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<ul><li>High vegetable inflation, driven by hardening onion prices, has kept food inflation at 8.66% in February.</li><li>With low reservoir levels in many states, food inflation in FY25 is expected to be driven by monsoons, say experts.</li><li>The RBI is focused on bringing inflation below 4% and might continue the status quo for a longer time now, believe experts. </li></ul>In February, retail inflation came in on expected lines at 5.09%. However, high vegetable inflation, driven by hardening onion prices has kept food inflation up at 8.66%. Experts now believe that the <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reserve-bank-of-india" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI) which has been focussed on bringing inflation to 4%, will maintain the status quo in the upcoming credit policy. “We expect inflation to average 4.8% in FY25. Given that the RBI Governor has been highlighting the aim of getting inflation to 4% on a durable basis, the policy rates are likely to be kept on hold in the upcoming policy meeting, with no change in stance,” said <keyword id="20938330" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rajni-sinha" source="keywords">Rajni Sinha</keyword>, chief economist, CareEdge Ratings. Regulator to continue cautious stance Despite expectations from the market, the RBI has maintained its ‘withdrawal of accommodation’ stance in the last policy meeting in February. This policy, aiming to curtail inflation further, entails a reduction of easy money supply in the system, which started during the initial COVID-19 phase. RBI governor <keyword id="19913110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shaktikanta-das" source="keywords">Shaktikanta Das</keyword> had also earlier spoken about the risk of food inflation spilling into broader inflation. “We retain our view that RBI will remain cautious on volatile food inflation trajectory and hence prefer to remain in pause mode on rates till August policy. However, with RBI already having continuously fine-tuning liquidity and easing overnight rates closer to the repo rate, we see room for a shift in stance in the June policy,” said <keyword id="20169699" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="upasna-bhardwaj" source="keywords">Upasna Bhardwaj</keyword>, chief economist at <keyword id="19938495" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kotak-mahindra-bank" source="keywords">Kotak Mahindra Bank</keyword>. Agrees Akhil Mittal, Senior Fund Manager-Fixed Income, <keyword id="20929846" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-asset-management" source="keywords">Tata Asset Management</keyword>, “We anticipate the regulator to maintain a cautious stance. We think RBI would rather continue with stability priority and continue maintaining the 4% inflation target as sacrosanct, and hence we do not see a premature easing from RBI.” Vegetable inflation zooms, pulses in a tough zone Vegetable inflation came in high at 30.3% in February, and experts believe that pricey onions will keep food inflation elevated. Inflation in pulses, spices and eggs also saw double-digit inflation. Edible oils and fats have brought down inflation to an extent with negative growth. The food basket has nearly 50% weightage in the consumer price inflation (CPI) data. “Inflation is purely a food inflation-driven phenomenon which will continue to pressurise inflation in the coming months. Besides, horticulture output this year is expected to be lower than last year. Cereals, eggs, sugar, spices and pulses are the other pain points here,” comments <keyword id="20102121" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="madan-sabnavis" source="keywords">Madan Sabnavis</keyword>, chief economist at Bank of Baroda. The outlook for food prices is also bleak with lower reservoir levels and their impact on agricultural output. “The ongoing high inflation in specific food categories, including cereals, pulses, spices, and vegetables pose a risk of potentially broadening price pressures and de-anchoring inflationary expectations. Reservoir levels, particularly in eastern and southern India, persist at lower levels. Consequently, the forthcoming monsoon in FY25 holds significant importance for the trajectory of food inflation,” said Sinha. Core inflation has however remained soft, staying below the 4% threshold for three consecutive months. Rural inflation came in higher at 5.3%, while urban inflation is at 4.8% — mostly due to higher weightage of food products in the former index. Twelve of India’s 22 states saw inflation of above 5.1%. Odisha had the highest at 7.6%, while Delhi saw the lowest at 5.3%.

RBI likely to maintain status quo after food inflation keeps Feb print high, say experts

<ul><li>Tata Tea’s Jaago Re, over the years, has awakened people -- pushed them a little to care about important social issues and inspired them to take action. </li><li>Under its latest leg, Tata Tea aims to remind us to take care of the elderly, who are the most vulnerable to the virus due to their decreased immunity.</li><li>We caught up with Puneet Das, Vice President <keyword id="6354839" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="marketing">Marketing</keyword>, Beverages- India, Tata Consumer Products, to further understand how they have tweaked the brand's marketing strategy and media plan amid a nation-wide lockdown. </li></ul>Remember how your parents would weave fictional stories to convince you to stay indoors or to make you eat your food when you were little? “Bhoot uthakar le jayega?,” they would say in a child-like voice. Now, it is our turn to remind them that it isn’t safe outside and this is exactly what Tata Tea’s latest campaign tells us. <div type="twitter" handle="TataChaIndia" handlename="Tata Cha" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/939028867167088641/WRPfGrPC_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1" retweetcount="0" status="Join us in serving breakfast to the elders from our Indiranagar, Cunningham Road, and Jayanagar cafes! Whatsapp you… https://t.co/fBtU617vPW" createdat="1587882969000" id="1254298201122721793"></div> With a lot of anxiety and uncertainty around, we need wake up calls now more than ever. Tata Tea has taken this opportunity to encourage us to support the most vulnerable group of society right now -- senior citizens. Due to their decreased immunity, they have a larger risk to fall victim to the virus than us, which can also affect their mental and emotional health. It’s latest edition of #JaagoRe #BaadonKeLiye, therefore, targets millennials and reminds them to take care of their elderly members during these tough times. They have partnered with influencers such as Mandira Bedi, Rannvijay Singh, Dia Mirza, Milind Soman, to name a few. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Over the years, Tata Tea’s Jaago Re campaigns have nudged us towards social awakening and the brand has used this property to catalyse change around important issues like women safety, representation of women in sports, voting, corruption, etc. We caught up with Puneet Das, Vice President Marketing, Beverages-India, Tata Consumer Products, who looks after Tata Tea, Tetley, and Tata Coffee Grand to further understand what the past few weeks have been like for the brand, discuss its latest campaign for Tata Tea and a few things Das has learned in this time. Excerpts: Q. How have the past few weeks been for the brand, considering the country has been in a lockdown? The past few weeks have been about following all local administration guidelines and taking precautions to ensure safety of our employees &amp; teams while trying to also ensure supplies to trade, and meeting demands of consumers affected due to the lockdown. We have also utilized this time to work towards spreading awareness and facilitating change for the cause of the elderly who are the most vulnerable during these times, through our social initiative, Tata Tea - Iss baar #BadonKeLiye #JaagoRe. Q. What is your marketing strategy right now? How have you been trying to continue building a connect with your audience? In wake of the novel coronavirus, it becomes important to stay relevant to our consumers by facilitating and inspiring genuine change. And that it is our endeavour with our social Initiative “Iss Baar #Badon ke liye Jaago Re” which aims to spread awareness and sensitize youth to support the senior citizens during this time. The initiative involves spreading awareness about the need to support the elderly, providing relevant tips, tying up with NGOs and providing a common platform for people to connect with them, and share stories of volunteers to inspire others to act. It encourages individuals to connect with senior citizens next door or in their neighborhood and help them overcome any challenges they might be facing during this crisis and restricted lockdown period. A simple action like checking on them to see if they need anything and taking steps to help them will make a big difference (Of course, all this needs to be done keeping in line with the COVID 19 guidelines, as provided by the local administration). We’re also tying up with NGOs and providing information so that people can reach out to them and volunteer, in case they want to further make a difference in supporting this cause of the elderly. Q. Has there been a change in your media mix? The endeavour is to spread awareness amongst the youth and drive genuine change for the cause for supporting the elderly. Considering the current consumer behaviour of increase in time spent online and on social media, the initiative is also largely focused on leveraging these mediums to drive awareness on our latest campaign. The initiative is also being supported by influencers, NGOs and experts in senior care management. Q. If the lockdown is further extended, will you be tweaking your marketing strategy further? Right now, our efforts are to ensure that we spread the message and drive genuine change with our social initiative. Since it is aimed at supporting the elderly, who are most vulnerable due to their decreased immunity, this initiative will remain relevant irrespective of the lockdown conditions. In fact, if the lockdown is further extended, then it is even more important to understand and address the medical, psychological and social needs of the elderly whose routine life will be far more disrupted leading them to be most prone to confusion and helplessness. Q. What are a few key learnings for you as a brand in the last few weeks? The most important learning for brands during this crisis is to do something that can genuinely make a positive impact to their consumers/society. During times like these, it becomes important to consumers on ‘how you make them feel’ and whether you can genuinely make a difference in their lives in a meaningful manner. The other learning is to be agile and adapt to changes in consumer patterns which has drastically changed due to ‘restricted lockdown’ conditions but may also continue to evolve and become the ‘new normal’ (even when the lockdown restrictions are eased).

