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<ul><li><keyword id="127024" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="NEPA">Nepa</keyword> India contacted over 1000 consumers online across the country to better understand the changes they have undergone, to perceive and uncover the paradigm shifts that have started taking shape.</li><li>Consumers are reassessing their immediate needs and wants differently, learning to embrace the online and digital resources available to them</li><li>They are forgoing erstwhile relationships while creating new ones - both socially and with the products/brands/activities they do.</li></ul>As the government has started relaxing lockdown norms, the country is slowly opening up. However, the world that we will now go out into is going to be a very different world. The way we interact, commute and consume is all going to see a sea change. It is also bound to have far reaching effects on how we buy in the future. In an attempt to understand the impact of the pandemic and lockdown on consumers and to decode their sentiments in a post-Covid world, Nepa, a Consumer Research and analytics company providing insight solutions to drive brand and sales by increasing marketing effectiveness has come out with a report titled “The Consumer Narrative | What Matters”. Nepa India contacted over 1000 consumers online across the country to better understand the changes they have undergone, to perceive and uncover the paradigm shifts that have started taking shape. Consumers are reassessing their immediate needs and wants differently, learning to embrace the online and digital resources available to them, forgoing erstwhile relationships while creating new ones - both socially and with the products/brands/activities they do. The report states that the lockdown has led to a change in people’s purchase decisions they are now spending more on health and hygiene products, adapting to limited product availability, and preferring home deliveries over store visits. They are also reflecting on their consumption a lot more than earlier. People are also consuming more content while also creating more content. They are also spending more time in learning new things and upskilling, owing to the extra time in their lives. As a part of the report, Nepa also curated 6 hashtags that encapsulate the consumer sentiment and maxim of the moment. #contentmakesuscontent – its not just a watch, but a create and move for consumers as the content scenario fills multiple time voids and seeps in deeper to meet needs beyond just entertainment. #Firstsarecrucial shows us that this time is a not just a wait and watch for consumers, but a time of experimentation and many discoveries – with digital playing a crucial role in the trial and share process. #superme – our research suggests that the lack of control over the external environment is moving individuals to use this period as an unplanned catalyst to prepare for an uncertain future – consolidating and rebuilding themselves inside-out. #breakingnorms suggests that as external lives jostle for space within the household, assumptions of what is possible at home have changed; not just for activities but also the roles that we play in our daily routine. #BFRL – BasicsFirstRestLater is the consumer mantra that pervades beyond your daily staples, but also into the way consumers are maximizing their spends by redefining their want vs. need matrix. #cautionmodeon speaks not about an ‘ready for the worst’ attitude, but actually one where consumers are moved to continue their dreams, by using today’s opportunities to reap benefits in the near future. “We know that current times have been a season of ‘extremes’. We have seen that some industries have gone into a hyperdrive mode to an extent that it has been even tough to meet the rising demands. On the other hand of the spectrum many have been hit harder. But for both the cohorts, the big question is “What will Matter” as we get back. The report focuses on the dichotomy of tenses. The narrative that defines both now &amp; later.” said <keyword id="9379807" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="esha-nagar">Esha Nagar</keyword>, Managing Director Nepa India. “Priorities and Purchase patterns are undergoing a possible lasting transformation. It will take a recipe of compassion and innovation to win in the current phase.” Nagar further added. While advising the brands, Nagar says “Understanding the all new path to purchase is the first thing to begin with. It should be coupled with the right tonality and emotional connect in the communication. We foresee sustainability, balance and health driving all kinds of consumer decisions in the future.”

Brands need to understand the all new path to purchase and the right tone of communication to succeed in the post-Covid world: Nepa Report

