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<ul><li>The Indian government is mulling over increasing the import duty levied on round bamboo sticks or raw <keyword id="1267576" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="agarbatti">agarbatti</keyword> sticks to slow down the imports from China.</li><li>The surge in imports from China and <keyword id="13486" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vietnam">Vietnam</keyword> has started hurting India's ₹60 billion agarbatti industry. </li><li>The surge in demand for Chinese agarbatti has forced to close down 25% of the units of Khadi and Village Industries Commission, threatening people of job loss. </li></ul>The Indian government is looking to increase import duty on raw agarbatti sticks to fight away the growing popularity of Chinese incense sticks. A surge in imports from China and Vietnam <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/government-in-huddle-as-fragrance-of-chinese-agarbattis-spreads-far-and-wide/articleshow/70885500.cms?from=mdr">has started hurting India's ₹60 billion agarbatti industry</a>, reported Economic Times. This duty increase if it happens, will undo the country’s errors of the past. India had reduced the import duty on raw agarbatti sticks under Indo-Asean free trade agreement from 30% to 10% in 2011. Later, it was reduced went down to 5% in 2018. As a result, raw agarbatti imports rose by a massive 1641% to ₹54 billion in 2018. The duty changes affected the indegenous industry which mostly comprises of MSMEs. Due to cheaper imports, they had to cut down prices to ₹48 per kg from ₹70 per kg. This is yet another body blow to a homegrown sector, as the country itself is in the throes of a slowdown. However, the surge in demand for Chinese agarbatti resulted in the closure of 25% of the units of Khadi and Village Industries Commission. As many as 2 million people are employed by the industry. The domestic market is concentrated around Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. While the sector has been exporting to the Gulf, Africa and Europe, they are being beaten down by competition in the domestic market, which is key for their survival. The domestic demand is at around 1,397 tonnes a day which Chinese products are eating into.

