BRAND MANAGEMENT
Branding in Times of Recession
-- Ravi Warriar
Though brand equity has been recognized as a key strategic asset, brand building has always been among the first budget cuts when companies tighten their belts during slowdowns. This article studies the reaction of managers and consumers to recessions and suggests brand management techniques to survive such tough times.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
MARKETING ENVIRONMENT
Bottom of the Pyramid : Opportunities for Marketers
-- Shailendra Dasari
C K Prahalad's proposition that there is enormous potential to be tapped by selling relevant products to those at the bottom of the economic ladder has received mixed reactions. Much of the controversy is about the numerical accuracy as to how many are at the `bottom of the pyramid' and what their total spending power is. However, the experience of some well-known companies in India and abroad shows that the `bottom of the pyramid' concept is in principle quite practicable and offers beneficial outcome for all concerned. The idea is all the more relevant during periods of economic downturn.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
GREEN MARKETING
Sustainable Green Marketing : The New Imperative
-- Bholanath Dutta
Resources are limited and human wants are unlimited. Hence, it is very important for the marketer to utilize the resources efficiently and, at the same time, achieve the organization's objective. Green Marketing is the best-suited solution to this issue. The consumers of today are more conscious about protecting the environment. They are enlightened consumers and are known as `green consumers'. Green marketing talks about sustainable and socially responsible products and services. This article discusses the evolution and the importance of green marketing. It also discusses various challenges contained in it.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
COVER STORY
The Logic of Limited Editions
-- Harish B
Limited edition was a term closely associated with the publishing industry. Select number of copies of popular classics were printed in glossy, high quality paper, exquisitely bound and then sold at a premium. This strategy has now spilled over to many other items like consumer durables, automobiles and even to FMCG products such as toilet soaps. This article aims to highlight the logic behind using limited editions as a marketing strategy.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
MARKETING TO TEENAGERS
21st Century Teenagers : How they are Redefining the Marketing Landscape
-- NR Aravamudhan
Teen marketing is here to stay. Thanks to the enormous economic might of the teenagers, there is a mad rush among marketers to target this very lucrative and exciting segment. Marketers are harnessing all the resources at their command to fire up the imagination of teenagers and storm their way into their impressionable minds. But this is easier said than done. To peep into the complex psyche of teen consumers, marketers have to ponder over issues related to their personal psyche, social context and the general environment around them. Though this article is partly drawn from the American context, the general observations are universally applicable.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
MARKETING TO TEENAGERS
Teen Marketing : Current Scenario, Drawbacks and Concerns
-- R Bhavani and V Prakash
Teens are persons in the age group of 13 to 19. Of late, they are being targeted by many multinational marketers for selling their products. Marketers are adopting new strategies to attract these teenagers and thereby harvesting huge revenues from this segment. This article focuses on the current scenario of marketing to teens, its concerns and problems.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
COMPANY FOCUS
National Roads and Motorists' Association : Serving Motorists Since 1920
-- Dhananjay Keskar
National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) is a unique organization based in Australia. It provides a wide range of services related to motoring under one roof - motor vehicle servicing and roadside assistance, car rental, accommodation and travel services, training and guidance regarding driving, research and public advocacy on transport-related issues, etc. It now operates under the name of NRMA Motoring & Services Ltd. NRMA's insurance division has become an operating unit of the Insurance Australia Group.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
CASE STUDY
Brand London : An FDI Attraction
-- Bharathi S Gopal and Kirti Nair
Over the years, London had emerged as a global hub for companies that intended to invest in Europe. London's FDI attractiveness resulted in the city gaining the status as a major financial services centre. The city gradually lost its once-famous tag of being a prominent manufacturing hub. By 2007, several other destinations like China and India were posing a severe challenge to London in terms of attracting foreign investment. Eventually, London slipped in the rankings for FDI attractiveness. This resulted in several challenges for the city. It was also pointed out that transport infrastructure and inadequate housing for the growing population were major concerns. This has severe implications in times of a financial downturn.
© 2009 IRC , Bangalore. All Rights Reserved.
RURAL MARKETING
FMCGs : Tapping Rural Markets in India
-- Subhash B
The share of rural areas in the total FMCG products consumption in India is on the rise. Major FMCG companies are taking concerted steps towards increasing their presence and market shares in rural areas. Part of the reason for the thrust towards rural markets is the threat of reduced growth rates in urban markets. Gradually, some of the constraints to marketing in rural areas are being overcome. However, the threat of increased input costs and prices of end-products together with other impacts of the economic slowdown could shift the rural demand towards fake products and illegally-imported goods.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
ADVERTISING
Advocacy Advertising : Generating Sales by Promoting an Opinion
-- G P Mrudhula
Advocacy Advertising refers to advertising that expresses (advocates) the sponsors' views and opinions on some issue, which is often of a controversial nature. Commercial organizations use such advertising techniques to indirectly promote the sale of their products, and/or to present their company in favorable light. Non-profit organizations adopt the same to promote the causes that they stand for. The effectiveness of Advocacy Advertising is enhanced by the fact that it also generates word-of-mouth publicity among the target audience, thus, leading to customer advocacy for the company/product.
© 2009 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
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