<ul><li>Till the very end of 2020 and for the beginning of this year, creators had a captive audience tethered to their devices clamouring for more content. </li><li>Then hit the second wave, and creators had to pivot again.</li><li><keyword id="184778" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ankit-Agarwal">Ankit Agarwal</keyword>, Founder – <keyword id="8371701" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Do-Your-Thng">Do Your Thng</keyword> writes how <keyword id="1746818" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Content-Creation">content creation</keyword> has changed after COVID. </li></ul>Change is not always a bad thing. It sometimes can be an exciting opportunity that allows people to walk down new paths. The manner in which influencers adjusted content creation as a response to the pandemic is proof of it. Facing a creative and for a majority financial burden, they had to restructure how content was generated and published. Moreover, they had to heavily exercise the innovation muscle because the content-hungry consumer wanted to be educated, inspired, and entertained even in a pandemic. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A race to creatively repurposing content" text="A race to creatively repurposing content">A race to creatively repurposing content</cmsannotation> There is not much one can practically do in the confines of a living room. But content creators put paid to that thought. Starting March 2020 until now, they’ve shown us just how much is achievable within four walls. All it takes is pivoting the mindset and looking at content creation through a new lens. The first change was easy. Creators published unused content they had in their bank. This was the case with most travel creators, who’ve had their feet tied due to travel restrictions. For other creators, it was repackaging already published content. Most experimented with new platforms like TikTok (before it was banned) or YouTube. Others dived into new formats like <keyword id="8322765" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="instagram-reels">Instagram Reels</keyword>. The second change required coming to terms with the fact that the status quo was indelibly disrupted. A food content creator couldn’t hop over to the new place in town. A fitness creator couldn’t post another in-the-gym session. So, after the unused content repository got depleted, they started repurposing old content. But resharing previous content was not enough. They needed to add a hint of realism. With a carousel of images of places, a travel influencer visited once or a food blogger tried in the past, they included captions with everyday thoughts. Placing a filter of quotidian themes made the content relevant. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The dawn of generating inventive content" text="The dawn of generating inventive content">The dawn of generating inventive content</cmsannotation> The third pivot required more planning and creative flex, like branching into a completely new niche. It became necessary to shift the focus from what they used to do to something more imaginative since they had little opportunity to create new content within their usual niche. So, we saw a wildlife photographer taking up an indoor photography challenge. With no access to gyms or parks, fitness enthusiasts began vlogging about at-home workout routines or how to boost the immune system. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The risk with change in content" text="The risk with change in content">The risk with change in content</cmsannotation> This third path that a bulk of content creators seized - entertaining people stuck at home with content that is not as per their usual - came with an inherent risk. Don’t forget that creators are able to earn a living through their channels because of the type of content they produce. Altering can often hit the viewership and not because the audience may not like it. Alienating your current viewers is always a peril when expanding content. More worrying is the fact that platform algorithms may rank the creator differently after the switch in the content type. However, for most influencers, the gamble paid off as they were savvy enough to realise real-life, authentic content consumption was on the rise. So that’s what they produced, ensuring enrichment and engagement never became an issue. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="A shift to reactive content" text="A shift to reactive content">A shift to reactive content</cmsannotation> Till the very end of 2020 and for the beginning of this year, creators had a captive audience tethered to their devices clamouring for more content. Then hit the second wave, and creators had to pivot again. Instead of the usual content that worked around the boundaries set by COVID-19, they began amplifying SOS calls. The lion’s share of their content became a loudspeaker for those in need, but a small portion offered an escape. Funny, ironic Reels or videos posted once a week or even less helped maintain a sense of normalcy while the world was going to hell in a basket. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The bedrock of relatable content" text="The bedrock of relatable content">The bedrock of relatable content</cmsannotation> Once you peel all the layers of transformation that creator content went through due to the pandemic, it is apparent there is one common thread. Influencer content is more genuine, earnest and relatable. Pre-covid, the content was edited, photoshopped and filtered down to a pixel. <keyword id="9208211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="post-Covid">Post-covid</keyword> creators have finally understood that audiences want to engage with content that solves everyday problems, makes them laugh, cry or simply nod their heads in agreement.

The pivot in influencer content creation post-COVID

Over 73 per cent of small and medium-sized businesses (<keyword id="417894" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="SMBs">SMBs</keyword>) in India are confident that they will survive and bounce back post Covid-19, said a new report on Wednesday. The "HP Asia SMB Report 2020" showed that Indian SMBs are more confident than their Asian peers in bouncing back after the pandemic as the regional average stood at 60 per cent. This confidence is reflected in the fact that almost two-thirds of respondents from India believe that this period presents a good opportunity to reformulate the business strategy. Half of the respondents believe that the pandemic will ultimately bring opportunity, but in the longer term. More importantly, SMBs in India recognise the importance of going digital to revive their businesses. Three-quarters of the surveyed businesses believe that digital adoption is essential or very important to their success, said the report. "SMBs are critical to our economy as they contribute nearly a third of our GDP and generate employment for millions. The ongoing pandemic has impacted SMBs as much as any other segment," Ketan Patel, Managing Director, HP India Market, said in a statement. "But the agility and flexibility in their operations, coupled with the adaptability to changing business environments and customer needs means they can bounce back far more quickly." Indian SMBs have also recognised four key aspects that will help them best to bounce back – using online tools, flexible work options, advice on strategy and innovation at work. The research showed that growth correlates with how a company values digital adoption for its success. Of SMBs that reported good business growth in the past year, 56 per cent see digital as a lever for success, with only 14 per cent considering it of low importance. "A key finding from the research is that the more a company values digital transformation, the more positive they are about future growth, and nowhere in Asia is this reflected as strongly as in India," Patel said. The survey also touched upon key challenges that Indian SMBs have identified as roadblocks on the road to recovery. While global instability tops the list of concerns, it is less pronounced in India than the rest of the Asian countries surveyed. Other challenges include adequate cash flow, accessing finance and leveraging digital tools. For the study, 1,600 SMBs completed the survey between May 26 and June 7, which comprised 200 interviews in each of the markets: Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

