Marketing a New Brand

 It's a tough job, and I am finding that out first hand. We have been doing promotions with a partner, MBA Connect, in a few cities across India. We have met a lot of enthusiastic students -undergrads- who want to do an MBA to further their career goals. We introduce them to Prestige University's MBA with a few USPs- like a 5-month internship, and great industry connect, apart from super specialisations offered in areas such as Food and Agribusiness Mgt., and Data Analytics, etc. Some pics from recent outings- in Coimbatore, Pune, Mumbai.

Gone Mad-the Brand

 There is this brand called Gone Mad. It has a cream wafer stick wrapped in a Rs. 5 singles pack (different flavours) and sold in a carton (below). Made by Garuda Foods, an Indonesian-Indian joint venture, they have distribution in a few Southern states and Maharashtra.

Wondering if anyone has eaten it, because I am involved in writing a case study on the brand launch. If you can, please do share your thoughts about it.

Appointing (Brand) Ambassadors

I am going to appoint a few. Only condition is, their names have to be suitable for the category they are endorsing. Here are my top picks-

Hardik Patel- any brand of Motels
Sunny Deol- Deo
Sunny Leone- Lion safari
Mayanti- Aunty's home-made Pickles
Dig-vijay- Excavators
Akshay- Malabar Gold-special campaign for Akshay Tritiya
Shilpa- Hyderabad's Shilparamam
Raveena - Cloud computing (Ravi-na)
Kangana- Branded bangles
Dhoni- A new single called Anhoni ko honi karde Dhoni hai yeh Dhoni
Rahul- Arhar dal brand (it's called Kandi pappu in Telugu)
Obama- A cocktail to be invented, on the lines of Bahama Mama-that's a real one.

Modi- A Marketing Genius

This is not about politics, but about academics. In particular, the discipline called Marketing. Whatever may be your political inclinations, one must acknowledge a marketing guru when you see one. I consider Anna Hazare as one, and Modi as another.

The hysteria among commoners and Kings to welcome him anywhere he chooses to go (China, Japan, Bhutan, Nepal are some recent places), is something seen rarely in these days of extreme cynicism. What contributes to this series of grand welcomes is not clear yet. But it is true that a lot of people believe he can deliver. The simple things he talks about in a simple (simplistic at times) manner is a great lesson in communication. We often get carried away by big words and bombast without asking any of the 'marketers' in politics to spell out what they intend to do. A brand that does that in any other category will certainly fail.

The image of a no-nonsense, grounded hard worker has remained, right from his campaigning days. His shrewd marginalising of potential 'competitors' within the party has not been missed by many. His use of the media when it suits him (and staying away at other times) has left people begging for more (scarcity creating 'demand'?). His vision of a great, self-sufficient India has a lot of buy-in among youth tired of old, corrupt and moribund politicians who did little (or could have done a lot more) for the common man.

Finally, if you can market yourself to Americans in the U.S., the quintessential land of marketers, you got it made!

Institution Building Workshop at IIT Delhi

I was speaking at the workshop attended by promoters and directors of engineering, architecture and management colleges when I realised how fortunate we are at IMT to have an ecosystem that promotes excellence, academic freedom and all the values that academicians and students cherish. Many colleges and institutes are still struggling with basics like goal definition or goal-setting, and then implementing ideas that will take them towards it.

Fundamental questions are about quantity and quality of admissions, and many have no control over it due to being forced by an overpowering regulatory system in their respective states. If you cannot choose your students, how do you ensure the output quality for industry or other sectors who will employ them?

Unless the basics of a brand are in place, how will you attract the best faculty to teach bright minds and engage in research, publications, case writing and other intellectual activities which distinguish an academic institute?

The classic struggle between the long term view versus short term view in institution building still dogs the people who have set up many institutions. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? That was an interesting debate, given an oversupply and near-perfect competitive market for engineering and management courses in particular.

Some other presentations were on the Planning Commmission's view on Higher Ed. which included comparisons with China, presented by a member of the commission, and some views on Faculty Retention and Development, Learning Processes, and other issues that keep academic debates alive. Building and sustaining an educational brand is as interesting a brand-building subject as any other kind of brand. It involves managing reality and perceptions of all stakeholders including alumni, students, promoters, industry and other sections of society. A live laboratory, if you will.

What Makes a Good B School?

A slightly different take on this. One, being good. Second, proving you are good. First is equivalent to the "Product" . The second is more like "marketing" of the product. If you are good and no one is the wiser, it does not help the stakeholders. The list of must haves in a good B school, in my view are-

1. Good students. Without them, your glory would be short-lived. By extension, good alumni.

2. Faculty who do more than teach. Contributions, originality, creativity, willingness to contribute to brand-building in some form is a must these days. Anyone can read a text book, or google the 'content'..so a teacher is more like a mentor and a brand ambassador. He may have to do research, or executive training, or other activities, to make a mark. Maybe write a book.

3. Promoters' vision. All top schools of business have a strong vision to be among the best.

4. Intellectual Resources and Atmosphere fostering Innovation. Basic databases and software, simulation, games etc..in addition to Cases are a must. Encouragement of networking activities like international partnerships, conferencing are also a must.

5. Pushing students to excel at both curricular and other skill and conscience building activities. These can set a B School apart.