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A new 5 pound coin to commemorate the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to mark the Hindu festival of Diwali. Available in a range of standards, including gold and silver, the special collectors' coin was designed by Heena Glover and features an image of a lotus, India's national flower, alongside one of Gandhi's most famous quotes -- "My life is my message". Building on the enduring relationship and cultural connections between the UK and India, it is the first time that Gandhi has been commemorated on an official UK coin with the final design chosen by Sunak, who is the Master of the Mint. "This coin is a fitting tribute to an influential leader who inspired millions of people around the world," he said. "As a practicing Hindu, I am proud to unveil this coin during Diwali. Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in the movement for Indian independence and it is fantastic to have a UK coin commemorating his remarkable life for the first time." The coin, which goes on sale, is part of the Royal Mint's wider Diwali collection, which includes 1g and 5g gold bars in henna-style packaging, and the UK's first gold bar depicting Lakshmi -- the Hindu Goddess of wealth. The 20g gold Lakshmi bar was designed in partnership with the Hindu community in South Wales, where the Royal Mint is based. The Mint will join the celebrations at the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Cardiff, where worshippers will offer prayers to goddess Lakshmi and lord Ganesha for the coming year. Chief Customer Officer for The Royal Mint, Nicola Howell, said: "As we approach Diwali celebrations, we are delighted to unveil the first official UK coin commemorating the life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi. The beautiful design builds on the enduring relationship and cultural connections between the UK and India." The announcement comes as India is celebrating its 75th year of Independence this year. Last year, the Chancellor commissioned the new "Diversity Built Britain" 50p coin following discussion with the 'We Too Built Britain' campaign, which works for fair representation of minority communities' contributions across all walks of life. Around 10 million of the coins, which recognise and celebrate Britain's diverse history, went into circulation in October 2020. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/three-indian-teens-shortlisted-for-international-childrens-peace-prize/articleshow/87523376.cms">Three Indian teens shortlisted for International Children's Peace Prize</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/who-approves-bharat-biotechs-covaxin-for-emergency-use/articleshow/87510108.cms">WHO approves Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin for emergency use after a long wait</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/indian-government-cut-duties-on-petrol-and-diesel-and-other-bjp-states-follow-suit/articleshow/87515906.cms">Indian government cut duties on petrol and diesel and other BJP states follow suit</a>

Britain's five-pound Diwali coin has Mahatma Gandhi's quote and a lotus

The <keyword id="6355302" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rupee" source="Orion">rupee</keyword> appreciated 26 paise to 82.62 against the US dollar in early trade on Tuesday tracking a positive trend in domestic equities. At the <keyword id="6515855" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="interbank-foreign-exchange" source="Orion">interbank foreign exchange</keyword>, the domestic unit opened at 82.71 against the dollar, then gained some ground to quote at 82.62, a gain of 26 paise over its previous close. In the previous session on Friday, the rupee slipped 9 paise to close at 82.88 against the dollar. The forex market was closed on Monday on account of Diwali. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, slipped 0.12 per cent to 111.85. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.28 per cent to USD 93.52 per barrel. In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex was trading 51.96 points or 0.09 per cent higher at 59,883.62. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 23.80 points or 0.13 per cent to 17,754.55. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the capital markets as they offloaded shares worth Rs 153.89 crore on Monday, according to exchange data. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/despite-inflation-and-hiked-interest-rates-demand-for-real-estate-properties-to-grow-this-festive-season/articleshow/95014935.cms">Despite inflation and hiked interest rates, demand for real estate properties to grow this festive season</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/budget2016/infrastructure/real-estate/the-state-which-resolved-the-most-home-buyer-complaints-is-the-most-sluggish-when-it-comes-to-rera-registrations/articleshow/95071836.cms">The state which resolved the most home buyer complaints is the most sluggish when it comes to RERA registrations</a>

