Castaway: An island's plight

IIPM Prof Arindam Chaudhuri on Our Parliament and Parliamentarians' Work

The river island of Majuli in Assam is buckling under the recurring onslaught of floods and erosion. Would it be too late before we wake up to revive this pristine hub of nature, wonders Pranab Deka'

It's the same old story. As the monsoons come to Assam, there resurfaces news and concern for the world's largest river island Majuli (which has now reportedly lost its 'largest' status to Brazil's Amazon island). Regarded as a holy centre of Baishnavite movement founded by Srimanta Sankardev, one of the leading exponents of Assamese culture and literature, Majuli is famous for its Satras or centres for spiritual and cultural learning. There are 22 such centres in Majuli now. But Majuli is not devoid of its woes. Geographically, its situation is such that every year floods and erosion caused by the mighty Brahmaputra eat away a remarkable portion of its land. Now Majuli is reduced to half of what it used to be. It even failed to get the world heritage status owing to the state government's apathetic attitude. To top it, the government of Assam and the Brahmaputra Board are still busy passing the buck of responsibility to save Majuli from the yearly ordeal.

It is the people who love Majuli and wish to preserve its unique heritage who are passionately working away for its conservation. 'The Brahmaputra Board is merely taking some temporary protection measures to save Majuli,' says Manoj Bora, a local social activist. 'We demand the construction of permanent rock spurs round Majuli, but the Board wants to get away by constructing some wooden pickets in some places. Besides, the board plans to start its work in the rainy season which is not workable,' he added.

The people of Majuli are losing their agricultural land every year and are forced to live on the streets and by the dams temporarily. The Satras of Majuli had also to be relocated following threats of erosion. 'The government is arranging land for the Satras in other places in the state. But what about the local people' wonders Demi Gum, a renowned poet and local resident of Majuli.

Though Majuli remains synonymous with Satra sanskriti ' as centres for practice of classical arts such as Borgeet, Ankia Bhawona, Satria dance, mask making etc. ' there is more to Majuli beyond the Satras. It is also home to many unique tribes of Assam like Mishing and Deuries, who are known for their closeness to nature and traditional lifestyle. 'Majuli can become a major tourist attraction if we showcase the unique tribal culture of this area to the rest of the world. With its natural beauty and geographical uniqueness we have so much to offer,' says Haren Narah, a local entrepreneur who runs a Mishing heritage cottage in Majuli named Mepo Okum. Ravaged by annual flood, backwardness and government indifference, Majuli might find recourse in tourism, but the conflict between development and conservation is likely to stay. 'We are opposing a government plan to build a bridge over Brahmaputra to Majuli from Jorhat. We fear that it will open up Majuli for other activities and Majuli will lose its uniqueness and tranquility. People visiting Majuli are excited by the boat journey to reach here. The government should thus take steps to develop the boat and ferry service instead of constructing a bridge,' say Demi Gum and Haren Naharh.

'We want government to give us geographical security, without which we cannot survive. People of Majuli are used to annual floods; our lifestyle is adjusted to it, but our biggest threat is erosion. The river is changing its course and Majuli is a delicate eco-system. Everybody should look for a conservation effort sustainable over long term,' says Manoj Bora.

There are notable efforts including petitions, seminars, demonstrations and delegations in process for Majuli's future. Arun Sarma, an ex-MP from Assam raised the issue in Parliament too. Eco-tourism can prove to be saviour for a region that is nature's very own lair. Whether Majuli gets World Heritage status or not, the onus to preserve this fragile eco-system is a matter of survival, and not of choice.

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Of Knights and Goddesses...

It is the name of an American anti-aircraft missile system. It is also the name of Poland’s famous literary award. Above all, it is one of the most depicted image on all Greek coinage and formed the design for the legendary Jules Rimet Trophy, given to the Football World Cup winners till 1970. And, as a footnote, it is also the name of a company run by a knight. A company that lives and breathes just three words - “Just Do it”. The name is Nike, the Greek goddess of victory and the knight is none other than Phil Knight. And the three words have become the most enduring words in modern sports history, thus paying true homage to the mighty goddess.

