Dynamics of Marketing World

14 Ideaz for your Brand in 2012

2012-01-09T06:39:00.000-08:00

BELIEVE in what you are.
Say only what you are. Do not HYPE.
DELIVER your Promise. Watch your PROMISE.
Exceed the EXPECTATIONS. And then EXCEL.
It is alright to go SLOW. Watch your COMPETITION.
FACEBOOK is good. Post CAREFULLY. It is about your BRAND. Avoid Repetitions.
Take INSPIRATIONS. Offer VALUE.
PERSONAL BRANDS will emerge. Do not get overwhelmed. Create ONE if you plan to work CONSTANTLY on the same. Oprah has a personal logo ‘O’. Wait! Do you have it in you?
SOCIAL MEDIA will shine further. Use it EFFECTIVELY. Grow your NETWORK.
Empower your BRAND on web. Accept PAYMENTS online. (Paypal, Google Wallet etc)
Customers are no more looking for Brand Information. Create BRAND EXPERIENCE.
Be HONEST with your brand. Work Hard SMARTLY.
RESEARCH on Emerging Platforms & Technology. PREPARE and PERFORM.
If you are a START-UP brand. Make 2012 – ACTIONABLE.

Free-spirit: We turn Two!

2011-11-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

Free-spirit: We turn Two!: Connect to us at: www.30thfeb.com | www.facebook.com/30thfeb Turning 2 feels like turning 22. Remember, when one has to leave the co...

Start-up Branding!

2011-09-14T03:09:00.000-07:00

While working on several brands - I have always been asking clients in brainstorming sessions, what are you looking for, A Product Brand or a Corporate Brand? Many a times – we discussed of a Service Brand. Well! We need not just define among the popular 2 types – product& corporate. May be that’s because what most of us learn at B-schools and Brand papers (newspapers).

Having worked on start-ups & re-launches, I have been thinking why not a Company Brand. What brand we actually want to create? In a typical start-up all one is looking for is – A Company Brand. But does that mean we are feared of a conflict with our personal brand.

Most of the start-ups, if they are service based – worry about being tagged as a Personal Brand. In a start-up it is very important that we take care of both – personal brand & company brand.

Remember – a brand matters. In whichever way, whatever stage – how you project yourself, your credentials (I dint say qualifications), achievements everything counts! Yes, in the beginning it is always the personal brand. It is the personal brand – which is an expert who is hired and it is the company brand which is being established and will further grow to become a Business Brand.

For a Personal Brand – both over promise & over pricing is highly dangerous.

Start-ups always fear this. Initially, it is you-yourself who is getting business and creating worth for the company so you need to be extremely careful with what promise you make, what price you charge. Competitive Pricing is good. It saves us from being arrogant & exploited both.

Remember – whatever you are doing with a brand, creating it, developing it, designing it, writing customer connect strategies or just working on its inception with a business plan, you need to be clear of its essence and you should remember that it must create value. Value Creation would create your brand – the company brand.

Any start-up shall remember, that ‘Brands’ matter; big or Small, New or Old, Refreshed or Re-launched, if you are a brand – people seek value. Always pay attention to the character of your business, the industry reactions, the changes expected and technology involved. Be good to what you are doing. Stay alert & informed, love your work and be honest to your client. Create Brand Goals and live them.

So what is your start-up brand?

Branding a State - Brand Bihar

2011-09-01T02:07:00.000-07:00

Yes, the portal about Bihar says it is a brand and if you go through it you will actually get to know some good things about Bihar. A name that is popular in sarcasm, crime or for Mr.Lalu Prasad. The site is quite upgraded not in looks though. At least they are able to make it as a concrete directory about the state. You get the basics, right here.

Don’t be surprised to see that the site is available in almost 14 languages including Hindi, English, German, Chinese, Swedish etc - I heard it is a heavy tourist area for Buddhism as the main reason. You will find almost everything about Bihar – from Census to Literature, From Legislation to Movies, from Blocks in villages to the history of the state. It also covers religion in Bihar and Education in Bihar. There is a link to see the Asset Declaration forms of the ministers of Bihar. And there is also an ad space for 'Missing Person information' – now that reminds of the movie ‘Phas Gaye Re Obama’ where they have detailed the missing person phenomena and the ransom act which shows, how the parties (advocates, law & order, locals) are involved.

Check out www.brandbihar.com which claims to havee ‘made Bihar the first complete online state in the world’.

Anna Hazare: Brand Personified.

2011-08-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

Anna Hazare, the man needs no introduction. But why am I writing about him? I am here to write about the Brand Anna. The factors which created a BRAND out of a common man in the nation which is known to be most depressed, swayed by the westernization, in the corporate race and has practically started adopting corrupt practices as a default virtue.

How 'Brand Anna' Emerged?

1. The PROMISE.

A Brand is a Promise. Think of all the brands you align with – isn’t it the promise which they keep that keeps you loyal towards the Brand. Anna has only one promise to keep and he with his team is ardent about it. He emerged as a brand because he offered a promise which everybody is seeking. He emerged as it is a brand who is promising a benefit to all with absolute no offence.

2. Representation of PROMISE – the Connect.

Brand Anna – is not a personal brand. It is a brand which depicts power to powerless, direction to directionless, motive to motto less and a hope to hopeless. With the media intervention the representation has gone up by leaps. People are relating and participating. Engagement has increased – thanks to Social Media. Be it facebook communities, Pic Badges, twitter or you tube videos.

People are connecting by all ways possible. The youth is participating – the college goers, the working class. Even the old and the homemakers are showing enthusiastic participation. Look at the numbers, this Brand estimates almost 77-80% coverage on top 10 News Channel for half of August, facebook registered more than 150 pages for the brand, Times Now reports more than 8000 videos to be received for the motion and their No Bribes initiative. For two days, the Twitter hash tag #isupportannahazare was the top-trending topic. And there is no denying the fact – which thousands have stepped out from their comfort zones to add up to the Brand Power.

3. Brand Symbolism

Tri-color & Mahatma Gandhi indeed are the prime Brand Ensembles. Both are national symbols and give some kind of rush of emotions to each & every countrymen. I must say, that the symbolism which is created earlier by the brand team and then by the freelancers and now even people are making profits from the Brand Merchandise is amazing. The tri-color is the base element and the creative depictions from t-shirts to Gandhi caps everything is fashionable. I am sure you are aware of the ‘Mein Anna hun ’ caps have reached the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week.

4. Brand Anna – the way forward.

Brand intentions are good and I support them but somewhere I had doubts on certain ways adopted. Yes, I am proud that we are the nation which started ‘Satyagraha’ but isn’t fasting unto death an undemocratic idea. I mean no democracy allows suicide.

My say on the Brand- Anna would be:

Brand Anna is a social brand with honesty as its main ingredient. It should not be harmed or mis-quoted by over-promotion.
Brand should be careful about turning more authoritative then participative.
The Brand ambassadors need to be very careful in conduct & practice.
It is good to be ardent but not rigid
Like every brand – ‘Constant Evolvement’ would be the challenge.

The people associated are great but we need to be careful with our Brand Growth formation. After all it is indeed the 'most favored brand of Indians.'

Personal Branding – Convenience & Challenge

2011-06-27T05:29:00.000-07:00

Wow! Social Media had allowed us to be brands quite easily. The boom is big and is growing. Earlier it was about websites – then it was about blogs and now just your profile, portfolio and fan strength. Boom! You are creating a brand. Your personal brand talking about you as an individual, showing your portfolio, sharing your thoughts with the world and guess what – few or several but you have followers. This sounds like Magic.

Even the word resume would sound obsolete very soon. The recruiters will check your credential on your network profiles. Will read up the recommendations, will scan your posts & updates and then would consider your profile. Your Personal brand is very much there for the world’s disposal.