Growing sales of Chinese agarbattis is not appeasing the Indian government

<ul><li>Vipul Shukla from Lucknow rebuilt his family’s Ayurvedic venture, Meghdoot Herbal from a local gem to nationwide digital phenomenon on <keyword id="6354742" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="flipkart" source="Orion">Flipkart</keyword>.</li><li>Rina, a 35-year old entrepreneur from Gujarat whose passion for creating unique women’s ethnic sets led to establishing a successful business. </li><li>Smita Kulkarni from Bangalore, co-founder of StoneSoup, a social enterprise dedicated to converting waste into value. </li><li>Piyush Aggarwal from Mathura transformed adversity into an opportunity during the pandemic and built a venture specialising in organic agarbattis and dhoop products.</li></ul>Embarking on a journey that resonates with innovation and success, we unveil the compelling stories of entrepreneurs hailing from diverse regions across Bharat. These entrepreneurs, navigating the dynamic realm of e-commerce, have soared to new heights fuelled by firm dedication to their craft and unwavering support from Flipkart. And their stories symbolise innovation-driven growth. These inspirational entrepreneurs showcase the potential of e-commerce to carve unique paths in their industries, embodying the festive spirit that brings forth new avenues. As we delve into the motivating journeys of these entrepreneurs, we celebrate the dynamic spirit of these innovators who have not only embraced the digital age but have thrived in it. Bridging Tradition and Modernity Seller name: Vipul Shukla Business: Meghdoot Herbal Location: Lucknow In 1985, Vipul’s grandfather invested all his hard-earned savings to establish ‘Meghdoot Herbal’, a small Ayurvedic enterprise in a remote village near Lucknow. This modest venture provided local employment and gained recognition from the UP Khadi and Village Industries Board (UPKVIB). Vipul, an IIT (BHU) graduate, later embraced the family legacy, aspiring to expand Meghdoot Herbal’s reach nationwide by transforming it from a brick-and-mortar presence to a digital phenomenon. Seeking partnership with Flipkart, Vipul navigated this transformation seamlessly, leveraging the platform’s onboarding process and training. Speaking about his venture, Vipul said, "As an Ayurvedic products business owner, I am convinced that the widespread appeal of our products is rooted in the longstanding tradition within Indian households to embrace herbal and traditional remedies. With the invaluable support extended by Flipkart which provides us with comprehensive training and customer insights, we are further enhancing the reach and effectiveness of our herbal solutions to millions of customers with the help of online platform." Now, with an extended customer base and e-commerce exploration, Meghdoot Herbal thrives, symbolising a harmonious blend of heritage and innovation in the e-commerce landscape. Weaving success in threads Seller Name: Rina Business: Rajvi Creations Location: Gujarat Another inspiring story is that of Rina, a 35-year-old entrepreneur from Surat, Gujarat, who embarked on a remarkable journey in the competitive apparel industry. Armed with a degree in Electrical Engineering and a passion for crafting women's ethnic sets, she faced initial hurdles due to her limited knowledge of fabrics and related materials. Transitioning into e-commerce about two and a half years ago, Rina chose Flipkart as her platform of choice, leveraging its reach to grow her business. With a team of 11, she meticulously crafts rayon viscose ethnic sets and has earned popularity on Flipkart with over 4500 listings and 1700 daily orders. Her commitment to quality and affordability, especially during festive sales, has solidified her success. Rina credits the platform for uplifting her journey as a woman entrepreneur. “My ultimate goal is to elevate my growth on this remarkable platform. I envision a bright and prosperous future for my business, and Flipkart's partnership is a vital part of that journey," she added. Rina’s success story exemplifies the 'Innovator' motif, showcasing how her collaboration with Flipkart has transformed her business and captured customer loyalty through a seamless blend of fabric curation, quality and affordability. Flipkart’s Samarth program has played a crucial role in supporting entrepreneurs nationwide, creating awareness of the potential of e-commerce and fostering positive change. Transforming waste into value Seller name: Smita Kulkarni Business: StoneSoup Enterprises Location: Karnataka StoneSoup, a Bengaluru-based social enterprise founded by Computer Science engineer Smita Kulkarni and IIM Kolkata alumna Malini Parmar, transforms waste into value. After a decade in the IT industry, Smita, now a neighbourhood activist, realised the inadequacies of existing waste management infrastructure. In 2015, StoneSoup was born, to offer easy sustainability solutions to citizens. “We needed to deliver sustainability at people’s doorsteps for the idea to really grow roots. And what better way to reach the masses than a platform like Flipkart!,” Smita said. StoneSoup joined the Flipkart Samarth program – a move that opened up StoneSoup’s products, including compost kits, menstrual cups, and cloth sanitary pads, to over 500 million customers on India’s homegrown marketplace. Over 110 women have benefited so far from the employment generated through this partnership, including those with disabilities. All StoneSoup products are ‘Made in India’. The reusable pads are, in fact, handmade by women from 20 Self Help Groups across small villages and towns in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The firm’s initiatives have helped divert 12 million pads from landfills, composted almost 10 tonnes of wet waste, and reduced plastic bags usage by five million. Smita emphasises the switch to a sustainable lifestyle not just for the planet but for future generations. StoneSoup's commitment to social inclusion and waste reduction reflects a powerful intersection of environmental consciousness and <keyword id="107737" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="entrepreneurship" source="Orion">entrepreneurship</keyword>. The incense of success Seller name: Piyush Aggarwal Business: Shank Mathura Location: Uttar Pradesh Flipkart became the lifeline for Piyush Agrawal, transforming him from unemployment to becoming a successful entrepreneur. After losing his job during the pandemic in Mathura, Piyush armed with a renewed purpose, conceived the idea of “Shankh Store.” Recognising the pilgrimage-heavy environment of Mathura, he focussed on handmade incense sticks and locally sold products. His instincts were spot on and his entrepreneur mindset helped him set up his business from scratch. Partnering with Flipkart, Piyush’s brand, Shankh, now offers organic agarbattis, dhoop sticks, and dhoop cones. “After getting onto the Flipkart platform, I started getting orders from all corners of the country. What I used to earn monthly, I began to earn weekly,” reveals Piyush. The platform’s reach elevated Piyush’s earnings, enabling him to expand from a home-based operation to a small manufacturing unit. Proud of his achievements, Piyush aims for a monthly revenue of ₹1 crore and dreams of seeing his products in homes across the country. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on insiderstudios@businessinsider.in

Innovation remains at the heart of entrepreneurship fueled by Flipkart’s unwavering support