The genesis of this adrenaline pumping phrase is today part of Nike lore. It was the beginning of the hey days of the health and fitness mania that had gripped US in the late 80s. The age of aerobics was in full swing and Nike was loosing ground fast to arch rival Reebok (derived from the name of an African antelope) which had gone leaps ahead in aerobic footwear. In a meeting of some Nike employees with the company’s ad agency Wieden and Kennedy executives of the agency’s founder, Dan Wieden, impressed by Nike’s can-do culture, suddenly remarked, “You Nike guys, you just do it.” History was about to be created. Wieden got hooked to the words “ Just Do it” and realized that it was not the shoe but the attitude that defined the person wearing it. A person of all ages and both sexes.

Instead of the customary 18-40 age group, the first “Just Do it” spot debuted July 1, 1988 and featured a 80-year-old distance runner Walt Stack. Then came the TV and print ads that used clever lines and catchy music sporting multi-sport athlete Bo Jackson egging on people from every walk of life to ignite their inwardly focused competitor. Nike’s share of the domestic sport-shoe business soared to 43% from a flailing 18% while its sales rose to $ 9.2 billion in ten years by 1998 from the 1988 figure of $ 877 million when Reebock had taken over as the leading sports shoemaker for the first time. Nike spent $300 million on overseas advertising alone. Not just Bo, Nike also featured sporting icons like John McEnroe and Michael Jordon. The eight letters did to the fitness hungry crowd of the 80s and 90s what Beatles had done to the hippies in 1960s. In the end, Nike itself had a renaissance and the slogan became the one of the greatest marketing feats ever achieved in history.

Anchal Gupta

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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The runaway growth in motorbike sales over the last few years in India has a niche player hungering for a larger share of the pie. By Pawan Chabra

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They never cared two hoots about competition, did not encourage scantily clad babes in their ads and barely batted an eyelid before blithely including a comparison with a tractor in their feature list. Obviously, Eicher Motors’ Royal Enfield has had much more going for it than the sheer deep thump of its rakishly upswept silencer. The downside has been that even as Bullet’s cruiser imagery sells 45,000 bikes every year, Hero Honda makes hay in the commuter segment with unit sales crossing 35,00,000 annually. Sure, one should not compare – after all, bike enthusiasts worship the ground that the stylish Bullet walks on, while Hero Honda is merely a convenience for your daily office-goer. Siddhartha Lal, MD, Eicher Motors agrees, “We have no comparison with mass manufacturers. Royal Enfield riders use their bikes for purposes beyond commuting.”

But quiz Lal a little further and you realise that some changes in existing strategies at Enfield are in order. The niche bike brand, which has sold a meagre five lakh units in its 56-year-old history in India, is now targeting a bullish figure of one lakh annual unit sales by 2013. Explaining short-term targets, Lal says, “We are planning to touch 50,000 unit sales in 2009 (targeting a 15% rise year-on-year), followed by a target of 60,000 for 2010.” Already plans are in place for a Rs.65 crore investment over the next three years at its Chennai plant to double production capacity. Question is, can this planned doubling of sales turnover by 2013 be possible without tapping at least a little into the mass markets, presently dominated by Hero Honda, Bajaj and TVS? But the dilemma then is, will the Bullet come down a few notches from its cruiser positioning or is there more method to this strategy?

Company insiders are at pains to point out that their new ambitions can be achieved without any dilution in brand equity. “We have been able to sell whatever we manufacture and almost all our models have a waiting list,” explains R. L. Ravichandran, CEO, Royal Enfield. Clearly, Bullet’s established aspirational quotient amidst the Indian consumer is fuelling the ambitions of this bike company. Not putting all its eggs in the domestic market only, Enfield is also working on increasing its already expanding global reach. Its ventures in various developed markets are already a success. “We are exporting 5% of our total sales now. But we will take that to 15% over the next three to five years,” vows Lal.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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Buying on A ‘second’ thought...