While the rules of Branding are slightly different and sound complicated, the easy features of social network sites like Facebook actually make you work on your brand, on discovering yourself. They work like wizards and in between leave you to think and explore your personal brand. Most of the start-ups, self-employed people from designers to emcee’s have their personal brand pages on these sites but what matters is – the matter of the brand.

So while you create your brand, make sure that you are,

a. Presentable

b. Appealing & Approachable

c. Communicating without confusions

Warning: Social media has made it very easy to brand oneself, remember there is an influx; as everybody present there is creating a brand of him/her. You need to be careful about certain things:

1. Differentiate:

Keep note, that like you everybody is hooked to social networks and has a public page, blog, a catch line etc. So what matters is How Different you seem then others?

2. Consistency:

The idea to magic is consistency; the web is full of dead, obsolete pages. People create and forget passwords, they switch from one network to other and leaving the former profile go stale and hence unnoticed. So you need to work hard to be consistent so that your followers, friends or anyone else who is searching something relevant gets on to the right page.

3. Growth Plan:

Unlike product brands or individual brands, a personal brand can grow all the way through. So every person who is doing Personal Branding must have a growth plan. Sharing & Experience will come with evolvement of the personal brand. But one should always grow on the lines of value creation. That would make it more worthwhile.

So are you a Brand yet?

Take Ownership on World Environment Day

2011-06-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

"McWeddings" at McDonald's

2011-02-15T04:49:00.000-08:00

Wedding Party at Mc Donald - Whoa! Now that’s news?

Yes, 14^th Feb,2011 and Mc Donald’s HongKong has launched amazing sideline called- “McWeddings”. What an innovation to reach out to the customers!

Could be great news for the great Indian Consumer if McDonald India, comes with something like – Happy Price Weddings to make the otherwise splurging occasion more affordable for all. Did we ever think of a bargain like this? I am amazed.

The idea came when a couple who had first met at Mc Donald, wanted to have their reception at the same joint. Not only this, the wedding package includes wedding gifts, invitation cards of course with the golden arches etc. You can also add-up things at an extra cost. So the value added part is already taken care of.

Mc Donald’s – I m lovin it!

Mall Ignorance!

2011-01-25T23:45:00.000-08:00

Have you been to malls....? Do you enjoy or appreciate the mall decor and events at mall. The lavish lights on Diwali and the all pink n rosy decor on Valentines Day, the snow & Santa with rein-deers in the Christmas season......isn't that all very beautiful like a big treat they offer to you. They make you feel special on a valentines day by throwing several contests and offering gifts for you and your beloved. There are several Lucky Draws on Diwali...events for gifting you an antique for your living room or the numerous discount coupons or just the decor to spread festivities in the air.

Have you ever felt left alone on the National Days. An ode to nation by spreading the national flag's colors in the mall is what they do- is that all? Why there are no offers.....made to the mall visitors? I think they should celebrate the Independence & Republic Day to an extent that each visitor shall feel pride of being Indian. We can always celebrate these days at mall and take pride in being an Indian citizen. Yes, despite knowing the lacunae in the system, the days are meant for celebrations.

Why limit these days - just to the Big Bazaar's ways which amazingly is being followed by the other hypermarkets including the Easy Day from Bharti and Reliance Fresh. The SALE! SALE! SALE! factor is not a compensation as the consumer is aware of the End of Season sale..which almost nears Republic Day. Why do the real estate giants do not make it a big celebration day at their property? Why are they averse to the celebrations on these days of national importance?

Another startling fact is, the average Event Spend on the Independent & Republic Day is almost 4-10% of the event budgets for Diwali, Christmas & Valentines.

This is a sad and thought provoking. Is it based out on Consumer Behavior or it is the way the Marketer leads the consumer??

Happy Republic Day - Say it Loud!

When STARS come down to Malls!

2011-01-22T07:24:00.000-08:00

Picture this –

You at a mall…..people gathering obnoxiously and you just wondering- what in the world has gone wrong with the entire world as they are all moving in one direction dismissing the fact that they are hurting the passer-by's!

Alas! This is Hrithik Roshan & Barbara in the mall – here for promoting the movie ‘Kites’. And yeah it was all over the papers in New Delhi that the crowd gathered to have a glimpse of Barbara banged into a showroom display window & broke the glass. Police and Security alerted…crowd called off!

Many more similar incidents have had happened. The ones those are successful are either very well managed or they are just kept away from the pre-event media hype.

Malls & Movies….

Going rounds of the malls for my various projects…..I have been really wondering one thing…. Can we really imagine a ‘Movie Release’ without a mall promotion? I am sure it’s a big ‘No’ to this. Be it any movie…a much talked about – Dabangg or a less talked about 95 minutes movie ’Dhobi Ghaat’; each of them have to get to a mall to make themselves hyped, happening & connect live.

You name any…and it there! A star is visiting a mall in east of the city the competitive release scheduled for the same day will promote itself in a mall in the west of the city. One thing which would be common is the media hype. Be it radio or the local papers which talk about – ‘Today in Town’ columns. Not to forget the full page to flap advertisements by the Multiplexes! It’s all about adding to the fun quotient. And the youth follows!

Recently, I had to do a brief touch-up of the mall lobby for an upcoming release…I appreciate that the property owners went for that extra mile and wanted to make it a special treat for the cinemagoers! But while doing so…the security & events team had different nodes and we were trying to play the music in sync. Well on one end, aesthetically my client was right but I was more in agreement to the security as we need to take care of the concerns relating to visitors and customer traffic, so to say. Anyways, we somehow managed the show and movie is doing good in numbers!

Now the question is – How many movies actually fair well due to such promotions?

Farah Khan was seen almost everywhere with Ms.Kaif for Tees Maar Khan

Abhishek holds a record for visiting maximum cities in a day for Delhi 6. How many records does the movie have in its kitty?

Does it actually help the movie producers to bring these stars to the malls? Won’t it be a good idea to hold PC (Press Conferences) and air them on the idiot box popularly known as TV. I think the star presence in Daily Soaps and reality Tv are doing good as anyways each of that visit is worth a BIG NEWS for the national news channels…

What do you say? Does it help? Have you been to a mall to witness a star visit?

Way to 2011.....Happy New Year

2010-12-31T01:16:00.000-08:00

Diwali Wishes from Team 30TH FEB

2010-11-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

New & Improved - Brands/Marketing?

2010-10-05T02:55:00.000-07:00

Be Alert of the ‘New & Improved’ Marketing:

Alright, these days I have been reading about the post recessionary marketing which most of the brands have taken up in the form of re-branding.

What could be the major reasons behind the brand makeover? Is it just the growing competition? Or it is making a presence felt? Or it is to – stand out.

I personally feel that the basic idea behind Brand Creation is to ‘stand out’ and shout – I am Brand X. And this is my identity. But then I recommend…brand makeover but not re-branding to say so! Brand makeover is like adding up different accessories to your dress to make it look refreshing & even better.

So what do we mean by ‘New & Improved’?

Is it the new & improved product or it is the new & improved cosmetics of a brand?

Are we talking about the change in contents of a product or we mean the change in packaging? If it’s the case of hospitality industry – do we have some add-on facilities at the property or we are talking about the eco-friendly paints designs.

There is a thin line between service offering & service communication and that is where the Brands get confused or rather confuse the end consumer. No wonder the Brand Loyalty is always a vulnerable achievement.

Let’s go back in time & try to recall the brands which have been renewed over a period of time. Could you remember, the more powerful Vim Bar, the improved Rin - ab jyada shakti ke saath, the better tasting - Kissan Ketchup, the double power - Mortein etc. Chances may be that you could only think of - Sqeezo Kissan Jam, The curvy Nescafe bottle, the net bag of improved Rin bar etc.

