this. Late, late night, and a presentation the next morning at 9. You stand in front of your slides, and try to be creative and come out with impromptu stuff that you think would do Abe Lincoln proud. Well, trust us buggers at MICA to turn a BSchool habit into a fully-fledged event! Think on your feet? Oh, and if that weren't enough, you also have a few heckling judges to deal with. Come all ye masters of the ‘Impromptu’.
We promise you, after this event, the 9 AM ppt will be a piece o' cake.

SUNDAY NIGHT FEVER

The ultimate parting shot; the grand finale, a night when all on campus dance the night away with wild abandon and a tinge of achievement. The MICANVAS Party!

So there you go, people. The dates will be out very soon. In the meantime, if you have any queries at all, please drop us a line at

micanvas.2k7@gmail.com, we will get back to you faster than you can say Ogilvy and Mather!

FORMAL EVENTS @ MICANVAS!

by ChUcK
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Right ho!

We speak of rock bands, themes, great BSchool crowds, good food, a party and all that during MICANVAS. But hey, where would MICA's li'l fest be without its events? Here's a list of all the events you can look forward to at MICANVAS.

Whether you participate, cheer on your friends who're facing the music (literally?) or just generally looking for a good ringside view of some good action, we promise you'll have a bloody good time! :D The only flipside, of course, is that sleep patterns might change slightly, as for 96 hours, Rapid Eye Movement will be the last thing on your mind as we immerse you in our sea of events. Enough pfaff. Let's get to the events now.

FORMAL EVENTS AT MICANVAS

MINDSPEAK - THE PANEL DISCUSSION:
Unless of course, you're a member of the elite panel, we're sorry you won't exactly be 'participating' here :D But of course, we look forward to having an engaging discussion and an active audience is the key! Garner a ring-side experience of how luminaries across the world perceive ‘Brand India’ and its ever burgeoning global influence.

On the 25th, the following luminaries would be speaking:
Mr. Hemant Sachdev (Director Marketing, Bharti Enterprises Ltd)
Mr. Santosh Desai (MD, Future Brands)
Prof. Shiv Vishwanathan (Social Scientist)
Padma Shree Shovana Narayanan (Renowned Kathak Performer)
Prof. Atul Tandan (Director, MICA)

On the 27th:
Mr. Raju Narisetti (Managing Editor, MINT)
Mrs. Vanita Kohli (VP, Media Vertical, Ernst & Young)
Mr. T.S. Seshu (Rural Retail Head, ITC)
Mr. Tarun Katial (COO, Big FM)
Mr. Llyod Mathias (Director Marketing, Motorola)
Mr. Saurabh Kanwar (Vice President, Channel [V])

COLLOQUIUM: THE IMC PLAN
Celebrating the undying spirit of the nation, we have specially designed this event to create an Integrated Marketing Communications plan for the brand “India”. For the first time ever, MICANVAS has an International event with participants from all across the globe competing with the very best from India.
Click here for a detailed description of the entire event.

SBI BANKONUS
It’s a unique opportunity to suggest the best strategy to SBI, one of the largest bank’s in the country. Students have to study the local area for the strength of the brand SBI and devise an area-specific strategy for increasing market share.
Click here for a detailed description of the entire event.

MINDBENDERS: THE CASE STUDY COMPETITION
"If you give a man a fish he will eat for a day. But if you teach a man to fish he will buy an ugly hat. And if you talk about fish to a starving man then you are a consultant."
- Dilbert

But it doesn't always have to be that way, does it? Here is where the best minds from India's premier B-schools become consultants. Consider a case right in front of you - fresh out of a company facing a problem. It could be a marketing dilemma, an HR predicament or a research crisis that requires fresh thought, a radical strategy, a new vision. Help the biggies solve it.
And this time, it's Paras pharmaceuticals who think that you have it in you market a new product for them. Can you?
Contest details here.

EDC CEREBRUS: THE BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
How much of a Ratan Tata, Dhirubai Ambani or Sunil Mittal do you have in you? Yes, back by popular demand and buoyed by the phenomenal response it received last year, Cerebrus once again invites all budding entrepreneurs to iron out their ventures and ideas and check their feasibility.
Details here.