Rupee gains 26 paise to 82.62 against US dollar

The rupee appreciated 34 paise to close at 82.47 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday as the greenback retreated from its elevated levels. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local currency opened at 82.15 and witnessed a high of 82.14 and a low of 82.51. It finally settled at 82.47 against the American currency, registering a rise of 34 paise over its last close. In the previous session on Tuesday, the rupee appreciated by 7 paise to 82.81 against the dollar. The forex market was closed on Wednesday on account of Diwali Balipratipada. "Rupee rose sharply as the dollar plunged against its major crosses. Weaker-than-expected economic data from the US led to a retracement in the dollar," said <keyword id="12834279" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="gaurang-somaiya" source="Orion">Gaurang Somaiya</keyword>, Forex &amp; Bullion Analyst, Motilal Oswal Financial Services. The expectation is that the US Federal Reserve will slow the pace of its rate hiking cycle. This sent the euro back above parity with the greenback for the first time in a month, Somaiya added. The pound extended its gains on optimism that <keyword id="221875" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rishi-sunak" source="Orion">Rishi Sunak</keyword> and his team will restore stability and credibility in the UK. "We expect the USD/INR(Spot) to quote in the range of 82.10 and 82.50," Somaiya said. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was quoted 0.36 per cent higher at 110.09. Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures fell 0.06 per cent to <keyword id="54123" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="usd" source="Orion">USD</keyword> 95.63 per barrel. On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share <keyword id="53232" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bse-sensex" source="Orion">BSE Sensex</keyword> rose 212.88 points or 0.36 per cent to end at 59,756.84, while the broader <keyword id="372424" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="nse-nifty" source="Orion">NSE Nifty</keyword> advanced 80.60 points or 0.46 per cent to 17,736.95. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the capital markets as they offloaded shares worth Rs 247.01 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/sensex-climbs-212-points-nifty-up-80-points-as-metal-stocks-sparkle/articleshow/95122871.cms">Sensex climbs 212 points, Nifty up 80 points as metal stocks sparkle</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/pnb-housing-finance-q2-profit-rises-12-pc-at-rs-263-cr/articleshow/95123120.cms">PNB Housing Finance Q2 profit rises 12 pc at Rs 263 cr</a>

Rupee rises 34 paise to close at 82.47 against US dollar

The <keyword id="6355302" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rupee" source="Orion">rupee</keyword> appreciated 67 paise to 82.14 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday as dollar retreated from its elevated levels. At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened at 82.15 against the dollar, then gained ground to quote at 82.14, registering a rise of 67 paise over its previous close. In the previous session on Tuesday, the rupee appreciated by 7 paise to close at 82.81 against the dollar. The forex market was closed on Wednesday on account of Diwali Balipratipada. The rupee opened stronger after the dollar index fell to below 110 levels, said <keyword id="2000141" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="anil-kumar-bhansali" source="Orion">Anil Kumar Bhansali</keyword>, Head of <keyword id="6374832" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="treasury" source="Orion">Treasury</keyword>, Finrex Treasury Advisors. "The probable reason for this fall is slower rate hikes from the US in November-22 despite inflation being higher," <keyword id="18551" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bhansali" source="Orion">Bhansali</keyword> said. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, rose 0.06 per cent to 109.76. The rise in oil prices from USD 90 per barrel to USD 94 per barrel would cap the rise in the rupee as oil is a major import for the country. Oil companies and importers will use this opportunity to buy dollars at a cheaper rate, Bhansali said. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, advanced 0.26 per cent to USD 95.94 per barrel. "The range for the day is expected to be 81.80 to 82.40 as most Asian currencies have also risen from their recent lows," Bhansali said. In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex was trading 371.83 points or 0.62 per cent higher at 59,915.79. Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty rose 113.40 points or 0.64 per cent to 17,769.75. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the capital markets as they offloaded shares worth Rs 247.01 crore on Tuesday, according to exchange data. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/indian-markets-trade-higher-amid-mixed-cues-from-global-markets/articleshow/95113241.cms">Indian markets trade higher amid mixed cues from global markets</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/meta-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-knows-his-metaverse-pivot-isnt-popular-with-everyone-but-said-people-are-going-to-look-back-decades-from-now-and-realize-its-importance/articleshow/95108846.cms">Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg knows his metaverse pivot isn't popular with everyone, but said 'people are going to look back decades from now' and realize its importance</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/plans-to-limit-global-temperature-rise-to-1-5-deg-c-still-insufficient-un/articleshow/95110921.cms">Plans to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 deg C still insufficient: UN</a>

