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Tag: Neelima Burra

  • It’s Day 6 of the National Lockdown and we bring to you our all-new all-new series called ‘Stay@Home’ that we introduced last Thursday. Today, we have with Neelima Burra, Co-founder and Board of Directors, Ganymede Business Ventures Pvt Ltd, telling us about five things to ask oneself

    Lockdown Day 6: Stay@Home with Neelima Burra: 5 Things to Ask Yourself

    It’s Day 6 of the National Lockdown and we bring to you our all-new all-new series called ‘Stay@Home’ that we introduced last Thursday. Today, we have with Neelima Burra, Co-founder and Board of Directors, Ganymede Business Ventures Pvt Ltd, telling us about five things to ask oneself. Read on…

     

    5 Things to Ask Yourself

     

    My ‘to-finish’ roster had an avalanche of projects ranging from getting better organised, to home makeover, to having a social life, to the entrepreneurial (so many business ideas, etc, etc, etc!). I felt like I was drowning in the sea of things I wanted to do versus the time I had to do them. I knew I needed a system to get myself in the right state of mind to efficiently and consistently create.

    Not to mention, occasionally, you do need a kick on your back to rethink and re-reinvent yourself. If I don’t get these occasional wakeup calls, it’s so easy for me to fall into the trap of replicating how others are doing the thing I want to do, rather than just putting in the minutes and hours doing it myself.

    The Lockdown is helping me create time and space for getting in the flow state. These are the 5 things I found most relevant to start with.

     

    1. Declutter your everyday living. Be Minimalistic. Simplify your lifestyle:

    After all, as a former shopaholic and workaholic, my life was one big cluttered mess! I was already so busy and decluttering just seemed like another item on my already overwhelming to-do list. With the supply of commodities shrinking up, this is a good time to revaluate what you should consider ‘essentials’. Most of us have acquired too many belongings that complicate our life. Trying to maintain them and keep track of them, we feel stressed and irritated. It sounds like an extreme privilege, but it’s true. Try and figure out what you really need and what you don’t. This is a good time to do some trimming and lighten up. Rest assured, the experience will help you gain a completely different perspective on your life. You will realise the number of things you take for granted in your day-to-day life, and the few that you really need.

     

    2. Connect with Family, Create new memories, Relive childhood :

    With busy work schedules, it’s often the family and friends who take a backseat in life. It’s time to strengthen your inner circle of bonding and create a larger outer circle of influence. There are at least half a dozen people, at any given point of time that you need to call back. Parents, that slightly touchy friend, or a former colleague — you really meant to call them back, but you know how it is. This is a good time to find out how your friends and family are doing; if the elders among them are coping up well.

    Once you are done with your work-from-home time, you can sit with the family every evening for a round or two. Relive your childhood as you play with your children. Ludo, Scrabble, Monopoly, and many other games accumulating dust in a corner of your house. Bring it back and get playing with your family. Relive memories and create new memories for future with your kids and family, cooking together, eating together, reading, watching movies, listening to songs, flipping old albums and pictures and many more, you always wanted to do, but never had the time to.

     

    3. Feed your mind… READ, READ, READ:

    This can be a great use of your me-time, simply because you will enhance your knowledge of people, society, history and culture. It’s a no brainer.  Reading books keeps you smarter and more empathetic. Five books to read for sure –

     

    a. Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life Kindle Edition by Joshua Fields Millburn(Author), Ryan Nicodemus  (Author) : Minimalism is the thing that gets us past the things so we can make room for life’s most important things—which actually aren’t things at all.

    b. Deep Work by Cal Newport :  One of the most valuable skills in our economy is becoming increasingly rare. If you master this skill, you’ll achieve extraordinary results

    c. Gen Z Effect: The Six Forces Shaping the Future of BusinessBook by Dan Keldsen and Tom Koulopoulos : In this revolutionary new book, the authors delve into a vision of the future where disruptive invention and reinvention is the acknowledged norm, touching almost every aspect of how we work, live and play.

    d. Radical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean

    Book by Kim Scott – Radical Candor is the sweet spot between managers who are obnoxiously aggressive on the one side and ruinously empathetic on the other. It is about providing guidance, which involves a mix of praise as well as criticism – delivered to produce better results and help your employees develop their skills and increase success.

    e. Nothingness: The Science Of Empty Space

    Book by Henning Genz : Nothingness addresses one of the most puzzling problems of physics and philosophy: Does empty space have an existence independent of the matter within it? Is “empty space” really empty, or is it an ocean seething with the creation and destruction of virtual matter?

