Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 26

Art - Essay Example The man is shown standing naked, covered by only a piece of cloth that is wrapped around his private part, with the end of the cloth anchored to his left arm. He holds a staff on his left hand and a vvfukupolk on right hand. The image reflects the Roman culture shown through the man’s way of dressing. The man is portrayed standing on a branch where an eagle sits, looking toward him. Most of the lines used are curved to trace the natural lines and curves of the images. For instance, the rod and the branch are made up of straight lines that follow the thickness of the subjects in proportion to the other figures. With the material used, the lines are long and continuous, giving details to the shapes of the subjects. However, the artist also used short lines to define the shoulder, chest, rib and abdominal parts of the man. Short, curved lines are used on the feather parts of the bird as well as the cloth wrapped around the man. The clothing and the bird are created in a manner th at they show seemingly real three-dimensional features that make the images look like they have rough textures. However, since the material used to create the images is sardonyx, the images are actually smooth. The artwork has a dark background that creates no sense of depth for the picture. Aside from the dark hue, the artist also used the natural color of sardonyx and bronze-like color for some parts of the bird’s feather and the cloth which is emphasized by the color of the frame that is made from gold, enamel and pearls. Another artwork in the exhibit is the â€Å"Bust of Silenius† which is a three-dimensional sculpture showing the head and chest parts of a man whose one breast is uncovered. The artwork is made from bronze and it definitely shows some historical information during the time of its creation just like the artwork discussed above. Contrary to the portrayal of the emperor, Silenius looks like an aged and stout

Noteworthy Features of United Arab Emirates Research Paper - 1

Noteworthy Features of United Arab Emirates - Research Paper Example It is a vibrant civil society. The study also explores that folklore; education and sports play a vital role in society. UAE Architecture is an example of the combination of traditional and modern design. UAE society has built a new culture that is an example for different countries of the world. This new culture shows how a nonhomogeneous society builds a prosperous and rich country. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a diverse and multicultural society. It is home to different ethnic groups from different parts of the world. This article is about the important features of UAE society and culture. The article first gives a brief description of the concept of society and culture. Then it discusses the features of UAE society and culture thru this concept. The fundamental element of a society is a human being, an individual. A large number of individuals who live in a geographical area and share (â€Å"The cultural concept†) certain laws, customs, beliefs, norms, languages build a society. The individuals of a society may come from one ethnic group or diverse ethnic groups. If society consists of a diverse ethnic group of people, then the members of the society share different customs, beliefs, norms, and languages. The UAE society consists of diverse ethnic groups. How to define the culture of a society? There is no formal interpretation of culture. There ar e many understandings of the concept of culture. Some understanding of culture (â€Å"Culture and People†) relates to objects like music, art, food, and literature of a group of people. Edward B. Taylor (â€Å"What is culture†), an English Anthropologist, described culture as the behavior of the members of the society. Thru knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and habits members of the society express their behavior. According to Merriam Webster dictionary (â€Å"Culture†) culture is a set of customary beliefs, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.  

