How to build a food brand~

Sue Sullivan (Owner of HOT SQUEEZE, USA, Gr8r Atlanta) asked: Looking for advice on how to build a food brand

Hi, Interesting question…but unfortunately it does not have any formula.
I am in food business as well and fortunately marketing personality!! And i believe building a brand is ongoing process and your own unique branding idea comes from you. Yes YOU, no consultant can create a DNA for your brand; of course they can help in execution and makeup.

Simply answer this to yourself to understand how you want to take your brand forward…

a) When you created or thought about the logo or name of your brand, what was going in your mind? i.e. what was the idea, what was the image you could see, what was the feeling?

b) Does this feeling still as strong or has it changed, if changed, then answer why it has changed, is it because of outer influence or is it because your internal objectives has changed?

I believe your brand is an extension for your own personality…one thing is very interesting about brand building you can change it to your own likes…what i mean by it, can you change your personality? (unless you are not happy with who u are) most of the time it is hard to change and that is why we sometime subconsciously want to be somebody else…branding is a good medium to express your hidden or secret personality/expressions which you can create through a product brand Or service brand.

For example, you give the brand a name, dress it up with colors and font and give it a language for communication which will make it stand out and interesting, you don’t go to all kinds of places, right, you go to select places with your frnds and family…similarly your brand goes to select places (distribution and stores). Do you make friends with everyone, No, right…similarly your brand makes friends with select group of people (in marketing we call it segment and target audience)…but you are friendly with everyone who come in contact with you…similarly your brand is friendly (this is customer friendliness in the marketing language)…you have hobbies…similarly your brand has some 

I hope you got the picture!! And i am sure you can make an interesting brand for yourself.

Festival connection !!

Click on the link above, interesting info!!

connecting with life!

Job-Part of Life Cycle

While meditating on the issue of retaining and attracting people, I realised, that every organisation in every industry is facing the similar problem in the background of this truth, that the world is fast changing, it is becoming flat, and people are exposed to so much information that knowledge can be acquired by anyone and at anytime (smart people are utilising it for good), work life cycle is decreasing, “Work Life Cycle”. In the given situation like this one, retaining and attracting people is a major challenge indeed. (We are assuming all are talented people with college education, who are evolving fast).

In the scenario where expectations are high on both sides’ i.e. prospective happy employees and prospective happy companies, how to keep balance is the question.

I will take side of the happy workers because I like them.

One way to find a solution is by asking what are the needs, wants and motivations of an employee through the various stages of his work life cycle and how can it be mapped.

Before we go ahead…an important trend we all are seeing and hearing is “People Need Work and Life” i.e. work and life balance and another trend we'll see in next 15 years, is the shift in the way people will look at work, change in the attitude. “Work Is Part Of Life”and not life.

At present we will be mostly focusing on how to balance needs and motivations with “Work & Life” through the various stages of our happy workers work life cycle. (In the scenario were working life is declining)

Find above, a simple chart, these are needs apart from equal pay & opportunities. no political work environment and a hygienic work environment.

Chart: C1- Curve one is a 20 yrs life cycle
C2- Curve two is a 10 yrs life cycle

In stage one our happy workers look for:
Learning (initial 1-4 yrs): To acquire soft skills, people skills, technical/professional skills, mastering ones subject or chosen field, independence to think and act, developing managerial skills.

Basic motivations: Wants to acquire needed skills and then wants to implement / demonstrate them to validate the learning (unlearn and learn from mistakes).

What he wants from happy HR people: Training (not the class room type), nice and encouraging boss, opportunities to demonstrate skills, environment where mistakes are seen positively….

In stage two our happy workers look for:
Growth (3-9yrs): To acquire various challenging work experiences and greater responsibilities. They also seek respect, status, money, independence to think & act, acquiring/updating knowledge & developing leadership skills.

Basic Motivation: Wants to acquire experience in the chosen area/subject/field and validate them by learning new skills (unlearn and learn from mistakes), Better standard of living, indulgence in luxury and savings.

What he wants from happy HR people: Give me five reasons, what would he want?

