IEL Open House on 'Marketing'
The Integral Entrepreneurship Lab (IEL) conducted a session on the concept of ‘Marketing’. The session at the very onset was one where there was a deconstruction of the term and emphasis on how it tends to be viewed in a negative light. While the more conventional aspects involve greed and push-selling, IEL seeked to shed light on its intentional aspects. Thus, they wanted to interpret marketing in an Auroville context where it could be meaningful rather than inethical.
The session was interesting and interactive, with hints of humour and ardent audience participation. After the initial presentation (which can be heard alongside), the group was divided into four parts via pizza box tool kits and interacted with the entrepreneurs about topics ranging from branding and packaging to humour and graphic design. Some of the important points raised in the session regarding Auroville as a ‘brand’ involved both positive as well as problematic criteria and one could detect a collective need to branch out. A point raised repeatedly was the urgent need for social media service in any kind of marketing venture.
The co-working space in Auromode was raw but looked promising and it was refreshing to see a desire for action and the spark in the people involved. A bazaar atmosphere could be detected as people milled about the room. Though a lot of the ideas are in their formative stages, the IEL can be contacted on iel@aurovilleorg.in for further information.