In an exclusive interaction with 4ps b&m, crispin reed argues that political advertising should be treated no differently from product based advertising
 
Do conventional advertising principles apply to political advertising campaigns? Should political brands be treated differently from regular brands?
Yes, I believe conventional advertising principles do apply by and large. Keep the message single minded, look to make an emotional connection with the electorate, give compelling supporting reasons to believe and entertain!

The advertising industry and marketers alike have come to a common understanding that the consumer has evolved. But have voters evolved?
Absolutely. Certainly in the West they have become incredible cynical. Equally, there is a lot of voter inertia. By that I mean that once voting habits have been established they are difficult to change. Much like loyalty to a particular brand.

If you were to look at voters as consumers, how would you segment them. What would be the characteristics of these different segments and what kind of political advertising would they respond to?
Building on my answer above, fundamentally, they divide in to die-hard loyalists and floaters who can still be persuaded. These segments can then be cross-referenced against demographic measures.

Now that you have segmented the typical voter and defined his/her characteristics, do you believe that current political ad campaigns cater constructively to the appetite of voters?
To a certain extent, political ad campaigns are different by market. In this respect there are important cultural norms at play. For example, in the US, with their vast financial resources behind them, the campaigns are typically aggressively competitive and personal. This is also true to a degree in the UK. However, British sensibilities mean that ‘consumers’ (voters) are actively put off if campaigns are seen to overstep the mark. Generally speaking, though, I would suggest that comparative and attack advertising should focus on policy not personality.

As is evident from the run up to the forthcoming presidential elections in the US, social media has emerged as an all important platform to fight out the war of the words. What defines a great social media campaign for elections?
Responding in real time. The upside of social media is that it is immediate. The flip side is that if there isn’t an immediate response or reaction to a particular issue this can work against the politician.

What about negative ads? Do people secretly enjoy them?
One of the ‘rules’ of consumer advertising is to concentrate on the positive. For example, avoid having words such as ‘not’ in the headline. If you are going to run negative ads they have to be especially clever.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned Links

SC slams AICTE's illicit control on MBA courses
MBA, MCA courses no longer under AICTE
2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

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Vipul Mehrotra, who heads Nokia India’s smart devices division talks about his company’s plans with the windows phone operating system
 
A close look at Nokia’s releases in recent months indicates that the company is focusing on launching higher-resolution cameras in its Symbian phones, and better gaming or music app in its Window Phone 7-based Lumia phones. Is that so?

I don’t subscribe to that view. Even in the Lumia range that includes Lumia 800, 710 and 610, much attention has been paid to delivering a superior imaging system. So we have got imaging, location services and entertainment bundled in the Lumia range, apart from social and gaming experiences. On the other hand, Symbian OS is not new generation and we plan to phase it out over time.

How has the response to the highly anticipated and premium product, the 41 mega pixel-carrying Nokia PureView 808 handset, been?

I can’t give you any sales numbers as of now, but what I can share is that it’s creating lot of buzz on the blogosphere and social media platforms. Many enthusiasts are buying this phone and posting pictures taken from a PureView camera which has a high-quality Carl Zeiss lens.

In recent months, on one hand while you launched a Symbian OS-based feature phone (the Asha), you also launched a Windows-powered phone. Then you created a separate category called PureView on the Symbian Belle OS. Don’t these cross-category launches cannibalise each other’s sales?

It’s not the game of one operating system harming another. Why? It’s the truly differentiated experience you give to the consumers that matter. PureView has a role to play as the flagship imaging device with a 41 MP camera, while Lumias are our smartphones. Each category has its own weight.

How has slowdown been affecting sales of Nokia India in recent times?

I think the introduction of new devices, new experiences and giving existing consumers upgrades in the form of some great software apps, have only taken us higher.

In the past, we would generally have advertisement and marketing initiatives based on new handset models. Now we see that focus of the ATL campaigns are more on OS platforms. Is that correct?

To an extent, I would again differ in opinion. At the highest level, say the premium category, the focus of marketing is still on the experience delivery. But when it comes to communicating to the market about new product launches based on a particular OS, then we get to see more talk about that OS.
 
