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Tag: Shireesh Joshi

  • … of critically ill under-privileged children in the areas of heart, cancer & thalassaemia, conducted by the Genesis Foundation (text+video)

    CEOs sing a song in support…

     

    Genesis Foundation held the second edition of its one-of-a-kind fundraiser – 40 CEOs Sing for GF Kids, in Mumbai last Saturday. Business leaders from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru came together once again to compete as teams, singing old, new, Hindi and English songs, to support the treatment of critically ill under-privileged children in the areas of heart, cancer and thalassaemia.

     

    The Delhi team, comprising CEOs from Jubilant Foodworks, SAP, iBus Network, Global Access Learning Solutions, Cargill India, Napino Auto and Electronics, Modern Foods and McKinsey were announced winners. The performances were evaluated by Zila Khan, Indian Sufi and classical singer, Lesle Lewis, Indian and Western fusion singer, and Ashish Manchanda, accomplisthed mixing and recording engineer, remixer and music producer.

     

    Speaking at the event, Prema Sagar, Founder Trustee, Genesis Foundation expressed her gratitude and delight, “A delightful event with every person giving their time, effort and best wishes to support critically ill children. What more can one ask for! Just like last year, I am amazed at the commitment that our CEO supporters have for the cause to come all the way from different parts of India to participate in this event. It has been an incredible year for us and I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to each person associated with not just tonight’s event but with the Foundation in any big or small way. The task at hand is huge, but our supporters give us the reassurance that it’s not impossible.”

     

    In keeping with the Genesis Foundation’s core to build a participatory culture of giving, musically inclined CEOs come together each year to raise funds for the critically ill and underprivileged children. “Over the years, the CEOs Sing events have created a community of supporters who don’t just give their time to participate in the singing events, like tonight’s 40 CEOs Sing For GF Kids, but with their influence, they also inspire their colleagues and other people to give their support to the cause of Genesis Foundation,” said Jyoti Sagar, Founder Trustee, Genesis Foundation.

     

    We spoke with the Sagars and three industry captains.

     

    Prema Sagar, Founder Trustee, Genesis Foundation

    How has the journey of Genesis Foundation been so far?

    The journey has been quite long actually. Started working with children in orphanages and then it became about thalassaemia, cancer and heart and so we started expanding and it has expanded right across the country mostly, so it has gone particularly to the South, the West and the North.

     

    Having 40 CEOs singing for a cause

    The reason why we got into music is because we wanted the children to survive and be happy and not be serious about fund raising. A lot of CEOs are bathroom singers or dinner singers so we thought why not get them on the stage. This has been going on for a few years and its been exciting not only for them but for us as well. We all become like one family because we all know each other and we get together even when we are not doing an event.

     

    Dia Mirza’s association with the Foundation

    Dia is a wonderful wonderful wonderful person whether it is about environment or about children she really believes in it and so you know that what she is giving to the foundation is also fantastic for everybody else and so I don’t want somebody who is just a brand but somebody who is really part of it and that is what Dia is all about.

     

    Jyoti Sagar, Founder Trustee, Genesis Foundation

    The Genesis Foundation journey so far?

    First of all, a bit of what Genesis Foundation does is we provide or facilitate critical medical assistance to orphans and to children from underprivileged sections of the society which we define as families whose monthly income is Rs.10000 or less and there are three areas in which we work – heart, cancer and thalassaemia major. In the last six to seven years we have been much more active. So, the journey has been amazing. This September we crossed a milestone of 1000 children lives being saved and it’s been fantastic.

     

    CEOs participation in the fundraising event.

    We have used music as medium to reach out to our supporters at large and even for fund raising and the corporate engagement in that has been quite interesting because we discovered that there were many CEOs who are very talented in music. So it turned out to be a very wonderful combination because we ended up providing this platform for CEOs to come out of the closet, so to say and to come out and perform for a very good cause. We have been doing in cities individually in Gurgaon, Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. The CEOs sing event for last six years now and last year we started with this idea of getting teams from banalise, Mumbai and Delhi to perform together. This one is our second edition of the 40 CEOs sing for genesis foundation.

     

    How was the response about CEOs for singing for this cause ?

    All the CEOs that you see here perform today are very kind-hearted and generous people and they are very happy to give their time. In the beginning of course when we started the process there was reluctance not that they didn’t want to do it but the typical reluctance that you have for doing something different but these people are very very willing participants and very generous supporters. We are here in Mumbai and we have CEOs who have come all the way from Bangalore, who have come all the way from Delhi and Gurgaon and these people have not only given their time but have flown here, they are going to stay here overnight and go back tomorrow on a weekend. For us, its just their commitment and their generosity which really matters and its very gratifying to see all these people give so much time for the cause of the foundation.