Marketing in the times of COVID-19: Tata Consumer Products Limited

<ul><li><keyword id="13003750" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-tea-agni" source="Orion">Tata Tea Agni</keyword> celebrates the ‘Josh’ and strong determination of people of India</li><li>Conceptualised by <keyword id="2959024" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mullen-lintas" source="Orion">Mullen Lintas</keyword>, latest campaign of Tata Tea Agni highlights the importance of approaching one’s dreams with josh and passion each day. The campaign portrays real-life stories of three players of celebrated Indian Women’s Hockey Team.</li></ul>TATA Tea Agni relaunches itself with revamped communication and packaging to resonate with its loyal consumers. The campaign is anchored on Tata Tea Agni’s spirit of ‘Josh Jagaye Har Roz’ to connect with its target consumers. The campaign brings alive the true stories of strong determination and passion and celebrates journeys of the people of India to strive forward with ‘Josh’ towards a better tomorrow. The restage aims to cater to the consumers who are aspirational and are in the process of upgrading their lives. Capturing this emotion on the canvas of the packaging, the brand communicates to its consumers by depicting a promising day with the hues of the warm glow of the morning light, bathing the city as it awakens from its slumber to a new day. Echoing the tagline of Josh Jagaye har Roz, the brand encourages its consumers to live a meaningful life with strength and zest. Exhibiting an inspiring example of this unwavering spirit, the TVC showcases the Josh of 3 key players from the Indian women Hockey Team- Arjuna award winner Vandana Katariya, Drag flicker and key architect of India's success over Australia in Tokyo Olympics Gurjit Kaur &amp; Asian Games medalist, <keyword id="775450" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="neha-goyal" source="Orion">Neha Goyal</keyword>. The TVC which is an ode to their life journeys, displays the real stories of their hardship, purposefulness, Josh and their prevalence over challenges to ultimately bring back pride for our country. <div type="Youtube" id="u1cso7RMgCg" title="Tata Tea Agni - Master (Subtitles)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/u1cso7RMgCg/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Speaking about the re-launch, <keyword id="5414634" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="puneet-das" source="Orion">Puneet Das</keyword>, President, Packaged Beverages, India &amp; South Asia,Tata Consumer Products states, “TATA Tea Agni understands the importance of awakening one’s passion and determination and following your dream every-single- day. Its extra-strong taste not only refreshes your mind, but awakens the fire or ‘josh’ within you to embrace and make the best of all opportunities that come your way. As a brand, we have a wide presence in more than 22 Indian states. With this restage, we remain hopeful of growing in the affordable tea category in India. Our new communication ‘Josh Jagaye Har Roz’, will definitely connect with the people of the country and bring alive the true spirit of strong determination and passion.” Azaz’s Chief Creative Officer- Mullen Lintas, said “The brief was to connect with India's heartland and reposition the brand in a big way. Tata Agni was always value led. We needed to change that and make masses connect with the brand at an emotional level. We thought inspiration is one value, India's heartland has always loved and the name Agni stands for the fire inside. The idea of choosing Indian Women’s Hockey Team came from the clients’ and we loved it. As no one represents the brand positioning of Josh everyday better than the Indian Women’s Hockey Team. We just needed to tell their real-life inspiring story of Josh to the world. And the campaign is doing just that.” Gurjit Kaur, Indian Field Hockey Player, said, “Girls from my hometown were restricted to go out and play hockey owing to the societal norms that played an obstacle to our professional aspirations.. However, once I started playing hockey there was no turning back. The determination to make my parents proud fuelled my soul with josh to overcome any hardship and to somehow live my dream to the fullest. TATA Tea Agni, as a brand recognised my struggle and brought alive my josh se bhari kahani” Neha Goyal, Indian Field Hockey Player, said, “Hailing from a poor family, my childhood was rather difficult. There were hardly any resources left to pursue a sport and so I joined hockey with the hopes that I could at least get some clothes and shoes for playing. I was good at the game and my situation started to improve gradually until I encountered another major hurdle – physical injury. I was at the peak of my career but had to leave the camp owing to the injury. I had lost all hopes but my coach motivated me and fuelled my josh to make a comeback, akin to how TATA Tea Agni fuels josh and the spirit of awakening every day with its strong cup of tea.” Vandana Katariya, Indian Field Hockey Player, said, “My life has been a constant struggle. But with time, I grew to understand that struggles and challenges only make one stronger and more determined. It is heartening to see families in my hometown now supporting and encouraging their daughters to follow their passion. We should always ignite our josh and follow our dreams because ‘Jinke andar agni hoti hai, wo har muskil, har chunauti ko apnaate hain josh se’.’’

Tata Tea Agni's campaign celebrates Indian women athletes and their passion and determination

<ul><li><keyword id="10293880" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tata-tea-leaf" source="Orion">Tata Tea Leaf</keyword> has launched a special <keyword id="60705" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="chhath-puja" source="Orion">Chhath puja</keyword> pack and has also associated with Bejod, OTT platform of Champaran Talkies for the Chhath puja 2021 video song. </li><li>The Chhath Puja song for 2021 by Bejod is built on the concept of ‘Chhath from Home’ keeping in mind the current pandemic situation.</li></ul> Tata Tea Leaf revels in the spirit of <keyword id="30033" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bihar" source="Orion">Bihar</keyword> and <keyword id="6360371" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jharkhand" source="Orion">Jharkhand</keyword>’s most popular festival- The Chhath Puja, with an integrated campaign to evoke regional pride. As part of the campaign, Tata Tea Leaf launched a special Chhath puja pack and has also associated with Bejod, OTT platform of Champaran Talkies for the Chhath puja 2021 video song. <div type="Youtube" id="JEMSUqcRn_U" title="Chhath Geet 2021 | छठ गीत 2021 Vol.06 Bejod | NITU CHANDRA SRIVASTAVA | NITIN NEERA CHANDRA" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JEMSUqcRn_U/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The brand takes immense pride in showcasing and celebrating the rich culture and heritage of Bihar and Jharkhand. As a chai specifically made for Bihar and Jharkhand, Tata Tea Leaf understands the regional nuances and has developed a campaign to celebrate the much high-spirited festival which comes with all its grandness and vibrancy, Chhath Puja. The special Chhath Puja pack highlights the elements of the festival and brings alive its true essence. The yellow colour pack radiates with the festive images and truly reflects the emotions attached with Chhath Puja. The pack has been designed keeping in mind the small details associated with the festival to evoke a sense of pride among the people of Bihar and Jharkhand. To make the celebration grander, the brand has associated with Bejod second time for the Chhath Puja Video. The Chhath Puja song for 2021 by Bejod is built on the concept of ‘Chhath from Home’ keeping in mind the current pandemic situation. <keyword id="5414634" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="puneet-das" source="Orion">Puneet Das</keyword>, President, Packaged Beverages, TATA Consumer Products, said, “Chhath Puja is the biggest and most renowned festival celebrated across Bihar and Jharkhand. Tata Tea Leaf celebrates the festive spirit associated during this time with traditional elements associated with the festival. The special <keyword id="12488558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-tea-leaf-chhath-puja" source="Orion">Tata Tea Leaf Chhath Puja</keyword> pack brings alive the true spirit of the festival. Our association with Bejod for Chhath Puja is a one of its kind initiative to connect with the consumer by being part of the festivity. TATA Tea Leaf’s Chhath Puja campaign aims to foster the festive feel over a cup of tea, that is made specially for people of that region while celebrating with the entire family.” Credits: · Production house - Bejod, OTT platform of Champaran Talkies · Director &amp; Editor: Nitin Neera Chandra · Producer: Neetu N Chandra, Nitin Neera Chandra

Tata Tea Leaf launches a new video and pack before Chhath puja

<ul><li><keyword id="11908151" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-tea-kanan-devan" source="Orion">Tata Tea Kanan Devan</keyword> has launched its <keyword id="11895879" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="onam" source="Orion">Onam</keyword> campaign that celebrates the human spirit to stay positive despite difficulties and limitations.</li><li>The campaign has been conceptualised by <keyword id="11908149" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="mullen-lintas" source="Orion">Mullen Lintas</keyword>, Bangalore</li></ul>As part of its Onam campaign, <keyword id="11908150" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-tea" source="Orion">Tata Tea</keyword> Kanan Devan has launched a new TVC highlighting how Keralites celebrate the festival, despite current limitations. <div type="Youtube" id="0nD78d9VM7o" title="Celebrating the Unique Onam Spirit of Malayalees | Tata Tea Kanan Devan" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0nD78d9VM7o/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The ongoing feeling is that the pandemic has subdued the excitement and enthusiasm around many major festivals. Rising Covid cases, social isolation and travel restrictions means that the cheerful spirit may be dampened in many households. However, a well-known belief is that <keyword id="11908148" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="malayalees" source="Orion">Malayalees</keyword> take pride in their festivals and the celebrations that accompany them. The challenges posed by the pandemic have not dampened the spirit of Keralites who are celebrating Onam in their special way, all while taking the necessary precautions. The new Kanan Devan campaign is based on this central insight and affirms Keralites’ spirit in celebrating the festival spirit even in these times, weaving in the strong emotional connect. Focusing on this endearing aspect, the new TVC portrays how Onam celebrations, while being held very differently now, are still reflective of the true spirit of Malayalees. It features famous elements from the festival like <keyword id="11908147" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pookalams-sadhyas-onam-markets" source="Orion">Pookalams, Sadhyas &amp; Onam Markets</keyword>, and how even in current circumstances, one can still look at the enjoying the occasion. For instance, if obtaining fresh produce from the local market this Onam is not possible, one can still use the harvest from their own backyard as an alternative. Likewise, since inviting relatives for <keyword id="11908146" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sadhya" source="Orion">Sadhya</keyword> is a real challenge, one can still cherish the same meal at home with great aplomb. More such examples follow, all capturing how malayalees still continue to celebrate in their own special manners. This spirit is what makes Malayalees unique and Kanan Devan, the unique taste loved by Kerala celebrates the very same spirit. The film is created by director V. K. Prakash, one of Kerala’s most celebrated actor, takes over as the narrator in the film. The campaign was conceived by Mullen Lintas aimed at further strengthening the brand's connect with consumers in Kerala. Talking about the new campaign, Puneet Das, President - Packaged Beverages (India and South Asia), <keyword id="11908145" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-consumer-products" source="Orion">Tata Consumer Products</keyword> said, “This year, Onam is again taking place amidst the ongoing pandemic. While this brings its own restrictions, this has not diminished the celebratory spirit for the festival in the least. Being an intrinsic part of Kerala households for decades as one of the state’s most loved tea brands, Kanan Devan is thrilled to launch the new TVC showcasing the Onam spirit in these times. This is our effort to celebrate the same spirit that renders Malayalis unique and Kanan Devan, the taste that Kerala loves. The campaign is in line with our goal to deepen the emotional connect the brand has always enjoyed in the state” More on the brand’s new campaign: Link to the TVC: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nD78d9VM7o&amp;ab_channel=TataTeaKananDevan" target="_blank">Celebrating the Unique Onam Spirit of Malayalees | Tata Tea Kanan Devan</a> Credits: ·Creative Agency: Mullen Lintas, Bangalore ·Creative Team: Azazul Haque, Garima Khandelwal, Prasad Venkatraman, Johns Joy, Abhilash Mundayat ·Account Management: Lopamudra Bhattacharya, Chitrangda Gupta ·Account Planning: Ekta Relan, Sushma R Rao, Gargi Sarvankar ·Production house: Trends Ad Films ·Director: VK Prakash