And how about the future of Lumia and Symbian phones?

We announced in February last year that going forward, the Lumia platform will be our flagship smartphone range. That’s my answer still. Within 6 months of our announcement then, we had two Lumia devices in the market. We’ve expanded the portfolio to four now. Three of them are already in India, we will launch the fourth one soon too. We know that it’s a winning strategy for us. The Microsoft Marketplace app store saw a 1,000% increase in activity y-o-y during the last quarter – that shows the confidence of app community and consumers in our smartphone range.

Going forward, how will Nokia work towards building value of the brand as a handset maker?

A lot of competition is happening in apps. But, we have started to focus on the experience of our users. This differentiated app-ecosystem will build on Nokia’s brand and sales in the Indian market. So we have a more comprehensive strategy in action, based on scale, price points, distribution and marketplace with our ecosystem partners.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned Links

SC slams AICTE's illicit control on MBA courses
MBA, MCA courses no longer under AICTE
2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

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While the 4Ps b&M list of india’s most valuable brands celebrates stardom, there are others who need encouragement for the promise and potential they have. 4Ps b&M handpicks a few of them who have dared to take on the market challenges and may make it big in coming times. here’s a quick look...
 
ARIHANT SUPERSTRUCTURES LTD
A leading realtor from Mumbai, Arihant Group is known for their key role in transforming Navi Mumbai’s skyline. The almost 25-year old company is known for its passion for adhering to promised timelines. The realty major is expanding at a rapid pace today with a slew of projects coming in various parts of the country including the National Capital Region (NCR). Arihant’s ambitions are evident in the fact that it was ranked 161 in 400 small cap companies by Dalal Street last year. The vision of the company is to grow consistently at around 50% over the next five to seven years.
 
Pitambari
If you understand the Indian consumer’s mindset, rest assured that your consumer goods brand will grow. That is indeed the case with Pitambari Products Pvt. Ltd., which has been in the business of consumer brands ranging from home care and health care to agri-care and health for over two decades. This home-grown brand has gradually become one of the trusted names among consumer products available at affordable prices in India. Founded by Ravindara Prabhudesai, the ISO 9001:2001 certified company has five manufacturing units across the country and operates in 19 different states boasting a consumer segment comprising nearly three million users.

Asian Granito India Ltd.
Established in the year 2000, Asian Granito India Ltd. (AGIL) has emerged as a Rs.700 crore giant in the Indian space décor industry and is moving forward as one of the fastest growing ceramic companies in the segment today. AGIL aims to “lead the change” through its first mover advantage. To capitalise on the same, the company last year launched ‘digital polished vitrified tiles’ in India, bringing a revolution to the market segment. The flooring accommodates digital printing and substitute natural marble by providing hassles free installation.
 
Sangam Suitings

In the present day ultra-competitve market it’s tough for companies to provide quality and maintain it all along. But that has been the core value that drives Sangam Suitings. Since inception in 1985, the company has worked at bringing value to their customers by providing quality products through superior raw material and better finishing of for fabrics and using. Buoyed by its success, the company is now set to enter the ready to wear market later this year and hopes to create the same magic in this segment. It aims to prove that a quality product need not necessarily be expensive.

UnIglobe Keshav Travel
Technology is making travellers more informed than ever. They expect the very best wherever they go and whatever they do. Small surprise that the tour & travel industry is becoming more demanding by the day. And there are a few names, including Uniglobe Keshav Travel, which have been living up to these high consumer expectations. The decade old company, affiliated to the world’s largest single brand travel network Uniglobe Travel, boasts of a network comprising more than 700 locations worldwide. Focussed on savings and service, their tech-enabled service efficiencies have given them a slew of happy clients - both corporate & leisure.
 