Prejudice at the Work Place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Prejudice at the Work Place - Essay Example Prejudice mainly comes because of comments that discriminate against sex, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender. Prejudice at the work place is exhibited in a number of ways. An employee may be uncomfortable with a fellow employee, or the employee may be skeptical about the ability of his colleague. The provision or sharing of resources also shows how the work place can be discriminative.One way of reducing prejudice at the workplace is to speak out against ills meted out against a fellow workmate; this is the surest way to ensure there is smooth running of the work place. Silence is often taken as consent to the discriminative acts of employees against their colleagues; therefore, it is important that all employees take it upon themselves to put a stop to acts or conversations that might be construed as prejudicial to others.Intensive reading helps in reducing prejudice in the work place that may be hurtful to persons or destructive in the productivity of hu man resource. Therefore, it is important that all employees take it upon themselves to find information that will promote easy understanding of the different demographic aspects of everyone. This is made easier because authors write books from different backgrounds, thus enabling the reader to appreciate the culture and norms of everyone. Another way of reducing prejudice at the work place is to seek and consider opinions or viewpoints that may differ from what you hold

Noteworthy Features of United Arab Emirates Research Paper - 1

Noteworthy Features of United Arab Emirates - Research Paper Example It is a vibrant civil society. The study also explores that folklore; education and sports play a vital role in society. UAE Architecture is an example of the combination of traditional and modern design. UAE society has built a new culture that is an example for different countries of the world. This new culture shows how a nonhomogeneous society builds a prosperous and rich country. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a diverse and multicultural society. It is home to different ethnic groups from different parts of the world. This article is about the important features of UAE society and culture. The article first gives a brief description of the concept of society and culture. Then it discusses the features of UAE society and culture thru this concept. The fundamental element of a society is a human being, an individual. A large number of individuals who live in a geographical area and share (â€Å"The cultural concept†) certain laws, customs, beliefs, norms, languages build a society. The individuals of a society may come from one ethnic group or diverse ethnic groups. If society consists of a diverse ethnic group of people, then the members of the society share different customs, beliefs, norms, and languages. The UAE society consists of diverse ethnic groups. How to define the culture of a society? There is no formal interpretation of culture. There ar e many understandings of the concept of culture. Some understanding of culture (â€Å"Culture and People†) relates to objects like music, art, food, and literature of a group of people. Edward B. Taylor (â€Å"What is culture†), an English Anthropologist, described culture as the behavior of the members of the society. Thru knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom, and habits members of the society express their behavior. According to Merriam Webster dictionary (â€Å"Culture†) culture is a set of customary beliefs, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.  

Cross cultural communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cross cultural communication - Essay Example Cultural differences define the communication, attitude, behavior, decision making process and the leadership style. The impact of these cultural differences on the organization can be understood from the illustration that when a Japanese firm sends its executive to United States as head of operations that executive have to understand the cultural differences of the two countries. Japanese organizational culture can be termed as collectivism where group has priority over individual whereas US is characterized by Individualism. The individual comes before the group. Due to this difference attitude, behavior, motivation, reward and leadership style is altogether different in the two countries. The Japanese not only has to realize the importance of individual reward and individual contributions but also must recognize the potential conflict in individual and group roles in US. Toyota executives had to face these difficulties in acclimatizing to US culture (Griffin). Despite accelerated globalization organizations only managed to transcend boundaries but they were unable to operate beyond nationality. What we observe today is a wide range of cultural differences in work related values, attitudes and behavior. This requires an effective cross culture communication so that these cultural differences and workforce diversity can be utilized to maximize organizational benefits. Hofstede has identified five dimensions of cultural differences which influence organizations. They are namely individualism/collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, career success/quality of life and Confucian dynamism. Successful organizations explore these differences and take advantage of these differences (Nancy J Adler). Same is done by Toyota. There is huge difference in the organizational culture