     

    Geetu Verma, Executive Director Foods & Refreshments, Hindustan Unilever

    Association with Genesis Foundation:

    I have actually lost count of the number of years I have been associated with Genesis. I think ever since Genesis started this particular event I have been associated with Genesis and I feel fiercely proud about the association. I think it’s a symbiotic association and I think it’s an incredible way how Prema and the Genesis team have brought passion at one level along with purpose together in such a sweet spot and in a wonderful way.

     

    How much time do you give to social causes?

    There are two causes very close to my heart, one cause is to do with women and having more women in the workplace and thats something that I advocate and promote a lot in the course of my work and wherever I get opportunities outside my workplace as well. The second cause is children, there are two causes that I support, one is Genesis Foundation for kids and the other one is St. Jude child centres. Both of these are really for giving life to children and I think it works quite seamlessly. I give whatever time I can give, sometimes have spells which are extremely busy and sometimes it’s a bit leaner but irrespective I think whatever I am able to do it gives me a lot of satisfaction.

     

    How was the experience of singing and your view on the need to unwind?

    I think everybody needs to have some creative outlet. You could be a painter, you could be a singer, you could play an instrument and I think it’s the best way to destress. I have had days which have been extremely tuff but when you come back in the evening and you switch on your own, whether its Kishor Kumar music or Sinatra and you can just sit back and chill you get transported to a different world. I love music. Music is god, music is life for me. So having opportunities like these are not something that I would ever pass out.

     

    Shireesh Joshi, COO, Strategic Marketing, Godrej Group

    Association with Genesis Foundation:

    I have been associated with Genesis Foundation and their CEO event right from the time they started back in Gurgaon in 2010. I have had the honour and pleasure of being with them in Delhi events, in Mumbai events, in Bangalore events and its been awesome trying to give back to the cause and the support through music which is my first love as well. So it’s the best of everything. A chance to give and a chance to have great fun in music with friends you love being with.

     

    How much time do you give to social causes?

    Well I have not kept count and most of the ones that I have done have of course been with Genesis and there have been quite a few over the years. So six years and counting. So yeah, I have done quite a few with them and I have managed to do a few others as well.

     

    How was the experience of singing and your view on the need to unwind?

    Many CEOs that I know have some hobby or the other. A lot of them have singing as a hobby but others have other things to do. Some paint, some write, I know people who publish books quite a bit. So people manage to do everything they love with passion no matter what or how responsible position they are in and I think if you do that it makes you do best for both. You get to be a better writer, musician or a sportsperson and you get to be a better geo because you are able to express yourself much better.

     

    Sanjiv Sarin, Managing Director & CEO, Tata Coffee

    Association with Genesis Foundation:

    I first got introduced with them because of what they have put together which I think is an awesome platform. Everybody has a brilliant time and yet is going for a good cause and over a period of time  I have seen the kind of work they are doing. I think its moved from entertainment to really appreciate and understand the depth of work that genesis has been doing.

     

    How much time do you give to social causes?

    I am actually pretty deeply involved with the Art of Living foundation. I am a corporate teacher with them and I am also involved with social projects. So it’s not that it’s only genesis foundation. Genesis is contributing of my time to somebody who is doing all this but I do tend to spend as much time as I can juggling work life and putting back to society.

     

    How was the experience of singing and your view on the need to unwind?

    I think it’s exceedingly important. One is besides the work that genesis is doing, each of the CEOs here for one day believes they can become a rockstar which I think is awesome and having been through a little bit of training and getting ready for this entire thing just shuts you off and puts you in a creative space which I think is absolutely critical for anybody right now.

     

  • Following a year-long process, Creativeland Asia has been appointed the communications partner for Godrej Masterbrand

    Creativeland wins Godrej Masterbrand creative mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Having partnered Godrej in revamping iconic brands like Cinthol, Godrej No.1 and Godrej Expert and crafting brands like Godrej aer and Protekt over the last couple of years, Creativeland recent win comes on the back of its deep understanding of the Godrej culture.

     

    Shireesh Joshi‎ COO, Strategic Marketing Group at Godrej says, “Godrej Masterbrand is extremely excited to have CLA on board as the creative agency. Look forward to working with them on many successful and award winning campaigns. With their deep knowledge of the Godrej brand and their unique approach it will be a win-win partnership for us.”