Kesari tours
A lot of emotions are at stake when people travel. In an industry where customer service plays a larger-than-life role, Kesari Tours has ensured that it delivers its best every time. Known for their innovations, the Kesari group, which started operations way back in 1984, is well respected for its ‘hold on’ group tours. This offers something or the other to every traveler in the group depending on budget and preference. Perhaps this is one of the main driving behind high customer loyalty that they enjoy.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned Links

SC slams AICTE's illicit control on MBA courses
MBA, MCA courses no longer under AICTE
2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

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Here’s a LOOK into how the top five brands of various categories have fared in 4Ps B&M’s 100 Most Valuable Brands LISTING (FIGURES REPRESENTS OVERALL RANK)

Here are the five parameters that decided the ranks within the list of 4Ps B&M India’s 100 Most Valuable Brands. Given additionally are the weights within these parameters earned by the brands.

Brand Awareness
When they revamped their identity brand pundits frowned on the idea, but despite all the criticism surrounding their new logo brand Airtel proudly made it to the top
Considering that new entrants, both in terms of domestic and global brands, continue to overcrowd the Indian market across sectors including telecom, financial services, consumer goods et al, it becomes challenging for brands to create strong awareness across the board. However, owing to their clutter-breaking marketing campaigns and product offerings, a few brands like Airtel, TATA, Maruti, Microsoft, et al, have made inroads into the consumer psyche and have further built on the same to create a greater value for the brand and reinforce recall and perception.

Brand Image & Perception
Brand TATA rules the roost, irrespective of setbacks like the JLR and Corus acquisitions
The brand image and perception ratings prove our findings that consumers favour legacy brands over non-legacy brands. Take TATA and Airtel for instance. While TATA has been around for centuries altogether, Airtel was one of the first private sector telecom service provider which spearheaded the Indian telecom revolution. Airtel’s top of the mind brand image & perception might be attributed to the year long ‘Har ek friend zaroori hota hai’ campaign which clicked with the Indian youth.
 
Brand Loyalty
The Nano magic perhaps...
The unprecedented proliferation of brands has resulted in a cluttered market place and consumers spoilt for choice. As such, keeping consumers loyal to a brand seems just next to impossible, more so for the options available to them. However, brands like TATA, Airtel, SBI and LG are a few names which still enjoy a very high level of loyalty amongst consumers – some reasons could be legacy (TATA), value proposition (Airtel), trust (SBI), years of usage (TOI).

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned Links

SC slams AICTE's illicit control on MBA courses
MBA, MCA courses no longer under AICTE
2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face

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Monojit Lahiri investigates some thing that is grabbing public attention – the curious case of... Vagina Whitener
 
For some time now, concerned consumers and ad-watchers have been getting increasingly worried about the frat crossing boundaries and hitting erogenous zones where even angels (should, but no longer?) fear to tread! Holding up the Lux Cozy and Amul Macho ads as earlier examples apart from the tons of sexist deodorant ads and of course the scores of whitening creams, they continue to remain anxious, often protesting vehemently against the way the Persuasion Industry is trying to seduce the impressionable, unguarded and aspirational sections of our mahaan Bharat into promising them a more fulfilling, confident and rewarding life if they embrace the products advertised. In its effort to keep pace with India’s ever changing profile and fashionable definition of an ancient civilisation, which is also a young and modern nation, are the ad guys getting a bit too carried away and overdoing it by adventurously crossing the Lakshman Rekha and touching areas best left untouched? Or are we, due to traditional conditioning, being a little too touchy and forgetting that this is year 2012, and the blitz and exposure of new-age media to a techno-savvy youngistan renders this a non-issue?

A new TVC along the skin-lightening-product segment for a product called Clean & Dry Intimate Wash even promises Indian women protection, freshness (and most importantly) fairness “down there”! The commercial shows a young couple relaxing in their house. The man is shown reading a newspaper while the attractive wife – or whoever! – pouts, unhappy at being ignored. Reason? Her dark-coloured privates! Providence steps in, in the form of Clean & Dry Intimate Wash, ostensibly whitening the parts that seemed to have earlier cast a shadow over the guy’s inner view of the young lady and bingo, suddenly aal izz well! Pout disappears, break-up averted, newspaper flung aside to (undoubtedly) explore and enjoy some real whitening-strikes moments!