In stage three our happy workers look for:
Stability (10yrs+): Sharing experiences and mentoring, Authority, Challenges (e.g: leading the company), acquiring/upgrading knowledge and developing/identifying management style.

Basic Motivation: Exploring new avenue to grow personally, sustaining the Job and standard of living.

What he wants from happy HR people: Give me five reasons, what would he want?

HR is not my area of expertise, I came across the issue of people management from HR perspective only because my client/the account i handle needs solutions on attracting and retaining talent. So, please do incorporate your views on how to make more happy workers and happy organisations.

Evolving in the evolving society

Information (data+ analysis) + Observation = Knowledge + practicing knowledge = Exposure + interest = Experience + acceptance of people, situations and things around us = Wisdom.

who wants you!

Choose your type, you mass, luxury, and exclusive brands.

Type 1: one who wants to be with a brand
Type 2: one who want brands to be with them
Type 3: one who need no brands

Observed absurd

I feel print advertising will rule. Why? Simply because in coming days people will have more time to read.

Life is short and travel time is long, what do people do in such free time …20% people take time to chant mantras (repeating gods name), 20% people talk to each other about (god knows what), 20% people just thinking, they are the thinking people (they just might think of lot of thing that we can’t think of), and finally 39% people read, my strong feelings says they read only newspaper. (because this is information age)

1% is the king of all the category of people, they don’t do anything, they just do time pass with 99% who are doing something.

TOI and Hindustan times you will blossom human's lotus.

cycle is taking its curve much faster!!

Retail in India
Market Size
Unorganized market: Rs. 902 000 cr (to grow by 5 percent per annum)
Organized market: Rs. 35000 cr (to grow by 25 to 30 percent per annum)
Includes organized Food and Grocery Rs. 600 crore
(Govt. Statistics www.nic.in)

Categories of Retail Models in India
Discount store (supermarket, hypermarket and other formats)
E.g: Shubhiksha, Margin Free (kerala), Big bazaar etc

Dedicated brand outlets
Exclusive showrooms either owned or franchised out by a manufacturer. E.g: Nike, Reebok, Zodiac etc

Multi-brand outlets
These stores specialize in stocking products of different brands of singular category. They can also be classified as company owned and operated stores. E.g: Vijay Sales, Viveks, Witco, etc

Supermarkets
A large self-service grocery store selling groceries and dairy products and household goods
E.g: Food World, Nilgiris, Shubhiksha, Monday 2 Sundays etc

Hypermarkets
A store that combines a supermarket and a department store. The result is a gigantic retail facility that carries an enormous ranges of products under one roof, including full lines of fresh groceries and apparel.
E.g: Big Bazaar, Giant, Star India Bazaar etc

Department Stores
A Store that organizes its goods by departments, such as women's clothes, home furnishings, electronics, and the like, department stores range from collections of elaborate, fancy shops to practical outlets for ordinary merchandise. They differ from ordinary stores principally because of their size and range of merchandise.
E.g: Pantaloon, Lifestyle, Shopper stop, Westside etc

Specialty Chains
These are small stores that specialise in a specific range of merchandise and related items. Most stores have an extensive width and depth of stock in the item that they specify in and provide high levels of service and expertise. E.g: Furniturewalla (type of furniture), Evoluzons (designer cloths), Planet M etc

Company owned and operated stores
These stores are company operated and usually sell merchandising at seconds or at discounts. They are similar to the Multi- brand outlet, only difference is, they only showcase company owned brands.
E.g: Megamart

Leading National level Hypermarket

Spencer’s Hypermarket
Mega value. Maha khaushi

Spencer’s Hypermarket promoted by RPG group which also run chain of “Food World” supermarket in south, currently the hypermarket is operating from two locations Hyderabad and Mumbai, Spencer's Hypermarket sells all its goods below the Maximum Retail Price (MRP),

Brand: GIANT (Supermarket and Discount store format)

Widest range of products at the lowest price is the USP used
Air-conditioned, clean, comfortable, well-stocked and laid-out setting used as differentiator.
B2C and membership based B2B model in use.
Offers 3 levels of discounts. These levels are linked to the units purchased and translate into significant savings at each level of consumption.
Focus on own private label
50,000 products / 1,20 000 Sq.ft

Big Bazaar
Isse sasta aur accha kahin nahi

Big Bazaar Hypermarket promoted by Pantaloon India Ltd, which is in the business of retailing from 1987, since then it has expanded to large format supermarkets, departmental stores, hypermarkets and malls. Big Bazaar Currently operating in more than 13 locations, it sells all its goods below the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).