WORKING MODEL: THE PAPER PRESENTATION
Think you have what it takes to defend your concepts and ideas against a panel and a Colloseum-like audience, armed with nothing more than the BSchooler's favourite weapon, a powerpoint presentation? Participants are asked to present a paper on unexplored and upcoming concepts in marketing and corporate strategy. The finalists are invited to MICANVAS to present their papers.

NASH IT OUT: THE GAME THEORY GAME
The theory of games that can turn managers into CEOs. Calculate your gains and losses and take meticulous risks. Game theory comes alive like never before to test negotiations and strategy. It takes more than A Beautiful Mind to come out on tops here ;)

MARKETRICS: THE MARKETING SIMULATION GAME
A multi-phased online competition, which tests the decision-making abilities of participating teams across various dynamic parameters, competing with rivals in realtime.

CROSSTALK: THE DEBATE
You thought Anathea Franklin could hit the high notes? Just come to CrossTalk and watch the decibel levels reach unheard-of levels (pun intended). An arena for the eloquent, the majestically articulate, the flamboyant and the crisp, the baritones and monotones. Hear points of views and strong opinons flying back and forth, as the best in the business battle it out. Details here.

LAST MAN(AGER) STANDING: It’s Not Personal, It’s Just Business!
Live the toughest times in an executive's life. As each participant looks to impress by continuously climbing rungs to avoid elimination, the competition keeps getting hotter.
MICANVAS 2007 offers massive prize money to the winner of The Last Man(ager) Standing, the participants of which will be put through a series of gruelling tasks (from organizing blind dates to analyzing brand equities!) testing team skills in the wake of fierce rivalry. The participants keep getting “axed” by our celebrity judge until there is one man(ager) standing.

MUDRA NLIGHTN
A brand new event introduced by a sponsor that we have a long, proud association with. A case study analysis... Check out the details here.

TAM MEDIATION
An event by TAM - a brodcast simulation game! Details here.

THE CONCERTS!

by ChUcK

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A small spiel about three groups of gentlemen.

When you have immense talent, and just moderate success for 15 years in the business of playing live music in a country that traditionally does not take to rock, does not prefer artists performing own numbers and thrives on music piracy, what do you do? Quit?

Or get into your 16th year, open for the world's biggest rock band in Bangalore, then open for the same blokes in an event no bigger than the Download Fest at Donnington, UK, before going on to set the rest of the country on fire.

Parikrama were always of age. The world, and indeed, their home country, had realised it now.

Even before hitting mainstream, the Delhi-based band was a household name. Among the few households that spoke the esoteric language of Indian rock, that is.

The author of this masterpiece of an article has had the privilege to be there, that Evening (note the capital E) at the Palace Grounds on the 17th of March, 2007 (if you call yourself an Indian rock fan and don't know the significance of that date... Tsk... Tsk... Even if Dr. Google comes to your rescue...) where Parikrama performed. What was clear was the way they took the audience in their hands, and the maturity, humility and experience. All-in-all, it was a great opening act for the Gods.

Tracks like Rhythm and Blues and But It Rained are concert staples and crowd favourites.

Now, moving to another band, another style, another city... This time a band that's been around only since 1998, and don't have too much of a history to write about.

A motley bunch of people got together and formed a band to perform at IIT Bombay's prestigious Mood Indigo. And today, Zero are one of India's most successful and more importantly, popular rock bands - a band that is now in the league of the Motherjanes and the 'kramas. Or maybe just a league of their own, as their supporters would say.

Strongly advocating original rock are the men, whose PSP 12" keeps blaring from hostel 2.1 speakers all over India with it's incredible bassline and screw-everything-and-just-yell-along chorus.

Now, moving a little more mainstream. And when we talk about pop/rock acts from our neighbouring continent... Actually the whole subcontinent... Who've made it big, what name springs to mind? Yes, there's Jal, Fuzon and eP... But before them were Strings... Bilal and Faisal... The men who gave us some imminently hummable tunes... Songs like Duur and Na Jaane Kyun appealed to the common man... Whereas the guitar lead and drums on Anjaane excited the rock fans.

Their albums have sold millions in Pakistan and India, and their fan following is immense. Wannabe Hendrizes on the guitar across thousands of colleges in India try to get that G-C-Dm-Am-G progression on Duur right. Their aesthetic appeal has also left the band in the better books of impressionable young ladies. In short, Strings are big. Bhery bhery big.

