Tata Manza : A Class Apart

Brand : Manza
Company : Tata Motors
Advertising Agency : Draft FCB Ulka

Brand Analysis Count : 473

Philip Kotler once famously said " Marketing is easy to understand and difficult to practice ". The concepts of marketing are no rocket science and hence we can see those concepts being casually treated.Marketing practitioners know the difficulties in cracking the marketing code and making the product successful in the market. It may be the simplicity of marketing concepts that make marketers to defy common sense and make marketing mistaks.

The same casual treatment of branding is visible in the case of branding of Manza and the brand is now investing heavily in undoing the mistake done in the past. Manza was launched as a sub-brand of Indigo in 2009. The Indigo Manza was the premium variant of the popular entry-level sedan brand Indigo. 

Indigo Manza was an effort of  Tata Motors for breaking Indigo from the perception of a Cab Car. Since Indigo was one of the most value for money diesel car in India, it was popular as a cab. Indigo Manza was styled differently and sported the state-of -the art engine from Fiat. 

Indigo Manza was positioned along the same lines of Tata Indigo. Indigo was positioned as a luxury + VFM brand and had sported the tagline " Spoil Yourself ". Indigo Manza had the tagline " Indulge in Style " . 

The brand was positioned as a stylish luxurious car and as usual Tata Motors added lot of goodies to the product to make it worth the price paid for. Another big leap for Manza was the engine. Tata Motors used the tested Fiat engines into the Manza and concentrated more on the style and product packaging . The variant was heavily promoted across the media.

Watch the TVC here : Indigo Manza

Interestingly the confusion regarding the brand started in early 2011. Tata Motors made that significant strategic decision to disassociate  Manza from Indigo. The company decided to make Manza an independent brand and dropped the Indigo endorsement from all communication. Indigo Manza became Tata Manza. Along with the decision came  the launch of Manza Elan which is the premium hatchback variant of Manza.In its independent avatar, Manza did not change the core brand DNA of luxury. Manza reinforced its " Luxury " positioning with the new tagline " A Class Apart ". 

Manza is now investing heavily in creating an independent image for Manza and also moving away from Indigo. Interestingly Indigo is now more associated with its Compact Sedan variant Indigo CS and has left the luxury + VFM positioning to Manza.

The important question here is why didn't Tata Motors think about Manza as an independent brand at the time of its launch itself. Why did the brand spend hell lot of money to promote itself as Indigo Manza for more than two years and then decide to go independent. 

Was it not a bad decision to launch Manza as a sub-brand of Indigo ? What may have prevented Tata Motors to hesitate from creating a new premium brand rather than trying to extend a VFM brand to premium segment.

It is this dilemma that makes marketing decisions difficult.One argument can be that the company wanted to establish Manza in the market first and then gradually make it independent.  My personal opinion is that Tata Motors did a branding mistake in launching Manza as a sub-brand of Indigo. Its common sense that it is always better to launch a new premium brand rather than extend a VFM brand to premium segment using a variant. The decision to sub-brand Manza also shows a lack of long-term strategic thinking on the Tata Motors part regarding the brand porfolio decisions. The company is little confused about how Indica, Indica Vista, Indigo, Manza are to be managed. There was a recent report which suggest that Vista will be disassociated from Indica and launched as a standalone brand. 

One of the reasons for disassociating Manza from Indigo is the threat from the launch of Toyota Etios. Etios  is being offered at a terrific price point and is a direct threat to Indigo's position in the market especially at the premium end . Tata Motors feel that potential Indigo Manza owners will move to Etios because of brand equity of Toyota. Indigo Manza may not be capable to fight Etios because of the baggage of Indigo association. That can be one of the reasons for such a decision.

It is easy to criticize the branding decisions as an observer because the brand managers are bound by lot of internal pressures which force them to take these kind of decisions. 

Regarding Manza, the road ahead is not going to be easy because the association with Indigo is still strong. It will take a lot of money to erase or at best reduce the level of association between Indigo and Manza. 

Ideally the brand owners should have charted the vision for every brand in their portfolio before launching to the public. This creating of brand vision is of extreme importance and should be undertaken for every variants and sub-brands. It should be this vision that will guide the brand's path to future and protect it from the short-term thinking of individuals. 

Related brand

Tata Indigo

FINALLY - MNS Portugal is born!

