The world of marketing currently is filled with brands that have gone haywire in order to establish themselves. While some brands try to forge relationships with various means and causes to get the upper hand, a lot of others have forgotten their core identity in an attempt to race ahead others. Keeping the above subject in mind, ‘Branding a purpose versus Purpose of Branding’ was the theme of the 5th edition of Pitch Top 50 Brands Awards from the exchange4media group, held last night wherein Amarjit Singh Batra, CEO, OLX India, spoke about the use of a purpose in branding in his keynote address. Mr Batra began his address by explaining how similar to humans even brands today are eagerly searching for a reason to exist in the market today. He added, “Brands today feel that they can do so much more with themselves and thus they try to associate with bigger causes that may or may meet the brands core philosophy.” He further added that while most brands have forgotten what their reason of existence in the market space is, a few who have realized it are using it to their advantage. Speaking on why do brands need to associate with a cause in the first place? Mr Batra responded by saying, ‘’by looking at purpose, companies are trying to differentiate themselves. A higher purpose is helping them stand out from the clutter. Earlier, even we had a problem distinguishing OLX from the ecommerce category because we saw many people doing the same things, talking the same language.” So do brands have to create a purpose for their existence today? Answering this query he said, “You don’t really invent or create a purpose for yourself. I think you have to discover it and the process of discovery is more difficult for a brand that started 50 years back than for a brand that started a few years back. At Olx we found we were actually connecting people, helping them make exchanges. We came to know some inspiring stories of people buying and selling at OLX and how their lives were improving. So it’s not just about the transaction at OLX but what would happen if people could meet. Meeting unknown people could lead to so many possibilities.” Further explaining himself Mr Batra said, “Most brands today have started associating with a cause but the purpose of a brand has to go deeper than that. Associating with a cause has to link back to the brands core philosophy. Indian brands are moving towards ‘cause related marketing’ because of stagnation as India has moved on from being a classical economy to an abundant economy and there is now a need for breaking the clutter.”
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The fashion industry of country has not seen a lot of successful male super models. However the first generations of male supermodels that created and defined the Indian modeling industry and paved the way for its success include the name of the ace model turned choreographer Marc Robinson. Marc was present in Delhi as the jury for Max Presents Elite Model Look 2015 and in a candid conversation with EE he spoke about the competition, tips and tricks for being a model. Q- What brings you to Delhi and what are you looking for? A-I am looking for young, dynamic, beautiful looking and strong structured people, a boy and a girl, who have an identity of their own and the hunger to go internationally and make a career of being a model. Opportunity in the world of fashion are huge and along with it come fame, fortune and money and I am here to offer these to the most deserving candidates. Q- What can we expect from Max Presents Elite Model Look 2015? A-Max as a brand has been totally dedicated in promoting fashion and they believe that we need an international supermodel from India as India has the potential to deliver on it. Through this competition we want to reach out to everyone who aspires to be a model as after selection we will be training them and making them the fashion stars for tomorrow. After the Delhi auditions today we head out to Chandigarh, Bangalore, Kolkata, Bombay and Hyderabad and I am very positive that we are certainly going to find our next supermodels through this competition. Q- So after the regional castings have been done, how is the competition going to roll out then? A-So once the auditions are done we will have a national finale in Delhi on 30th September where we will be having an international casting agent flying down from Elite. They have their own perceptions of a supermodel so what we want to do is present to them around 30 contestants in each category of boys and girls and then we sit together and pick 8 boys and 8 girls out of that for a 10 day boot camp in Delhi where they will be trained by ramp walk trainers and photographers from Paris. Out of those we pick 1 boy and 1 girl who will be the winners and then we will train them for a month further and then they go to China, Milan or Paris where the final competition across the world will be held. Q- If you were to give 3 tips to all the aspiring models of the country what would they be? A-Definitely, the first thing is complete your education as that is the key. I had completed my education, I was working and I only had a fling with modeling when I realized that I was getting more work here and I was not able to balance it with my 9 to 5 job routine. Secondly, realistic belief is the key. I come across a lot of people everyday who have wrong mirrors in their homes and want to come and become models, they need to understand that you have to be realistic in the industry and always have a plan. Also setting a time frame is also very important. Ambitions are good but it is always better to plan your career graph accordingly. Q-A person getting compliments for their looks may not necessarily be a model material. So where does one draw the line between the two and realize that they have the potential to be a model? A-If you feel that you can be a model then there are many agencies that you can go to and take their advice on do they want you? It is similar to any aspiring cricketer, who will have to go to a sports camp and then play for district, zonal and then national level. So if at a point a cricketer is stuck at Ranji Trophy level then they get a fair idea that they are perhaps not going to play for the country. So similarly in modeling if you have been to 10-12 agencies and they all have said no then its time you get a reality check. Q- Any upcoming projects that interests you? A-Currently, I have a lot of IPRs in my hands. After this competition I will be doing India fashion icon and I am currently busy with India Bridal Week so for now these things have kept me completely occupied.
