Monday, August 1, 2011

Flirting with the vantage point!

A well thought out and executed launch has enabled Ford India to change its fortunes dramatically in India. Nigel Wark goes through the ride with Sanchit Verma

Nigel E. Wark
Ford India, Executive Director, Marketing Sales & Service

My role,” feels Nigel E. Wark, the man behind the marketing and sales for Ford India Region. One should say the man behind why Figo reached the stature at which it stands today in the Indian market. He credits his success to the support he received from the team at Ford India, including Ford India’s President & MD Michael Boneham.

A Bachelor of Economics from Flinders University, Australia, Nigel E. Wark came to Ford India as Executive Director, Marketing & Services, in 2008 with the backing of a rich experience of selling and marketing products across 12 different diversities globally. He has been successfully driving and managing Ford India’s rapid growth, which has led to a third phase of capacity expansion for the company. The task at hand keeps him extremely occupied and longing for a bit of fresh air every now and then.

India is indeed a challenging market where one has to deal with tremendous diversity; in terms of differences in religion, region, languages, cultures, et al. Before coming to India, Nigel had worked in many other countries in Asia – Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and to a lesser extent, China and Japan. He feels that the sum of all the diversity that he saw in those countries is wrapped up in India alone. How does Nigel manage to handle them all for Ford? He gives his take succinctly, “I don’t believe in averaging.” In other words, Nigel doesn’t believe that there is one approach to marketing that fits all. Yes, a brand positioning needs to be done, and yes, the market place will show the way eventually. But there is a significant difference in different regions and for the success of the product, Nigel feels that the easiest way to comprehend the market is to have a look at the market shares and the leaders of the different segments and look at what they did right or wrong.

Under Nigel’s command, Ford India achieved ‘big’ even as it went ‘small’ with Figo. The company posted an impressive sales record this year by clocking around 7,925 units in August, which is three times higher than the total reported sales in August last year. Brand Ford has scripted a remarkable success story since Figo was launched in March this year, as it remains a hot cake for the company – even 25 weeks since it was introduced. Nigel took the complex responsibility of creating the brand and changing the perception of Ford India, and he did this by believing in going ‘right through the basics’. “You can really make the business complicated or you can simplify it and try to get it right in the simplification process – and Figo was the pro duct where we actually made the market understand the product right,” he comments quite proudly. Nigel had started the research for Figo almost 3 years ago. Ford started researching on the customer base for the segment in question to understand the gaps to be filled. Research teams spent a lot of time with customers to know what they liked, what they did as far as entertainment was concerned, how they spent their weekends, what they watched on television, movies, internet, et al. And once the customer profile map had been generated with precision, the part about positioning the product in the consumer’s mind became much easier – and more effective too.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

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Planman Consulting

IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.......
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Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

Monday, July 18, 2011

THE ART OF MAKING AN AD – THE ANURAG BASU WAY!

USING A HIGH IMPACT MULTI-MEDIA CAMPAIGN & THE STAR POWER OF RANBIR KAPOOR, NISSAN RECENTLY LAUNCHED ITS A2 SEGMENT MICRA FOR URBAN INDIA. 4PS B&M GIVES THE INSIDE VIEW OF HOW THE AD WAS MADE AND LAUNCHED

A few months back, when Nissan planned to launch its Indian A2 hatchback – Micra – the challenge for the company was not only to make a dent into the overly cluttered segment but also to set the stage for A long term impact. After numerous pitches, the auto major assigned the campaign to TBWA India.

The target group in question was the 28-35 year old working professionals with families in the SEC A & B segments. After some intense brainstorming, the creative team decided to rope in Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor as the face of the brand, given his connect with urban audiences. Micra was positioned as an “Urban Simplifier” – a car that eased the hassles of city driving – using a high impact multi-media campaign. The commercial was conceptualized by Rahul Sen Gupta, National Creative Director and Rahul Ghosh, Creative Director, TBWA India. The power idea was to show Ranbir demonstrating the novel features of the car – including the I-key, push button start, short turning radius, fuel efficiency and spacious interiors. While the production house for the commercial is Red Ice, it has been directed by well known filmmaker, Anurag Basu.