There’re too many questions that hit one when such an advertising hits the ceiling. Where do we stand on such in-the-face ads? Isn’t there an LoC that the product’s positioning is crossing? But then, how is such a product expected to be launched or marketed? One possibly cannot expect a simple word-of-mouth campaign, can one? And if the product is legal, then why have any hassles on the marketing of such a product? Are we going through the same wave of astonishment that one saw years ago when condoms were marketed in a savvy manner by Kamasutra as opposed to the politically correct yet moribund manner in which Nirodh was advertised?

When invited to comment, political journalist Mahua Chatterjee admits she’s tempted “to laugh hysterically so that she may not weep!” She soon gets serious and unleashes a series of posers. “Who are these guys creating these ads or manufacturing these products? Clearly a lot of us are totally disconnected from their radar! Is this their professional version of marketing which decrees: find a gap and fill it? In their drive to sell a product, is nothing sacred, safe or out of bounds? In the crazed rush to grab eyeballs, is titillation of any kind permissible? What about social responsibility, good taste, style & class?” questions Mahua. Then, tongue-in-cheek, the journo enquires why despite a zillion face-whitening products for men “nothing like Intimate Wash has been dedicated to their, er, penile space?”
 
Actress Moon Moon Sen, after a hearty laugh, offers discrete perspectives. “Sometimes, some ads – even if uncomfortable – are necessary. We live in a society where women (mothers & daughters) don’t always know about a lot of stuff, and doctors or professionals who do, hesitate to communicate these facts, due to mental conditioning, rendering them taboo. Unfortunately, many of these are necessary for a woman’s well-being. However, a vaginal whitening cream doesn’t remotely come in that category and does strain the imagination! A douche or cream for infection is understandable but...”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2013

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned Links

2012 : DNA National B-School Survey 2012
Ranked 1st in International Exposure (ahead of all the IIMs)
Ranked 6th Overall
Zee Business Best B-School Survey 2012
Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s Session at IMA Indore
IIPM IN FINANCIAL TIMES, UK. FEATURE OF THE WEEK
IIPM strong hold on Placement : 10000 Students Placed in last 5 year
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri – A Man For The Society….
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
IIPM Best B School India
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM Links
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
IIPM – FLP (Flexi Learning Program)
IIPM : The B-School with a Human Face
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Facebook Page
IIPM Global Exposure
Planman Technologies
IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM: Selection Process
IIPM: Research and Publications
IIPM MBA Institute India
IIPM Contact Info
IIPM History
IIPM Think Tank
IIPM Infrastructure
IIPM Info

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Some international campaigns succeed in creating momentously historic landmarks in the global advertising playfield. 4Ps B&M brings to you a review of one such stellar campaign that was active during the month ending May 15, 2012.

When stings are good...

Advertiser: Mercedes-Benz
Ad Title: The SL Sting
Category: Wysiwyg/Razorfish, Madrid, Spain

4Ps B&M Take: Advertisers keep talking about the amount of clutter in the market. But it’s only when one sees even premium brands taking the pain to come up with truly unique campaigns does one realise the amount of clutter that really does exist. After their most innovative campaign last season (where they covered up their vehicles with LEDs, rendering the cars invisible – highlighting the zero emission technology), Mercedes-Benz this time had to launch the 6th edition of its legendary SL sports car in Spain. The German automobile major got in touch with Wysiwyg/Razorfish (a Madrid based advertising agency) for the assignment. The brief was simple – “We’re launching the new SL. Only 200 units will be available. We want brand lovers to live the experience of driving it.” Given the undisputed position of the brand in the automobile segment, it was a challenging task to conceptualise a breakthrough campaign without diluting brand equity. However, Creative Director Daniel Molinillo came up with a simple yet powerful idea – The SL Sting. The agency fitted three of their new launch cars with hidden cameras, picked three real people and switched their original cars in the garages with the brand new SLs. The cameras recorded the expressions of these three lucky drivers and they experienced the joy of driving a Mercedes first hand. In other words, this most exclusive sports car was launched in their garages and from thereon, it went viral. The ambient campaign reinforced Mercedes-Benz’s brand positioning in Spain beyond words. While Mercedes became the #1 trending topic on Twitter in Spain, its Facebook page recorded a 20% growth in fans within 20 days and the campaign reported seven million impressions through blogs, mentions and social media globally. Earlier, the objective of an ambient campaign was to engage with consumers at the ground level. But what is interesting to note is that almost all such campaigns are now executed considering the impact they’re going to make through social media. Now, why weren’t we living in Spain and why can’t we also get takeaway SLs? Damn you destiny :-)