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MAX, a value fashion brand, is back with the 2nd edition of Elite Model Look India, one of the most sought-after & prestigious contest in the world, after getting raving success in India last year. The contest is a lifetime opportunity for thousands of boys and girls to become the next international supermodel and reach great heights like Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour, Gisele Bundchen, Sigrid Agren and Constance Jablonski. The contest which will tour 6 cities across India to hand pick the best talents, kick-started it’s preliminary regional casting round in Delhi. The Delhi regional casting took place at GIP Mall, Noida on 8th August 2015. The capital was brimming with energy and enthusiasm as young boys and girls made a bee-line to participate in a rare, unique and an unbelievable opportunity to be a supermodel. The whole environment was charged as they competed fiercely to get shortlisted. Cheering fans and guidance from a highly experienced jury turned this contest into a memorable and exciting day for the young contestants. The judges' panel for the event included Mr. Vasanth Kumar, Executive Director Max, Licensee Elite Model Look India&renowned Fashion Director Marc Robinson along with truly accomplished supermodels Candice Pinto &Deepti Gujral. The contestants were shortlisted from hundreds of hopeful contenders based on criteria like their ramp walk, first impression and photogenic appeal. These contestants will compete in the final selection round in National Casting along with contestants shortlisted from other cities including Chandigarh, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata& Mumbai. National Casting finalists will undergo a week long grooming sessions by industry experts including Marc Robinson and Erika Oliveira,an Elite Model and winner of prestigious Golden Globe for "Best Model Female”. These rigorous grooming sessions conducted in a safe, supportive and fun environment help aspiring models to understand the concept of stage presentation, poise and most importantly confidence, the art to enhance and nurture their inner beauty. Shortlisted aspirants will be put on their road to success though guidance and mentoring by our experts right up to the Grand Finale, schedule to take palace in Delhi in September. The ultimate goal is to win a place in the prestigious World Final and represent India on international level. The winners will aim for the super model trophy and will also secure a 3-year contract with the Elite agency. Commenting on the occasion, Vasanth Kumar, Executive Director, Max said “With the launch of Elite Model Look India 2015, Max reinforces its positioning of democratizing fashion and giving the Indian models the exposure to establish themselves in the international fashion circuit.” Speaking at the event Marc Robinson, Fashion Director & Licensee Elite Model Look India said, "The fashion industry in India today is bereft of "Supermodels” that once had an iconic influence in the fashion scene in the 1990’s, today they simply and sadly don't exist. With the introduction of a genuine initiative by the fashion brand like MAX and Elite Model Look, Paris, it will provide an opportunity to aspiring young male and female models” Supermodel Deepti Gujral said "It's a great opportunity for young girls and boys to participate in Elite Model Look. Not only it's prestigious, it puts you on a very good platform.” Commenting on the occasion, Supermodel Candice Pinto said "Elite Model Look India 2015 is a great opportunity for young aspiring models. Being part of such a credible model search, automatically ensures that you will be noticed by the best people in the fashion and glamour industry. I wish the contestants all the best."