Micra’s TVC was shot on a very tight schedule of 36 hours in peak summer. The commercial was partly shot in Mumbai and in some parts of Delhi over a period of six days in two separate schedules. Interestingly, Ranbir’s presence did not create much of a stir on shooting locales in Mumbai, but Delhi was a different story. Nirmalya Sen, MD, TBWA India reveals, “On the last day of the shoot at Delhi, a large crowd had gathered at the location; as a nearby mall, in order to generate high footfall on its premises, announced on FM radio that Ranbir would make an appearance. This led to a large unmanageable crowd and even made us hold up shooting for a while.” Fortunately a thunderstorm compelled the crowd to disperse. Ranbir was highly involved throughout the creative discussions and many of the improvisations in the commercial were contributed by him. Most of the pre and post production work was also carried out in Mumbai. The background score has been composed by Vipin Misra. So far the response is overwhelming, which is quite evident from the increasing bookings for the Micra. The TVC will be continuously aired for the time being to generate awareness and customer walk-ins. Ranbir’s pull factor seems to have worked. Now it’s time for Micra to weave its magic.

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.......
IIPM Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet Hooliganism
Arindam Chaudhuri: We need Hazare's leadership
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

WE ARE IN FOR SOME SERIOUS FUN IN THE CONSUMER DURABLES SPACE

Giraj Sharma, Director, Behind The Moon Consultants

The success of LGs and Samsungs in India as against the lukewarm performance of other global giants such as Panasonic, Hitachi, Canon and Toshiba in the consumer durables industry is fodder for many debates. Often we find these debates converging to the old track of the Koreans approach versus the Japanese. I don’t think there is an approach to business that can be termed as Korean or one which can be called Japanese. As the world becomes more complex, the integration of work cultures have actually brought us to a point where we can not attribute strategic abilities to the nation of the origin of the company or the location if its headquarters. Doing so would actually amount to trivialising the entire issue and would add a lot more complexities.

Let me present another argument in support of my claim. Consider this: Look at automobile sector and just look at what the so-called Japanese brands have achieved here in India. Look at the role Suzuki (as Maruti-Suzuki) has played in the four-wheeler market in India and look at what the Toyotas and Hondas of the world are now doing here. Check out what Honda has done with two-wheelers (as Hero-Honda and as Honda on standalone platform).

Well coming back to the consumer durables space, it took some time to Sony to realise that just a ‘Made in Japan’ label would not suffice to cut ice with the new Indian customer who was perhaps as discerning as his or her European or American counterpart. The urbane Indian customer has high aspirations, but at the same time he or she displays an earthy value consciousness. This is the customer that the auto majors cater to and that too aggressively. As of now, Sony seems to be addressing to this customer pretty well too and it is not snooty any longer to ignore the large consumer base that exists in the form of households with modest income levels, a segment that was perhaps a complete no-no earlier. Sony is a force to reckon with in the flat-panel-display market (LCDs/Plasmas/LEDs) and sells decent numbers of home-theatres and music component systems. The other brands from Japan ignored the rising aspirations of this value conscious generation of Indian customer. All that is expected to change soon though. These players are reworking their strategies now and looking at India in a manner that a market of this size and potential deserves. Product offerings, prices, advertising (selection of brand ambassadors included) are being tweaked with as new strategy constructs are being worked out in a never before manner.

Now let’s look at the other end of the spectrum. It comprises of LG and Samsung (Koreans particulalrly) who have worked their way up in the Indian market admirably. And unlike what most pundits will have us believe that the story of their dominance does not hinge on price competitiveness at all. As a matter of fact, both LG and Samsung now price their products reasonably high and almost at par with the likes of Sony or an American Whirlpool. These brands, and LG in particular, have got their basics right and bang on time. They have developed robust trade channels which they service very well and have a dynamic approach to their product portfolios – replacing successful models with newer and more technologically advanced versions. This is akin to something that a Toyota did in India with Qualis. They have invested in their people heavily and have empowered the teams sufficiently to ensure their response to the needs of the market (the trade and the consumer) is super-quick. They have huge infrastructure to demonstrate their commitment to this market and not only they have world-class manufacturing facilities to boast off, they have also developed and nurtured dedicated vendors who add efficiently to the value chain. But whatever it is, one thing is sure that we are in for some serious fun in the consumer durables space and the lot is more to come!


