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Tag: Kanika Mathur

  • What role do brand ambassadors play in revitalising brand image?

    What role do brand ambassadors play in revitalising brand image?

    Successful brand revitalisation involves refreshing a brand’s image and reconnecting with its audience through strategic positioning, communications changes and new product offerings. Brand ambassadors play a big role in this process by providing a relatable and authentic face for the brand. They help build trust and engage consumers through genuine endorsements and personal connections, reigniting interest and enthusiasm.

    Understanding brand’s image & the role of brand ambassadors

    A brand’s image is shaped by the ambassador’s interactions (such as social media interactions), experiences (such as events), and marketing efforts (such as advertising campaigns) that encompass its identity, values, and overall consumer impressions. A brand ambassador can be a celebrity, influencer, employee or even an everyday customer.

    A strong brand ambassador builds trust, fosters loyalty, and differentiates the brand from competitors. They significantly influence consumer behavior, impacting purchasing decisions and brand advocacy. A well-established brand image leads to higher customer retention, increased market share, and enhanced overall brand equity.

    Brand ambassadors revitalise a brand’s image

    In the ever-evolving world of marketing, brand ambassadors take center- stage. They are a living embodiment of a brand, representing its identity in appearance, values, and ethics. Ambassadors link a brand and its audience, capturing the brand’s essence and sharing authentic experiences that resonate deeply. This genuine connection makes them indispensable in today’s market, where consumers crave trust and personal engagement with brands.

    Choosing the right brand ambassador

    An interesting success story is of Virat Kohli and Puma. Virat perfectly embodies Puma’s ethos of performance, sportsmanship, and style. His association with Puma has helped the brand gain significant visibility and bolstered its image as a leading sportswear company. Virat’s authentic passion for sports and fitness aligns seamlessly with Puma’s brand values, making their collaboration a textbook example of successful brand ambassadorship. This partnership showcases how a well-chosen ambassador can elevate a brand’s presence and appeal, driving both brand recognition and consumer engagement.

    Identifying a good brand ambassador is critical to the success of any brand. Effective ambassadors are not merely spokespersons but true embodiments of the brand’s values and ethos. They possess an authentic passion for the brand, which translates into their ability to connect with the audience on a more personal and trustworthy level. On the other hand, a wrong choice can pose a huge risk for brands. A famous example is Snapdeal and Aamir Khan. It is reported across media that despite his popularity, Aamir’s controversial statements during his tenure as Snapdeal’s ambassador led to significant public backlash, negatively impacting the brand’s image and customer sentiment.

    A good brand ambassador plays a pivotal role in stimulating brand advocacy and strengthening brand identity. They increase brand awareness, enhance brand loyalty, and engage customers by engaging with customers on social media, participating in events, and generating excitement around new products or campaigns. By contributing to content creation, they lend credibility and trustworthiness to the brand’s message.

    In conclusion, brand ambassadors significantly impact how a brand positively influences its audience, improving a company’s reputation and ultimately helping to increase revenue. Their influence extends beyond mere marketing, touching on various aspects of business success. A strong brand ambassador can change how consumers perceive a brand, sharing genuine experiences and helping companies improve their image and reputation. Their role in modern business is invaluable.

    The article has been authored by BOD Consulting senior partner and practice leader, GTM strategy Kanika Mathur.

  • Cricket fever: Unleashing the power of IPL 2024 for brands

    Cricket fever: Unleashing the power of IPL 2024 for brands

    Mumbai: Sitting in on a rather dull presentation about IPL advertising at an event recently, I realised that broadcasters and brands are possibly missing a beat at leveraging all the possibilities!

    This is not just about the 650 million audience that is expected to view the tournament. The IPL is more than a game of cricket; it has the potential to become a marketing phenomenon catering to brands of all sizes—whether small, midsize, or large.

    It’s a platform where advertising creators can finally show their prowess (just as they do at Cannes) except here, the judge and jury will be the viewers.                      

    So, while Hardik, Virat, Dhoni and Co fight for the cup, brands need to fight for attention from cricket communities and consumers. We’re looking for memorable moments, memorable campaigns, memorable community activities that not just resonate with diverse Indian fans but lingers in the collective consciousness way after the last six has been hit and the last super over has been bowled!                                                                                          
    What’s exciting is that broadcasters have revved up their offerings so that brands can jump at a number of opportunities. There are a wide array of customized and contextual partnership opportunities including exclusive category led associations.  Brands can transcend traditional commercial time slots and leverage assets such as live features, branded capsules, and a variety of other resources.

