There’s a critic!

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy

Diptarup Chakraborty,
Principal Analyst, Gartner

This campaign by Yahoo is basically to attract and capture new users that are coming onto the Internet. I don’t think that this is to arrest people that are already using Yahoo! and its services. Talking about the logic behind the campaign, yes, it will help improve the brand value of Yahoo! but the critical fact is that I don’t think Yahoo! will exist over the next two years.

The brand has lost a lot of value and weight in the recent past, and this campaign only appears to be increasing the brand value of Yahoo! to make it more appealing and attractive to potential bidders. Questions are also being raised on why Yahoo! chose to invest in rebranding, instead of investing more on R&D and innovation. The reason is that innovation is a long-term process while branding exercises produce returns within a relatively shorter time period. Also, innovation is much more a risky deal compared to branding exercises. This therefore, justifies Yahoo’s act! Talking about how competition may react to this latest branding strategy by Yahoo!, I don’t think they will react at all. They are definitely stronger than Yahoo! is and two years down the line, I simply see this online war being a two-player game between Google and Microsoft. So this rebranding strategy may not be worth the time and money spent...

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

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LOOKING AHEAD...

Who says an old horse can’t learn new tricks? Godrej, the business house that has been around for over 112 years, is learning them fast... indeed, very fast!

Last year, when we first visited the sprawling 20,000 acre Godrej campus in Mumbai, it looked like a sylvan oasis of tranquility, untouched amidst the bustling madness of Mumbai. However, only few knew that behind this serenity lay a turbulent sea, where this 112-yearold business house was fighting a high tide of calculated metamorphosis.

In fact, it was in 2007 that Adi Godrej and his senior management team realised that the brand pedigree of Godrej was not enough to tackle aggressive rivals and newcomers. The top management of this $2.8 billion conglomerate knew that the time had come to drill into the collective psyche of the 23,000 strong Godrej ‘family’, that it requires change. The ubiquitous result was the corporate logo change in 2008, followed by a slew of other marketing and organisational changes that promised to take brand Godrej to a much wider, urban and younger audience. Nobody is saying whether the slowdown precipitated matters or whether the sweeping brand repositioning is Godrej’s way of preparing itself for the future? Chairman Adi Godrej told this magazine, “Our survey showed that the perception about Godrej products required change. They needed to be connected more with today’s young Indians.” Leading from the front is Tanya Dubash, the 30-year-old daughter of Adi Godrej and Director & President – Marketing at Godrej. Starting from 360-degree advertising to changes in HR strategies, she is using all tactics to bring about a change in the positioning of the brand Godrej. Not only Tanya, even the other three young members of the family (Nisa Godrej, Navroze Godrej & Pirojsha Godrej) are seriously lending a helping hand.

No doubt, with FMCG products contributing most to the group’s profit, Godrej has all reasons to re-structure these cash-cows to maintain a steady flow of revenues in the future. But here’s why market watchers point towards the slowdown as the big catalyst. Though FMCG might be recession proof, Godrej’s other ventures like durables, appliances and furniture, et al (target audience for which are young couples in metros), have perhaps been affected by the slowdown and surely require an image makeover. “We are creating a platform that will enable synergy in distribution and supply chain management for various business,” elaborates Kamal Nandi, VP, Sales & Marketing, Godrej Appliances. After all, the times, they say, are changing... even for the Godrej Group!

Angshuman Paul

For more articles, Click on IIPM Article.

Source : IIPM Editorial, 2010.

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

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.

The Sunday Indian:- B-SCHOOL RANKING SCAMSTERS EXPOSED!
For Exclusive Footage by Sunday Indian Click Here

Outlook Magazine's B School Ranking Scam Exposed
Don't trust the Indian Media!
IIPM exposes Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam
IIPM - We will change your outlook : Career 360 and Mahesh Peri scam is exposed

IIPM: An intriguing story of growth and envy
Prof Arindam Chaudhuri of IIPM on MF HUSAIN‎
IIPM Related Links
Follow Arindam Chaudhuri on Twitter
IIPM B School on Twitter
IIPM 3-year full-time Integrated (MBA BBA) Programme
Exclusive In chat with Society Magazine - Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri