Marketing
Should Bajaj be dropped? Implementation issues
In my previous post, I had discussed the new branding strategy of Rajiv Bajaj from the point of view of management theory. Well, management theory suggests that Rajiv Bajaj is on the right track. Now let us discuss some of the implementation issues that Rajiv Bajaj will have to grapple with to make his new branding strategy a success. In addition, we will also try to comment on some of the issued and concerns raised by others while debating on this issue.
What is positioning? Lets understand from an accountant.
Sunce we have been talking about positioning and branding with respect to Bajaj Auto’s new branding strategy, I thought an example to explain the concept of positioning would help.
Bajaj Auto’s branding strategy. What does management theory say?
Yesterday, in my post I had suggested that analyzing the new branding strategy adopted by Rajiv Bajaj of Bajaj Auto would be a great learning experience. I had suggested that we will analyze it from two perspectives. First, I will discuss it from the point of view of what management theory says.
Should Bajaj be dropped?
We all know by now that Rajiv Bajaj takes radical decisions. After deciding to exit the scooter market, he is taking another radical decision to restructure the company’s branding strategy. Unfortunately, Rahul Bajaj did not agree with Rajiv on his strategy to exit the scooter market and now he does not agree with Rajiv on the new branding strategy.
Now Airlines want to be in travel business
It has been reported in Economic Times that Kingfisher, SpiceJet and Indigo want to launch a travel portal in order to save on commission. Somehow, it is difficult for me to understand the obsession of airlines to save on travel agent’s commission as if that is the primary reason for the troubles of airlines. It seems that all the airlines think that they will be all become profitable just by eliminating the travel agent’s and travel portal’s commission.
Do not call registry
Sometime back, I had mentioned in one of my blogs that why are we, as a customer, asked to register our names and telephones to stop getting calls which are an invasion of privacy as well as illegal. According to law, unsolicited calls are illegal. The court has also fined the telecom companies as well the association of mobile operators. I felt that it should be other way round, that is, whichever customer wants to receive calls should register their names and telephone numbers. Now this is what the Supreme Court has also suggested.
Lets get rid of the middlemen
Everytime airline industry gets into a problem, it seems that the problem is the travel agents and the commission that they receive. Somehow the whole industry seems to feel that the cause of all their problems are travel agents. The commission given to the travel agents increases the cost of the ticket which results in increasing the cost of travel which in turn reduces the demand and causes severe problems for the airline industry. I am guessing this is the logic behind the thinking of airlines.
Should Indian Express invest in reviving its print media business?
It seems that Indian Express (IE) is going through restructuring so that it can raise funds to revive and grow uits print media business.
Will Hindustan Times plan work? I doubt it.
Hindustan Times, a leading newspaper in the India, has a appointment supplement called Powerjobs which it distributes along with its main paper. Powerjobs supplement from, at least an outsiders perspective, is not doing well even though HT folks have told me that they are making some money from it. The leading appointment supplement is Times of India’s (TOI) Ascent against which the appointment supplements of every other newspaper competes. According to me, the market position of Powerjobs is getting from bad to worse. I don’t remember the last time any of our clients advertised in this paper even though we release appointment advertisements in TOI-Ascent on a regular basis (By the way, I run an advertising agency).
Can somebody flank Coke & Pepsi?
Red Bull is trying to give Coke and Pepsi a run for their money. It seems that Red Bull seems to have the right and the wrong idea. First, what’s right about the idea. It seems that Red Bull is launching a premium cola in the US at $1.49 for a 12 ounce can which is expensive than Coke or Pepsi. There is no premium price cola and they have certainly found a gap in the market. One cannot fight with Pepsi and Coke head on. They have to be attacked from the side, in other words flanked.






