Madhukar Sabnavis

Meet the new-age Indian consumer

First, a new version of two Indias will emerge. If the past two decades saw the emergence of urban and rural India - one media rich, the other media deficient; one driven by indulgence and the other by constraints - in the next decade, north and south India could become two distinct markets.

Idea: Whose baby is it anyway?

The Social Network questions are getting raised over and over again in recent times. It's just not a case of compensation -- fortune -- who makes the money from an idea.

Growth of the digital media spurs conversations

There exists an opportunity for brands to leverage the new mindset.

New techniques of brand building

A brand can move from creating affinity to inspiring awe and respect

How much of business is truly customer-centric?

Customer centricity is about understanding the ecosystem in which a product is operating in the customer's life and working towards making every element of the ecosystem friendly and enjoyable to the customer.

The best way to influence consumers

For many big brands, investment in advertising is as big as the amounts spent in setting up factories and other infrastructure.

The secret behind successful marketing

Stories that are able to multiply effect through word of mouth have a better chance to overcome clutter and cynicism.

Building brands Indian-style

Consistency in spirit is more important than consistency in symbols.

The magic of the Zoozoos

Madhukar Sabnavis discusses the making of iconic advertising that gets talked about.

'Brands are ultimately about emotions'

Marketers need to recognise that while Indians as consumers are value-conscious, as people they are emotional. So talking to the heart makes as much, or more, sense as trying to attack the mind, says Madhukar Sabnavis.

Indians are less rational than marketers think

So talking to the heart makes as much, or more, sense as trying to attack the mind. Soft selling works better than hard selling.

The need for culture-sensitive marketing

Marketing gurus from the west have built their theories based on the belief that consumers, where ever they are, behave the same.

Of brands and advertising 2008

Celebrity craze has been a part of advertising-dom for years, but 2008 saw brands upping the ante on stars to go bigger and larger in numbers

Want to sell? Appeal to the heart

Be first in the category, own an attribute or the category, leverage heritage or how the product is made, specialise or use 'preference' to be a differentiator. Underlying each of these is a rational product story and they work. However, there could be a bigger opportunity in using emotions as a differentiator in India.

Will marketers in India remain buoyant?

The test is round the corner.

IPL - The new marketing cocktail

Will India find the taste acceptable?

The grey shades in India's ad world

Indian ad world is reworking its sensibilities. From depicting mere black & white characters, it is moving on to the grey shades - both in heroes & issues. Commercials of brands like Sprite, MotoYuva, Virgin Mobile have done so recently. Real characters in real life situations are seen rather than white heroes. Other brand commercials like Tata Tea & Idea explore the grey side of society & an effective resolution of these issues via the brands. Ads are showcasing greys today.

What common to Himesh, Harry Potter, the Taj?

There is something to learn from the 'non-product' brands around us.

Towards an 'idea' economy

The future will be driven by companies with most ideas.

Companies, consumers and citizens