The optimism of the giants is well supported by the handful of facts and figures. The size of the used-car market in India is estimated at about 10 lakh units per annum, and it is largely fragmented and unorganised. Going by experts claim, the share of the organised market in this segment is just 10% while the balance is shared by unorganised dealers (30%) and the biggest threat to the organised sector, personal dealings between the buyers and sellers (60%). Shashank Srivastava, CGM-Marketing, Maruti Suzuki avers, “The second hand car dealers are not the only threat to the certified pre-owned car dealers as most of the transactions happen on one to one basis.” However, the top honchos of the industry, like Jagdish Khattar, the ex-MD of Maruti Suzuki and CMD of Carnation Auto, expect the organised pre-owned segment to grow in leaps and bounds in the time to come. Set to try its luck in the arena, Khattar’s Carnation, which started a pilot project of selling used cars in Mumbai in August this year, is now all set to enter destinations like Cochin and Hyderabad by the end of this month. Khattar points out, “Awareness is only and the biggest challenge that I see in the used car segment. But as time will pass, the awareness will automatically increase among the buyers.”

However, the problem for the local pre-owned car dealers doesn’t end here. J.D. Power’s Used Vehicle Market Report revealed that the Internet shopping has reached parity with visits to dealer lots as the primary method for buyers to locate used vehicles globally. The report went further to find out that the percentage of used-vehicle buyers (in the US) dependent on Internet to locate vehicles for sale has increased from 40% in 2008 to 46% in 2009. “Internet shopping provides prospective buyers with the opportunity to search through enormous amounts of specific vehicle information without even leaving home, allowing for a more efficient medium of matching buyers with unique used vehicles in the market. In light of this, dealers should expect the Internet to continue to increase in importance among used-vehicle shoppers and adjust their online presence accordingly,” says Arianne Walker, Director- Marketing, J.D. Power and Associates. But does the situation in India show any such trend? Well, looking at the number of automotive websites like Carwale.com, Gaadi.com, Indimoto.com et al that are mushrooming thick and fast, expectations are high that soon the Indian pre-owned car industry will follow the western trends. Affirms Udit Bhandari, CEO, Indimoto.com, “The usage of websites for purchasing vehicles is increasing very fast in the country and I believe it has a lot of potential.”

Indian market, as said, is very different and versatile in the manner it operates. Today, the Indian consumers have moved an inch away from the conventional local car dealers towards the organised players, but when it comes to meeting the global trend, well the day is still far away. Someone has rightly said, ‘In the US people drive from the left, in India people drive on what’s left.’ Unlike the US, there is a dearth of websites like Kelly blue book in India (which provide fair valuations for the pre-owned cars) providing local dealers an opportunity to play foul. Also there is always a high possibility of mileage tampering due to the lack of a centralised database. Still people like Aryan do not subside the idea to peep at the neighborhood used car dealer’s collection before they buy one. Common guys, at least give some value to what is called an authentic warranty by the authorised dealer!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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POWER OF INNOVATION

It’s no mean feat to connect with rural consumers, but with ‘Jalsa’ and ‘ChotuKool’, Coca-Cola & Godrej have accomplished the task with ease

It’s not a cakewalk to think out-of-the-box and companies are aware of this harsh reality. But, if chiseled intelligently this bitter task can turn out to be a sweet verity for a company and that too without even an iota of doubt. Don’t agree? Ask Coca-Cola India and you’ll come to know that how through a unique consumer engagement initiative named ‘Jalsa’ this soft drink major has slotted its rural balls in the right net. And all that it took to accomplish this heavy duty chore were just few shows!

The company had organised shows (with an audience base of around 15,000-20,000) in small towns and villages of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar last year to connect with the locales. Based on a local “Folk Fare” narration through dance, poetry and plays, the show had professional dancers performing live on popular Hindi and Bhojpuri songs and the show generally lasted for about 2-3 hours. Interestingly, the company did all its advertising through an auto rickshaw, just three days prior to the event.

Moreover, in order to participate in ‘Thums Up Jalsa’ the consumers had to purchase a bottle of Thums Up (For instance, Coca-Cola gave one free ticket with every RGB bottle and two free tickets per 600 ml bottle). Not only this, sometimes the ticket also carried a unique number which gave consumer a chance to win attractive prizes like TV, music system, et al, in contests organised during the show. As Atul Singh, President and CEO, Coca-Cola India admits, “In the 3rd quarter of 2009, unit case volume growth for Coca-Cola India grew by 37% against the 18% increase in the prior year.” Apart from innovative thinking in terms of engaging consumers with the brand, the company has also introduced a mirco-nutrient drink ‘Vitingo’ especially keeping in mind the micro-nutrient malnutrition that is caused by the lack of sufficient micronutrients in the diet of the people rural India. Available in 18 gm sachet at Rs.2.50, Vitingo provides affordable nutritional beverage alternatives to the “bottom of the socio-economic pyramid” population.