India's small and medium businesses are confident of a post-COVID revival

<ul><li>The pandemic has had a profound impact on consumer behaviour. While some changes were short-terms, there are a few changes that are here to stay.</li><li>In this new world order, the consumer will be more cautious, as well as demanding.</li><li> <keyword id="10711176" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="murtaza-bakir">Murtaza Bakir</keyword>, Country Manager for <keyword id="172902" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mintel">Mintel</keyword> in India &amp; Sri Lanka walks us through some of the changes in consumer behaviour and how brands can keep up.</li></ul>As the world starts to pivot, slowly, towards a recovery mode, one thing is for certain, the impact that the pandemic has had on the way we live, buy, travel, work and consume is huge. While some of these changes might have been short-term, limited to when we were completely stuck at home, there might be some changes that are here to stay. The consumer in this new world order will be increasingly careful and much more demanding. During the pandemic, consumers prioritized saving over spending. There has also been a huge shift to digital, with more and more people across the country getting comfortable with spending online. However, most experts believe there will be a change in the consumer-brand relationship and brands will need to rethink the way they talk and do business with their consumers. To understand the short-term and long-term changes in consumer behavior and how brands can navigate these changes, we caught up with Murtaza Bakir, Country Manager for Mintel in India &amp; Sri Lanka. He helped us understand how 2021 will be different and how brands can keep up with rapidly changing consumer expectations. Excerpts: Q) 2020 was a very interesting year when it comes to observing changing <keyword id="901027" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-trends">consumer trends</keyword>. What are some of the biggest trends you have witnessed since March last year? Last year, we released our 2030 Global Consumer Trends, developed as a living, growing prediction model that will adapt with the unforeseen. The model supports the fluid acceleration or deceleration of the trends according to the reality of individual markets, allowing us to not only be more adaptive and reactive to change but to continue to allow us and our clients to focus on the futures we (humanity) want to invent—or avoid. Our new 2021 forecasts remain embedded within our system of Mintel’s 7 Trend Drivers and their supporting pillars. They also take into account the changes that have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic—the subtle yet profound shifts in consumer thinking and responses from brands—and attempt to encapsulate the better future that consumers, globally, aspire to, and towards which brands can build their own strategic visions. Below are the seven trends set to impact global consumer markets in 2021: 1. Health Undefined: An awareness of wellbeing is at the forefront of consumers’ minds, but a playbook doesn’t exist. Brands have a responsibility and opportunity to set new rules. 2. Collective Empowerment: Consumers around the world are making their voices heard loud and clear in the push for equity, agency, and rights. 3. Priority Shift: Consumers are seeking a return to the essentials, with a focus on flexible possessions and a reframing of what ownership actually means. 4. Coming Together: Consumers are coming together in like-minded communities in order to connect with and support each other, driven by the impact of the global pandemic. 5. Virtual Lives: Physical separation due to the pandemic, increased need for escapism, and improved technology are driving consumers towards digital experiences. 6. Sustainable Spaces: COVID-19 has subtly but significantly shifted consumer awareness of our relationship with the spaces in which we live, accelerating demand for sustainability. 7. Digital Dilemmas: While there are many benefits to a more digitally-connected life, concerns about its negative impacts are putting consumers in a predicament. Q) From an overall consumer behavior perspective, how different will 2021 be from 2020? COVID-19, and the ensuing economic impact it has caused, is set to bring about a multitude of changes in consumer behaviour. We are tracking these changes through consumer research to help our clients plan ahead. Few of the notable changes that we will see include: • decreased discretionary spend by Indians on niche products • permissible indulgences will be important • people will seek products and services that will help them to spend more quality time with loved ones • increased focus on health, which will translate into increased demand for added health claims • heightened demand for food safety and hygiene Q) In a <keyword id="9208211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="post-Covid">post-Covid</keyword> world, consumer expectations from brands, esp in a retail environment, will be very different. They will become more demanding. How can brands keep up with these expectations? The events of 2020 have resulted in a shift in Indian consumers’ ambitions, including a desire for better, more balanced quality of life, with a focus on health, safety and more family time – all within a more sustainable environment. Our research highlights that these seemingly modest ambitions and slight shifts in consumer behaviour are easy to overlook, but collectively, and cumulatively, they can have profound repercussions on brand strategies well into 2021. These small changes in consumers are being reflected in similarly small steps that promote profoundly significant ideas, coming from local Indian and international brands. These shifts are a response to changes in how Indian consumers are demanding brands to help them. They want brands to offer affordable, quality products and services to help balance budgets towards achieving their ambitions. They want brands to deliver products and services that help create occasions for quality time with loved ones and improve efficiency at work and home to create more quality family time. They want brands to offer value, safety and health benefits to meet their health concerns. Q) If there were 3 things that brands should keep in mind while communicating with their consumers in a post-Covid world, what would they be? Our research highlights that with Indian consumers hesitant in the face of uncertainty as they emerge from a global pandemic, Indians have shown a decline in positive responses across the seven pillars and a hesitancy to commit until they know more about the ‘next normal’. Brands, therefore, have a role to assure consumers, and to take a lead in helping to shape a better future vision that Indians can both aspire to and identify with, thus building their trust. Three things brands should keep in mind while communicating with consumers include: 1. Brands need to gain consumer loyalty and trust by delivering real value. Consumers are budgeting cautiously but are still spending and seeking brands they can trust. They are also demanding proof of product/service value benefits. The recession won’t last and building partnerships with consumers to help them get through tough times will be key to forging strong loyalties for the longer term. 2. Brands need to stand out by leading the way to a brighter future and project positivity. 3. Opportunity exists for brands to help consumers celebrate festivities through E-retailtainment which includes online shopping, live-streaming and social commerce mainstreaming. Consumers still seek the best deals and products to suit their pockets and needs. Be it online or offline, brands need to entertain as they sell. As more brands go online, the challenge will be standing out by being more informative, fun and entertaining. Q) 2020 showed brands that being empathetic will make consumers choose or lose them. Do you think even in a post-covid world, brands need to keep empathy in mind while coming up with communications or in general become more empathetic even in the way they conduct their business? Our 2021 Global Consumer Trends Report highlighted how consumers are coming together i n like-minded communities in order to connect with and support each other, driven by the impact of the global pandemic. With cooperation and support being a common consumer goal, it is essential for brands to offer them a platform to help each other. Allowing consumers to donate to a cause by making a purchase fulfils this desire and allows for brand–charity partnerships. And yes, brands need to be more empathetic towards consumers, especially with the pandemic. When nostalgia, localism, unity among communities and corporate social responsibility matters most, brands need to be innovative, down-to-earth and listen to what their customers really want. Brands must find a way to engage with them in a way that feels personal and ‘invited’. It is more crucial than ever before that brands find their ‘true voice’ and a way to connect with consumers that keeps them relevant in a post-COVID world.

