IIPM News Broadcast: December 2011

Friday, December 23, 2011

“We aren’t niche!”

Lufthansa has often enthralled Indian customers with its initiatives & Sangeeta insists that more are on the anvil

Sangeeta Sharma, a veteran in the aviation industry and in Lufthansa, where she has spent over two decades, talks to deepti singh about the company’s approach to the Indian market and the recent Park & Fly initiative:

You have been instrumental in bringing many firsts to the Indian market. Please elaborate on the marketing strategy of Lufthansa this year.
Lufthansa has always been innovative in its marketing strategies and stayed ahead of the curve. This year, we have gone a step further to add a unique ‘experiential’ dimension to Lufthansa marketing, which is focused on customer engagement. This is supported by an integrated marketing campaign that combines conventional marketing channels with new age platforms such as digital and social media.

Lufthansa recently introduced the Park & Fly game. What was your strategy behind this?
Leveraging interactive mobile technology with an innovative marketing model, it presents a first-of-its kind gaming experience in the public space that is both informative and entertaining. The enthusiasm for and the interest in the game has far exceeded our expectations. Over a thousand people have played the game on each weekend, with a multifold ripple effect through the buzz around A380 Park & Fly Zones in every mall and the viral impact of our supporting digital and social media campaigns.

How do you measure your progress in India and how have you customised your approach to this market?
It’s been over half a century since Lufthansa began scheduled services to and from India. The trust and loyalty of our customers has grown with each passing year, making us the No 1 European airline in India today. India is a strategic market and we will continue to be a committed partner in the nation’s growth story as it claims its spot as a global economic powerhouse. We don’t do run-of-the-mill stuff, which is apparent. Lufthansa is not a niche brand now and we cater to a diverse target audience that comprises corporates, SMEs, leisure travellers, MICE groups & students. The fact that our brand recall moved from 17% in 2005 to 100% in 2010 demonstrates the support we have from our Indian customers.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2011.

An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri and Arindam chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).

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Friday, December 16, 2011

“Hard to categorise India”

After successfully weathering the initial storm, Manish is now focusing on making Panasonic the ‘people’s’ brand in India

He has had a prolific career of around 15 years already in the consumer durables industry and has served global giants like LG, Samsung & Haier before being inducted into Panasonic India. It is therefore logical to expect nothing less than a thorough understanding of the consumer durables market in India from Manish Sharma, Director, Marketing, Panasonic India.

He joined Japan-based Panasonic in August 2008 as product head for the Viera range of televisions and was promoted as director of marketing in 2010. Sharma, who studied electrical engineering form Madhya Pradesh, considers himself lucky due to the fact that he has always been at the right place at the right time. He often recalls the way he happened to join different brands when they were going through their most challenging times. “When I started my career, I joined Korea-based LG, which entered India as a joint venture and was finding it difficult to make its own place or stand in the market. A few years later when I shifted to Samsung, the brand was repositioning itself at that time, introducing new product lines and betting high on research and development,” he says. When he joined Haier, it presented a different kind of challenge as the company was not a known brand in the Indian market. Then when he decided to join Panasonic in 2008, the company was similarly making a brave attempt to establish itself in the domestic market. Now, after much hard work under his leadership, Panasonic is regaining its glory and market share.

Sharma says that for the Japanese head office of the company, India is one of the most important and strategic markets in the world. The company has recently shifted its focus completely towards India by scaling up investment plans and also launching many new products, which are especially ‘custom-made’ for Indians consumers. The group has recently invested in an R&D plant in Harayana and other infrastructure initiatives also. Panasonic has also delved deep into celebrity associations under his leadershiop apart from the endorsement of sporting events. With his understanding of the industry and the India market, he has helped Panasonic make it big by adding a generous local flavour to its brand appeal and at the same time, making a strong youth connect.

After the success and acceptance of star kid Ranbir Kapoor’s association with the Viera brand, Sharma also introduced another actor Katrina Kaif to be the face of the home appliances range of the firm. And to mark the firm’s foray into the sports world, Panasonic has become the official partner of IPL’s Delhi Daredevils team and is also sponsoring the national football team.