Through the frosted glasses in Daizo Ito’s swanky office in Gurgaon, one can clearly see the growth and chaos bustling in and around Gurgaon.

But an unconcerned Ito is focused on only one thing: how to convert the Japanese behemoth’s missed chance in India into an opportunity to make Panasonic a trusted household name in the country. By Aditi Prasad

The thrilling World Baseball Classic (WBC) finals held at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium earlier this year saw Japan and Korea slug it out for the title, with underdog Japan winning the championship on the back of the team’s super pitching form. Some commentators believe that the photo finish WBC event irrevocably established that baseball was no longer just an American game. But for some others like Daizo Ito, Panasonic India’s Chief Executive, it signified much more than that viz. the curious case of the Indian consumer durables market where Koreans monopolise the segment at the cost of global Japanese heavyweights like Panasonic. Japan beat favourites Korea in the WBC finals, and Ito now has a plan, if not to beat, then at least, join the ranks of the Korean biggies in India’s Rs.26,000-crore durables market.

“We are no longer pussy cats, but hungry tigers,” Ito avers, with a roar, his towering personality almost dwarfing his swank cabin in Panasonic India’s premises at Gurgaon. For those who came in late, Panasonic was one of the first consumer durable companies to have spotted the India opportunity way back in the 90s, much before LG and Samsung soared into the limelight. In Ito’s own words, when he was sent by Chairman Nakamura to take charge of Panasonic’s India operations 18 months ago, he was “shocked” to see Panasonic languishing near the bottom, at 16th position in brand awareness among all its rivals. “In most other Asian countries, we are at the number 1 or 2 positions competing with either Sony or Samsung,” he laments.

Not that the big guys at the company headquarters in Japan were caught napping. Instead, all these years, Panasonic had been merely looking at China as their big growth engine. With the result that today, China contributes almost 8% to Panasonic’s global turnover; while India’s share stands at an embarrassing less than 1% of the behemoth’s global revenues. Ito however is in town to challenge status quo. Reputed somewhat as a turnaround man within Panasonic, the man has, to his credit, turned around the fortunes of Panasonic UK and has also taken his company to the number one position in Thailand over the last few years. Now his eyes are fixed on India. “Panasonic’s 100th anniversary is in 2018 and my gift to our headquarters on that occasion will be to make Panasonic India a stark success,” he avers smilingly. Ito has already got off to a good start. The last year has seen Panasonic jump from relative obscurity to right under the floodlights, courtesy a big budget marketing blitz with a host of ambassadors, including the new heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor and even the Bachchan father-son duo for their ECO initiative.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
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With hope, all the way

December 7, 2009 will witness world leaders from 192 countries gather at Copenhagen to attend the most coveted conference – the United Nations Climate Change Conference. The conference will supposedly decide the future of our planet, which may go into oblivion if a definite framework on limiting carbon emissions before the expiry of Kyoto protocol is not formulated. UN, in its endeavour to connect with the general public, has devised a cause-related campaign with the leading ad agencies of the world (including O&M, McCann Worldgroup, Euro RSCG, MPG, Draft FCB, Tribal DDB, Colle+McVoy, Saatchi & Saatchi, Digitas, Interbrand) by the name of Hopenhagen, which signifies a more hopeful way of living in the future without any adverse effects of global warming. Seems that the mantra of hope propagated by US Prez Barack Obama will find solace in all the major ‘changes’ taking place in the world.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here

Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
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IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
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IT’S NEO, IT’S NOW!

And the good start of the ODI tournament reflects that the channel’s efforts have worked. As per aMap, the fourth India-Australia ODI got a TRP of 2. Neo Sports’ Marketing Head Abhishek Verma, says, “We are very happy with the initial response to the tournament. And these are aMap ratings… The TAM ratings for cricket matches are generally double of that of aMap. Moreover, as it is becoming a close fight for the series we are expecting an average TAM ratings of 8-9 points for the entire tournament. The advertisers’ response to the tournament has also been good. Neo Sports got eight sponsors on board, including brands like Hero Honda, Tata DoCoMo, Gillete et al. In fact, DoCoMo has joined in as a sponsor for the entire six month season on Neo cricket The ad rates are Rs.3.5 lakh for a 10-second slot for bulk buyers and for usual buyers, it is Rs.4 lakh. This is at-par with the much hyped IPL 2 ad-rates. When quizzed about the warm response from advertisers for the Hero Honda Cup despite the recent bad performance of cricketing events on TV, a media planner said, “Any India playing cricket attracts eyeballs. That’s why bilateral tournaments with India get a very high rating and wider reach, compared to a tournament or a Twenty20 cricket (excluding IPL). This is because there is no fear of India getting knocked out. And that’s why advertisers are excited about the India-Australia series.” Neo cricket is expecting Rs.150 crore revenues from the ongoing HH Cup alone. For the six month long season the channel expects ad revenues approximating to Rs.500-600 crore. This figure is close to 40% of the entire advertising spend on cricket in a year (Rs.1300-1500 crore).

