Author: mxm_india

After much speculation on its launch, United Breweries has finally launched locally brewed and bottled Heineken beer from their brewery in Taloja, near Mumbai. The locally brewed Heineken is positioned as a super-premium lager beer that will target the discerning beer drinker in India. Kingfisher from UB’s stable is the most popular among beer brands in India and the company leads the Indian beer market in terms of volume sales followed by SabMiller India Ltd.

Commenting on the launch, Mr Kalyan Ganguly, President & Managing Director, United Breweries Limited said, Heineken, the world’s favourite super premium beer brand will appeal to affluent, sophisticated and discerning consumers in India. We will leverage our deep understanding of the Indian beer market, and complement that with robust marketing programmes and the strength of our nationwide distribution network, to bring to Indian consumers this truly iconic global beer brand. This is a significant and exciting consumer experience that United Breweries has brought to India.

Heineken is looking at gaining a market share of 5 percent in its category; considering that the market for beer has been growing by 15-20 percent in India, the figure set by Heineken seems achievable.

Mr Samar Singh Sheikhawat, Senior Vice-President (Marketing), United Breweries Limited, added, The taste and quality of Heineken brewed and bottled out of India is true to the original time-honoured recipe handed down the generations. The brand has been well received in Mumbai and Pune and we now invite the rest of India to Open Your World to Heineken!

Heineken has been launched in world-class packaging, with imported green embossed bottles and clear plastic labels, a first for any beer brand in India. The bottles feature a unique curved embossment on the neck and back, with a distinctive embossed logo mark which acts as a stamp of quality and authenticity. The visual identity includes the iconic brand elements like the racetrack label, the Heineken typeface with the smiling es and the red star. Available in pack sizes of 650 ml and 330 ml sizes, Heineken is priced at Rs 150 and Rs 80 respectively, in Delhi.

Across the world, Heineken connects with consumers through marketing activation campaigns based on its global sport, music and film platforms. These include the UEFA Champions League Football and the Rugby World Cup. Heineken also partners some of the world’s most premium and high profile music festivals, such as Coachella and Ultra in the USA, Rock in Rio in Brazil, Oxegen in Ireland and the Open’er Festival in Poland. The brand has also been James Bond’s preferred beer for some time now.

In India, Heineken will initially focus on activating the brand at premium pubs, bars, lounges, restaurants and retail outlets to drive awareness and trial, and will leverage the brand’s global proposition, Open Your World across all marketing executions. Digital Activation and Social Media in particular, will be used extensively to ignite conversations and connect with its consumers. Wieden + Kennedy (W+K), the agency handling creative duties for Heineken globally also handles the mandate in India and Mindshare does the media duties.

Mouthwash is a global hot seller, but not so in India where the traditional toothpaste is the preferred mode of oral hygiene. On the occasion of World Oral Health Month in September, Listerine launched its 21-Day Challenge, encouraging consumers to include mouthwash in their daily preventive oral care routine.

Indians do have an issue with dental and oral hygiene in the last one year itself 25 percent of Indians have complained of bad breath and 13 percent have suffered from cavities, show findings from a recent survey by Listerine. However, oral health experts estimate the actual numbers to be higher because a lot of people do not realize that they are suffering from oral health problems. According to the survey findings, 50 percent of Indians feel their oral care routine is incomplete with just brushing, and are looking for more advanced products like mouthwash.

In light of this changing consumer trend in oral care products Listerine has launched its challenge to encourage consumers to experience the benefits of the product for themselves, or get their money back. After using Listerine for 21 days, says the company, 90 percent of people felt their mouth was healthier and 86 percent said they cannot get the same feeling from brushing alone. Apart from the fresh feeling that lasts through the day consumers also used mouthwash to kill germs and prevent yellow teeth.

The company’s statement said that according to Dr Gopalakrishnan, a periodontology professor and Secretary General of the International Clinical Dental Research Organization,In India people are waking up to the importance of preventive oral care to protect the mouth and teeth from germs. While brushing was considered enough till a few years back, we are now seeing a growing need for products like mouthwash. For a complete oral care routine and to reduce the incidence of oral problems it is essential to use mouthwash along with brushing.

Mr Ajay Rangaraj, General Marketing Manager, Oral Care, Johnson & Johnson Ltd, India, said, Through this challenge we want to encourage people to include mouthwash in their daily preventive oral care routine in order to achieve higher standards of oral health and prevent problems like tooth decay, gum problems and bad breath. We are confident that after using Listerine for just 21 days consumers will experience healthier gums and teeth.

By A Correspondent

Consumers are increasingly choosing to buy green, and insights from the 2011 Green Brands Global Survey indicate how green brands can connect with their customers

As more countries gather speed on greener policies and organisations increasingly adopt the organic growth path, is the consumer’s support for going green translating into action at the supermarket and the department store?

The answer seems to be a heartening Yes, as the annual ImagePower Green Brands survey among consumers in India, China and Brazil shows.

