The blogosphere seems to be caught by the bug… everyone has become a critic, jury, junta and judges at the same time. People are throwing awards for best movies, worst movies, best baby products and best sex positions every now and then.To hum kahe hamau award banten
I was thinking deliberately about in which category or segment I should throw my awards. After a lot of thinking I have decided my awards would be for the most aggressive brands in India. The definition of the aggressive is not necessarily smart marketers and is also not the best marketed brand. In simple words it is the brand which has got fantastic penetration among its target audience.
My list goes like this.
P.s. The order of the winners is random and each of them is a winner with equal dignity irrespective of the ordering in the below list.
ICICI: being the banker consciously I have put ICICI first on the list, as the organization deserves all the respect for being whatever it is today. Profitable or not they just want to get into the veins of India. The funda is simple, largest market share of everything. And they have left no stone unturned. The organization is an ocean of people and trust me, they actually have developed systems where the individual no longer matters. However much we like to hate this bank due to operational goof ups and the infamous collection scandals, I cant stop marveling at the sheer aggression of the bank and its top management.
The Times of India group. Worlds largest circulated broadsheet newspaper. The times of India, economic times, the mirror (Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad), Navbharat times, Sandesh, oh the list goes on. The group is too focused, they don’t want to do too many things. They are clear about penetrating media sector. In the world where the newspaper circulations are going down, this is one group that has courage to launch new dailies in new geographies (Bangalore mirror, Ahmedabad Mirror). TOI is the only popular daily that has sold its editorial page as well. Even the most sacred, sacred space carries Citi advertisement and yet the circulation is soaring. With Lead India do we see a fourth front in Indian politics coming up.
Big Entertainment: what can be more appropriate name for the entertainment group floated by Anil Dirubhai Ambani. The brand started with FM radio and got what it wanted, same frequency across India, so what if it meant the existing players had to change the frequency. Imagine a TT coming into a crowded train compartment and telling you, hey you why don’t u just get up and let this gentlemen sit here, I have made alternate arrangements for you. No, no arguments, he is rich. The penetration levels can be gauged by the below pic. It was shot at a very small chai ka galla in vadodara. The group has gone into various entertainment segments from movie distribution to movie making and music to entertainment parks.
Future group: All of us thought Reliance, TATA, Walmart are here and there will not be enough of future group anymore, a soft take over target. But we all were mistaken and the future group is standing taller than ever. Mr. Biyani has gone aggressively on adding new private labels new brand stores. Big Bazaar kindda changed the whole shopping experience for the Indian middle class. The guy has laid out all real estate acquisition program till 2011!!!
Vodafone: They have paid too much for Hutch, was what all the analysts were shouting… I say every penny is well spent. After all where else you will get so many licenses in place, a good brand to piggy back on, a market with potential of 1 million new connections every month, margins in excess of 40% and a cute tubb to woo so many customers. The magic box opened and the brand spread to all the possible frontiers. The town was colored red and everyone knew hutch is now Vodafone. Just when everyone thought there was not a single place left for putting your brand Vodafone went into colonies and told them “I brand your colony, give u all the boards and signs you need in your vicinity and will keep my little smiling red and white logo next to it.” Community branding I say!!!!
This list is exhaustive and all inclusive. No I don’t think putting IIPM, SRK or OSO next to these brands is a dignified thing to do. There are no other brands as aggressive as the above ones in India. Period. If you think there are try to put a comment for the same and see how I rip you apart.