But the question is with channels like ESPN (seasoned in sports broadcasting globally) and SETMAX (that has some of the hottest cricket properties), will a two year-old channel like Neo cricket be able to make a space for itself? On the face of it, this may look like a herculean task, but Neo has been doing well on the back of the telecast rights for all international and domestic cricket played in India. In fact, the channel became the most watched sports channel in 2008, with a market share of almost 28%.

And keeping in mind India’s fascination for cricket (at least when the Men in Blue are around), Neo is sitting on a gold mine... at least till it owns those telecast rights!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
TSI exposes b school ranking scamsters Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Premchand Palety of C fore. - For Complete Sting Operation Video Click Here

Pioneer Exposes the fraud called Mahesh Sharma and Mahesh Peri of Career 360 and Barbel Schwertfeger of mba-channel.com

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Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri

When Spin Doctors give the PR Push

How different it is to build a political brand as compared to a corporate brand through PR activation? Well, it’s similar... but not identical!

It was during April-May this year that all of us were subjected to the frenzy created by the political parties and their choice of leaders in a run up to General Elections. Political posters, advertising spots, hurried activities and flurry created by rallies screamed all through the day to ‘vote-for-me’ pleading candidates. The distorted images of leaders wrestled for attention, holding onto the voters’ index finger. A while later you found yourself in the ballot booth, conscious of the fact that your vote counts, though subconsciously sending off similes of candidates who successfully incarcerated your attention.

Yes, welcome to the world of ‘undeciders’! And being in this special ‘undecided’ category, you happen to prove all exit polls wrong and make the unthinkable happen. You end up voting for a candidate who has been able to communicate his achievements effectively. The man, or the woman, you voted for may be as good as the competition, but he or she has scored in terms of efficiently and effectively communicating with the buyer; read voter in this case. The situation at a hyper-market is so much alike. Building a political brand is similar to building a consumer brand – similar, but not identical. To build a consumer brand, a product is needed to position against a target group. A political brand, on the other hand, is developed to strike functional and emotional values to an electorate despite the difficulty of defining the market place. The single most distinction towards PRable communication between a consumer brand and a political brand is the ‘value proposition on offer’ around which a consumer brand is built. A political brand is positioned on the basis of the history of the political party, credentials of the political leader and the character that is to be highlighted on the block. These three fundamentals of communication for a political brand make it a tad complex over a consumer brand. The political brand must signify party lineage ably supported by credible manifestos and policies. The party’s credibility typically has a huge rub off on the positioning of an individual leader. Similarly, soiled reputation of a colleague on the political brand can hamper the desired image. There are often multiple opposing brands in one party, more so for Indian electorate where allies come together to form a ruling party or an opposition. For instance, the Congress has a certain brand image and equity, and its allies and political leaders have their own brand image. The PR strategy needs to inculcate such details, especially while positioning a leader at constituency level. For a consumer brand, the brand positioning is devoid of sub-brands and complicated alliances. The attributes of a consumer brand reach out to a specified target audience nationally.

With the evolution of media sphere and increased public scrutiny, corporates and politicians alike are under intense pressure to act transparently and hence the need to communicate. PR perhaps gives them the edge on any other medium to communicate effectively to the target audience, as PR places exposure through third party endorsements and brings about credibility. While PR communication for a consumer brand is more forthright and is based on key characteristics, a political brand is more focused on building an emotional quotient with the target audience. In western countries, Political PR is often referred to as spin doctoring. While the term spin doctors may have some negative connotation, it essentially includes selectively presenting facts and quotes that support one’s position. Spin doctoring carefully times the release of certain news so it can take advantage of prominent events. In India, while Consumer PR has evolved to a large extent, Political PR is still carried on a selective basis with the sole intent of managing media exposure during the election process. However, with PR coming of age, it is only time that political PR will gain ground and be a part of the political team at a more strategic level.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

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Can Piaggio ride faster?

