Category: Awards

Anuradha Agarwal, Senior VP, Brand Communications, Insights & Online at Vodafone India was adjudged the Telecom Marketer of the Year at the IAA Leadership Awards held last Saturday. Excerpts from a quick chat with MxMIndia’s Ritu Midha

What is the key to marketing success?

For service sector, more so in telecom – it is consumer engagement and satisfaction. We have an excellent team and partners – people have really liked our services and communication, and it sure has helped in connecting with consumers.

We really do whatever it takes to keep the customer happy – be it the quality of network, quality of services or quality of customer care.

As an outsider, what one largely notices is advertising – what else constitutes effective marketing for a telecom brand?

Advertising is just the tip of the iceberg. A large number of things go in marketing of a telecom brand. We have 150 million customers – and not all of them can be reached through advertising – advertising is more of a brand building activity.

We do segmented offers, targeted and point of-sale activities, new offers, new tariff plans, specialised offers – depending on where the consumers are located – what their requirements and needs are. We even strive to fulfil consumers’ unfulfilled needs – for instance mobile internet. Key here was to provide it in such a way that even consumers from a not very evolved educated world can take advantage of them.

Do you believe mobile Internet in country has a large scope?

Our belief is that in near future, the Internet revolution in the country would be led by mobile. A number of people in our country, unlike the Western world, experience Internet on the mobile first. We need to be ready as an organisation and as an industry that consumer needs are met in terms of discovering content and services.

Would you say the same is true of rural markets as well? Would language not be a barrier there?

It is true of every customer everywhere who can actually get on to the Internet and watch a little video, listen to the music or get some information.

If Gangnam style can be successful across the world it clearly tells you that Internet has no language barrier. There is a lot of audio visual content that goes on – and it would make sure that language is no barrier.

How important is the role that digital marketing plays in your strategy?

We always believe that we must go where the customers are. As a company, we have used digital extensively in the last few years – and as more and more consumers move to the Net – we would be there to interact with them. We have always been doing things to engage customers on the Internet rather than informing them because it is a different medium, and needs to be treated differently.

Coming back to mobile consumption, do you think there is still a need for educating consumers?

There are different kinds of customers. It is the classic adaptation curve – some people are ahead of the curve and some people are still catching up. There are new technologies of phones, and devices – and people are coming to terms with what a phone can do. It may be education of a different kind – maybe not the basic education but about the possibilities – and what is the next big thing.

Chandramouli Venkatesan, Executive director Chocolates & Biscuits, Cadbury India was awarded Marketer of the year: FMCG – Food & Beverages at the IAA Leadership Awards last week. He spoke with RITU MIDHA soon after receiving the award.

What would you attribute this award to?

When you put in effort, you do not do it for awards. However, when you win the awards – the recognition definitely makes you feel good.

As for this award specially, It is an honour to get this award – as you are nominated and awarded by very competent peer group. Cadbury is an excellent brand to work for – which is much liked by the consumers. We have an excellent time and partners – and together we are quite effective.

You have worked with smaller or younger brands earlier – how does your experience in Cadbury differ from them?

It ultimately boils down to the task – there are different kinds of tasks.  While in some cases, you are fighting competitive challenge, in others you are working towards growing the category in the country. For instance, in case of chocolates – though it is a very strong market, one still needs to grow the market. Nature of challenge varies – but all jobs are challenging. I do not think there is any easy job there.

You are speaking of category expansion – to what extent is it possible to expand the market?

Per capita consumption in India is 110 grams, in developed world it is 10 kilgrams – so we are 100th per capita of developed world – so there is a very very long way to go – and opportunities are immense. Hence, as market leaders our focus continues to be expansion of the category.

What would be the key growth segment for Cadburys?

Our focus is three tiered. There are opportunities in all segments – be it rural, urban or upper end market.

Do you see rural consumer contributing here?

Rural is actually very strong. Overall economic development and information and awareness explosion – thanks to media penetration is very strong, has led to rural consumer demanding and consuming better quality products.