My most memorable marketing initiative –
This would definitely be the ‘Karo Zyada Ka Irada’ campaign for Max New York Life. We decided to adopt a challenger brand strategy which was based on an ambition to own a differentiated position in the market place with innovative marketing programmes. We took Life Insurance to a higher level – Financial planning for a better future. Life insurance has traditionally been sold on the plank of duty and responsibility. It has been about jeevan, zindagi and suraksha. But a resurgent India was rewriting the rules of living in its mission to create, indulge and celebrate. Earnings, savings, investment, consumption was the force multiplier that would feed this virtuous cycle of need and want as people moved from denial to desire. That was the basis of ‘Karo Zyada Ka Irada’ campaign. It was an integrated launch across multiple consumer touch points .The efficacy of the positioning was proved with the brand awareness moving upwards by 25 points in just 18 months.
My first product launch –
My first product launch was Nestle Polo with its ‘Mint with a hole’ campaign. I was working with Mudra then. The creative duo of Freddie Birdie and Naved Akhtar was behind the idea. We had a wonderful client in Nestle who was very appreciative and approved almost all innovations on the campaign that we took to him. The campaign won every possible award across categories. It won the 'Campaign of the Year' award and was instrumental in Mudra winning the A&M 'Agency of the year' award.
A setback I have learnt from
For me it was not a setback. It was a learning. I had once walked out of a job, because it was not good enough, without having one in hand. Even though I emerged stronger from that experience, looking back I think I would have done it differently. The initial tendency is to deal with these situations head-on but one needs to dwell deeper and take a careful step.
My marketing idol
SRK in a recent interview with zoom TV spoke about the amount of effort he puts into marketing his projects. His marketing efforts both on screen and off screen including his film promotion, TV shows, stage events have made him into a larger than life persona, one that the masses love. A large amount of his success can be directly attributed to the widespread marketing efforts he embarks on for any of his projects. Who hasn't seen the promos of Don, Ra One and KBC in its various avatars including traditional media, merchandising, online, road shows etc. Being one of the top grossing and the most bankable stars is no mean feat.
Where I get my insights from
Life is nothing but a set of experiences. And I gain my insights from these life experiences. If one can observe experiences just like any object then one would get a new perspective to learning.
Insights are a result of observation and curiosity. Some insights also originate from a point of frustration, a pain point or a problem statement. One needs to have an insatiable hunger and morbid curiosity to get under the skin of the customer to un-earth powerful insights.
Powerful insights can only be imbibed by a keen observer of life, aided by good questioning.
How B-school has helped in my career
B school helped me streamline my thought process. I specialized in marketing in MBA. And the two years I spent in B school helped me develop the basics of business methodology. It gave me a perspective of how each area in marketing from brand management to creative aspects worked. There was immense learning through the case studies and basic theories that prepared me to face the on-ground challenges.
How advertising has influenced/helped my marketing career
Advertising is a great learning ground where the fundamentals of brand are taught. Brand building is learnt in hands on manner, does not happen in any other place. Working across multiple categories & consumer types helps in absorbing diverse information, understanding how the consumer mind functions & most importantly why? Advertising sharpens strategic thinking capability & helps develop creative appreciation.
Marketing lessons from insurance, automobiles
Life Insurance is the ‘business of life’ and not finance. It touches the most memorable and emotional milestones of one’s life from marriage, to child birth to children’s education etc. People also have to be prepared for sudden accidents and eventuality. At each stage there is a different need that arises. The marketing strategy therefore has to emanate from a deeper understanding of this entire journey.
Automobiles however are related to ‘lifestyle’. As and when one upgrades one’s lifestyle the need and wants changes. And hence changes the aspiration for a new car. The strategy here is more focused on positioning the product that fits into customer’s lifestyle.
This would definitely be the ‘Karo Zyada Ka Irada’ campaign for Max New York Life. We decided to adopt a challenger brand strategy which was based on an ambition to own a differentiated position in the market place with innovative marketing programmes. We took Life Insurance to a higher level – Financial planning for a better future. Life insurance has traditionally been sold on the plank of duty and responsibility. It has been about jeevan, zindagi and suraksha. But a resurgent India was rewriting the rules of living in its mission to create, indulge and celebrate. Earnings, savings, investment, consumption was the force multiplier that would feed this virtuous cycle of need and want as people moved from denial to desire. That was the basis of ‘Karo Zyada Ka Irada’ campaign. It was an integrated launch across multiple consumer touch points .The efficacy of the positioning was proved with the brand awareness moving upwards by 25 points in just 18 months.
My first product launch –
My first product launch was Nestle Polo with its ‘Mint with a hole’ campaign. I was working with Mudra then. The creative duo of Freddie Birdie and Naved Akhtar was behind the idea. We had a wonderful client in Nestle who was very appreciative and approved almost all innovations on the campaign that we took to him. The campaign won every possible award across categories. It won the 'Campaign of the Year' award and was instrumental in Mudra winning the A&M 'Agency of the year' award.
A setback I have learnt from
For me it was not a setback. It was a learning. I had once walked out of a job, because it was not good enough, without having one in hand. Even though I emerged stronger from that experience, looking back I think I would have done it differently. The initial tendency is to deal with these situations head-on but one needs to dwell deeper and take a careful step.
My marketing idol
SRK in a recent interview with zoom TV spoke about the amount of effort he puts into marketing his projects. His marketing efforts both on screen and off screen including his film promotion, TV shows, stage events have made him into a larger than life persona, one that the masses love. A large amount of his success can be directly attributed to the widespread marketing efforts he embarks on for any of his projects. Who hasn't seen the promos of Don, Ra One and KBC in its various avatars including traditional media, merchandising, online, road shows etc. Being one of the top grossing and the most bankable stars is no mean feat.
Where I get my insights from
Life is nothing but a set of experiences. And I gain my insights from these life experiences. If one can observe experiences just like any object then one would get a new perspective to learning.
Insights are a result of observation and curiosity. Some insights also originate from a point of frustration, a pain point or a problem statement. One needs to have an insatiable hunger and morbid curiosity to get under the skin of the customer to un-earth powerful insights.
Powerful insights can only be imbibed by a keen observer of life, aided by good questioning.
How B-school has helped in my career
B school helped me streamline my thought process. I specialized in marketing in MBA. And the two years I spent in B school helped me develop the basics of business methodology. It gave me a perspective of how each area in marketing from brand management to creative aspects worked. There was immense learning through the case studies and basic theories that prepared me to face the on-ground challenges.
How advertising has influenced/helped my marketing career
Advertising is a great learning ground where the fundamentals of brand are taught. Brand building is learnt in hands on manner, does not happen in any other place. Working across multiple categories & consumer types helps in absorbing diverse information, understanding how the consumer mind functions & most importantly why? Advertising sharpens strategic thinking capability & helps develop creative appreciation.
Life Insurance is the ‘business of life’ and not finance. It touches the most memorable and emotional milestones of one’s life from marriage, to child birth to children’s education etc. People also have to be prepared for sudden accidents and eventuality. At each stage there is a different need that arises. The marketing strategy therefore has to emanate from a deeper understanding of this entire journey.
Automobiles however are related to ‘lifestyle’. As and when one upgrades one’s lifestyle the need and wants changes. And hence changes the aspiration for a new car. The strategy here is more focused on positioning the product that fits into customer’s lifestyle.