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

As per the latest reports, Piaggio has plans to launch brands like Gilera, Aprilia and Derbi (a small motorcycle), alongwith the much-popular Vespa brand. “If Piaggio will enter the Indian two-wheeler market, the Vespa brand will definitely be there. But it’s too early to talk about the other possible brands,” adds Chopra. But what convinces Piaggio to mark a re-entry after a long 10 years? “The Indian two-wheelers market is one of the fastest growing after China in the world. Moreover, its attractiveness ensures that competition will get all the more intense going forward,” shares the market leader’s top honcho, Shinji Aoyama, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooters India limited (HMSI). HMSI enjoys more than 50% market share in the scooters segment. When quizzed on his vision for the two-wheeler market, Piaggio’s Chopra agreeingly states, “We at Piaggio see a huge opportunity in the Indian two-wheeler market and we would not like to miss out on the same.” As per industry sources, the company will be manufacturing two-wheelers at its manufacturing plant at Baramati, Maharashtra, where its three-wheelers are currently being manufactured.

In fact, Piaggio is also equally bullish on the three-wheeler segment and it plans to roll-out variants in petrol, CNG and LPG by end-2009. “We pioneered the LCV segment in the country and we are the market leader despite the fact that there was a big market that Piaggio wasn’t catering to,” avows Chopra. The company is also planning to launch a mini truck – a half-tonne 4-wheeled truck by early 2010. But the biggest task would be to win the consumer’s trust when it comes to the two-wheeler segment for Piaggio. The company will have to spend bigger bucks to ensure closer ties with the consumer. The already comfortable position of Piaggio in the three-wheeler segment, will help the company in both the branding and distribution aspects.

However the top spot in the scooter segment for now surely remains a distant dream for Chopra, as the situation now is a whole lot different to what it was back in the 90s. Can Vespa make this ride easier? For now, your guess is as good as ours!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
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IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
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WESTERN UNION

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

GOAL: To deliver a consumer intent increase of 25% and transaction increase of 15% for the company.

STRATEGY: To bridge the gap between family and the earner (who is abroad) on special occasions and festivals.

CHALLENGE: With Chennai being single largest market in India, the task was to develop a different brand identity in order to differentiate and position it as a service that delivers beyond functional benefits.

IMPLEMENTATION: On Pongal, WU created a unique consumer touchpoint: LIVE ON RADIO phone call to a loved one abroad and also an SMS exchange of both phone numbers. Next, a 15-day promotional blitz invited participation using spots on FM channel Hello along with on-ground mall engagement.

EFFECTIVENESS: The campaign reached out to 1.1 million people, with over 5,000 families connected via phone and 100 of those connected live on the radio. WU transactions for the quarter grew at around 24% versus the same quarter year ago. It also garnered a 43% increase in ‘Preference & Intent’ levels for the WU brand in Chennai.

Neha Saraiya

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
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IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

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Music is no longer a priority but their ratings are zooming northward. Gross Rating Points grew 150% in 2009

and over the last three years, the channel has been growing consistently by over 100%.

Ninteen year old Anchit, a second year B. Com student at Delhi University, is single-mindedly focusing on becoming a Roadie. He has been appearing at the show auditions for two consequetive years now, but has not been able to make it so far. The failed attempts, however, have not discouraged Anchit’s spirit to live his dream. “I am sure next year I will clear all the rounds and become a Roadie. I will prove myself,” he resolutely told 4Ps B&M.

And there are millions of Anchits out there. Their biggest aspiration in life is to become a Roadie. Just click on the Orkut community for the seventh season of Roadies (auditions to go on-air in November 09’) and you can see for yourself the cult following for the show. It’s not just about the over 90,000 registered members, but go through the discussions and polls and you realise that becoming a Roadie is considered the single most significant achievement here. It’s coveted! It’s a badge! A status symbol! And so is Hero Honda Karizma! In the show, the Roadies take their respective Karizma through grueling terrains, harsh weather conditions and of course their own impatience… What started as a unique publicity campaign woven on travel and youth is now reaping rich dividends for India’s largest bike maker. Adds Anil Dua, SVP-Sales & Marketing, HH, “We have doubled volumes and market share in the premium segment in the last two years.” Incidentally, Karizma is the most aspirational bike in HH’s portfolio.