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He joined his family business of carpets while he was in school and this is how his affair with the art forms of paintings, textiles and floral decor began. With an illustrious career spanning over 37 years, Deepak Badhwar today is a well known name in the world of floral and event decor. In an exclusive conversation with EE, Deepak Badhwar talks about creatively using floral decor into the main stream events business today. Q-How do you feel the traditional art forms are going to fit in the main events genre today which is so flamboyant? A-Today there are leading designers who have got into wedding and big events and over here the structure is the flashier the better. For a special wedding or an event or something where there is going to be let's say a very high profile conference where there is no food going to be served on the tables, one can spread long shawls over. Like they were done in the European master paintings of Renrock and all depicting shawls on top of tables as an accessory and that changes the whole look of the event from a drab conference to something very interesting. One can also have real handmade carpets spread on the floor. So if somebody acquires some event company and invests in them and then they can use it imaginatively in many events. Today fabrics are used to enhance the space at events, but in my opinion they can hang shawls, they can hang textiles, they can hang phulkari and the whole look changes. Similarly can you imagine classical miniature paintings in a conference hall? It is suddenly a very high class event. It completely elevates it to another level. Here there are CEOs sitting and then one of the walls has a classical miniature painting. What a beautiful amalgamation. Q-One of the trends currently in the events domain is that the organizers want everything but at a cheaper cost. Are these traditional art forms really affordable for them? A-Yes, they are affordable for what the worth is. However, the event company or the production house has to see how many events we can cover using the same product. Like if it is going to be reception and the person has invested in drapes and shawls then in a conference we can use them as table covers. These are of multiple uses of course miniature paintings will only come on the walls, you can't put them on the table or on the floor. But carpets you can put on the floor, you can hang them; you can in some cases if they are very fine ones even put them on the tables. Q-Let's talk about floral arrangements now. In your opinion how are floral arrangements enhancing the beauty of events today? A-Any room, any event, any space can be beautified with flowers. Whether it is the humble Marigold or it is imported Hydrangeas or Orchids. Today even in government functions you will notice that in front of the dais there are anthuriums and all sorts of fancy flowers being put in Oasis and covering it. Could you have imagined this happening 5 years ago? No, 5 years back maximum they would put Marigolds. Today there are all sorts of flowers from all over the world and one can play with them. Q- So how has the art of floral decor transformed today? A-Well traditionally in any Hindu religious function in India, rangolis have always been made either with colours or with flowers. And if you delve into Indian traditions, the path entrance has always been lined by floral decorations. In weddings, often the dulha dulhan have walked on rose petals. In Kashmir it is mandatory for the bridegroom to come walking on rose petals. So it has been a part of Indian tradition. We have just taken it to another level by marrying European traditions with Indian traditions. In Europe, see any of the masters, any of the old paintings, there were always large floral arrangements even in the Victorian times they were used either on the side tables or on the centre tables or decorating niches. Now with an event, we can use flowers to enhance them as flowers are available from all over the world now depending on the budget. Also today we have this wonder material called Oasis where we don't need to put the flower into water exactly, just stick it into the Oasis and you can make frames, you can make spheres, everything is done. Q-What are the three unconventional ways that event organisers can use flowers at events? A- Well for starters, Instead of having a central table setting, one can have small sprays, or some medium orchids or corsages set on each plate before the service begins. That will be absolutely unique because when the guests take their seats for a sit down dinner instead of just having napkins on the plate, there is a beautiful Orchid Corsage. Secondly there are many edible flowers which can be used in salads. One can decorate salads with edible flowers and through this the salad takes on a new meaning. Just imagine being served a salad with a beautiful orange flower on it with the best part of it being that you can actually eat it. The third use of flowers can be lining the complete pathway in a traditional wedding fashion of having flowers strewn so that the guests have to walk between the flowers. One need not trample along the path, but just imagine all along the sides there is a low arrangement of six inches of exotic flowers just taking your whole path giving it a new meaning. That would be divine. Q- Where do you see the art of floral arrangements and other traditional art forms going five years down the line? A-I think that there is going to be a massive revival. There is going to be a fantastic awareness as these art forms are slowly dying. And finally for flowers as the world gets smaller, more and more flowers will be accessible to us from different locations as it is people have started using berries, leaves, plants besides flowers.
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American technology pioneer, InFocus recently made its sincere effort to penetrate into the Indian tech world with the mega-launch of an audacious portfolio of Smartphones, Tablets & LED TVs. With the technological innovations such as naked eye 3D technology, anodized aluminum body smartphones and brilliant Ultra High Definition LED displays leading the way for the brands success route, it would be rather interesting to see how will InFocus market itself, as it for the first time in 15 years tries to establish itself in the B2C category. Speaking at the launch event, Sachin Thapar, Country Head InFocus India said, “Our mission for InFocus in India is as bold as it is simple: InFocus is determined to enrich the lives of all Indians by pushing the boundaries of technology and design innovation and providing quality consumers can trust. With the help of strategic partners such as Foxconn and SuperD, we will revolutionise the mobile communication, electronics and visual display markets in India with our fantastic portfolio, and undoubtedly reach $1 billion by the end of 2016.” EE which was present at the launch event spoke exclusively to Sachin Thapar and asked about the marketing strategy the brand looks forward to executing in the near future. To the question, Mr Thapar responds by saying, “For us the our core marketing strategy is going to be the positive word of mouth that we will get once the products start selling. I do not believe and adhere to the marketing strategies being followed by other existing brands today that make their customers wait in line or click at a particular time during flash sales to market its products. For us it is going to be the experience gained by our customers that will help us to establish ourselves.” So will the brand not focus on any ATL or BTL activities to market itself at all? Sachin Thapar says, “The exact dynamics of how will we use ATL and BTL have not been decided as yet but I want to assure you that we will be present across all media platforms be it television, outdoor, digital or print to expand our reach. But as I said more than the marketing gimmicks I feel it is the astounding technology and features that I feel will be our biggest strength and once a customer starts using our products it is going to be that satisfaction which will help us more than any marketing gimmicks.” This week is very happening for Indian mobile market as not one, not two but 5 ace mobile brands with distinctive features are launching their smartphones. So was keeping the launch event in this very week a strategic move by the brand InFocus? Sachin Thapar responds by saying,”No, actually. Even though the products start selling exclusively on Amazon and Snapdeal after 3 months however, keeping the launch early was a pre decided idea and we had no idea about the other brands.”