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting


IIPM in sync with the best of the business world.......

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Cover Feature - UNNI KRISHNAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BRAND FINANCE INDIA

Strong brands impact both the demand and supply curves to add value to the business. On the demand side brands enable a product to achieve a higher price at a given sales volume. Strong brands can also increase sales volumes and churn rates. Brands also establish more stable demand, through their relationship with consumers. They establish barriers to entry. The relationship with consumers is due to both functional and emotional attributes. On the functional side brands ensure recognition and further aid the purchase decision through a guarantee of quality. From an emotional perspective they satisfy aspiration and self expression requirements. A further benefit of strong brands is the ability to transfer the equity or values associated with a brand into new product categories.

On the supply side, strong brands have the ability to shift the supply curve downwards due to the following reasons:

• Greater trade and consumer recognition and loyalty. This results in lower sales conversion costs and more favorable supplier terms.
• Lower staff acquisition and retention costs.
• Lower cost of capital.

Long term value creation potential of the brands needs to be articulated by the management to the shareholders. Brand value added depends upon the differential advantage the brand offers, market economics and the ability of the management to unlock the brand value by objective based brand strategy whose purpose should be to maximise shareholder value.

Brand valuation helps the management to articulate the value of brand through balance sheet reporting which is mandatory as per IFRS 3 and it also plays significant role in merger & acquisition activity. Shareholders are increasingly keen to know the value of specific intangible assets as well as tangible assets being acquired.

The challenge to the senior executive teams is to demonstrate that brands are business assets capable of generating superior economic returns for their shareholders and worthy of multi-year investment commitments in New Product Development, R&D, Distribution and People.


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School
Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri
Planman Consulting

Monday, January 3, 2011

Best Launches - BMW Z5 (SUV)

BMW Z5 (SUV)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

• 3-5 litre V8 engine
• 164kw/298kw @6600 rpm
• Price: sub Rs.30 lakhs (Ex-showroom Delhi)

TORNADO DESIGN: Although the Z5 existed abroad for many years, it had never been introduced in India, that is, till now. BMW is about to launch the astoundingly stunning SUV in India, which almost could have been a car but for its tastily raised high roof design. The 500Nm torque drives in a pure thunderous appeal, especially while accelerating 0-60 mph. Said to have borrowed some concepts (like tail lights) from the X Coupé concept, the Z5 is a sureshot buy.


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

IIPM B-School

Arindam Chaudhuri

Rajita Chaudhuri

Planman Consulting

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

NAVED CHAUDHARY, HEAD-MARKETING SERVICES, WYNN TELECOM

Well, will this portfolio expand over the year?
Well, without divulging too much at this stage, all I can say is that post the launch, we will be introducing four-five new handsets every month. We have a great product team in place and depending on the market response, we will finalise how to play up our product portfolio over the time. Like any other brand, our effort over a stipulated time period will be to push the envelope on the average selling price.

And where do you see Wynn Telecom reaching in market share by the end of this year?
All our plans are up our sleeves and we target to be amongst the top three Indian mobile handset manufacturers by the end of this financial year. We have a good product portfolio in place and we are looking at providing solutions to consumer needs in an efficient way by providing affordable and feature rich handsets. Furthermore, Wynn Telecom will continue to invest in innovation and be committed to provide value offerings to customers at affordable prices.

Are you looking at tapping a particular segment of the market?
We’re looking at pan-India operations and are providing product solutions to all genders and all strata of society. We are building a strong distribution channel; making inroads into the heartland of India is a priority for us as of now. In marketing parlance, we have a core target group of males falling in the SEC A and B category and in the age bracket of 15-29 years – including students and young executives – who are achievers and embrace modernity.

For all that, how big is your distribution going to be?
We are looking at over 500 distributors with a cumulative retail network of 25,000 outlets!

But you’ve not initiated your promotion campaign...
We are looking at immediately launching campaigns – BTL and retail activations are high on agenda. The larger brand campaign should start sometime in the mid of July 2010. I can’t disclose much about the campaign but our objective will be to break the clutter and to focus on how we do things innovatively and in a different way. We need to have a high share of voice with a lower share of expenditure within the category. It’s no more the survival of the fittest but survival of the smartest.