For brands, building partnerships with consumers to get through tough times will be key to forging strong loyalties for the long term: Murtaza Bakir, Mintel

Have India’s air travel and hospitality industries recovered post-covid?

Bengaluru, June 22 (IANS) As organisations move away from physical locations and remote workforce is the new normal, more than 70 per cent organizations feel at least half of their workforce will be digital workers post Covid-19, according to a new survey. One in four organisations expect that more than 80 per cent of their workforce to be a digital workforce in the world after Covid-19, said the survey by Automation Anywhere, a global leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA). "The pandemic has encouraged a new wave of digitisation that will revolutionise our life as we know it. The organisations are transforming their engagements with customers, employees, suppliers and other stakeholders and will leverage the current crisis as an opportunity to drive innovative digital models to gain increased efficiencies," explained Milan Sheth, Executive Vice President of IMEA, Automation Anywhere. The research surveyed more than 5,000 senior executives from mid-sized to large organizations in over 20 countries across India, the Middle East and emerging markets in Africa and Southeast Asia. It found that more than 80 per cent plan to invest in digital technologies to build resilience in their future business plans. The survey indicated that 57 per cent of respondents aim to acquire skills in RPA and AI in the post COVID-19 world, followed by 28 per cent being reskilled in analytics and 15 per cent in machine learning. These trends are seen across key industries, such as banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), global capability centers (GCCs) and pharma, healthcare and life sciences. "While certain sectors like manufacturing, travel and retail have been hardest hit by the pandemic, they remain optimistic and are seeking new, digital technologies to understand customer behavior and drive new models for engaging them as the crisis ends," the findings showed. --IANS na/

