N Murali a Burning Point Fali Vakeel Indian Consumers Are Not Ready To
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May 1-15, 2011 Volume 2, Issue 9 `100 34 NOT SO GREEN AFTER ALL DEFINING MOMENTS N Murali Indian consumers are not The Hindu’s outgoing MD ready to pay more for green in a candid mood. products, just yet. 42 BLOW UP A Burning Point Save public property is the message. 22 PROFILE Fali Vakeel Lowe Lintas’ new vice- chairperson talks shop. LIMCA Getting Fresh 12 INDIATIMES-IPL Cricket Fever Continues 16 BRANDING Change in the Air 36 32 MTV The Attention Seekers 52 EDITORIAL This fortnight... Volume 2, Issue 9 EDITOR he idea of examining the state of ‘green marketing’ in India has been appearing in our editorial Sreekant Khandekar T meetings for some time now. When we finally got around to it, the news has not been very happy. PUBLISHER Prasanna Singh While the average Indian is among the least polluting – possibly because poorer consumers pollute CONSULTING EDITOR less - their willingness to do something about the environment is not convincing. Marketers in India M Venkatesh don’t seem terribly enthusiastic either. They are bound to feel that if consumers don’t care, why should CONTRIBUTING EDITOR they stretch themselves? None of this is helped – either in India or elsewhere – by Prajjal Saha consumer suspicion that the tomtoming of environment-friendly products is a cynical SENIOR LAYOUT ARTIST marketing gimmick. Vinay Dominic May 1-15, 2011 Volume 2, Issue 9 `100 LOGISTICS 34 The ambivalent Indian reaction to the broader state of the environment is surprising Rajesh Kanwal NOT SO GREEN considering that citizens feel strongly at least about deforestation. Trees seem an object ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES AFTER ALL DEFINING MOMENTS of greater affection than anything else. A mixture of indifference, powerlessness and N Murali Hansika Koli, (0120) 4077834 4077837 Noida Indian consumers are not The Hindu’s outgoing MD ready to pay more for green in a candid mood. Varun Mohan, (022) 40429702-5 Mumbai products, just yet. 42 fatalism may explain the state of affairs. Neeraj Ranjan, 09886846842 Bangalore Marketers like to point out that Indian consumers would like to buy a product [email protected] BLOW UP that is friendlier on the environment – as long as they don’t have to pay a premium. A Burning Point Marketing Office Save public property is the message. 22 Well, it is pretty much the same state of affairs all over the world. A small percentage B-3, First Floor, Sector-4, Noida-201301. of consumers are committed to buying a green product regardless. The rest will pick up Tel: (0120) 4077800. one only if it is a compelling buy on other attributes. Mumbai PROFILE Fali Vakeel 501-502, Makani Center, 5th Floor, Lowe Lintas’ new vice- chairperson talks shop. In the west, marketers have learnt that green products must perform as well as Off Linking Road, Bandra (W), LIMCA Getting Fresh 12 INDIATIMES-IPL Mumbai - 400050 Cricket Fever Continues 16 – if not better than – rival products. In that situation, the ‘green’ slant can become BRANDING Change in the Air 36 Tel: +91-22-40429 709 - 712 32 MTV The Attention Seekers 52 compelling enough to drive a purchase. Marketers have also realised that to broaden Bengaluru the appeal and go mainstream, they need to establish a connection between the green S-1, New Bridge Corporate Centre, attribute and a consumer benefit – for example by emphasising that ‘solar energy is 777 D, 100 ft Road, Indira Nagar, kind on your pocket’. Being matter of fact and earthy in communication is another thing that creates Bengaluru - 560038, India credibility for the claim. And finally, the internet can be used powerfully to involve consumers with Subscription Enquiries Garima Agnihotri, (0120) 4077837 little nuggets of information or by engaging them in an interactive play (as P&G did when it launched [email protected] Tide Coldwater in the US about half a dozen years ago.) Printed, published, and owned by The news may not be very cheering. It also means that there may be an opportunity for brands Prasanna Singh, Publisher, at 7-A/13, Ch. Ratan Singh Complex, across categories to leverage this opportunity. Jawala Heri Market, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi-110 063. Printed at Cirrus Graphics Private Limited B-62/14, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase II, New Delhi – 110028. Sreekant Khandekar Cover Photograph [email protected] Masterfile India CONTENTS 51 20 PLUS TATA DOCOMO Uncomplicated 14 SMITH & JONES COLORS Virtual Moves Upping the Ante 20 Viral marketing through branded INMA video films. The Way Forward 24 IAMAI INTERVIEW 44 18 Surfing Away Merrily 38 Laurie Coots RAPID METRO RAIL TBWA’s chief marketing officer on her unusual role. What’s in a Name? 48 SAB MILLER POV 60 Responsible Drinking 48 Weekend Reading VODAFONE BLACKBERRY MESSENGER RADIO Are readers ready for