June 1-15, 2012 Volume 1, Issue 2 `100 Look inside for the sportspersons who could become star endorsers after the London Olympics. 26 Subscriber copy not for resale 34 812 22 PLUS SATYAMEVA JAYATE Beginner’s Luck? 29 SAB TV No Laughing Matter 32 IPSOS SURVEY Sex and the Cellphone 33 PROFILE TIMES OF INDIA DEFINING MOMENTS Sanjay Thapar Jam Sessions Shubha George RAM Bates’ new CEO has his work A traffic-stopping MEC South Asia’s COO and Listening Posts 35 cut out. commercial for Kerala. her winning ways. EDITORIAL This fortnight... Volume 1, Issue 2 EDITOR ccording to a recent report from Nielsen, Olympians dominate the top five most effective male athlete Sreekant Khandekar endorsers, while tennis players dominate the top five most effective female athlete endorsers and retired PUBLISHER A Prasanna Singh NFL football players constitute three of the top five most effective commentator endorsers in the US. EXECUTIVE EDITOR That, unfortunately, is not the case in India if one just goes by the money spent – Prajjal Saha India still does not have a reliable ‘effectiveness’ index - on brand endorsers who are SENIOR LAYOUT ARTIST Vinay Dominic sportsmen. It’s unimaginable to think of endorsement deals in India with sports other June 1-15, 2012 Volume 1, Issue 2 `100 LOGISTICS than cricket – and to a certain extent, tennis. To repeat an oft-repeated lament, cricketers Rajesh Kanwal are the only sportspersons who enjoy a high patronage amongst brand marketers in our ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES country. Neha Arora, (0120) 4077866, 4077837 Noida But it is also a fact that marketers are always scanning other sports for that elusive Khushboo Varadkar, (022) 40429702-5 celebrity. There are many reasons for this. First, the non-cricket sports celebrities will Mumbai come cheaper and will also be a clutter-free option for their brands given the fact that a [email protected] Marketing Office Look inside for the sportspersons who could become star few cricketers endorse brands in each and every category. endorsers after the London Olympics. 26 B-3, First Floor, Sector-4, Noida-201301. The Olympics is one sporting event which is expected to throw up a few new Tel: (0120) 4077800. Subscriber copy not for resale 34 812 22 PLUS SATYAMEVA JAYATE Beginner’s Luck? 29 names to the advertising circuit and all marketers are keeping a close watch on the Mumbai SAB TV No Laughing Matter 32 501-502, Makani Center, 5th Floor, IPSOS SURVEY biggest sporting event in the world. In this issue, we have tried to predict a few sports Sex and the Cellphone 33 PROFILE TIMES OF INDIA DEFINING MOMENTS Off Linking Road, Bandra (W), Sanjay Thapar Jam Sessions Shubha George RAM Bates’ new CEO has his work A traffic-stopping MEC South Asia’s COO and Listening Posts 35 cut out. commercial for Kerala. her winning ways. personalities who are expected to make it big both at the Olympics and the brand Mumbai - 400050 Tel: +91-22-40429 709 - 712 endorsement circuit. Bengaluru We first spoke to the leading sports editors of the country to find out their favourites among the Indian S-1, New Bridge Corporate Centre, 777 D, 100 ft Road, Indira Nagar, contingent for this year’s London Olympics. Next, we spoke to marketers, agency heads and celebrity Bengaluru - 560038, India managers asking them to rate the shortlisted sports personalities and their brand endorsement prospects. Subscription Enquiries Garima Agnihotri, (0120) 4077837 These players were then judged on parameters like appearance, life story and background. What is [email protected] interesting is that the quality of metal – gold, silver, bronze did not matter. All marketers want is that they Owned by Banyan Netfaqs Pvt Ltd and should make it to the medals chart. The buzz will follow. Printed and published by Prasanna Singh, at 7-A/13, Ch. Ratan Singh Complex, Jawala Heri Market, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi-110 063. Printed at Cirrus Graphics Private Limited B-62/14, Naraina Industrial Area, Prajjal Saha Phase II, New Delhi – 110028. [email protected] Cover Illustration Vinay Dominic CONTENTS 40 42 PLUS PORTFOLIO NIGHTS FROOTI Building Characters 10 All Over the Place The mission is to MICROMAX make the drink Girl Power 15 omnipresent this summer. FIRSTPOST.COM A New Newspaper 15 INTERVIEW 14 10 Kent Wertime FACEBOOK Go faster on digital, urges Facing Facts 16 Ogilvy Asia-Pacific’s COO. ZAPAK-PEPSI POV 30 Change the Game 19 Notoriety and Fame HAVELLS ASHOK LEYLAND As brands take on controversial Lost Between Fans Truckers Inc. 9XM stars, is the line between fame The brand’s usage of Rajesh Going in for a ‘pan-India’ Getaway Time 43 and notoriety blurring? Khanna raises questions. approach. afaqs! Reporter, June 1-15, 2012 3 GLOBEONE 1(:6%8//(7,1 *HUPDQ\&DOOLQJ Sponsored by he BRIC Branding Survey, Adidas (79 per cent), consumer