Brand or Brandish!!

Well, scrolling over the business statistics, I was stunned to see that out of the 20 fastest-growing fast-moving consumer goods companies, the top five posted a huge growth in value against registered by the bottom five.  AC Nielsen study lists key factors — distribution, volume-price mix, innovation and employing modern trade channels — that differentiate high performers from the rest. The top five were more willing to experiment with new offerings in existing & new categories. They outperformed the bottom five in terms of the share contributed by new launches in preceding years. Advertisements always play a key role in having a clear cut edge with your peers in this segment. The days of no-holds-barred advertising wars between major brands are not at all gone. They are consistently in war, with their advertisement counterattacking another inline product.

For example: Hyundai Vs Maruti Suzuki - This rivalry came to the lime light when Korea's Hyundai Motor went bombastic with its marketing campaign 'Trendsetter V/s Follower' on claims of a much better smaller car EON over the newly launched Alto 800 from Maruti Suzuki. Micromax Vs Samsung - Micromax took a dig at Samsung, with its penultimate ad launch styled as a 'sequel' to Samsung's Galaxy Y teasing their product. And going back in 2009: Nestle Vs Cadbury - Nestle launched a spoof on a Cadbury ad with tag line, "Khao bina tareekh dekhe" directly challenging their counterpart who came up with a tagline "Meetha hai khana aaj pehli tareekh hai". In 2012 it was none other than TOI rivalry with The Hindu - TOI launched 'The Wake Up!' campaign last year, showing readers being put to sleep by a newspaper full of boring news. In a process to hit back hard, Hindu told its readers to 'Stay Ahead of the Times' by reading news that was relevant to current affairs instead of Bollywood and celebrity gossip. Television commercials as well as print ads kept the battle between the two publications going. The number kept growing more with Pepsi-Coke, Colgate-Pepsodent, HUL-P&G and BMW-Audi etc engaging in the war of advertisement with one another to boost their sales and in that process often ending up harming each other’s brand value. This rivalry has shaped into new dimension and now it’s on new platform as well – Social Media!

Welcome to the fast-paced, edgy world of digital media where brands are now making huge money from Social Media like Face book, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube. Especially sporting events like IPL seems to be striking gold on social media with corporate advertisers this season. From PepsiCo who sponsored the title to others like Garnier, Vodafone, Muthoot Group, most of the big companies are relying on social media for surging their sales. They are putting front their incremental budget for this most hyped platform. They had extensively used the social media for promoting their product. While Pepsi has tied up with Twitter to allow viewers to play cricket, Google+ is doing special Hangout sessions which will generate post match conversations. Google has improved the experience of watching live matches on YouTube by integrating Google+ Hangout with it. Vodafone, too, is running its new ZooZoos campaign online. Vodafone which has already over 10 million fans on Facebook, predicts to add many more with this new campaign. “Social media has become the neighbourhood cafe, where people come together to discuss and share ideas and opinions on topical events”, says Sidharth Rao, Chief executive officer and co-founder of Webchutney. 

One of the latest entrants in advertisement platform is Crowd sourcing. A few months ago, the country's largest multiplex chain PVR cinemas launched its ECX (Enhanced Cinema Experience) format in suburban Mumbai.  For many, this new experience is a welcome change from the earlier versions. Even brands are starting to realize the power of the crowd and they have started scorching their brains on how it can be harnessed to their advantage from it. Globally big companies like Pepsi, Heinz, General Motors, Starbucks and Harley Davidson are using crowd sourcing as a part of their marketing mix. Well it is in no man’s doubt that this has long way to go with new innovation coming in. We may can think that advertisements is only one off thing in surging up sales but none can decline from the fact that it has potential to be the major. It is surely the advertisements which make them-a brand or brandish! 

Is this the right time for Entrepreneurs ?

If you are thinking to put your foot in business, check a look – if is this the correct time for you to enter the market!!

Many entrepreneurs fail with their start-up, as they land up entering the market in wrong time. Clinching investment from a venture capital fund may be seen as an endorsement of an entrepreneur's abilities. But raising money is also fraught with risks. The current economic scenario of our country does show up a tough sight for any new Biz leader to intrude the market at this time. Bad economy, worse doing currency, huge deficit, bad reforms are adding woes to it. Free fall of Indian Rupee was not something which Raghuram Rajan India's incumbent Reserve Bank Governor would have not predicted but the question is whether he had the gumption of warning the political class like a more independent analysts?