of the company in Japan and in America but they have managed it very successfully. At the macro level operations of the organization remains the same it is only at the micro level whe re the differences exists and they are exploited to the full advantage of the company. Cross cultural communication differences arise because communication style or preferences are deep rooted in our culture which we learn with experiences throughout our life. Our culture is so much inside us that we expect the whole world to look at it in the same way. Learning a foreign knowledge is not enough for cross cultural communication. Intercultural communication can be improved by developing an understanding of the following three factors. External and internal culture, high context and low context culture and the last is monochromic and polychromic time. Understanding of external culture can be very easily developed through history, politics etc. It is the internal culture which defines our attitudes, behavior and values that creates misunderstandings in most of the cross cultural encounters. This vast difference in the internal culture of the two societies i.e. Japan and USA is a source of many misunderstandings in the organization. Japan has a culture of respect and politeness and they expect the same in return whereas internal culture of USA is more direct, straightforward and frank. High context and low context cultures also define our communication styl

Bushido the soul of Japan Essay Example for Free

Bushido the soul of Japan Essay The book Bushido the soul of Japan presented the various aspects of the Japanese society when there was the emergence of close interaction between the western and eastern civilizations. In this essay, an attempt is made to discuss the major themes and significance of this book. Analysis Inazo Nitobe, the author of the book, Bushido the soul of Japan, intended to provide information regarding the basis of Japanese doctrines of knighthood to the western scholars. Perhaps his interaction with the western scholars must have inspired him to write a book, which discussed regarding the main features of the Japanese feudal society. This is not a huge book. The book, however, has ambitious motives in the sense that through this small book attempt is made by the author Nitobe to reveal the complete essence of Japanese culture to the western audience. However, it simplifies the basic features of Japanese culture to make it more comprehendible to the western audience. To achieve this objective, several examples are given from the eastern and western literature. Consequently, this book has attracted the attention of several western scholars who wished to learn about the cultural aspects of the Japanese society. This book attempts to explain the basic features of the Japanese culture for the western audience by the use of English language. This book has been translated into different languages such as German, Polish, Marathi, and Chinese. This fact indicates the popularity of this work among both western and eastern readers. In the following pages, we try to give the details regarding the information that we gather from this book. The author obtained the information regarding the martial code from the elders when he was young. During those days, the author avers that there still existed few features of feudalism. The book Bushido argues that among the variety of doctrines of the Japanese culture, the most important are the samurai ways of life. The book deals with an attempt to trace the traditional Japanese martial code, which is not preserved in a written mode; but it spread from one generation to the other through the oral means. This book tries to reveal the past and present status of this martial code, which has been safeguarded by the Japanese martial arts experts for several years. This book is very essential to comprehend the real soul of Japan. The book traces the origin of this martial code to the Buddhist and Confucian thinkers and practitioners of this martial code. The followers of Zen Buddhism and Shintoism who have discussed regarding this code in their writings also developed it. This book comprises different chapters which provide information regarding the principles and the various aspects such as the ethical system, sources of Bushido, justice, courage, benevolence, politeness, truthfulness, honor, duty of loyalty, training of samurai, self control, institutions of suicide and redress, the soul of samurai, influence of bushido, and the future of bushido. (Nitobe, 1908) The Japanese warrior was expected to follow certain ethical principles, which were the part of this martial code. This system has been compared with the western chivalry system. These ethical principles had great impact on the behaviour and activities of the Japanese warrior or Samurai. He possessed both his sword as well as the ethical principles, which can be considered, as his soul. In this respect, we can say that the title of the book is very apt because the book intends to reveal this soul of the Japanese warrior. The Japanese were given information regarding the various moral principles at an early age. One such principle is that they should demonstrate their obedience to the elders. These moral principles were advocated to improve the character of the people, which allowed the people to make distinction between the right and the wrong. Bushido existed during the feudal age in Japan where there existed differences between the elite warrior class and the ordinary people. Bushido provided few guidelines regarding the actions of the individuals and their