More often, it’s the packaging which is new & improved and of course the claims like better taste, better immunity, kills more germs or extra powerful etc.

New & Improved – Attractions!

Most of the brands are now into the vicious circle of ‘’New & Improved’’ as the consumer still buys lot of things on the basis of feel good aspect of retail.

The new & improved marketing is most difficult to comprehend in the consumer products as most of the electronic & white goods have better improvements or rather we can say whether communication.

A new & improved automobile brand is almost always acceptable because they say that its engine is improved or may be few add- on safety features etc. The only thing is here the new & improved is an extended service or a facility.

Going with the current affairs of marketing communication, even the real estate is coming up with their new & improved versions. Some projects are sustainable buildings where as other have in-house facilities.

Well, the cosmetic version of new & improved marketing is a temporary change in brand but are we really working on making our brands – new & improved! I leave it on that note.

Happy Independence Day :)

2010-08-15T08:01:00.001-07:00

Is GREEN the color for Future Brands?

2010-05-06T23:22:00.000-07:00

Imagine a Coke in Green color? Couldn’t! Well that is exactly how it is surprising the entire marketing world. Brands which believed in Red as the color are all going green for the getting eco-friendly, socially responsible and other strategic perspectives.

You must know about the Ferrari in Verde (Green) which was unveiled as a newest creation at a recently held Motor Show in Geneva. I picked it from an article that, In the 1990s when the Maranello car maker’s F1 team and race car appeared in a colour that was not Rosso Corsa, Italian for ‘racing red’ the country’s national racing colour, it triggered a wave of sadness that engulfed all Ferrari fanatics.

Lot has been said & read about the Color Red. Studies show that people outperform in their respective fields if they wear color red. Be it Julia Roberts walking a red carpet at Oscars or Michael Jordan appearing on a glistening basketball court in a solid red jersey. Red is been associated with power, assertiveness and dominance. The details can be read on my previous post on Cymbolism.

Asked a specialist, what marketing has to do with a most common color used in sports, national flags and almost in maximum brands from various categories. The categories from BFSI, Telecom, Retail, Infra all have been using red. In brand conversations, we at 30TH FEB have been emphasizing on the specificity of colors. I have been telling my clients time & again – about ifs & whys of the colors I use in their Brands Creation. We explain on why a color is a strong character of their brand story.

Earlier too I have posted about Visualization and its importance for human psyche. Almost 80% of visual information is related to colour. Over the time, Brands have developed a legacy about their elements like logo, color etc. Think of brands like Johny Walker, Coca-Cola, Marlboro – they all take their colors very seriously. In fact, even Santa Claus wore green before Coke began to promote Santa in red garb in 1950s.

And now we see Videocon going green! Brands are talking about Green is in. Environment Concern is talking a place in marketing and it is shaping up big time. Have you noticed the Idea Ads – they fascinate me. The way they say ‘save paper’ is amazing. Not only do they leave the strong message they also get a place in the Customer minds as a socially & environmentally responsible brand. Nokia recycle TVC is another great way for going green.

Though red is popular and very close of human tendencies and may be that’s why all the brands scream red in their TVCs, Outdoors, Print & electronic media. Is the trend of red shifting?

Lets do it this way. Imagine the leading red brands – and you will hit right on – Vodafone, Airtel, Virgin, Mc Donalds, Big FM, Radio Mirchi etc. The design experts like Sujata Keshavan , MD, Ray & Keshavan. “Red is one of the most practically reliable and stable colours and no client rejects red. It is a mass colour and that’s a challenge. One can end up using the 134th shade of red.”

An article says, “Although nowadays colours in marketing mainstream are hues of eco green, purity blue and calm pink, red still boasts some serious power when it comes to brands. For one it’s the quickest way to get eyeballs.”

My question here is – Are we ready to go green?

McDonalds - Communication Strategy

2010-02-28T02:49:00.000-08:00

McDonald’s –The Joy of little things!

Disclaimer: The intentions behind the post are not to promote Junk food. The post is about the effective GLOCAL marketing strategy of McDonalds and consumer relevance created by the advertisement messages for its Indian market.

We have been watching them create the magic like what a tinkle does to a child. A tinkle just reminds a baby that someone exists close and cares for the baby’s smile.

Look at the Mc Donald’s advertisements, they are just meant for reminders and sweet are the reminders that they make you fall in love with the brand and ultimately takes you to experience happiness. And believe me – they talk all. That too in everyone’s language. Excellent consumer research & communication design.

Remember the messages……..I am sure you all do. Let’s Recall few:

Bahamas TVC – that was meant for our grandparents – to tell them that we welcome you!

The College Gang TVC – Reminds you to celebrate little things and that’s possible in you pocket money.

The Latest TVCs – Oh! They are my favorites, very cost effective; they don’t ask the viewer for a prolonged attention and just leave the message that suggests celebrating little joys at McDonalds. And those little joys are – First Whistle, Being the 12th Man in the College Cricket team etc. And with every little communication they are eventually promoting the product range in Happy Price Menu. If the whistle copy talks about the ‘Aloo Tikki Burger’, the 12th man is shown sipping the ice tea.

As far as their Communication Strategy is concerned - I m lovin' it!

Sensible Advertising

2010-01-29T23:35:00.000-08:00

Title : Save Girl Child

Title: Parenting is by example. Headline: Children learn fast. Don't fight at home.

Title: Stop Racism Headline: Defend Human Rights against Racism

Title: Stop Domestic Voilence

Headline: 78% of domestic abuse incidents resulting in death occur at victim's home.

Title: Encourage Adoption

Headline: You never know who you'll bring home.

Title: Feed the Children.

Headline: The next time you waste food, think.

Title: Protect Children from Online Pornography

Headline: Is this what your child surf's on the internet?

Title: Drive safely

10 Commandments of Branding & Marketing in 2010

2010-01-05T03:03:00.000-08:00

With the Commencement of 2010, lets explore the 10 Commandments of Branding & Marketing.....they are surely not the things but they are going to be the inevitable things!

Digitivating Bollywood Dreams - Twittering Promotions

2009-12-05T05:22:00.000-08:00

Wondering as what the title has to say? Well, this one is about Digital Marketing & more precisely the quick adoption by the bollywood biggies. Yes, its official now, Bollywood is spending almost 15-20 percent of the total budget of digital marketing & promotions. While the spend ratio in bollywood has increased considerably, we are still behind the Hollywood where spend is almost 30 percent on more on digital promotions.

Very scattered & that’s why risky mode, the idea here is how the budgets are utilized and how the TG is made to check that out. Just the online presence is not sufficient. The how of the online presence is a big question? With the advent of multiplexes and the blind race of better customer service – entertainment industry has taken the customer expectations to a next level. People today are booking tickets online, writing reviews and are discussing about the movie online. According to a report by Hungama Digital Media, 81% of the online population in India engages in social interactivity on the web, making it an ideal place for the movie marketers to woo the young audiences and promote the movie virally.

So who has made the difference?

Ghajini – With lots of Interaction by the way of official movie website, blogs and viral campaigns designed on the lines of Engagement Marketing. The website is still popular and can be visited at http://www.rememberghajini.com/

Love Aajkal – Saif Ali’s Khans first home production. The Provogue youth icon touched the nerve of the youth and invested around 3 Crores for online promotions. Digital games on Hungama to teaser ads on Orkut & Facebook, the promotions reached the mango people at right places.

The Latest on the Block…………..3 Idiots

Yes, its awaited and coming up big time. Not only have they released the music online. They have even got an Idiots Academy and engaging you for not less then some half n hour. The site is - http://idiotsacademy.zapak.com/

Another hit on the Digital Platform is Twitter, yes the most popular English word of the year 2009 is even alluring the Bollywood Celebs and reigning results. Priyanka Chopra, Uday Chopra, Reteish Deshmukh are few popular names who are having a good space on twitter and have been promoting their all forthcoming movies through their regular tweets.

