Since I have not had a chance to do an in depth research on this industry , some of my points may be wrong , blasphemous or offending to some people. And there is a good chance the industries product may well be used against me . But that I would consider it an honor , given the hall of fame ( can be seen later in the article)
Some of the salient aspects of this product is
1) Year round demand
2) Not concentrated on any region. Pan country demand
3) Low capital investment
4) Very user friendly - made for only one use - burning - so while being put to use care is required
5) Primary raw materials are - straw , bamboo, sticks , cloth , a clay pot , torn clothes , some chalk powder or white paint or any crap for that matter
Demand and supply scenario
1)Sudden peak demands are witnessed when any major controversy breaks out.
2)A makeshift product ( though many a time all the products look makeshifts) must be readied on short notice , because a delay means loss of valuable road space and air space which other like minded groups with this product in hand can take over
3)Hardly any periods of zero demands.
4)Major buyers include all the big political parties , small fringe groups trying to get their 15 seconds of fame , irate fans of movie stars and cricketers, self styled outfits , guardians of culture, moral policemen , Hindu religious groups, Christian and Islamic groups as well. A product as secular as any.
5)Major suppliers - sadly I have not done research on this. But this is the opportunity for companies to step in , formalize this industry and rake in the moolah. There is ample scope for improvement. This product is in a basic form but still sells like hot cakes.
Hall of fame
Over the years the product has been involved in many major events and lots of celebrities have given their faces to this product. Here is short Hall of Fame
Aamir Khan : during protests against his support for the Narmada Bachao Andolan , Gujarat May 2006.
Product used by Gujarati political parties .
Sachin Tendulkar and co : For team India s poor showing in the World cup
Product used by so called Fans of cricket.
Shah Rukh Khan : For calling Amar Singh a devil
Product used by Amar Singh s supporters
Khushboo : Instance of product usage down South . For speaking about pre martial sex
Product used by guardians of Tamil culture
Sania Mirza : For saying something which was interpreted as a support for Khushboo
Product used by guardians of Islamic culture
Shilpa Shetty and Richard Gere : For raising AIDS awareness and bringing in money, while at the same time doing a song and dance which involved a kiss
Product used by guardians of Indian culture
Dan Brown : Another instance of a foreigner lending his face. For writing the Da vinci code
Product used by Christian groups.
And I have not mentioned the names of politicians ,because they are the main purchasers of this product as well as the one s who give their faces to this product the most often. It happens all the time.
Scope for improvement
With such year around demand, high profile events , stars and celebrities being involved and the major political parties as the chief buyers and hence assured business, shouldn’t this be an attractive industry for the big players on the biz town to step in.
The product should be improved to be made for life like with greater resemblance to the person it wants to personify , should be more aesthetically designed, the final usage should be more eye catching and sustained so as to get in more air time and news.
Since protests and oppositions and demonstrations happen worldwide, this could be a global phenomenon.
The product as the title of the blog says is an EFIGY. That trusted product that is part and parcel of any demonstration and protest. Which is burnt as a means of showing displeasure, hate, ridicule and opposition against the person who it is supposed to depict. Whose burning is normally the main activity of a demonstration and which gets the press and TV coverage almost always.All hail the Effigy culture - the new cottage industry and potential mainstream business in the making.