It’s not just Coca-Cola, which is trying to exploit such opportunities through innovative thinking. In fact, FMCG major, Godrej, has already made its way into the hearts of rural customer and that too through a nano refrigerator – ChotuKool. The refrigerator was specially designed for the Indian hinterland. Red in colour, ChotuKool weighed only 7.8 kg and was priced at Rs.3,200 only. It even ran on battery and had no compressor. Result: Godrej had not only added 1,700 new small towns and 5,000 villages to its rural coverage in the last six months but is now looking at expanding its reach to 50,000 villages in the next three years. Now, that’s what you call the power of innovation!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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I invest my money in stocks which give me good returns

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Though some of these austerity acts have back fired (remember Jet fiasco), but most of them have gradually pushed airlines towards the profitable zone. Well, the recent and long awaited profitable quarterly results of both Jet Airways and SpiceJet (Rs.530 million Q4 ‘08-09 and 260 million Q1 ‘09-10 respectively) stand testimony to the fact. Further, the continuous fall in the price of the air turbine fuel (ATF) over the last one month (Jet fuel form 40 to 50% of the total input cost) has contributed to the cause. “A shift in passenger traffic from FSCs to LCCs coupled with added capacity have helped SpiceJet gain market share. While the total passenger demand is expected to remain unchanged, our goal is to continue to gain market share in 2009,” explains Sanjay Aggarwal, CEO, SpiceJet.

The fact that further encourages investors to invest in the domestic airlines is the favourable attitude of the government towards the sector. Apart from restructuring the ailing Air India, it’s also taking initiatives to fuel the revival of the sector. Reportedly the government is planning to include jet fuel under the purview of goods and services tax, starting next fiscal. This would help airlines in further reducing the overall cost.

Moreover, the contentious proposal by Praful Patel, which allows foreign airlines to pick equity in their Indian counterpart, would definitely give some breathing space to the cash strapped domestic aviators. Apart from easing the norms for Indian carriers to fly abroad, the ministry has also been lobbying for tax sops. “There has been a perceptible change in India’s airport infrastructure, especially with the modernisation of the Delhi and Mumbai airports. We believe this improvement would translate into better airlines’ productivity and profitability,” agrees Mahantesh Sabarad, Aviation analyst, Centrum Broking.

Further, Indian investors can also take a positive clue from the fact that encouraged by the favourable standings and better future prospects the domestic airlines are now raising funds from overseas. While Goyal plans to raise $400 million through a QIP, Mallya has unleashed plans of raising $175 million from overseas investors by March 2010. Not to forget, SpiceJet is already being supported by Wilbur Ross.

No doubt, these are reasons enough to encourage an investor. But then, the one thing that they need to keep in mind before digging too deep into their pockets is that the airlines are still not out of the woods completely. Industry experts continue to stand firm on their prediction of losses for the sector for the current fiscal. Further, debt burdens for these airlines are still mounting. For starters Kingfisher Airlines is burdened by a total debt of Rs.60 billion. “Yields continue to remain weak, and with the industry moving strongly to the low cost model, downward pressure on fares will continue. So it is likely that the outlook, although better, will continue to remain challenging for some months to come,” predicts Somaia of CAPA.

Thus, looking at the prevailing uncertainties, new investors should keep their eyes and ears open before taking the final plunge into the sector. In fact, the best option available for the existing investors is to quickly book profit and exit. Or may be, it’s already too late for some!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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CONFUSED CONSUMERS!

And now for a very different re-positioning song – one that has left many customers confused. Yes, we are referring to Naresh Goyal’s third airline brand, Jet Konnect.