attitudes towards others in the society. This moral code of Bushido gives great importance to the obligation or the duty of individuals towards other members in the society. Each individual was expected to perform his duties towards elders, superiors, and other members of the society. The young people were given instructions regarding the need to imbibe the spirit of courage and they were informed that the death caused due to courageous and right actions leads to obtaining honour in the society. An important principle of Bushido is that the people were expected to follow the principle of benevolence, which means that they were supposed to help other individuals. In fact, this principle was the basis of the feudal Japanese society. This work gave importance to the quality of politeness and sincerity among individuals. Through these qualities, it is possible to obtain the love and friendship of other individuals. This will lead to harmonious relationship between the various members of the society. Bushido gave extreme importance to honor. It was the duty of every warrior or samurai to protect his honor and reputation. The book criticized the act of lying, which was considered as a sign of weakness. It was not considered as an honorable act. The book also gives information regarding the life and activities of the samurais, who possessed the feudal characteristics. The main aim of the samurais was to serve their masters and to show obedience towards their lord. The training of the samurais consisted of various principles such as wisdom, benevolence, and courage. They were given training in different arts of warfare such as archery, horse riding, wrestling, sword warfare, etc. At very early age, the samurais were subjected to training in fighting. Importance was given to developing their character rather than intelligence. Bushido encouraged the development of the personality of the warriors. They were not supposed exhibit any weaknesses or other emotions which would harm their own character and those of their lord. Hence, the samurais were expected even to commit suicide in order to safeguard their and lord’s honor and reputation. Particularly when a samurai committed errors, they were expected to kill themselves. In fact, the work refers to the ceremonies where there was the suicide of the samurais. This act surprised many western observers. This was one system, which differentiated Bushido code from other martial codes. The Bushido code mentions that the most important companion of the warrior was the sword which can be considered as his soul and he was expected to carry the sword wherever he went as it’s use led to the happiness and misery of the warriors. Ceremonies were performed which gave the right to samurai to possess the sword. The sword was one symbol of samurai, which differentiated him from other individuals in the society. Both rights and duties were performed and enjoyed by the warrior class who lived in the feudal Japanese society. The book also gave specific information regarding the role of women in the feudal society. As the male members in the family sacrificed their lives for their overlords, the female members also sacrificed themselves for the male members like husband and sons. This represented the characteristics of a stereotype feudal society. Duty of loyalty towards the male members was the quality that was expected from the female members of the Japanese family. In the end, the author discussed regarding the relevance of the martial code for the modern Japanese society. The author agrees that the Japanese society has voluntarily accepted the forces of modernization and westernization. Yet, at the same time, one can see that the Japanese believe that Bushido or the martial code is the basic spirit that can be found in their heart. The Japanese in the modern context possessed great passion for this martial code, in the same way, as it was the guiding force during the pre-modern times. Thus, the author argues that Bushido has maintained the basic features of the Japanese culture through this martial code. (1908) Conclusion The book gives information concerning the perception of the author regarding the ethical principles of the martial code called Bushido. This book provided information regarding the features of the feudal society of Japan in the pre-modern times. However, the author suggests that these principles are relevant even in the modern context. The author argued that the Japanese military achievements in the modern period against its enemies like China were due to the martial codes such as Bushido. This meant that there is a need to encourage the modern generation to imbibe the principles, which would lead to the development of their personality and the personality of the Japanese society. Reference Nitobe, Inazo(1908). Bushido the Soul of Japan, 13th edition.

FMCG Market Analysis