They have their Twitter teams to respond personally. They are running contests and giving out awards. Filmakers like Madhur Bhandarkar, Karan Johar etc have got their forums, discussions online and have been asking viewer response for the same.

So, we can say its tweeting time in Digital Marketing!

Cymbolism - Your guide to Branding & Logo colors

2009-10-10T00:23:00.000-07:00

Recently came across a wonderful & quick read which I think is very useful for any brand assignment. Colors are all good but going for the most approriate is a challenge. At some point of brainstorming, colors become the ultimate factor for any creative decision be it for a designer or a conceptualiser. Cymbolism is an interactive survey of color & word associations. The details of the same could be read here.

A detailed survey on Choosing Colors for your brand provides wonderful inputs. The same could be read at Usabilitypost.com

The Onida Story - Individuality rules over Neighbor’s envy

2009-09-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

Now I am sure you are no more wondering what I am talking about here. You must have noticed Kajol on television, where she tells the importance of spending family time with the help of Whirlpool magic and now for the lovely youth we have a surprise from Onida. It’s official now. Onida has finally replaced its very own iconic devil with a lovely couple busy making a good life with the latest Onida consumer durables.

Strategically the step is commendable as the customer insight of young India is not at all that of ‘Neighbor’s Envy, Owner’s Pride’. Young India believes in individualism. Moreover, the affordability has increased manifolds and the era is of individualism. Onida, from Mirc Electronics has almost lived for more then 20 years on the concept of neighbor’s envy but the current day consumer cannot connect with the same. Also, the current ads also bring in the emotional connects that too with respect to the nuclear lifestyle of working couples. The current TVCs for Onida – Slim Washing Machines make sure that they show the husband in the as a metro sexual figure who doesn’t mind taking up the household chores as well.

The devil was bought back in the year 2004 with Ashish Choudhary portraying the devil after the discontinuation in 1998. This time it seems that Mirc Electronics has decided to move on. This move will prove to be an absolute Brand Rejuvenation of Onida. The brand re-birth from devil to a young couple is not only a marketing move but also adds more relevance and would certainly be one of the best examples, depicting India’s new consumerism. Nevertheless, its time to say, 'Goodbye Devil' for Onida.

Green Marketing....!

2009-09-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

Green is in………

Yes, with the years of hue & cry about the ozone depletion, mankind has finally realized the importance of going green & keeping green. With the concept getting popular in government as well as private organizations, how can a marketer restrain from that. Green Marketing is an upcoming phenomenon and slowly organizations are adopting this environment friendly way of marketing. Green Marketing is marketing & promotion of those products which are presumably environment friendly and do not have any negative effects to the environment. Though Green is popular, still there is lot of confusion about what exactly is defined as Green marketing. Various social & retail oriented definitions co-exist and it is often also known as Environmental or Ecological marketing.

Apart from manufacturing products which are environment friendly, more & more corporate houses are now entering a phase of Green Premises which is considered as an upcoming CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) fad. In such buildings, they claim that all kinds of waste is recycled hence causing zero environmental loss. Latest being the ITC Green Centre in Gurgaon which is been awarded the Platinum Green Building rating.

Researchers are working on solutions to improve the consumer appeal towards the green marketing & green products. Paper Bags is one of the most accepted environment friendly marketing tool which is accepted by the world. Still the developing countries fight to get rid of polythene. Sustainable Marketing is one such is a unique community of sustainable and green marketing entrepreneurs – making connections to each other — and to customers. Sustainable Marketing is communities of people helping each other get better marketing for their green businesses, using the network effect, and the power of the internet, to share knowledge, connections, and profit.

The concept is still in developing stage, it holds lot of good and people have shown lot of acceptance even if certain products are slightly expensive. The purpose is clear and leads to good environment & good health – directly or indirectly. It’s clearly time to Go Green….

Jaago Re - A way forward in Societal Marketing

2009-09-08T23:39:00.000-07:00

Everyday ambience, Sharp Humor, Single Message, Plain Straight Truth – on face brings lot of relevance in any marketing communication. That’s how the magical communication campaigns are being aired for Tata Tea’s – Jaago Re Campaign. The campaign is straight on Corruption.

The creativity, the communication, the ad copy, the actors all of these just create a dovetail in a truly effective way. This is a purely common man’s campaign and everyone can relate & link to it so conveniently. The problems, issues are so common that everyone could relate it to oneself, someone or the system. They talk about bribes, under the table projects, donation driven admissions etc. Their remains no doubt of authenticity or credibility in the communication because it is coming out of our daily routine lives. Everyone has been a part of that situation and if not they are aware of several such situations.

The message of ‘Jaago Re Campaign’ is a very well integrated communication, meant for all and provoking young & sleepy India. It is an urge, a wake up call against corruption. The TVCs of Jaago Re are not mere entertainment or a brand communication, it is more importantly an alert message touching not only hearts but several minds and telling them to react & respond. Showing them what it takes to see the India they want to see.

Tata Tea is just not into the awareness spree, they are also backing the campaign with the corruption index on their site. They plan to promote the internationally marked Anti Corruption Day on Dec 09 as a national event.
The latest TVC titled, ‘Aaj se khilana band, pilana shuru’ caption on air is, Har Subah bas utho mat, jaago re. They are banging on the thin line between getting up & waking up. Online & mobile media is the most popular one when it comes to youth - the campaign is absolutely on track. We, as in the present day generation are more internet friendly and Jaago Re provides an excellent communication on their site. The voter id registration process too is kept very interactive & user friendly.

The impact is phenomenal. The masses are taken aback and with the corruption index the magic should be kept alive. As far as brand strategy is concerned, they are promotions almost all 4 variants through this. But the customer insight seems different here – I the tea should be now interpreted as a youthful drink. Nevertheless, its an excellent Social media campaign.

Colors – Entertainment Innovation & Exclusive Marketing

2009-09-03T01:26:00.000-07:00

Colors- have always been a major aspect in brands & branding strategy. Here, I am not talking about the significance of colors in branding but instead I am going to discuss here the brand – Colors (a Viacom 18 initiative), which has not only emerged but is also ruling the entire media & entertainment industry via our own idiot box. Yes, the Indian television industry has recently witnessed and still going through lot of innovation.

Current Channel Leader – Colors is only 1 year & few months old and is a hot favorite of Indian audience of almost all age groups. They did it with a strategy of differentiation & innovation, of course at the right time. When the audience was bored of daily soaps with all family dramas, the high society tantrums etc, colors came with different shades of entertainment. Important as well as critical nodes were touched upon and here they are, ruling the television industry.

Brand Innovation:

Innovation has been a major strategy of Colors to attain maximum audience control. The shift from family dramas to reality shows was still in the introduction phase and colors played the trick. They came with an assorted offering of all; colors gave the audience a break from typical daily soaps and offered critical shows of lot more social importance. The kept the masala instinct alive through various realities shows and they also touched the religious nerves of a particular segment through mythological shows. All in all, Colors came with a complete family package. To list few of the shows:

Daily Soaps & Serials –

Balika Vadhu – Doesn’t need any introduction. Is been the most popular show since one year. With all the good actors & dramatically script, the show is still more of a social awareness campaign with constant innovation in episodes depicting critical social issues.
Shri Krishna – Entertained the audience and kept the religious audience served. The strategy was to pull the audience at prime time for this kind of a show.
Bhagyavidhata – The show is pulling audience because of a new concept. Bihar and its systems were never a put across to the national audience by any production house. Audience love changes.
Utaran / Na Aana Is Des Lado – These are again few serials which have touched purely new & different subjects. It keeps the audience intrigued.

Reality Shows – Serving the same dish on a different platter.