The slowdown-induced tightening of purse strings possibly hit the air travel sector the worst. The domestic market shrunk significantly and there was a significant shift of air travellers from full service carriers to low cost airlines. Given the changing market dynamics, and to cash in on consumer preference for low cost airlines – Jet Airways’ Naresh Goyal launched a third brand Jet Konnect, which became the second low cost brand from Jet’s stable (after JetLite). Jet Konnect is flying on specific routes to replace many of the Jet Airways (full-service) flights. Now the obvious question that pops up, why a third brand? Why not simply replace the Jet Airways flights by its low cost carrier JetLite? As K. J. Singh, Co-Founder and CEO, Evolve Brands says, “It makes more sense to fly with a single-brand rather than having two separate brands catering similar facilities. JetLite and Jet Konnect have nothing different apart from the routes.” Well Goyal thought of that option first but had to drop it due to the operational and regulatory hiccups, which would have complicated and in turn delayed the shift in the strategy. Thus, a third brand was a quick and easily deployable solution to battle the tough economic times. A smart business strategy!

So what went wrong? Well, Goyal failed to support its strategy with a right marketing plan! As a result, till date, the differentiation between Jet Konnect and JetLite in consumer mind is fuzzy. So much so that many fliers aren’t even aware that Jet Konnect is a separate airline. Many travellers believe that Jet Konnect is yet another scheme launched by JetLite. Binit Somaia, Regional Director, Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation explains, “The challenges which Jet faces is the potential for consumer confusion between the three brands, as well as the fact that Jet Airways and Jet Konnect fall under the same management.”

Ratan Lal Bhagat

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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Life Plan ka irada

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After launching a series of comunication on Child Plans and Pension Plans, Max New York Life Insurance, under its refreshed positioning, ‘Karo Zyada Ka Irada’, has recently launched an ad campaign to promote its Life Plans. The communication revolves around the idea that even a short separation from our loved onesmakes us paranoid. But what if they were gone forever?

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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The movers...

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l Real Image Media Technologies recently announced the appointment of Arvind Ranganathan, currently Head of Strategy & Business Implementation, as its CEO. With a focus on the expanding operations and the potential transition to a Public company, Arvind has been chosen to spearhead the dynamic and aggressive growth phase of the company and and to lead the company through organic and inorganic growth.

l BIG 92.7 FM (owned by Reliance ADAG) has roped in Ram Kambhoj as its Director-Rural Actication in order to strenghten its rural activation offerings. The task ahead for Raj will be to optimise business opportunities available in the tier II and III cities tapping the 193 districts that BIG FM covers while touching almost 200 million Indians across the country. In another development, BIG 92.7 FM has also brought on board Sailesh Bijlani as its Cluster Head – Maharashtra & Goa.

l M. K. Anand, Business Head, Zoom has called it a day at the channel and is currently serving his notice period. The buzz is that Anand is joining UTV Global Broadcasting as its CEO.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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What is One plus One really equal to?

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That brings me to another version of this 1+1 mystery. Over the last few years, just before the recession hit, ‘valuation’ was in vogue! Every new start up or even existing organisations started talking ‘Valuation’. Rather than creating value for the customer, valuation became the buzzword. But, how do valuations shoot up like this? I really did not understand this new game. This was, when someone mentioned ‘Sum of parts is greater than the Whole’. Now what does this mean?

And then, after a long phase of close to depression, I saw the picture. The ‘Bonding Energy’ should be contributed willingly by constituent particles only, towards efficiently aggregating together in the collective selfishness of “a) We build greater value for the customer together and/or b) We operate in a manner that our operations gain from each other a) To create value for the customers & b) To create return on investment for the owners (in that order)”. That is the key towards ‘Whole is greater than the Sum of Parts’!

No wonder when businesses get reduced to being seen as distinct particles, with no ‘Bonding Energy’, when they have no reason for being together in the first place, ‘Sum of parts will be higher than the Whole’. It is this irony, driven by ‘Valuation’ rather than ‘Value Creation’, compounded by greed and short term results that lead to businesses being managed as MF portfolios rather than with an approach of ‘organisation building’ and ‘value creation for the customer’.