     

    4. Be your most Awesome Self, Create a new Body, Mind and Soul:

    In our stress – ridden and hectic lives, we often found ourselves in a hurry to do and achieve so many things – trying to balance career, families, side hustles, social lives, workouts and more leaving us with a feeling for lack of a better word – drained. It can be considered somewhat of a recent phenomenon for people to feel dissatisfied if we’re not experiencing complete happiness & fulfilment in every aspect of our lives.

     

    If you have been thinking of getting fitter, take up yoga or pilates, or join a functional workout class from home. Many yoga and fitness trainers are offering classes online at this time—follow them on their social media pages to find the best option. What’s more, the fitness and aerobics videos on YouTube can be real fun! Set your wellness goal, draw a plan and create a routine to follow.

    1. Start with your food you eat

    2. Give yourself time to rest

    3. Pamper yourself – create a spa at home comfort

    4. Disconnect from technology

    5. Yoga, Meditate and Chant

     

    5. Skill up and Prepare Yourself for Post Lockdown :

    Introspect, analyse and work on improving your strengths and managing your weaknesses. Make your wish list for post lockdown and likely scenarios. Three weeks is a long time, but know that this too shall pass. Make a list of all the things you want to do once the lockdown is lifted. Plan for reboot and relaunch.

    Work on a skill you always wanted to acquire. Maybe you could simply start with an online course, webinars, online tutorials or simply practice something new. 21 days of practice would be good enough to make it a habit.

     

    Neelima Burra is a Co-founder and is on the Board of Directors, Ganymede Business Ventures Pvt Ltd. She is a senior marketer having worked with HP Inc, Cargill Global Edible Oils and Foods, Usha International Ltd, Whirlpool of India, Britannia Industries and HLL Lifecare.

  • Targets home segment buyers with affordable printing solutions

    HP introduces ‘Print Befikar’ campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    HP India has launched its ‘Print Befikar’ TVC-led campaign, introducing the home segment to its new range of ink tank printers. Primarily targeted at parents of school-going children between the ages of 4 to 14, it is positioned as a solution to affordably meet printing needs of parents of school going kids for projects and home paperwork. It has been created and shot by BBDO.

     

    Said Neelima Burra, Country Marketing Director, HP India on the campaign: “With our campaign “Print Befikar”, we want to debunk the perception surrounding home printing and highlight how HP brings ease and affordability to printing.”

     

     

  • Campaign launched on the back of the recent consumer friendly packaging launch

    Leonardo Olive Oil dispels myths around the category in latest campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading olive oil brand maker Leonardo has unveiled its new campaign ‘Indian foods have hots for olive oil’ which creates awareness among consumers regarding the usage of olive oil in their daily Indian cooking.

     

    Commenting on this Neelima Burra, Chief Marketing Officer and Business Head – Health & Wellness, Cargill Foods India said: “Leonardo Olive Oil has done a deep dive with the consumers to gain an understanding of the key triggers, motivators and barriers of usage. With the launch of new packaging, Leonardo Olive Oil has user-friendly names for each of its variants to propagate right decision making. This step is expected to increase the consumption of olive oil in Indian cooking.”

     

    Added Naveen Gaur, Chief Operating Officer – Lowe Lintas: “Leonardo’s brand journey in India has always been centered around creating awareness about the versatile usage of Olive oil in Indian kitchens. Our present campaign is an extension along this path where we break the myth that olive oil cannot be used for Indian cooking. Using the variant best suited for different types of cooking needs like frying, day to day cooking and dressing, it is possible to reap the numerous health benefits of this versatile oil. The campaign is vibrant and at the same time educative of the usages of the variants helping consumers to understand the product and its benefits.”

     

     

  • She was recently elected President of the Indian Olive Association, has been working with Cargill for three-and-a-half years

    Neelima Burra quits Cargill as CMO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Neelima Burra, Chief Marketing Officer and Business Head – Organised Retail (MT &CSD) and Country Head – Olive Oil at Cargill Foods, has decided to move on. She will stay on with Cargill till the end of this month (October 2017).