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.......
Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet.....
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
Planman Technologies
IIPM Contact Info
IIPM History
IIPM Think Tank
IIPM Infrastructure
IIPM Info
IIPM: Selection Process
IIPM: Research and Publications
IIPM MBA Institute India
IIPM Best B School India

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There are Ads, and then there are those 10 that have personified the concept of how branding can be made to work for the product most efficiently and effectively. From creativity to brand recall, from concept to execution, these 10 advertisements have gotten our attention; thanks to the commitment of the teams that created them. We present you with our review of the top three Ads.

When in doubt, play dead!

Advertiser: Idea Cellular
Baseline: Deadly Idea Sirjee. 3G
Agency: Lowe Lintas

4Ps B&M Take: In all honesty, the ‘What an idea Sirjee’ campaign was starting to bore. But this fresh spurt of creativity from Lowe Lintas revitalizes and reinvigorates the concept again. The latest series of TVCs are crafted in heaven (no pun intended) complete with the clouds, violins, fairies and an immaculately turned out Abhishek Bachchan in white. The tweak to the creative theme – of being in heaven – is to complement various ‘’heavenly’’ apps that the Idea 3G smartphone comes pre-loaded with. There’s a lie-detector, face-scanner, mosquito-repellent, Idea TV, Karaoke, and a host of other ‘heavenly’ apps that one can supposedly tune into. Not being an Idea subscriber, one wouldn’t know how good or bad the apps are, but the ads certainly fan the curiosity element. And then there is the execution. So there’s Bachchan Jr. helping ‘departed souls’ identify newcomers into heaven (with a face scan no less); catching plumbers who claim they died doing heroic deeds (with a lie-detector app); enabling the ‘dead’ to not be bothered by mosquitoes and so on… very dark, but equally comic! Last year, Idea Cellular ran a campaign titled ‘No Idea. Get Idea.’ This one builds on it with the help of innovative product tinkering from the cellular company’s marketing team. The fact is that whether you hate the ad or love it, there’s no chance (in heaven, if you may) that you won’t recall the Idea brand when you see Abhishek Bachchan mouthing, “No Idea, get...” And that’s where this rocks!
 
Befriending em’ diamonds

Advertiser: Tanishq
Baseline: Now diamonds are a man’s best friend too
Agency: Lowe Lintas

4Ps B&M Take: Being a woman isn’t easy. There are just too many stereotypes one has to deal with – especially in the ad world. That being said, for all its stereotyping of women (of their penchant for jewellery and their dependence on their men to provide for them) this ad still wows for the simply fantastic story it tells for the brand in question. Let’s face it. Buying diamonds has traditionally been perceived as a high-income purchase. But the ad hopes to demolish that as a myth. The ad opens in a luxurious Tanishq showroom with two men (obviously the husbands) worrying about how their bank accounts are going to receive a major setback once their respective wives (who are busy checking out the latest designs on display) finish with their shopping. The husbands discuss canceling vacations, selling their mobiles or even taking extra tuition to pay off for the money lost. But when the final bills are presented to the worried hubbies, they are genuinely taken aback at the low price tags. The message is clear: ‘Now Diamonds are a man’s best friend too’. The communication informs how Tanishq caters not only to the well-heeled but also the aspirational middle class looking for affordable branded jewellery. The message was crucial to kill popular perception that walking into an upmarket branded jewellery showroom such as Tanishq would burn a hole in their pockets. And delivered superbly at that.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.......
Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet.....
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
Planman Technologies
IIPM Contact Info
IIPM History
IIPM Think Tank
IIPM Infrastructure
IIPM Info
IIPM: Selection Process
IIPM: Research and Publications
IIPM MBA Institute India
IIPM Best B School India