Rupee gains 67 paise to 82.14 against US dollar

The Covid pandemic might have battered the cinema exhibition industry's core business but it has also accelerated diversification, <keyword id="799" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="pvr" source="Orion">PVR</keyword>'s Chief Executive <keyword id="9154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gautam-dutta" source="Orion">Gautam Dutta</keyword> said. In a conversation with IANS, Dutta said the pandemic has given a push to diversify the business and fully utilise available resources. "We have forayed into new segments such as packaged F&amp;B (PVR popcorn) and now 'V-Pristine'. The pandemic gave us time and the necessity to plan for these new ventures," he said. "There are other new initiatives as well that we plan to launch in the near future. These new products will cater to the growing demand for differentiated and specialised services like 'V-Pristine'." Recently, PVR forayed into customised cleaning and disinfecting solutions for commercial and residential segments under its new business vertical 'V-Pristine'. At present, 'V-Pristine' is available in Delhi-NCR with more than 1,000 residences and offices across 46 cities covered in the first phase of trials covering six months. Besides, the company has tied-up with Reliance Industries' retail subsidiary for starting <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>'s first ever open-air rooftop theatre -- Jio Drive-in -- at the premium shopping mall, Jio World Drive (<keyword id="12452736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jwd" source="Orion">JWD</keyword>) in Mumbai. The drive-in theatre will be operated by PVR and would have capacity for 290 cars and boasts of the biggest cinema screen in town. Additionally, the company has collaborated with Esports company <keyword id="3492146" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nodwin-gaming" source="Orion">NODWIN Gaming</keyword> to launch India's first "In-Cinema Esports" live tournaments. On the company's core business, Dutta said that pent-up demand, along with new content, has drawn in moviegoers, thereby accelerating the recovery. The sector, formally known as 'cinema exhibition industry', has been one of the hardest hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, causing revenue and employment loss. Till recently, cinemas and multiplexes in many states remained in the list of prohibited activities to curb the spread of the pandemic. However, accelerated pace of vaccination as well as easing Covid restrictions and lower transmission rates have turned the tide for the sector. Besides, new local, global and regional content have once again lured many moviegoers back from online streaming platforms to theatres. "Rising vaccination levels, lower infection rate and release of big-ticket movies has brought back moviegoers." "With lesser to no capacity restrictions, we believe that pre-pandemic levels will be achieved within the next few months." However, he cautioned that the growth will be stalled if another Covid wave hits the country. Furthermore, Dutta pointed out that festive season as well as healthy line-up of movie releases will surely boost the footfall levels at the company's properties. "This year we have new content coming in from international, domestic and regional studios." "Some markets in the north and in the South India region are close to reaching their pre-pandemic levels." Currently, PVR is the largest film exhibition company in India. It operates a cinema circuit comprising of 856 screens at 179 properties in 72 cities in India and Sri Lanka. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/india-vs-scotland-at-icc-t20-world-cup-do-or-die-situation-for-team-india/slidelist/87515627.cms">India vs Scotland at ICC T20 World Cup: Do or die situation for Team India</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/britains-five-pound-diwali-coin-has-mahatma-gandhis-quote-and-a-lotus/articleshow/87523616.cms">Britain's five-pound Diwali coin has Mahatma Gandhi's quote and a lotus</a>

COVID-19 pandemic accelerates PVR's business diversification, says PVR's Chief Executive