    Burra, who was recently elected President of the Indian Olive Association, has been working with Cargill for three-and-a-half years. In this period, Burra, who has helmed marketing at Usha International and Whirlpool (for rerigerators) after stints at Britannia and HLL Lifecare, has been credited to have got Cargill visible in the marketplace through smart marketing moves.

    Burra was not available for comment at the time of writing this report, though the development has been confirmed by sources in Cargill. We don’t know yet about her next assignment, though a not-so-li’l birdie tell us that it will be a larger regional role.

     

     

  • Gemini Cooking oil serves not only healthy food, but also a legacy and family heritage to its consumers

    Gemini Cooking Oil unveils new campaign ‘Apna Parivaar Apni Gemini’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Gemini Cooking oil has unveiled the brand’s new campaign ‘Apna Parivaar Apni Gemini’ which highlights the long-lasting relation between Gemini and its consumers across generations.

     

    Speaking on the launch of the new campaign, Neelima Burra, Chief Marketing Officer and Business Head – Health & Wellness, Cargill Foods India said: “With the new campaign, we are furthering the brand promise of goodness of health with Nutri-V i.e. Vitamins A, D & E and reassurance of generations. In the coming months, there will be an anticipated portfolio extension for our brand Gemini – to continue to serve our consumers as well as enhance our relevance with the next generation of health-conscious consumers.”

     

    Speaking on behalf of Lowe Lintas, Naveen Gaur, Chief Operating Officer, Lowe Lintas said: “Dealing with heritage brands is always a challenge as one has to maintain that fine balance of not alienating your core base but at the same time factoring in the emerging trends. Gemini has been a part of the traditional Maharashtrian Kitchen for over three decades. The current campaign beautifully celebrates this association with the evolving Maharashtrian consumers.”

  • Lowe Lintas Delhi won the agency mandate for all consumer brands under Cargill Foods India

    Cargill Foods appoints Lowe Lintas as creative agency

    By A Correspondent

     

    Leading FMCG company Cargill Foods India has appointed Lowe Lintas for the creative duties for consumer brands – from edible oils to atta.

     

    The pitch was announced for Cargill Foods India’s brands, such as the Leonardo range of Olive Oils, Nature Fresh range of edible oils, Nature Fresh Sampoorna Chakki Atta, Sweekar Refined Sunflower Oil, Gemini Refined Cooking Oil, Sunflower Vanaspati and Rath Vanaspati. Out of the 11 agencies, Lowe Lintas is said to have brought it alive in the form of creative advertising ideas and communication with a 360 degree integrated approach.

     

    On this new journey, Neelima Burra, Chief Marketing Officer at Cargill Foods said, “Edible Oil is a highly fragmented and regionalised market. Cargill India follows multi brand approach and micro-marketing strategy to win in market place. Looking at the business dynamics, in last two years we have rejigged our portfolio and brand positioning. We thank our earlier agencies Leo Burnett and FCB Ulka, who helped us to re-position and re-launch our brands. I really appreciate their efforts in helping us evolve our campaigns and make them noticeable. We are extremely choosy of our approach to businesses and marketing. While our products and brands are doing well in top league, we believe customized campaign approach is pivotal for success in Edible Oil Market. The brief we shared and the ideas proposed by Lowe Lintas were in complete sync with the ethos of the brands which were pitched for.  We are excited on this association to lead all our brands to a leadership position in consumer’s hearts and minds“.

     

    Said Naveen Gaur, President, Lowe Lintas, Delhi: “We are truly excited about our partnership with Cargill. At Lowe, we have a tradition of building brands which not only enjoy mass support but also become a part of everyday conversation. And that’s exactly been the crux of our conversations with Cargill. Looking forward to create some great pieces of work!”

     

     

  • The ethos of his personality and that of NatureFreshActi-Lite is what makes him a fit for the brand

    NatureFresh Acti-Lite partners MSD for new brand ethos

    By A Correspondent

     

    NatureFresh Acti-Lite has partnered with the movie MS Dhoni to take forward the brand thought of ‘Raho Har Pal Active’ through in-film placement and a 360-degree plan.