There has been lot of innovation on Colors, in terms of reality shows. The concepts and strategy of each serial is well thought of & very much planned. To list a few:

Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena: One of the initial Dance based show of Colors, which pulled in popular cricket stars to be the partners with television beauties.
100 %: An HUL sponsored show of Indian desi wrestlers with those from the world wrestling federaton. The show is must to spark some sensation with Sharat Saxena & Dara Singh as the team representatives.
Khatron ke Khiladi: A show of its kind. Well establishes, very popular and have ruled TRPS last year. Commencing in just 4 days.
Chote Miyan: With the immense success of the Great Indian Laughter Challenge, almost all the channels came with some kind of laughter shows, the colors strategy clicked because they initiated with a kids centric show.

To add to the spark of these reality shows, colors always pulled in cult celebrity brands to be the judge on their reality shows. Colors enjoy the TRP of the fan following of the celebrity stars. Few of the popular judges are: Sushmita Sen & Imran Khan, Hema Malini & Jeetendra, Sachin & Raveena Tandon etc.

Colors Marketing (Clever & Fresh)

Colors (Viacom 18 initiative), youngest on the block and the latest channel leader is been into great marketing campaign all over. Last, I remember I was stumped to see the IPL Marketing Campaigns – a complete one. Surely, Colors marketing too is all set for, exceeding the expectations.

Almost all the available media vehicles have been pulled in & utilized to the best of their capabilities. To name a few, channel is into Outdoor Media, BTL promotions - Road shows, corporate tie-ups, and rural media – street plays as well. The audience is reached almost at every aspect of their life, right from the hoarding while traveling to the mobile they carry. If its Mumbai, promotions are there on the local trains and otherwise colors is on the radio taxis, buses and where not. To read more about the kind of media Colors has pulled in read here.

Interesting Stories! - Behind few of the BEST Logos

2009-06-10T22:10:00.000-07:00

Adidas - The Adidas logo, which was created by founder of the company Adi Dassler, represents mountains, pointing towards the challenges that are seen ahead and goals that can be achieved. The logo first appeared in 1971, and was used for the first time on Adidas products in 1972.

Mercedes Benz - The Mercedes Benz logo, which was originally created by Gottlieb Daimler in 1909, consists of a simple depiction of a three-pointed star that represents its domination of the land, the sea, and the air. The company was founded Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, Mercedes is the name of Maybach’s elder daughter, while the Benz came as a result of a merger with Benz and Cie in 1926.

Apple - There are different stories behind Apple’s logo, the first one is a reference to the religious story of Adam and Eve, in which the apple represents the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. The second version says that Apple’s first logo was designed by Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne, and depicted Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree. This logo didn’t stay long and was replaced almost immediately by graphic designer Rob Janoff’s “rainbow Apple,” a rainbow-colored silhouette of an apple with a bite taken out of it, which has been replaced by the monochromatic logo In 1998.

McDonald’s - The logo was designed in 1962 by Jim Schindler to resemble the arch shaped signs on the sides of the company’s then walk-up hamburger stand, later on, the two golden arches were merged together to form the M. The McDonald’s name was added to the logo in 1968.

Nike - In the Greek mythology, Nike is the goddess of victory and the source of inspiration for warriors, this logo represents the wing in the famous statue of the Greek goddess. Nike’s logo was designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971 for $35, and was registered as a trademark in 1995.

Recession Hit Big Bazaar

2009-01-22T09:03:00.000-08:00

Oh! This one really surprised me. Big Groups being hit by the recession is not a new story but this hard...Well! I had no idea about...!! The Big players are working more on the cost cutting these days then any other things. Budget cuts are normal in the corporate scenario but I never thought that this would mean compromising in the Brand Image. Yes, Big Bazaar is better known as 'Organised Chaos' but that doesn't mean that people will tend to forget that it still is a part of Pantaloon retail.

During a recent store launch, the management played with the budgets and they played so badly that they weren't even able to rectify it. Starting from the standees which weren't able to stand the winds to the banners which were flowing with the wind, not static enough to let the visitor read whats there on the banner. Not only was this enough, even the press meet looked more of a formality, within the store a set-up with 20 chairs and a backdrop with a projector screen, which eventually wasn't required or may be used. I wonder but someone told me that none of the most poplular newspapers catering to the target segment of Big Bazaar were invited.

The BTL campaign also seemed to be suffering from mis-management & ill-execution. That looked as the worst thing, someone could do to the brand. Yes, Big Bazaar claims to be the organised chaos but that doesnt mean it could be compared with a Grocery store! Actually not.

I never thought that Brand owners will be told to cut the costs to that an extent. Nevermind though, the brand keeps the promises. Happy Shopping!!

Low Budget yet Meaningful Advertising

2009-01-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

Advertising is not always about Big Bucks!!! Have a look........

Mall Management - New Kid on the Retail Playground!!

2008-10-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

Malls – Everyone is visiting them.

Moms shopping, Dads outing or a Kid zone, you say it and they have it!

What is the one thing which makes them so special?

Convenience! Aesthetics! Service! Experience! Infrastructure! People!

Or, all of them or may be just the craze.

Malls are a new concept in Indian retail. Initiated with a Bang (read: the first timers), controversial for the frequent comparisons with the local ‘kirana’ stores and now struggling for better footfalls & conversions.

Honestly, I have been working on certain malls recently, Goodness! What an experience but what a learning indeed…….so much to do for many customers for so many brands under one roof. And this one is just a start for a journey through malls…..

Huh..! Doesn’t even sounds easy and take my words it isn’t an easy job for a marketer, a retail investor or a consultant like me.

Challenges for the Mall Owners/Retailers& all those working with them are –

v Customer Preferences
v Innovative Concepts
v Décor – External/Internal/Theme based/Specific TG oriented.
v Customer Convenience – Anything you organize should not cause any kind of customer traffic jams inside the mall.
v Facility Management – No customer actually tolerates a mall with power cuts, stuck escalators, dirty walls etc. So, that becomes a major challenge again, where your people management skills come into picture too.
v Budget Constraints.
v Timelines- One cannot take up & execute such projects during daytime.
v Infrastructure – You need extraordinary equipments for execution, remember the sizes of these malls!

These and more in the upcoming posts….

Note: Usage of technical jargons is avoided to make it easy to understand for all.

Did a Retailer trigger 'Miss Universe' contest?

2008-09-28T23:47:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that a local "bathing beauty" competition spearheaded by Catalina Swimwear in Long Beach, CA would metamorphose into an international annual tradition with countless young women around the world vying to become Miss Universe? As hundreds of millions of fans have watched in 125 different countries, "the homegrown contest has evolved into a powerful, year-round, international organization that advances and supports opportunities for these role models."

Just imagine what a retailer with ideas can do!!!!

Ads & Brands in India - a quick flashback!!

2008-06-16T03:36:00.000-07:00

Bajaj Super..........Extinct now....

Did we know Yuvi that time....?? We did knew Lifebuoy!!

Nutriono Aam-Ras!!!!!! No Katrina's Aamsutra's!!!!!!!

The then Thanda.......

CERELAC .........yummie

"
"

PARLE POPPINS

TOPAZ BLADE

"
"

It's still a top brand........look at the Consistency !!!

No Centre Shocks u see.............

Trainings - A First Hand Experience

2008-06-03T01:32:00.000-07:00

Last week I got an opportunity through Yajnaa, to design and deliver a workshop at Ambuja Cements. The day was World No Tobacco Day i.e. the 31st of May. The topic was Alcohol & Tobacco – How to Quit? I had a week to plan and prepare. Homework was backed through a research project which I had done some 2 years back. The basic knowledge of the subject was there with me as the research was done thoroughly and in detail. The qualitative depth interviews done with the youth and with those rehabilitating at Divyasri, a Bangalore based Rehabilitation Centre made wonderful case studies and I added four of them.