New Delhi, Feb 13 () Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday urged people to gift indigenous products on occasions such as festivals and said promoting of 'swadeshi' goods would be a fitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Addressing the gathering at the inauguration of the 20th Hunar Haat here, Goyal said people should take a vow that they will promote 'swadeshi' (indigenous)goods for the next three years till 2022, when India marks 75 years of its independence. "I request that everyone should spread awareness throughout the country that the gifts that are given on festivals should be indigenous ones made by our craftsmen," he said. It will be the best tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary to move forward with the slogan of 'swadeshi', Goyal said. The minister said "despite pressure", he restricted import of incense sticks which revived the indigenous manufacture of 'agarbattis'. Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union minister Hardeep Puri and Indian Council for Cultural Relations president Vinay Sahasrabuddhe were also present on the occasion. ASK AQS

Gift indigenous products on festivals, promote 'swadeshi': Piyush Goyal

New Delhi, May 2 () Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said bamboo is vital to India's post-COVID-19 economy and the grass will provide an opportunity for the country to strengthen its economy. Addressing a bamboo conclave through video conference, Singh, the Union Minister for the Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER), said the Northeast has 60 per cent of India's bamboo reserves. Bamboo is vital to India's post-COVID-19 economy and the grass will provide an opportunity for the country to strengthen its economy, he said. Singh said it is a great advantage that the Narendra Modi government has over the last six years accorded highest priority to the development of the region and at the same time, it has given the bamboo sector the kind of boost which it had never received since Independence. In this regard, the minister referred to the amendment in the 100 year old Indian Forest Act in 2017, which resulted home grown bamboo being exempted as forest products in order to enhance livelihood opportunities for people through bamboo. The sensitivity with which the Modi government views the importance of the promotion of bamboo, Singh said, is evident from the fact even during the lockdown period the functioning of bamboo-related activities was allowed. The Ministry of Home Affairs on April 16, while allowing limited activities in different sectors, also allowed the functioning of bamboo related activities like planting, process, he said. It is an irony, he said, while the total requirement of 'Agarbatti' in India is about 2,30,000 tons per annum with a market value of up to Rs 5,000 crore, India has been importing a large bulk of it from countries like China and Vietnam. In the post-COVID-19 era, it is an opportunity for the Northeastern region to help India become world competitive and self-sufficient in the changed scenario, he said. In the near future, Singh said, the DoNER will try to work out a time bound plan for promotion of bamboo manufacturing and trade, and also work out feasibility of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in this sector. He said bamboo can be processed into multiple products, including bio-diesel and green fuel, wooden lumbers and plywood, which can change the entire face of the economy and create employment opportunities in multiple sectors. Among those who spoke in the conclave include Indever Pandey, Special Secretary, Ministry of DoNER; Alka Bhargav, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture; and Ramvir Singh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of DoNER. ACB SMNSMN

Bamboo vital for post-COVID-19 economy: Minister Singh

<keyword id="6359833" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Goods-and-Services-Tax">Goods and services tax</keyword> (<keyword id="6354679" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="GST">GST</keyword>), India’s biggest tax reform since independence is going to lower down the cost of <keyword id="4660581" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="daily-use-items">daily use items</keyword> like note books, domestic LPG, aluminium foils, insulin, agarbatti and others, once it rolls out from July 1. A majority of these goods have a GST rate much lower than what is being levied on them presently in form of combined indirect taxes by the Centre and states, like central excise duty rates, embedded central excise duty rates, service tax post-clearance embedding, VAT rates or weighted average VAT rates, cascading of VAT over excise duty and tax incidence on account of CST, Octroi, Entry Tax, among others. However, the flat GST rate decided by the GST council would be lighter on consumers’ pockets. These items that have lower GST decided by the council are milk powder, curd, butter milk, Unbranded Natural Honey, dairy spreads, cheese, spices, tea, wheat, rice, flour, and spices, groundnut oil, palm oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, mustard oil, sugar, palmyra jaggery, sugar confectionery, pasta, spaghetti, macaroni, noodles, fruit and vegetable items, several food products, pickle, murabba, chutney, sweetmeats, ketchup and sauces. Other than these, toppings, spreads and sauces, instant food mixes, mineral water, ice, cement, coal, kerosene PDS, LPG domestic, insulin, agarbatti, tooth powder, hair oil, toothpaste, kajal, soap, X-ray films for medical use and diagnostic kits and reagents are also going to go less expensive with GST.