After hours and hours of work I have finally got my 5 new soaps up on line.  They have a category all to themselves because I think they are rather special.  NMS PORTUGAL is the link to the results of a lot of hard work.  As you all know, I love Portugal, its a real inspiration to me and has been, in my soap making, ever since I started, thanks to my good friend and fellow soap maker Shelly.  I have been bleating on about producing a range of soaps that reflect my love for the place and using as many ingredients I can source there as possible.  So, here they are - I hope you like them.

SALGADO AZUL (Salty Blue Spa Bar) The perfect soap for washing away malaise & irritability, especially when its cold and grey outside.  If you are a SADS sufferer, as Im sure I am!, this will really help.  Use this fantastic sea salt spa bar, emerge from your shower or bath a little lighter and feeling clean, clear, fresh and renewed.  This is the first soap I created in the range and is already a top seller for Naturally Made Soaps.

AZEITE PURO (Pure Olive Oil Castile) is fast becoming my absolute favorite soap EVER!  I love it.  Its just so creamy, bubbly, silky and smooth, I have never used soap like it.  Often olive oil soaps can feel a bit slimy on the skin and, although they are lovely and moisturising, people can find this a bit off putting.  My version of Castile soap is very different, this is almost the bubbliest soap I have ever made and yet it still leaves you feeling you have showered with a pot of moisturising lotion not soap.  Total luxury and I haven't even mentioned the scent, its Geranium with a touch of Bergamot - really soothing and peaceful, suitable for both men and women.

FLORESTA VERDE (Green Forest) A little bit woodsy, a little bit herbal, a little bit floral and a little bit piney - all these fragrances in one.  Honestly, this soap is so fresh, It's designed to make you think of a walk in a cool, green forest, on a hot summer day when the sun beats down and melts the pine sap and heats the forest floor.  At the same time you will also think of taking a plunge into a cooling forest pool - check it out!

 

CITRINO (Sunny Citrus) Dreamy Tangerine, Sweet Orange Oil and sparkling, juicy Grapefruit, one of my most captivating scents ever.  Wherever you go in Northern Portugal, unless its deep in the frosty valleys, citrus fruit trees are everywhere and there is no better time to see them than in the winter, dripping with ripe, juicy oranges and lemons, yet at the same time covered in the sweetly scented, waxy, white blossoms that will make the fruit for the next year - Magical.  Get your own hug from the sun!

MEL CREMOSO (Honey & Cream) So sweet, so full of honey, sugar and cream, a pudding lovers dream.  That's where the inspiration came for this soap.  The Portuguese just love puddings, the creamier the better, preferably full of honey and eggs too.  The warm, creamy vanilla and honey scent of this soap will, I hope, make you feel warm and cozy and the geometric shaped sides will give you the feeling that you are showering with your own slice of honeycombe.  This soap is topped with glittering sugar crystals and gold for that extra special Bollywood feel!


So now that you have been introduced to all 5 I hope that you will click on the links and find out more about each one.  I have also included a paragraph or two and some personal photos that show why I have been so inspired by this wonderful country, its natural and geographical bounty, food and countryside.  Each soap comes from two very special places - Portugal and my heart.


I really would love to know what you think about this collection, it means so much to me, I really hope you can see and feel that too XX

Ultra-Moisturizing Hand and Body Cream

A product for moisturizing your hands, hand cream, so that your hands are always moist, not dry or chapped. Some women experience skin because it does not match harsh detergents, heat or air is no longer a young age, because of water content in the body is much reduced.

Similarly, if too old to work the room is air-conditioned, will quickly become wrinkled skin. Choose the appropriate moisturizing with skin type and condition your hands, if necessary visit and consult a dermatologist what the complaint, to be immediately addressed.

Brand Update : RIP Ford Ikon ( 1999-2011)

One of the best selling  car brands from Ford is being laid to rest this year. Ford has officially confirmed that the brand will be discontinued this year. Ford has cited the following reasons for the decision to pull the plug on Ford Ikon. The company wants to introduce new cars based on its global platform. Ford Ikon although was derived from earlier models of Fiesta is a car built for India. Hence no other models can come out of its platform. Now globally car markers are looking for making common platforms from which multiple car models can be built. 