     

    Creativeland’s in-depth understanding and interpretation of Godrej both as a corporate and as a brand that touches millions of lives every day, helped it craft not a campaign, but an integrated way forward.

     

    Sajan Raj Kurup

    On the mandate, Sajan Raj Kurup, Founder and Creative Chairman, Creativeland Asia, says, “Godrej Masterbrand is more than a mandate. It is a responsibility. Especially given the fact that it straddles such a varied portfolio from FMCG to real estate to consumer durables, across multiple geographies. We spent a year and a half getting a deep understanding of the history, the culture and the legacy of Godrej before even attempting to pitch for the Masterbrand. Creativeland looks forward to contributing strategically towards an ever evolving and contemporary Godrej Masterbrand.”

     

    It’s an all-encompassing mandate, including digital, social and mainline.

     

  • Shireesh Joshi, Head-Strategic Marketing at Godrej, on the second phase of the group's Masterbrand campaign

    Building Trust via Masterbrand 2.0

     

    Eight commercials, Rs 25 crore adspend, and the dropping of megastar Aamir Khan from the next phase a high profile advertising blitz. The Godrej group unveiled its Masterbrand 2.0 consumer connect initiative last week showcasing a slew of innovative products. From a new-age bed equipped with electronic hydraulics, a video door phone allowing continuous surveillance of two entrances of home with a storing capacity of upto 100 photographs, effective mosquito repellant solutions to authentic street food experience at home, these products will be highlighted through a series of eight television commercials that are being aired from November 14 onwards. Aamir Khan, who starred in the first phase of the activity, has moved out though the old protagonists Sam and Meera have stayed on.

     

    Commenting on the Masterbrand 2.0 campaign strategy and the new customer interface system, Shireesh Mukund Joshi, Head-Strategic Marketing said the total spend by Godrej on Masterbrand in Phase 2 is Rs 25 crore, the same as what it was in the first phase. Individual businesses though could use the commercials in addition for pushing their sales.  “Companies aired the TV ads with their budget, reposted Masterbrand digital posts on their channels, and used Aamir, Sam and Meera in their creative last time. This time too is same. Plus they are promoting the FreeG number and channelising their appropriate marketing activity through the FreeG menu,” Joshi told ‘dna of brands’.

     

    Excerpts from an interview with Shireesh Mukund Joshi with Pradyuman Maheshwari:

     

    As you embark on the second phase of MasterBrand, tell us what has been the experience of the first phase?

    I think the campaign has been delightfully successful. People have seen the impact it has had on the business, seeing the impact on the brand. The impact on the brand dimension, revenues, on the pride of the employees, qualitative connect between categories and the Godrej brand. In general, the group feels it’s been a very successful campaign.

     

    You embarked on the build-up for the Godrej brand in 2008. As you look back at the six-year journey, was it really necessary to undertake it? The Godrej brand has always been a household name?

    The first need that was felt was that the brand had a hundred years of uncontrolled growth. Divisions were doing things on their own and there was no mastermind shepherding this journey. One stream of thought then was that there needs to be a unified presence for the brand, you can’t represent it in a fragmented fashion. The second thought was that it wasn’t just about how the brand looks but also what people think of the brand. What should you think when you think of Godrej? We spoke to stakeholders inside and outside and arrived at the brand position. After that got done, three other things took off from there. The moment you have a positioning and a set of communication, you need to track it. Tracking, became one stream of work. Next, if it’s a strategic asset, then an asset has value. And the third part was the stream of communication. The team recognized that there were several things that were important and strong about Brand Godrej that needed to be communicated, but they couldn’t all be done at once. After the initial signaling of the change, we took on each one at a time. First was around technology – the aerospace campaign. The second was around lifestyle – the Khelo, Jeeto campaign. The third was around youthfulness and GenNext – the GoJio campaign. Each year was about a new dimension and we did what we could do in 2013 because the seeds had been sowed by other campaigns.

     

    When do you think this journey would have achieved its desired impact?

    We are a respected brand, but it’s not the ranking that’s important to us anymore. It is, but it’s not the stronger driver. The average home will have about four to five Godrej products. We make hundreds. How do we drive a much broader penetration? There is a fair bit of growth still to be achieved.

     

    India has several such large brands as Godrej. Do you think there is a need for an exercise like this for other brands as well?

