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<keyword id="10879" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="youtube" source="Orion">YouTube</keyword> fans have been puzzled by a subtle change in the platform’s familiar look recently. Several users have been noticing how the red progress bar when you watch a video is shifting to a pink gradient. This subtle change has sparked talk of a broader rebranding effort, perhaps even a logo update. Given the platform’s last major visual redesign was in 2019, it’s possible YouTube is gearing up to align itself with a fresher, more modern look, a common trend across digital brands today. <h2>YouTube logo getting changed soon? </h2> YouTube has long retained a clean, recognisable identity with its bright red colour. Yet, the shift to pink in the progress bar could hint at broader changes, especially as other tech giants are also embracing gradient colours and experimenting with logos to keep their brand aesthetic current. “The visual changes rolling out on web and mobile will also come to the YouTube app on TV. Keep an eye out for new pops of pink, as well as other light touches that add dynamism to the YouTube you know and love,” the company mentioned in a blog post last month. YouTube also disclosed the change in a post on X, via a relatively unknown handle called Google Design. "YouTube's identity just got a refresh. The new YouTube color palette features a brand gradient that elevates the UX and reinforces the brand. Say hello to a softer shade of red and eye-catching magenta-infused gradients," the post reads. <div type="image" title="7" msid="115050326" hostid="261"></div> YouTube may similarly be looking to refresh its look while balancing the identity that’s made it iconic. However, nothing about an official logo update has been announced. With that being said, if a logo redesign indeed follows, its impact can be tricky to predict. For example, many brands have misfired in the past when attempting major redesigns, alienating their loyal audience instead of attracting new interest. A potential logo update would mark a big step for YouTube, especially since subtle changes like these can dramatically affect user perception. As YouTube reportedly considers a new logo redesign, the move brings to mind some memorable and turbulent logo changes from other major brands. Redesigning a logo isn’t a simple task; it can redefine a company’s image, reinforce brand values, and appeal to new audiences. However, as these examples show, a logo change can easily backfire if it doesn’t resonate with consumers or fails to reflect the brand’s core identity. Let us take a look at some examples from the past where a logo redesign didn’t go as planned. <h2>1. Gap’s Short-Lived redesign </h2> <div type="image" title="3" msid="115050331" hostid="261"></div> Gap, the popular clothing retailer, experienced one of the most infamous <keyword id="23849484" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="logo-redesign-failures" source="keywords">logo redesign failures</keyword> in 2010. With the aim to align with contemporary design trends, Gap abandoned its iconic blue box for a minimalistic Helvetica-based look. This redesign faced immediate backlash, with customers expressing disappointment over the loss of the brand’s warmth and heritage. Within a week, Gap reverted to its original logo, realising the new version lacked the authenticity their audience valued. This incident underscores the importance of respecting a brand’s legacy. A logo redesign can’t just be trendy; it must feel connected to what loyal users have come to love. <h2>2. Tropicana’s misguided simplicity </h2> <div type="image" title="5" msid="115050344" hostid="261"></div> In 2009, Tropicana attempted a redesign that would prove costly. The bright, recognisable logo was replaced with a simplistic and sterile version, alienating consumers. Sales plummeted as customers struggled to identify the new packaging, which resembled generic brands rather than a trusted favourite. Within a few months, Tropicana reverted to its original look, learning the hard way that standing out on the shelves was crucial to its appeal. A toned-down design might not align with a brand that aims to capture and hold people’s attention. <h2>3. Uber’s identity shift </h2> <div type="image" title="2" msid="115050352" hostid="261"></div> In 2016, Uber tried to distance itself from its ride-sharing origins with a logo that removed its familiar “U” in favour of a geometric symbol. The change confused users, and the loss of instant brand recognition led Uber to make adjustments, later adding the name “Uber” below the symbol for clarity. By 2018, Uber dropped the icon altogether, reverting to a more traditional logo that better aligned with its global user base <h2>4. Pepsi’s pricey tilted strip </h2> <div type="image" title="1" msid="115050360" hostid="261"></div> Pepsi reportedly spent a staggering $1 million in 2008 to reorient the white stripe on its logo into a “smile,” hoping to evoke a friendlier brand image. However, the change was so subtle that many consumers didn’t notice or understand the rationale behind it. The company’s large expenditure didn’t translate into brand enhancement, serving as a reminder that a high investment doesn’t guarantee a logo’s success. Last year, Pepsi’s logo changed again and brought back the white wave closer to how it was before the 2008 design change. <h2>5. Myntra’s logo controversy </h2> <div type="image" title="4" msid="115050367" hostid="261"></div> In early 2021, Myntra, an Indian e-commerce giant, faced a unique challenge when it had to change its logo following a complaint from a social activist. The activist claimed that Myntra’s then-redesigned logo was offensive and insulting to women, and the company had to update the design. DCP Rashmi Karandikar of Mumbai Police's Cyber Crime Department had said at the time, "We found that the logo was offensive in nature for women. Following the complaint, we sent an email to Myntra and their officials came and met us. The officials said they will change the logo in a month's time." This case highlights the importance of anticipating public perception, especially in today’s highly connected and sensitive social environment.