Another reason perhaps may be that Ford think that Ikon has become old. The brand has been in the market for the last 12 years and consumers have seen lot of Ikon. Hence this familiarity may prevent further freshness/excitement about the brand.It is my assumption that the brand may not be able to fit into the Bharat Stage V emission norms. 

News reports also say that Ford is contemplating on bringing the Fiesta to the Ikon price band and then introduce another Fiesta variant - Fiesta Sedan at the premium end. 

So Ford Ikon is Dead.

The question is whether killing Ikon is a good marketing strategy or not. 

Theoretically every product moves through a lifecycle and eventually die. But there are brands which has been thriving for decades and still is fresh and alive. So in a branding perspective, only products die and brands live forever. Hence killing a popular young dashing brand Ikon may not be a good idea. And bringing Fiesta to take the place of Ikon also seems to be confusing brand strategy.

Ikon was a neglected brand in the Ford portfolio ever since the launch of Fiesta. In my earlier update on the brand, I had mentioned that the brand was not promoted or energized. In 2009, Ford made some cosmetic changes on Ikon and sort of relaunched it. But a very random non-systematic investment on brand will not yield results. Ikon should have been consistently promoted and nurtured. Ford did not do that and then complaining about the legacy  is just an excuse. Brands will survive above product lifecycle only through regular investment on promotion and innovation. Then even if products die, the brand will reinvent itself under new products. Here I am making a distinction between Brand and Product. 

Ford is now rejoicing in the new found success of Figo. The company seems to have identified the right product strategy and wants to capitalize on that by bringing in more globally compatible products like Figo. Ikon thus does not fit into the new found product strategy of Ford. 

The death of Ikon is opening up a vacant spot in the car market. The segment of a sporty sedan is now open and up for grabs but only for those who have willingness to invest for the longterm.

So RIP Ford Ikon, we miss you.

Related Brand

Ford Ikon

An Update Of Sorts - An Update!

In case you were wondering why we haven't done a podcast in a while, here's what's been taking up all my time recently:

Geek A Week Trading Cards A Reality

IM SO EXCITED..... Ive got a new workshop!

Yes, really, I have been waiting so long for this moment.  I am incredibly lucky, my fab boyfriend, who has always been supportive of Naturally Made Soaps from the very beginning, could see how difficult it was getting for me to run the business from my garden workshop.  So he has given me his precious garage!, can you believe it?  You know about men and their sheds, well this garage has been his sanctuary/shed/workshop for as long as he has lived in his house (over 15 years).

 

The Europa just after it passed its flying tests - it took Rik almost 5 years to build

It used to be his escape from noisy, loud kids when I moved in 6 years ago with my two, where he tinkered with engine things and where, most importantly, he built the Europa.  So to give it up for soap is amazing and I feel truly lucky and grateful.

Its still got a way to go, I still have to get Rik to move quite a lot of stuff out, we have swapped workshops, so he now has to squeeze into my old one.  I need to put up more shelves and I need more curing racks but its already so much better and easier to work in.

Above is a close up of my new work bench which is over 3m long.  I am putting shelves up above eventually to house all my utensils, cutters and pots & pans.  To the left is my cooking and preparation area with a new double gas burner and microwave, to the right is my packing area which still needs sorting out.

This is the view from the other angle, left is my prep bench and to the end (by the door) is my packing area.  The door is set into new insulated walls and opens out onto the end of the garage which enables me to load up my car for markets in double time.

Market storage right down at the end by the new door, tables, boxes of wrapped soaps, shelves, signs and by display trugs hanging from the roof.  Then the raw materials storage area and lastly my curing racks which I hope to double soon.

It still seems very strange to come into this room, turn on the lights and get working.  This room was always the aircraft hanger and mans territory, now it smells really lovely as soon as you walk in and is a pleasure to work in.  No more tripping over clutter (well still a bit but that will go soon), no more knocking things over, piling stuff up and generally feeling very cramped.  I now have enough space to think about all sorts of other things such as courses, wholesale and best of all - experimenting with new soap ideas

BRING IT ON!

Let me know what you think, if you have any pictures of your workshop or ideas on how I could make mine better let me know, I could start a new photo library on this blog for all to see!

Brand Update : Dyna gets a new brand ambassador

The Dyna brand of soap from the Anchor Group of Companies has got a new brand ambassador- Ms Sonakshi Sinha . Ms Sonakshi is an upcoming Bollywood actress who made debut in the hit film Dabaang. Ms Sonakshi is the daughter of yesteryear's actor Shatrughan Sinha. 