    The digital landscape has fundamentally changed how the IPL interacts with its audience. Through social media, live streaming, fantasy leagues, and interactive apps, fans now enjoy personalized experiences that extend far beyond the confines of the stadium. The IPL has emerged as a social media juggernaut, generating widespread chatter and fostering interactions among millions of users. It’s imperative for brands to acknowledge this potent potential and strategically harness social media to elevate their IPL marketing efforts.

    Influencer content is undeniably captivating and resonates well with the audience, as it promotes products in a manner that feels authentic and genuine. Injecting a personality into campaigns draws in more attention. By collaborating with the right influencers, brands can effortlessly tap into their followers’ minds and generate interest in their new products.

    The cherry on the cake though is not about broadcasters or digital channels but how teams are strategizing to gain a competitive edge. For instance, consider Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which is leveraging Tamil pride to attract regional brands to solidify fan loyalty.

    Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians have upped the ante by creating a virtual playground. Through an immersive metaverse experience, fans can now craft custom avatars, virtually explore the MI stadium, and engage with players in innovative ways. Additionally, the Royals have joined forces with a gaming studio to unveil an exclusive “Rajasthan Royals Battlegrounds” mobile game. Each team has crafted ingenious concepts that place their fans at the forefront. For brands, the opportunity is ripe for the taking!

    The IPL presents a treasure trove of sponsorship and partnership opportunities for brands eager to immerse themselves in its excitement and prestige. At this stage though, while most sponsorships are already in place, it’s important to note that these relationships go beyond mere logo placements; Sponsorships allow brands to leverage the massive viewership and unwavering fan loyalty associated with the league.

    With such a vast array of possibilities, imagine if you had a hundred rupees—how would you invest it? Having a go-to-IPL strategy is paramount for any brand looking to make a mark. It’s not enough to solely rely on the reach of the tournament; it’s crucial to assess your goals and carefully choose your actions. Brands that are willing to invest in creating creative sparks and distribute content using an omnichannel approach (social buzz, app engagements, digital channels, offline channels, retail)  combined with cricket culture will win. Most importantly, ensure that your goals are measurable so you can derive the maximum value from your investment. Define key performance indicators (KPIs) and leverage analytics to effectively measure campaign success and return on investment (ROI). By doing so, you can refine your strategies and optimise your marketing efforts for maximum impact and effectiveness.

    The article has been authored by BOD Consulting’s go-to-market strategy expert and senior partner Kanika Mathur.

  • Razorfish appoints Charulata Ravi Kumar as new CEO for India

    Razorfish appoints Charulata Ravi Kumar as new CEO for India

    MUMBAI: Razorfish has announced the appointment of Charulata Ravi Kumar as the chief executive officer, India.

     Kumar will work from the agency’s Mumbai office, also responsible for the regional presence across Bangalore, Gurgaon and Pune. She will report to APAC executive chairman Vincent Digonnet.

     

    Previously, Kumar has held leadership roles in India, Middle East and Europe and has managed businesses and brands across US and South Asia. Her 25 year career includes stints with the WPP and Lowe networks as well as establishing her own successful innovation and leadership skills consultancy Coffee Kettle.

     

    Kumar said, “I’m honoured to lead Razorfish India’s business and to be tasked with taking the network to new heights, leveraging technology, social media, e-commerce, data services, experience, design and brand building capabilities to deliver transformational business experiences. My goal is to ensure Razorfish India remains to be the destination for smart, curious, creative and entrepreneurial-minded people and to further strengthen Razorfish India’s existing core competencies.”

     

    Digonnet remarked, “Charulata brings to this role true business transformation skills through a blend of innovation, integrated marketing solutions and entrepreneurship. She has diverse experience across sectors such as services, manufacturing and consumer products across leading multinational corporations and global brands.”

     

    He continued, “She is the perfect succession choice and her proven skills that help brands to bridge the gap between today’s business reality and tomorrow’s new opportunities, is a perfect marriage to Razorfish’s business model. She has in-depth understanding of the Indian market and her background is a perfect complement to the skills we have already developed.”

     

    Outgoing managing director, Kanika Mathur added, “It’s been a privilege to have worked within the Publicis Groupe, latterly at Razorfish, an iconic organisation with digital at its core, since 2008. I commence my new professional challenge assured that under Charulata’s leadership, Razorfish India will continue to thrive and progress an agenda, helping clients navigate the future and transform their businesses.”

     

    Kumar’s appointment is effective immediately.

  • Razorfish hires Manan Mehta to steer India biz

    Razorfish hires Manan Mehta to steer India biz

    MUMBAI: Razorfish, the technology-led digital company from Publicis Groupe, has appointed Manan Mehta as head of business and senior vice president – India.

    Mehta joins Razorfish from Taproot where he was managing partner and a founding member of the agency.

    Razorfish will be based out of Mumbai and will work with clients across the India region. Mehta’s mandate will be to introduce and establish Razorfish in India and put together an A-team to run client operations.