YouTube is turning pink: Times when logo redesigns failed to impress

<ul><li>Shashwat Das, Founder, almond branding shares a few learnings from the <keyword id="10678279" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="myntra-logo">Myntra logo</keyword> controversy. </li><li>He also mentions a few international logos and slogans that were not taken lightly by the audience. </li></ul>The brand Myntra is currently in news for the wrong reasons. Recently an NGO filed a complaint with the Police that the Myntra logo is offensive and derogatory towards women. When the Police approached Myntra for an explanation, instead of offering their side of the story, Myntra immediately agreed to change the logo without batting an eyelid! By agreeing to change its logo and to make it more “acceptable”, or let us call it “controversy-free”, Myntra made sure that it nipped the argument in the bud. While “consumer activism” and “consumer-mafia” as a phenomenon is definitely on the rise, brands too need to play their cards judiciously to avoid such unnecessary controversies. For a layman, this may just look like a small logo tinkering. But it has a lot of ramifications. The logo now needs to be changed across every media channel, packaging boxes, product labels, store fronts, in-store branding, and a host of other places. This not only means re-spending huge amount of money and effort, it also means that the previous investment, monetary or otherwise, now stands wasted. Personally, I never saw the logo in that light and in fact never came across anyone who found the logo suggesting something offensive. This is clearly a case of over-imaginative minds trying to find something or the other in everything. The sheer number of memes that come out post any event proves how wild people’s imaginations can run. But this is out of the control of brands. While brands need to be sensitive to consumer sentiments, and address them as much as possible, it can’t be reacting to every single out cry. While I don’t wish to get into the “rights” and “wrongs” of the logo and am not supporting or opposing Myntra’s decision to change, all I want to say is that thankfully Myntra is an established brand and also has deep pockets to support this unplanned rebranding activity. Imagine what would have happened if it was a small brand or a start-up here instead of Myntra. I am sure you would agree that by now the brand owner would be staring at an impending bankruptcy due to the enormous cost of rebranding. This brings us to the real issue at hand. For all those upcoming brands or start-ups that are still in their infancy, is there a lesson to be learnt from the Myntra logo episode? I believe there is. Read on. There are three major components of a brand that any brand owner aims to strengthen – the brand name, the logo unit and the slogan (if any). Let us see the learning one can draw from the Myntra episode on these three components. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The brand name" text="The brand name">The brand name</cmsannotation> In 1971, Ford launched its car named “Pinto” in Brazil. Surprisingly, the car failed to generate any telephonic enquiries, let alone showroom visits even after spending large sums. It was later discovered that in Brazilian slang, “Pinto” refers to small male genitals. Ford had no choice but to withdraw the car. Brand name should always be controversy-free. Gone are the days when brand nomenclature was easier and brand names were based on the name of their founders (Bata, Tata, Bose, Porsche, etc.). These days due to trademark unavailability of generic words as brand names, abstract or coined names are popular(Zomato, Swiggy, Ola, etc.). However, while you might have had the best of intentions while naming your brand, it might just mean something very funny or offensive in a new geography that your brand intends to enter. It is always advisable to do your research beforehand rather than feeling sorry and redoing the same exercise after a controversy. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The Logo unit" text="The Logo unit">The Logo unit</cmsannotation> It is often said that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. When it comes to a logo unit, a controversy too lies in the minds of the beholder. Take a look at some of the controversial logos which were not taken lightly by the general audience. <ul><li>The Arlington Pediatric Centre’s logo (below) landed into controversy soon after it was unveiled in 2009. </li></ul> <ul><li>The Institute of Oriental Studies had to withdraw this logo shortly after launch as it made a lot many people’s imagination run wild</li></ul> <ul><li>This Logo of the Catholic Church’s Archdioscean Youth Club (displayed below) even won an award from the prestigeous Art Director’s Club of Los Angeles, but was withdrawn as people saw a lot more in it. </li></ul> <ul><li>The Office of Government Commerce, a branch of US Treasury had to drop its horozontal logo when someone pointed out that the logo looks controversial when seen vertically. </li></ul> Brand owners must be extra cautious while designing their logo units. The logo should be evaluated from all possible directions and also from different perspectives to avoid any controversies later on. Also, when it comes to rebranding, make sure that you talk to an adequately large number of customers and stakeholders before going ahead with the change. Just because you like the logo does not mean that the whole world will like it too! Also others might be able to see through a whole lot of things in your logo whch you might completely oversee as the above cases demonstrate. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Slogans" text="Slogans">Slogans</cmsannotation> The third important pillar of the brand’s identity is its slogan. Slogans need to be crafted very carefully and with experts on board to avoid controversy especially when being translated in a different language. Here are some of the “slogans-gone-wrong” for you. <ul><li>When Parker launched its leak-proof pen it had a punch-line that read “It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you.” But Parker mistook the translation of embarrass as “embarazar” in Mexico and the meaning got changed to “It won’t leak in your pocket and make you pregnant.” </li><li>Pepsi had a slogan “It brings you back to life.” But when translated in Chinese, it read “It brings your ancestors back from the grave.”</li><li>Electrolux goofed up when it translated its slogan in English. When translated, it read “Nothing sucks like an Electrolux”. </li><li>Nokia launched its Lumia series across the world with much fanfare. Little did they know that Lumia when translated in Spanish meant a “prostitute.” </li></ul>Brands, especially start-ups and the aspirational ones, usually don’t get a second chance. Hence, it is recommended that they keep their eyes &amp; ears open to all possible ways in which their customers and the public at large will interpret these key brand elements. Remember, re-banding is not only a risky affair but is also a costly one. Avoiding such common mistakes at the beginning is the only way to grow your brand and make it bigger.