Tata Tea Kanan Devan launches its Onam campaign to celebrate the festive spirit of Kerala

<ul><li><keyword id="3156454" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tata-coffee-grand" source="Orion">Tata Coffee Grand</keyword>'s latest campaign ‘Sounds of <keyword id="20154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="Orion">Tamil Nadu</keyword>’, celebrates the various sounds that reflect the unique spirit of <keyword id="38378" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="pongal" source="Orion">Pongal</keyword>.</li><li>The vibrant film is a montage of various visuals and sounds that are associated with the Pongal festival; the crunch of sugarcane, the clink of children’s anklets, and the musical echoes of the ‘kulavai’ among others. </li><li>The campaign has been conceptualized by <keyword id="274876" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lowe-lintas" source="Orion">Lowe Lintas</keyword> Bangalore and directed by <keyword id="5375262" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="farooq-mohamed" source="Orion">Farooq Mohamed</keyword> of <keyword id="12943507" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kadhai-films" source="Orion">Kadhai Films</keyword>.</li></ul>Tata <keyword id="6354798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coffee" source="Orion">Coffee</keyword> Grand, the coffee brand from the house of Tata Consumer Products continues its celebration of bringing out the emotions and excitement associated with coffee in Tamil Nadu. In line with this, the brand has released a festive film celebrating the various sounds that reflect the unique spirit of Pongal with the ‘Sounds of Tamil Nadu’ campaign of Tata Coffee Grand. <div type="Youtube" id="xvzdtTP-0r4" title="Tata Coffee Grand | Celebrating the Sounds of Pongal | Shik Shik Shik" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xvzdtTP-0r4/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The vibrant film is a montage of various visuals and sounds that are associated with the Pongal festival; the crunch of sugarcane, the clink of children’s anklets, and the musical echoes of the ‘kulavai’ among others. Replete with sumptuous Pongal delicacies, family gatherings, and a splash of rich hues that the Tamil culture is well-known for, the film concludes with the thought, ‘How can any festive meal be complete without coffee and the emotions associated with it?’ Talking about the film, Puneet Das, President - Packaged Beverages (India and South Asia), Tata Consumer Products said, “Our campaign of Tata Coffee Grand launched last year, synonymizes the word ‘Coffee’ with the sound i.e. Shik-Shik-Shik – which represents the sound heard when the Tata Coffee Grand jar or pack is shaken! We have gone a step ahead this year and have extended the ‘shik shik shik’ proposition to the sound of the Pongal festivities, to capture the excitement of the festival along with the emotions of drinking coffee. These festivities are not just reflected in the visuals but also in the unique sounds that reverberate throughout the harvest season. In highlighting this, we are happy to launch our new film which doubles up as a feast to the senses and has a distinct sound design that celebrates the festive taste of Tamil Nadu”. Commenting on the campaign idea, <keyword id="1743436" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sonali-khanna" source="Orion">Sonali Khanna</keyword>, Executive Director and Branch Head, Lowe Lintas South said, "Pongal is a festival that the people of Tamil Nadu hold very close to their hearts, resulting in a joyous tapestry of celebratory sights and sounds. What's striking is that many of the authentic sounds of Pongal are expressed as triplets. This is exactly the same aural mnemonic we have used to bring our product USP to life: the ‘Shik Shik Shik’ of the packet representing the Tata Coffee Grand crystals. The wonderful interplay of musical triplets, the rich festive hues, and the catchy sound of the pack, all come together seamlessly. To create a film that is as aurally arresting as it is visually resplendent." The film was directed by Farooq Mohamed of Kadhai Films. Team Credits: · Agency – Lowe Lintas, Bangalore · Creative – <keyword id="491609" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="puneet-kapoor" source="Orion">Puneet Kapoor</keyword>, Nishant Pratap, Jananie S · Account Management – Sonali Khanna, Ameya Lokhande, Satish Perumal, Mitali Kulkarni · Planning – Kishore Subramanian, <keyword id="12943506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prashanth-murthy" source="Orion">Prashanth Murthy</keyword> · Production House – Kadhai Films

Tata Coffee Grand's Pongal campaign celebrates the different sounds that reflect the festival's spirit

<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

<ul><li>Like humans, do brands also straddle between Mrityu and <keyword id="12853" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moksha" source="Orion">Moksha</keyword>? Find out in this 2 part article series by <keyword id="9324569" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shashwat-das" source="Orion">Shashwat Das</keyword>, Founder, <keyword id="7465777" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="almond-branding" source="Orion">Almond Branding</keyword>.</li><li>In the second part of his column, he shares how brands can resurrect themselves.</li></ul>Before fighting the real battle at Kurukshetra, Arjun had to fight another battle that was raging in his mind. Thankfully, he had Lord Krishna on his side to help him win that battle. This is how the Bhagvad Gita was born. But when I read the Gita, the preaching of Chapter 2 left two crucial questions in my mind: <ol><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/article/why-do-brands-die/articleshow/87309993.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Why do brands die and</a></li><li>How can brands become immortality or achieve Moksha?</li></ol>After much search and interactions with experts, I did find the answer to the first question, but the answer for the second one had still eluded me! So I continued my quest for the second question the same way as I did for the first one and was fortunate to get an answer for this question too! Here is a curated list of ‘Dos” that might help brands to attain Moksha. <ol><li>Become a part of your customers life</li></ol>Breaking things is quite common in our homes, especially if you have kids around. One of the most common things in every Indian household is a small tube of FeviKwik. It comes in handy when you have to stick something. Besides its innovative packaging, FeviKwik is appreciated for its fast action and usability over multiple surfaces. This versatility makes the brand irreplaceable. Can you name three alternatives to Fevikwik? Never mind, because even I can’t! FeviKwik has moved beyond being a simple product to becoming an integral part of everyday life. 2. Become a fable Amul butter was launched way back in the year 1955. Since then, Amul has become synonymous with butter in India. You go to any restaurant and order for a Pav-Bhaji. Chances are that the waiter would ask you “With Amul butter or with ordinary butter?” The brand Amul butter has achieved such a status that not only does it create product differentiation but can even get you a premium over ordinary butter! Brands should strive to reach that stage where the user feels that the brand adds real tangible value. Since its launch, Amul butter is probably witnessing the third generation of grocery decision makers, but even today, no grocery list is complete without it. With such a strong fan-following, Amul butter has truly achieved brand Moksha! 3. Keep innovating There was a time when chocolate was considered as kid’s product. This not only restricted the market size but also consumption opportunities too! But Cadbury’s challenged this belief and innovated itself in two ways. First, it broke the myth that chocolate is meant for kids alone by positioning it as the ‘real taste of life’. This broke the age barrier. Second, it created new avenues for consumption by saying “kuch meetha ho jaye”. This multiplied the consumption avenues for Cadburys. Today, Cadbury’s is not only relished by the entire family but is also competing against traditional Mithai’s when it comes to gifting. Cadbury’s did not discover chocolate, but it innovated the occasions when chocolate can be consumed and widened the customer age group. It even introduced a lot of product innovations too. Bournville, Silk, Choclairs, Gems, and the list goes on. Infact, today Cadbury’s has reached such a stage where no matter what the age-group or the occasion, there is always a chocolate for you! So as long as you are allowed to eat chocolate (from the health perspective) or if you are celebrating an occasion, Cadbury’s will always top your wish list! 4. Extend your brand, but don’t dilute your identity India first started using Dettol as the main component of their first-aid kit. For many years Dettol was the only anti-septic liquid known to Indians. Sensing stagnation, Dettol decided to spread itself to other categories. But while doing so, it took care of not diluting its anti-septic identity. It first became an anti-septic soap, then a hand-wash, a floor-cleaner and now it is a general disinfectant that can be added to water to be used over any surface! Everything about Dettol is new, but its identity as an anti-septic has remained unchanged. Infact it has become stronger with every product category added. Now with multi-category presence and a stronger identity than ever, Dettol is on its way to Moksha! 5. Freshen up the message but don’t forget the messenger There was a time in India when you just had two means of communication – Mass Media (TV, print &amp; outdoor) and Point-of-Sale. But today, newer and more powerful options like digital media have emerged. Most brands focus on getting their digital inputs (SEO, Social Media presence etc.) right and ignore the fact that even media channels have their own important place in the process of communication. While their messages keep evolving with changing customer sensibilities, most brands still fail to unleash the full potential of the emerging new media channels. The belief that appealing message will work wonders was OK till the choice of media channels, the messenger, was limited. But the moment new messengers were added, new brands emerged out of nowhere and today are appealing the might of older established brands. Every messenger (channel) has its own requirement, e.g. Twitter takes just 280 characters, whereas YouTube can take a video of much longer length than conventional TV commercial. The better brands use these channels, the better connect thy can create with their customers thus going a step closer to Moksha. 6. Keep appealing to your customer’s eye There was a time when the world’s largest selling biscuit, Parle-G, sported a butter packaging and an infant on its pack. This visual identity has become so deeply entrenched with Indian consumers that most ‘me-too’ biscuit brands that were launched in the country sported a kid on their wrappers. Realising this shortcoming and to remain relevant to the times, Parle-G shifted to a plastic sheet wrapper and even replaced the kid with a caricature. However, apart from these two changes, the visual identity of Parle-G has remained unchanged by &amp; large. But, not changing with times is a liberty only legacy brands can afford! Today, remaining relevant to the sensibilities of the customers is a must for every brand. With evolving customer behaviour and thinking, brands too have to change. Earlier you could see the salt inside Tata Salt, today you don’t. Earlier Nirma was a simple semi-transparent pillow pack, but today it is a lot more colourful. Even some of the biscuit brands of Britannia keep on evolving their visual identity in order to remain relevant to the customer’s sensibilities. While the biscuit inside remains the same, the outer visual identity of the brand keeps evolving! 7. Be an active contributor to the society Besides helping you with your everyday life, brands aspire to emulate your personality. Eventually, brands want to become you. They want to appeal to your “Do-Good” spirit as they know that this is one hidden facet of your personality. For instance, a brand like the house of Tata spends a lot of resources, monetary or otherwise, on social activities which may not give it a direct benefit. But people remember and appreciate such philanthropic efforts made by brands that not only make their lives easier, but also that of the society at large too. They even show their appreciation by endorsing such brands. Even P&amp;G brands like Ariel make such attempts to give back to the society. Brands that think beyond achieving their own sales targets are not only remembered and consumed by the current generation, but are also appreciated by the next ones. If a brand was a person, normally it would die a natural death after some years of existence. But unlike us humans, brands don’t have a physical form and hence can theoretically become immortal. There are ways and means of achieving immortality or Moksha. The association of colour Red with danger is immortal and so is that of White with Peace. A smiling face always puts you at ease over a frowning one. Or, lullabies are always sung before going to sleep instead of rock &amp; roll! These things have achieved Moksha. So, if you want your brand to achieve Moksha then better start working right now as it might be too late tomorrow! <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="87309993" title="Why do brands die?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

How can brands achieve moksha?