You have roped in Saif Ali Khan as your brand ambassador. What synergies are you looking to derive from this association?
We will be looking at leveraging the good part about the brand ambassador. Having Saif Ali Khan with us on board will help us in cutting across classes and masses. And yes, we will also surely ensure that the ‘Saif’ brand does not override the Wynncom brand.

Surbhi Chawla
For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

HER BUSINESS? THE FUTURE OF YOUR FUTURE

Many international players are also entering into this field which means more competition.
Yes, eventually it does add to competition. But one of the advantages which we have got is content on cricket and Bollywood and these are the categories that have the potential of going global. We also have content which is appealing to the US and Australian market. And I am not just talking about non resident Indians here but also about mainstream consumers.

You were associated with the movie What’s Your Rashee as their astro partner? Did that association help? Do such associations help?
I think such associations increase the visibility of the brand. The name and theme of What’s Your Rashee was quite demanding and therefore we associated with it.

What are your plans in terms of marketing activities this year?
Our future plans for marketing are all geared up for the NRI market where web is concerned. We are also using short codes for towering with call centres. Thus, in an overall sense, we plan to increase our marketing spends by 30-40% this year.

Is advertising important in your field?
It is extremely important. Astrology allows us to engage with your customer through various ways and advertising helps us to connect with our consumers through each of the touch points.

As Told to Neha Saraiya


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

4Ps B&M meets the Marketing Head, Maitri Kuma, to get insights

You are one of the global leaders in this particular sector. How does this help you in your operations in India?
Our leadership position in financial services today gives HSBC the opportunity to take our brand from an “observational role,” i.e. understanding the world like none other, to a more “active role” that can help our customers navigate today’s interconnected world and leverage our local and cultural knowledge and understanding to inspire and enable our customers to reach their potential. It is for this reason that we recently launched our new brand idea, ‘HSBC helps you unlock the world’s potential’. Two factors – HSBC’s strong performance in the recent times and the increasing globalisation of the consumer mind-set – offer us an opportunity to move the HSBC brand forward in a differentiated, relevant and true way. By the way, we were one of the lead sponsors for the live online streaming of IPL3.

So are you saying that IPL3 in a way emerged as a new platform for marketing yourself?
HSBC’s association with YouTube for IPL3 was indeed a reflection of our belief in new-age media. HSBC as a brand has always been progressive and innovative and our investment in new media/technology only strengthens how we wish to portray ourselves to our consumers.

What role does technology play when you decide your marketing mixes and how does it help in the overall growth of a bank?
HSBC as an organisation has always been technologically advanced. HSBC’s thrust on technology has not only helped the bank grow, but it has also actively contributed to the modernisation of the Indian banking industry. See for yourself: HSBC gave India its first ATM way back in 1987. In 1985, it became the first bank to fully computerise its operations. In 1989, it became the first bank to have inter-branch and inter-city connectivity. In 1994, it became the first bank to provide online access to accounts and in 1995 it became the first bank to introduce off-branch ATMs. HSBC launched, for the first time, an Internet banking security device. It took online security to the next level. We believe technology is one of those key aspects that help us to stay in touch with our customers.

The ICMR-4Ps B&M Perception Survey ranks HSBC on top of all other foreign banks in India. Do you know how you did it?
HSBC is one of the most recalled and respected brands in the markets of its presence in India today. It is a clear reflection of the efficacy of its brand positioning and stature.


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

Monday, November 15, 2010

DOES ADVERTISING ACCURATELY REFLECT THE NEW-AGE WOMAN?

Has today’s advertising kept pace with scores of Indian women emerging from the shadows to seek their rightful place in society? 4Ps B&M presents various views

Ray, however, admits that she personally is prepared to go into this battle, anytime, any day! Theatre luminary Lushin Dubey switches lanes to offer a completely new perspective. “More than advertising projecting the ‘New Woman’, the New Woman seems to be totally seduced by advertising! She appears to totally believe, even celebrate the image that she sees... and this is both distressing and dangerous because it sends out the wrong signals. It implies that TV is this big hospital-cum-beauty parlour-cum-gym, where all shapes and sizes are photo-shopped and air-brushed to perfection! Scary...”