<ul><li>In a year when many businesses are still on their road to recovery, omnichannel jewellery brand <keyword id="686987" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="CaratLane">CaratLane</keyword> has posted a 38% YoY growth in Q3.</li><li>We speak to <keyword id="2380977" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mithun-Sacheti">Mithun Sacheti</keyword>, Founder and Managing Director, CaratLane about the brand's performance, and his growth strategy for CaratLane.</li></ul>Last week, omnichannel jewellery brand CaratLane declared its quarterly results, and for a quarter when most businesses are trying to recover from the impact of 2020, the brand shared it achieved 38% YoY growth. In fact, November 2020 (the month of Dhanteras) turned out to be the first-ever Rs 100 crores+ month for the company. “The change in consumer behavior during the months of lockdown has given a boost to all direct-to-consumer brands, and we have been a big beneficiary too. There was a robust consumer demand even post-Diwali. During Diwali we had thought it might be the pent-up demand but we soon realized it was not that. People were just consuming all things that conveyed sentiments. So if people’s desire is to buy jewellery and buy it online, we’re a net beneficiary of a greater magnitude than everybody else. So, while people are talking about recovery rates, we're talking about high growth rates,” explained Mithun Sacheti, Founder and Managing Director, CaratLane. The company recorded revenues of Rs 273 crore in Q3. Its online business delivered a growth of 68%. The brand’s online buying experience has got a boost with Try at Home and CaratLane LIVE - a video call service to enable customers to either see the jewellery before they buy or get a video consultation with an in-house jewellery expert. the Try at Home service saw a growth of 37% in Q3 and has been scaled up to 15 cities, with Patna, Ludhiana and Chandigarh added in Q3. The pandemic led to more and more becoming comfortable with buying jewellery online leading to a lot of first-time users on its platform. “The pandemic led to huge changes in consumer behavior. We saw lots of first-time users. Also, a lot of Tier II and Tier III users who would not have been so savvy and comfortable with buying digitally before had their access restricted to online. We also saw a lot of older people shop on our platform too,” he said. Meanwhile, more and more people are returning to their retail outlets too. Its retail business saw a strong rebound and delivered a growth of 43% over the same period last year.Like-to-like growth for the quarter stood at 9%, with 17% LTL growth for high street stores. Founded in 2008 with the motto of making beautiful jewellery accessible, affordable, and forever wearable, Sacheti said the task now at hand is in making this a reality. The launch of its silver jewellery brand Shaya, is a step towards achieving this goal. “We identified a challenge quote early, that we don't serve everybody. If you look at what is sold to a farmer or to the household help, you will realize those products are not led by design. They are led by an investment philosophy. Our goal is to marry the two and deliver something that makes reasonable commercial sense but at the same time, makes you feel proud of wearing it. Jewelry as an industry is still using the same manufacturing techniques it was using 100-200 years ago. If we were to innovate and solve for these problems, we will we will continue to grow the market to a larger audience, which is not able to afford it today. As an industry, we don't work hard enough on the lower price point. We should, because that's the future,” he added. Moreover, the brand is also focusing on the children’s segment, which Sacheti maintains has been witnessing robust enthusiasm and growth. The brand is already working on going deeper into the country and aims at taking its store count from the current 109 to 120 by the end of 2021.

While businesses are talking about recovery rates, we're talking about high growth rates: Mithun Sacheti, CaratLane

As India gears up to celebrate its 74th <keyword id="28240" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Independence-day">Independence Day</keyword>, microblogging website <keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> on Friday has unveiled a specially designed emoji to honour the Indian Armed Forces, which is a vibrant depiction of the National War Memorial. The design of the emoji represents the innermost structure of the Memorial, called the 'Amar Chakra' or the 'Circle of Immortality'. The emoji will be live until 18th August and will be available in English and several Indic languages, such as Hindi, Tamil, Urdu, Kannada, Punjabi, Marathi, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Gujarati, and Oriya. "We hope this emoji will not only add to the Independence Day celebrations but will also encourage Indians across the world to learn more about and pay respects to the lives of India's brave soldiers," Mahima Kaul, Director, Public Policy, India and South Asia, Twitter said in a statement. <keyword id="749437" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter-India">Twitter India</keyword> is also supporting the Ministry of Defence's special initiative #SaluteTheSoldier that pays respects to the lives of Indian soldiers. The Ministry on its part has launched a dedicated Twitter account for the National War Memorial (@salute2soldier). Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be launching the emoji on the eve of Independence Day. Indians across the globe will be able to participate in Independence Day conversations and celebrate with the emoji using the hashtags like #IndiaIndependenceDay, #NationalWarMemorial, #SaluteTheSoldier and many more. This is the sixth edition of the <keyword id="9756861" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="independence-day-emoji">Independence Day emoji</keyword> by Twitter India, having featured creative symbols for the Ashoka Chakra, Red Fort, the Indian National Flag during the previous years. Twitter continues to observe Indian culture with celebratory initiatives and activations for Independence Day, Diwali, Republic Day, among other key Indian milestones, events and festivals. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/heres-how-indias-74th-independence-day-celebrations-will-take-place-this-year/slidelist/77523536.cms">Here’s how India’s 74th Independence Day celebrations will take place this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/on-independence-day-over-45000-security-personnel-will-be-guarding-new-delhi/articleshow/77538142.cms">On Independence Day, over 45,000 security personnel will be guarding New Delhi</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/article/independence-day-messages-quotes-and-wishes-for-facebook-and-whatsapp-status/articleshow/77527082.cms">Independence day 2020 messages and quotes</a>