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

How to prevent a brand from ageing?

<ul><li>When we say, ‘Jaago Re,’ do you also hum the entire tune? </li><li>Here is the saga behind one of the most loved social-led campaigns of our country that Sushant Dash, President, Beverages– India &amp; Middle East, TATA Consumer Products, Amer Jaleel, Group CCO and Chairman, <keyword id="3222480" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="MullenLowe-Lintas-Group">MullenLowe Lintas Group</keyword> and Puneet Das – SVP, Marketing - Beverages, TATA Consumer Products walk us through.</li></ul>Tata Tea, for more than a decade, has remained synonymous with brand-led activism because of its campaign Jaago re. Over the years, Jaago Re has nudged us towards social awakening. The brand has used this property to catalyse change around important issues like women safety, representation of women, voting, corruption, etc. It was born in 2008 when Tata Tea decided to onboard MullenLowe Lintas as its agency on record for the brand. The campaign was launched at a time when Indian brands were still trying to understand the idea of brand activism and advertising in the tea category was limited to functional aspects of refreshment. Tata Tea started the trend of looking beyond the obvious by offering a tea that doesn’t just help you wake up, but also awakens you by focusing on self-actualization, increased civic consciousness and political awareness. We reached out to the team (Sushant Dash, President, Beverages– India &amp; Middle East, TATA Consumer Products, Amer Jaleel, Group CCO and Chairman, MullenLowe Lintas Group and Puneet Das – SVP, Marketing - Beverages, TATA Consumer Products) behind this initiative to pick their brains about this much talked-about campaign that continues to stay relevant even after all these years. <div type="Video" msid="80884312" hostid="261" title="How Tata Tea's communication has evolved from brand-led activism to hyperlocalisation" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=80884312"></div> Jaago Re helped a newly-launched premium brand become synonymous to the category. In the age of digital marketing, agency Lintas and Client Tata Tea Premium share one of the longest relationships in our industry. We also asked them to share a few tips of sustaining the relationship between client and agency, how to evolve with changing times and they didn’t disappoint. The beginning of Jaago Re The partnership of Lintas and Tata Tea started much before Jaago Re. It was in 2003 that the brand decided to foray into the premium segment by launching Tata Tea Gold. Back then, Lintas wasn’t in the picture. Tata Tea had a couple of agencies for its roaster but Dash, who Jaleel refers to as the ‘Architect of the brand,’ told us that they were looking to weave a story and build it on an insight this time, not just sell tea. The brand decided to go out and call a few more agencies in for a pitch. R Balki and Jaleel presented the ‘Na kahoge toh pachtaoge’ idea on a phone call to Dash, which he says, is his favourite till date. Even then, Lintas was handling communication for Tata Tea Gold, not Tata Tea Premium. Rival tea brands with a variety of products had different campaigns for each but Dash decided to market only the mother brand. It had four sub-brands Gold, Premium, Agni and Life. “From a marketing point of view, it was a risky decision and obviously came under a lot of debate. But at that time, the main reason from a business point of view was also that we needed to save our media monies. It was also very difficult to sustain and grow all four brands and put the kind of media monies that were required. So, the idea was that you create the mother brand, and then put more money behind the mother brand, advertising and campaign. The idea in the brief was that it should help each of the individual brands. It also said that we need to create a mother brand, which needs to connect at an emotional level and needs to cut through all the variants,” recalled Dash. It also had to carve a niche for itself and beat the likes of HUL’s Brooke Bond Red Label and Taj Mahal, which had a strong recall for its ads, thanks to the famous Waah Taj ad featuring tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. However, the brief didn’t mention anything about cause marketing or a social campaign. It was divided into three main objectives: establish the mother brand, cut across different verticals and get coffee-loving millennials to be loyal to tea. Walking us through the brief and sharing the challenge that the agency had to face in terms of drafting a campaign for a diverse audience, Dash said, “The challenge for the creative agency was to find a cause that appeals to someone in a South Bombay or a South Delhi who uses Tata Tea Gold brand and at the same time, appeal to someone in a Pratapgarh who uses Tata Tea Agni brand because that was our width. We cut through urban and rural. So the third part of the brief was that when we talk and when we come out with this campaign, at least in terms of storytelling and in terms of the language that we use, it should appeal to the youth, because till that point Tea was seen as appealing only to the housewife, not so much to the youth or to men.” At that time, coffee drinkers were considered ‘cool’ because tea was preferred by mid-age audience. As per the brief, Jaleel and his team had to reverse the image and also position tea drinkers as young and cool. The agency was right to think that the coming generation would actively participate in building an inclusive and woke society. Recounting how the thinking came into place and how a tea brand chose a purpose-led brand building approach, Jaleel said, “Somewhere, this thought entered our mind that whenever you have a tea, you discuss various things, and you're young, and you want to change the world. And therefore, if tea is associated with changing the world like that, if it can bring about some kind of awareness, that would be a good strategic direction for tea and that's how we landed on the idea of Jaago Re.” The client was looking for an idea that would bind different strata of society together and Lintas’ pitch ticked all the right boxes. “I still remember when we first heard the line, 'Har subah sirf utho mat, Jaago Re.' It in some ways redefined and gave us that stature, because every tea brand and including us, we used to talk a lot about rejuvenation. But this was actually taking it in a sense philosophically a step ahead, which was not just about waking up, but awakening. So in some ways, it was very strongly ingrained in terms of what the category stood for, but took your brand to a higher plane,” shared Dash. Taking the message ahead The first ad under the campaign was about political awareness, voting the right candidate and asking questions. It featured Pankaj Tripathi, who wasn’t as well known then, but immediately won the audience over. <div type="Youtube" id="99a-dHXmw2I" title="Pankaj Tripathi Tata Tea Ad" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/99a-dHXmw2I/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The second campaign was about a young guy who urges people to not use Voting Day as a holiday and nudge them from their sleep. <div type="Youtube" id="NkMnM2dznuU" title="Tata Tea Voting" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NkMnM2dznuU/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Jaago Re wasn’t just a campaign anymore. The brand knew how to walk the talk as the initiative was backed with a website <a href="http://www.jaagore.com/">jaagore.com.</a> Before the 2009 election, Tata Tea launched this website to help first-time voters to create IDs, register themselves as voters and find the nearest voting booth. The Jaago Re campaign had become a big hit by 2010 and Lintas had to come up with a cause that would surpass the previous ads by creating something bigger. So, the third campaign was about corruption, which Dash said, was the most difficult to crack because they had to tread the line between being edgy and preachy. <div type="Youtube" id="wyOCF8Vfsrg" title="Mudit Nayar (Commercial): Award Winning Tata Tea adv against corruption [Jaago Re!]" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wyOCF8Vfsrg/mqdefault.jpg"></div> In 2017, Tata Tea made a comeback with Jaago Re Version 2.0. Like always, it gave us goosebumps and made us question everything that was happening around us. It was a comment on arm-chair activism. It urged people to act before it is too late in a hard-hitting manner and it continues to stay relevant today. <div type="Youtube" id="gRA4wYsqA5c" title="Tata Tea Official 2017 Ad - Alarm Bajne Se Pehle Jaago Re!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gRA4wYsqA5c/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Das said reviving a property of this stature wasn’t an easy task. “Jaago Re is not just a marketing campaign for us, it's almost a clarion call for representing the right issues. The tenants of Jaago Re are so well set -- there has been a lot of consistency in the thought which has come across, which is about finding the right thing, inspiring people to make that change and walk the talk. In 2006, nobody had heard the word cause advertising and all this brand purpose is just flavor of the day. But at that time, for us, it was clutter breaking. Over the 10 years, many brands jumped into the bandwagon. More importantly, the entire new generation has also grown up expecting this now from brands. So it was no longer about armchair activism. So the idea was, how do you still stay consistent with the thought, but taking to the next level? Then this thought came about is that the key shift is from activism to pre-activism. Don't let things become issues. The real way to solve for them is to actually nip them in the bud and that shift in thinking is what we call Jaago Re 2.0,” said he. Jaago Re and its perfect casting Tata Tea’s Jaago Re was much ahead of its time. It shed various gender filters and brought a much-needed campaign that represented women in politics and sports. Lintas also had a good eye for budding talent. It featured Pankaj Tripathi, Swara Bhaskar, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayub, Anand Tiwari, to name a few, much before they had become names to reckon with in the industry. <div type="Youtube" id="hAEV1K8JuV4" title="Tata Tea Premium -- Badi Duty, Choti Duty" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hAEV1K8JuV4/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Telling us the filter agency used for casting these actors, Jaleel said, “I think it's a coincidence that some of the great choices that we made also turned out to be great actors. But you can also say that it's no coincidence, and I'll tell you why it is that look. The approach that we always had about Jaago Re was always about realism. And if you notice, there is a wave of realism happening, you can almost track it back to the time Jaago Re started. Even in cinema, starism is going down and realism is coming in. We always had that thing about Jaago Re that we will pick up real people because we owe it to the subject that we are talking about. We looked for that realism in the auditions like that.” In our episode of BTSWithInsiders, Jaleel had further shared the thought behind selecting Tripathi as their first protagonist, which can be found below: <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75806882" title="#BTSwithInsiders: Amer Jaleel on Tata Tea’s Jaago Re, Lifebuoy’s Gonduppa and ICICI Prudential’s Bande Acche Hain" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Shifting focus to hyperlocalisation and connecting with consumers at a deeper level Tata Tea has been successfully championing the style of brand-led activism. In the recent ads done by Mullen Lintas, there’s a visible shift in communication and Tata Tea is talking more about the features of its tea rather than the social angle. It is about taking pride in our regional culture and diversity. <div type="Youtube" id="0tff1lATgDM" title="TATA Tea Premium - Dumdaar Uttar Pradesh" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0tff1lATgDM/mqdefault.jpg"></div> <div type="Youtube" id="oV4IX7QX5m8" title="TATA Tea Premium | Odisha" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oV4IX7QX5m8/mqdefault.jpg"></div> So, at a time when rivals Red Label and Wagh Bakri are also talking about social change, what led to this shift? Das answered, “Jaago Re has been a campaign for the mother brand and this hyper localization campaign that we have been doing is actually on the flagship brand Tata Tea Premium. What we are bringing out to consumers is something that is seeming like localization for them, but actually that has been one of the success DNA of the brand in the sense in a in a country where tastes and preferences especially when it comes to food etc, pretty much changes district by district -- it is very important for a beverage brand and a mass brand to understand these preferences, and and that has actually been always what already premium has been doing. It has blend across different states, which cater to the local tastes, preferences, etc. So, the idea was, how do you leverage your knowledge and your national stature as a brand, but at the same time connect and reinforce your regional expertise that has made you the brand it is.” It has also launched packaging that is customised to different states of India and seen a good response from the consumers. “In every market that we have been able to execute it so far, we have seen a big jump in terms of consumer connect, and it's also reflecting in the market shares, etc, which, at the end is also a proof of what the consumer has responded to, but yes, the shift is, is more to the consumers,” shared Das. The Jaago Re campaign went on to create wonders for the brand and is still fresh in our minds like it was launched yesterday. And now, on connecting with its consumers on a local level and instilling regional pride, the brand is just getting started.

