'Impact' roundtable discusses the future of mobile handsets
Star News presented the ‘Impact’ round table on ‘Mobile Handsets Marketing’ on October 28, 2010. The question at hand was, whether mobile manufacturing companies are meeting the requirements of India’s large and fragmented mass base or not.
Star News presented the ‘Impact’ round table on ‘Mobile Handsets Marketing’ on October 28, 2010. The question at hand was, whether mobile manufacturing companies are meeting the requirements of India’s large and fragmented mass base or not. Pradyuman Maheshwari, Group Chief Editor, exchange4media Group, began the discussion by pointing out that even as the “growth of Indian mobile players is there for us to see, yet there is so much more that one can do in the market.”
NK Goyal, President of CMAI and Founding Member of TEMA, said, “India has done itself proud by producing great quality handsets at very low and affordable prices. It is a great achievement that we have been able to reach villages and rural area with our product in such a short time.”
Gaurav Sharma, Ernst and Young, said “Mobile handsets will enable the proliferation of technology. With the advent of 3G, the medium will only become stronger. Today, mobile penetration is immense as the market is spreading deeper into the rural pockets. Besides the penetration aspect, mobile phone is also one of the most converged medium one can think of.” He went on to point out that the spends of Indian consumers on mobile and mobile communication has gone up significantly whereas other mediums like radio and television has not seen such growth.
Speaking on the necessity of mobile handsets, Hemant Arora, Managing Consultant, PwC, said, “The utilities of mobile are immense. So much so, that the mobile has become our third hand.” Giving the example of Blackberry, he said that at the beginning their strategy was to aim at a particular target audience. However, with time one has to change and add value to the product through innovation.
According to Sandeep Lakhina, COO, Starcom Worldwide, “The proliferation of mobile industry has happened because the number of users have gone up exponentially. Today, mobile is not only a communication device but also an entertainment device. Its utility surpasses merely communication... There is a huge market for mobile handsets, and the industry will only grow. The differentiating factor in who remains at the top of pack will be innovation and insight.”
Neeraj Saran, VP Marketing, MCCS, said, “I don’t completely agree with the term ‘Indian manufacturer’, as it should rather be India super-marketer’. One who is able to take big media risks successfully will be the winner.” Lakhina interjected this view and said “It is not only about taking media risks. One has to maintain a high level of innovation and engagement with the customers.”
When asked if it is a choice between value proposition and price point, Goyal said, “It is a game of marketing. But a good marketing scheme without value addition and service will not work. The concept of manufacturing has changed, as products are designed, manufactured and sold from different locations today.” He went on to discuss contract manufacturing and its efficacy. Goyal also said that today, mobile in the rural areas is a tool of empowerment and manufacturers like Lava has made it happen.
Sunil Raina, Product Marketing Head, Lava International, said, “We always wanted to add value to our product which would be our differentiator. So we came up with the dual sim and then bigger batteries. Bigger battery concept was a huge hit in the rural areas which are marred with power cuts. At times, price does not matter, convenience does. Having said that, price is no doubt a very important factor. He went to say, “Indian players are attaining critical mass, which will help for the times to come.” When questioned about spend ratio of service and marketing, Raina said, “Customer service is very important to us. We are building a strong servicing infrastructure so that we are able to carry our services far and further.”
Speaking further about services, Vinayak Kumar Lal, Head Marketing, Intex Technology, said, “Experience of the product is essential. What is at contention is not only the experience of usage of mobile phones. Here we are talking about pre-purchase and post-purchase experience of mobile handsets. Consumers change handsets every 9 months, so it is the experience that a handset provides which decides whether or not the consumer sticks with the same brand.”
Rajeev Jindal, GM Sales, Josh Mobiles, too agreed with the view that logistics and services are very important. “This is how mobile and FMCG market is different,” he continued, “Mobile phones, unlike FMCG products, service the customers even after a long time after they are sold.” It is the service that a mobile brand provides that helps retain or lose a potential customer he concluded.
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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ShareSwapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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