a representative survey of goods brand Nivea (73 per cent) and TGerman brands in the emerg- insurance player Bajaj Allianz (68 per ing BRIC countries commissioned cent). Automotive brands BMW (65 Dabur> The Consumer goods firm is expanding the reach by Germany-based brand and mar- per cent) and Mercedes-Benz (60 of its ‘NewU’ retail chain through an online portal. Also, the keting communication consultancy per cent) followed. company’s subsidiary, H&B Stores which currently operates globeone, found how nearly half of What is interesting is the fact 44 ‘NewU’ stores with a majority of them in the NCR region the urban Indian population has a pos- that despite some leading automotive and Bangalore, is planning to open 30 new stores in the next itive perception of German brands. companies hailing from Germany, twelve months. This year however, in order to drive profits The survey was based on over only BMW and Mercedes-Benz faster, the company is focusing on stores in the range of 500 4,000 interviews with consumers in made it to the top five most popular square feet to 750 square feet. Of the total product mix at BRIC countries, conducted by inde- brands among Indians. Other popu- the NewU stores, about 18 per cent is private label items. pendent market research institutes lar auto brands included Audi (53 per cent), Skoda (46 per cent) and Volkswagen Woodland> The sports and apparel brand is planning to (42 per cent). foray into adolescents range in the Indian market by August, Also, 69 per cent of this year. Woodland Worldwide, the company that owns and the respondents asso- markets the Canadian brand in India, claims to be ready with ciate German brands 10 footwear styles and many styles of functional apparel for mainly with the 13-year-olds. The company plans to introduce equipment for MARKETING auto industry; while skateboarding, surfing, rappelling, mountain biking and raft- in 2011. In India, 1,000 Machinery (49 per ing. It plans to promote itself in schools by associating with The survey was adventure camps. consumers were inter- cent), pharmaceuticals viewed. based on 4,000 and medicine (43 per The survey found interviews with cent), home applianc- The company has acquired the brand that while 42 per cent es (42 per cent) and The company has Future Group> consumers in bought the brand rights of bone china crockery brand Hitkari with intentions of the respondents did BRIC countries, football (39 per cent) to relaunch the once-popular brand in the mass-to-premium not have any definite follow. licence for 10 segment. The company has bought the brand licence for preference, 33 per cent conducted by Indian consumers years and will pay 10 years and will pay royalty to the promoters of Hitkari said that they liked independent from the upper mid- royalty to the pro- Potteries. It also plans to work with third-party crockery German brands and dle class and higher moters of Hitkari designers and man- 16 per cent said they market research income segments rank ufacturers in few liked German brands institutes. German brands high- Potteries. Asian countries. very much, while only est on the attributes of 9 per cent expressed excellent quality, high their disapproval. durability and outstanding design, Krispy Kreme> The American doughnut maker which The appeal of foreign brands, the study revealed. operates around 700 stores worldwide, has signed its first particularly those with German ori- “In India, it is important to franchisee deal in India with Bedrock Food Company as it gin, is strongest for consumers from address the aspirations and needs intends to open 35 outlets in five years. These outlets will the upper middle class and high- of the expanding middle class,” says be in six states in Northern India. Bedrock Food Company er income segments, with 71 per Tina Marie Monelyon, country also has the development rights for Subway and at present cent and 63 per cent, respectively. manager of globeone India. operates approximately 185 Subway restaurants. Presently, Interestingly, half of the surveyed A major chunk of the Indian con- Krispy Kreme’s coffee and doughnuts are available in 21 Indian middle class consumers like sumers relied on word-of-mouth to countries. German brands. learn about foreign brands in India. It was found that 59 per cent of While 24 per cent relied on such tes- the urban Indian consumers could timonials, 23 per cent revealed how Amway India> The direct selling company is eyeing a total spontaneously name one or more they still rely on television for infor- turnover of `2,500 crore in 2012, up by 17 per cent over last German brands. It is noteworthy that mation on brands of foreign origin. year’s sales as it plans to continue to focus on the health and the brands with the highest aware- Print (18 per cent) and internet (14 beauty segment to propel its sales.