Dyna had captured consumer's attention with its high profile campaign featuring the brand ambassador Katrina Kaif. Dyna roped in Katrina at her early stages of acting career. Katrina Kaif  went on to become a very popular star in recent years and the brand benefited a lot through the association. Now Katrina has moved along to endorse Lux.

In my post on Dyna, I had commented on the over reliance of Dyna on the brand ambassador. On hindsight, Dyna infact benefited through this heavy dependence of the celebrity over the last few years. Now the brand face the challenge of maintaining the momentum after losing its priced celebrity.

Dyna is now trying to replicate its success with Katrina by roping in Sonakshi Sinha. Sonakshi is in her early stages of acting career and Dyna hopes that she will become successful as her predecessor and the brand thus benefit through the association.

In one way, such a strategy makes sense. Rope in talented upcoming actress and ride on the potential success. If the actress becomes a star, the brand benefit and if not then the brand can move on in search of another potential actress. The cost of acquiring these celebrities will be less since they are in the early stages of their career. There will also be exclusivity since not many brands will be after these new comers. So both the brand and celebrity benefits through this association.
Watch the ad here : Dyna Soap 

Dyna is also retaining its positioning based on the product properties like - No Filling, 76% TFM and Grade 1Soap. The brand is based on the promise that it will be soft on skin since it contains more TFM than the competitors. The positioning is more appealing to a rational mind.

One of the key areas where Dyna may have to focus is the distribution part. In my city, I hardly notice the brand in shops and supermarkets. The POP visibility is also poor. Guess that the brand is currently focusing on Northern Markets as of now. 

Dyna retains its tagline " Be a Lady " . I still feel that the brand need to rethink its tagline and get some meaningful creative tagline that reflects the brand's true promise .

Related Brand

 Dyna

Bacon Alarm Clock

If you are like me then you are sick and tired of not being able to eat bacon the instant you wake up in the morning. Sure, it's nice to keep a little bacon in your night stand for those early morning cravings, but it's not fresh. But worry no more friends, there is a solution. Wake n’ Bacon not only gets you up but also cooks you breakfast in bed.
The clock turns on 10 minutes before you are due

Online Art Classes - Show Of Hands

Last week, I tweeted about the possibility of me doing an online Pay-Per-View art class. In the interest of full disclosure, I got the idea from internet musician and friend, Mike Lombardo who is doing something similar with online music lessons. (Thanks Mike!)

So, in order for me to get a handle on how much real interest there is in me teaching online art classes, I am soliciting some responses from you. If you are interested in doing a Pay Per View art class with me as your teacher, send me an e-mail at artclass AT lenperalta dot com. Make sure you use the Subject Line: PPV Online Art Class. When I figure there are enough people interested, I'll make another announcement and give you all the details. For time being, the age limit would be 18 and over. If there is enough interest for a kids class, then I'll give it some thought and offer that in the future.

Also, rather than put up a survey, and because I want to elicit some back and forth response on this endeavor, feel free to write in the comments of this post what kinds of things you'd want to learn, what techniques you think would be interesting to cover and if you'd want to do all digital illustration. Because of technical limitations, it might just be digital illustration, but I guess it all depends.

Thanks for your input and I look forward to (perhaps) being your online art teacher!

Casa Batllo in Barcelona

Casa Batllo is a building in Barcelona, Spain, that the famous architect Antonio Gaudi was commissioned to refurbish by the owner, Josep Batllo.
It seems that the goal of Ballto was to avoid straight lines completely. It is also said that the home is meant to represent Saint George battling a dragon.  Much of the façade is decorated with a mosaic made of broken ceramic tiles (trencadís) that

An Update Of Sorts

This is just a post to say that we know we haven't done a show in a while, and we apologize. But when you see what I've been working on in the off-time, you'll understand why we've had no time to pull together a show.

Stay tuned. Something awesome is coming next week!

BTW, you can still purchase the art prints that are listed on the main page of the site. Current numbers are reflected and I'll update as they sell.

That's it for now!

Very sneak preview of my new Portugal range

Yup, last two soaps came out of the molds today and I am very happy, they are great, really worth all the effort thinking about them, how I wanted them to look and how the hell I was going to achieve this - not easy!

