MxMIndia

Tag: marketing

  • Not jst for mktg stuff; SMS msgs go a long way in giving u info abt products n services.

    The Anchor: 5 ways a marketer can use SMS to his/her advantage

    By Ravi Sundararajan

     

    #1 Acquisition of customers. SMS is a great tool to connect with new customers, and a marketer can leverage this medium to use it to target and acquire new customers.

    #2 Engaging customers. According to their area of interest, SMS can be used effectively to engage customers.

    #3 Retaining customers. It can also be a potent tool to retain customers by keeping them informed about promotions or information that might interest them.

    #4 Service Transaction. SMS also works well when one needs to give customers service-related information such as regarding bill payments or cash transactions.

    #5 Building infrastructure. There are many who don’t have infrastructure to set up communities or a mobile infrastructure service company. That’s where a company like ours can help marketers create such companies for others in the industry.

    Ravi Sundararajan is the Vice President Marketing at SMS GupShup.

  • Marketing is neither for the coldhearted nor is it for the overconfident

    Sudeep Narayan: A world of many hats

    Cold war; Combative; guerilla; carpet bombing; sniper – various battlefield strategies and tactics flare-up inside a marketers mind.

    Marketing is neither for the coldhearted nor is it for the overconfident.

    Will this design be accepted? Is this the latest in technology? Will our customers accept the price? What would be the customers expectation 5 years from now? Should we as a corporation look to ‘shift the paradigm’? For all these answers turn to the Marketing Head’s page. They will know. Image the expectation within the organisation and the expectation outside. Will the client see value in investing in this creative rendition? Swap the headline with thesub-head and increase the logo. The rest is approved.

    There seems to be more questions in marketing than answers. This gives birth to the ‘idea of exploration’ birth to the Americas. One challenging fact however bears more significance to marketing – the everchanging landscape and the need for ‘Envisaging’. They who explore the unknown are ready with an app within the first week of the iPad launch.

    A marketing professional needs to know everything. Period. Compelled to wear different hats

    Professor Product hat – if you don’t have knowledge about your product, how would you know its different from others in the market.

    Design Guru Stetson – every design has its virtues. Which one appeals to the brand values and the customers psychie. What is the ‘Natural-fit’. Some brands have suffered defeat in the marketplace for being congruent to the core values.

    Doctor Economist Beret – brand valuation; supplychain; demand forecasting and the understanding of all the economies of scale

    Shrink cap – another optional career for marketers is counselling. The daily challenges makes marketers understand psychology.

    Moolah topi – even the finance experts of the company expect marketing execs to balance the sheet.

     

    Nuff said. Marketing is a great place to be!

     

    Sudeep Narayan is Marketing and PR Director, Volvo.

  • Domestic companies are spending over Rs 1,200 crore on social media campaigns: Assocham

    ‘Social media is an explosion’

    By A Correspondent

    Companies in India have gauged the might of social networking and are currently spending over Rs 1,200 crore with 30 to 40 per cent of marketing budget on digital media according to the findings of a study titled ‘Explosion of Social Media: Transforming The Corporate Business Scenario,’ by The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

     

    Releasing the highlights, Assocham secretary general DS Rawat said, “Goods and services worth about Rs 23,000 crore are traded currently on the social networks across the world and the figure is likely to swell to about Rs 1.35 lakh crore by 2015 with India’s share likely to cross Rs 10,000 crore mark during the course of next three to four years.”

     

    It was observed that majority of start-ups, leading national and international companies operating in India are embracing the social media to enhance their business and on an average spending anywhere between Rs 2 lakh to Rs 50 lakh a year on social marketing campaigns.

     

    A large number of national and multi-national corporations in India are using the services of social media management companies that help small, large brands to manage, heighten their social network presence and maximise their exposure in the newsgroups and newsfeeds of the people logged on the social networks.

     

    “The significance of social media in the current scenario can be gauged from the fact that the department of information technology (DIT) has recently advised all government departments to make the most of social media in their day-to-day work and communicate with citizens effectively,” said Mr Rawat.