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With 5 mobile brands launching the latest additions to their mobile phones in this very week, the marketing war for these brands is also about to get more exciting and ruthless than ever. Motorola is one of the 5 brands who joined the bandwagon yesterday, as it launched the third generation of the Moto G series at posh hotel in Delhi. Being a mobile brand that has previously banked heavily on Flipkart for the sale and marketing of its products, Motorola has been a player with rather limited capacities in the experiential zone too. To ask will the strategies change this time for the brand, EE got in touch with Marcus Frost, Senior Marketing Director, EMEA and APAC at Motorola Mobility. “India is one of our biggest markets globally and has been that ways since we started our journey in February last year and to prove that how important it is for us I would like to share the fact that we are having the Moto G third generation launch in India first, and countries like US and UK are on standby.”-says Marcus. When asked upon what will be the marketing strategy for the product, he says-“The heart of the marketing campaign for the newly launched product is mainly going to be digital and heavily based on social media. We teased the launch of the phone on social media and we carried the same outdoor and it became a big success. And additionally since the phone starts selling midnight today and thus you will certainly see our presence across all platforms be it television, radio, outdoor and even print from tomorrow onwards.” So what about experiential campaigns? Will Motorola invest in them? To this Marcus responds by saying-“Experiential is important to us and hence we have always aimed to have a strong backbone to provide better service to our customers. As an example we currently have 160 service centers in the country where customers can go to and we also have 10 vans driving around Delhi offering services to customers on their doorsteps on just a phone call. We are about to expand this service in 9 other cities as well. We also have an experience center in Bangalore where a prospective customer can get a look and feel of the Motorola environment and we will be expanding these too. Additionally we will be continuing our mall activations at various locations with flipkart to generate and create more awareness about the product.” Cream events executed the launch for Moto G third generation phones and Marcus seemed very happy with the overall execution of the event. When asked upon does he look forward to participating with more event agencies to execute such events? he says-“Well, we are always going to choose the best who can fit the bill and deliver our vision with absolute perfection.”
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MobiKwik is a renowned mobile wallet/online payment platform where a user can store money to make mobile and DTH recharge, pay utility bills and shop using the wallet with over 50,000+ merchants. Founded by Bipin Preet Singh and Upasana Taku in 2009, MobiKwik has over the years marketed itself as a leading brand in its service genre boasting of 18 million users on the platform as of now. In an exclusive conversation with EE, Mr Saurabh Srivastava, CMO, MobiKwik India shares the marketing strategy of the brand, its future plan of action and so much more. “With more and more users shifting towards going cashless and using online platforms to shop or for entertainment purposes, the founders of MobiKwik easily realized that not all users were comfortable with using credit, debit cards or net banking processes online and hence the they wanted to come up with a solution to provide an easy payment options for consumers. Thus MobiKwik was born to provide a wide array of services to the customers. Today whether you are shopping online or at outlets like Big Bazaar you can go towards the checkout counter and pay through your MobiKwik wallet without the hassle of card payments or having to carry excess cash”-says Saurabh Srivastava as he explains the functioning of MobiKwik. So how does the brand market itself especially when it has the marketing budget of a humongous 100 crore for this financial year? To this he responds by saying, “It is basically the hassle free experience that we are providing to customers and hence I feel our biggest marketing asset is the positive word of mouth. However, we do realize that the process of it slower and for this reason we are strongly present across all ATL mediums and we also carry out mall activations and other BTL engagements from time to time.” The BTL engagements include direct one-on-one interaction and consultation at malls at paying counters about the feature of the wallet and rebranding the counters at megastores. We have also partnered with CCD and Big Bazaar who offer the options to the customers to pay through their MobiKwik wallets. Also since youth is the primary target group for us hence we are in the process of associating with VH1 for all their events and properties ahead.” When asked upon where you see MobiKwik 5 years down the line? Saurabh Srivastava laughs and says, “Even though it’s a crystal ball prediction but I think in five years we would aim to establish ourselves at a position where the entire population of the country will use our services for easy pay options during their purchase.”
