Knowledge@Wharton -- Marketing

Finding Success for Indian Business Books Lacking a Western Touch

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:45:39 EST

Professors of Indian origin teaching at Western business schools have had notable success in penning books about India. Books including C.K. Pralahad's The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid and Tarun Khanna's Winning in Emerging Markets: A Roadmap for Strategy and Execution have built significant followings among Indian readers. But many Indian writers from the nation's own premier business schools have yet to see their books catch on, barely managing to sell a few thousand copies. One explanation, experts note, is that the professors don't practice what they teach -- marketing.

Luxury Resurfaces in India, Cutting a Wider Swathe

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:40:19 EST

Branded luxury has always existed in India. The fashion houses of Europe had regular customers in the many hundreds of princes and princelings of British India. Independence brought austerity and a socialist mindset. Today, however, with newfound prosperity – even in the rural heartland – luxury is making a quiet comeback.

Gourmet Food: The New Item on Indian Consumer Menus

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:45:40 EST

Pegged at US$1.3 billion, the gourmet food market in India is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 20% and is set to cross US$2.7 billion by 2015. The trend is driven by multiple factors like rising disposable incomes, exposure to diverse cuisines via travel and the media, and the increasing number of specialty restaurants in the country. The opening up of foreign direct investment in retail is expected to give a further boost to this category.

Have Global E-tailers Missed the Bus in India?

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 11:50:10 EST

The online retail space in India is at an inflexion point and poised for tremendous growth in the coming years. Indian firms are gearing up to make the most of the opportunity. But global players are waiting on the sidelines because of the Indian government's restrictions on foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail. Experts tell India Knowledge@Wharton that the industry is still young. If the global players come within the next 12 to 18 months, the field is wide open for any of them to ride this wave.

Indian Tourism Finds a New Focus in the Domestic Traveler

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 11:13:44 EST

India has passed through several foreign exchange crises, which have distorted government policy in many areas. In tourism, for instance, the approach has been to woo the foreign traveler who pays in dollars, though visitor numbers in recent years indicate that it is the Indian tourist who should be the target. But for several reasons, some of them fortuitous, a growing focus on the domestic market is already visible.

Global Yogurt Franchises Attempt to Brand a Homemade Indian Staple

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 09:46:59 EST

Yogurt, better known in India by local names such as dahi and taire, is a staple of the Indian diet and even finds dominant mention in Indian mythology. But it has traditionally been a generic product, with little differentiation between brands. Now, globally popular variants like frozen and flavored yogurt are catching Indian consumers’ attention, and international firms are moving in to tap the opportunity. But experts tell India Knowledge@Wharton that the going may not be very smooth.

Socio-cultural Changes Cheer India's Wine Market

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:06:14 EST

The wine market in India is minuscule compared to its popularity in other parts of the world. But it has been growing at a steady pace over the past few years. Industry players and experts say that this expansion is a reflection of the country's economic growth, young-skewing demographics and changing socio-cultural mores, and predict that the market will only get bigger. But they caution that the government needs to introduce more market-friendly policies for the sector to reach its full potential.

Moving beyond Direct Selling, Eureka Forbes Embraces Digital Customer Service

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:12:29 EST

Eureka Forbes’s core business of selling water purifiers and vacuum cleaners is built on a direct-selling model. But now the company is trying to move beyond knocking on doors to find ways to engage new and longtime customers online. Although Indians have been slow to embrace e-commerce, the number of people with access to the Internet is growing. In order to tap into this market, Eureka Forbes is trying to imbue its digital efforts with the same level of service that helps it succeed on a face-to-face basis.

Nielsen India President Piyush Mathur: 'If We Can Keep Our Best People, It Will Be Very Hard for Us to Fail'

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:11:29 EST

Nielsen India president Piyush Mathur sees India as one of the fastest-growing markets, both as an economy and for his own business. But the problem, he says, will be retaining talent. Nielsen has put in place a system that motivates talent to stay with the company. The global information firm is now introducing its international products in India, he notes in this interview with India Knowledge@Wharton.

New Strategies for a Rapidly Changing Indian Economy

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:11:19 EST

Inflation has become the biggest worry confronting India's government, its people and its corporate environment today. The government is rolling out measures -- essentially interest rate hikes -- albeit without much effect. People are tightening their belts and reworking household budgets. Companies are evolving innovative strategies and have met with some success. Inflation and its impact on consumer spending and corporate marketing was the subject of a Nielsen India conference titled, "Consumer 360 India," held in Delhi in November. While the gathering didn’t -- and couldn’t -- address the core problem of inflation, it did offer some solutions in terms of corporate strategy.