The last words must come from Omkar Sane, author (Welcome To Advertising. Now Get Lost!) and ad-tracker. “Actually, it’s because of the tainted windows, AC cabins and the advertising code for women established during the dark ages!” He points out that in the area of finance or healthcare, it is always the man who understands, applies and takes credit for the action while the woman sits and smiles. “Gul Panag didn’t talk too much in the Tata Sky ads, did she? It was Aamir who apparently knew everything and played a starring role.” Sane laments the fact that advertising “seems to wait for society to change and then show its spurs; while society, for its turn, hopes like hell that advertising will lead the way and effect the much-needed change.” Neither does that; and all one ends up doing is... changing the damn channel!

Well, if you belong to the club that thinks Julius ‘advertising’ Caesar is a brute, then friends, Indians, ladies, unite...


For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website

Monday, November 1, 2010

TALK TO THE HAND, HONEY!

With two new franchises being sold-off at world-record beating rates, Lalit Modi’s utterly raucous IPL takes leaps towards becoming the world’s largest sporting behemoth. Illogical? Yes, talk to his hand...

Whether it is the well-known Amby Valley knight or some unknown Special Purpose Vehicles, the real rub lies in the outflows that are bound to follow. Whatever the parties have spent so far is only for the purchase of the respective franchises. Now they have to invest on the players, staff, logistics and infrastructure. Starting September, the players’ auctions will restart, and Sahara and Rendezvous will be forced to shell-out some precious coins for purchasing players – whose values with each passing IPL are only going upwards. At the end of the day, building your team as a dominant brand poses the biggest challenge. While money might not be an issue in the case of Sahara, as far as Rendezvous goes, it sure has a rough uphill ride ahead.

Three years back, when IPL was born, Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya paid Rs.441 and Rs.440 crores respectively to purchase Mumbai Indians and Bangalore Royal Challenger franchises. Many pundits had then questioned their vision, calling it nothing more than a mirage. On current terms, those figures look like Downing Street pennies. Although the first year was evidently a damp squib, both in terms of stadium spectators and television viewership, IPL turned into a trusted and successful sporting brand, turning profitable during the second year itself for both the BCCI and the franchise owners. Despite general elections forcing the entire tournament out of the country, brand IPL did not lose its glitter, thanks to some great advertising. According to market experts, IPL 3 will generate Rs.1000 crores in ad-revenues. Even in terms of viewership, IPL no longer looks a three-year-old infant. TAM reports prove how viewership has increased by 6% this season, as compared to IPL 2, with more than 67 million viewers watching the first three matches of IPL 3 in India alone. Yes, national viewership has fallen as the tourney has progressed. But with IPL matches being broadcasted live on YouTube for the first time, viewers in UK, US and Australia are showing keen interest in IPL.

Conclusively, one has to remember that finally, IPL is not just a sporting event, but a venture where investors like Shahrukh, the Wadias, Sahara et al are attempting to maximize their investments. One method to do that is to sell off the franchises to third party buyers, when the going rates are good. Another is to earn from their share in advertisement earnings of the IPL, which are pretty decent currently. But there is a danger of these ad-rates hitting the ceiling, which would therefore divert advertisers to other formats, as Sam Balsara, CMD of Madison World says, “IPL may turn into a Golden Goose. Due to overhype, the ad-rates of IPL slots are too much now. This may suddenly divert advertisers from IPL to other cricketing events. But at this moment, IPL is rocking!” As per a London-based brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance, the value of IPL 3 (at $4.13 billion) is twice that of IPL 2 ($2.01 billion). But is this growth a sustainable one? Brand Finance claims it is. And standing true to our sub-heading, Lalit Modi says, “IPL will become the world’s biggest sporting brand!” Yes, keep talk to his hand. Right now, it rocks!
Satish Chapparike

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

IIPM B-School Detail
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM’s Management Consulting Arm - Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri (IIPM Dean) – ‘Every human being is a diamond’
Arindam Chaudhuri – Everything is not in our hands
Planman Technologies – IT Solutions at your finger tips
Planman Consulting
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine

IIPM ranked No 1 B-School in India
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
IIPM: Management Education India
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website