     

    With this association, the brand has planned activities for its consumers, retailers and employees. Activities includes TV campaign, employees meet and greet with the star cast of the movie, retailer engagement activities, movie tickets and giving away attractive merchandise along with social media contest called #Captain Active for consumers to post their stories.

     

    Speaking on the association, Neelima Burra, Chief Marketing Officer, Cargill Foods India said: “Associating NatureFresh Acti-Lite with the movie MS Dhoni is like a perfect handshake as both of them believe in the common ideology of a fitter and active life. Taking into consideration the clutter and competition, brands are looking at new and innovative platforms to connect with their audiences. Embedded advertising or in-film placement is one of the trending ways to execute this ambition. We are glad to associate with MS Dhoni movie as it will help us build a stronger connect with our audience.”

     

  • Nature Fresh Acti-Lite brings forward its association as an able health partner to the fore

    Nature Fresh cracks new code for its Acti-Lite campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    The woman of the house often has to deal with the challenge of maintaining the health of her family along with the activeness quotient, which impacts the day-to-day happiness in the household. Every woman expects her husband to be an active father. She wants the husband to spend some active time with their children after he is back home from a busy and stressful work day. While, men around the country are trying hard to share the responsibility of parenting, while their better halves are helping them maintain an active lifestyle by making smarter food choices.

     

    As a result, the modern day Indian family is switching to healthier lifestyle and food choices. In its all new brand campaign, NatureFresh Acti-Lite brings forward its association as an able health partner to the fore.

     

    Conceived by FCB Ulka, and set against a melodious soundtrack created by Salim Sulaiman, the storytelling is about how a woman, by making little changes in the grocery items, can turn her husband into a dream father for their little daughter. We see a father who enjoys to take his little girl cycling daily or getting her ready for school, to doing delightful things like pitching a tent and camping out in the backyard. This is where the power of the Woman- the Home Maker is showcased. She is able to make kacche papa to acche papa [being able to do all that they want to do with their children] by simply switching to NatureFresh Acti-lite, as the cooking medium. NatureFresh Acti-lite, with its low fat cooking medium, promises less absorption of oil, that results in less sluggishness in the body. One important step towards having a ‘har pal active’ family.

     

    Speaking on the launch of the new campaign, Neelima Burra, Chief Marketing Officer , Cargill India said, “NatureFresh Acti-Lite is India’s first low fat cooking proposition in the edible refined oil category. According to our research, eating Low-Fat food is an un-met need which consumers feel is important for an active lifestyle. Through our new marketing campaign, we aim to target the cosmopolitan families and set a new trend in the category of low fat cooking with Nature Fresh Acti-lite.” The new NatureFresh Acti-Lite is the perfect partner for the Home Maker, which is helping her give the household their daily dose of active fun by having an active father!”

     

    Speaking on behalf of FCB Ulka, Swati Bhattacharya, Chief Creative Officer, said “The woman of the house is the architect of the happiness moments of the family. Behind every “Ache Papa” is an intelligent Mom who knows the recipe of how to make her family more active and help them accomplish more each day.”

     

    Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman & CEO, FCB Ulka said, “At FCB Ulka, we nurture brands to become strong partners to their consumers. NatureFresh Acti-Lite is one such brand. Giving new age solutions like low fat cooking to homemakers who are wanting to empower their husbands in their most important role in life- that of a good father.”

     

  • To reach the niche and premium segments, BTL works the best with least spillover and media wastages, says Neelima Burra, CMO, Cargill Foods India

    BTL Baatein: Neelima Burra, Cargill Foods India…. Powered by VISCOMM

    As Chief Marketing Officer at Cargill Foods India Ltd (CFI), Neelima Burra is responsible for managing the marketing activities of CFI while leading a team of marketing specialists to drive brand leadership for the company.