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Costa Coffee is amongst the largest café chains globally besides being an early entrant to India. How has the brand grown over the years?
Costa Coffee, founded in 1971 by Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno, is today the largest café chain in the U.K. and with operations in 28 countries it is the second-largest café chain in the world. Costa Coffee entered India in September 2005 with the opening of its first outlet in New Delhi. Since its launch, Costa Coffee has set new benchmarks in coffee retailing in the country. Over the last few years, Costa has created a distinct image for itself with its great coffee and food, friendly and efficient service and stylish and relaxing surroundings. Currently, Costa operates 95 cafés in India spread over Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, Agra, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune.

What’s the USP of Costa Coffee compared to other biggies like Café Coffee Day, and Barista Lavazza?
While we may be smaller in terms of number of stores, we are the preferred coffee brand in the locations and cities we are present in. We were the first chain to offer an international brand experience in the coffee chain sector in India and enjoy the international brand recall and image advantage. Our coffee, we believe, is a great differentiator. Costa’s hand-crafted coffee, extracted from the Mocha-Italia blend, is today the preferred taste among coffee lovers around the world. A blind taste research conducted in the U.K. last year revealed that 7 out of 10 customers in the U.K. preferred the Costa Cappuccino over the other two leading brands. The other area of differentiation is that we offer the best-in-class range of café food in the country today. While being within the broad contours of Western café cuisine, our range of food is localized to suit the Indian taste profile.

With fewer stores than CCD or Barista, and hardly much marketing, how do you hope to beat the competition?
The coffee chain business is all about maintaining the brand standards, which in our case is very well defined and we deliver these values consistently. Costa’s coffee experience is based on delivering the perfect espresso-based drink combined with great coffee shop food served in a comfortable and chic environment. As long as we continue delivering to this statement, it will always keep us ahead of competition.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.......
Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet.....
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
Planman Technologies
IIPM Contact Info
IIPM History
IIPM Think Tank
IIPM Infrastructure
IIPM Info
IIPM: Selection Process
IIPM: Research and Publications
IIPM MBA Institute India
IIPM Best B School India

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The cafe market in India is turning both febrile and frothy as big guns like Starbucks prepare to move in for their operational launch and existing players position themselves for a landgrab market opportunity.

India is still by and large a country of tea-swilling limeys but the trend towards reaching out for that morning cup of joe is fast catching fire. So, even as North India tightly holds on to its tea bags, the South loves to measure its daily drone with coffee spoons. Statistics reveal that the tea to coffee consumption in India is still 7:1, but Java drinkers are fast making up for the lost opportunity. Still, India is not a major coffee consumption market even though it is the world’s sixth-largest producer and fifth-largest exporter of coffee, exporting roughly 5% or close to six million bags in 2010-11 fiscal. India’s annual coffee output is over 300,000 tonnes, only a third of which is consumed domestically. Over 90% of the coffee production takes place in the developing countries while consumption happens mainly in the industrialised economies.

But of late, India seems to be turning the corner in terms of coffee consumption. “Over the past few years coffee has transitioned from being a traditional beverage consumed mainly in South India to a beverage with a national presence, consumed in several forms and retail formats," says Jawaid Akhtar, Chairman, Coffee Board of India. According to the figures given out by the Coffee Board, coffee consumption has grown in the non-south regions at 42% annually while it has grown at 3.5% per annum in the southern states between 2003 and 2008. With the emergence of an aspirational and young middle class who are more cued in to international tastes, coffee café culture is slowly but steadily picking up in the country. Today, cafés are opening up across all urban centres and coffes joints are fast becoming modern, more suave renditions of speakeasies where the urban educated youth loves to hang and schmooze around and spill the beans on current happenings and events.