    Mehta said, “The opportunity to impact client’s business by combining cutting edge technology with creativity has compelled me to take up this assignment with Razorfish.” He further added that, “In India, businesses at large have started acknowledging the active role that digital and technology can play in building their brands, and are gearing up to embrace this new world order. In fact, there are organizations that have started institutionalizing social thinking across departments”. He concluded, “I have always admired Razorfish‘s work, and today I am really excited to be part of the team”.

    Razorfish managing director Kanika Mathur said, “Manan is an enterprising young professional with solid fundamentals about business and brands. His experience in the field of advertising and communication will be a huge asset for Razorfish in providing focus and driving growth for us in India”.

    Publicis had earlier announced the entry of the Razorfish brand in India with the acquisition of Neev Technologies which would now operate as Razorfish Neev.

    Razorfish Neev CEO Saurabh Chandra added, “Manan spearheading Razorfish’s India business focus is going to be a great asset for us. His understanding of what brands want and need to succeed in India is superlative. Together with Razorfish Neev’s technical strengths this is a winning combination”.

    Manan has earlier worked with Brand David (then RMG DAVID) in Delhi and Mumbai. He then moved to Leo Burnett, Mumbai. While at Leo Burnett apart from handling key brands as brand partner, he was also assigned additional responsibilities of Leo Entertainment as business head and Arc worldwide as retail director.

    From Leo Burnett he moved to set up Taproot India as a founding member in the capacity of managing partner. He has worked on numerous brands across various categories such as Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 7UP from PepsiCo’s stable. Coca-Cola, Thums Up, Minute Maid and Maaza from Coca-Cola regional business, Airtel, SET WET, Hair & Care, Tata Capital, Myntra.com, Times Of India, Mumbai Mirror, GQ, Conde Nast, Reliance Mutual Fund, Reliance Capital, Sony Entertainment Television, Reliance Mobile, Cox & Kings and LG.

  • Eureka Forbes appoints Digitas as digital AoR

    MUMBAI: Eureka Forbes Limited has awarded its digital strategies and social media mandate to Digitas India of the Publicis Groupe.

    Digitas will be responsible for an integrated and end-to-end solution to strengthen engagement with customers across digital platforms like electronic customer relationship marketing (e-CRM), e-commerce, online relationship management (ORM) and social media. E-commerce will play an important role in the company‘s digital strategy as Eureka Forbes is strengthening its presence not only in direct sales but also retail and B2B space as well.

    Eureka Forbes CEO direct sales and senior vice president, marketing Marzin R Shroff said, “We are happy to partner with Digitas as our digital agency. The core strength of Eureka Forbes is ‘relationships‘ with our customers. In this digital age, it is important for us to engage with our customers real-time on the digital platforms as well and cater to their needs. For over 30 years, India has known us for our direct marketing efforts; the vision is to replicate the same on the digital space as well. We believe the integrated approach and rich experience of Digitas will help us to strengthen our customer relationships on a long term basis and wish to build a strong e-commerce channel to supplement our success of direct selling in India.”

    Digitas India president Kanika Mathur said, “This is an amazing opportunity and we are incredibly excited to be a part of the digital initiative for Eureka Forbes – the world‘s No. 1 direct sales company. More and more of Eureka Forbes customers will be online as the internet explodes in India and we believe that a significant business model can be created online.”

    Eureka Forbes is a water purification company with marquee brands like Aquaguard and Euroclean for nearly 30 years. It has a strong legacy of building relationships with customers providing safest and technologically advanced health and hygiene solutions.

    The company today has emerged as a multi-product, multi-channel organisation with a strong pedigree of brands encompassing water purifiers, vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, home security and automation solutions, fire extinguishers and a large range of institutional products on the cleaning and the purification space.

  • Publicis’ Digitas bags Axis Bank’s digital biz

    MUMBAI: Axis Bank has appointed Publicis Groupe‘s digital marketing agency, Digitas India, as their digital AoR.

    Digitas will conceptualise, design and manage Axis bank‘s presence online across the bank‘s verticals and practices.

    Axis Bank CMO Manisha Lath Gupta said, “At Axis bank we believe that digital media is an extremely important channel to engage with and have meaningful conversations with consumers. Over a period of time, a good digital strategy will go a long way in creating preference of one service provider over another. We believe that Digitas India is the right strategic partner to help us achieve our aspirations. Digitas will be handling all social media and online creative work for Axis Bank.”

    Digitas India president Kanika Mathur added, “Working with Axis bank is extremely exciting and challenging for us. We will be using some of our worldwide learning‘s and best practices to create and implement best in class strategies and consumer experiences for Axis bank. These will include helping position new and current services online as well as in social media.”