From then to now: How Tata Tea's communication has evolved from brand-led activism to hyperlocalisation

We are entering an Age of Complexity manifested by intensified economic unpredictability, tectonic demographic and technological shifts, and accelerating scarcity of resources. Adversity has become the new normal. The good news is that we humans are typically good at coping with adversity. From a biological perspective, humans are pre-programmed to react predictably to adverse—and even hostile—situations thanks to our well-perfected “fight-or-flight” instinct. Sadly, however, this preconditioned “fight-or-flight” reaction fails to produce optimal responses in today’s complex world. When we face an intractable problem many of us tend to throw in the towel quickly or keep on fighting the issue wishing it will vanish. Now visualize this: what if you could transcend this binary “fight-or-flight” reaction and uncover a “third way”—a new outlook that empowers you to see adversity as an opportunity for personal and collective growth? Adversity will suddenly morph into your ally—an ally that can ignite your ingenuity and drive you to the unearthing of revolutionary solutions that yield amazing value for yourselves and for humanity. You will become a modern day alchemist—one who can literally transmute adversity into opportunity. Such alchemists do exist—and many of them live in emerging markets like India. 
 
Take Kanak Das, a young man who lives in Morigaon, a remote village in the northeast Indian state of Assam. Das got sick of riding his bicycle on poor village roads filled with potholes and bumps. Assume you were an R&amp;D engineer who works for <keyword id="6355174" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ford">Ford</keyword>, <keyword id="6355119" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="BMW">BMW</keyword>, or <keyword id="6374528" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Toyota">Toyota</keyword> trying to design a car that can ride smoothly on such potholes-filled roads: your “fight” instinct would have told you to design better shock absorbers to overcome the bumps. But Das didn’t “fight” the bumps: instead, he used this constraint to his advantage by equipping his bicycle with a makeshift device that converts the shocks it gets into acceleration energy—enabling his bicycle to run faster on bumpy roads! 
 
Das literally transformed adversity into an opportunity to innovate and extract value from the very problem he confronted. Das epitomizes the spirit of jugaad. Jugaad is a hindi word meaning an innovative fix or an improvised solution born from ingenuity and cleverness. Jugaad is, quite simply, a unique way of thinking and acting in response to challenges; it is the gutsy art of spotting opportunities in the most adverse circumstances and resourcefully improvising solutions using simple means. Jugaad is about seeing the glass always half-full. 
 
Jugaad Innovators: The Modern Day Alchemists 
 Jugaad is practised by almost all Indians in their daily lives to make the most of what they have. Jugaad applications include finding new shrewd uses for everyday objects—Indian kitchens are replete with empty soft drink or pickle bottles reused as containers for water, spices, or lentils— or inventing new utilitarian applications and ingenious solutions with everyday objects, like using cellphones to make “missed calls”. 
The entrepreneurial spirit of jugaad is not limited to India. It is widely practised across all emerging economies such as China, <keyword id="12925" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="Africa">Africa</keyword>, and Brazil, where resilient entrepreneurs are also pursuing growth in difficult circumstances. The Brazilians have their own word for this resourceful approach: jeitinho. The Chinese call it zizhu chuangxin, or indigenous innovation (in contrast with shanzhai, meaning copycat versions of foreign-made products). The Kenyans refer to it as jua kali. In our book Jugaad Innovation, my co-authors and I delved into the frugal and flexible mindset of thousands of ingenious entrepreneurs and enterprises around the world practicing jugaad to creatively address critical socio-economic issues in their communities. In Kenya, for instance, entrepreneurs have invented a device that enables bicycle riders to charge their cellphones while pedalling. 
 
In the Philippines, Illac Diaz invented A litre of light—a recycled plastic bottle containing bleach-processed water that refracts sunlight, producing the equivalent of a 55-watt light bulb. This product—which costs only $1—is a boon for scores of Filipino families living in makeshift houses in off-the-grid shantytowns. And in <keyword id="15735" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Lima">Lima</keyword>, <keyword id="6360497" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Peru">Peru</keyword> (a country with 98% humidity that receives only 1 inch of rain a year), the local university of engineering and Technology (UTEC) has designed advertising billboards that can generate up to 100 litres of potable water out of humid air each day. 
 
The jugaad innovators we studied all hail from different cultures and social and professional backgrounds. Yet they all share one unique quality: their uncanny ability to “make lemonade with any lemon” they are given. They are resilient entrepreneurs who overcame tremendous difficulties to invent ingenious solutions to vexing issues afflicting our societies. Like magicians, they conjured up these innovative solutions out of thin air—using meagre resources. Just as an alchemist can convert low-value metal into high-value gold, these frugal innovators can “do more with less”: they can create lot more value using far fewer resources. 
 
What Makes Jugaad innovators— And Their solutions—Unique? 
Despite their diversity, all the jugaad innovators—be they entrepreneurs or corporate leaders—we studied in India and other emerging markets all have the following unique personality traits in common: 
 
They are empathetic 
They recognize that their fellow citizens are suffering from adverse circumstances (e.g., poor access to healthcare or education services) and strive to lessen their pain. It is this compassion for other beings that sparks their own passion to discovering pertinent solutions to issues afflicting others. 
 
For instance, Jane Chen, a Stanford MBA, was deeply moved by the fact that 20 million babies are born prematurely or with a low birth weight each year worldwide, and four million of them die, most in developing nations, because their parents can’t afford to maintain them in baby incubators, which are too expensive. To address this issue, Jane co-founded Embrace, which makes inexpensive portable infant warmers that low income mothers in rural India, China, and Africa can use to keep their premature babies warm, and thus save their lives. 
 
They are driven by a higher purpose 
 
Jugaad innovators are not driven by fame or money. Rather, they are motivated by the aspiration to build “a better world”. This higher purpose provides them great ethical clarity and serves as an inner compass that guides all their decisions and actions. 
 
For instance, brothers <keyword id="299988" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Abhishek-Sinha">Abhishek Sinha</keyword> and Abhinav Sinha co-founded Eko to make <keyword id="6354241" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Financial-Services">financial services</keyword> affordable and accessible to the 600 million Indians who can’t avail of banking services. Eko enables low income people to open a savings account in a kirana (neighborhood retail store) and then merely use a mobile phone to deposit/withdraw cash as well as send/receive money. 
 
They are nonconformists 
 
Jugaad innovators boldly challenge the status quo by relentlessly posing the question: “why not?” They exhibit what Samuel Taylor Coleridge calls “uncommon common sense”: they develop counterintuitive solutions that flout conventional wisdom or even turn it on its head. 
 
For example, when <keyword id="6360722" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="ratan-tata">Ratan Tata</keyword> announced his decision to produce the Nano industry experts and media analysts scoffed at the idea of making a $2,000 car, for which they believed there would be no market. But the maverick Tata stuck to his counterintuitive decision and he ended up creating not only a breakthrough car but he also shaped an entire new market for subcompact cars that western automakers are jumping into lately. 
 
They are ingeniously resourceful 
 
Just like MacGyver (the famed TV action hero who can escape from any predicament by improvising solutions using just his Swiss Army knife), jugaad innovators display great ingenuity in the face of challenges. They leverage their (inner) resourcefulness when they have no external resources to tap into. They embody the frugal “bricoleurs” whom the legendary anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss lauded in his seminal book La Pensée Sauvage. According to Lévi-Strauss, a bricoleur taps into existing resources to quickly solve a problem—unlike an engineer who goes searching for the best resources available to design a perfect solution. 
 