Twitter celebrates India's 74th Independence Day with a new emoji

The Shri Ayutchandi Mahayagna Samiti, a <keyword id="6368818" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindu">Hindu</keyword> organization based in <keyword id="6357881" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Meerut">Meerut</keyword>, is pursuing a rather unconventional route to minimise air pollution. On March 18th, the group’s members started burning around 50,000 kilograms of discarded mango wood as part of a nine-day <keyword id="79690" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ritual">ritual</keyword> aimed at purifying the air. The ceremony reportedly features 108 fire pits and involves the participation of around 350 Brahmin priests. It will be completed once 10 million offerings are burned in the firepits. The organisation’s vice-president, Girish Bansal, was <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/meerut/hindu-body-to-burn-500-quintals-of-mango-wood-for-nine-days-to-reduce-pollution/articleshow/63275405.cms">quoted </a>by the Times of India as saying that the burning of mango wood with ghee made from cow’s milk would make the air cleaner. When asked for a scientific explanation, he pinned the lack of evidence on the very fact that no research had been carried out yet. Another member of the organisation, Gyanendra Agarwal, took things a step further by saying that the ozone layer above India had less damage when compared to other countries owing to the regular occurrence of rituals. 
	
	<div type="image" title="Meerut: Members of Shri Ayutchandi Mahayagna Samiti take part in a nine-day-long..." msid="63380737" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Members of Shri Ayutchandi Mahayagna Samiti take part in a nine-day-long &amp;#39;mahayagya&amp;#39; at the Bhainsali ground of Meerut on Monday. Samiti members have decided to burn 500 quintals of mango wood in a nine-day-long &amp;#39;mahayagna&amp;#39; to reduce pollution.Photo&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>




 As <keyword id="6357713" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttar-Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</keyword> lacks a policy to prevent the pollution caused by Hindu rituals, the state’s pollution authorities aren’t able to stop the ceremony. There is no adequate policy at the central level as well. In February 2016, the National Green Tribunal asked the Environment Ministry to promote more environmentally-friendly methods of cremation, like electric or CNG-based cremation, citing the damage done to air and rivers. However, there hasn’t been any significant progress on the issue. Religion usually takes precedence over the environment in India. As a result of bursting crackers on Diwali, the fall festival of lights, vast quantities of smoke are released. Last year, the Supreme Court’s move to ban the sale of firecrackers during Diwali was termed “anti-Hindu” by fringe elements. The holy Ganges, which plays host to the ashes of dead Hindus and ritual bathing, is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. If India can’t even save the water bodies that are venerated under Hindu tradition, there can’t be much hope for the rest of the environment.

An anti-science Hindu group is three days into a 9-day bonfire ritual they claim will purify the air