70% firms see half of their workforce to be digital post Covid-19: Survey

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

New Delhi, May 8 () Cricket is not going to be the same in the post COVID-19 world and playing in empty stadiums would be a "hollow feeling" but Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey is ready to embrace the "new normal". Carey is open to the idea of playing in empty stadiums, which according to him could be a way forward. "Cricket as we're used to is going to be different for a bit. There's the T20 World Cup and the IPL that we're all looking to play, but it's hard to picture anything without the fans. It's going to be a hollow feeling," said the Delhi Capitals player during an Instagram live session with his IPL team. "But I feel the fans will at least have some live cricket to look forward to on TV, and I can promise it's still going to be some solid cricket which the fans are going to love," added the left-hander. Sporting activities, including cricket, are currently shut due to the cornavirus-forced lockdown but Carey is in no mood to let dust settle in his skills and has been working towards that in this break. "I've been aiming at going for a 10K run thrice a week, along with shorter sprints, which helps me in maintaining my fitness levels. I've also been working with a golf ball in my backyard to keep my hand-eye coordination intact," said Carey. "As cricketers, we live, dream and breathe the sport. It has been a good experience to have a month or so off which has helped us recharge our batteries. But I feel when things open up, we will have really good cricket. It will only take a couple of weeks for us to play at the top level," said Carey, adding that he can't wait to make his IPL debut. After starting his sporting career with the Australian rules football, Carey switched back to playing full-time cricket, and says he is lucky to have made the decision. "I had some success at AFL, but I wasn't quite excelling. I thought I wasn't good enough, and so I went back to cricket when I was 20 or 21. There were a couple of years I didn't play cricket at all when I was busy with AFL, so I was rusty when I came back," he said. "But by 24, I got back into cricket and into the standard that I would've liked to play. I put in some hard yards, and I feel I'm really fortunate that I made that decision to play cricket because I got to represent Australia." SSC BSBS