FMCG Market Analysis EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. Penetration level as well as per capita consumption in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low indicating the untapped market potential. Burgeoning Indian population, particularly the middle class and the rural segments, presents an opportunity to makers of branded products to convert consumers to branded products. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading in the matured product categories. With 200 million people expected to shift to processed and packaged food by 2010, India needs around US$ 28 billion of investment in the food-processing industry. Rapid urbanization, increased literacy and rising per capita income, have all caused rapid growth and change in demand patterns, leading to an explosion of new opportunities. Around 45 per cent of the population in India is below 20 years of age and the young population is set to rise further. Aspiration levels in this age group have been fuelled by greater media exposure, unleashing a latent  demand with more money and a new mindset. The importance of consumer sales promotion in the marketing mix of the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) category throughout the world has increased. Companies spend considerable time in planning such activities. However, in order to enhance the effectiveness of these activities, manufacturers should understand consumer and retailer interpretations of their promotional activities so that appropriate differentiation can be used. Retailers stated that role of word of mouth and television advertising was very important in providing information inputs to the consumers regarding sales promotion activities. This perception of retailers was supported by the consumer unaided recall of sales promotion schemes which were widely advertised. The research concludes with the discussion of the results, managerial implications limitation of the study and future research directions. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION I. ABOUT THE DISSERTATION INTRODUCTION Advertisements convey brand differentiation and this may be important in several categories, which consist of several brands. In FMCG products like tea, coffee and detergents, â€Å"differentiation awareness† can be created by television advertising, but in certain categories there may be a need to demonstrate the effectiveness of brands. Differentiation with which consumers cannot â€Å"connect† may have a negative implication and if a brand â€Å"connects† consumers with its differentiation, it is likely to also differentiate itself in terms of getting identified with the consumer. A detergent or a washing machine, which claims â€Å"low water consumption† has to demonstrate this claim at a retail outlet especially given the fact that the quality of water varies across areas even in a specific geographical region. It is also essential that a good â€Å"differentiation proposition† result in a positive word-of-mouth. In a certain situation, the company may have two offerings in a product-line and there is a need to differentiate them clearly depending on the target segments involved. This is a complex situation where differentiation decides the growth of the brand and the perceived difference between the offerings. An added layer to the complexity is the same brand name being used for the offerings. Fairness cream is a category in which the benefit is the fairness of the complexion. A brand like Fair and Lovely built over the years still has a strong association with the category but under tremendous pressure from competitive brands and the most important criteria which these brands is the herbal touch associated with them. Herbal ingredients are becoming popular with consumers in several categories and personal care in India has a strong tradition of herbal care. Fair and Lovely had to launch its herbal variant (it used the same brand probably because of the brand equity built up over the years) . The interesting fact is the differentiation being conveyed by advertising. The original version uses an aspiration route in which the brands ultimate benefit is success through confidence. Estimates based on Chinas current per capita Consumption, the Indian FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. The dominance of Indian markets by unbranded products, change in eating habits and the increased affordability of the growing Indian population presents an opportunity to makers of branded products, who can convert  consumers to branded products. Penetration level in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low. The contrast is particularly striking between the rural and urban segments the average consumption by rural households is much lower than their urban counterparts. Low penetration indicates the existence of unsaturated markets, which are likely to expand as the income levels rise. This provides an excellent opportunity for the industry players in the form of a vastly untapped market. Moreover, per capita consumption in most of the FMCG categories (including the high penetration categories) in India is low as compared to both the developed markets and other emerging economies. A rise in per capita consumption, with improvement in incomes and affordability and change in tastes and preferences, is further expected to boost FMCG demand. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading, especially in the matured product categories. CHAPTER 2 I. LITERATURE REVIEW Impact of Effective Advertisement on Consumer Attitude Dr. F.R. Alexander Pravin Durai By going through this article I have come across some points which you should look upon. If you want to read the article it is present in the appendix. Following are some points:- Advertising is the only direct method which helps to reach masses of potential buyers. Advertising, being dynamic, changes with changing methods of distribution and consumption. In the present era of information explosion and media influence, these advertisements playa major role in changing the settled perception or thinking, which is otherwise called attitude, of the consumer and · also the consumption pattern of the society in general. Thus, the impact leads to cultural and social changes to a great extent. Why is there a need of advertising? Advertising is a way of communicating