Here's what a brand expert learnt from the recent Myntra logo controversy

(Photo Source: Rediff) <ul><li><keyword id="319719" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Myntra">Myntra</keyword> is seeing a management shakeup with key leaders including its head resigning from their respective posts. </li><li>The online fashion retailer’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ananth Narayanan, stepped down from his role in the company, Mint reported on Monday. </li><li>Other top-notch officials including Mithun Sundar, the company’s Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Manpreet Ratia, who heads Human Resource for the company, have also resigned from their posts. </li><li>Overall <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> has fired nearly 200 employees from its fashion units, Myntra and <keyword id="6388367" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="jabong">Jabong</keyword>, but has been trying to hold onto their employees and executives via retention packages, according to media reports. </li></ul>Just weeks after Binny Bansal’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/allegations-left-me-stunned-flipkarts-binny-bansal-resigns-denying-claims-of-personal-misconduct/articleshow/66619043.cms">controversial</a> resignation as Flipkart Group’s CEO last month, its subsidiary, Myntra, is seeing a management shakeup of sorts with key leaders resigning from their respective posts. Most recently, the online fashion retailer’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ananth Narayanan, stepped down from his role in the company as per a Mint <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Companies/SBP6RB7kvaAbDtlES1dLRO/Myntra-chief-Ananth-Narayanan-quits-firm-may-abolish-CEO-po.html">report</a>. Other top-notch officials including Mithun Sundar, their Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), and Manpreet Ratia, who heads Human Resources for the company, have also resigned from their posts. The post for company’s CEO will be abolished entirely after Narayanan’s resignation, while Flipkart’s executive Amar Nagaram may end up leading Myntra, according to the report. Myntra’s workforce is also reportedly seeing a reshuffle as the company and the subsidiary have been aggressively firing employees. So far, Flipkart has fired nearly 200 <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Companies/SBP6RB7kvaAbDtlES1dLRO/Myntra-chief-Ananth-Narayanan-quits-firm-may-abolish-CEO-po.html">employees</a> from its fashion units — Myntra and Jabong. With Flipkart recently announcing Jabong’s assimilation with Myntra across verticals, more firings are <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Companies/SBP6RB7kvaAbDtlES1dLRO/Myntra-chief-Ananth-Narayanan-quits-firm-may-abolish-CEO-po.html">expected</a> to take place. On the other hand, the fashion retailer is also seeking to hold onto other employees and executives via retention packages that include incentives for the employees aside from their regular salary. Walmart acquired Flipkart earlier this year for $16 billion. With the retailing giant’s backing, Flipkart has been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/has-amazon-overtaken-flipkart-new-numbers-reopen-the-debate/articleshow/66863163.cms">competing</a> neck and neck with <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword>. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/has-amazon-overtaken-flipkart-new-numbers-reopen-the-debate/articleshow/66863163.cms">Has Amazon overtaken Flipkart? New numbers reopen the debate</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/walmart-may-have-plans-to-merge-fashion-brands-under-flipkart-but-myntras-ceo-isnt-going-anywhere/articleshow/66652526.cms">Walmart may have plans to merge fashion brands under Flipkart — But Myntra’s CEO isn’t going anywhere</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/allegations-left-me-stunned-flipkarts-binny-bansal-resigns-denying-claims-of-personal-misconduct/articleshow/66619043.cms">‘Allegations left me stunned’: Flipkart’s Binny Bansal resigns denying claims of ‘personal misconduct’</a>