The range is my attempt to recreate the Portugal feeling and why I love the place so much, I am also hoping it will help with my new wholesale in Europe venture.

Our house from the big rock

This is the inspiration in colours for FLORESTA VERDE (Green Forest)

FLORESTA VERDE - Top before cutting into bars

Then the second one that was unveiled today is my attempt to pay homage to the Portuguese love of everything sweet, puddings, cream, honey and sugar.  I think I am calling this one MEL CREMOSO (Honey & Cream).  Its sweet and honey scented and (I think) very pretty.

MEL CREMOSO

Anyway, more photos and proper explanations to follow, I just wanted to share these with you today.  Do let me know what you think of them.

Mediker : Sunday To Sunday

Brand : Mediker
Company : Marico Industries Ltd
Ad Agency : BBH Communications

Brand Analysis Count : 472

Mediker is a specialist brand from Marico. This brand is a classic example of a Niche brand . Mediker is a brand with a 3 decade old history. The brand was originally from Proctor & Gamble and in 1999 Marico bought the brand for a consideration of 10 crore. 

Mediker is an Anti-Lice shampoo. The brand is a leader in this niche with a market share of almost 100%.

Lice is a irritating problem for most of the homes where there is a girl aged 5-12. According to a research conducted by the brand, 23% of urban households are facing the issue of lice. The problem is more grave in the Southern part of India due to heat and humidity. Around 82% of school going girls suffer from lice in metros and large cities. 

Having infected with lice is not only a health issue but a social one also. The girl suffers not only from irritation but in some cases ridicule and isolation. Parents relate lice with unhygienic and instruct their wards to keep away from kids who suffer from lice. 

Mediker in a way is a boon for those who suffer from this irritant.  The brand has a powerful equity and recall among consumers. The brand then was faced with a unique perception problem. The initial ads of Mediker was solely focused on the effectiveness of the product. The ads had the visuals of kids getting irritated with lice attack and mother then uses Mediker shampoo and when she combs the hair, lice just falls off. The ads gave an impression that Mediker kills the lice and hence can cause harm to the hair.The fact is that Mediker makes the lice unconscious and thus combing causes the lice to fall off.

Since Mediker did not have a brand /category competition, the only competition it had was from the lice comb. Lice comb was the preferred first option for the consumers. But lice comb was painful for the kids and often caused damage to hair and scalp. The effectiveness of the comb was also limited. Hence the focus of Mediker was more on showing the effectiveness and painless feature and ads were geared to communicate those benefits to the consumers. 

The brand owners did not gave much attention to this perception issue and ads were reinforcing the effectiveness of the product along with that the perception of a harsh product. Mediker was perceived to be a harsh product and mothers tend to use the product only as a last resort. This perception severely limited the usage of the product and hence the category size was small.

One of first task of Marico after acquiring the brand was to make good the perception of Mediker. The brand was re-launched in 2001 as a gentle solution for lice attack. The brand was trying to become the first choice for consumers faced with the problem of lice . 

Mediker was always sold at a premium. Since this is a specialist product the product was priced more than the ordinary shampoo brands.

In 2003-2004, the brand went for an extension into hair oils. Mediker launched Mediker Plus hair oil which was an attempt aimed at increasing the category size and also bridge the price gap. Hair oil was priced below the shampoo and was more gentle compared to the shampoo ( perception). 

The brand also went in for a packaging change with green bottle giving way to sky blue colored bottle with a fairy on the label to denote the " gentle " promise. 

2010 saw another brand relaunch for Mediker. The brand has been made more Natural and the hair oil extension has also been relaunched. The ads featuring the South Indian film star Shobana was also on air to announce the relaunch. 

Mediker's communication was consistent over its life cycle. The brand initially had to educate the consumers on the usage since Mediker was more like a treatment than hair-care. The shampoo had to be used for 4 consecutive sundays inorder to break the life-cycle of lice. To help consumer remember the usage, the brand owners used the famous " Sunday to Sunday " tagline for Mediker. The tagline is still remembered by the consumers.