information to the consumer which enables him or her to compare and choose from the products and services available. Advertising is the most economical means by which a manufacturer or an Institutional body can communicate to an audience whether to sell a product or promote a cause of social welfare. Essentials of Effective Advertisement-the writer thinks that there are 4 important things for an advertisement to be effective. They are importance of claim, believable, uniqueness and repetition. The advertiser must constantly assess the situation to choose the right environment and ideal time for an advertisement to be launched. Some of the situations are as follows:- When there is a favorable primary demand of particular product. When there is a distinctive product differentiation from other competitive brands. When mass market is penetrated. In order to ensure that the advertisements reach the target consumers in a most effective way and gets right response from them, it has to be ensuring that such advertisements are presented in the right way. The following steps on the part of the consumer may ensure that the advertisements are on the right track. Getting attracted towards the advertisements. Listening and observing the contents of the advertisements in full. Continuous watching of the same over a period. Comparing the advertisements of similar products. Making a trial purchase as follow up activity. Assessing the level of utility of the product individually. Ascertaining the level of utility derived with other similar consumers. In the article Dr. Alexander Told about a model which exemplifies the attitude or response of a consumer to an advertisement. Techniques of advertising for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Dr. Archi Mathur- Assistant lecturer, Department of Management Studies, National Law University, Jodhpur Dr. HK Bedi- Professor, Dean, Department of Management Studies, National Law University, Jodhpur This article shows how an advertiser can use different techniques of advertisements to show FMCG products. The techniques are as follows: Value added ads- In addition to providing information about the product; Value-added advertising transforms a product into something more appealing to consumers than the physical object produced in the factory. Therefore, it is a missing link between brand attributes and the customer perception, between product features and need fulfillment, .between benefits and values. Comparative ads- the advertiser compares the 2 brands of the same product category. The ad can be copied as the Pepsi and sprite example in the case. They have used the same story but both have them had a different approach. Informative ads- these ads are used to provide information to the consumer about different products and services. Health and Hygiene ads- these ads show that the product is taking care of the consumers health. It is emphasizing of the physical attribute of the product. What does the product do? How does it help you? The ad tells you all. These are some of the techniques. Lifestyle ads- Another way to. nave an impact on the consumers mind is portraying the life-style of a successful person. Humorous ads- Humor in the advertisement is normally kept in order to create a light, jovial and likely kind of an atmosphere Demographic ads- these ads are meant for different segments based on age, sex etc. Farex Cereal Food for infants is an advertisement targeted directly towards the infants, as it comprises a healthy food for them. It is also targeted indirectly towards the mother. Packaging ads- Advertisement is trying to lure the customers to buy their products on the basis of the way they are brought in front of the consumers eyes ie. Packaging. Dabur has brought in different flavors in the market of fruit juice. E.g. Mango, Pineapple, Orange, Mixed Fruit Jete. All these are in different packages, i.e. 50 ml, 1000 ml, etc. They claim that unlike other juices, which have preservatives in them, these products are without preservatives. Hence, the punch line is Real Fruit Juice. Price ads- Marketers also lure the customers by showing in an advertisement that a product is available at a lesser price without any compromise on the standard. Cadbury India advertised the 5-Star chocolate by offering 30% more chocolate in its 5-Star bar for the same price. Celebrity ads- Celebrities are mainly used in the advertisement either to lure the rural people in buying a particular product or in forcing the young generation to buy the products. This is also called endorsement advertising.,{t is also used in portraying that a particular product is best inqtJality because a person who is also very well known in his/her field endorses it. The impact of these stars in advertisements enables the company to increase its sale. CHAPTER 3 I. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY II. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE The main objectives of the study are: 1. To assess current consumer sales promotion schemes in the market 2. To assess how consumers differentiate the products based on advertisements 3. To get an insight into retailers views regarding the schemes being offered in toilet soap category, and consumer perceptions 4. To study consumer perceptions regarding various schemes in this category and responses toward them. 5. To study the various methods of differentiation. 6. To analyze the methodology adopted by companies to target end consumers. 