Cricket is going to be different in post COVID-19 world: Carey

<ul><li>In our latest interview series, we talk to brands to understand how they are coping with the new normal and their strategies towards navigating these difficult times.</li><li>Since retail has been impacted severely, we talk to <keyword id="5602220" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gitanjali-Singh">Gitanjali Singh</keyword>, Vice President Marketing, <keyword id="194788" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Select-Citywalk">Select CITYWALK</keyword> on how the organization is trying to bounce back and preparing for the post-Covid world.</li></ul>The last one month has thrown a lot of unforeseen challenges to the entire world. As people across the globe are trying to cope with this new normal, there are a lot of things that might change forever. The way businesses are being conducted might see a complete overhaul. People might be unwilling to venture out for a long time to come, at least till a vaccine is developed. This is also expected to bring about behavioural changes in consumers. We might not go out shopping or watch movies in theatres for a long time to come. This might have a huge impact on the retail space. However, businesses are working around the current situation and thinking of innovative ways to ensure that there’s business continuity in a post-Covid world. We recently caught up with Gitanjali Singh, Vice President Marketing, Select CITYWALK, to understand the impact on retail, their marketing strategies and also their future plans to minimize the business impact. Edited excerpts: Q) How challenging has the last month been for you considering the lockdown has led to the complete closure of malls? The last one month has been of complete lockdown. It has been an unprecedented event, for all of us across the globe. It is a new reality and has been challenging, specially for us as we have witnessed a vibrant presence of people at Select CITYWALK across our years of operation. We do miss that. However, we have not completely closed down and still have essential commodity stores and pharmacies open for the public. Q) Do you anticipate a behavioural change in consumers in the post lockdown days, when people might be scared of going to public spaces? If that happens, how do you plan to tackle the challenge? During the lockdown, which still persists, a limited number of consumers have been visiting the shopping center for essential purchases only. There has been anxiety among consumers, and there will be a behavioral change in consumers post lockdown. Post the lockdown; it is clear that there’ll be hesitation in the mind of the consumer to step out. However, people want to travel, eat out, be entertained, and to have experiences in-person. These activities will be unchanged but the way we perform these activities will change and it’ll take time for things and habits to pick up. As a public space, we will have all the required necessary checks, which will be a must in the initial post lockdown stage such as: <ul><li>Compulsory Masks for everyone</li><li>Temperature Checking at entrances</li><li>Sanitization at all entrances including entrance for goods at the shopping centre</li><li>Sanitization at the entrance of stores</li><li>Social distancing will be maintained</li><li>F&amp;B and Cinema will be treated separately as per the new sitting policy </li><li>Encouraging more digital payments and having more options for customers </li></ul>Q) During a crisis, it is important to keep communicating with your customer. How have you been doing that? Earlier through several mall activities and regular celebrations, we were always in touch with our customers. Post the lockdown, this was a challenge for us, but we wanted to keep our customers engaged. To strengthen our connection, we began relevant content through the campaign #hereforyou. We bring robust and engaging social media content that appeals to all our followers, in the same refreshing format as our offline experience has been. Our social media content follows our destination's diverse offerings for the entire family while taking the narrative online. Prepared with intent to help all followers, stay home, stay safe, and stay fit, the content is both engaging and interspersed with tips on navigating life through the lockdown. Ranging from fitness tips from well-known trainers like Zoe Modgill, and Mallika Dang, to mindfulness exercises from experts like Nitya Shanti, it also traverses fashion, skincare and petcare from experts like Ayesha Amin Nigam among others. Weekends bring 'lives' with well-known names like Vesna Jacob, Sunaina Rekhi for fitness, or Simar's Nail Bar for that perfect weekend indulgence. The content being shared brings together experts from across many categories, to bring the best across their passion points, learning and joyfulness for the entire family in this period. Bringing together a sense of belonging and community, the social media content moves between short video interactions with experts, as well as Live sessions on the weekend. Encouraging all visitors to stay home and stay safe, it is a way for Select CITYWALK to bring the spirit of positivity across. Q) What have you been doing in terms of marketing? Has there been a change in your media mix? The current focus is on digital as everyone is consuming content across webinars and social media. Apart from the engaging content as mentioned above, we have recently gone live with our <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/dilseshukrana/">#DilSeShukrana</a> campaign saluting all those who continue to give us hope and for choosing to fight for us, and for our safety. Q) What have been your biggest learnings from the Covid-19 experience so far? Do you think the experience has made you more resilient? It is going to be a new normal for all of us out there; for all the industries and brands, this experience will be full of learnings of consumers and shopper behavior. Our biggest learning from this experience is that we all have time to innovate and think of the future in a much more empathetic manner, map out things in a proper way because change is rapid, and we all need to go with the flow. These experiences have certainly made us as an organization more resilient, and we all thrive on having the right value chain initiative in place. Q) While communicating is important, the tone of the communication can be misread as being opportunistic. How have you ensured the intent of your communication was not misinterpreted by consumers? At this time where all brands are adjusting and are trying every day to come up with something new and innovative, it can, at times, be misread by the consumers if not communicated well. For us, from the beginning, it was all for the customers, and we had a very simple thought of being with them at these tough times. To not be misjudged or misinterpreted, we have had communication, which builds a connection with our customers - Waiting for the one you love is always worthwhile. Mind if we take a break and Select CITY-WALK later? <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/hereforyou/">#HereForYou</a>. With this campaign, we have urged people to sit back and take a break, and we will help them with all that they need to learn or probably help them keep busy.