Myntra is in the middle of a management shakeup after key leaders resign in succession

From the Indian Parliament to the Reserve Bank of India, to startup unicorns, this year was especially rife with high-profile resignations, giving fuel to ongoing controversies. Here are the top departures that left the country in surprise: 1. <keyword id="6375119" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="urjit-patel">Urjit Patel</keyword> <div type="image" title="Urjit patel" tempid="286964" msid="67322946" hostid="261"></div>
 In December, Urjit Patel announced his resignation from his role as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India citing ‘personal reasons’ amid differences between the central bank and the Indian government. While many top politicians and academicians in the country have been citing different reasons for ‘why’ Urjit Patel abruptly resigned from his post, many believe it was the tensions between the RBI and the government, particularly the latter’s moves that threaten the central bank’s independence that led to his departure. Patel has subsequently been replaced a former government official Shaktikanta Das. 2. <keyword id="6355547" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="arvind-subramanian">Arvind Subramanian</keyword> <div type="image" title="Arvind" tempid="286980" msid="67322947" hostid="261"></div>

(Image Credits- IANS) India’s Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian resigned from his position in Finance Ministry on 20th June citing ‘pressing family commitments.’ Krishnamurthy Subramanian was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indian-government-appoints-krishnamurthy-subramanian-as-its-new-chief-economic-advisor/articleshow/66987414.cms">appointed</a> as the new CEA after the post was left vacant for nearly six months. Months after quitting his post, Subramanian in his recently-launched book ‘Of Counsel’ <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/demonetisation-was-a-massive-draconian-monetary-shock-says-narendra-modi-governments-former-chief-economic-advisor-arvind-subramanian/articleshow/66860962.cms">commented</a> on the government’s demonetisation policy calling it “a massive, draconian, monetary shock” that took a hit on the Indian economy. 3. <keyword id="6364080" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="binny-bansal">Binny Bansal</keyword> <div type="image" title="binny-bansal1" msid="67322928" hostid="261"></div>