7. To address basic business questions like: Do companies have the right product/service to offer? How companies reach their customers? How the buying power can be created? To prepare new business strategies RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Methodology: Technique used for the survey is questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. In order to address the above questions an exploratory study was conducted. The idea was to probe and get deeper insight into sales promotion scenario in toilet soap market and to tap perceptions of retailers and consumers. In order to address above mentioned objectives (i) study of secondary sources was carried out, 10(ii) in-depth interview of six retailers was undertaken and 11(iii) structured questionnaire was designed to seek consumer responses. Convenience sampling was used for both retailers as well as consumer studies. Six retailers ranging from small kirana store to supermarket were approached. All the retailers were located in the Noida. The respondents for consumer study were postgraduate students in the age group of 19-24 belonging to middle and upper middle and upper class. The total respondents were 30 in number. They were residing in hostel or as PG hence sole decision-makers for t his category. Also this age-group being more experimental and likely to be more deal prone, so their perceptions, preferences would give some insights to companies planning sales promotions targeted at them. Scope and Limitations: The geographical scope of the study was restricted to the NOIDA city due to time and resource constraints. The study being exploratory in nature, the sample size was restricted to 30 consumers (student group) and 6 retailers. Focus being mainly on in-depth probing, the generalizations drawn are only indicative and not conclusive. CHAPTER 3 I. FMCG AN INTRODUCTION II. INDIAN CONTEXT III. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IV. EVOLUTION AND CHARECTERSTICS FMCG -FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS BRIEF DECRIPTION OF INDIA FMCG MARKET MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IN FMCG: According to Estimates based on Chinas current per capita Consumption, the Indian FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. The dominance of Indian markets by unbranded products, change in eating habits and the increased affordability of the growing Indian population presents an opportunity to makers of branded products, who can convert consumers to branded products. Penetration level in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low. The contrast is particularly striking between the rural and urban segments the average consumption by rural households is much lower than their urban counterparts. Low penetration indicates the existence of unsaturated markets, which are likely to expand as the income levels rise. This provides an excellent opportunity for the industry players in the form of a vastly untapped market. Moreover, per capita consumption in most of the FMCG categories (including the high penetration categories) in India is low as compared to both the developed markets and other emerging economies. A rise in per capita consumption, with improvement in incomes and affordability and change in tastes and preferences, is further expected to boost FMCG demand. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading, especially in the matured product categories EVOLUTION:  § 1950s-80s Low Investment in the sector Low purchasing power Govts emphasis on small scale sector HLL and other companys urbane focus  § Post liberalization Entry of MNCs Focus shifted to getting to rural consumer first Others, like Nestle, remained with the urban population Latest fad to hit the market is the ‘sachet bug.  § Mushrooming of regional brands Nirma enters and changes the focus to ‘Value for Money in the 70s Post liberalization, Jyothi Laboratories, ‘Ghari Detergent and ‘Anchor toothpaste giving the nation-wide brands a run for their money. CHARECTERSTICS: FORECAST 2010:  § Rural and semi-urban  § 128 million population thrice the urban  § Market size growth from 48k to 100k Crores (Growth of 50% at 10%CAGR)  § Increase penetration from the current less than 1%  § Problems in the rural sector * Low per capita disposable incomes * Large number of daily wage earners * Acute dependence on vagaries of monsoon * Seasonal consumption * Poor infrastructure roads and power supply  § Urban  § Market 16.5k to 35k Crores (Growth of 100% at 20%CAGR)  § Intense competition severe pressure on margins Focus on newer products, such as fruit juices Source: Assocham Report ‘Future Prospects of FMCG CHAPTER 5 I. UNDERSTANDING DIFFRENTIATION II. TYPES OF DIFFRENTIATION III. THE INDIAN CONTEXT I. II. UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENTIATION: Differentiation is the process of adding a set of meaningful and valued differences that distinguish a companys offering from those of its competitors. Differentiation is strongest when it satisfies all of the following criteria: 1. Important: the difference delivers a highly valued benefit to a sufficient number of buyers 2. Distinctive: the difference can be delivered in a clear way 3. Superior: the difference is a better way of obtaining a benefit 4. Pre-emptive: the difference cannot be easily copied 5. Affordable: the buyer can afford to pay for the difference 6. Profitable: the company will earn a return by maintaining the difference BRAND loyalty in fast moving consumer goods categories is a topical issue, with several brands resorting to price cuts across categories. More importantly, price cuts or sales promotion by themselves do not seem to have done much for brands in terms of sustaining brand loyalty. They may attract