The base was there but I was required to work hard on it. For the reason it was the first opportunity and I wanted to give my best shot. Also the unrest for being resting from a month was another reason. The expectations and faith that was showed, the pressure to live up to them was another. But yes, also there was the refreshing excitement to try and successfully finish the exciting project at hand.

The Preparation –

Reading: I believe that whatever task we take in hand we should be able to argue (politely) on that. The most important pre-requisite is to have detailed knowledge on the same. The ideas and understanding both should be there in ample, to argue and advocate.

Presentation: The way you present the data, facts and figures is important but the key to presentation is how interesting you make it. I made extra effort towards breaking the monotony in the presentation. For that after every 3 to 4 heavy slides there was an activity, a intriguing slide or an AV. Being a first timer, I was thinking from my own perspective, the experience of being a listener in heavy HR sessions or a workshop at workplace.

My continuous effort was not to let my audience look at their watches after every while.

Writing: This is the back up exercise. The last minute nervousness should not result in skipping the points. That was a major concern. So I made my copy of handout a notes copy for myself. That served as a quick revision for me during the breaks. And I was saved from missing some very critical points.

Discussion: Last in my preparation in discussions. I did discuss the entire concept and action plan with 2 people that always help. These discussions not only provide the second opinion on the entire effort but also trigger some more ideas which almost always result in bettering the entire preparation.

The Response-

Whatever hard work we put in any project the best result we attain is in the form of response. I started getting the response from the first slide because the presentation demnded the audience to participate. I made them interact more and more. At time I was only the trigger to make them think and respond to the slides. By the lunch time, the workshop was in full swing, my audience which comprised of learned and few unprivileged was responding to me. That was my result, happy responding faces, wanting to discuss things, share experiences and stories.

Their response to the activities was another reward. I was successful in touching the thinking chords and it was a healthy thought provoking session.

I am not rating myself 10/10 but being the first timer, I do rate myself a modest 7/10. I am all set for taking more challenges in the trainings arena.

Sprite's 'Hindustan' vs Pepsi's 'Youngistan'

2008-04-09T00:05:00.000-07:00

Sprite's ‘Hindustan’ vs Pepsi's ‘Youngistan’

Latest in advertising is, ‘Yeh hai Hindustan meri jaan’. Did you say Youngistan? Well, finally Coca Cola has given a front & back answer to Pepsi’s much hyped ‘Youngistan’, giving one more ultimate example of Competitive Advertising. Nevertheless, the trend is decades old now.

Yeh Hai Hindustaan Meri Jaan

It’s not the first time, when one Cola giant has mocked another one. In fact Coca Cola and Pepsi have been following the trend quite regularly (read: religiously) from many years. This time it was Pepsi at the receiving end and as a result the quite a funky term of Pepsi ‘Youngistan’ being aired through the hottest and looked after bollywood pair Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika is been mocked as Junglistaan, Firangistaan and even Kabristaan. After all flops, they finally say, “this is Hindustan meri jaan”, depicting the magic of saying straight and dismissing the other notions. As they say, Seedhi Baat Baki all Bakwas!

Let’s wait n watch, what strategy Pepsi’s communication comes up with to fight with the little drops of joy!

Till then, as Coca Cola says, Jashan mana le!

NaKeD EnTrY

2008-04-04T02:04:00.000-07:00

NaKeD EnTrY

No it’s not a Cricket ground and neither a fashion parade story I am going to talk about. It’s about the Naked Communication Consultancy, which is all set to make an entry to our incredible nation India. For those of you who haven’t surfed through this week Brand Equity, it’s news.

First thing which came to my mind is what is in the name? Naked Communication Consultancy is one of the ‘wildcard’ agencies which work more on the strategic side, which claims to go deeply in the customer insights then only executing the dreams which a marketer wants to sell to its customers. My first thought was, may be they are into some kind of media journalism focusing on Sting operations. May be I was thinking local that moment. The only reason I could thought of for their naming is to maintain a better Brand Recall. And I hope you will agree after reading here, briefly about Naked, the communication consultancy.

NaKeD Realities

Is there an overrun of advertising agencies in India? Still a little of them are worthy for the task at hand for a marketer. The questions as raised by Mr.Wilkins of Naked Communications are quite thought provoking.

He says, “You could ask senior clients what’s the difference between the top five media networks in the world, and they can’t come up with a single descriptor,” he argues.

He says there is a difference between the Marketing Consultancies and the Communication Consultancies, and present day client finds a specific job oriented agency a worthy organization to bet for or rather we should say to make a payment for. He too again is talking about the formula we popularly call Differentiate. The point is, how and how many agencies have actually been able to do so? Though he appreciates the challenging attitude of Indian Entrepreneurs, he also looks worried about the talent pool. The question is similar to what McKinsey had once pointed, it is not how many are available for placements, its all about how many are place able.

As of now, we welcome Naked Communication Consultancy to India and Good Luck for their talent hunt!!

Cricket Tadka to Pepsi’s Youngistan

2008-03-06T23:41:00.000-08:00

Indian Cricket can add Masala to Pepsi’s Youngistan and hence adding to the Revenue.

Am sure by now, you must have watched the Pepsi’s star studded ‘Ye hai Youngistan meri jaan’ ad starring Shahrukh Khan and the young bollywood leads Ranbir Kapoor & Deepika Padukone. If not visit, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHKA9qg7jg0

Both are the hot shots and have created enough of craze among young India. And Pepsi like always has pulled in the best of the lot at the right time. And for this very reason, the ad people once again ignored the very thing called customer insight or its relevance. The simple reason – Star power sells in India, anything or everything. Coming to the term ‘Youngistan’, well it has got the strike and the tone which will appeal the crowds sooner or later. The copy is fine but not really interesting. And ofcourse the ad has got a lot of weight in regards that the three shining stars, collectively saying ‘Ye hai Youngistan meri jaan’, what else do the youth need to get convinced for a ‘Pepsi’.

Now, with the Indian Cricket, shining all over with the Under 19 World Cup and the Commonwealth series in our kitty, I guess Youngistan could be made a better sales pitch provided the bollywood based Youngistan be given a ‘tadka’ of Indian cricket to add more spice to the ad. I wonder very soon we will see, these shining ‘young’ cricketers endorsing Pepsi on the similar line of ‘Youngistan’. After all they have actually added the spice in Indian Cricket.

From the marketing angle, this could be the best deal for Pepsi. To follow up the idea with a different example. Currently, Cricket fever in India is ruling the roost and so the marketers will also try to pull in the young stars to endorse their brands and indirectly add revenue too.

Branding - 2008

2008-01-17T02:00:00.000-08:00

Branding 2008

Watching television, listening to radio, walking down a lane observing the outdoors, everywhere only one thing is been communicated, Happy New Year and New Year offerings. On observing these things, I started pondering over the ever booming & ever growing, business of brands.

Looking at the current trends, and the brand ‘Incredible India’ being established all over the world, growing incredibly with the almost always bullish stock market, I thought of analyzing the trends in branding, in India.

And here you are, reading, Branding-2008

Brand ‘Incredible India’: To start with, let’s take the mother brand, as in the year 2008 brand ‘India’ will raise tremendously. The reason for this will be the unending interest of foreign consumers in the brand. The best business woman, sports personalities and business tycoons shining bright in the world over is a great sign for the brand ‘Incredible India’. Let’s hope the brand to add more shine this year.

Healthy & Ready, ‘Snacking’

With more & more Indians getting employed, the urge for ready to eat, fast to gulp & healthy nutrients is increasing. With that Indians are known as foodies, for they have a weak taste bud. And this very reason is giving the marketer the signs for more & better food brands. The health awareness has led to emergence of brands like, ‘Bingo’, Coke getting into 'Milk Products' as there is a huge increase in the market for milk & fruit drinks then soft drinks, ‘Nutrella’ zero cholesterol butter and utterly butterly Amul going for ‘Amul Lite’ etc. So we can say brands will be healthier & fast to prepare this year.