(Image Credits-Wikimedia.org) Indian e-tail major Flipkart Group's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Binny Bansal parted ways with the company on 13th November following the allegations of ‘personal misconduct’. Bansal announced his resignation, effective immediately, following an independent investigation by Flipkart and Walmart against him. However, Binny Bansal has strongly denied all the accusations against him. He is reportedly launching a tech startup to provide technology tools, learning and consulting services to growth-stage ventures, ET <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/binny-bansal-former-flipkart-executive-to-launch-new-startup/articleshow/67085632.cms">reported</a>. 4. M.J Akbar <div type="image" title="907c8b2772a84537d8c711eba43627b2" tempid="287008" msid="67322948" hostid="261"></div>
 (Image Credits-IANS) The #Metoo movement forced the Minister of State for External Affairs, MJ Akbar, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/too-little-too-late-indian-government-reacts-to-metoo-by-forming-a-panel-to-review-sexual-harassment-laws/articleshow/66347468.cms">to put down his papers days </a>after several of his former female colleagues accused him of sexual harassment. The campaign gathered much attention from people across India with many women coming forward to reveal sexual predators at workplaces, especially in the media industry. 5. <keyword id="6397414" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ananth-Narayanan">Ananth Narayanan</keyword> <div type="image" title="ananth-narayan" tempid="287014" msid="67322949" hostid="261"></div>
 Myntra’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ananth Narayanan,<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/myntra-is-in-the-middle-of-a-management-shakeup-after-key-leaders-resign-in-succession/articleshow/67043730.cms"> stepped down</a> from his position in the company within a month after denying speculation about his resignation, following Binny Bansal’s exit from parent Flipkart. Following his resignation other high-ranked officials including Mithun Sundar, Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), and Manpreet Ratia, Head for Human Resources, also resigned from their respective role in the company. 6. Chanda Kochhar 
 <div type="image" title="95b438c9e8e160e4d9704c9dc628ce2a" tempid="287133" msid="67322950" hostid="261"></div>

In October, Chanda Kochhar resigned as the CEO and Managing Director of India’s largest private sector bank, ICICI Bank. Kochhar had been sent on indefinite leave amid a corporate governance <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/its-the-end-of-the-road-for-chanda-kochhar/articleshow/66082441.cms">scandal</a> that led to an independent judicial investigation into alleged misconduct and dealings with Videocon. Kochhar was facing allegations of conflict of interest while making a loan to Venugopal Dhoot, the promoter of Videocon Group. 7. <keyword id="128581" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rana-Kapoor">Rana Kapoor</keyword> 
 <div type="image" title="5e96e735b844a0506c8cd17e3f2bbc9d (1)" tempid="287157" msid="67322951" hostid="261"></div>

The co-founder and chief executive of Yes Bank, Rana Kapoor, was reportedly asked by the Reserve Bank of India to put in his papers by January 2019. Kapoor had been working as the managing director and CEO since the bank started its operations in 2004. RBI decided not to extend the tenure of Rana Kapoor amid alleged corporate governance lapses and under-reporting of non-performing loans. The central bank further instructed Yes Bank to look for his successor. His resignation led to a crash in the bank’s shares. However, last month, its non-executive chairman, Ashok Chawla, also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/yes-banks-problems-get-further-compounded-as-its-chairman-is-forced-to-resign-amid-a-corruption-probe/articleshow/66634836.cms">resigned</a>, further exacerbating matters for the bank who had been tasked with bringing back stability to the institution.

Here were the most controversial resignations India saw in 2018

India has always been a country of taboos and restrictions. But things have been changing fast, and for the good. And since advertising is a reflection of the society, many recent Indian ads have reflected those behavioural changes that are evident in the modern Indian. 
Below is a list of some recent Indian ads that defy the preconceived social norms and taboos. 
 
1. Myntra’s Lesbian Ad: This is probably the most-talked about ad in India right now. The country's first advertisement showing a lesbian couple preparing to meet the parents is making waves on social media. The online video shows two women in a live-in relationship flirting and dressing up for the day, chatting about the expectations they face and their love for each other. Titled 'The Visit', the ad breaks the taboo of lesbianism in India. Shot for Myntra's ethnic wear collection, the digital film has got over 2 lakh hits on YouTube over 10 days. 
 
 
 
2. Fastrack’s Move On Campaign: It is argued that before Myntra, Fastrack was the brand that brought out the lesbian issues out in the open through its ‘Move On’ campaign. Move On is a controversial ad campaign by Fastrack was to show the relevance of “moving on” from things that are limiting. The campaign involved a series of short ads representing socio-cultural issues that are controversial. One of the ads shows a couple inflating a large playhouse and moving in. The ad ends with bold white-coloured text saying “Live in. Move on.”, hence encouraging those who want to have live-in relationships to go ahead and do so. Another of the ads under this campaign show two girls walking out of a bright pink closet, one by one, tugging at their clothes with the copy “Come out of the closet. Move on.”, thus encouraging homosexuals to embrace their sexuality. All these ads talk about being bold in accepting issues considered taboo, especially when it’s about accepting oneself. 
 