weekend- Dancing to Your Tune Just Making Sure only newspapers? A BTL activity that revolves Join the BBM community, Turning the Tables 52 around the Super Zoozoo. exhorts this ad. afaqs! Reporter, May 1-15, 2011 5 SYMBIAN I@XT7VGG@UDI UurTrpq8vt Sponsored by Canon India> Digital imaging firm Canon India has allo- cated a budget of `100 crore for marketing and promotional activities this year. Besides, it is also gearing up to launch its new TVC featuring its brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar. The company has recently launched 29 digital imaging products and also plans to expand its customer base to five million people from one million this year. To double its HUL> Aiming to double its sales by 2015, FMCG major sales by 2015 Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is looking at a range of strategies, okia has again made it to three times faster than the existing HUL is looking at including new launches and re-launches, to fill the space in evident that Symbian oper- stock Symbian browser. Apart from its product portfolio. Besides re-launching its Lifebuoy talcum Nating system (OS) will not speed, the new browser features the new launches and powder brand, it has also gone for brand extensions for be available in its new phones after most needed upgrades to the user re-launches. Knorr and Kissan, in the soup, jam and ketchup categories 2012. But it promises to support all interface as well. respectively. MARKETING Symbian devices till the year 2014. Nokia has also announced the Ovi Maps with social media latest installment of Symbian, giving integration: Ovi maps have also Emami> Personal care brand Emami is targeting rev- the mobile OS a new lease of life. improved with the upcoming enues worth `400-500 million from a new range of skin care The new version of Symbian has Symbian Anna update and will fea- products in the current fiscal year. The company plans to a host of new features and tweaks ture smarter search for places, along launch the new range of skin care products, under the brand that are imperative to unleash the with auto complete. Users will fur- name Pure Skin around May. As part of the process, the com- full potential of modern devices like ther be able to check into popular pany has signed an agreement with Mibelle Biochemistry of Switzerland for exclusive rights of this skin technology for a Nokia N8 and E7. Now people can social networks such as Facebook, period of up to four years. Emami, also plans to spend `200 expect even better and faster perfor- Twitter and Foursquare. million in advertising and promotion. mance from their devices once the They can also share updates Anna update (as it has been named via e-mail and SMS directly from the by Nokia), is installed. application. The company has Jaypee Group> After getting into an array of businesses WHAT ANNA BRINGS TO Integrated Microsoft commu- acquired land like infrastructure and real estate, Jaypee Group will now be THE TABLE: nicator mobile: Symbian Anna, taking a plunge into the dairy sector. The group initially plans near Mathura to to set up a one-million litre per day milk processing plant along with Microsoft Exchange, will set up a process- near Mathura in UP with an initial investment of `100 crore Improved look and feel: Anna is feature Microsoft Communicator ing plant. under its Jaiprakash Agri Initiatives Company (JAICO). an overhauled version of Symbian Mobile, an instant messaging applica- with new colour schemes, visual tion, which can check the availability upgrades and even modified icon of your colleagues, view your com- placement, all of which amounts pany’s directory with information Continental AG> Tyre maker Continental AG is all set to acquire Modi Rubber’s tyre unit - Modi Tyres. to an upgraded visual appeal of the about people’s presence and run Post-acquisition, Modi Tyres will become a subsidiary of new OS. instant message conversations with Continental. The German company plans to expand the It is touch-friendly and it has a compatible Nokia devices. tyre business in India and will introduce new technology responsive operation which can uti- and products for the local market. With this, Continental lise the phone’s resources in a more Improved Ovi Store: Faster appli- is the fourth multinational tyre maker to enter India, after effective way. A vertical Qwerty key- cations search, keyword suggestion, Yokohama, Bridgestone and Michelin. pad has also been added to the user spelling checks, increased download interface. limits and auto complete are some new features in Symbian Anna. Philips> Electronics major Philips is aiming at increasing Improved browser: Anna will also With so many optimisations, its market share in India and hence is consolidating its posi- feature a new internet browser which searches are expected to yield better tion in this segment. The company has lined up a host of new the company claims to be up results and save time too.