     

    Assocham interacted with about 1,400 directors, chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chairmen, managing directors, executive directors et al from sectors as diverse as BFSI (banking, financial services and insurance), auto, FMCG, manufacturing, IT, telecom, biotech, education, infrastructure, consumer packaged goods and healthcare to ascertain the extent of their spending on online activities and about 75 per cent of them said that they have doubled their spending on social media this year.

     

    “Companies both large and small are turning to social media platforms as the percentage of internet users on social networking sites continues to climb,” said Mr Rawat while releasing the survey that was carried out in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune between April and August. “Brands today cannot afford to ignore the significance of social media as a key medium to target their identified customers and connect with them,” said Mr Rawat.

     

    Companies are taking advantage of social media to advertise, launch new products, study consumer behaviour pattern and communicating, interacting directly with their customers and wooing new clientele. Assocham interacted with 200 representatives of various companies in Delhi and about 60 per cent of them said that they have a dedicated staff who work round-the-clock and are constantly plugged into the web to monitor online traffic on their web portals.

     

    As many as 110 respondents said that they have hired employees specially for their social and interactive media cell who perform the task of tracking conversations, blogs, discussions, chats on social networks to ascertain the consumer preferences and perceptions towards their products and services. Nearly 40 per cent of respondents in the city said that started their campaigns on social networking websites with a tiny budget and clocked revenue of about three to four times their budget in a span of about five to six months terming it a successful venture.

     

    Almost all the respondents said that their dependency on traditional print media for advertisements has reduced drastically and people logged on social networks are their core target group and social media allows them to directly interact with consumers Currently, there are over six crore mobile internet users and about eight crore users using internet across India.

     

    Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Linkedin, Orkut, Hi5, Friendster and BigAdda are certain popular social networks used by companies in Delhi to carry out their social media campaigns. “Low cost coupled with higher visibility and wider reach on social media is the grave reason behind this surge in number of companies cashing in on inevitable social media platform to reach young customers as highest number of active social media audience in the country is in the age group of 15 to 25 years,” the Assocham study emphasizes.

     

  • First on MxM: J19 Max has won three-year advertising rights for 96 on-ground air transfer buses of Jet Airways across 15 major airports in India.

    J19 wins rights for Jet buses

    By Nibha

    J19 Max (Jash Media And Communication Pvt Ltd), an OOH agency, recently won the advertising rights for three years for the 96 on-ground Jet Airways air transfer buses that ply within 15 major airports in metro and micro-metro cities across India, from 2011 to 2014.

    In an exclusive chat with Nibha of MxM India, Mr Sunil Gohil, Director J19 Max, said, “We have recently won the advertising rights for a period of three years, and this includes both bus grab handles (which was earlier with Atin Promotions) and contravision running feet of right, left and rear panels inside the buses, which ply across all the 15 major airports, including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Goa.”

    Mr Gohil added, “The contravision will be executed for the first time inside the Jet Airways a/c Tarmac buses where a 6”-high tape will be offering a branding space at the right, left and rear inner panels inside the coaches. Apart from that each bus will continue to have 25-30 double side grab handles with a display size each of size 5”x3”. And, at most airports, the Jet Airways Terminals have no aerobridge facility, so all departing and arrival passengers pass through these coaches. Thus, we shall be catering to double-digit-lakh eyeballs per month.”

  • Getit introduces dedicated websites for information on upcoming festivals

    Dussehra, Durga Puja go online

    By A Correspondent

    With Dussehra and Durga Puja coming up, Getit has introduced new websites for the two festivals. These websites provide knowledge and connect people with the splendour of these festivals. The websites, http://mysoredussehra.getit.in/ and http://durgapuja.getit.in/, have information about the festival, the background, recipes, rituals etc, and the Durga Puja website also gives an insight into the top Puja Pandals. The site has integrated search, allowing users to find companies offering services related to the Puja festivities.

    The ‘Mysore Dussehra’ website showcases the grandness of this festival in most parts of Karnataka. Getit, through the special site, aims to provide a platform for users to find all information related to the festival, as well as conduct a search to find suppliers/products that one needs.

    Commenting on the launch, Mr Sidharth Gupta, CEO, GETIT Infoservices Pvt Ltd said, “Festivals are the best time to get closer to our customers by giving them the right solutions to help them celebrate with ease. Based on the success and acceptance of our Onam webite, we have launched these two sites for Dussehra and Durga Puja. The fact that we can provide search solutions integrated into these sites, significantly enhances their utility.”