That is one flaw that the famous BCG matrix can lead to. Businesses are seen as delinked, independent entities in this approach, without looking at the ‘synergistic’ or ‘complimentary’ roles they may actually be playing in the ‘dance’. This race for ‘Valuation’ rather than ‘Value Creation for Customer’ in some cases gets particularly pronounced in the ‘portfolio’ treatment and approach followed by some PEs. However, it is an area of caution only. Airtel and Max are cases where PE support, without losing track of customer value creation led to extremely positive results. Quick valuations and selling off of parts of organisations like cattle or treating multiple organisations as merely elements of a portfolio, can be obstacles in organisation building or in creating value for the customer or even for the owners. This can be dangerous at any stage in an organisation’s development, but sometimes quick valuations expected in early growth stage can ring a premature death knell for your business... delivering a ‘still born’.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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Brands that swept the country

• Vodafone Zoozoos • Pepsi Youngistan • IPL • Honda City • Hyundai i-10

When Vodafone signed up for the sponsorship of the second edition of IPL, the telecom company decided that it needed another pug-like mascot push to rise above the clutter. The idea of Zoozoos with 30 different stories came up during a joint client-agency briefing session. The accompanying PR exercise pushed the brand to a cult like following, far surpassing even the much talked about pug craze.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!

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Screening sunscreens

Sunscreens protect and damage your body... Here’s how chemicals like oxybenzone are turning sunscreens into one big oxymoron!

I don’t clearly remember since when I got habituated to using sunscreen, but I also can’t remember a time when I stepped out of home without applying a sunscreen lotion. I’m positive that there would be many like me who follow this routine. With the rate at which cosmetic brands, beauty experts and enthusiastic customers are increasing, it is no wonder that the present times is being referred to as the boom era of cosmetics. And amidst all these products that help one to glam-up from head to toe, one product which has won patronage from people around the world is the sunscreen. But beneath the heap of advantages offered by this product, is a word of caution recently planted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). This watchdog organisation has brought to notice that some of the popular brands that make sunscreens contain hazardous chemicals, and at times do not provide the level of sun protection that they claim.

Oxybenzone is a commonly known culprit, and its traces have been found in the urine samples of 97% of Americans over the age of six by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The chemicals in sunscreens penetrate the skin and make their way into a person’s bloodstream. Oxybenzone particularly has been found to cause allergies, hormone disruption and cell damage. Lax safety standards implemented by the FDA to determine UVA protection have triggered the EWG to tag the products as unsafe to use. Defying this research, Dr. Kandhari, a dermatologist, explains, “Ultra-violet rays are very harmful for the skin and can cause damage as grave as skin cancer. Many of the world’s renowned brands manufacture sunscreens and they definitely wouldn’t risk being sued because of failing quality checks and damaging the skin of its users.” On enquiring if sunscreens contain chemicals which can be harmful, Dr. Kandhari mentioned, “Yes, there are chemicals present to protect the skin and not to harm. Good brands are trustworthy and those who are exposed to the sun for long hours must protect their skin by applying sunscreens with UVA and UVB protection.” It is best to check and make sure that your sunscreen doesn’t contain more than 0.5% oxybenzone, since the chemical can be harmful to your body. Remember to also check your lip balms, moisturisers and lipsticks that provide SPF protection for your safety.

Over the years, with growing consciousness about beauty and skin-care, different varieties of sunscreens have been introduced. What initially was a jelly-like substance is now available as a spray-on, disappearing coloured sunblock for kids, and has a waterproof range too. With regular researches keeping a check on the cosmetic companies and helping us choose the right products, Baz Luhrman’s popular song still stands true... ‘If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it…’

Spriha Srivastava

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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LIFE AFTER CANNES

Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You

Indian ad-land’s tryst with Cannes is relatively new. A few Indian agencies did feature during the 1990s, but couldn’t make it big. The turning point came in 2003, when India bagged six lions. Good news is that for the last couple of years, India has been bringing home more than 20 metals from Cannes annually. The bad news (well, sort of!), say Neha Saraiya & Surbhi Chawla, is that winning a Cannes metal is now no more a career defining moment. Doing great work for big brands is the only career clincher that matters, at least in the cat-eat-cat world of Indian advertising!

Before they started Good Morning Films in 2004, Vikram Kalra (38) & Shashanka Chaturvedi (35) had tried their hand at a host of things, among them working for various agencies and ad film production shops. It was while working on a film for Hutch once (then with Adfilm-Valas) that the duo decided to go in alone. They cobbled together Rs.25,000 and launched their own film production house, bringing in Hutch as their first account. Their client list grew gradually to include Vodafone (Irfan Khan series), Limca and RCOM’s Muft ki Advice commercial. But even then, Kalra reminisces, “Good Morning Films had still not become a name to reckon within the industry.”