Hindustani Names & ‘No Fear’ Branding

Now this trend will be followed as per the ‘Category’. The clothing & restaurant industry will have traditional & ethnic ‘Hindustani’ names ruling the roost. The consumers are getting more inclined towards such names, reason can be feeling attached to roots, genuineness, and the luxury attached to the names themselves. Looking at few newly launched or re-invented brands of big textile & designer houses are Amara, Kashish, Soch, Lilliput etc. Few of them have names as per the elements of the brands. So, this trend will follow & excel more in 2008.

Coming to the ever-growing restaurant chains, the names are taken deep from the roots or are very basic terms related to food & culture. The youth of course, looks forward to the foreign names in the fast food segment but the population who loves Indian cuisines and looks forward to an experience while dining is inclined towards the likes of Aangan (huge Verandah), Rasoi(Kitchen), Haveli(a huge residence considered as the ultimate in living luxury), Rumali (a kind of bread), Choki Dhani(an ethnic village resort), Annachi Chettinad (a part of TamilNadu, known for its architecture, food and rich people)etc. This suggests that Indian brands will be equally competent with the increasing influx of foreign players in both the above categories.

Now, I have also mentioned above about the ‘No Fear’ brand names, but of course they have some meaning, truth or relevance attached to it. To name a few we have, ‘Bang’ (some toilet cleaner), Vanish (a detergent powder) etc. Adding to the category we have online portals like, ‘BigAdda.com’, ‘Dekhona.com’ and many more to add up. This shows that, only the relevance of the message which brand holds for the consumer is important for the marketer.

Then there will be more Pharmaceuticals getting into the branding stream. Earlier limited to OTC medicines of general illness remedies, the segment will show an emergence of branding with the consumer becoming more aware and concerned about health issues. The recent aggressive communication of an offbeat brand like ‘ipill’ (i-pill is an emergency contraceptive pill which prevents unplanned pregnancy) is a signal of more socially significant pharmaceutical brands lining up in 2008.

Indians, choosing to create and emerge as successful Corporate Brands will be a very important & flourishing trend in 2008. More n more business players want to brand their categories as well as the group. They know the identity needs to be known to the consumer as it adds to the credibility & authenticity to the sub-brands of the business.

Last to the trends can be, Blog Branding, sounds a bit off-track but I think it has a way to go. Looking at the rate of increase in advertisements on the blogs, almost each online portal getting geared to publicize & have more bloggers on it is a sign towards blog branding. Some of the blogsites are already paying the bloggers for successful advertising on their pages. The phenomena if keeps on increasing at the same pace, might even lead to Branding of Blogs in the year to follow.

All this and more branding will bombard the average consumer with a number of choices and hence making their decisions difficult. At the same time, chasing the consumer and have more loyalists will be the challenge facing each marketer in 2008. So we as consumers can expect more catchy advertising, promotional offer warfare and reward programs in 2008.

India Retail Boom:Changing Trends & Upcoming Formats

2007-03-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

Recently I have come across some unexpected up gradations in the ongoing retail boom in India. Talking about the planned and yet to be implemented changes in Indian retail I can only say that sooner or little later, Indian retail formats and layouts are subjected to be marked obsolete.

Or we can also say, that this might also lead to expose the short-sightedness of Indian marketer.

One more intriguing yet very interesting fact is this, that the big giants are planning things considering the major ups and downs in the ever changing and everyday improving like the economic boost, increasing number of foreign players, changing consumer preferences and statistics which varies in each sphere of India by various means including geographic changes, cultural preferences and then the consumer's demographic & psychographic information, which itself makes the task of an Indian retailer as diversified as Indian sub-continent. One more area which is given utmost importance by the retailer is 'Consumer Insight' and hence they are taking there own sweet time even to start of operationally in our diverse nation.

Formats, Trends and catering to Product Offerings

The changing formats as per the varying trends, differences in terms of geographic set-up and the consumer preferences are one factor for the drastic changes.

Lets take an instance, most of the International Accessory stores are entering Indian markets largely by two means, either they enter through a JV with an existing Indian giant or they set up stores in the large format retail stores like Hypermarkets & Supermarkets. Some even prefer to have there sections/ counters in the Departmental stores and the MBO's. Now there is a change in the trends and quite noticeable as well, consider this, recently I visited a large retail store in Mumbai and to my surprise few luxury defining brands which are considered to be catering to a high-class customer segment weren’t available. As they claim of their availability only at the exclusive outlets. We can also say that this offers the convenience like that of Telecom Service providers where a customer goes with a determined mindset for the purchase and also the retailer attends the customer with that of a assured sale. We can say it reduces a step in the Sales cycle as the suspect wont even enter your store, only the prospect with a desired product will enter and given the right offering, you get a customer and then the retention practices like loyalty programs and consumer promos start work to strengthen the bond. EBOs of TITAN Watches can be an example for the same. The TATA Group has always followed the similar trend, be it clothing, jewellery or other accessories. Now, we can say that it can be an easier and profitable step for this group as they have origins from within India and hence they have a better know-how and understanding about the market, be it from real state, markets analysis, consumers preferences or anything. However, it would have been a difficult task for a foreign player entering Indian markets.

The one explained above is an existing trend which is growing rapidly in the Indian market trying to highlight the merits of being in city of origin, this is the same thing for which emerging retail giant was put forth Wal-mart and we can say this is the same reason that Wal-mart and Bharti plan to start & grow together.

Now consider this, the current analysis and reports which are based on the present growth status of India retail, the future malls and retail stores are expected to be in a size of 1 billion sq ft and even more which is very unlikely to compete with the existing stores which vary between 300000sq ft.-350000sq. ft. This will not only lead to changes in the way a consumer shops but will also give enough challenge to the retailer to upgrade themselves to larger store formats. The chances of success cannot be measured and put across in figures as of now but the picture of Indian retail is ever improving and is definitely going to stay. The emergence of bigger & better markets will once again create immense opportunities for advertising, outdoor media and create more jobs not only at the higher and middle level but also the store staff as well.

There will be changes in the VM and Display of the stores, so with the competition being healthy the growth will become fast and more opportunities arise for various intermediaries involving agencies like ad, design, concept creations, color & print consultants, outdoor media and many more. This kind of major change in the size of Retail stores will create a need for change across all operational and functional areas of retail structures.

I wish India rocks but my question is, India Rocks is for Urban India or for Diverse India which isn’t very interesting and profitable but still contributes more to the society and to the nation. I know it’s a different scene altogether but very important and crucial for India 2020. Shall discuss more on this in next post. Till then keep reviewing.

Indian Retail Ventures - Here to stay or fade away?

2007-02-13T02:27:00.000-08:00

Retailing is the Buzzword, which is not here to buzz off and is making places all over. Be it the newspapers, the magazines, the hoardings, the media, the FDI and what not? Everywhere and Everybody are interested in talking about Retail Segment. It’s a preferred segment for all. It’s considered bright in terms of future and it’s happening!!!!

So, lets try and find out, what the buzz is all about?

I have been very much interested in Retail from the first day I heard about the term and learned about the flow it has. The phenomena is not only making unorganized – organized, it’s also opening up more choices for a common man. Lets analyze the major stops of the journey called retail. So far, it’s been the following:

1. Shift in the System:

The first and foremost thing, which is noticed due to the emergence of Retail, is the shift - from Unorganized to Organized, from Kirana Stores to Department Stores, from attracting through relationships to attracting through layouts. It was a major shift, in terms of culture; the culture of shopping which Indian consumer was following since ages. People were so used to of buying grocery and vegetables from 2 different places that they almost ignored the vegetable section until sometime after the emergence of this phenomenon called retail.

