Sunday, October 14, 2012
TWELFTH CII MARKETING SUMMIT 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
“Why Brand Matters’ organsied by at Ernst & Young at their forum for ‘Strategic Growth Forum India 2012
September was a hectic month. I was travelling all across for stitching up the post brand transition meetings at Max Life Insurance offices.
Additionally, I was speaking at various forums about marketing and brand and having the privilege of meeting great minds in the business.
In the first week on September, I was a speaker in a session “Why Brand Matters’ organsied by at Ernst & Young at their forum for ‘Strategic Growth Forum India 2012 – Grow Beyond’. The other panelists in the session were Sam Balsara, Chairman of Madison Communications, Dr. Bhaskar Das, President & Principal Secretary to MD, The Times of India, Bennett, Coleman & Co., Venkatesh Kini, VP Marketing - Global Juice, The Coca Cola Company. The event was moderated by Andrew Shaylor, EMEIA Marketing Leader, Ernst & Young.
Andrew set the tone for the discussion by presenting four features of the post-global financial crisis economy. These, he said, are market variation, market volatility, cost competitiveness and uncertainty – and they all impact upon an organization’s brand.
I explained that global companies must retain a core message, so that they build up consistency and ultimately consumers’ trust. But, it is important for them to pitch this message at the particular local market they are addressing. Venkatesh Kini of Coca Cola said that it is crucial that the soft drinks giant’s advertising in India is made by Indians, for Indians. To which I said that in today’s fragmented media world, consumers consider the medium before the message. Therefore, brands must decide on the medium first and then tailor the message to it.
After a lively discussion with all participants, the Max Life Insurance ‘Aapke Sacche Advisor’ advertisement was showcased and then the conversation continued about my views on the shift in the trend in marketing.
I said that when I started, India was taking its first steps towards globalization of economy. I was part of those first generation professionals who saw the benefits of an open economy. Opening up of the economy has also brought international competition to Indian shores with a level playing field. And now the Indian consumer’s mindset has changed from ‘Thoda hai, thode ki zaroorat hai’ to ‘Thoda hai par zyaada ki zaroorat hai’. Studies conducted by McKinsey Global Institute and demographic research by Max Life Insurance point to the fact that Indian consumer is predominantly young and more confident than ever before. He is willing to take risks and is unabashedly ambitious.
On the Aapke Sachche Advisor campaign – our base was – customers of Life Insurance buy advice and not products. The campaign is aimed at the customer who is looking for advice. The communication has been designed to extend itself beyond promoting life insurance policies and products and begin establishing trust with the consumers.
The forum then showcased the recent marketing and advertising efforts of Coca Cola and …..Each of the participants discussed their strategy behind each projects.
The session was exhaustive but enriching as well and I was privileged to be a part of this gathering of beautiful minds.
Additionally, I was speaking at various forums about marketing and brand and having the privilege of meeting great minds in the business.
In the first week on September, I was a speaker in a session “Why Brand Matters’ organsied by at Ernst & Young at their forum for ‘Strategic Growth Forum India 2012 – Grow Beyond’. The other panelists in the session were Sam Balsara, Chairman of Madison Communications, Dr. Bhaskar Das, President & Principal Secretary to MD, The Times of India, Bennett, Coleman & Co., Venkatesh Kini, VP Marketing - Global Juice, The Coca Cola Company. The event was moderated by Andrew Shaylor, EMEIA Marketing Leader, Ernst & Young.
Andrew set the tone for the discussion by presenting four features of the post-global financial crisis economy. These, he said, are market variation, market volatility, cost competitiveness and uncertainty – and they all impact upon an organization’s brand.
I explained that global companies must retain a core message, so that they build up consistency and ultimately consumers’ trust. But, it is important for them to pitch this message at the particular local market they are addressing. Venkatesh Kini of Coca Cola said that it is crucial that the soft drinks giant’s advertising in India is made by Indians, for Indians. To which I said that in today’s fragmented media world, consumers consider the medium before the message. Therefore, brands must decide on the medium first and then tailor the message to it.
After a lively discussion with all participants, the Max Life Insurance ‘Aapke Sacche Advisor’ advertisement was showcased and then the conversation continued about my views on the shift in the trend in marketing.
I said that when I started, India was taking its first steps towards globalization of economy. I was part of those first generation professionals who saw the benefits of an open economy. Opening up of the economy has also brought international competition to Indian shores with a level playing field. And now the Indian consumer’s mindset has changed from ‘Thoda hai, thode ki zaroorat hai’ to ‘Thoda hai par zyaada ki zaroorat hai’. Studies conducted by McKinsey Global Institute and demographic research by Max Life Insurance point to the fact that Indian consumer is predominantly young and more confident than ever before. He is willing to take risks and is unabashedly ambitious.
On the Aapke Sachche Advisor campaign – our base was – customers of Life Insurance buy advice and not products. The campaign is aimed at the customer who is looking for advice. The communication has been designed to extend itself beyond promoting life insurance policies and products and begin establishing trust with the consumers.
The forum then showcased the recent marketing and advertising efforts of Coca Cola and …..Each of the participants discussed their strategy behind each projects.
The session was exhaustive but enriching as well and I was privileged to be a part of this gathering of beautiful minds.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
CMO Corner - Hindu Business Line
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.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Image of Power
Whenever I think power dressing, I always think of the late Rajmata of Jaipur Gayatri Devi. She wore her silk chiffons with as much élan as her Polo suits. In both type of clothes and role she made her presence felt. My point is that power dressing is job specific and culturally relative. In India, we have a variety of ensemble to choose from. The age old sarees make as much an impact as a well tailored suit. It is the way one carries it.Power dressing has now percolated to every level of any organization. I sometimes hide a smile of satisfaction when I see women stand out in their attire, in a room full of serious men with uninteresting suits. Though substance is important, it is equally vital for women to project the right image.
My personal choice is always skewed towards clothes that are comfortable. I wear both western and Indian clothes in office. The key for women is to look professional, yet retain their femininity. I add accessories such as a simple string of pearls, ear drops or sometimes silk scarves with my suits. Fashion magazines have made the terms ‘business formals’ and ‘business casuals’ very common. My mantra about Friday dressing is casual yet chic. I like carrying leather tote’s that are not too big but large enough to hold my ipad and other essentials. A subtle hint of perfume, a wrist watch and comfortable shoes, and I am ready to face the world.
Lastly, I must stress the point that it is the attitude that counts. Be positive, look confident, smile and people will look up to you.
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