Brand: Food Bazaar, Gold Bazaar

Price and the wide array of products is the USP.
Targeted to the middle class and anyone who want goods at affordable price.
‘Family focus’, this strategy of the company is reflected in all its communications and product offerings.
More for less is the philosophy of the hypermarket
High service level and good ambiance used as differentiator.
Focus on own private label
1,70,000 products @ 6- 60 % discount

Star India Bazaar
Chota Budget, Lumbi Shopping!

Hypermarket promoted by Trent ltd a company of TATA GROUP, which is in the business of retailing; it runs famous “Westside” a large format departmental store. Star India bazaar Currently operating in Ahmedabad only, it sells all its goods below the Maximum Retail Price (MRP).

Focused on the requirements of the entire “Indian family”.
Added value by private label card (The Star India Bazaar private label card, which offers discounts to members),
Widest variety of products and great savings opportunities at the hypermarkets is the USP
Catering to the middle-class demand by offering products at affordable prices.
Each Star India Bazaar will be around 50,000 sq feet in size.

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The recent spurt of hypermarkets initiated by leading business houses targeting masses are one of its kind were focus is on low price and mass-market products.

Hypermarket business world over is price centric, and economic of scale dominates, similarity is seen in India too with likes of Big Bazaar, GIANT, and Star India Bazaar luring consumer with lowest price offerings and wide assortment of mass products.

In India it is at very nascent stage, known industrial group are cashing on the retail boom, expanding nationally to compete and to acquire greater market share and mind share. Some of the leading business houses like Reliance, Landmark Group (Dubai), Bharti (Airtel), Shopper stop ect will enter in near future. One will also find real estate biggies diversifying in to retail with joint ventures.

While Price, Product and Place playing major role in the initial stages of these hypermarkets to capture the market share. People, Process and Promotion will become important to sustain and grow the brand to compete for mind share in the future.

In the second phase of growth, one will see new kinds of specialist hypermarkets selling specific products targeted to all the segments of audience at various price points. This further will give way to theme base hypermarkets, hypermalls etc.

Share your thoughts, spot or predict the trend to come...(innovation, technology, consumer, competition, formats, promotions ect...

finding Connection of a different kind

If Media in India was changing bit-by-bit in the 90s, its currently changing by huge leaps! Consider the evidence below:

Multiple TV stations : 2 in 1990 and 275 in 2005

Multiple TV sets in the Household : Predicatable family viewing changing to less predictable individual viewing

Niche Channels : From one mass channel giving all kinds of content to the rise of Specialist content channels

Newspapers sizes : Leaner Newspapers have turned bulkier
Newspaper offerings : Huge Proliferation of speacialist content through Multiple Sections within Newspapers resulting in Segmentation of Reader on the basis of Section/ Topic

Newspaper domination in most Metros : Earlier single newspapers. Now 2 or 3 large players fighting it out segmenting the market

Internet, Multiplexes, SMS, B2B Magazines, Outdoor Media to Out-Of-Home Media, the list of a rapidly changing Media is endless...

In this sort of a situation, what should happen to age-old Business practices? Can the rules of TV Media Planning be sacrosanct in a 30 channel scenario to a 300 channel scenario? How do we compute the effectiveness of all the pieces within a media plan? For Media owners, what does the new complexity mean? The western world had been rocked by consumers time and attention with TV, Newspapers peak and then start waning. Can our Media owners ever cope with that reality that the audience growth or the audience patronising in the form of increasing time spent on their medias could at some stage start declining? What's happening in the US - the outcry from Advertisers that they will not pay for a 'mere exposure' but want to test the real audience interaction, the audience "engagement...more info www.mediae2e.com

is it just thirst!!