The year 2009 however came with its unique bag of goodies for them or what Vikram and Shashanka refer to as their “career defining moment.” The goodie bag brought with it two Gold Lions for them from the prestigious Cannes advertising festival for their ‘A day in the life of Chennai – Nakka Mukka’ commercial for The Times of India. The campaign, which won accolades for media & publication category along with the best use of music category, is the first Indian ad film ever to bring home a Gold at Cannes. Vikram can’t stop grinning, as with the trophy has come, instant fame and recognition. “Lot of friends are still dropping in to congratulate us. Accolades at Cannes have added value to our work and people take us more seriously,” he explains. Work is also pouring in. Post-Cannes, their film production outfit has also bagged some prestigious accounts, including that of Sony and Samsung. In fact, they’ve even got an offer from JWT China and negotiations are in final stages. So if Vikram & Shashank’s expectations, after the win at Cannes, are touching the skies, guess they have ample reason for it. Still gushing, Vikram exuberates, “Our next stop is Bollywood. We want to produce and direct a movie and are already scouting for the right script.”

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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The great brand brawl

IIPM set to beat economic slowdown

Attack advertisement is the latest muse for the corporates but the success boils down to consumer satisfaction and avoidance of the regulatory scanner

Ouch! That must have hurt. It surely does, when the opponent hits you ‘below the belt’. And the blows are getting increasingly fast and furious. The trend is invariably visible with a number of global marketers openly declaring war by taking a direct pick on their arch rivals through attack advertisements or in polite terms comparative advertisements.

This ‘Smack Down’ of brands has become an all-out battle amongst some of the world’s top brands. From the Pepsi challenge to the endless knockout rounds between Dunkin’ Donuts vs. Starbucks, McDonalds vs. Starbucks, Dominos vs. Subway, Mac Guy vs. PC Guy (Apple vs Microsoft) et al, the strategy has found a number of followers. This current marketing strategy is far from the traditional concept of promotion and marketing where companies highlight the benefits that a consumer would derive from usage of their products or services. The concept of attack advertisement rather has the players using the negative mechanism and splashes out the misgivings of their competitor’s goods and services, thus trying to convince the target audience of their relative superiority.

The Dunkin’ Donuts attack commercial against Starbucks is an apt epitome of the aforesaid statement; the former tells the consumers that more ‘hard-working’ people prefer their coffee than the high-priced ‘elitist’ coffee of the latter. “Our marketing approach evolves based on what resonates with customers and is not driven by another company’s advertising campaign. We believe what truly differentiates us from our competitors is the daily, human connection between customers and store partners,” avers unscathed Wendy Pang, Communication Manager, Starbucks Coffee, to 4Ps B&M, taking the entire fiasco as a pinch of salt. The coffee brewer has become the punching bag for Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonalds of late. It’s always easier to point out some of the failings of a competitor but clearly it’s always about establishing a point of difference. “It’s going to come more from those sectors which are being impacted by the economical downturn such as auto, electronics and parts of FMCG; nevertheless, the downturn is not the main driver of the concept but because it is persuasive, the players are using attack advertisements,” explain Stephen Byrne Director, DIFFUSION Global brand strategist and commentator.

Attack or comparative advertising does work to an extent, as it definitely draws a number of eyeballs. But then everything finally boils down to meeting the promises made and the quality of products or services delivered, leading to consumer satisfaction. “The Mac vs. PC guy has been very successful for Apple; look at the evidence from new Apple computer sales into corporate markets to see how it’s changed how people think, but more of it is due to the quality product and the after sales service deliverance,” supports Byrne.

However, the tendency to mislead consumers generally creeps into this kind of strategy. So companies should be wary of the fact that watchdogs like courts and consumer protection bodies are looking very closely at the way advertisers and brand owners use this advertising. For the punch they deliver definitely hurts, no matter which side of the belt it lands!

Ratan Lal Bhagat

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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YOU CAN CALL HIM THE ‘AXE’L BEHIND OBAMA!