    I do. In the end every brand is a promise and it plays itself out in business decisions. No brand was created for the purpose of creating a brand. It was created for a product or service. If you think about the conglomerate brands we have in India, they span multiple categories. Ours, Tata, Birla, Reliance, Dabur…. It helps to do it scientifically, measure it, understand the interplay and do more things that reinforce each other and do less of things that are a counter to each other.

     

    You mentioned four or five products in each household and you have a 100 of them in your portfolio. Have you felt the need to get into more youth-appealing products like mobile phones? Would you advise the management to get into such product areas?

    We aren’t looking at product categories we aren’t already in. We’re looking to strengthen and capitalise the categories we’re  already in. We might be a 30-40 per cent market leader. There is tremendous headroom for growth. The focus is on capturing the headroom for growth we have now, which is based on our strengths. If you look at the brand history, you’ll see that every year we have touched upon or entered a category or segment…

     

    How has the brand campaign helped in terms of revenues?

    Exponentially and I think our volumes have increased significantly. We’ve seen at least over 25% year-on-year growth on both topline and bottomline.

     

    Has it helped in terms of attracting topflight talent. Are you hiring from the premium B-schools like the IIMs?

    It has. This year we went to XLRI and IIM Ahmedabad, which we hadn’t gone to for a few years. The growth of the consumer and employer brand allow us entry and access into more and more campuses.

     

    You mentioned the spends on the advertising campaign have been in the region of 25 crore and it has had a positive rub off on the sales of brands. Would you say that the sales have increased beyond spends?

    I think, first of all, all the spend isn’t going into sales. We started with the objective of long-term sales which eventually translates into sales. What we saw was a much stronger short-term impact. There are certain divisions where we’ve seen a dramatic increase in sales in a few months. We’re continuing this campaign, which we’ll see grow with the multiplier effect.

     

    The fact that you’ve got into the second phase obviously indicates the first phase was successful. You have to justify the cost, right?

    Certainly, not just to ourselves because the funding comes from the divisions. They also see it of value given that they still support it in Year 2. Businesses are seeing its impact on their own revenue and sales, directly.

     

    You’ve had Hrithik Roshan, Virat Kohli, Aamir Khan and now you’ve moved way from celebrity endorsers. In fact Godrej has traditionally had people like Imran Khan endorsing the brand.

    Yes, we’ve had historically… mostly in the soap business. Preity Zinta did appliances. No other business has consistently used celebrities thought. Even the Godrej Masterbrand has used a celebrity only for one year. There was a specific reason why we chose Aamir Khan more than anybody else. Now we’ve moved on to the next stage. Traditionally, we don’t use celebrities, leaving soaps aside.

     

    If you have to look at one word where you would have the Godrej name to be described, would it be ‘trust’ or ‘cool’?

    One word is difficult. Everything is multi-dimensional. When we grew up, I had only two shoes – black and PT shoes. Now you have work, party, for sports… everything is fragmented. It’s hard to develop brands in developed categories to work with a single dimension. You have to be more complete than one dimensional. An idea that makes life brighter is just one thought.

     

    The making life brighter would be more cool than trust, isn’t it?

    It’s not at the cost of trust. Products have a much shorter life cycle now. My dad had his first car for 20-odd years before he sold it. I’ve never kept a car for more than five years. It’s not that trust and durability aren’t factors anymore. People have the economic ability to make more choices. We know we’re able to offer services without having to give up on the already good parts. People trust us.

     

    A shorter version of a story package on the Godrej Masterbrand 2.0 appeared in dna of brands on November 24

     

  • Launches FreeG; India's first non-web based mobile browsing experience

    Godrej undertakes consumer connect initiative – Masterbrand 2.0

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Godrej Group has embarked on ‘Masterbrand 2.0’, a consumer connect initiative, aimed at providing ideas that make life brighter. As part of this initiative, the company also launched ‘FreeG’: India’s first non-web based mobile browsing experience.

     

    Celebrated for offering innovative brighter living ideas for over 100 years, Godrej reiterates its commitment of creating pathbreaking products with the launch of Masterbrand phase 2.0. The campaign showcases a slew of innovative products offered by Godrej to delight its customers. From a new age bed enabled with electronic hydraulics, a video door phone allowing continuous surveillance of two entrances of home with storing capacity of upto 100 photographs, state of the art properties, effective mosquito repellent solutions to authentic street food experience at home, these products were showcased through a series of eight television commercials that were aired on prime national channels from November 14vonwards. The commercials continue to feature Sam and Meera, the protagonists from the 2013 Masterbrand campaign.