The best part is that MTV’s marketing success stories are no longer linked to just Roadies or Karizma. More and more marketers are putting their bucks where their mouth is and are showing more trust in MTV when it comes to engaging consumers. Last few years have seen a slew of ‘branded’ reality shows on MTV including Vodafone Splitsvilla, Airtel Connected, Pulsar Stuntmania, Kurkure Rock On, Kingfisher Fast & Gorgeous and so on. Today, when marketers think MTV, they certainly seem to think beyond the 30-second spot! Take the channel’s latest hit Pulsar Stuntmania. The show got an average TRP of 0.8 which is impressive keeping in mind that big ticket reality shows on GECs get an average TRP ranging between 1-3 points. What’s more impressive however are the results for the Pulsar bike, which has registered a 30% jump in sales after the show’s launch. An elated Milind Bade, GM Marketing (two wheelers), Bajaj Auto says, “We are in for the second season of Pulsar Stuntmania…The work is in progress. We are just giving it some breathing space but we will be on air again, some time next year…” And that statement brings us to another interesting fact. Most such engaging and compelling marketing associations on MTV have been going on for years. Pepsi Youth Icon has been around for 10 years, Hero Honda Roadies is entering its seventh year and Splitsvilla is preparing for its third season. And why not? Unlike the general pattern on Hindi General Entertainment Channels (GEC’s) where subsequent season TRPs are lower than the previous one; many reality shows on MTV have been doubling their ratings season after season. The season’s average rating for Roadies 6 was 3.11 – more than double the ratings for Roadies 5 (1.5). Similarly, the season average of Splitsvilla doubled from 0.65 in Season 1 to 1.5 in season 2. “Big time youth appeal and a strong connect with the target audience is what makes MTV really tick,” says Naresh Gupta, EVP Planning, Publicis India.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

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IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

‘Let go’ in this festive season

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme

Is consumption environmentally unfriendly? Is that why austerity is being proposed? Not really. Organic foodstuffs are more expensive than ordinary fare just as environmentally clean solar power is more expensive than dirty power from coal. The supposed positive relationship between consumption spending and the carbon footprint is tenuous – junk food and environmentally unsound material can often be consumed in large amounts since they are cheap. So consumers should not confuse austerity with sustainability or with responsible behaviour.

There are of course many, as I have already mentioned, for whom austerity is imposed by the slimness of their pay packets compounded by the recent steep rise in the prices of essentials. The communal way of life offers an escape for them – getting together for community festivities, complete with decorations and self cooked food instead of the expensive gaiety of restaurants and private fireworks. Not only do riches not always make you happy, you do not have to be rich to be happy. Our festivals are a time for social interaction which is not only cost-less but allows one to afford trappings – good food, lighting, fireworks – that solitary efforts cannot.

To summarise, I would advocate a “festival as usual” approach. If you have a lot and feel ashamed to spend it all on yourself, then spread the merriment around. You can remain “green” while consuming and also not go green with guilt – one man’s spending is another man’s income. If you do not have enough, think of grand festive alliances instead of austere seclusion. Do not kiss your festive inclinations goodbye. The show must go on.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

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Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF TOI...

IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme

India Poised, Lead India, Teach India to Let’s make this Vote Count in 2009, TOI has transformed its ‘information’ brand imagery to one of ‘empowerment’ over the last three years, says Pallavi Srivastava...

But ask Rahul Kansal, Brand Director, The Times of India (TOI), about TOI’s marketing initiatives in the last three years and he is quick to explain that content remains king for this 171 year old brand. “Marketing is secondary. For us, content is most important. Nearly 90% of our efforts go into improving content regularly, to make it engaging for readers,” says Kansal. And if that sounds a tad too pat coming from the brand head of an organisation that unabashedly celebrates marketing in its success, simply consider the manner in which the daily has consistently changed form and design to keep pace with its rapidly evolving target audience. Starting from the mid nineties, it transcends initiatives like more colour on TOI pages, leaner look, celeb columns and juicy Page One stories that interest and involve the youth - India’s fastest growing demographic. “We moved away from overdose of policy and politics and included lifestyle based news,” adds Kansal. With the result that today, TOI leads the charge among all English dailys in India with a total readership of 13.3 crore (as per IRS 2008).