     

    Burra has been associated with the FMCG, Consumer Durable and Healthcare industries for over 15 years and has in-depth understanding of the consumer trends in the category. Her core strength lies in business turnaround through Brand Marketing, Product/Category Management and Business Development. She is passionate about designing, implementing and integrating multifaceted marketing programmes that tie in successfully with mainstream business objectives. Neelima has been instrumental in setting up marketing structures and frameworks within organizations to drive sustainable and profitable growth through brand marketing

     

    Prior to joining Cargill Foods India in 2014, Neelima was Head of Marketing at Usha International handling a diverse portfolio of Kitchen Appliances, Home Appliances and Sewing Machine verticals.  She has also been associated with Whirlpool Corporation as GM Marketing, Britannia Industries Ltd. & HLL Lifecare Ltd in the past.

     

    An alumnus of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, Neelima Burra speaks on how BTL is a pillar for any product that requires knowledge creation, engagement or behavioral change.

     

    1. What according to you is the importance of BTL specifically for Cargill India products in the world of advertising and promotions?

    Brands in Cargill India’s portfolio cater to varied consumer segments with differentiated demographics, psychographics and geography. The choice of oil is a very complex process involving the cultural background, cooking and health needs. Price also plays a role since consumers don’t see perceptible difference in various brands of oils. Therefore, engaging with the consumer is an important element of our strategy. While ATL is important for creating brand awareness, BTL plays a huge role in the last mile conversion for all our brands.Emphasis on reason to believe and engagement with the brand at the ‘place of conversion’ i.e. the shop floor goes a long way in driving purchase. We also use BTL as a channel to create new business opportunities.

     

    One of the brands where we invest significantly in BTL is Leonardo Olive Oil. Being a relatively new category, it requires knowledge creation amongst the influencers as well as the consumers on the health benefits of Leonardo Olive Oil. Some of the examples are:

    • Medico-Marketing to explain the benefits of Leonardo to Nutritionists and Doctors
    • We have piloted a concept Olive Bar – an experiential store where the consumer can taste the different variants of Leonardo Olive Oil and engage with the product.
    • Engagement with Nutritionists to discuss the health benefits of Leonardo Olive Oil
    • Chef Engagement to break the myth that olive oil cannot be used to make Indian dishes
    • We have hired promoters to communicate the benefits of Leonardo Olive Oil at different touch points such as Modern Trade, Market areas, Malls, Offices, RWAs etc.
    • We have created engagement platforms through digital and mobile with microsite, facebook page and twitter handle to support our on-ground activations

     

    2. Your products cater from urban to rural segments? Are there some audiences where BTL works better than ATL and vice versa?

    I believe BTL is driven by brand intent and audience for the category. It is a pillar for any product that requires knowledge creation, engagement or behavioral change. Depending on the need of the brand and the target audience, we decide the BTL strategy, method and approach. For instance, in Gemini which is our mass premium brand, we have a renowned Nutritionist to engage with the consumers on the benefits of Nutri-V fortified Gemini Cooking oil. In Nature Fresh Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil – our mass brand, we use BTL to demonstrate the high pungency and purity of the product. On the other hand, in Leonardo olive oil which is our niche and premium brand, we use BTL to engage with the audience. In that sense, where we use ATL or BTL is determined by the need for engagement and not necessarily by audience. Lastly, depending on the brand communication objective and task at hand, the degrees of ATL and BTL in the campaign mix may vary.

     

    Would you say that there are certain types of marketers who have a greater affinity for BTL? (eg FMCG, durables, auto, etc)

    Whether to have a BTL strategy or not, depends purely on the brand’s task at hand and in theory it should be industry-agnostic. Even within the industry, the affinity towards BTL changes by brand and consumers.

     

    Since we deal in the commodity space, ATL helps us in converting the commodity into popular brands and BTL helps us in creating consumer engagement, affinity and advocacy. Depending on the lifecycle at which the brand is in, the optimal mix of ATL and BTL is created. For instance, Nature Fresh Chakki Atta which has been absent from the mass media for a few years now, has majority of focus on ATL right now with BTL as a support.

     

    And typically what the break-up is of spends at Cargill…  ATL v/s BTL?

    Putting together all our brand’s spends, it is a 40:60 towards ATL and BTL respectively. While we maintain a balance between ATL & BTL at an overall level, niche segment like Olive oil has larger BTL spends at the moment.

     

    In terms of generating results esp. from consumers and in B2B, do you find BTL a more sureshot avenue than ATL?

