Confluence 12
The rise of FMCG star brands - Hit & Trial or Perfected Science
Lux, Lifebuoy, Maggi, Closeup, Kellogs, Vim, Dettol, Lays, Lipton, Ariel, Braun, Vicks….. How many of those did you use today? Those are the stars of the FMCG sector for you. Big brands, big reach, and a huge consumer base. This ever alluring sector for those who swear by Kotler and Henry Fayol, has seen the rise of star products, Marketers, Distribution specialists and revolutions even. With the allure of big FMCG houses like PepsiCo, HUL, P&G, HCB and RB, the entire sector has an air of Bollywood. Brilliant star brands, work horse products, creative marketers and powerful parent companies. But there is scope for extending this analogy….. Brilliant products that fail, huge investments to naught, coupling and extension of star brands, and the seemingly elusive dark horse, block buster!!
So how did only a select list of products rise and power the huge revenues of their parent companies? What is the art or science that goes behind each stars rise? Is it the combination of meticulous planning and flawless execution or the marriage of prayer and serendipity?
At confluence 2012, we at the Department of Management Studies, IIT Delhi invite guests, speakers and more importantly, people from the industry to discuss, debate, reflect and introspect, to help us understand with their experiences as proof, how one of the most exhaustively taught sectors of management is unpredictable/rewarding/unforgiving!!!
The future of Indian retail in light of the e-tailing blitz
E-tailing is a recent phenomenon which has attracted the interest of investors and the retail industry alike. E commerce arrived on the scene in the early 2000s when companies were still figuring out how to make the most of a speedy internet connection to augment sales. This business has grown exponentially in India in the last 5 years. With a unique business model and supply chain, e-tailing is providing the retail industry with legitimate a headache.
The retail business in India has been tackling a variety of issues in marketing, supply chain, recruitment etc, including but not limited to high training costs, poor infrastructure, high inventory costs and intense competition between the big players. With the advent of e-tailing, the retail model in India itself is being challenged. Will the Indian retail space adapt quickly enough to counter the threat of e-tailing? Can retail players come up with a successful India-centric business model that is sustainable in the future? What are Govt. reforms required to provide a boost to the retail industry?
These are just some fundamental questions which must be answered to work towards a positive outlook for an industry with humungous potential. At Confluence 2012, we endeavour to find these answers in the panel discussion on “The future of Indian retail in light of the e-tailing blitz”.
Confluence 2012 Speakers:
Mr. Sandip Baksi, National Head - Multibrand at Adidas
Mr. Dharmendra Pandey, Director - North at Redbus
Mr. Chirag Patnaik, Head of Marketing - Indiamart
Mr. Nikhil Sharma, Head of Marketing, Perfetti
Mrs. Sudipta Sengupta, GM & Head Marketing, Del Monte
Mr. Debashis Das, Head Marketing, Mother Dairy
Mr. Tanmay Kumar, Director Commerce & Business Planning, Yum Foods