TOI launched its first TV campaign in 1998 titled ‘A day in the life of India’. Campaigns, launched in the last few years, like Lead India and Teach India have not just allowed TOI to hog premium positioning as market leader, but the accompanying ground activation has kept the masses engaged with the brand like never before. Yet, Kansal says that their marketing budget over the last year has been just Rs.10 crore. He explains the reason as the heavy focus on print and outdoor ads in their campaigns. “For us, swearing to the idea is more important and that makes it effective,” he adds. Take for example, Teach India campaign that was rolled out in August 2008. TOI invited volunteers to take out some time from their routine to teach poor kids. The campaign got a massive response, with over 95,000 volunteers coming forward to take on the job. In July this year, a second round of applications for Teach India were invited and it netted about 30,000 additional volunteers.

Kansal asserts, “We don’t want ourselves to play the role of a passive provider of news. to our readers. We want to be a facilitator. We want to empower our readers to play a larger role in the making of a new India.” And that’s precisely what the future from Brand TOI is going to look like viz. making TOI readers connect to their “Idea of India” that is...

Shivanandan Pare
COO, Bigadda
“It is difficult for me to imagine India without Times of India for the basic fact that it is one of the oldest and most credible brand when it comes to news for the masses. It has given us brands like R.K. Laxman’s common man. it is impossible to imagine the daily without laxman’s cartoons. i associate TOI to a newspaper for india’s common man. Times of India is more of a habit in an average Indian’s life.”

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Business Standard Exposes the Outlook Magazine Money Editor
Don't trust the Indian Media!

IIPM ISBE Programmes
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
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Brand Performance

What Microsoft has done to jump to No.4 in this category. Read on to find out

The most prominent entry to this coveted list is that of Microsoft.

Absent last year, Microsoft has jumped straight to the fourth position. Brand Performance increased becasue Microsoft focussed more on the ‘right retail outlets’ in India tying up with big organised players like Staples, Chroma, Reliance et al, which offered it greater shelf space and therefore greater visibility.

Microsoft also brought forth a fusion of style and science. Other new entrants are SBI, Infosys and HDFC. Even though the prevailing high interest rates proved to be a damp squid for SBI & HDFC, they came out as the ultimate winners thanks to the special home loan schemes the duo offered. What’s more, the moment RBI cut rates, both SBI & HDFC were quick to follow suit.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
Management guru Arindam Chaudhuri’s latest blockbuster book, Discover The Diamond In You
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
IIPM 2-year full time Programme (leading to the award of the MBA degree from IMI)
B-schools expect higher rate of campus placements this year
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
IIPM Best B School – EVENTS
IIPM conceptualized the grand final of Dare ‘10 — the most prestigious of international B-school student quizzes

Faith Healing

Walk into any ‘Art of Living’ centre (an NGO started by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that claims to uplift humanity by bringing peace at the level of the individual, society and the world as a whole) and what startles you is the number of youngsters gathered there for spiritual healing, shattering preconceived notions that it was a place for ‘senior citizens’ who want to make the best of their retired life by enhancing their spiritual self. “Why don’t you opt for the YES+ course?” was the question that was thrown at us no sooner we walked into one such centre in South Delhi. Straight from a marketing text book, eh?

In fact, not only Art of Living, even institutions like International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON), OSHO World, Patanjali Yogpeeth (Baba Ramdev), et al, are all places where gurus claim to offer peace of mind for battered souls. Girish Bhardwaj, a new entrant to the Art of Living course who has already undergone two stages – the Basic and Advanced Courses – avers that “his perception towards life has changed” after attending these sessions. And if you thought that spirituality comes free, welcome to the world of materialistic spiritualism - the course fee ranges anything from Rs.1,500 to Rs.3,000 (for a week long session).

So, what is it that prompts a Gen-X youngster to be a part of such centres. And more importantly how do centres attract such huge crowd?

Well, if you market your courses with tags like ‘Self Development’, ‘Stress Management’, et al, any person in the present scenario would be sure to lap it up. Don’t mistake us. We don’t disagree with the basic premise of such courses, which have almost become food for many souls in today’s stress filled society. What we are only bringing out is the manner in which modern marketing techniques are now being applied to this otherwise spiritual journey! Despite being low on ads in mainstream media, these centres have a huge presence on the Internet and that is one way they manage to attract tech savvy people like Girish. “Having read some books I got all the more confused. Thanks to the Internet, I chanced upon Art of Living,” points out Girish. Moreover, word-of-mouth certainly seems to be one of their key marketing strategies. “You become happy and you would like your near and dear ones to become happy too and that is how it’s marketed” he adds. There’s even a fair bit of showbiz involved in the business because many gurus spend big bucks to buy TV time that allows them to reach out to masses, organise mass jagrans in well-off neighbourhoods and even hire PR agencies to spread their enlightened word to the stressed out world!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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INDIAN BANKS GETTING SET FOR A WHIRLWIND GLOBAL TOUR?

But therein rises a devil’s advocacy question: Is it really essential for Indian banks to go the M&A route? As Jagannadham Thunuguntala, Equity Head, SMC Capital comments, “It’s better to first scale up in the Indian market, before trying uncertain terrains in the global market. India itself has a huge potential. Considering the banking penetration rate, banks do have a huge opportunity to grow organically within India than without...” There is surely weight in the argument that for banks that have not yet leveraged their competence within India, it’s senseless just to shore up foreign operations simply to play to the gallery. Vaibhav Agarwal, Senior Analyst-Banking reiterates, “I believe that the domestic market in India is amongst the attractive markets globally, offering far higher profitable growth opportunities. On the other hand, the risk-reward trade-off and avenues for profitable growth in competitive global markets do not appear to be the best fit for Indian banks in this phase of their growth. That’s why we prefer banks (at the market place), which are more inward-focused.”

Moreover, the possibilities of inorganic growth within India are also endless. With a lot many small banks still existing in the market, the industry is due for a serious phase of consolidations as shown by the recent merger of HDFC Bank and Centurion Bank of Punjab. The marriage pushed HDFC Bank to the position of India’s third largest bank in terms of market value. But, it’s not only the potential of the domestic market that is keeping Indian banks away from tasting global waters. There are more roadblocks on this global path. The foremost concern is in the lack of advanced risk management systems. Experts believe that Indian banks lack adequate skill to even adopt these systems quickly. Technology too plays a vital role, not only because it has a direct impact on a bank’s business model and process quality, but as it also affects the bank’s distribution channels radically. For Indian banks, which still trail their global counterparts in application of advanced technologies, handling the global consumers would certainly be a tough call. Besides, adoption of new technologies itself will end up increasing costs and besides, they’d also have to invest in changing their accounting principles to adhere to international standards. Adds Bimal Jalan (see interview on page 64-65), Ex-Governor, RBI, “For going global, banks must also follow India’s regulatory system to ensure that the main company remains safe.” But that is business logic put simply. The fact remains that with international valuations languishing at brilliant lows, there is no better time to takeover a foreign bank than now. And then, not every deal is as bad as Jaguar, is it?

In the meantime, some Indian banks are doing all in their means to entice the global customer (not just NRIs), offering attractive interest rates and unique banking options through multi-channel strategies. For instance, ICICI Bank Canada and UK offer unique HiSave accounts to customers. True to name, these accounts offer a higher interest rate on deposits than prevailing rates, ensuring a virtual flood of applications to the bank. When launched in 2005, ICICI UK had to even turn many applicants away as it had not expected such rave response to its HiSave ads. If Indian banking’s baby steps into global stardom are having such an impact, wonder what the full stride will bring in its wake?

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Focus on your brand

The Most Revolutionary Concept In Education PLANMAN CHE CENTRE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, Supported by IIPM India’s Leading B-School

Take Maruti Suzuki: The now wholly-owned Japanese brand, it seems, changed gears just in time to survive and thrive despite the slowdown. Though not completely unaffected by the slowdown (the market leader posted a decrease in sales for all three months in the last quarter), in January 2009, Maruti Suzuki bucked the trend and reported a 5.59% increase in domestic sales. A closer look at their figures reveal that their recent additions to the A3 segment (D’zire and SX4) is what is making the numbers look so cool. The segment saw a two-fold growth, selling 6,590 units (even higher than their cash cow Maruti 800) as against 2,939 units in the same month last year.