LVMH's Tikka Singh: In the Luxury Market, the Middle Class Is the Game Changer

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:02:15 EST

Tikka Shatrujit Singh, chief representative in Asia for French multinational LVMH (Moet Hennessy-Louis Vuitton) and advisor to the chairman of Louis Vuitton, has spearheaded the entry of the luxury brand in India. The high-end leather goods and fashion house currently has four stores in the country. In an interview with India Knowledge@Wharton, Singh notes that affluent customers in India are very similar to wealthy customers worldwide. The real game changer in the luxury market in India, he says, is the aspiring middle class.

Wal-Mart India�s Raj Jain: �You Can�t Monetize All Your Investments Just on Cash-and-Carry�

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:05:11 EST

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, entered the India market in 2007 with a joint venture with Bharti Enterprises in a business-to-business wholesale cash-and-carry format. With foreign direct investment expected to be allowed in multi-brand retail in India soon, Raj Jain, president of Wal-Mart India and managing director and CEO of Bharti Wal-Mart, sees huge opportunities for growth. In an interview with India Knowledge@Wharton, Jain noted, “you can’t monetize all your investments just on cash-and-carry.”

India's Luxury Market: Unlocking Consumers' Taste for the Finer Things

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:49:16 EST

Five years ago, the press predicted that the Indian luxury market would be booming by now. But that potential has not yet been realized; India accounts for only 1% to 2% of the global luxury market. But analysts are still upbeat. They say that the Indian market for high-end goods will quadruple in the next five years. But what needs to be done to realize that potential? What has been holding India back? These questions were addressed at a panel on the Indian luxury consumer at the Wharton India Economic Forum.

Will Food Channels Whet the Appetites of Indian Television Viewers?

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:19:35 EST

Channels dedicated to food are the latest additions to Indian television. These networks are looking to cash in on a growing interest among Indians in new ways of experiencing food, along with the population's rising levels of affluence. Though the interest level is there, experts say Indian food networks will need to find the right mix of strong and unique content that educates and entertains in order to be successful.

Capturing India's Percolating Coffee Market

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:02:18 EST

With its young population and growing economy, India is an attractive market for global coffee retailers like Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts. But the going may not be all that smooth, say experts. Newcomers will have to contend with existing players who are expanding fast, as well as high real estate costs and a manpower shortage.

Changing Habits: Finding a New Recipe for Success in India's Food Markets

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:48:03 EST

Nestle's Maggi, which has ruled the instant noodles market in India for more than two-and-a-half decades, is finding new competitors nibbling at its share. Analysts say that this is not only about noodle wars; it is also reflective of changing food habits in India, driven by multiple factors such as a younger demographic profile, higher disposable incomes and wider global exposure. In order to succeed, experts note, companies will need to see how they can best appeal to consumers' expanding palates and wallets.

Nitin Paranjpe of Hindustan Unilever: Remaining 'Relevant and Contemporary' to Indian Consumers

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:30:05 EST

Hindustan Unilever (HUL), the US$4 billion Indian subsidiary of the Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant, has had a long presence in India, and its brands are household names among Indian consumers. In recent years, however, the marketplace has become increasingly competitive with both Indian and global players jostling for a share of consumers' wallets. Nitin Paranjpe, CEO and managing director of HUL, says that given the enormous opportunity that India presents, competition is inevitable. HUL's top priority, he notes, is to grow the market and ensure that its brands remain relevant and contemporary.

Prime Focus CEO Namit Malhotra: Tapping a Strong Global Appetite for Visual Effects

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:24:47 EST

Mumbai-based visual entertainment services firm Prime Focus contributed a tenth of the special effects in James Cameron's blockbuster film Avatar. Riding on that success, it wants to spread its wings globally by leveraging its Indian base, says its founder and global CEO Namit Malhotra in an interview with India Knowledge@Wharton.

Rebranding the Rupee: Will a New Symbol Help India Raise Its Currency?

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:56:36 EST

The Indian rupee has fallen on hard times. Now, the government is making efforts to improve its status, if not its value. Essentially a branding exercise, the process has already faced its share of problems. Why does India think a new rupee symbol will gain currency? And what would it mean for the country?

Going 'Glocal': Can Lenovo's Marketing Hub in India Reach Consumers Worldwide?

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:24:46 EST

Three years ago, Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo challenged the concept that branding and advertising have to be country and culture specific. Today, its centralized global marketing hub in Bangalore produces promotional material for 60 countries. Is Lenovo's model a fleeting experiment, or is it a strategy whose time has come? And can it be applied to other industries?