  • The Anchor: Pradeep Chopra on 8 mistakes marketers make about social media

     #1 Marketers treat social media like a short-term advertising campaign.

    Social media is all about building a lifetime relationship with your audience. However, marketers are still to understand and acknowledge that. It requires more of unlearning vs new learning.

     

    #2 Marketers measure ROI of social media like other digital marketing avenues.

    Unlike SEO, PPC or even email marketing, social media is not just about driving traffic to a website and measure the contribution in a typical funnel approach as used in SEO or PPC advertising. Leveraging FB ads for lead generation will be an exception.

     

    #3 Marketers underestimate the value of content and quality of conversations.

    Unfortunately, even today a significant percentage of marketers are focusing on metrics such as number of fans on Facebook. While the number of fans is necessary, it’s not sufficient.

     

    #4 Marketers don’t put required effort into defining objectives.

    While social media requires constant experimentation, laying down the objectives lays down the framework to think, execute and measure appropriately.

     

    #5 Marketers believe social media is about technology.

    A large number of marketers still consider social media more of a technology and less of a marketing activity. Thus, they don’t put the right resources in at the right place.

     

    #6 Marketers think that listening to their customers is optional.

    In the fear of confronting negative conversations about their brand, marketers don’t realise that they don’t control what others are saying about them. Hence, listening to their customers on social media is not a choice.

     

    #7 Marketers believe that they’ll jump in when it gets settled.

    It’s been over seven years and the only thing which is constant about Facebook is change. By the time social media reaches a stage of stability, the opportunity will be proportionally low of newer players.

     

    #8 Marketers still feel that social media is timepass.

    Unfortunately, a large number of marketers still feel that platforms such as Facebook are only for socialising or passing the time. While Facebook started as a social network, today it has taken the shape of a hybrid (social + professional) network and there are global case studies of B2B companies, such as Intel, Dell and GE, which have been leveraging Facebook to fulfil various business objectives.

     

    Pradeep Chopra is co-founder and CEO of Digital Vidya, and co-founder of dvBytes

  • Retail pioneer Raghu Pillai inducted into the Indian Retail Hall of Fame

    Retail pioneer Pillai in Hall of Fame

    By A Correspondent

    Raghu Pillai (1957-2011), considered the father of modern retail in India, was declared the first inductee into the Indian Retail Hall of Fame at a function organized at the India Retail Forum 2011.

    In an emotional ceremony jam-packed with delegates at the two-day retail industry get-together at The Renaissance Hotel, Mumbai, business leaders such as Thomas Varghese, CEO, Aditya Birla Retail, Bijou Kurien, Chairman, IRF and President, Reliance Retail, Lifestyle, and Vikram Bakshi, MD, McDonald’s (North and East India), paid rich tributes to Pillai who passed away in Chennai in April this year due to a fatal cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife, daughter and son.

    Mr Varghese of Aditya Birla Retail said: “Raghu introduced modern retail to India. A towering and inspiring personality, he was a true leader of men who led from the front. He was full of humility and humanity and had a strong sense of right and wrong. The award couldn’t have gone to a more fitting person. He is a worthy example for all young managers to emulate.”

    Mr Bakshi of McDonald’s said: “I learnt a lot from Raghu. When there was a bitter debate going on in India about organized versus unorganized retail, he injected a fresh perspective by saying that there was no clash between the two and it was all about introducing modern retail in India. He believed that modernizing retail was important because it was the last mile for anything that gets manufactured. He was an excellent professional and a true human being. People like him never die but always live in the stories that they leave behind.”

    Mr Kurien of Reliance Retail said: “Raghu loved good food and a good drink and was full of life with an overpowering personality and a loud baritone voice. He had a can-do spirit and was a natural born leader and visionary. Raghu was also very daring who never got stuck with endless analysis. Once he decided something had to be done, he made sure it was done and could be extremely pushy when it came to achieving goals.”

    “He was also a great family man, a loving father and a great husband who never failed to take the call of family members regardless of how busy he was. As a professional, he gave me a lot of insights into the world of retail. He had a unique insight into what makes a store work and just by looking at a location he could tell if an outlet there would be successful or not,” Mr Kurien added.