GST to reduce prices of daily use products and LPG

<keyword id="6357073" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="ITC">ITC</keyword>, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Neither-Infosys-nor-HDFC-this-FMCG-company-is-now-Indias-3rd-most-valued-firm/articleshow/51210406.cms">FMCG </a>major from India, has announced the appointment of <keyword id="1968926" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sanjiv-Puri">Sanjiv Puri</keyword> as its chief operating officer. Puri, who serves as ITC’s director, would be taking up the role with immediate effect. 
 
It was in December last year that Puri, who joined <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/ITC-is-entrusting-younger-executives-with-great-responsibilities-handling-them-critical-roles/articleshow/51823455.cms">ITC </a>in 1986, was made the director of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/ITC-has-tasted-blood-wants-to-enhance-online-lifestyle-business/articleshow/51806905.cms">ITC</a>, replacing P Dhobale, before which he was the president of FMCG Businesses for two years, taking care of segments as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/ITC-bows-down-to-SC-ruling-shuts-cigarette-plants/articleshow/52141399.cms">cigarettes</a>, foods, personal care, education &amp; stationery products, matches and agarbattis. 
 
He also holds the responsibility for ITC's Packaging &amp; Printing Business (PPB) and Paperboards and Specialty Papers Division (PSPD) business, since January this year. 
 
<a href="http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/144338/img_0672_rt3.jpg">Image source</a>

Sanjiv Puri is the new COO of ITC

After capturing the FMCG marker in segments like toothpaste, biscuits and noodles, yoga guru <keyword id="6355107" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Baba-Ramdev">Baba Ramdev</keyword>'s <keyword id="700471" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Patanjali-Ayurveda">Patanjali Ayurveda</keyword> has now decided to enter the fast growing sacred space of <keyword id="3599532" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="home-worship-products">home worship products</keyword>, an industry said to be worth Rs 8,000-crore. 
 To enter the segment, Patanjali would be using the brand name ‘<keyword id="3598728" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Patanjali-Astha">Patanjali Astha</keyword>’, and the products, including agarbatti, dhoop, samagri, and brass diyas etc., would be launched in the coming two months, before Diwali, so that it can make good use of the religious spirit. 
 
"We are creating the new brand - Astha. Research has shown that a lot of established players use chemicals in worship products like incense sticks and dhoop which end up harming consumers. There is a need for natural products in this space," Patanjali's MD Acharya Balkrishna told ET. 
 The product distribution will be under exclusive control of <keyword id="3241025" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Pittie-Group">Pittie Group</keyword> and <keyword id="3240991" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="ShubhKart">Shubhkart</keyword>, an online marketplace for religious and spiritual products. 
 
"The range of products are of pre-eminent quality, and will comprise of multiple products and variants," Pittie group CEO Aditya Pittie said. 
 
<a href="http://graceofindia.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/header-32.png">Image source</a>