 
 
3. Tanishq’s Second Marriage Ad: Widowed and divorced women have historically been shunned in areas of India. So imagine the nation's surprise when jeweler Tanishq celebrated a second marriage in its new ad.India was "mesmerized" by the ad and many trade outlets called the commercial "revolutionary" and "crazy bold." Tanishq is possibly the first to introduce remarriage in Indian advertising, which was a taboo till now. 
 
 
 
4. Airtel’s ‘Boss’ Ad: Telecom service provider Bharti Airtel’s ‘Boss’ad, which presents a working woman cooking for her man, had stirred up outrage on Twitter. But adman Prahlad Kakkar went ahead to hold that the ad is perfectly valid and there’s nothing wrong in the content. The much-debated woman-boss in the Airtel commercial was criticised by some on social media for being regressive (the woman is the boss at work and comes back to cook at home), but many professionals surveyed found it balanced in its portrayal of women. The ad questioned the taboo of a woman being the boss in India. 
 
 
 
5. KBC’s ‘Kohima’ Ad: The ad campaign for Sony TV’s popular game show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ alludes to the widespread issue of racial discrimination faced by people from North East India across the country and sends a powerful message about racism in India. In the recent past, North East students have been beaten up, humiliated and killed owing to their facial features and the KBC ad couldn’t have come at a better time.

5 Ads That Defy Social Taboos In India

“Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it a meaning,” a famous quotes suggests. And in India, there is a huge controversy around this word and its various interpretations. The country’s history, architecture and literature are steeped in various allusions to love. But, this liberal outlook towards one of the most important human emotions died somewhere in the middle ages, here. Thereafter, our ancient tradition of love was highly suppressed and frowned upon. 
 
Thus, despite having our very own God of love, our youth fell back on a rather obscure martyrdom of a Christian saint from Rome to celebrate love. It was somewhere in the 1990s that Valentine’s Day began making an impression in India, before that hardly anyone celebrated it here. The rise of economic globalization, the birth of a new class of rich people and the emergence of satellite channels all contributed to the increasing popularity of Valentine’s Day in India. Later, with the advent of the new middle class and its growing buying power, it predictably became a refreshingly great marketing strategy and opportunity for many businesses. 
 
Today, we not only have a day to celebrate love, we have a whole Valentine’s Week, which has grown in to a multi-million dollar business in India. According to surveys the Associated Chambers of Commerce &amp; Industry of India(ASSOCHAM), the Valentine’s week, which had already become a Rs 12,000 crore business in 2011, swelled to Rs 15,000 crore in 2013, and it was pegged at Rs 18,000 crore in 2014. 
 
Why online shopping comes as a better option for Valentine’s Day? 
Just as consumerism was reaching an all-time high in India, growing Internet penetration gave Indian buyers a new option in shopping—the online store. This new retail market makes a better option for shoppers generally, and particularly on Valentine’s Day. While discounted rates, free home delivery and cash-on-delivery are major lures of online shopping, these are made even more attractive during Valentine’s Week with special offers. There is also the advantage of saving time and being able to shop from the convenience of your home. In fact, if you wish to give your partner something more intimate like lingerie, then you can shop for it online in your own private space, without feeling awkward in a physical store among real sales people. Moreover, you can surprise your partner by directly sending a gift-wrapped order to his/her address without any additional costs for delivery. 
 
Another important benefit of online shopping during Valentine’s Day is getting valuable shopping advice from other shoppers on shopping communities, said Mehul Jobanputra, CEO and co-founder of <a href="http://www.desidime.com/">DesiDime</a>, India’s largest shopping community. 
 
Trends expected in 2015 
With so many compensations on offer, it is little wonder that online shopping companies show a marked increase in sales during Valentine’s Day every year. This year too, certain industries are expected to see immense traction during Valentine’s Day benefitting both shoppers and industry stakeholders. Consequently, Mehul Jobanputra shares a few insights and analyzes the top 4 industries: 
 
1. <keyword id="2174941" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="gifting-industry">Gifting Industry</keyword> In 2015, shoppers can expect horizontal players like <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>, <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword> to give around 50%-60% off on soft toys, upto 40% off on perfumes and around 60-70% off on sunglasses. Some of the gifting options preferred for men would be silver cufflinks, ties, wallets, key chains, perfumes, and sunglasses, while for women jewelry, cosmetics, soft toys, and flowers would make ideal gift options. 
 
