Big-ticket events are likely to witness a 50 per cent drop in 2009 as corporates have cut down on sponsorships and marketing spends.
Marketers are now looking at consolidation with top three-four channels in a genre and effecting long-term deals with frequent reviews.
After a gap of five years, Hindustan Unilever has bagged slot zero position on B-school campuses. In 2007, the company had slipped to number 14 on the recruiters' list of B-schools. "It's an improvement of our brand value and affirmation of our employer brand," says Leena Nair, executive director HR, Hindustan Unilever.
Television and print media are expected to lose up to 10 per cent of their cumulative market share to new and emerging mediums like radio, digital and out-of-home (OOH) in 2009, as the overall growth rate of the advertising industry is set to decline in the new year, analysts tracking the sector said.
Insurance, telecom, infrastructure, FMCG and energy are unlikely to downsize; Elsewhere, only top performers are safe.
The Trident and Taj Mahal Palace and Tower said they have been flooded with requests for reservations at their restaurants when they reopen December 21, almost a month after the terrorist attacks on these landmark hotels destroyed significant portions of both buildings.
With the executive search business declining by 40-50 per cent, recruitment companies are on a serious cost-cutting drive
Firms like MphasiS believe in an inclusive workplace, providing equal opportunities to all.
Direct selling FMCG company Amway India will increase the prices of all its products by 3-5 per cent in early 2009 even as commodity and crude prices are witnessing a sharp decline.
FMCG firm Marico's success lies in its ability to pick its fights, exiting areas where MNC competition is high and concentrating on creating niche segments instead.
This is one New Year when most citizens will not be comfortable partying following the terrorist attacks that left hundreds dead.
Donatella may attend Feb 2009 launch of Versace store in Delhi.
Bookings in five-star hotels and inflow of foreign tourists into the country were already running low due to the global economic meltdown. With Wednesday's terror attack, the hotel industry is expected to see a rise in the number of cancellations and also a substantial reduction in tourist numbers since the terrorists have struck at the peak of the tourist season.
Companies say it helps them save on consultant fees and reduces the recruitment life cycle. Companies pay consultants close to 20 per cent of the annual package of a person provided by them as their fee; incentives paid to the company's employees for bringing a candidate is comparatively paltry. Besides, companies believe the buddy system gets them the right person who is in sync with their culture, which becomes more significant in turbulent times.
The firms record robust 10-15% growth till September. However, despite the enhanced outlays for A&B, companies are looking at adopting cost -cutting measures.
The worries for the industry include defaulting payments, slowdown in industry growth rate and budget cuts. "While we are bracing ourselves for budget cuts in the near future, we can't give our customers longer credit cycles as we operate on wafer-thin operating margins," says Mudhukar Kamath, MD and CEO, Mudra Group, while admitting that they have experienced a few cases where payments are getting stretched.
The price difference between branded tea and loose tea has narrowed to a mere 5 per cent, helping the consumer to opt for branded labels. According to Bloomberg, the wholesale price index for tea in India gained 74 basis points from 128.30 in January to 222.50 at end of October this year. As a consequence, tea manufacturers in the wholesale and loose tea business, besides branded tea players, have increased prices.
The ongoing downturn has forced firms to cut back on advertising expenses. The banking, financial services and insurance segment (BFSI) has cut advertising budgets by nearly 40 per cent.
The industry experienced new pressures on its operating margins and sales in the wake of increasing input costs and new excise regime. For the domestic spirits manufacturing industry, the cost of raw materials such as molasses doubled since March. Packaging costs rose by 15-20 per cent. The widening of services tax resulted in 50 per cent new services to be taxed at 12.36 per cent. Besides an increase in labour costs, inflation also played havoc with the operating margins.
"The 33 per cent extra scheme by Frito-Lay's on Lay's and Kurkure got good trader and consumer response. In the next four-six weeks, a similar scheme will be offered by ITC," market sources said. ITC has been able to capture 7 per cent of the chips and snacks sector in 2007 within a year of its launch. "It has already made a dent in Frito-Lay India's share," according to a Euromonitor International study on sweet and savoury snacks in India.
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