The 2011 survey, capturing the perspective of over 9,000 consumers across eight countries, reveals that an increasing number of people desire to go green and are willing to pay relatively more to buy a green product.

However, with transparency and choice being the key decision influencer for consumers, a lot more is expected from the policy-makers and organisations in pushing green products ahead in the supply chain. Some of the key findings from the study:

Indian consumers want more

Indian consumers do care, and the green brands survey, which is amongst the largest surveys on consumer perceptions of green brands and corporate environmental responsibility, shows that 64 percent of Indian consumers plan to spend more on green products in the next year. More importantly, nearly 48 percent of Indian consumers and 55 percent of Chinese consumers said they were willing to spend over 10 percent more on a product simply because it is green. The survey showed that 28 percent of Indian consumers in the survey expressed the intent to purchase green automobiles in the next year, as against the 16 percent who purchased green automobiles in the previous year.

Package it right

While consumers show a clear inclination towards green products, the challenge for companies is not just in creating greener products but following a marketing strategy that showcases their green side. The green brands survey shows that packaging and publicity both figure high on the consumer mind as important parameters for choosing green products.

Absence of proper labelling was seen as one of the critical reasons for people not choosing green products. Nearly 56 percent of consumers in China and 33 percent in India felt the green labelling or product information was confusing, which impacted their decision. Along with going green with their products, companies need to improve packaging and labeling by including information such as ingredients and origin, food testing and safety as well as environmental impact. Expanding the distribution to increase the accessibility of green products in shopping venues is another important step.

Cost considerations

Price is yet another important consideration for consumers wanting to buy green products. Their lower accessibility and higher prices make consumers see green as a luxury purchase rather than a sensible and sustainable one. This is further accentuated by the inability of consumers to gauge the actual value of the product due to the absence of proper labelling that informs them about its eco-friendly qualities and benefits.

Advertise green power

The survey shows that as far as Indian consumers go, nearly 57% would be influenced by TV advertisements to buy green. The green survey shows that consumers in emerging countries are more trusting of advertising compared to their counterparts in developed countries. Clearly, companies must leverage this opportunity to establish their green credentials through awareness and education.

Regulate responsibility

Showing a similarity to the global trend, the green survey had 95 percent of Indian consumers wanting the government to support green innovation and regulation. With regard to household goods, consumers want the government to mandate producer responsibility and greater label clarity. Currently, India does not have a consistent standard on packaging and labeling, which leaves unable to make informed decisions. The Indian consumers made a clear indication that they wanted the government to play the role of regulator and ensure the private sector provides consumers with clear and consistent information on their products.

It’s time for Indian companies to get their green credentials right.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, has chosen the social media route to create awareness on protection of children against influenza.

The pharma major created a page on Facebook, Mothers Against Flu, very recently. As of yesterday[check if needed to update] evening it had 710 fans on the page.Film star Raveena Tandon has been roped in to give the campaign an extra edge.

The objective of the exercise is to unite mothers from different parts of India with the single aim of protecting their children from the flu virus. The campaign seeks to do it by creating awareness about the steps they can take to protect against and prevent flu.

The company states that as social media is rapidly growing in India and young mothers often connect with their friends on social media websites,Sanofi Pasteur India has launched this engaging and exciting flu awareness campaign for mothers.

Sanofi Pasteur India Executive Director Joselito Sta Ana said:For the first time, we are initiating a public awareness campaign in India through a social media platform, which would not only give information about flu, but is also a platform for mothers to exchange views on childcare in general.

The company believes that this is the right time to launch this campaign, as influenza tends to peak during monsoon and winter.

By A Correspondent

Gili, the name that pioneered branded diamond jewellery in India over a decade and a half ago, has taken another major step with the introduction of Gili Signature, its first sub-brand.

Gili Signature caters to the young urban woman, be she a professional, a housewife, or mother. The brand will offer a wide range of jewellery at varied price points, suitable for all occasions, cultures and tastes, and available in metros, Tier I and Tier II cities.

The loveable, unassuming and pretty Ms Prachi Desai was an apt choice as the Brand Ambassador of Gili Signature – the girl next door, who is an independent, young achiever and has made her mark at a young age. She has been television’s golden girl and continues to stun audiencea with her aura of freshness and charm on the silver screen. Though modern in style, Ms Desai is traditional at heart and perfectly personifies what the brand is all about – refreshing, charming, contemporary with a touch of tradition. She’s somebody every young girl in India can identify with, and reflects the freshness that Gili Signature will offer through its new and intricate designs.

Said Mr Rahul Vira, CEO, Gili, “Gili is now progressing into affordable luxury and the sub-brand seeks to reach out to a larger audience pan India with designs that will satisfy every woman’s taste. Crafted in 18k gold and diamonds of clarity SI and colour GH, Gili Signature is our offering to fulfil every woman’s dream of possessing a sparkling piece of diamond jewellery.”