Currently, India has roughly 1,800 cafés across major cities, with Café Coffee Day – which opened its first branded coffee outlet in Bangalore way back in 1997 – leading the race with over 1,200 cafés. But with the entry of Lavazza in 2007, Costa Coffee in 2005, and now the impending arrival of Starbucks (in partnership with Tata Coffee) – the gold standard of café culture worldwide with 50 cafés planned for launch by the end of this year – the Indian coffee landscape is bracing up for greater competition where consumers will have a more liberating choice when ordering their invigorating shot of espresso. Even fringe players like Australia’s Gloria Jeans and Dunkin’ Donuts have entered the market and a few more are expected to dip their toes in the swelling tide of the café boom spreading across India.

The bloom in cafés has resulted in the branded café market reaching an inflection point. Coffee-shop sales have now touched $180 million, out of the country's annual coffee sales of about $667 million. Though still small, the branded café market is growing at 25%, and analysts predict it has the potential to reach $800 million, and to 5,000 cafés by 2015. As per capita coffee consumption in India is just over 60 grams, compared with 4.5 kilograms in France and Japan, and 6 kg in Italy and the U.S., coffee retailers undertandably see a huge growth potential and revenue upside in the days ahead.
 
T. Radhakrishnan, Vice President of Tata Coffee, says, “Being the largest Indian coffee producer, we will fulfill Starbuck’s sourcing needs, and help them with insights on the market…going by Starbucks reputation, they will be a big force to reckon with in India, and revolutionise the café market here with their global standards and product offerings.” Starbucks is looking to create different entry-points for different demographics and apart from coffee it plans to whip up a smorgasbord of cuisine for Indian palates. The company is aiming for cafés at Tata hotels, and retail outlets in New Delhi and Mumbai with an initial investment of roughly $80 million. In the course of time Starbucks will move its cafés to malls, railway stations, airports and offices.

Starbucks' operations in India is bound to raise the coffee temperature in the Indian market and could nibble away the business of another premium player in the market, Costa Coffee, which currently runs 95 cafés spread over Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, Agra, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. Says Santhosh Unni, CEO of Costa Coffee India: "Competitors like Starbucks are not new to us. We compete with them successfully in most of the countries we operate in.” To maintain its premium product differentiation, Costa Coffee offers a range of café food (localised to suit Indian tastes) along with its trademark handcrafted Mocha-Italia coffee blend. Clearly, the premium coffee café space will be an interesting space to watch out for as the two global biggies battle for supremacy in the Indian market. According to Unni, “The biggest challenge facing us today is the relatively small size of the café market. India being a large country with growing income levels and spending can easily accommodate three to four large coffee retailers with pan-India footprint."

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Coca Cola had globally publicised its voluntary decision not to market to children. But the latest ad clearly puts paid to that. Have they done wrong? or not? 4Ps B&M’s Consulting Editor Monojit Lahiri investigates...

A while ago, amidst suitable media glare and fanfare, Coke – along with a cluster of corporate global heavies – signed an agreement to categorically not initiate, indulge, involve or participate in any activity that consciously targets kids under a certain age. “We have a global Responsible Marketing Policy that covers all our beverages, and we do not market any products directly to children under 12,” says The Coca Cola Company.

They (rightly) reckoned that directly marketing Cola products to children could send out wrong signals – as the general inference is that sugary and carbonated drinks lead to not only obesity and bone loss, but a host of other health issues. In children, the effects are worse and longer lasting. While all right-thinking, concerned parents and elders applauded this fine, worthy CSR move (“Hey, the guys have a conscience, after all!”), one fine morning came along a spanking new ad of Coke (“Ummeedon Wali Dhoop, Sunshine Wali Aasha...”), which had a most hummable tune and cinematography worth its weight in gold. Shockingly, almost throughout the advertisement, children were featured singing the song – some looking quite apparently below the age of 12. Worse, the ad ends with a statement, “Millions share a Coca Cola everyday.” This magazine had instantly picked up the issue in the last fortnight and pointed out the clear fly-by given to the much touted voluntary decision of Coke to not market to children.