Marketing in the times of Covid-19: Select Citywalk

<ul><li>Covid-19 has changed the way we shop, eat, communicate. It has also flipped the <keyword id="6354839" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="marketing">marketing</keyword> playbook.</li><li><keyword id="10177920" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="dev-batra">Dev Batra</keyword>, Co-Founder and CEO, <keyword id="10177919" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="lyxelflamingo">Lyxel&amp;Flamingo</keyword> and <keyword id="651025" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nishant-Singh">Nishant Singh</keyword>, Creative Director - Copy, Lyxel&amp;Flamingo write about a few of the changes and trends that have come in play and what will help CMOs succeed in the post-Covid world.</li></ul>The ability to break habits and induce new ones has always been the real litmus test of great marketing. But marketing norms are in a state of evolution right now. It sure is nothing more than wishful thinking right now, but we are hopeful that in a future not too far, the masks will be off and Covid-19 would be a horror of the past. And normalcy shall prevail. The real question is that will we pick up from where we left in the pre-Covid era or will the new normal be different? We believe things will have changed in the post-Covid world. Old habits and ways of living would see paradigm shifts while average consumers will continue adapting to the changes around them. Hence, the longer this pandemic stays, the stronger the force of these ‘new habits’ will get. The effects have started showing already. India’s online retail as percentage of total retail was around 3% a couple of years back and now it’s projected to be at 8% by next year. Why? Well, the average consumer is enjoying immense attention from brands. They’re witnessing an unprecedented convenience &amp; ease with which they can shop online today. While that’s the initial trigger for the surge in online shopping, a much more evolved brand experience with augmented reality, predictive cart, hassle-free &amp; safe home delivery etc. will only see this digital migration rise further. Today, customer experience has overtaken price and product as the key differentiator for brands. So, as we crystal gaze into 2021, we divide the changes we might witness in compartments- Old trend, new scale: Trends that pre-date the onset of Covid but have accelerated significantly because of it in the past few months, will be even more visible at scale and at an accelerated pace. <ul><li>Deeper penetration of mobile internet in rural pockets of the country as well as SEC C, D audience will give a greater push to this segment who aren’t just casual users but those who are actively engaging in online shopping, entertainment &amp; education. Taking the impact of Covid-19 into consideration, the penetration of e-commerce is projected to increase by almost 7% with an estimated 100 million users by mid-2021.</li><li>The rules of video content development have changed. Big brands are creating low-production pieces and promoting them aggressively. Today, content is actually the real king.</li><li>Brands have experimented with influencers for many years now but 2020 has seen the rise of vernacular &amp; micro-influencers. This trend will gain a much stronger momentum in coming years, especially with the steep rise in social commerce.</li></ul>New trends on the block: Trends that came into being because of the pandemic, began in an animated hurry to adapt to the changing market demands, are assuming a more systematic form now. Brands are looking at newer ways of employing and even evolving these new trends with sheer marketing genius to outplay the competition. ●The rise of the ‘Atmanirbhar’ philosophy has become even more prominent with multiple Indian D2C brands actively communicating about their Indian roots. A similar tune is now being sung by MNCs who are manufacturing locally. One of Micromax's advertisements featuring its founder Rahul Sharma as an earnest evangelist ofthe ‘Atmanirbhar’ movement is a great case in point.●Focus on the erstwhile ‘Invisible’ – A very short while ago, empathetic content was synonymous with issues like feminism, equal pay, environment and other ‘educated’ matters. However, the nationwide lockdown &amp; the plight it entailed for the marginalised communities inspired an awareness around this largely ‘invisible’ population — daily wagers, dhaba owners, delivery guys, vegetable vendors, small-scale entrepreneurs. Hence, our empathy is now more empathetic and we are more aware of THE India that was ignored.●Online as an experience &amp; not just a utility: It is clear that we can do a lot more sitting in the comfort of our home, on our laptops &amp; mobile phones. The need to step-out has reduced significantly. So why step out tobuy only groceries or running shoes? Brand marketers can no longer think of online as only a place of final purchase. Rather, they need to use social media as the place where experiences are created &amp; information is disseminated to their customers.●Loyalty: As consumers, we are exposed to thousands of brand messages everyday. And today, acquiring new customers has become extremely expensive. Which makes it critical to retain existing customers through better customer marketing automation, loyalty programs, personalised communications and offers that can help create better long term value for the customer as well as the brands. This trend is bound to accelerate in 2021 given the pressure that brands are facing on their bottom-lines — limiting the monies that are available to acquire new customers. Two sides of the same coin: CMOs will have to take into account trends that are seeing faster pace as well as newer methods of execution. For almost half a decade now, digital media has been an important tool in every marketer’s arsenal, albeit as a subsidiary of mainline advertising. Enter 2020 and suddenly Digital Media was expected to do all the heavy lifting due to lack of investments in traditional media. And boy, did it deliver! Given the internet penetration in this country, now it’s quite possible to build a brand purely by leveraging digital media and many brands have been able to do that successfully. Even those who relied heavily on TV and other traditional media have started making considerable investments in building digital assets (e.g., product videos, Hotstar campaigns during IPL or pre-roll ads on YouTube). Will this trend grow in 2021? As brands learn more about digital analytics &amp; transparency of the medium and hence their ability to correlate outcomes with investments, absolutely! So, what remains to be seen is how brands and their CMOs subsume these trends in their marketing strategies and prepare for the post-Covid world. - This article has been co-authored by Dev Batra, Co-Founder and CEO, Lyxel&amp;Flamingo and Nishant Singh, Creative Director - Copy, Lyxel&amp;Flamingo

Marketing in the era of post-Covid digitization - What will a CMOs new arsenal be?