Are we really thirsty or are we buying in to the temptation of thirst. India is a hot place and Indians are hot too, because we work hard in such unbearable climate of ours, though sometimes we also work smart from our AC offices, but most of the time we are on the fun side, we are out in the crouching sun meeting people and addressing issues that makes a world of a difference to us and suddenly we feel thirsty, what we do? We go out buy coca cola???, surprised, i agree any being will go out and buy only bisleri to satisfy his thirst. But then here we are just not talking about a simple thing called thirst but a very sophisticated thing called choice. Some are made by our taste buds, same by our pockets, same without much thought, and some are made simply- whatever or may be some because you like the product or brand? but ultimately we simply satisfy our thirst, enjoy the moment and forget until again we feel the urge. Have you ever given a thought on what you need and what you want? If you have then I am sure you like the feeling.

connecting world!!

Earlier, Asian companies were considered back-end workhorses, producing low-cost and low quality products. “But the good part is, this perception is changing,” said Ravi Kant, COO, international business, Titan Industries, at the Indian Society of Advertisers (IAA) seminar on ‘Building Global Brands out of India’.

The speed of change is faster than before, with brands such as LG and Samsung replacing the leaders of yesteryears.Kant said that India too, is realising the benefits of brand building and going global, which is a positive development. He specifically threw light on Titan’s journey from a brand present only in India in 1991, to one that has adapted itself in 31 markets around the world since.Titan primarily used two models for expanding globally: the ‘Honour and Glory’ model for premium markets such as Canada and Europe, and the ‘Building Block’ model in the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa.

“In developed markets, one either used a Swiss watch, or, if settling for second best, then a Japanese brand,” Kant said. “An Indian brand such as Titan was unheard of in those markets.”So Titan entered these markets with a premium positioning straightaway. “And this is something most brands wouldn’t dare to use as an entry strategy,” Kant remarks. A campaign was developed with the tagline, ‘Titan: The new world watch’. The campaign featured one model in each ad (who is of mixed race), with the copy reading, ‘No one country could have made faces so beautiful’. “With such a positioning, Titan had the Swiss worried!” quips Kant. But the campaign didn’t create a humungous stir in these markets due to factors such as emergence of fashion brands (CK, Fossil) and a resultant styling obsolescence. However, investments were made in famous designers, new manufacturing plants, and an increase in ad spends, which is finally showing some positive results in developed markets.

The ‘Building Block’ model on the other hand, targeted developing countries. Here, the concentration was on a strong in-store presence, innovative outdoor visibility, roadshows and usage of relatively less expansive media such as buses. Products were designed specially for various markets. “Here, two brand building mantras worked in our favour: differentiation and focus,” Kant said. For instance, in the Middle East, people were largely used to wearing Gold watches. So, Titan differentiated with a Steel collection, with the positioning, ‘Be Bold, Be Adventurous, Be Steel’. The collection, due to its different take on watches, became an instant hit. Differentiation was also used in terms of media. For example, a bus in Singapore was painted in an innovative manner with Titan’s logo on it. Similarly, in another region, a giant clock was placed at a traffic light. In terms of focus, the ‘3C Focus’ model was applied. “The three Cs are ‘Country, Customer and Competition’,” Kant explained. “We identified which countries we want to target, who our TG is, and studied the competition keenly in these markets.” Kant concluded his talk saying that passion and vision are broadly speaking the two key elements to take a brand to global markets. “The way to build Brand India overseas, is to build our brand overseas,” Kant stated.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!

economics of my office chaiwala!!

It was fine Friday 8:30 am, I came early to start with freshness and thought will start my weekend from 5 pm…as i was going through the work for the day and i found its a relax day not much work, I find a hot cup of strong tea kept on my table at 9:30 am…wal-haa what a start. The chaiwala asked how was the tea; as usual I said “badiya hai” and started working.

It was 11:30, as usual he came again and asked for tea, I said “in the afternoon” and my colleague ordered a few cups…it was 2:30 in the afternoon and I find myself with a cup of tea and some drinking coffee, others having horlicks, some are having plain milk…it was like we were only busy drinking our favorite milk, it was quite a scene everyone with their respective cups sipping and working…sipping and working :). At 3:30 this guy drops in again asking everyone, few orders and few says later, he asked me and i realized this guy pops in every 3hree hours to offer us our dose of milk, I asked him to give me at 4:30…it was 5:30 and our guy drops in and offers every one including me.