Now the brand has moved to a more emotional /social platform for positioning. The brand is directly addressing the mother's concern about the child's interaction with others and the worry of getting infected by lice. The brand now tell mothers to let her child socialize without worrying about lice.
Watch an ad here : Mediker

The brand by nature is niche. There is no use in trying to increase the brand size by diluting its specialist status. The only possible way for the brand to increase its size is to make the category bigger. Since lice attack is a perennial problem, the brand should be able to position itself as a preferred solution ( first choice) . Now it is considered to be the last resort even after repeated attempt by the brand to change that perception. 

Mothers are very caring especially with personal care products for their children. My 6 year old daughter uses Johnson & Johnson shampoo on her hair. Now replacing that with Mediker should demand some real problem ! 

For Mediker, focusing more on gentle means diluting the effectiveness ! so this decision is a real dilemma for the brand manager. The change in perception will take time and Mediker is on the right track in handling the issue. It had roped in a celebrity and also put a " Natural " tag to it which will make the brand look more gentle. The brand is also conducting lot of below-the-line (BTL) activities to spread awareness about anti-lice treatment and solutions in schools and townships. The brand should put in more investment on celebrity mothers  and make the packaging more gentle and attractive ( to kids) to change the perception of a tough product. 

Checkmate TV Guide, Check and Mate

Source

Lipsticks Tea Rose Paris Fig Indian Pink

Is the spreader lip, available in 4 color options that will help you to look beautiful, glamorous and exciting. Attention will be drawn to the color of your lips soft and charming. Pink, colors that can be used by all ages, girls girls, young mothers or mothers who work. Brush thoroughly at your lips and blend it with special brushes lipstick, then see what happens with your lips ....... beautiful. Contains moisturizers and vitamins, but does not give effect to the glow on the lips, because not all women like the type of shiny lipstick ....

20 Super Sidecars

Sidecars are often attached to motorcycles so that the rider can carry a passanger. Sometimes they look just like the bike. Sometimes they are very utilitarian. Sometimes your mom connects your stroller to the side of her motorcycle with a pair of bungie cords and no helmet. And sometimes they are really cool looking, here are 20 such sidecars.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

VALENTINE - Whats in it really?

And yes!  I am finally back in the land of the living, back from Portugal for what seems like my whole lifetime already but is only since 13th January and I have been soooo bad at keeping in touch.  I do have an excuse, I have been making so much soap as I was almost totally out of stock after Christmas and I really mean down to the last bar or so!  Anyway things are leveling out now so I feel a little more in charge....  Well maybe!

I agree with one of my favourite blogs, Learn Vest (making smart women smarter) http://www.learnvest.com/ they say.....

"We have a love-hate relationship with Valentine’s Day. We’re not a fan of commercially constructed holidays that contribute to needless spending and consumption; on the other hand, we can’t argue with an opportunity to tell our loved ones how we feel about them. Love is better than money, after all.
To that end, this Valentine’s Day, we suggest forgoing the random gifts that contribute to clutter, and bringing the holiday back to what it’s all about: the message of “I Love You” (and its variations). We hearken back to the handcrafted valentines that appeared inside our desks in elementary school to tell us someone cared about us–and found some grown-up versions.
Here are some unique, creative ways to send an I-love-you-gram, from an old school mix tape to something sweet to love gone bad."

Nice, my sentiments exactly, so what I am going to try and do is give you a couple of ideas of how to make your own, cheap but not 'CHEAP' Valentines.  Remember how great it felt to bring your Mum and Dad back that weird, slightly wonky and drippy first birthday card from school?  I really remember the cards and stuff my kids brought back to me, and I still have them ALL and treasure them ALL.  Why do we do that?  because it means something to us.  So, give up those commercial made cards, shop bought, hothouse flowers (that will last a disappointing 24hrs - if you are lucky) and give your loved one something that your have made/thought about/planned - you don't need to be an artist or crafts person - just look at the first suggestion....ITS SO EASY

SEND HIM/HER A CANDY GRAM or in English a sweetie special

Recapture the middle-school-dance-team-fundraiser spirit by sending this. Choose from a variety of candies--and let him know he's a Tootsie Pop, SweetHeart, or that you've hit Pay Day.

This is actually what I am going to do - Rik, my partner, loves chocolate, way more than I do, so (I hope he is not reading this) I am going to get a 3 stack of Cadburys big choc bars, Milk, Whole nut and Fruit and nut, wrap them with a huge pink bow and a label like the one in the photo.