     

    Tanya Dubash

    Speaking at the launch, Tanya Dubash, Executive Director and Chief Brand Officer, Godrej Group stated, “In this next phase of the Godrej Masterbrand journey, we continue to showcase designful and innovative products with ideas that truly make our consumers’ lives brighter, from across our diverse set of businesses. We believe that when seen collectively, this leads to a reassessment of the image of brand Godrej which in turn leads to greater consideration and sales.”

     

    In a breakthrough move, Godrej also launched, on this occasion, a first of its kind customer interface, ‘FreeG’-India’s first non-web based mobile browsing experience. FreeG is an innovative consumer interface, in the form of a mobile number- 09980899808, that allows every mobile user in the country the opportunity to experience the entire portfolio of Godrej offerings completely free of cost. It has a potential reach of 866 million consumers and is the Group’s vision of a long-term property that will straddle across all Godrej brands.

     

    Taking this forward, the launch of Masterbrand will be followed by various interactive consumer initiatives that will further communicate the idea of brighter living. With an effort to bring these ideas closer to their patrons, Godrej will also launch a number of digital films. A unique initiative in the pipeline is ‘Tweet a Tune’- a pioneering consumer engagement initiative that will witness the group in partnership with professional musicians on the song dew platform create songs inspired by tweets posted by Godrej patrons. And this is not it! Known to create brighter living offerings for not just India but across the world, Godrej leaves no stone unturned in connecting with their patrons as they attribute the songs to each patron and thereafter dedicate the same across multiple media platforms like radio and social media.

     

    Commenting on the Masterbrand 2.0 campaign strategy and the new customer interface system, Shireesh Joshi, Head-Strategic Marketing, Godrej Group said, “The next leg of our iconic Masterbrand 2.0 campaign has taken a giant leap. We are proud to showcase an entirely new set of Godrej’s ideas that make life brighter. Creatively our new campaign with Sam and Meera strikes fresh ground – insightful products in charming stories with characters that feel real; so real that they have their own social pages. And as an execution this campaign leaves behind 360 marketing to a level of cross media seamless-ness never seen before. The awareness to purchase journey is now a smooth experience that’s as rewarding as the products.”

    “The campaign revolves around a young modern couple who discover a new idea from Godrej and a new aspect to their relationship. This is a sequel to celebrating ideas that make life better that made its debut last year. The Godrej products are interwoven in this very charming episodic campaign that showcases young couples in India who are home proud, gadget proud and relationship proud. Godrej ka naya idea is the bedrock of each film where viewers discover the simplicity and joy of owning a Godrej”, says Tista Sen, National Creative Director, JWT India.

    “Driving an image that is contemporary, friendly, relevant and young this campaign re-positions the brand to a friend you cannot do without. Supported on digital and online with twitter and Facebook this seamless communication celebrates the innovation at the heart of each Godrej product and thereby celebrates life”, she adds.

  • Godrej in association with Talenthouse invites aspiring artist to design the new logo for innovation

    Godrej rolls out innovation-led contest with Talenthouse

    By a correspondent

     

    Godrej in association with SEA’s leading creative crowdsourcing platform, Talenthouse India, has recreated the magic of innovative thinking via ‘Symbol Of Innovation’ contest. The contest invites designers, artists, students and anyone with a flair for design to come up with a logo or symbol that represents innovation. The key challenge would be to intuitively convey innovation and should be universally applicable on all mediums including print, on-product stickers, television, digital platforms etc. The last date for entry is July 08 while the winners will be announced on July 31, 2014.

     

    The winner will receive a grand prize of Rs Rs 1 lakh and an exposure for their entry across the host’s social media channels. The winner will also get an opportunity to be featured on future communication by Godrej on multiple mediums.

     

    Announcing the collaboration, Shireesh Joshi, Head-Strategic Marketing, Godrej Group said, “Continuing with our commitment to foresee and develop innovation in sync to our masterbrand campaign – Ideas that makes life brighter, we have introduced this campaign to provide a unique platform to promote, showcase and cultivate innovative thinking. It’s also a good opportunity to create recognition of the unique and innovative ideas behind our products that make life brighter for our consumers.”

     

    Elaborating on this association, Arun Mehra, CEO, Talenthouse India said, “Talenthouse is fast becoming a prominent platform that collaborates with leading brands to ensure maximum consumer engagement. We are very happy with our association with Godrej and are certain that this initiative will generate a lot of interest from participants. Brands need to be a part of the consumer’s mind space rather than just plugged from the outside and this innovative initiative is reaching its consumers in a creative way.”