Brands India

How can banks become better marketers?

Ajit Vishwanath — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:39:43 +0000

With the Indian economy picking up after fears of a second recession have appeased, there is a general upbeat in the market. In light of this, banks seem to have loosened their purse strings and are going ‘gung-ho’ in their marketing spends. Banks such as Kotak Mahindra, Union Bank of India, HDFC, IndusInd and now Axis are going all out in their bid to grab the consumer’s attention. Kotak Mahindra last activated a diverse campaign – ‘Money ka Matlab’ (the … →

The Hindu woke up (finally!)

Ajit Vishwanath — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:12:51 +0000

In a clear lash-back at rival the Times of India (TOI), the Hindu launched an aggressive campaign. The campaign focuses on the content of the two papers and how impoverished is the knowledge of TOI readers. Two months back TOI activated a campaign (read here) that subtly suggested the Hindu to be a dull read. It urged viewers to switch to the newly launched TOI in Tamil Nadu – the home state of the Hindu. In retaliation, the Hindu’s campaign … →

The Bajaj RE60 is what the Tata Nano isn’t

Ajit Vishwanath — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:14:36 +0000

The first time I saw the new vehicle unveiled by Bajaj, I thought here comes another Nano. But the MD of the world’s largest three wheeler manufacturer – Rahul Bajaj says this is no car; he simply calls it a four-wheeler! This is because the vehicle is aimed primarily at three-wheeler market. According to a report here, it is expected that the RE60s will replace traditional auto-rickshaws in about 10 years. That is a big step-up on Indian roads. Auto … →

Airtel’s says hold close to friends – you need them all!

Ajit Vishwanath — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:25:36 +0000

Airtel activated a record number of ads simultaneously as part of its recent campaign. The last time I took count there were almost 20 of them (watch them here). Earlier to this, Airtel launched this campaign with the tagline – Har ek friend zaroori hota hai (Each friend is essential). While the ad jingle was a catchy number, I doubt if it added any significant value to the brand. This time around Airtel promotes the brand and VAS it offers … →

4 business ideas you can indulge in online

Ajit Vishwanath — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:26:20 +0000

This post is the third part of making your business ‘come alive’ on the web. The first part (here) covers the basics of getting started and the second part (here) covers typical mistakes businesses make on the web. Following through, this post collates 4 good ideas I came across that delivered good audience engagement. 100 Cars for Good: Toyota launched this social campaign rewarding non-profits voted by people with a car. It not only effectively took the ‘mountain to Mohammed’; … →