Rupee has been brewing for several years as the current account deficit and external debt has been growing dangerously due to lack of political will to curb the triple whammy of Government populism, corruption and bad policy. The current account deficit that was $46 billion in FY 2010-11 jumped to $78 billion in year ended March 2012 and to $ 88 billion during the current year. Trade deficit widened to $50.2 billion during the first quarter of this year from $42.2 in first quarter last financial year which would have further impacted the ever growing CAD. 

Additionally the short term debt that needs to be paid back this year is a whopping $ 172 billion over 3 times the amount when UPA II assumed office. This picture of the UPA as a wrecking crew, targeting its own home, has one empirical flaw: all the scams summoned to call this the most corrupt government in history date back to UPA-I, whether the 2G, Coal or Commonwealth Games scams. The problem is not just with the UPA but with the entire polity. We tend to lose out in making reforms as the unstable coalition government ponder to first save their helm at centre rather than thinking about the down slide of economy.

And our purchasing power of Gold has never been to a halt. Our affinity towards this metal has been growing and making a worse as imports of Gold are predicted to rise up to 1000 tones. The uncertain economic conditions and mostly criticized disastrous reforms have already led JP Morgan to downgrade our economy while the threat of downgrade of our sovereign rating from Moody’s can be possible.

Thanks to our service industry mainly IT sectors who are making the most money out of the Dollar rise, posting good quarter profits. The only smile what we can get is from Euro Zone. Stronger growth in the Euro zone's two largest economies, Germany and France, helped the euro zone to emerge from its longest recession to date in the second quarter, confirming expectations a fragile recovery was under way.

Seeing these economic conditions, it’s vital for entrepreneurs to be choosy about whom — and under what terms — they accept funds from and which market they press their move in. 

Love Beyond Life !!

I am flashed by her thoughts whenever I doze off to a sleep. Was that my mistake or hers?

Or was it a god’s call!! I tremendously lay down my thought process in that deep and horrifying dream. The subdued crime which I committed, have no idea when I am going to forgive myself or will this haunt me forever?? A biggest question mark …

It started when we met in the office at very first day of the project assignment and that was the day when we started to talk. I and she started mingling often for work till late hours.

I always had deference for the women and she too got embezzled with my thought process. Our understanding grew day by day as she started becoming comfortable with me. She had a great friend circle with few too caring friends. We both were not a denizen of that place but still we managed to have few very good friends. However, the growth of our friendship hit many eyes and I was so engrossed in her that I always ignored any libel remarks. I never knew that I will certainly fall in love with her in no time. The day when I saw her in incandescent look on ethnic day, I was nonplussed. She later performed singing a song (and confidentially dedicated to me). That day, I realized that I have special place for her. I loved her every move and that song went on to become my favourite. We were enjoying each other company too much. The care for her grew from my side exponentially day by day. I never thought of declaring or asking her about our relationship as I was in credence and believed about it optimistically. As the day progressed, our project winded up and she got shifted to another vertical as she always tend to leave a great impact of hers on peers. She was awarded a promotion and a larger responsibility. I was so elated to see her so happy and could not stop my emotions flowing through my eyes. She came and sat to me with her friends unnoticed about them- After exaggerating great valour, I contritely asked about her view on our relationship, I never knew about what her friends thought off about me as it was she who meant to me the most. She stood up and her friends helped her in waving her to depart. Her friend’s demeanour was alike to hubris. I did not get any answer. I was astounded; could not believe and was still watching them as they pass on towards the main road. Did I commit any mistake??

My heart sunk. I called her and she did not pick my call. I followed her and went to her office cabin and got the news that she resigned. I utilized ‘my good sources’ to get to know that she is into another MNC. I left office horridly and gasping with anticipation, my lungs flattened … I was crying from inside but have no reason to define. I was certainly hurted.

I waited for her outside new office. I galloped from the other side of the road and scampered towards her after I recognized. I was stunned to see her with a guy in an exotic luxurious sedan which was approaching me. She had a face off from inside and looked at me expressionless. I was felling shattered & demented as my heart broke. I was restless and was feeling to stand in no man’s land.