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He joined his family business of carpets while he was in school and this is how his affair with the art forms of paintings, textiles and floral decor began. With an illustrious career spanning over 37 years, Deepak Badhwar today is a well known name in the world of floral and event decor. In an exclusive conversation with EE, Deepak Badhwar talks about creatively using floral decor into the main stream events business today. Q-How do you feel the traditional art forms are going to fit in the main events genre today which is so flamboyant? A-Today there are leading designers who have got into wedding and big events and over here the structure is the flashier the better. For a special wedding or an event or something where there is going to be let’s say a very high profile conference where there is no food going to be served on the tables, one can spread long shawls over. Like they were done in the European master paintings of Renrock and all depicting shawls on top of tables as an accessory and that changes the whole look of the event from a drab conference to something very interesting. One can also have real handmade carpets spread on the floor. So if somebody acquires some event company and invests in them and then they can use it imaginatively in many events. Today fabrics are used to enhance the space at events, but in my opinion they can hang shawls, they can hang textiles, they can hang phulkari and the whole look changes. Similarly can you imagine classical miniature paintings in a conference hall? It is suddenly a very high class event. It completely elevates it to another level. Here there are CEOs sitting and then one of the walls has a classical miniature painting. What a beautiful amalgamation. Q-One of the trends currently in the events domain is that the organizers want everything but at a cheaper cost. Are these traditional art forms really affordable for them? A-Yes, they are affordable for what the worth is. However, the event company or the production house has to see how many events we can cover using the same product. Like if it is going to be reception and the person has invested in drapes and shawls then in a conference we can use them as table covers. These are of multiple uses of course miniature paintings will only come on the walls, you can’t put them on the table or on the floor. But carpets you can put on the floor, you can hang them; you can in some cases if they are very fine ones even put them on the tables. Q-Let’s talk about floral arrangements now. In your opinion how are floral arrangements enhancing the beauty of events today? A-Any room, any event, any space can be beautified with flowers. Whether it is the humble Marigold or it is imported Hydrangeas or Orchids. Today even in government functions you will notice that in front of the dais there are anthuriums and all sorts of fancy flowers being put in Oasis and covering it. Could you have imagined this happening 5 years ago? No, 5 years back maximum they would put Marigolds. Today there are all sorts of flowers from all over the world and one can play with them. Q- So how has the art of floral decor transformed today? A-Well traditionally in any Hindu religious function in India, rangolis have always been made either with colours or with flowers. And if you delve into Indian traditions, the path entrance has always been lined by floral decorations. In weddings, often the dulha dulhan have walked on rose petals. In Kashmir it is mandatory for the bridegroom to come walking on rose petals. So it has been a part of Indian tradition. We have just taken it to another level by marrying European traditions with Indian traditions. In Europe, see any of the masters, any of the old paintings, there were always large floral arrangements even in the Victorian times they were used either on the side tables or on the centre tables or decorating niches. Now with an event, we can use flowers to enhance them as flowers are available from all over the world now depending on the budget. Also today we have this wonder material called Oasis where we don’t need to put the flower into water exactly, just stick it into the Oasis and you can make frames, you can make spheres, everything is done. Q-What are the three unconventional ways that event organisers can use flowers at events? A- Well for starters, Instead of having a central table setting, one can have small sprays, or some medium orchids or corsages set on each plate before the service begins. That will be absolutely unique because when the guests take their seats for a sit down dinner instead of just having napkins on the plate, there is a beautiful Orchid Corsage. Secondly there are many edible flowers which can be used in salads. One can decorate salads with edible flowers and through this the salad takes on a new meaning. Just imagine being served a salad with a beautiful orange flower on it with the best part of it being that you can actually eat it. The third use of flowers can be lining the complete pathway in a traditional wedding fashion of having flowers strewn so that the guests have to walk between the flowers. One need not trample along the path, but just imagine all along the sides there is a low arrangement of six inches of exotic flowers just taking your whole path giving it a new meaning. That would be divine. Q- Where do you see the art of floral arrangements and other traditional art forms going five years down the line? A-I think that there is going to be a massive revival. There is going to be a fantastic awareness as these art forms are slowly dying. And finally for flowers as the world gets smaller, more and more flowers will be accessible to us from different locations as it is people have started using berries, leaves, plants besides flowers.
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