Websites to visit for gifting items: Flipkart, <keyword id="6388367" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jabong">Jabong</keyword>, Snapdeal 
 
2. Intimate Apparel Industry 
More often than not, men, who want to give something more intimate like lingerie to their partners, feel embarrassed to shop for it in physical stores. However, online shopping solves this problem for them as the intimate apparel industry is growing in the online arena. Shoppers can expect discounts as high as 60-70% off on lingerie and nightwear during Valentine’s Day this year. 
 
Websites to visit: Zivame.com, Jabong.com, Prettysecrets.com, Myntra.com 
 
3. Personalized Gift Industry 
One of the best ways to make Valentine’s Day even more special is to give a personalized gift. Gifting personalized items has become a lot easier, as all you have to do is select an appealing design and a beautiful memory to go with your chosen present. Shoppers can expect upto 35% off on customized gifting options. 
 
Websites to visit- Printvenue.com, <a href="http://printland.in/" target="_blank">printland.in</a>, wishpicker.com 
 
4. Flower, Jewelry and Cosmetics Industry 
While shoppers can expect upto 25% off on cosmetics this year around Valentine’s Day, they can also expect around 35% off on jewelry. 
 
Websites to visit:FernsNPetals, CaratLane, BlueStone, <a href="http://nykaa.com/" target="_blank">nykaa.com</a> 
 
So, this Valentine’s Day shop more in a smart way. If you still want some last minute advice or quick heads up on where to find the hottest Valentine’s Day deals and discounts, then visit <a href="http://www.desidime.com/festivals/valentines-day">DesiDime.com</a> and other such websites—there you will find all Valentine offers aggregated on a single page. In addition to this, you will also get to interact with fellow online shoppers in real time. 
 
About the author: This article has been written by Vandana Baria, Content Marketing Specialist at DesiDime.com. 
 
(Image: Thinkstock)

Decoding
the science and business of love just ahead of V-Day

Indian <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=e-commerce&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">e-commerce</a> has been a playground of contradictions, with a bundle of contrasting market data and a dash of controversial media reports. Each company has fuelled the confusion with data on traffic, number of users and GMV. 
 
Business Insider lists the 5 things that went wrong with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Snapdeal&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Snapdeal</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Flipkart&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Flipkart</a>: 
 
Gross Market Value (GMV) and Discounting Deep discounts have been the biggest attraction of Indian e-retailers over the last few years, with the focus solely being on growth. Every online retailer has spent heavily to fund discounts to win customers. In the year that ended March 2015, the cumulative loss of <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>, <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword> and Amazon India stood at Rs. 5,000 crores with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Flipkart&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Flipkart</a> posting a loss of Rs. 2000 crores and Snapdeal reporting a loss of Rs 1,328 crores. 
 
“It was pure greed. Everybody wanted a bigger piece of the market share. The idea was that the winner will take it all”, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Sanjay+Sethi&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Sanjay Sethi</a>, co-founder, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ShopClues&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">ShopClues</a> says. 
 
This cash burn also held up GMV figures, which was considered the single most important metric for growth. Take that away, the valuation falls, and ‘growth’ suddenly seems stagnant. However, when you have deep pockets and big stakes, you’d want to be a whale. Problem is, when do you stop? 
 
“It’s not the company’s choice. If somebody else walks in, and you take it (the discount) off, you lose market share”, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Vijay+Shekhar+Sharma&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Vijay Shekhar Sharma</a>, founder-CEO, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Paytm&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Paytm</a> says. 
 In April this year, the government allowed 100% <keyword id="44528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="FDI">FDI</keyword> in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=e-commerce&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">e-commerce</a>. However, the most disturbing feature in the policy was the bar on discounting. This has forced every player to re-consider their business models. 
 
As a senior <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Flipkart&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Flipkart</a> official requesting anonymity puts it, “Binny’s (Bansal) going deep into the commerce side, looking at every category and asking the right questions. You can be profitable at a gross level, but certain categories might still lose money. He’s focusing on how to sell better on Flipkart.” 
 
High Cost Machine 
While the initial race to shoot up GMV and touch a billion dollar valuation has receded, every player is left with a high-cost machinery, with soaring operational costs. 
 
Earlier this week, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Flipkart&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Flipkart</a> co-founder and Executive Chairman <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Sachin+Bansal&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Sachin Bansal</a> hinted at a tough financial climate. He maintained almost every Internet company around the world goes through it, and they’ll try and raise as much capital possible, but on their own terms. 
 
However, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ShopClues&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">ShopClues</a> co-founder <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Sanjay+Sethi&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Sanjay Sethi</a> thinks the slack performance of the segment-leaders is a factor to their current woes. “Investors are rethinking about businesses that haven’t shown a clear path to profitability. There’s clearly a slowdown, but it’s not a long term thing”, Sethi says. 
 While there have been reports of the Snapdeal-Flipkart duo struggling to raise money at their current valuation since June 2015, the <keyword id="6357120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="PayTM">Paytm</keyword> founder thinks most companies can live with their current cash burn rates. 
 
“I don’t know a company that cannot sustain for the next two years. Also, specific companies may have their own concerns and issues, but people are putting in money”, he says. 
 
Losing Focus 
In a market as fragmented as India’s, no one brand has dominated categories like apparel and grooming. Too much inventory stocked for too long eats away profit margins. Some say the country's FDI policy forced these companies to potray themselves as marketplaces, while they were handline everything from warehousing to logistics. 
 
Retailing in itself has never made money, even for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Walmart&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Walmart</a> at this scale. It’s always a 4-5% margin. That way, the marketplace model is profitable even in Amazon’s balance sheets. The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=ShopClues&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">ShopClues</a> founder thinks when you’re on a hybrid model; you compete against your sellers, and that hampers growth. 
 
“If you decide to take fashion as a marketplace model because there are too many sellers, and a certain brand is making more money, there’s the greed to have an inventory in the interest of better margins. That way you build distrust among sellers”, Sethi says. 
 
Combine huge stockpiles in warehouses, heavy discounting and 4-5% gross margins in some categories, and you have a business that makes zero sense at unit commerce level. You can either sell too many brands on a pure marketplace model, or select brands on an inventory model. Fire and water don't mix. 
 
The Paytm founder agrees. “It’s better to leave merchandising and fashion trends to retailers. When I see these companies building private labels, it makes me uncomfortable personally.” 
 
Some steps proved costly 
The idea of going app-only proved to be a big distraction for Flipkart and Myntra. Flipkart’s <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Big+Billion+Day+sale&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Big Billion Day sale</a> went app only last October, and reversed its decision for its Republic Day sale this January. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Peeyush+Ranjan&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Peeyush Ranjan</a>, head of engineering at Flipkart agrees not many people install the app. "Websites push users to install the app. But only 4% of the people actually install the app", he says. 
 
While the company’s brave attempt to try something new must be lauded, it made little business sense. “Companies are fighting over 2-3% market share. It made no sense to leave 10% of your users and go app-only. That’s somebody not using the retail mindset”, Sethi says. 
 
Flipkart still maintains it was always mobile-first, and never app-only for them, and it all got misconstrued. Amar Nagaram, VP, Mobile Engineering, Flipkart says, “We never quite stopped our efforts for mobile web. We actually pushed browser companies to offer a better experience.” 
 
In a country with low credit card penetration, both Snapdeal and Flipkart ventured into mobile payments a bit too late. Flipkart now has its WSR Wallet and Snapdeal made way for the FreeCharge Wallet, but Paytm's Wallet services were way ahead. The Softbank-led company now allows its users to book Uber rides globally, and will soon let them shop on investor Alibaba's B2C portal. 
 
Lure of the Market Everybody agrees the fundamentals of <keyword id="35621" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="e-commerce">e-commerce</keyword> in India are very strong. Every other report brings on huge growth and market size figures. True, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=e-commerce&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">e-commerce</a> currently only accounts for 2% of the total market, and there is enough room for growth. 
 
The recent report by CIII and Deloitte India peg India’s business to consumer (B2C) segment will grow more than seven times to $101.9 billion and the number of online shoppers will grow over 10 times to 220 million in 2020. 
 
However, most data thrown around by e-commerce companies has been one big hogwash. App installs don’t count for traffic, number of active users doesn’t count for real transactions, and high GMV doesn’t count for profits. That’s why Flipkart’s 50 million app installs must be taken with a pinch of salt. 
 
“If only Snapdeal and Flipkart tone down their expectations, they could build fabulous businesses”, Retail Consultancy firm Technopak MD Arvind Singhal says. 
 
P.S: Snapdeal refused to comment, despite several requests.

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