After a week time, I got a call from her friend and she asked me to meet. In that meeting, she explained me about her family which I never asked from her. Her family was an orthodox and strict, possessed a high respect in the society. Her friend added- “She was strictly told not to talk or stay with you as you were from other community.” That time I was thinking about my country, which in my life never thought off – Why am I here? Why such a callow thinking still??

She did tell about me to their family and her family made drastic changes to her life which she could not bear and finally succumbed to her feelings.

Her friend handed me over a note which she wrote before making life’s audacious call – “I did love you but I was afraid that social elements could become a hindrance in your future life. I wished to be with you forever but I do not want to hurt my parents as well. Hope you will stay with my feelings more happily.”

I reconciled in tears, almost frozen. I asked from God of his existence. I pondered whose mistake was that? Death is inevitable but did that happened at correct time for her?

I do not know whom to blame!

I just wished to expiate of my mistake (which I call now) as I just wanted to see her happy always. I wished I would have understood that time of consequences but it was too late…..

Disclaimer: All the characters inside the story are fictitious and do not resemble any living or dead. This is just an imagination. Any forbearance to any is baseless.

Jumbo King – In the making of a Super brand!!

“It is many things to many people -- it is simple, tasty, and yes, very cheap. But it is certainly not the stuff of dreams, especially the global kind.” – Dheeraj Gupta, Founder of Jumbo King.

Ironically, it wasn't the Mumbai-ite's love of the Vada Pav that initially inspired Dheeraj Gupta and his wife Reeta Gupta in 2001. Though biting the piping-hot treats of deep fried potato dumpling served in a lightly-buttered bun may be surging, Dheeraj's original impetus for Jumbo King’s Vada Pav was much more straightforward. When he visited London to his friend who owned a Burger King Franchise and seeing his business making huge profits, fascinated him the most. Getting also inspired by ‘McDonald's: Behind the Arches’- A book by John F Love, he started to give his thoughts a blanket of Indian flavour and returned to Mumbai to open his first outlet named as ‘Chaat Factory’ near Malnad Railway Station leaving behind his family owned business. Contrary to Vada Pav sold by hawkers, the Jumbo king Vada Pav is cooked in a state-of-the-art and hygienic system at every outlet. His strategic decision of reaching the higher mass by staying close to customers cost him high rents but eventually it went on fetching higher returns as his large size product went popular winning the hearts of foodies.

Now, here was a product available at almost every nook and corner of Mumbai, hugely popular and started selling for as little as Rs 5. Later, Innovation too triggered to launch many new products.

23rd August 2001	Jumboking opens its first outlet.
23rd August 2004	Jumboking has started experimenting with franchising and now has 6 operational outlets.
23rd August 2005	Jumboking has 15 operational outlets.
March 2007	Jumboking receives award for New Concept in Franchising.
March 2007	Jumboking receives award for Innovative Franchisee model.
2008	Featured by BBC as one of Asia’s most innovative business models.
2009	Jumboking becomes a case study by knowledge@Wharton
2010	Jumboking`s MD Dheeraj Gupta invited to be on the jury-ET Retail Awards
2011	Jumboking gets invited to the retail leadership summit 2011
2011	Jumboking ranked among the top 100 Franchise opporunities of the year 2011 in India
November 2011	Jumboking sells nine crore Vada Pavs, MS Dhoni becomes our 9 croreth customer.
June 2012	Jumboking upgrades to a international Frozen Products Supply Chain.
2013	Jumboking goes national with the launch of its expansion program in 18 new cities across India

Today, Jumbo King is run like any western fast-food giant, with standard operating procedures in place for every area of operation. In terms of management strategies and decisions, it has a lot on its plate. Across all stores, the motto is the same: a simple food at an affordable price in clean surroundings.

Having grown huge, this jumbo-sized success story today boast to sell more than 9 crore Vada pav and have over fifty bright yellow and orange self-serve, fast-food branches spanning various cities. Dheeraj’s ambitious project anticipates to hit more than 1000 outlets and targets billion dollars higher turnovers in years to come. This great insights with innovation in product delivery, has helped this food corner in its heist to Zenith. Though faced threats by many competitors and challenge to bring the love for Vada Pav pan India, Jumbo King has been able to position itself well in the market. Kudos to the enterprising Gupta couple for transforming the way Vada Pav is served in India today and hope it is here to stay, to sail higher!!