THE TOP FIVE TV COMMERCIALS FOR THE FORTNIGHT - The Idiot Box!

The following points are the deciding criteria for selecting and short-listing the winning TVCs: Product positioning clarity; clinching benefit to the brand; presence of a power idea; visibility of brand personality; expectancy of communication; single-minded focus; reward to prospects; visually arresting and painstaking craftsmanship. Here’s a peek into our TVC verdict for the fortnight ending March 10, 2011

Fevicol
Baseline: Fevicol, the ultimate adhesive
Agency: Ogilvy India

Description: The TVC opens on a hilly road where a newlywed couple is traveling in a mini truck. Every time the duo tries to get cozy, they are interrupted by a cyclist right behind their tail. After several attempts of ditching this unwanted intruder, the husband gets irritated and takes a steep road; but to his surprise discovers that the cyclist still hasn’t budged. He finally gives up; and the TVC ends with a rear view of the truck which is loaded with Fevicol containers.

4Ps Take: There are two things that Fevicol does best – manufacturing superior adhesives; and conceptualising commercials that have the potential of tickling the funny bones of even those who can’t appreciate humour. The current ad is no exception. Backed by a powerful idea and flawless execution, the creative succeeds in sticking adhesive where it matters the most, the prospect’s mind!

Vodafone

Baseline: Faster. Smarter. Better.
Agency: Ogilvy India

Description: A Zoozoo walks into a phone booth and comes out transformed into a Super Zoozoo. He takes off into the sky and proceeds to perform his superhero antics – rescuing a damsel Zoozoo from a bolt of lightning, saving another from a collapsing building while romancing her at the same time, and running faster than a speeding bullet to stop it before it hits someone. Finally, he spins the earth around its axis before flying off, as the screen reads: “Faster. Smarter. Better. Vodafone 3G is here.”

4Ps Take: If you loved Zoozoos (which in all probability you did), then you’ll love this one better. We’d say there can be no better way to introduce 3G services than a super Zoozoo which represents the metaphorical super benefits of a 3G connection. Fantastically supercilious! (Did we get it right?)

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

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Reebok’s very own change agent

From a sports company to fashion, Reebok has walked a long way and the company’s marketing director reveals to Angshuman Paul the secret strategies of this journey….

Sajid Shamim Director – Sales and Marketing, Reebok India

As we sauntered into the third floor of Signature Tower – the office of Sajid Shamim, Director, Sales & Marketing of Reebok India – we were delighted to see a group of buoyant, dynamic people in casual track-suits. A look at this energetic and vibrant team made us wonder how valuable they were for Sajid and Reebok. And the protagonist answered, “It’s the team that knows the pulse of brand Reebok. All our marketing strategies, which make Reebok the biggest apparel brand in India, are a cumulative effort of this team. I individually am a nobody.” A believer of autonomous corporate set-up and empowerment of his team, Sajid is a leader who provides directions, hence allowing ample scope to his team for creativity, innovation and experimentation.

Sajid’s professional life is a classic example of how destiny drives one’s life irrespective of various plans. While pursuing his MBA at XLRI Jamshedpur, Sajid was bent on joining the field of sales – and that too in the area of sports marketing. However, post MBA, he joined Coca Cola, something totally away from his earlier objectives. But it worked. He shares, “Working in Coca Cola was surely very interesting and it was the initial part of my career. Most importantly, it was during my two and half years with Coca Cola that I actually learned the practical aspect of marketing strategies.” Bucked up with valuable experience, he moved on to achieve his pre-decided goal and joined Reebok, which according to him was a very unique industry at that point of time, and required the type of challenges that he was looking for.

Reebok’s India venture, now a subsidiary of Adidas, happens to be the ‘single nation’ success for the global sportswear conglomerate. And that has happened as a result of smart game plans woven by two adroit leaders who, surprisingly, came from very different backgrounds. While Sajid came from an FMCG background, Subhinder Singh Prem, MD, Reebok India joined Reebok after a stint with pharmaceutical major Ranbaxy. However, lack of experience in the sports retailing space didn’t stop the duo from adding the requisite glitz to Reebok. Through innovations, careful go-to-market strategies and various strategic tie-ups (examples of which include the likes of Shiamak Bollywood Workout for Reebok, getting Manish Arora into their branding et al) within a time period of around a decade, these two have successfully helped Reebok occupy a unique space as a sporty yet fashionable brand in the minds of Indian consumers. Shares Sajid, “The challenge with us was to blend sports with fashion and we felt it was necessary to bring together sports and Bollywood. So, I came out with Bipasha-Dhoni campaign along with launch of radical women’s products.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

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SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS

PRAKASH MORE, MD OF MAYUR PLYWOOD INDIA PVT LTD TALKS TO ASHUTOSH HARBOLA, EXPLAINING WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO KEEP SWIMMING AGAINST THE HIGH TIDE OF TOUGH COMPETITION. USE MARKETING TACTICS, LEAD PEOPLE WELL, SATISFY YOUR CUSTOMERS AND WORK HARDER THAN EVER

Wishful thinking is what many would call it. Reality is what Prakash More, MD of Mayur Plywood India Pvt Ltd has proven it to be. His quest for entrepreneurial success began ten years back, when he ventured into the plywood market. Since then, competition has risen beyond imaginable levels and margins have become wafer-thin, but More proved his mettle with a track-burning growth. The mushrooming of uncountable small time and big players in the business didn’t stop him from expanding from one location to another across the country. Today, Mayur Ply has a presence across 14 cities, and has managed to comfortably carve a niche for itself. With three manufacturing plants (and the fourth one being inagurated soon) and with more than 300 people in the marketing department alone, competitors have come to realise and respect what More and Mayur are together capable of. Talk to him and you find he has yet another reason to smile. A no-brainer hint: your next home builder might just recommend using cement rolled out of one of More’s factories!

The plywood industry is saturated with a lot of small time, unorganised players. What makes your offerings unique?
We differentiate ourselves on the basis of superior quality. We cannot compete on the basis of price, as the many unorganised players in the industry conduct business at very low price points (therefore offering inferior quality products). Our motto is to provide the consumer the best quality products at fair price points.

It is said that Mayur Ply’s start-up days were not the easiest. Can you elaborate on the hurdles?
Rightly said. We faced many challenges during our initial days, starting from land acquisitions to receiving licenses and permits from the government to getting bank loans approvals. It was not an easy journey, but we managed to work our way out.

How critical is marketing for you, considering the cut-throat competition that exists today?
Competition is tough and as can be imagined well, days of monopoly are way behind us. Every single day is a new beginning. But having said thus, it is also important to continue working on what has made us what we are and on what can make us what we want to become. Therefore, marketing is an extremely important tool for getting our voice across to the target audience. Marketing is important to tell the market why we are a superior choice. At the same time, we have to pay attention to key elements involved in the production process, like the quality of raw materials purchased, et al.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

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

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Can Electric cars be Big Business? ask M&M

Mahindra & Mahindra has acquired a 55.2% stake in Bangalore based Reva Electric Car Co. Ltd, which will now be known as Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicle Co. Ltd. M&M had earlier taken the initiative for ‘Sustainable-Mobility’, as it had been promoting green technologies by providing cars like the diesel hybrid Scorpio, hydrogen Alfa three-wheelers et al; the Reva acquisition evidently comes close on their heels. But globally, electric cars haven’t made the kind of business sense that their initial promise had showed – even Reva underwent these issues. Then what’s the logic in M&M taking Reva’s stake? M&M’s takeover move has been made due to a wider perspective – and that is backward integration. Reva’s electric technology will now be adapted into M&M vehicles. M&M has also been working on an electric version of its Maxximo mini truck. But the takeover springs up a few issues. In September 2009, Reva and GM signed a partnership to produce an electric version of the new Chevrolet Spark in India. Would this partnership undergo any changes post this takeover? If that happens, it would be ‘electrifying’, to say the least.

Vineet Singh

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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INTO MY DRAWING ROOM... AND NO MORE?

The appearance of mobile phones into our lives has started to blur the lines between what is private and what is public at an alarming rate

Just for an example look at what youngsters are doing on Facebook. I am assuming that most people who are on Facebook are attitudinally young. It has become a complete ecosystem where the youngsters do far more than just status updates. From events to places visited to playing games to endless chatting, youngsters keep finding newer ways of interacting and connecting.

If that was all, then it should not have been an issue. The real issue is the amount of private moments, desires and emotions that are posted on online spaces for the whole world to see. There is no dearth of moments people are posting: honeymoon pictures (always private), private parties (not open to all), and even family reunions (is everyone on one’s friends list interested?)

So how is this blurring of public private space going to affect the world of branding? And why should the world of branding be even interested? Well there is are two issues credibility and authenticity that we will have to battle.

Social media has always been seen as a more influential medium than conventional communication channels. Opinions and conversations posted on Social Networking sites are more trusted and valued. I am not sure in coming days this will remain as sacrosanct as it is portrayed today. Will you trust the comments from a group of ‘friends’ who in your opinion have been more open than others?

The second issue is of authenticity. Brands always want to build authenticity in their DNA. Part of building authenticity involves keeping things private, hidden, secret. Will this new all baring, all sharing audience respect this attitude from brands? Will the brands be eventually forced to abolish the line between private and public that they have held sacred become a liability? As always, maybe the emerging reality will lie somewhere in between!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

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.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
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