<ul><li>In an unprecedented year like 2020, brands took a different route during the festive season, the route of empathy.</li><li>However, can brands truly be empathetic, asks <keyword id="1770414" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="manu-prasad">Manu Prasad</keyword>, Chief Marketing Officer, <keyword id="1637098" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Scripbox">Scripbox</keyword> in his column.</li></ul>This Diwali, brands that didn’t need festive-offer advertising to light up their sales figures used a sound strategy instead - empathy. From Facebook’s Pooja Didi to India’s first-ever hyper-personalised ad (this claim is disputed) by Cadbury, brands used the travails of a Covid-hit society to maximum effect. Health workers, local businesses, parents, domestic help, dabbawalas - everyone was at the receiving end of a psychological hug. However, it’s hard to distinguish between moment marketing and actual empathy these days. A mini primer on empathy helps elaborate my concern. The TL;DR version - <keyword id="4628142" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="cognitive-empathy">Cognitive empathy</keyword> is “understanding what others feel”. It makes us better communicators because we are able to convey information effectively. - Emotional empathy is “feeling what others feel”. It helps us build better relationships with others. - Compassionate empathy is “caring about how others feel”. It moves us to take action. Where do you think advertising is playing? The question therefore is whether empathy can play a larger role in a brand’s life. The elevator pitch When distribution, product, pricing, celebrity endorsers are all on par in a category, who steps up to the plate as a key competitive differentiator and a TOMA hawk? Influencers! Ok, not really, but it does contain a grain of truth. Influencers not only create recall, but also help build trust and credibility for the brand. They are thus a means to the sustainable answer - brand affinity. Strong brand affinity creates advocates and accelerates word of mouth. Empathy, I would argue, plays a strong role in building brand affinity. It has an impact on two important aspects of how customers judge a brand - competence (across all the competitive factors in the previous section) and values. Without really understanding customers, a brand cannot retain its competitive edge. And articulating what it stands for is becoming increasingly important, especially in a polarised world. That explains why “cause marketing” is becoming popular - the entire premise is based on empathy for something - a set of people, or the environment at large. Empathy in communication Empathy is actually at the heart of brand management. If you have done market research to understand customers, created personas, and used customer insights to deliver powerful brand campaigns, well, it wouldn’t have been possible without empathy. A brand’s communication signals its worldview, and makes it relatable to its customers. Forming a worldview that resonates requires empathy! And yes, that includes the channels you advertise on! Empathy everywhere Communication operates at a cognitive level, generally speaking. But to go deeper - both in terms of empathy as well as organisational support - the brand needs a vision that its entire ecosystem can rally behind. For instance, thinking of the product as a “job to be done” in the consumer’s life requires both cognitive and emotional empathy. When customer service is less empathetic in trying to solve the customer’s problem and rigidly follows a rulebook, you get United Airlines, which dragged a paying customer out. Alternatively, it could be like Ryan Air with its critical and commercial hit “Always Getting Better”. Does the organisation treat the ecosystem like Berger and Asian Paints, who provided cash support to their dealers, anticipating muted demand? Or eBay’s “Up &amp; Running” for small businesses? Or does it leave them to their own devices? Brands like Allbirds even help customers contribute shoes to health workers with “We’re better together”. And if you’re <keyword id="33542" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Burger-King">Burger King</keyword>, you can be empathetic even to your competitors! Empathy vs In The Lessons of History, Will Durant writes, “Nature smiles at the union of freedom and equality in our utopias. For freedom and equality are sworn and everlasting enemies, and when one prevails the other dies.” Most businesses also optimise for efficiency, and I wonder if efficiency and empathy are like freedom and equality. Most businesses also aim for scale. But even as martech increases its capability to create a segment of one, and chatbots abound, empathy at scale remains a challenge in execution beyond mass advertising. Maybe, in the future, with facial recognition that can detect emotions, AI that can provide even more context and information, and recognise tone and modulation, my bot can speak to your marketing bot on my behalf. But for now, we have to consider calls for personal loans as empathetic gestures! With scale also comes the problem of “partial empathy”. A brand might be doing great work on sustainability but will get called out if it’s not paying fair wages. Even the actions of their partners or endorsers have an effect. One of the lessons the pandemic has taught us is the power and value of true empathy. As inequities and activism rises, and AI continues to reduce a consumer to a numerical probability, empathy has the potential to provide the counterbalance, and be a source of competitive advantage. To quote Maya Angelou, “...people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”

Can brands be truly empathetic?