Mansukh Prajapati is one such bricoleur: a potter by training, he created Mitticool, the world’s “greenest” fridge made entirely of clay that consumes no electricity and is 100% biodegradable. 
 
They are adaptable 
 
Jugaad innovators possess an agile mindset that enables them to rapidly shift course and reach their objectives by trying out various approaches. They are not wedded to any specific approach or tool to solving problems. Their sense of purpose is steadfast (“make the world a better place”) but their method to serving that purpose is dynamic and constantly evolving. Hence, they are resilient and can “reinvent” themselves continually. 
 
For example, Harish Hande founded Selco in 1995 to debunk the myths that poor people can’t afford <keyword id="6357019" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="solar-energy">solar energy</keyword> and cannot maintain sustainable technologies. Conservative banks refused to fund his start-up and he initially struggled to convince rural consumers to switch from cheap-but-polluting kerosene to solar systems. But Hande applied his flexible thinking to improvise an ingenious solution that involves a grassroots network of micro-entrepreneurs who charge, install, maintain, and collect payment for solar lighting systems that they rent to people in remote villages. 
 
These personality traits of jugaad innovators also pervade the clever solutions they conceive. All their astute solutions (products or services) share the following attributes: 
 
• They deliver more value at less cost: Their ingenious solutions are low-cost (or much less expensive than alternative solutions in the market) and yet they offer much greater value for users. As a result, these solutions deliver “more value for less”. For instance, the embrace portable infant warmer costs less than $200—or 1% of the cost of western baby incubators priced at $20,000. More importantly, mothers can now hold against them their premature babies— dramatically boosting their chances of survival. That’s real value! 
• They are simple to use and maintain: The solutions are designed to be incredibly simple to use and maintain, thus lowering their “adoption barriers” for a larger number of users. For example, Eko’s mobile banking and payment services can be accessed using even the most basic mobile handset. This ease of use is a key success factor of Eko’s service which today counts 2 million clients. 
• They are inclusive: The solutions make critical products and services available and accessible to “marginal segments” of the society—e.g., low income people, the elderly, ethnic minorities— who traditionally couldn’t afford or access these products/services due their high cost or high complexity. For example, Selco’s solar lighting systems are now used by over 125,000 rural households across India (Selco aims to serve 200,00 households by 2013). 
• They are sustainable: The solutions are both environmentally and socially sustainable. First, these solutions are eco-friendly and minimize use of natural resources. Second, these solutions contribute to the social sustainability of local communities by spawning new “ecosystems” that create new jobs, etc.—thus catalysing a virtuous cycle of enduring socio-economic growth. For instance, Mansukh Prajapati involves many women in his village in Gujarat to produce his Mitticools, thus creating gainful employment for local community members. 
 
The rise of Jugaad innovation in The West The developed world, like emerging economies, is increasingly facing its own problems in areas such as healthcare, education, finance, and community development. Cash-strapped western governments, however, are unable to deal with these challenges on their own. In this context, a new wave of flexible-minded jugaad innovators in the US and Europe are emerging. These nonconformists are turning the conventional practices of many industries upside down, and in the process creating affordable and sustainable products and services for more citizens. 
 
For instance, Sal Khan founded Khan Academy to democratize access to education and make learning more fun for kids. He has created over 4,000 video tutorials for math, sciences, and engineering that are freely available on <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> and are today viewed by over 6 million users a month. Similarly, Erik Douglas co-founded CellScope, a start-up that converts your smartphone into a medical diagnosis tool so you can do ear, throat, and skin exams at home without having to visit an expensive lab. CellScope is a boon for the 50 million Americans who lack medical insurance. And to meet the needs of the 68 million Americans today who are unbanked or underbanked, <keyword id="2787085" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Danny-Shader">Danny Shader</keyword> founded PayNearme, which enables US citizens without credit/debit cards to pay for online transactions by cash in local convenient stores. 
 
Universities too are joining this jugaad innovation movement in the west. Several higher education institutions in the US and Europe are training a new breed of engineers and managers to design next-generation products and services that can deal with scarcity in a frugal and sustainable manner. For instance, Stanford runs a very popular multidisciplinary program called entrepreneurial design for Extreme Affordability. And <keyword id="54274" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="MIT">MIT</keyword>, with funding from Ratan Tata, recently launched the <keyword id="2481320" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Tata-Center-for-Technology-and-Design">Tata Center for Technology and Design</keyword> to train future generation of engineers and business leaders to create affordable technologies and inclusive systems that meet the needs of resource-constrained communities in the developing world. Finally, several vanguard western corporations— helmed by visionary CEOs—are pioneering the adoption of jugaad innovation. The most notable of them is the global carmaker <keyword id="70040" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Renault-Nissan">Renault-Nissan</keyword>, whose CEO, <keyword id="69288" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Carlos-Ghosn">Carlos Ghosn</keyword> famously coined the term “frugal engineering” in 2006 to describe the Indian engineers’ unique ability to conceive high-quality solutions faster, better, and cheaper. Ghosn is a big admirer of the jugaad mindset. As he puts it: “In the west, when we face huge problems and we lack resources, we tend to give up (too) easily. Jugaad is about never giving up!” In 2012, he sent Gérard Detourbet, a senior French executive in charge of <keyword id="43777" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Renault">Renault</keyword>’s entry-level car business, to India. From his new R&amp;D center in Chennai, Detourbet will be designing and producing several vehicles—all built on the ultra-low-cost “A-entry” platform—that will first be launched in India and then marketed in Brazil and <keyword id="6355117" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="South-Africa">South Africa</keyword>. There is no doubt that when Detourbet returns to Renault’s headquarters in Paris, he will carry with him the flexible jugaad mindset he acquired in India. 
 
Ultimately, the ingenious solutions devised by these audacious jugaad innovators—our modern day alchemists—in emerging markets as well as in developed economies stand out not because they are “clever” but because they bring hope to millions around the world. In today’s morose economic climate and challenging social context, these alchemists help transmute pessimism into optimism—and that, by itself, is priceless. These ingenious alchemists—and their frugal and agile jugaad mindset—not only represent the hope for humanity but they also help restore our faith in humanity. 
 This article is partially adapted from the book Jugaad Innovation: A Frugal And Flexible Approach To Innovation For The 21st Century (<keyword id="189391" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Random-House-India">Random House India</keyword>, 2012). 
 (<keyword id="373112" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Navi-Radjou">Navi Radjou</keyword>, an innovation and leadership strategist based in <keyword id="6357722" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="silicon-valley">Silicon Valley</keyword> and <keyword id="192175" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="co-author">co-author</keyword> of best selling books including Jugaad Innovation; From Smart to Wise: Acting and Leading with Wisdom; and most recently Frugal Innovation: How to do more with less, leads an engaging discussion with a group of like minded individuals brought together by Thinkers (<a href="http://www.thinkers.in/">www.thinkers.in</a>) on how new technologies (mobility, social media, Internet of Things, 3D printing) and groundswell socio-economic movements (e.g., sharing and circular economy, maker movement) are dramatically lowering the cost of innovation worldwide.)

Thinkers/Thinkers 50: Know what 'Jugaad' or frugal innovation has done for the world!

This festive season will bring cheer for the Indian <keyword id="6354851" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Retail">retail</keyword> industry—especially the tableware industry, which is expecting sales to rise by 50% during the <keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword> season. Industry experts have predicted that the festival season generates maximum sales for tableware players in the entire year. 
	 
	“Over 60% of the revenue is generated during Diwali since it is a festival time and people like to splurge. With a buoyant consumer sentiment in the market this year, we are expecting substantial increase in the sales,” said industry expert Susant Das. 
	 
	He elucidates further that this year Diwali sales look brighter as the overall economy has improved, which is boosting manufacturers’ and retailers’ margins. 
	 
	“The manufacturers are offering attractive schemes as well as coming up with new marketing strategies to woo consumers in this festive season,” added Das. 
	 
	Industry experts suggested that retailers have registered numbers down South because of Onam, retailers in North and East will witness a substantial increase in the sales as the festival season nears. While in the Northern region, brands expect the sales to surge because of Diwali, in the East, people will buy because of Durga Puja. Analysts are expecting the sales to pick up by the first week of October. 
	 
	The Year Gone By 
	 
	Last year, the tableware industry had witnessed a dip of 25% in the sales around the festive season. However, Diwali sales in the retail market last year seemed gloomy as the consumer sentiments had been marred by high inflation that had brought in a change in their purchase patterns. 
	 
	“The rising prices did not leave much of a scope for people to splurge on tableware products like crockery, especially ceramic and glassware which has witnessed the sales dwindling considerably”, said Das. 
	 
	Domestic manufacturers in the industry too had scaled down their expectations in 2013. “The cost on imports had substantially gone up due to the depreciating rupee value which had put pressures on local retailers to demand for the local goods,” said a top official of tableware manufacturer who requested anonymity. 
	 
	Corporate customers, who have been a major customer for tableware players, too had shifted their choice of gifts this festive season. “Companies have been important buyers of dinnerware or kitchenware goods. However, last year, they had preferred to give cash or gadgets as Diwali gifts to their trade partners and employees,” noted Amitabh Airi, another industry expert. 
	 