BOYFRIEND KEEPER

Oh, oh, oh, I think this is sooo fab, unfortunately NOT available in the UK yet but when I read what it can do I just thought, I want it now.  Rik is a grumpy old man and if I bombarded him with the texts this thing can do all day, until Valentines day - he just could not fail to forget!!  soooo sad its not available here.  Anyway this is what it does

Expend-Zero-Effort-Gram.

Call it the Cyrano de Bergerac of cell phones: If you're busy or just plain lazy, the boyfriend keeper iPhone app automatically generates and sends emails and texts to your beau. You enter in basic info such as how long you’ve been together, how serious your relationship is, how often you’d like to communicate, even what color your partner’s eyes are. The app sends pre-made messages on a regular basis, like: “Do you know we have been dating for 132 days and 7 hours?” To be fair: there’s a Girlfriend keeper out there, too - but only USA of course!!!!

Next is one of my most favorite craft/ideas sites Tipnut I really love them,  I subscribe and get regular ideas for crazy things that really fulfill my creative desires, if you are interested in crafts and really nice projects its well worth it.  so my Tipnut faves
 - take a look at these Vintage Valentine downloads lots of fab ideas for making your own, very simple cards.

Another idea - and I have done this.  Get an empty CD plastic cover.  back it with a lovely paper/fabric/print and then stuff it full with love heart sweets

Take the sweets out of the wrapper and arrange them on top of the paper/fabric/print backing, with the love message facing upwards.  I then clipped the CD cover closed and stuck it up firmly with super glue.  I glued a 'V' shaped piece of card on the back so it could be displayed like a photo frame and 'Bobs your uncle' A fantastic, bespoke card for your loved one that lasts and lasts (my man still has his on his desktop after 8 - 'YES 8' - years).

HOW TO MAKE CUSTOM ART FROM YOUR OWN FINGERPRINTS

This is a truly lovely simple project, go on have a look Fingerprints

 

HMMMM LOVELY CUPCAKE/COOKIE TREATS TO TRY
Again, OK this is American but the recipe sounds so delicious and the pictures (with Smarties on!!) I cant resist.....
Go to Cookie recipe

When a cookie is jam packed with chocolate chips, I’ll surely grab a few to munch on. But when a cookie is dissected into little bites, I’m less likely to eat more than one. Instead, I savor the individual flavors of a single cookie cup throughout the day. An M&M here, a bite there … it’s a slow process that helps me limit my sugar intake.

Form a ball of cookie dough in your hand, a little bigger than a ping pong ball and flatten it like a pancake. Press the dough into a standard sized, greased cupcake pan and mold the dough to the inside of the cup leaving a depression in the center.
Bake at 365 degrees F for about 15 minutes, until the center of the cookie is set.

 WELL -HOW ABOUT SOAP?

I hear you ask, I have many solutions for the Valentine season but here are the best..

FOR WOMEN

vintage rose
Another romantic, bubbly soap bar in a vintage style.  This soap is set to become classic, and is now a real favorite with everyone who uses it.  Made with whole Devonshire fresh goats milk with lots of Cocoa and Shea butter it really will leave your skin feeling fantastic.  Lightly perfumed with a pretty floral fragrance oil this soap, with its tiny rose buds on the top, it is the perfect gift, good enough to give to anyone, they will love you forever!  Now even better as is totally palm oil free.
A beautiful and romantic treat for all, delicately perfumed with rose fragrance oil, this is one of the most evocative scents of an English garden in summer.

For Men

BRIDGE INN BEER BAR

Yes really! this beautiful bar of soap is made in celebration of the Bridge Inn, Topsham (our favourite pub and probably the best pub in the world) with real ale stout added and 78% cocoa chocolate and cocoa butter it is scented with black Cardamom and is simply lovely.  I am told by my son who won't use anything else, it makes a fantastic shaving soap.  One of my best selling soaps, once you try this you wont go back to anything else - and that's a promise!

So if you feel like getting a great Valentine go to Naturally Made Soaps and get the best that soap can give........  or try the other cool links I have added here.  Go on, Valentines should be about how you really feel not how a stupid card manufacturer thinks you should feel.  

Let me know how you get on please?  Did you try any of the above or get inspired?  I really would love to know.

Marketing Strategy : Flexible or Focused ?