But managing their brand portfolio well is not Maruti’s only claim to the marketing fame. Over the last quarter of stagnating sales, the motor company went on an overdrive to enhance its market penetration. For one, instead of restricting its annual dealer level discount scheme till the end of December (as it does every year to clear year-end sales), Maruti extended the lucrative cash discounts way into February; next up is their strategic tie-up with Corporation Bank to finance Maruti Suzuki vehicles on an all India basis to enable credit access at a time when banks are antsy about lending too easily; and finally, proactively embracing the ‘voluntary disclosure of fuel economy’ to drive home the message to consumers about their leadership in making highly fuel efficient cars. As per Shinzo Nakanishi, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Limited, the move “would enable customers to make an informed choice when purchasing a car in the market.” Look closely and you realise that all these measures were perhaps aimed at luring those 40 million PSU guys, presently flush with funds they made from the 6th Pay Commission killing. “The recent pay hikes and arrears given to more than 5 million government employees after implementation of 6th Pay Commission report can bring back the lost momentum in the industry,” says Shushmul Maheshwari, CEO, RNCOS.

What did the guys at Maruti do? They revitalised their brand despite and in spite of the slowdown by simply emphasising its core brand proposition – value for money, fuel efficient cars – and increasing its value!

What? You think that was a fluke? Okay, here’s another one!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Play the masterstroke

IIPM set to beat economic slowdown

Don’t be exhilarated by falling home loan rates, the best time to buy your dream house is still to come

Time, money and opportunities wait for none. And thus not timing the opportunity stands for loss of money. That’s why Gurus say have patience. After all it has its own advantages, especially for those who are involved with the financial and the real estate markets. And considering the present market conditions one such opportunity seems to be present ‘round the corner’ for those who are waiting to invest in real estate.

As the demon of slowdown slowly creeps into the Indian economy and the government is trying to shrug-off all concerns with its stimulus packages. As part of a good news for aspiring real estate buyers and as a result of the combined effort from the government and the Reserve Bank of India, home loan rates have come down substantially. While the interest rates on loans up to Rs.5 lakh has been restricted up to 8%, the same for loans between Rs.8 lakh and Rs.20 lakh is fixed at 9.5%. Moreover, the above mentioned rates can be fixed for up to five years. Now, with these cheap and easily accessible loans at their disposal, its a natural tendency for many of the aspiring home buyers to jump forward to buy their dream house. But then, they should not forget the rule of timing the market. Because as of now, though we have witnessed a slight fall in real estate prices it’s still far from what is being anticipated. (Some very optimistic valuations show that the prices would go down by 40-50% across India. However, few pessimistic research firms like Macquarie Securities confirm that the price falls in most part of India would be around 25%).

Moreover, the real estate players, who are still holding onto their around 50% profit margin, are set to enter into a phase of debt repayment soon. Considering their present liquidity starved situation, the upcoming debt repayment would mean that they are bound to cut on their prices to be able to realise funds stuck in unsold and halfway through projects. And then we may see some real fall in real estate prices. Going by the logic, it’s definitely not advisable to invest in real estate at the moment, feel many experts. Indraneel Karlekar, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Research & Strategy, ING Clarion Real Estate Securities explains to 4Ps B&M, “The macro economic indicators are not yet favourable for investing in reality and the investors should wait for now.”

However, while playing the ‘wait and watch’ game one must not forget the fact that over-waiting with greed may also dampen their profitability. By the way, did you manage to time Satyam’s scrip? Well, some did. Believe it or not, they have tripled their money!

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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Khiladi unbuttons!

1500-plus IIPM students placed across the country with 44 bagging international offers

Joining the league of Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Sania Mirza; Akshay Kumar, in 2008, became the global brand ambassador of Levi’s 501 collection. While SRK, Rai and Mirza have been the global faces of Tag Heuer, L’Oréal and Adidas respectively; roping in Kumar for the relaunch of their 501 ‘Live Unbuttoned’ campaign, at a time when he was at the peak of his popularity was definitely a smart move by the honchos at Levi’s. The year also saw international luxury watch brand – Tissot – rope in the new chick on the block, Deepika Padukone. It seems that Indian Bollywood stars are all set to take on their international avatars.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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When virtual hopes truly come alive, online...