To its fair credit, the TVC is charmingly conceived, executed and packaged, totally children-friendly, superbly written – by McCann’s gifted, multi-faceted head honcho Prasoon Joshi – and reinforced with an eye opening series of facts juxtaposed smartly to entertain and enlighten in one fell swoop. In fact, Ummeedon Wali Dhoop, Sunshine Wali Asha, today, is a hugely loved and popular anthem with kids, everywhere, because of its simplicity, charm and inspirational tone. So, what’s the problem?

That’s exactly the problem, per se. The more children that like the ad, the more the probability of them falling for the cleverly positioned ruse. Was this an inadvertent mistake on the part of Coke (featuring children, that is) or is this a supremely shrewd advertising campaign meant to raise hackles? Veteran Ad person Esha Guha is the first to fling her glove into the arena and declare war! “Prasoon is a terrific writer... You give him a brief and he’ll give you a song! However, this entire TVC would’ve been great had not the ‘millions share a Coca Cola everyday’ come in as last line – which, to me, is a sneaky way of leveraging product placement! It’s a piece of brilliantly crafted camouflage, very creatively distracting to represent, in wonderfully inspirational and uplifting manner, hope, sunshine, optimism – the works.” Dentsu’s NCD Soumitra Karnik – ex-JWT, creative head who master-minded several award-winning campaigns, including the memorable Youngistaan – is not so sure and believes that it is a conflict of letter versus spirit. “Agreed, in theory it may have strayed a bit, but overall the TVC offers a brilliantly, optimistic, warm and feel-good vibe with great lyrics and most significantly, sung by children in joyous collectivity. Kids are our greatest change-agents and their bright shining faces, energetically singing those exalted lines, for me, scores over a technical flaw,” says Karnik. He (all set to change Dentsu into a solidly creative agency) believes that compared to the mess around (scams, end of world in 2012, drubbing at Australia) this TVC represents a welcome change. So, he’s willing to “let this one pass!”
 
Post-grad student Shrishti Jha agrees. She feels that most people are unlikely to view this TVC in a “negative and narrow-minded way” and will view it for the joyous ambience it creates, “The lyrics are outstanding and so is the overall presentation! Where does the camouflage and surrogate factor come in? It’s neither a product hard-sell at all, nor does it nudge you to lean on the Coke Corp image. Like Hum Mein Hai Hero, Ummeedon Wali Dhoop charges you up in a charming, vigorous and vibrant way infusing positive emotions in your being. I love it. So do my friends. Forget the killjoys…!” Paris-based and Santiniketan-trained graphic artist Pia Sen, is up next. The pretty and petite 32-year old (who visits India regularly is fully clued-in to this issue) comments, “The TVC is crafted in a deceptively innocent manner that gives this impression of upliftment and optimism, very successfully. Intelligently choreographed, it brings the millions share… line to form a telling conclusion about the product as a feel-good, bonding product. [Yet], for me, somewhere, it is unethical and goes against the spirit of the signed document. Like in life, intangibles and grey areas are always the trickiest.”

Mitali Lahiri, Senior Writer of the Kolkata-based Ad Agency Magnum Intergrafix, is not amused. “It’s obviously done in a clever, slick way to make friends and influence people! The chocolaty topping is suitably sensitive with radiant children looking forward to a cheerful, sunshine planet… a world that hits more on love than hate… sharing, caring, trees, mats and fairy tales in place. So far, so good – but hey, how does Coca Cola feature in all of this, guys? For a while this TVC works like a happy drug and just as you are about to succumb, Coke enters to claim millions who love Coca Cola, opens happiness! But is GenNext supposed to share happiness with less calcium in their bones, broken bones, unhealthy disposition?!”

The gurus of advertising have repeatedly said that underpromise, overdeliver. At least don’t promise what you can’t deliver. Given the killing effects of competition, is Coca Cola slowly but surely revoking the voluntary decision they had taken on a global scale? I don’t have the answer to that. All I can tell is that I love the song, but won’t let my kids have the drink. Over to you, gentle reader…!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.......
Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet.....
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
Planman Technologies
IIPM Contact Info
IIPM History
IIPM Think Tank
IIPM Infrastructure
IIPM Info
IIPM: Selection Process
IIPM: Research and Publications
IIPM MBA Institute India
IIPM Best B School India

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