I thought lets talk to him and understand his secret of smile every time he flashes while giving us our dosage. I asked him candidly, is this the only place to do business or does he also have other locations. With that flashy outburst, he said “kya sab mazak kar rahe hai mere saath”; at that moment i heard telephone ring, and my dear friend chaiwala takes the phone and excuses himself to recieve the call, he comes back with his nokia 6600. I got interested, asked him how much do you $$? Without hesitation said enough to sustain myself and my family, I asked how much is enough to sustain you, with a smile he said 25000/-, I said you surely make more than what you are telling me, he said no sahab approx this much only.

I asked him u don’t use only milk do you…with that flashy smile and with some hesitation he said I have to add water, I asked him you use powder milk, and very honestly he said Yes. And you charge 4 rupees… and I got a flashy smile. I asked him how many offices are in your dosage list? 4 offices including yours he said. I asked him add flavors like badam milk, elaichi tea, masala tea ect... I am sure people will like it…again I got a flashy smile this time with confidence he said I already have plans for it.

There was nothing much to tell him, but a piece of advice, beta your tea tastes good but if you start using cow’s milk it will taste gr8. He said “ok” cow’s milk for you next time.

He atleast made sure I be happy.

…Next day I read this news Mr. Biyani is working on an experimental retail concept of selling chai and samosa named as “chamosa”. $$

connecting in style !!

It was considered a marketing coup of sorts when Madame Chirac, accompanying her husband French president Jacques Chirac, on his India tour, agreed to inaugurate Dior's first store in India, at The Oberoi in New Delhi, in February.

For luxury brands trying to make their presence felt in a new market such as India, marketing spells a curious mix of socialite parties, fashion shows or simply choosing an 'appropriate' socially-active brand ambassador. While Chanel has just one brand ambassador globally in Nicole Kidman, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior from the euro 14 billion LVMH stable have Tikka Shatrujit Singh, the scion of the Kapurthala royal family, as an advisor, the Indian face of LVMH brand, and Kalyani Chawla as the brand ambassador for Dior in India. While Singh and Chawla 'walk the talk' of Louis Vuitton and Dior respectively, brand ambassadors Shahrukh Khan, Sushmita Sen for Tag Heuer and Aishwarya Rai for Longines just grace brand events.

For Singh and Chawla, being a brand ambassador means not just wearing the label, but also deciding the brand's media calendar in India, travelling to Paris to buy products for Indian stores and most importantly networking with customers.In a category where marketing is restricted to advertising in glossies, word-of-mouth and holding parties to pamper the existing customer base is an essential.

While Chanel, Bvlgari, Dior and Louis Vuitton inform their customers about the launch of new lines, Hugo Boss invites the loyalists to an exclusive preview where guests can sip champagne while browsing through a new collection.Another important aspect in a luxury brand is pricing because of the well-heeled globe-trotting customers that they attract.

For a customer to feel comfortable at home at a retail outlet in India, the product must be priced keeping a city of reference (Dubai, New York and London for Indians) and the city of origin of the brand (Paris for LVMH and Chanel, Rome for Bvlgari) in mind.At present, only a million Indians are buying luxury brands whereas 8-9 million is the audience that can be tapped because of their purchasing power. “A proper luxury retail environment makes marketing easier,” says Saloni Nangia, associate director at Technopak.

Currently, all luxury brands are housed in five star hotels which restrict the signature of a brand so easily experienced in the high streets of a Rodeo Drive or Bond Street. Of course all the shop windows, world over for each luxury brand looks the same - Bvlgari has a Valentine window on display which was created in Rome while Chanel has an architect that creates the same window in Tokyo, Paris, New York and India.

While all brands insist that there is a simultaneous introduction of products worldwide, there is a little bit of customisation that happens - Chanel plays up its range of delicate handbags for the Indian woman in a sari while Bvlgari does the same with its gold and diamond line instead of its coloured gemstones.

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