    Both ATL and BTL have specific roles to play.Today’s consumer is exposed to a variety of medium and the brand shift can happen at any stage during the buying cycle. Therefore, we use ATL and BTL together to ensure awareness, recall, experience, affinity and advocacy. In case of our B2Bbusiness where the audience is niche and decisions are made on relationships, we use only BTL strategy.

     

    While sales and salience are good indicators of its success, what are the attributes you/your clients look at to measure the success of a BTL campaign?

    We spend a lot of time prior to any campaign in establishing theROI metrics that would define its success criteria. Aside of the volume-value generation as a result of a BTL campaign, we also track variables like consumers engaged, consumers converted and referrals generated. We also link most of our BTL initiatives with consumer offer and channel program for better trade engagement and conversion during the campaign with incremental gain in business. We also connect our campaigns with digital and social media platforms to ensure that the consumers can connect back to us when they want.

     

    There are many organizations who often do new launches almost entirely on BTL aided with an outdoor and/or digital blitz? Your view on this. Given rising media costs, do you see BTL managing on its own, without ATL?

    We don’t look at ATL and BTL as substitutes, but more as complements to one another. In general, our ATL drives awareness and consideration, and then task for conversions is taken up by BTL. Until the entire loop is closed, one won’t be able to get the desired results. However, I have a different view for brands catering to fragmented markets. Segmented, targeted and customised conversations with consumers always pay off. BTL can completely drive brand preference in such markets. To reach the niche and premium segments, BTL works the best with least spillover and media wastages.

     

    Lastly, given the rising usage of mobile devices, would you say that in times to come BTL and digital would go hand-in-hand?

    Brands are not made by marketers. They are made by consumers. Traditional ATL and BTL are controlled by the marketers however digital can also be used by the consumers to engage with the brand. While we use ATL to create awareness and BTL to engage with the consumers, the engagement loop is not complete until we have provided a platform to the consumers to engage with us when they would like to. Brand Advocacy is created when a campaign provides a two-way communication. Digital strategy forms an integral part of all our campaignswith specific microsites and social media platforms – be it for Leonardo Olive Oil, Gemini Refined Oil or Nature Fresh as of now.

     

  • The campaign emphasizes the brand’s assurance of an extra bounce in everyday life

    Nature Fresh promotes new atta offering in latest TVC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nature Fresh Sampoorna Chakki atta, the fastest growing brand of packaged atta in India announced the launch of a new campaign with the theme ‘Khali pet jung nahi jeeti jaati’. The campaign emphasizes the brand’s assurance of an extra bounce in everyday life.

     

    Nature Fresh is a household name in India. The strength of the brand lies in its offering of the highest quality products sourced from the best of nature. The brand’s current portfolio comprises Atta and oil.

     

    Nature Fresh Sampoorna Atta is a pioneer in the packaged atta category. It is made from the select, high quality wheat, grinded perfectly to give best possible consistency – na zyada bareek, na zyada dardara. The atta is rich in dietary fiber that eases digestion which means more strength and energy to the body.

     

    As a nation, which is on a journey of progressive development, every individual is on a drive to move up the socio-economic ladder. The everyday battle to succeed in their goals is possible only when the individual is healthy and is full of energy and strength. The brand takes inspiration from this basic insight ‘khali pet jung nahi jeeti jaati’ and takes a leap in terms of not only building the promise on the functional role of Atta but a higher order promise of strength and energy to take on the daily challenges of life. The brand tagline has been articulated as ‘Shakti hur jung ke liye’.

     

    Commenting on the new campaign Neelima Burra, Chief Marketing Officer, Cargill Foods India said, “While the category of branded Atta has low penetration at the moment, we see a significant opportunity for growth. Through this campaign, we aim to secure a strong position in the mind of the progressive urban consumer who seeks value without compromising on quality.”

     

    Explaining the TVC idea, Sridhar Iyer, Sr. Vice President, FCB Ulka said,“Atta till date has been sold on quality, trust, care but we felt that there’s a larger reason for an atta brand to be sold. This stems from the fact that one cannot take on the challenges in an empty stomach. Roti as a part of the main meal menu is the conventional source of sustainable energy and countless Indians have believed in its power as they set off for everyday battles. Nature Fresh Sampoorna Chakki Atta embodies that belief.”