	The Forecast 
	 
	According to market estimates, the industry size is pegged at around Rs 2,000 crores, which includes glassware, ceramics, and kitchenware. The luxury tableware market is anywhere close to 15% of the total volume of this industry. “The ceramics tableware is slowly picking up as people are getting more aware about the health hazards from the different other forms of tableware be it melamine, plastics, steel, nonstick or any other material,” Das added. 
	 The ceramic segment tableware industry is primarily dominated by foreign brands such as Shinepukhur Ceramics from <keyword id="6354759" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bangladesh">Bangladesh</keyword>, Noritake from <keyword id="6355311" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Japan">Japan</keyword>, and Danktuwa from Sri Lanka; among the domestic players Goodearth, Artinox and the recently launched Azure rule the roost. The glassware category of products are offered by both <keyword id="87" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Germany">Germany</keyword> based Reidel and Nachmann. On the other hand, the mass segment is dominated by Indian players like Bharat Potteries, Claycraft Ceramics, Sonaki Ceramics and other Chinese products. Surprisingly, <keyword id="8555" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata">Tata</keyword> Ceramics has a negligible market share though they have been producing good quality tableware products. 
	 
	“This time around, players in the high-end segment are expecting high volumes along with higher margins in the festive season. While in the mass segment, the margins may not be higher when compared to the considerable surge in the volumes,” said a wholesale trader. 
	 
	Representational Image

This Diwali Season, Tableware Industry Sales To Rise By 50%

<ul><li>Investors' wealth has soared by ₹28.65 lakh crore in the three-day rally to Friday in the stock markets.</li><li>The three days saw benchmark <keyword id="19896382" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sensex" source="keywords">Sensex</keyword> recouping 4,614.31 points or 6.40% to close at a record high.</li><li>On Friday, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 1,720.8 points or 2.29% to hit a new record peak of 76,795.31 in day trade.</li></ul> Investors' wealth has soared by ₹28.65 lakh crore in the three-day rally to Friday in the stock markets, which saw benchmark Sensex recouping 4,614.31 points or 6.40 per cent to close at a record high. The sharp rebound in stock markets follows Tuesday's mayhem which wiped out over ₹31 lakh crore of investors' wealth in a single day as markets crashed after poll results lagged its expectations. On Friday, the 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 1,720.8 points or 2.29 per cent to hit a new record peak of 76,795.31 in day trade. The benchmark ended at 76,693.36, up 1,618.85 points or 2.16 per cent. The NSE <keyword id="19896381" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nifty" source="keywords">Nifty</keyword> settled with a jump of 468.75 points or 2.05 per cent at 23,290.15. Following the remarkable recovery in equities, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies went up by ₹28,65,742.36 crore to ₹4,23,49,447.63 crore (USD 5.08 trillion) in three days. "Domestic markets shrugged off weak global cues, as investors cheered the <keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>'s higher growth forecast for FY25 in its credit policy announcement which propelled Sensex to a fresh all-time high above the 76k-mark on massive broad-based buying support. "Also, the arrival of monsoon rains on time and expectations of its even spread across the country raised hopes of softening inflation going ahead. With the election uncertainty now over and the NDA party most likely to form the government, investors are hopeful that the action will now shift to reforms and the upcoming Union Budget," Prashanth Tapse, Senior VP (Research) at Mehta Equities Ltd, said. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) left its key interest rates unchanged on Friday as expected, keeping the focus on inflation amid robust economic growth that is likely to provide the new Modi government headroom for manoeuvring reforms. The Monetary Policy Committee, consisting of three RBI and an equal number of external members, kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.50 per cent for an eighth straight policy meeting and stuck to its relatively hawkish stance of "withdrawal of accommodation", Governor Shaktikanta Das said in his statement. With the <keyword id="19948184" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-economy" source="keywords">Indian economy</keyword>, Asia's third-largest, growing faster than expected in the previous year, the RBI raised its <keyword id="19972825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GDP-growth" source="keywords">GDP growth</keyword> projection for the current fiscal through March 2025 to 7.2 per cent from 7 per cent while maintaining its inflation forecast at 4.5 per cent. All the 30 Sensex companies ended in the positive territory on Friday, with Mahindra &amp; Mahindra, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Bharti Airtel, Infosys and Tata Steel emerging as the biggest gainers. "This week, the market experienced extreme volatility, with investor emotions on a roller-coaster ride. The RBI's decision to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent, along with an upward revision in the growth rate to 7.2 per cent from 7 per cent, boosted market sentiment. This indicates solid performance for the domestic economy," Vikram Kasat, Head of Advisory of Prabhudas Lilladher Pvt Ltd, said. In the broader market, the BSE smallcap gauge climbed 2.18 per cent and midcap index rallied 1.28 per cent. All indices ended in the positive territory. Telecommunication jumped 3.78 per cent, IT soared 3.38 per cent, teck (3.33 per cent), auto (2.53 per cent), utilities (2.18 per cent), metal (2.15 per cent), energy (1.99 per cent) and consumer discretionary (1.94 per cent). As many as 2,890 stocks advanced while 970 declined and 92 remained unchanged on the BSE. "The anticipation of stability within the coalition government at the centre, coupled with the RBI's upward revision of its growth forecast for FY25 to 7.2 per cent, fuelled a broad-based rally in the domestic market. The Indian market surpassed its previous record high set on exit-poll day and reached a fresh peak," Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services, said. In an eventful week, the BSE benchmark Sensex jumped 2,732.05 points or 3.69 per cent and the Nifty zoomed 759.45 points or 3.37 per cent. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-smartwatch-shipments-remain-flat-in-q1-2024-the-year-expected-to-end-in-a-decline/articleshow/110789121.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-smartwatch-shipments-remain-flat-in-q1-2024-the-year-expected-to-end-in-a-decline/articleshow/110789121.cms" target="_blank">Indian smartwatch shipments remain flat in Q1 2024, annual shipments expected to end in a decline</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/webstories/nvidia-beats-apple-becomes-second-most-valuable-company-top-10-companies-by-market-cap/slidelist/110793951.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/webstories/nvidia-beats-apple-becomes-second-most-valuable-company-top-10-companies-by-market-cap/slidelist/110793951.cms" target="_blank">Nvidia beats Apple, becomes second most valuable company: Top 10 companies by market cap</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/synology-introduces-new-products-aimed-at-data-protection-and-scalability/articleshow/110711086.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/synology-introduces-new-products-aimed-at-data-protection-and-scalability/articleshow/110711086.cms" target="_blank">Synology introduces new products aimed at data protection and scalability</a>

Investors' wealth soars ₹28.65 lakh crore in three days of market recovery after rout

India is seeing a <keyword id="138263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="startup">startup</keyword> boom thanks to the internet proliferation. But as the deadline for <keyword id="6356988" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="TRAI">Trai</keyword>'s consultation approaches, the nationwide clamour for <keyword id="6391709" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Net-neutrality">net neutrality</keyword> is touching a crescendo with a number of internet ventures and startups telling Times of India <keyword id="6358815" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="tech">Tech</keyword> that they firmly stand in favour of an unfettered net. 
 
Almost all entrepreneurs that the TOI spoke to for this report unequivocally expressed that a free internet is their lifeline to future growth. Here are their reasons (in their own words) to vociferously demand that status quo be maintained. Read on... 
 
Metis Learning-- Bharat Gulia, founder, Metis Learning 
 
Startups are taking India by storm and companies that did not exist 10 years ago now have billion dollar valuations. In the process, they are creating thousands of jobs, strengthening India's image in the global markets and creating tremendous value for customers. However, the scenario was very different in the India of yore. 
 
Today's youngsters may not have witnessed the dreary 'License Raj' days. Contrived barriers, reinforced by obscure government policy, created monopolies. Uncompetitive, well-connected and cash-rich conglomerates and PSUs dominated. They thrived in an environment of scarcity where it took many years to buy an outdated scooter model, or even get a phone connection.The recent debate on net neutrality throws one back to those days. The choice India needs to make is simple - do we go back to the imprisoned economy of the license raj, or do we encourage fresh thinking and innovation. 
 
The lifeblood of innovation is a level-playing field where an 18-year-old can come up with a great solution that can beat the option that a huge telecom company is shoving down the throat of its users. Customers need to be free to choose what gives them greater value and entrepreneurs should not be constrained by artificial barriers to provide that solution to customers. 
 
The internet lies at the centre of the digital economy and the game-changing innovation we are seeing today. Let it be open! Let not fuddy-duddy babus and big businesses conspire to set up roadblocks that stifle entrepreneurship. Let's have an India where start-ups thrive along with big businesses and may the best man win. 
 
Whatfix --Vara Kumar, co-founder &amp; CTO, Whatfix, an online productivity tool that allows users and businesses to create interactive guides on their and third party websites 
 
I and Khadim started Quicko Labs after decades of experience of building world class products, this would have been difficult if not for net neutrality. We believe that an open system encourages innovation and if operators start charging for faster access, it would stifle the entire ecosystem. More importantly, competition is inevitable for any product and we believe that innovation and great customer service is what will drive your business ahead rather than faster access. 
 
Infinity Assurance - Puneet Gargya, co-founder and COO at Infinity Assurance Solutions, a startup that provides service administration of warranty programmes "No discrimination should be made against any user for any kind of internet usage. It is THE lifeline for people today with more and more businesses moving to the net. It is as essential as electricity and water. Trai must do whatever is required to protect it." 
 
ePaisa -- Siddharth Arora, CEO and co-founder, ePaisa ISPs and governments should treat all data on the Internet as equal. This means they shouldn't discriminate or change differentially by user, content, site, platform, application, type of attached /equipment or mode of communication. There has been a lot of commentary on these principles of Open Internet since the launch of Airtel Zero and the Trai consultation paper. ISPs think they have cracked the formula of a whole new revenue stream, but at the core of this discussion is the online business and consumer relationship. 
 
Large online players may think they have found a strategic way to find new traffic sources (today's non-internet users) and hold the customers. I believe this is a short-sighted view. Not only will these companies need to offer free access to their sites across all ISPs (increasing their costs, while they are already not making money), but their competition (also with deep pockets) will follow suit. 
 
More importantly, businesses that have focused on ways to lock customers instead of innovating and offering better services have failed. While it's a great introduction to the web for the non internet user, let's not undermine the intellect of this user. Over time, this user will want more and will move on to a service that gives him/her real value, not free access. 
 
ISPs are calling this the toll-free number equivalent of the internet. The truth is, toll-free may get you a customer, but it will not help you retain one." 
 