While discussing the components of an effective marketing strategy, marketers often is in two minds about the overall direction of their strategy. Should the marketing strategy be flexible or focused?- this is the critical question that marketers should address while preparing their strategic plan. 

Flexibility in marketing strategy refers to the ability of the firm to adapt their marketing response to the changing environment. Marketing strategy should address the critical issues of (a) response to competitor’s actions (b) response to changing consumer trends (c) response to changing market environment (d) response to changes in technology (e) decisions regarding the entry and exit. Businesses operate in a dynamic environment which is witnessing changes every day. More than ever before, marketers are witnessing disruptive innovations which are changing the consumer behaviour frequently.

Focus in marketing strategy refers to the firm’s ability to consistently explore the depth of the various elements of the strategy. It involves a continuous and in-depth focus on (a) consumer and their behaviour (b) core strength of the firm (c) market in which the firm operates (d) enhancing the depth of marketing mix elements (e) investment in product development (f) investment in product promotion  etc. Marketers now are faced with global competition. Geographical boundaries are now irrelevant as far as marketing is concerned. Indian products are now faced with competition from across the world. Hence is important for marketers to focus on their products and markets.   

When firms become too focused on their products and markets but not flexible, they risk the chance of getting into a state of immobility. This situation may lead to marketing myopia where the marketer becomes too focused on the product but failed to see the market moving in another direction. Focussed marketing strategy is ideal for mature markets where the chances of disruptions are limited.

When firms become too flexible in their marketing strategy, it may lead to a state of disorder and confusion. The firm sees many opportunities and will enter various markets without realizing their competence. This can lead to unnecessary wastage of vital resources and may lead to a financial crunch. Marketing strategies should be highly flexible in those markets which are emerging. In such a market, it will be difficult for marketers to focus because the directions are not visible yet. In such situations, marketing should be flexible enough to embrace any viable opportunities.

When firm’s marketing strategy lack focus and flexibility, it fails in what ever it does. The company thus will not be able to make an impact in any market it enters (because of lack of focus) and also will not be able to respond to changing market dynamics (due to lack of flexibility).

The ideal situation is where firm is able to have both focus and flexibility in their marketing strategies. This may sound impractical but it is not. While focusing on consumers and markets, it is possible for firms to be flexible in their response to changing market environment and competitive actions.

Professor Thomas Kosnik in the book Marketing Management : Text & Cases (Richard D Irwin,Homewood IL,1990) uses the term “Perennial Renaissance “for a flexible and focused marketing strategy. When a firm adopts a flexible yet focused marketing strategy, it is able to fight the competition and at the same time maintain a steady focus on what it is currently doing.

Take the example of Google. While Google tries to make its search engine better, it is constantly innovating and flexible in grabbing new opportunities and challenges as an when it emerges. Gillette is another example of a company that constantly innovates at the same time is very much focused on its current markets.

It is not easy to make a flexible -focused marketing strategy framework. The first task for the marketers is to build this concept into the culture. Flexibility and focus has to be built into the organisational culture. For example, it is very difficult for a bureaucratic organization to practice flexibility in their marketing practices.  Firms need to empower their managers to decide and act fast if they want to practice flexibility. At the same time, managers should establish discipline and process orientation if they want to embrace focus into their marketing strategies.

Another factor which managers should consider is to shift their attention from Products to Consumers. Companies can practice flexibility by focusing on consumers rather than getting stuck with their products. Consumers constantly look for new ways of satisfying their wants. By keeping a close tab on the consumers will enable firms to respond to changing trends faster.

It is also vital for organisations to plan for the long-term. When brands are managed for quarterly results, focus and flexibility gives way to short – term spike in sales. Managers should keep the long term objectives in mind (Focus) but keep their plans tuned according to consumer needs and wants (Flexibility).

Companies also should invest in innovations. Firms cannot aspire to be flexible if they did not innovate. Continuous innovations in terms of product and marketing strategies will raise the stature of the organisation in the market.

Originally published in adclubbombay.com

15 Bodacious Backpacks

Whether people use them to carry books, pens and paper, or dead squirrels and used bandaids (middle school was a crazy time), backpacks are very handy. They can be pretty plain and unassuming, but they can also be pretty cool. Here 15 are such backpacks:

A rosy cheeks bag.
Perfect for basketball players.A leather dragon.Real douche bags blast their Nickelback for everyone to hear.Dead Gemlin