Home worship products next on Baba Ramdev’s radar

<ul><li>Losing relevance can not only overthrow you from your leadership position but also throw you out of business.</li><li><keyword id="9324569" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shashwat-Das">Shashwat Das</keyword>, Founder, <keyword id="7465777" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Almond-Branding">Almond Branding</keyword> shares the secret anti-ageing recipe for your brands so that they remain young forever.</li></ul>The times they are a-changin'... The lyrics that Dylan wrote are relevant for all times. In every era, they remind us of how fast things change, evolve and keep step with the ceaseless turn of the wheels of time. Well, if Dylan was referring to how we should keep moving and change with the times to stay relevant, so it is with brands. But what is a brand? In simple terms, it's a product that has over time acquired an identity. A meaning. A purpose. It has created a need, a following and most importantly, earned the trust of people. Think of it as a lifeform. Unicellular and a nebulous mass at first. Slowly taking shape with identifiable features. It goes out into the world, makes the right noises and captures attention. Here I am, it claims. People notice and there is a gradual uptake. Time goes by. Life changes. The environment that the brand created for itself slowly changes. If the brand adapts and heeds those changes, it stays relevant. Or fades away like a tune you can't recall anymore. What is <keyword id="686139" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Brand-Relevance">Brand Relevance</keyword>? Say we map out the attributes of society at large. Or a section of the society, which is the target market for a brand. We do the same attribute exercise for the brand itself. Do they correlate? Do they reflect each other? If they do, the brand has stayed relevant. An example: Cars are products that have to stay with the times through design, materials, technology, etc. and in the process, remain true to their purpose. This evolution is how they stay connected to how people evolve. They learn the habits and behaviour of the people who drive them and the environment too. For instance, they predict what roads will be like in the future - that decides how their tyres, suspension, brakes, seats and drivetrain will be like. It suggests new ways of design and interaction. The brands that don't keep up get left behind. VW, Audi, Maruti are all examples of brands that have withstood the test of time. Those that changed themselves to be modern are Tata, BMW, more recently. When it comes to mobile phones, Nokia that once ruled the world suddenly became unpopular with the advent of smartphones from Samsung and Apple. The primary reason was that it couldn't keep pace with the rate of innovation of its competitors and adapt to the changing needs of the audience. Losing relevance can not only overthrow you from your leadership position but also throw you out of business. So, what do we need to keep a brand alive and kicking? Consumer connect If you are in the consumer business, you need to know the pulse of the consumer. If possible you need to know before the consumer even starts building a thought. Only then you can be ready with the product that your consumer will need or long for tomorrow. After the COVID outbreak several brands have quickly adapted their game and have made necessary changes to their product portfolios. For many brands their consumer touchpoints were entirely shut for months. Instead of sitting and lamenting on the same, many of them briskly moved to open new doors and infact started helping the consumers in times of need. That way they remained relevant in the minds of your consumers Trend tracking Often it so happens that a brand becomes a massive hit with a particular generation and creates a loyal consumer base. However, it fails to attarct the subsequent generations just because it doesn't speak their language. It dawns a fuddy-duddy image and is often referred to in the past tense as the "grandfather's brand". Unless you are a heritage brand, you can't be speaking a typewriter's language when your consumer is on Instagram. Trend tracking is a research focussed on trends that identifies the opportunities and threats that arise out of these threats. Once you can track the trends, you can analye their influence on your brand over time, the possible directions of growth to take in future. This was you can think ahead of times and stay relevant to your consumers. Design and its role There are various dimensions to design itself. The brand manifesto, once it has been created will largely consist of the following: name, colour, font type, spaces, motion and how it leads to different mediums. The logo is what everyone recognises to be the first contact of a brand. It’s fundamental. Well, there's a movement among designers to keep a logo sharp, memorable, oustanding and timeless. When a brand creates an identity, it cannot afford to change it daily. The effort is always to preserve its essence and make small but relevant changes. But what about shop frontages, uniforms, building aesthetics and… Whoa! Of course everything follows from the design dictate that the brand has set for itself. And as we see, it too can’t be changed ad hoc. One needs to have some foresight here. A future vision about variants, how usage will change (think feature phones to smartphones – size, camera positions, UI, everything changed), how technology may serve up a dollop of usability. Design allows a brand to reflect its values and behaviour through elements like forms, shapes, colour and movement. You can recognise a brand by its Design language, provided its consistent. This includes type, font, visuals and such. If a friend you know to be a geek, dresses a particular ( geeky!) way, talks in precise grammatical clauses, is really smart, that's his identity. What would happen if one day, suddenly, he gets all buffed up, adopts grunge, starts talking slang and hangs out with truckers! It's going to take a while to accept the changes - if at all! Brands are no different. They start out with a purpose and a promise. That's sacrosanct. Over time and as people and lifestyles change, it incorporates subtly these very changes in itself too. Design helps in keeping the brand contemporary. Only if it needs to. There are some that are staunchly ancient. But it's their DNA. maybe they are agarbattis, clinging on to tradition. Conclusion There is no anti-ageing cream. Design is but one aspect of keeping brands from ageing. It really is the meaning it brings to our lives. That is what dictates its success. But like in life, everything has a shelf life. Everything ages, eventually. Those that stay with the times seem immortal. But then they’ve earned the right to be called ageless. But change doesn't have to be just for the sake of change. If the brand owners do not have a compelling answer to the question, "Why are we revamping the brand?", they'd be better off leaving it alone.