Binge -- Ajay Joseph, co-founder, Binge (Noroc Solutions), a billing startup that enables restaurant bill presentment and payment over the phone 
 
Net Neutrality is a very critical factor given that the core tenet of the internet is built on being a democratic platform. With the rapid increase in the penetration of the internet, it is critical that we as a country stay true to the core tenet of the internet. All the stakeholders, across the service providers, the OTT players and the governing authorities need to work in unison to continue to improve the value to the consumer and net neutrality will be at the centre of it. 
 
Konotor -- Srikrishnan Ganeshan, co-founder at Konotor, a mobile marketing and CRM product startup firm that helps businesses engage, retain and sell more to their app users 
 As an <keyword id="6359301" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Entrepreneur">entrepreneur</keyword>, I can definitely relate to why not honouring net neutrality creates an uneven playing field. In fact, when my startup was earlier building a messaging app, the fact that there were "Whatsapp only" plans was something that surprised me. Something that has the potential to stifle competition cannot be good for the customer. 
 
Citrus Pay --Satyen Kothari, MD and founder, Citrus Pay 
 
Free market competition and encouraging grass roots innovation is a critical aspect of building up a powerful entrepreneurial ecosystem. Creating obstacles in a truly open, neutral internet creates serious obstacles in enabling this ecosystem. 
 
The concept of net neutrality has been discussed deeply and upheld in many countries across the world, and India should not regress and violate this core foundational concept of the open internet. 
 
GoodWorkLabs -- Vishwas Mudagal, CEO, GoodWorkLabs 
I'm all for net neutrality. Let's not let corporate greed take over the internet. Let's nip this cancer in the bud. #?BhartiAirtel? - I know it makes perfect sense for you to ensure robust revenues from breaking net neutrality by preferring companies that have deep pockets. But it will kill all the innovation and startup boom that has just started. We need a level-playing field where a minnow can take on a shark, and it's the internet medium alone that can provide it. So let's end this right now. 
 
I also know there are various forms of net neutrality issues and violations from various companies both in India and outside, so we need to end this and we need everyone on neutral ground. 
 
Knowlarity -- Ambarish Gupta, CEO and founder, Knowlarity Communications 
 
Net neutrality is fundamental to having a robust set of internet companies in India. In its absence, we are not going to have a level-playing field and ultimately make the innovation suffer. I can understand the revenue pressure telecom operators are feeling because of many of the internet applications. 
 
However, the current position of telecom operators is neither very fruitful, nor sustainable in long term. If there is an end to net neutrality, it will reduce the innovation and increase the barrier to entry for young innovative start-ups to do new things. 
 
Internet is a corridor of doors, like the space Morpheus and Neo enter along with the Key Maker in film 'The Matrix Reloaded'. Just that, once you are at one of the doors of internet, it is endless and you don't need additional keys to open subsequent doors. This, in essence, is also the principle of net neutrality. 
 
The empowering nature of the internet is not merely because it facilitates flow of information, as the advent of radio and television did in the twentieth century. The core trait of the internet is that it has not only given access to abundant reservoir of information to consumers, but most crucially, it has given a level-playing field for the users - to not only consume, but to create, voice and dissent over the internet. 
 
By violating net neutrality in any of the forms, the core principle of the internet will be lost. And with it the aspirations of millions, who are yet to experience the internet, will be trampled. 
 
TripHobo -- Saket Newaskar, CTO and co-founder of TripHobo 
 
Internet is a market place and net neutrality ensures that ISPs don't interfere in this market place. Disturbing net neutrality can not only create a havoc in the online space but may affect offline business in a big way. 
 
Not only market place activities like branding, consumer communication and consumer experience be impacted, even essential activities like consumer service and support will be affected. Big players can give better experience while the smaller ones will struggle. Startups with deep pockets will definitely have a bigger advantage. All the existing big startups have become big because of net neutrality today. 
 
Startups of the future will be at a disadvantage. Airtel's new initiative is about helping Airtel make money. If big apps and content providers are able to subsidize data costs of their users, Airtel will make money. Users are not going to stop using essential and interesting apps even if they cost. However, this creates differential pricing for the same service i.e streaming. 
 
Thus Airtel is interfering in the marketplace. Airtel's role is streaming and not creating content. It could be dangerous in the long run. Internet startups will definitely be affected. Innovation will be scuttled as the cost of reaching one's users will increase. Competitive landscape and even playing-field is essential for new internet startups to flourish." 
 
PropTiger -- Dhruv Agarwala, CEO and co-founder, PropTiger.com 
 
"Net neutrality makes the internet a level playing field. Airtel's Zero will favour app developers and websites with larger pockets who have capacity to pay. As a result, small start-ups may suffer. People and firms with small budgets will have to think long and hard before choosing between various data 
 
packs because certain applications will be free or costly depending on the data pack. People who use free data packs will also not be able to access the websites or apps which have not paid for preferential treatment. What may happen with plans such as Airtel's Zero is that when big app developers and websites pay for it, others might find it difficult to refuse to be part of the race for very long. They might also be compelled to pay eventually. When consumers are compelled to choose between free and paid internet, it is obvious that they would reject paid internet. This might put many internet start-ups out of business. The internet will become less diverse than it is now". 
 
Toppr.com -- Zishaan Hayath, co-founder, Toppr.com 
 
Toppr stands completely in support of net neutrality and the idea that access to internet/data should be same for all without any external throttling. Net neutrality is the basis on which internet was built and it has been successful in providing a level-playing field for all without any bias. Lack of net neutrality would clearly affect the freedom of choice of consumers which could end up creating monopolies across industries". 
 
Wingify -- Paras Chopra, founder, Wingify, PriceBaba.com 
 
It is extremely important to ensure that freedom of speech is upheld. That's a basic human right. Net neutrality implicitly defeats that freedom of speech. We are all in support of net neutrality and want the regulator / government to do the right thing. Internet is an opportunity for innovation to occur without barriers of wealth, access and background. Thus. it should be truly a level playing field for everyone. - Annkur Agarwal, founder, PriceBaba.com 
 
ClearTax -- Archit Verma, founder, ClearTax Net neutrality is required for infrastructure services. I moved back from the US and Silicon Valley to India to start ClearTax. In the US, it took a lot of effort to keep the internet neutral, but now the US president and the FCC have strongly committed themselves to net neutrality.We in India are a fledgling Internet economy and growing quickly. Any mistakes here will stifle innovation. The internet is built for disruption and it gives the big and the small an equal platform to innovate and compete. Net neutrality is a first principle. It is core to the infrastructure. 
 
Thenwat -- Umashankar Das, founder, Thenwat If India believes that it can create a Google, then it should support #NetNeutrality. Otherwise, this will push us to stone ages in another 10 years. - 
 
Rockmetric -- Nimesh, founder Rockmetric 
 
Internet gives a level playing field for 'anyone' with motivation and skills to compete with the biggest players and win over customers with limited capital. Openness of the internet allows this miracle to happen! If the internet starts favouring larger players by increase entry barriers, it will only kill innovation. 
 
Liberated Keypad -- Jayanthkumar, founder, Liberated Keypad Internet Neutrality is part of a larger issue of Trai playing servant to COAI. COAI has successfully made it such that people who by mistake violate their 3G packs face huge bills on postpaid. Airtel, for example, has reduced its monthly validity pack to 28 days so that you might forget to recharge your pack, and not carry forward your balance. That, or they simply just reduced your pack value, urging you to consume more.We need to get more and more people aware that the COAI is a very powerful lobby, and has had its way for a very long time. I will not stand by a service provider so greedy with profits. I want them to serve the consumers, instead of serving themselves.We need to get rid of products like Free Facebook, Free WhatsApp, Free Flipkart, which reduce the ability of small players like myself to compete with bigger media houses, companies, startups." 
 
MeraCareerGuide.com -- Love Chopra, founder, MeraCareerGuide.com The basic foundation of internet is neutrality. Airtel Zero is a very basic attempt to kill its neutrality, you can't imagine how bad this could go if it is allowed; this will surely kill product innovation. No blocking, No throttling, No paid prioritization, No special treatment to deep pocket player. I support #NetNeutrality. 
 
www.tinqr.in -- Karan Aggarwal, co-founder, www.tinqr.in 
 
We are bootstrapped technology startup from Delhi. We have put all our lives' savings into our company because we were confident that in a free country like ours, excellence and hard work will thrive. But today, our confidence is fading. We see a threat to our freedom, a threat to our dreams. We thrive on the internet. Without net neutrality, there will be no level-playing field, no startup dreams. We sincerely request you to let this be the way it is. Don't take this away from us. We demand net neutrality for total online freedom. 
 
Chorusplay --- Hari PK, founder, Chorusplay 
 
India, as a country that's embracing technology, is growing at a massive pace. And it will take us decades to match the pace of developed countries. The only, and the most effective level-playing field for all of us - individuals and businesses, is the window to grab the new technologies, especially for startups. 
 
The compromise on net neutrality (or the idea behind it) will kill the upcoming startups and new businesses. And it will also have a (very) strong retrospective impact on the existing startups (who cannot afford to BUY their way through this problem). With the prime minister spearheading the ""Make In India"" campaign, we all dream of a nation that will be the next tech hub and a budding ground for startups. 
 
The absence of net neutrality will be a potential death row for all those dreams. Let's unite for a better country, a better dream and a much-needed revolution. And we have to do it today, right now. 
 
Yogurt Labs -- - Shardul Mohite, founder, Yogurt Labs 
Telcos controlled VAS and we all know how that whole industry ended up. They were acting like thugs demanding 70-80% of revenue as a fee from VAS companies. If they get to control how the data is being used on their network, we would see similar kind of attitude repeated again. Startups that think Airtel Zero or Internet.org are good ideas for customers are not thinking long term. When telcos start controlling who gets in front of the customer, they would demand huge amount of fees too. Net neutrality is the only way to ensure that no one gets to control (in short-term or long-term) how anybody uses internet to reach potential customers.

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