Kolkata, Jul 2 () Acknowledging the liquidity crisis being faced by the MSMEs, leading bankers of the country on Thursday said they will continue to lend their support to these units even during the post-COVID era. There is a need for the bankers to provide more support to the micro, small and medium enterprises, State Bank of India Managing Director Arijit Basu said. Speaking at a webinar organised by ICC, he said, "MSMEs will remain a crucial cog in the wheel of the economy. For India to become self-reliant, MSMEs have an important role to play." Basu said these units must have a viable business plan to avail credit from banks. According to him, the fundamental issue that the corporates and MSMEs are facing is related to the stressed assets. For SBI, he said that there is no worry to lend as the bank's provision coverage ratio (PCR) was around 85-87 per cent. Basu hoped that the second half of the current fiscal will be good. Punjab National Bank MD and CEO S S Mallikarjuna Rao said it is not that the MSMEs started facing the problem during the COVID-19 crisis. "The MSMEs have been passing through tough times for the last two years. They have been facing cash flow problems," Rao said. He said these units were not having surplus cash flow as their operations were at stress, while fixed costs did not reduce. "There is a requirement for providing liquidity support to the MSMEs for which the government has come out with the credit guarantee scheme," he said. He felt that the hand-holding will be required for the MSMEs even after the COVID-19 crisis. dc SBN BDC BDC

Bankers pledge continuing support to MSMEs during post-COVID era

Mumbai, Jun 16 () Global automation solutions provider Siemens will continue to invest in research and development to be ready for the post-COVID scenario, a senior official said on Tuesday. In a virtual media roundtable conference held across the Asian countries, Siemens Smart Infrastructure CEO Cedrik Neike said COVID-19 pandemic has re-emphasised the need for adopting innovations for grid infrastructure as the demand for power in many countries had dropped due to the lockdown imposed to control the spread of coronavirus. "The pandemic has indeed impacted our businesses, but we have not reduced our spending in R&amp;D, even though it is a hit on our bottomline. On the contrary, we believe that we need to now invest in future technology. As COVID is going to away at some stage, we need to have the right technology ready," Neike, who is also Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG, said. He said the company has been increasing its R&amp;D budget and is the largest in the world, spending more than 5.4 billion euros every year. As a part of the strategy, the company is investing in grid edge technologies, apart from other solutions, which includes decentralised generation, storage, smart meters and electric vehicles, among others. "The decline in demand for power, which has been almost 20 per cent in few countries due to the imposition of lockdown, there have been an economical impact on the distributors. "Also, since many countries are feeding more renewable energy, which is less stable, into the grid, as they are reducing the fossil fuel based generation, there is a need to balance the grid to ensure no blackout. For this, we need to have more intelligence in grid to maintain its stability," Neike added. India's peak power demand had dropped by nearly 26 per cent in April due to the nationwide lockdown, which had shut almost all economic activities in the country. Due to the fall in demand, few coal-fired units had shut operations, while renewable energy projects, which were declared as "must-run" were feeding the grid along with the operational conventional power plants. "We see a huge opportunity in the energy space as well as the e-mobility space in India. India will have to adopt e-mobility not only for reducing the carbon emissions but also to control air pollution. India will have to adopt e-mobility for three-wheelers, even if it is not higher for cars" Neike noted. PSK BAL BAL

Siemens to continue investment in R&D to be ready for post-COVID scenario

Kolkata, Jun 13 () The West Bengal government has prepared a white paper on the future of cities in the post- COVID-19 world, as urban spaces are changing "drastically and rapidly", an official said. Speaking at a webinar on real estate sector, organised by CII, West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation chairman and managing director Debashis Sen said his department has come out with the document on "Reconfiguring Cities in the New Normal". "Changes are now rapid and a lot of things are changing drastically in terms of cities, work, home, business and social spaces," a statement quoted him as saying. Sen cited examples of the Haj House, which has been converted to an international quarantine centre, the Central Forensics Building and part of the Netaji Subhas International Airport here, which have been transformed to isolation centres, while describing how the "adaptive use of buildings" taking place rapidly. According to him, the shopping malls will become "warehouses of e-commerce" with home delivery of everything becoming the new normal in the post-COVID era. Cinema halls, multiplexes are very likely to become "data centres" as per the study, he said on Friday. As far as residences and houses are concerned, he said that home spaces would need to expand as families will work or learn from there. "Cities will dissolve into small, coherent, hyper- local townships like the IIT campuses, industrial townships in Durgapur and Jamshedpur, which are, in a sense, self- sufficient and gated with their own schools, colleges, shops, workspaces, parks and hospitals," he added. BSM BDC BDC

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