a moment of Eureka

While I was a kid, I had a hobby. I collected Matchbox labels. Not one of those hobby you can mention in your class 4th essay on "my hobby". Uncool to the core, you might feel. But somehow I was attracted to it; addicted might qualify too here. Not that my parents did not encourage me for it, but they hated when I used to pick match boxed from roadside and sometime even from garbage. Any parents would do that. But somehow it went on, and I had a beautiful collection of more than 3k different match box labels.

I cannot recall exactly when did I start collection those labels, but there are few memories from my early childhood that do have a matchbox collection. Dating back to class 2nd time, these stories of kids playing with match box labels as playing cards, sometime even betting like the way adults do, will always remain in my memories. I used to watch those kids with so much fascination when they used to trade matchbox labels like today's kids do with their hot wheel cards or Pokemon cards. Those kids cared about there toys that is to say these labels. And knew a lot about them.

Coming back in time, this Saturday when I was sitting in Mast Kalandar and enjoying yumm lunch, there is one more thing that caught my attention. There was a stand one wall with some picture post cards. Free cards for you. Some beautiful designs, an artist's work on display and for circulation. A photograph, a painting or just some crazy thoughts. Send them across to your loved ones. Back of postcard was a note - "to advertise, please contact..."The makers of card boasted of having reach in around 350 outlets in India. And in any criteria this number is not small. Not a bad strategy indeed.

And then popped another idea in my mind. Why not do the same on back of a matchbox label. Or rather have matchbox label as an advertisement. A childhood hobby giving birth to an idea. Let me put here what all my mind went through afterwards this moment of eureka.

PROS:
1. Reach: A matchbox is available in every household. Smoking makes them an indispensable part of our pocket. Think of the number and reach I am talking about. Its simply mind-blowing.
2. Cost: It will take practically nothing for getting them printed and circulated. No big licence money, no hording charges. No frills whatsoever.

CONS:
1. Limited space: Advertisement can be as big as the matchbox is. So it basically boils down to a 1 in x 2 in space. This is one big hurdle. But then there are always ways to solve such problems.
2. Choosing the Right market: What advertisement goes on the back of a matchbox is important. There is no point advertising indiatimes.com on the back of matchbox which is sold in a small time village. What inventory goes where takes an important role so. But seeing that each region has its favorite in terms of brand and company of matchbox [yes, unbelievable it is, but it is true], this one should not be a big issue either.

And here comes my favorite part.

Why cant we have alphabets printed on these labels. For a kid who can not afford a alphabet chart it can work as a building block for the same. Trade your alphabets with mine and we will have a full alphabet set. This can be really useful in villages. Education at its best and cheapest. They can have color names, shape names and what not. Practically everything we see in our KG and nursery class can be printed on them. Block by block that is. And for those unlucky ones in small villages these will be more than they ever saw in their primary school classes.

Just think of the opportunities.

I am surely doing it.