How to prevent a brand from ageing?

<ul><li>Sonu Sood recently received UNDP’s Special Humanitarian Action Award.</li><li>He has emerged as a knight in shining armour and been applauded for his humanitarian work to send thousands of stranded migrants back home during the lockdown. </li><li>His rising affinity on social media has also helped him get popular in the brandverse. </li><li>We speak to experts to find out if the recognition from UNDP will finally help get Sonu Sood longer brand deals and bigger brands now. </li></ul>Sonu Sood, who plays an antagonist in most of his movies, is becoming India’s hero in real life. On September 30, he was honoured with the Special Humanitarian Action Award by the United Nations Development Programme for his selfless efforts to help people in challenging times. In the beginning of the lockdown, Sood and his team launched an initiative called #GharBhejoAbhiyaan that helped thousands of migrants who were longing to come back home. He later launched #<a href="https://twitter.com/PravasiRojgar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1286322666580742144%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.socialsamosa.com%2F2020%2F08%2Fsonu-sood-campaigns-endorsements-through-the-lockdown%2F">PravasiRojgar</a> to help jobless migrants find a job and restore their livelihoods. He sent a few smartphones to students in Haryana who couldn’t afford online classes and helped students stranded across the globe return to the country safely. Soon, newspapers made special cartoons on him to celebrate the knight in shining armour and #Isupporttheherosonusood started trending on Twitter. It is for his philanthropic work that Sood is becoming popular even in the brandverse. Indian brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Tata Tea Premium, Stayfree India, Edelweiss Tokio Life, Godrej Interio, WhiteHat Jr, ZEE5, to name a few, have approached him to help spread awareness on different social causes. Even in his brand work, Sood has spoken about the importance of wearing a mask, recognising everyday warriors around us, supporting local craftsmen, etc. Since he acted like a ‘Vighnaharta’ during the lockdown, Mangaldeep Agarbatti also approached him during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. Sonu Sood’s relief efforts for the migrants during the COVID-19 lockdown earned him praise from all quarters. He emerged a hero for his selfless, kind-hearted efforts for the community. It was due to his selfless image and uniqueness that brands started capitalizing on his growing popularity. Ergo, his brand value is also increasing subsequently. According to media reports, Sood is worth $17 million. However, it was only in early September that Acer signed a long-term deal with him. Sharing why the brand decided to on-board Sood, Sooraj Balakrishnan, Head-Marketing, Acer India said, “Apart from his exemplary work in cinemas where he is a well-renowned actor cutting across India, Sonu Sood has stood out in 2020 as an example of selfless service and humanitarian work that positively impacted and benefited thousands, if not lakhs of people in need during the pandemic. His contribution to empowering people echoes with Acer India’s brand mantra of empowering people through technology.” Balakrishnan agreed that Sood’s rising popularity is an indication that the consumers are looking for honest and real work now. He said, “People are looking for brands and public figures who have a purpose to make positive changes with honest and real work. Glamour alone will not sell and people like Sonu have really used his position for the good of people. I can vouch for his humbleness, genuine passion to help, and dedication to the cause during my interactions with him. Acer is proud to have him as our brand ambassador and we wish him more recognition for his work.” Apart from trust, caring, empathetic, relatability, and style, Kalyan Ram Challapalli, Chief Strategist and Founder, WolfzHowl Strategic Instigations, said one should also note his Bollywood-led personality attributes to evaluate him as a brand endorser. he is known for a good body (with muscles etc;), a sense of style (fashion) etc Challapalli said, “Brand Sonu Sood can also include attributes of health, fitness, style and fashion. In addition to this whether it is his “Arundhati” (Telugu – Tollywood Blockbuster) villain portrayal or other such south movies, he also has some traction in South Indian Movies and hence South of India as well (usually not a easy feat for a character artiste to achieve). Hence, Sonu Sood as brand ambassador represents trust, empathy, style, fitness and a pan-national appeal. But with the masses. Hence categories he can be used as a brand ambassador for are possibly: Agri-Fintech, Micro-Finance, Health Foods, Sports and Fitness Categories, Fashion category etc; But at a mass and masstige segments level.” Keeping these attributes in mind, Challapalli said that he can endorse brands in mass and masstige categories. “He can also represent “return to roots” desi culture brands across consumer segments. As a brand ambassador he can take “Ayurvedic or Indian natural products based health - Immunity” to both the higher economic strata consumers and the lower economic strata