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SANJEEV BIKHCHANDANI, MD & CEO, INFO EDGE (INDIA) LTD.
naukri.com has been the cash cow for Info Edge (India) Ltd. Here is the man who began it all, talking what his prime focus and targets are, pan-sectors, pan-globe!


How has been the journey of Info Edge since inception?
The journey has been wonderful. It had witnessed its own ups and downs. We have a very successful job and matrimony business and we are in the process of creating one in the real estate also. Even our gulf operations are also doing well. Thus, overall we are satisfied with the growth of the business.

Has the global economic slowdown affected your online portals business?
Yes it has affected us, as in this quarter we grew at just 24% compared to a fantastic 60% in the same quarter a year ago. So undoubtedly, the slowdown has affected us. But a major reason behind this fall in growth was a negative externality. It was because of the slump in hiring due to global economic slowdown.

Out of all the portals which one is the most profitable one and why?
The largest in terms of revenue is naukri.com, followed by Jeevansathi.com. But undoubtedly, naukri.com is the most profitable one. Although in Q2 of this financial year we saw a slump in growth, but the overall profitability of the portal has remained high. And as I mentioned about the major reason behind this drop in growth, it is all to blame on the discouraging yet true global turmoil. The reason for naukri.com being the cash cow is that we have the first mover advantage till date.

What are the challenges that you face in your business of online portals?
There are a lot of challenges and the recent one is the maintenance of strong growth amid the present slowdown. Moreover, managing your employees and curtailing expenditures are the other challenges. As we presently have a total of nine businesses, maintaining all their health is a challenge.

What’s your take on the competition in the industry?
You see, we expect that our competition will be more affected by the slowdown than us. Thus we expect that we would come out strongest from the slowdown in every manner.

How much revenue is earned from advertising?
Much advertising comes from job related sites and things. Non-job related sites contribute only 3%-4% of our total revenues. Which are your main target market cities in India, and what are the factors that you consider before moving to a city? Our main target markets are Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Pune, but we also have presence in Tier I and Tier II cities. But before moving to a new city, we look at the local market and consider factors such as internet penetration and the web traffic.

How do you plan to market your portals in India?
For different portals, different marketing strategies are followed by us. Like for instance, for naukri.com, we sponsor HR events and do direct marketing. For Jeevansathi.com, we do a lot of advertising including online and television advertising along with telemarketing. However for Shiksha.com, we don’t do much of telemarketing but do online and sales force marketing.

How has the real estate slowdown impacted you?
It’s in our interest. Builders need buyers and we are the most efficient way of bringing buyers to builders, and therefore we are used a lot more. So it has affected us adversly.

Do you have any major tie-up at the moment?
Yes, we do have some tie-ups with media publications in the job space. However given a choice we prefer to operate alone.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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According to Prof. Nicholas Stern

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According to Prof. Nicholas Stern, IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, India Observatory, LSE, “The world needs to cut carbon dioxide emissions to 2 tonnes per capita by 2050 and India would need to do the same. Therefore, India needs to look ahead now.” Easier said than done, as – even for the Indian government – to move over to the so-called green fuels in one shot is not only prohibitively costly, but downright impractical.

Add to it the fact that carbon trading, as a concept, and as a monetary unit, still lacks global acceptance. Said Bill Sneyd, Director, Advisory Services, The Carbon Neutral Company to 4Ps B&M, “There is still a lot of volatility associated with the carbon price. This is caused primarily by the economic downturn – the expectation is that there will be lower demand for Allowances under the EU-ETS because companies are contracting (or at least not growing as fast as was expected).” Add to it the fact that there have been growing voices in the EU that post 2012, India and China should be restricted from trading in the carbon market unless they also take mandatory sector-wise energy efficiency targets. Clearly, unless Indian companies learn the art of being as unethical as developed economies and their companies have been, perhaps India will continue getting carbon-date raped!

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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IIPM INTERNATIONAL - NEW DELHI, GURGAON & NOIDA
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IIPM, GURGAON
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