2. Indian mindset and Reluctance to change:

Continuing to the first step we discussed, mindset and reluctance of the customer was the second challenge for the retailers in India. The customer who has been shopping from the closest to home or most popular in the city wholesale shop was finding it difficult to switch a newer mode of shopping based on the brightness and beauty of shop. As a result, they weren’t even ready to experience the organized mode of retailing. The reason was simple, an average customer was thinking on the lines of showroom concept and hence expensive affair.

3. Horrific Influx of many at the same time:

When it’s a buzz in the market, it’s a hit across nation and it’s forecasting is nothing but perfect and profitable everybody wants to invest. With these two properties of the industry everybody came flattered and ready to invest in retail. The FDI flowed and the retailing was termed as Boom. The next Boom after IT sector as it was no small a change. Lets keep in mind that we started from 2% of Organized Retail and we are going to touch 50% by the end of next financial year. These figures prove a lot about the influx and the rate of growth into this sector.

4. Competition at different levels:

With the influx comes the competition, and retailing being a sector at a larger level and also at the smaller level, it experienced immense competition. And it was both, domestic and international. As a result, the fire started catching up, and there were more and more retail outlets budding everyday.

Retailers faced, cheap competition, which was actually not comparable in terms of pricing but was a hit as it attracted the youth segment for it offered affordability and variety. There were shops like cotton expo, china markets etc which were organized not exclusive and hence made shopping easier and affordable. People started popping in those joints for the convenience and affordability. Hence, it was a youth oriented retail effort and was a hit in metro that are hugely populated with young consumers.

Retailers also faced competition in terms of pricing. With the influx of too many shops at the same time, people started comparing prices to make better choices. With the big grocery stores opening-up everyday (Spencer, Fabmall and now Subhiksha), the consumer started making choices from convenience to prices. The look and feel of the stores was almost similar and so was the availability of products.

5. Differentiation & Consumer Marketing:

Competition entails differentiation and results into aggressive consumer marketing. In the beginning of retail scenario not many were taking it as a challenge as consumer mind-set was considered the biggest hurdle. But with the change in consumer habits, there was an emergence of retail differentiation, in terms of structure and layout. Even the typical Kirana stores had started developing the structure of stores to attract and retain their customers. All this is taking place by the way of differentiation. People like to be different and hence they like to be associated with things that are considered different from the general one. The association with unusual attracts human beings.

Now with the differentiation-taking place all over, retailers started worrying for other means to attract customers. The purpose was to have more footfalls converted into customers. And hence started the consumer marketing, largely by means of consumer promos through, combo offers, co-branding, bulk purchase offers, service excellence etc.

Future Predictions –

Looking at the future predictions on retail sector, it’s estimated to grow at a faster rate then the GDP of our country. The growth and opportunities are no doubt immense but then there are challenges related to the infrastructure, the horrific expansion of foreign players, the discount stores etc and a lot more.

There are trends coming up with every new day in the Indian retail scenario. The age old kirana storekeepers in 2 tier cities are happily agreeing to rent out their establishments for a fixed rent of 35000 –40,000 to giant players like Reliance, Bharti etc innocent about the very fact that they how much profits they will be reaping from the same.

Taxing my brains over the same thought, I find myself with lot more questions like,

A) Who will be the most emerging retail power in India?
B) Will Reliance be able to rule the throne from British players and US?
C) What about the tier 2 & 3 cities?
D) What is Bharti’s and Reliance take on acquisition of several ex-Wal-Mart employees?
E) What will be the consumer insight on rural customer?
F) Will the real estate prices keep growing with retail?
G) Will Indian retail be taken up entirely by the foreign players?
H) Will it give a new direction to consumer marketing?
I) Are the Indian giants planning something to deal with the each day entry of foreign players with their low pricing policies?

All these and many more are the questions that Indian Common man is trying to find out the answers for. Apart from the corporatism, there is someone called the common name, the front-runner in the backstage who is responsible for the major chunk of consumption patterns across country.

Guess have done half the job, may be the mind was thinking on all these issues right now because retailing is so intriguing that every time you ponder on this, one more thought line triggers off. And the cycle continues.

Pool in your comments so that we get a better picture of the latest boom of India.

Brand Re-launch, the other side of the story.

2006-12-06T04:16:00.000-08:00

Brand Re-launch, the other side of the story.
It’s not merely about modifying the outlook.

Brand Re-launch, I always wondered that its just the outlook and reinventing the brand elements. Following I believe are the major things we notice as a naïve consumer:

1.The new design
2.The refreshed advertisements
3.A colorful packaging
4.Sometimes a new tag line
5.New brand ambassador
6.Newspaper talking about it – which again is a part of re-launch covering the PR exercise of the brand.

In addition, a lot many exercises making make the brand image better and further improvise the positioning of the brand.

The other side, the actual process involved.

As per my knowledge so far, rather I should say as per my experience and the information I gathered from whatever brands I have dealt with, brand re-launch is much more then what a common consumer notices and realizes. It’s not merely the creative changes varying to design, its not even limited to consumer promos like some Rs. Off and buy one get one free its actually much more. It involves the change in full distribution cycle, its change at the very ground level involving almost all the intermediaries which no doubt starts from Brand team, the agency work, the design till those at ground level like Suppliers, packaging department, the printers, the outdoor media etc.

Lets take an example for the brand named XYZ,Here the case is that its an established brand, a little old by age and is been suffering because of the sudden influx of brands in the same category and also the increasing spend of other brands to remain competitive. Now suffering of the competition, the marketing and brand team thinks on re-launching the brand or we can say the "Old Wine in New Bottle" scenario. Moreover, the budget is always a constraint as the product / brand is in the maturity stage already and hence spend on it is also controlled and limited. So broadly, I believe the process has the following steps:

1. Brand Re-launch decision by marketing and brand team.

This involves decisions of marketing team on things like variation in product, now it can be including a new variant under the same brand or extending the product line and hence extending the brand or sometimes introducing sub-brand. It might not even involve any variation at all in the brand hierarchy.

2. Brand Planning and Budget.

Next level involves planning in terms of budgets, spends, activation dates, seasonal offers, agency, timelines etc. It actually involves finalizing things on the intermediaries for the second level until the co-ordination among all of these. Once the intermediaries are finalized, the purchase teams and packaging teams are informed on the same.

3. Designing and Production.

Now after the things are finalized and the teams are ready with the timelines, the designing that is done by the ad agencies is taken up. It usually is a long process as the approvals from all the concerned teams have to be taken, where in the brand is concerned about the branding on packs and the POPs in retail and the elements of the same. The marketing and activation teams are concerned more about the budgets allotted and meeting the timelines, for them the major concern is to get the best outputs in the minimal spend. Where as in terms of packaging, the packaging teams have a different but important role to play as they have to meet the legal regulations in terms of declarations and important information, which is mandatory to be communicated to the consumer. This is also a concern now for the leaflets etc with the increasing concern among consumers; an example for the same can be the subway leaflets mentioning the calories each contained in each offering.

Once the design gets finalized, the artwork process begins and once the files are ready as per the printing process and packaging, the production of artworks began which further is a long process to and needs a lead time of atleast 2-3 months. Since I am not a technical person would like not to get into the practical details of the technicalities but it actually is an interesting process. The process starts with getting the raw materials like substrate, inks etc and then the cylinders are made for each, further down sometimes proofing is required to check the final output, sometimes things even get changed and rejected at the same time because of the failure to achieve desired output. Once the things get done here, the artworks are ready for the purchase team which further sends it to the manufacturing factories (if packaging artworks) or to the outdoor media agencies if the brand has decided for a total re-branding and marketing communication strategy as well.

This is the understanding of a Brand Re-launch process that is far more then the marketing journals and the management books.

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