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Tag: M A Parthasarathy

  • In his new role, Mahendra will be responsible for data and technology duties within the Product team at Mindshare

    Mindshare appoints Mahendra Upadhyay as Head of Data & Technology

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mindshare has announced the appointment of Mahendra Upadhyay as Head of Data & Technology.

     

    In his new role, Mahendra will be responsible for data and technology duties within the Product team at Mindshare. While he will operate out of the Mumbai office, Mahendra will also regularly be involved with the Bangalore and Gurgaon office and will be reporting in to M A Parthasarathy (MAPS), Chief Product Officer, South Asia, Mindshare.

     

    M A Parthasarathy, Chief Product Officer, Mindshare – South Asia, commented on the appointment, “We are very pleased to have Mahendra on board. We have a clear agenda to create category and client solutions powered by data & technology. We recognize the need for very different skill sets to drive this. Mahendra has a proven aptitude to create clarity & drive innovation through data. He has delivered growth & business results across categories. We have full faith that his passion for data and technology will ensure that Mindshare continues to deliver revolutionary solutions that significantly impact business results.”

     

    Commenting on his new role, Mahendra Upadhyay said, “I am both honored and excited to be a part of the Mindshare family. I strongly resonate with Mindshare’s values of speed, team work and provocation and am eagerly looking forward to work alongside a fabulous team and help redefine standards”

     

    Mahendra brings to Mindshare a rich experience of over 15 years, 12 of which have been in the Data and Technology space. He has worked with companies like SAS India Pvt. Limited, Reliance Retail Ltd, Bharti Telenet Limited – AirTel etc. He has expertise in various facets of Business Information Management with strong emphasis on Data Management (Integration, Migration, Data Quality, Data Governance, Master Data Management and Performance Management) and Customer Analytics

     

     

  • 90% consumers use only mobile devices in their path to purchase for Travel, Music and Movies*

    Yahoo-Mindshare study analyses online shopping behavior of Indian consumers

    By A Correspondent

     

    Yahoo and Mindshare announced the findings of their joint study of the India market: ‘Mobile Consumer Journey – 2016’. The study is based on research of users’ shopping behavior across devices for 31 different categories including travel, electronic devices and consumer packaged goods. Findings highlight the dominant play of mobile devices in the consumer’s purchase decisions.

     

    The study throws light on the role of mobile in a consumer’s purchase journey – how the devices get used in different stages, key drivers and barriers to the final purchase decision, consumers’ preferences of how to buy and where to buy, top selling categories on mobile, and cities that see the most mobile transactions. The study aims to equip marketers with insights on India, to sharpen their digital and mobile commerce initiatives and build a strong mobile strategy.

     

    Commenting on the findings, M A Parthasarathy, Chief Product Officer, Mindshare South Asia said, “The ecommerce landscape in India is perhaps the most dynamic in the world, largely due to the rapidly evolving mobile ecosystem. This research highlights the role of mobile from the top of funnel to the bottom and how it varies across product categories. It will help us develop sharper, more connected communication strategies for brands.”

     

    Francis Che, Head of Insights, APAC, Yahoo added, “The study shows that the consumer path-to-purchase is turning more complex and nonlinear, with mobile at the center of this evolution. As mobile devices become more important in the consumer’s last mile of purchase decision, brands need to build targeted, more seamless shopping experience across all channels to strengthen sales and acquire new customers.”

     

    Key findings from the study:

    1. Drivers and barriers of online transactions:

    a. 31 per cent of online shoppers cite saving time or effort as their main reason for shopping online.

    b. Attractive discounts and promotions is another key driver as stated by 28 per cent of online shoppers.

    c. 21 per cent cite the convenience to shop anywhere, anytime as a big draw.

     

    The barriers that keep them away from shopping online include – non-authentic goods, unreliable delivery and lack of quality control.

    2. A city-wise break-up for mobile transactions show that 75 per cent online shoppers in Kolkata are open to mobile transactions followed by Chennai with 64 and Delhi with 57 per cent. Surprisingly online shoppers in metros like Mumbai & Bangalore seem more ‘cautiously open’ with less than 35 per cent of them preferring mobile transactions over other mode of payments.

     

    3. Mobile “browse” tends to convert to mobile “buy”

    a. Of the total number of consumers browsing for products on mobile, 79% prefer buying on a mobile device compared to 9% on PC/laptop and 12% in a physical store.

    b. Clearly, brands have a big window of opportunity – from creating awareness to final purchase decision – to connect and engage with their target audiences on mobile devices.

     

    4. Distinctive consumer journeys by category Online shoppers are more likely to use their mobile device to make regular or impulse purchases rather than expensive, high consideration purchases.

    a. Over 90% of the consumers use mobile devices for quick and frequent purchases of Travel, Music & Movies.

    b. 36% consumers prefer buying high-consideration products like Insurance on their PC/ Laptop. 24% consumers prefer buying health supplements on PC/ Laptop.

    c. Categories with significant in-store purchases include Personal Hygiene (30%) & Luxury Accessories (27%).

     

    5. Categories on the high growth quadrant – ranked by number of consumers buying them on mobile over other modes – include apparel, electronic devices, baby and pet care products. Users are less likely to buy financial services products on mobile as they see these as more complex purchase decisions.

     

  • Maps has been an integral part of the agency's success story, maneuvering brand strategy for some of the largest and most challenging domestic and international brands in India

    Mindshare realigns S Asia leadership

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mindshare APAC, the global media agency network part of WPP has realigned senior leadership in South Asia, as part of the ongoing commitment to delivering adaptive planning and thinking, for clients and dynamic markets.

     

    M A Parthasarathy

    M A Parthasarathy, popularly known as Maps, currently Chief Client Officer, has been named Chief Product Officer – South Asia. In his new role, Maps will lead a community of Communications Strategy & Analytics experts across 10 Mindshare offices in South Asia.

     

    He will drive usage of Mindshare’s proprietary “Original Thinking” framework, and evolves the bespoke set of tools, strategic product partnerships and crafts analytics solutions to address diverse marketing issues. Having been with Mindshare for over six years, Maps has been an integral part of the agency’s success story, maneuvering brand strategy for some of the largest and most challenging domestic and international brands in India.

     

    Ruchi Mathur

    Ruchi Mathur has been appointed as Leader, Client Leadership – North. In her previous role as Principal Partner on the Pepsico business, Ruchi spearheaded a range of ground breaking activity. With over ten years at Mindshare, her acute knowledge of brands coupled with her infectious energy has resulted in making Pepsico one of the most coveted brands in the country.

     

    Saket Sinha returns to the Mindshare family as Principal Partner leading Rodeos and the East Zone. In his previous role, Saket was championing business in new geographies for GroupM, creating expansions for the network in several new markets.

     

    Saket Sinha

    Saket will be reporting in to Ruchi Mathur for Rodeos and Prasanth Kumar, CEO Mindshare – South Asia, for the East Zone. Maps and Ruchi in turn will report into Prasanth Kumar directly.

     

    Commenting on this re-alignment, Prasanth Kumar, CEO Mindshare – South Asia said: “As pioneers in adaptive marketing, we are focused on creating a team that continues to open up more possibilities and set ourselves apart, with the capability to merge strategy with market intelligence. As we advise our clients to change mindsets that reflect in the communication they partake in, so does our commitment strengthen to ensure our best talent to service the brands we work with. Maps, Ruchi and Saket have always been an integral part of the Mindshare family. Each one of them brings their expertise to the table and I am confident that they will continue to take Mindshare to greater heights.”