New Delhi, Dec 15 () Chinese handset maker Realme has become the fastest-growing smartphone brand in India, selling 15 million handsets in the very first year of its operations and is targeting to double the sales next year, its CEO Madhav Sheth said.
 Realme, which began as an Oppo sub-brand in May 2018, was promptly spun off into a standalone entity and is now taking on bigger rival Xiaomi with similar price points and segments of Rs 7,000-20,000 phones.
 Unlike other Chinese players like Vivo and Oppo, which are offline-focussed with investments in channel marketing and offline distribution, Realme aped the strategy of the market leader closely and focussed on online from the start.
 Sheth, who founded the company together with BBK Group, said Realme is ranked seventh fastest growing smartphone brand globally.
 "We will end 2019, the first full year of our operations, with sales of 15 million handsets. We are targeting to at least double this in 2020," he told here.
 The brand commands 14.3 per cent market share, he said quoting industry data by IDC.
 Realme has now risen to become the fourth biggest smartphone brand in India in the third quarter, according to IDC. Its popularity exploded on the same lines as Xiaomi, which has been selling its phones in the country since 2015, by offering a good price-to-quality ratio on its smartphones.
 According to IDC, Xiaomi is the market leader with 27.1 per cent share followed by Samsung (18.9 per cent) and Vivo (15.2 per cent) in the third quarter.
 Realme had 3.1 per cent market share in the third quarter of 2018.
 Starting from India, today Realme is present in 20 markets including China, Southeast Asia, Russia, Europe, he said.
 "We have sold 5.2 million smartphones during Diwali month alone," Sheth said.
 According to Counterpoint Research, Realme shipped 10 million smartphones in third quarter of 2019, an 808 per cent year-on-year growth in shipments. Phones like the Realme C2, Realme 3i and Realme 5 were among the company's best-selling models during the festive season sales.
 Counterpoint report says the company now ranks seventh in the global smartphone market.
 Sheth said the company plans to roll out an offline-only series for India which will be named by the end of this year. Aimed at the mid-premium range, the new series will focus more on all-rounder user experiences such as a better battery, touch, and feel (aesthetics).
 "We are lining up with more smart accessories with great performance and trendy design. Realme will become a tech lifestyle brand in 2020," he said.
 Realme has 4 successful product line-ups in India: C series, Number series, Pro series, and X series.
 Realme maintains a very strong presence online and is already the number 1 brand on Flipkart and number 2 overall. The brand is also expanding its presence in offline markets.
 It is targeting 30 per cent sales from offline and 70 per cent from online, he said.
 BBK Electronics also owns Vivo and Oppo smartphone brands.
 He said Realme is already an independent entity.
 "We wanted to clarify that Realme Mobile Telecommunications Private Ltd is already an independent brand and legal entity," he said adding the brand was set up by him and founder Sky Li on May 4, 2018.
 BBK holds majority stake and he has a minority interest in the firm, Sheth said without giving details. ANZ ANU

Realme sells 15 mn handset in 1st yr of operation, targets to double it in 2020

In the backdrop of rising competition from <keyword id="6354427" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Apple">Apple</keyword>’s <keyword id="3045245" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="iPhone7">iPhone7</keyword> and <keyword id="6355629" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google">Google</keyword>’s <keyword id="576817" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PIXEL">Pixel</keyword> smartphones, <keyword id="10591" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Samsung">Samsung</keyword> is expected to launch its Galaxy Note 7 two days before Diwali, on October 28. 
 
Samsung had planned an early launch on September 02 but did not materialise after several countries started reporting fire incidents. 
 
Following the smartphone blasting incidents, Samsung recalled all 2.5 million phones sold globally and offered replacements with new phones, delaying starting India sales. 
 
But now, Samsung has replaced all the smartphones and as per reports, the new ones will carry a green battery icon indicating 'safe-to-use' and markings on the box. 
 
ET quoted sources saying in India, about 20,000 bookings were made for the model, though some of which were cancelled after the blast incidents and the resultant delay. But customers who had retained their bookings will be serviced first. 
 
Meanwhile, Diwali time will be crucial for Samsung as Apple and Google have already launched their smartphones. 
 
"With Google coming in, competition will increase in the premium segment. For someone looking for a flagship, they have few choices, and iPhone customers won't go to Android. Samsung is going through a phase where people are really concerned," Anshul Gupta, research director at Gartner, told ET. 
 
Companies time product launches during the festive season to make in more money. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

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