consumers. He can also be a good brand ambassador for democratisation of Insurance, or home loans, or even mutual funds to the masses and to ‘Bharat’,” said Challapalli. Sonu Sood’s social currency Harish Bijoor, Brand-Strategy expert and Founder, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc pointed out that the audience on social media is looking for real heroes now. Bijoor said, “Sonu Sood is the new hero. The new hero of a new generation that is driven more by social media accolades than traditional media praise. Social media seems to recognise the real star as opposed to the promoted star. This works for Sonu Sood. He and his image is pushed by an army of social media participants who chase the real as opposed to the made up.” Sood has 7.3 million followers on Instagram and 4.1 on Twitter. He became the talk of the town during the lockdown. As a result, his popularity on Google Search also peaked. The top searched topics included Sonu Sood Help, Sonu Sood Scholarship, <keyword id="10031923" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonu-sood-helpline">Sonu Sood Helpline</keyword>, Sonu Sood hotel juhu, <keyword id="10031921" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonu-sood-net-worth">Sonu Sood net worth</keyword> 2020. <div type="image" title="sonu sood google trends" msid="78414547" hostid="261"></div> During the period of January to September 2020, Sood was the most searched term in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Uttrakhand, Telegana respectively. <div type="image" title="india-map" msid="78414550" hostid="261"></div>(Values are calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, where 100 is the location with the most popularity as a fraction of total searches in that location, a value of 50 indicates a location which is half as popular.) Sood’s impact on brand’s social image How will getting someone like Sonu Sood, who is a humanitarian influence, help how people look at a brand? Archana Jain, Founder and MD, PR Pundit, said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a deep impact on consumers. Consumer attitudes are changing. New socio-economic behavioural patterns are being witnessed. Global discourse centered around purpose and ethics is taking centre stage and scoring high on relevance in an increasingly values-driven world. An association with Sonu Sood therefore helps brands raise their bar on trust and dependability. Brands are able to foster a meaningful connection with the informed and empowered consumers and attach themselves to the value proposition of humaneness (demonstrated by his philanthropic work).” On how brands are looking for rays of hope in unsung heroes, Jain added, “Universally, people seek heroes in times of distress. With the heightened interest around all-things COVID-19, many brands have been shining the spotlight on heroes who have contributed selflessly for the betterment of society. Some have singled out the unsung warriors and some acknowledged personalities. Sonu Sood will always be remembered as the knight in shining armour who came to save thousands in need in their bleak times.” N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research said, “When someone achieves popularity by the work done, a reputation builds around the person - which is transmitted beliefs about respect. This transmitted belief spreads as more many hear about the person, also driving the person to try and achieve greater heights. Brands are self-centered in their approach, and naturally do not take Sonu Sood as an ambassador because of their philanthropic nature, but instead so that his 'goodness' rubs on them too. He has already been seen as a 'messiah', and even non-migrant travel or food based requests come to him, sometimes for books for education or to help a poor farmer's family. Since he has been open and accessible to most such requests, he has become an icon for the poor and needy. This is suff is like a movie-story, and he, the hero who is a do-gooder for society. Brands may not use him in PR too directly, primarily because it will not be appropriate to be seen directly promoting a brand by talking about it. Instead, advertising is slightly more distanced from PR, and therefore his presence as a brand's ambassador, is something that will look more appropriate. PR, as we often say, is essentially a trust building tool, and for Sonu, he has already built all the trust by demonstrating firmness of action.” Will recognition from UNDP help get Sonu Sood more brand deals now? Chandramouli said that Sonu Sood will be now known internationally, which might help him get more brand recognition. He said, “With UNDP's award he joins an exclusive group of international actors in different UN awards who have contributed to society beyond their call of duty, and his name will become more global. He will also come in the consideration sets of international brands which are looking at India as one of their key markets. Being a household name in India, brands will be able to reach their consumers through his endorsements.” Challapalli said that Sonu Sood will get more brands now. However, he is more likely to be approached by massy brands than aspirational.

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