Strings have gone from strength to strength, and their music is now Hollywoodised (yes, that's an H, not a B) - with their track contribution to Strings. It's the first major contribution by a subcontinental band to an international music album after Moksha's Dine With The Devil on the Iron Maiden tribute album a few years back.

Now, MICA is proud to present on stage, on the humble main lawns - this band that has given a face to Indian rock - followed by the band that looks to be the future of Indian rock - live in concert, on the 27th of October. And as if that were not enough, Strings on the 28th. On the same stage.

Yes, three bands. Two days. One event.

At 50 / 100 / 250 bucks a pass, it's a great opportunity to see the bands play live in a wonderful surrounding. Be there! :)

For ticket reservations and queries and things of that nature, our hotline is 09979039022.

The MICANVAS Party... A prelude!

by Ananya Raju
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Shining strobe lights intertwined, pulsating music, a charged atmosphere, candles around and high spirits… Do I hear someone say party time? That’s right. This IS another one of MICA’s famous parties, and this time it’s the MICANVAS party.



For those of you who are MICAns, you know what to expect from the party. For those of you who aren’t, it’s time for a little induction into the party culture at MICA and what better way to begin the induction than with a sneak preview of what can be expected at the MICANVAS party?

Scheduled to be held on October 28th, the party is a grand finale of sorts, a culmination of all the hard work put in by the student body and a time to bury all our monstrous, snappy avatars that we assume during the course of four, time-strapped and rather stressful days. Maybe, even a celebration of sorts, to celebrate the return to our own rooms that we may have been kicked out of during MICANVAS. The party would be open to all MICAns and participants from other colleges, who would be present on campus at the time of the party.

So what’s there to look out for, at this party? Well, apart from the usual dance floor, music and the good food rigmarole (which are customary at every party at MICA), the MICANVAS team has in store what promises to be a party on a much bigger scale than has been seen, thus far. The dance floor will extend all the way from Ground Zero, at Palaash (where it’s usually held) to Kachnar, next door. For the benefit of non-MICAns, Palaash and Kachnar are the names of two of our hostel blocks. Ground Zero at Palaash is also legendary and holds a special place in the minds of many ex and current MICAns. It is also the place where all parties (from birthday dunkings to arbit spur of the moment dance parties to more organized parties like the MICANVAS party) are hosted.


Apart from the increased scale of the party, there lies the promise of having a new DJ, that lies in the offing as well! Not to say that the old ‘record-breaking’ DJ (Seniors on campus will not tire of telling the rest of us that this particular DJ happens to be the record holder in the Limca Book of Records for having played for the longest time continuously) is not incentive enough to attend the party but well, as they say, variety is the spice of life.





And for MICAns, who’re veterans of the famed MICA parties, there is an opportunity to find new dance partners, owing to all the participants, from other institutes, who brave all odds to remain present (and awake long enough!) on campus. Maybe, this would be the perfect excuse to brush up on your Salsa skills at the workshop being conducted during MICANVAS.


So that’s the cue for you to bring out those dancing shoes and get ready to party hard- the MICAn way (now’s the time to remember that famous MICAn cliché- we work hard but party harder)! Oh and if you’re not used to the party scene at MICA, then do remember to pop in some more of those insomnia-inducing pills to keep those sleepy blues away. For parties that start only around 12 midnight, it goes without saying that all the fun part begins only way past Cindrella’s bed-time. Who knows, you might even manage to catch glimpses of a sunrise through the ‘disco lights’. And yes, it is the perfect opportunity to keep oneself abreast on the latest campus gossip! Now that should bring on the party spirits kicking in. For a more in-depth induction into the party culture, be there to find out.

The PDFs!

by Team MICANVAS
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As the days to MICANVAS fall beyond 20, there is a frenetic lot of activity taking place. Committees are working overtime to make sure that we bring YOU a great Brand Management fest!

At MICA, we always believe in ease of convenience, so for you guys, here's a one-stop shop of all the PDFs that we've sent you. This space will be constantly updated as and when more events are finalised, so keep checking this space :)

1. Colloquium - The International Day
2. CrossTalk - The Debate
3. EDC Cerebrus - The Business Plan Competition
4. Paras MindBenders - The New Product Plan Contest
5. Spotlight - The One-Act play Competition

Please do scrap us or email us if you have any queries!