    Mr Pillai’s wife Janaki Pillai, who specially flew in from Chennai to accept the award on her husband’s behalf, said: “Raghu always said his life must be a story that he could tell to his grand-children. To the last, he was true to his word.  I would like to thank India Retail Forum and the retail fraternity for this honour.”

     

  • Reckitt Benckiser launches Dettol Liquid Handwash in new packaging avatar

    New packs benefit Dettol Handwash

    By A Correspondent 

    Dettol, one of the most trusted brands from the portfolio of Reckitt Benckiser, has launched Dettol Liquid Handwash in a new packaging avatar bundled with new benefits.  The Dettol Liquid Handwash range that gives effective protection against a wide range of unseen germs daily is now available in a contemporary, easy-to-hold shape, and new fragrances and packaging.

    Dettol Liquid Handwash has four variants including Dettol Skincare, Dettol Fresh, Dettol Sensitive and Dettol Original, which comes with new formulations and better lather. All the four variants are available in pump packs of 250ml and / or 135ml. The new handwash bottles come with a wider pump for easier use and a wider mouth for easier refill. The refill packs are also available in 185ml and 900ml.

    Mr Chander Mohan Sethi, Chairman and Managing Director Reckitt Benckiser India Ltd, said, “We at Reckitt Benckiser constantly aim at providing new and better solutions to our customers. Our new Dettol Liquid Handwash bottles with wider pumps are in line with Dettol’s primary focus of providing germ protection. Dettol, our flagship brand, is considered the gold standard for protection against germs and infections.”

     

  • The anchor: Naresh Gupta on 7 things research will never tell a marketer

    No self-respecting marketing executive can live without market research. Market research offers purposeful information to make plans, policies, programmes and procedures for any marketing activity. The market research industry is as old as the communications industry and, many would argue, more important than the mainstream communications industry. Yet there are pitfalls, and things that can’t be foretold. Here are seven things MR can rarely tell.

     

    #1 Reflect reality

    Market research is a post facto measurement of what had happened. The common belief is that research data reflects the current reality and hence can be used as a basis for predicting future. If that was the case then well researched brands would have never failed

    #2 Predict the future

    Research means placing human beings together in one place ask them their opinions and forming that as the basis for predicting the future. This is like saying that if you watch a lion in zoo, you will learn all about lions. The human zoo is no different from an animal zoo, and is rarely the right basis for prediction.

    #3 Is never free of bias

    Any form of research suffers from investigator bias and statistical errors. Research too is a classic case of stimulus response. The answers depend on what you ask, and that define the findings. Can research ever be free of bias?

    #4 Right answers depend on the right questions

    The new Coke is the stuff that is now a case study. While the new formulation tested well, scored on blind tastes and passed every test the research industry threw at it, it failed when launched. The consumer was not asked the most obvious question; will the formulation change the brand they love? Do they want the brand to change? The result was a massacre in the market.

    #5 No guarantee of success

    Testing a new commercial for predicting its success in market is a common practice. It is easy to score a commercial on emotional appeal, on message comprehension, on ability to create perception. Yet more commercials fail then succeed. We all know that, yet we are slaves to practice.

    #6 Does not replace experience and gut

    We need to remember that research is a tool, and not the decision. A marketer’s gut, experience, market reality are far more important than any amount of research data. Yet the tendency is to live more by research data and less by collective experience.

    #7 Quality matters

    We all know this.

    Right?

    Yet an average marketer rarely spends time on figuring out who will administer the stimulus for research. Will an average field executive be up to scratch? Will the average investigator strike the right balance of objectivity and expertise? Most researches are spoilt by simple overlooking of this crucial aspect. Next time, pay attention to field investigators.

     

    As a simple test try this, ban MR for a while, live by what you know as a marketer, trust your experience, trust your market feel, trust the hours you have spent in the field. Take the decisions that need to be taken, and use research almost as the last step to check gross negative. You just might speed up the process, learn a great deal more from mistakes, and possibly be more successful.

    Experience always triumphs over data.

     

    Naresh Gupta is Head – Brand Strategy, iYogi Technical Services