1500-plus IIPM students placed across the country with 44 bagging international offers

ARCHITECT OF MODERN POLITICAL ADVERTISING, DAVID AXELROD IS THE MAN CREDITED FOR OBAMA’S LARGER-THAN-LIFE IMAGE BUILD-UP

“If there’s anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible... tonight’s your answer.” As Barack Obama spoke these words on November 4, at the Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, he crafted a notable moment in the history of the United States of America by becoming the first Afro-American President of the world’s most powerful country. The race was not easy for this man with a Muslim middle name. But what made his amazing feat possible were some perfect modern strategies devised by Obama’s long time friend turned Chief Strategist – David Axelrod. Having designed Obama’s campaign for the US Senate Elections in 2004, Axelrod’s camera had followed Obama like a sheep ever since, capturing all his public appearances. When Obama decided to contest for the Presidency, Axelrod was the first guy he hired for his team of strategists. With all the Axelrod accumulated footage, Obama’s first campaign was devised – a five-minute Internet video. “Throughout campaigning, Axelrod focused on Barack’s bio and people liked it,” says Rahm Emanuel, an Illinois Democrat. Axelrod’s personality-led strategy sold Brand Obama as an agent of change for the American people.

On the one hand, Axelrod focussed on building Obama’s image as a devoted family man, and on the other, as a well-read, confident leader. To win over racial prejudices, Axelrod roped in Paul Simon (an enterprising retired US Senator and a respected figure) to endorse Obama. But as luck would’ve had it, Simon died before the campaign shoot. Axelrod then convinced Simon’s daughter to appear in the commercial declaring that her father and Obama were “cut from the same cloth.” Axelrod also convinced Obama not to accept public finance for campaigning to avoid giving details of expenditure to the Election Commissioner. Obama raised close to $30 million in January alone and his total donations stood at $280,011,968 as on Oct. 15, 2008. Other approaches included community involvement, mobile marketing, product promotions, et al. Axelrod made Obama immensely popular with the youth by signing him up on social networking sites like Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, et al. “This enabled Obama to connect with all demographics of voters,” adds Emanuel.

As President-elect, while Obama will take on the task of getting the economy back on track; as his Senior Advisor, Axelrod will continue to polish his image in these turbulent times. As Obama said in his winning speech, “It’s been a long time coming, but tonight… at this defining moment, change has come to America.” God knows, that country needs it and how!

Savreen Gadhoke

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

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

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IIPM set to beat economic slowdown
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The final ball...

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After having immodestly discussed events and people, let us talk about a company’s excellent performance for a change during times when the nation was counting goosebumps on its (sweaty?) forehead due to the ongoing slowdown. Yes, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has repoted four straight quarters of amazing growth, averaging 19%. In fact during the last two quarter results (with average net sales growth of 20%) were positively electrifying for HUL, and perhaps the best in over a decade! Tushar Bhattacharya, Sr. FMCG Analyst, FICCI comments, “Interestingly, the substantive price increases did not disturb the sales of HUL as most of their brands have a strong brand proposition, because of which the consumer doesn’t mind spending more.” While explaining HUL’s rosy 2008 performance, Harish Manwani, Chairman, HUL states, “We have sustained volume growth in a high inflationary environment and offset the cost management…”

Even when the world was stuck in a sandstorm, for HUL, the year gone by looked simply ‘Fair’ & ‘Lovely’. So much for Super Six #6. Truly, ‘what a ‘great’ year bygone, was 2008!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

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Motor insurance gets a makeover!

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Fed up of those nasty problems that your car gives you everyday & that too all of a sudden? Then here comes a good news for you! First party motor insurance is all set to undergo major changes in India. The insurers are now planning to come up with policies that will offer another vehicle for the period for which the insuree’s vehicle is unavailable, for instance, getting repaired. Even, if the car is not replaced, the insuree will receive allowance to recoup the rental of hiring a car during that period. Insurers in mature markets like US and UK are already offering such policies. Now with IRDA allowing it in India, almost all the major insurers have started working on it. IRDA has also allowed a waiver of depreciation.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Programme :- SUPERIOR COURSE CONTENTS
IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
IIPM - Admission Procedure
IIPM, GURGAON
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Why Study Abroad When IIPM Gives You 3 global Advantages!