consumers in the short run: consumers may stock the brands and consumers new to the brand may try it. But over a period of time, a brands value may get diluted in consumers psyche, and will eventually lose a strong base of consumers. The following are some aspects of marketing mix elements and consumer behavior which could contribute to brand loyalty. Product differentiation If the products are differentiated in their characteristics and this difference is perceivable, there are chances of brand loyalty being formed based on satisfaction with greater performance or fit of product with needs. In this case, loyalty is driven by functional or symbolic benefits. Functional benefits would be specific tangible features of the product whereas symbolic benefits would be intangibles such as brand personality and `hedonistic value of purchase. Price differentiation If the price differentiation in the market is perceivable, price-led loyalty might exist in the market. Price-led loyalty is practised by supermarkets, airline companies and FMCG brands, which come out with frequent sales promotions based on freebies. Alternatively, price might be taken as an indicator of brand quality, and the customer might go in for higher priced options. Price-led loyalty has to be carefully considered with other marketing mix elements and the consumer should never perceive dilution, especially in low-priced bands. Hence, lower prices should create a sense of value through the product offerings as well as through communication. Branding activity If the category is organized and there is branding activity, there will be greater loyalty than there would have been if the category were unorganized. Branding activities can differentiate between brands on name, symbol, images and associations. Branding activity in this context refers to creating strong associations which will influence the consumers not only with regard to functional attributes but also with symbolism. Hamam soaps portrayal of its pure ingredients with the child and mother imagery is a good example of one of these dimensions. Branding activities in a broad sense could range from advertising to sales promotion and public relations involving several aspects. III. The Indian context The following were the observations from the literature survey and the examples chosen from the Indian context. The factors indicate that there will be a large segment of consumers for whom price-led loyalty will dominate. Hence there will be strong behavioural loyalty in the segment and only weak attitudinal loyalty. There is thus spurious loyalty in this sector. There is a moderate level of symbolic and functional differentiation which has been exploited by strong brands to build a loyal following. Examples of this include brands such as Dove, Ponds Dreamflower talcum powder, Gold Flake, Wills Navy Cut, Amul and Cadbury. These brands have probably built strong attitudinal loyalty through their brand personality and other brand building efforts. In the FMCG sector, brand habit is high whereas attitudinal loyalty is low. As creating attitudinal loyalty based on functional differentiation is difficult, symbolic differentiation is the key. Building strong brand personalities and associated symbolic benefits is important for crafting customer loyalty. The factors discussed cannot be treated in isolation: they are to provide a synergy to result in brand loyalty. The combination of these factors and the timing of the combination is the topical challenge which marketers face in an environment where loyalty is slowly eroding. Local challengers Some of the most successful FMCG brands in 2002 came, not from the stables of a Hindustan Lever and a Colgate, but from obscure regional players such as Kaleesuwari Refineries, Parakh Foods, Anchor Switchboards and Kanpur Detergents. Over the past couple of years, brands such as Gold Winner and Gemini in refined oils, Anchor White in toothpastes and Ghari in detergents have managed to sustain double digit growth rates, even as the market leaders have struggled to hold on to single digit growth rates for their brands. Yes, the comparison is unfair, as the local brands had a minuscule base to start with. But these brands have demonstrated it is not impossible for a new challenger to break into the traditional bastion of one or two large FMCG players. Traditionally, large FMCG categories in India have been dominated by just one or two players, who rule the roost by dint of their sheer financial muscle and distribution reach. But, of late, successful regional brands have been finding chinks in their armour. And how! Aggressive pricing In the edible oils market, as national players were forced to hike their selling prices in response to rising commodity prices, both Gemini and Gold Winner have used aggressive pricing to woo consumers away from the national brands. Packed tea too, has seen similar trends. The limited differentiation in grocery and the flexibility offered by a restricted area of operations have stood these companies in good stead. Anchor White, among the few debutants in the toothpaste market to garner a significant share, first wooed the retail trade with high distribution margins, and then used rock-bottom prices to lure consumers into trying the product. Though none of these companies can match the market leaders in adspend, they have used focused regional and local advertising to draw consumers attention to their brands. The mushrooming of local and regional media has undoubtedly helped the local players milk the most from their ad budgets. Banking on `power brands While the local brands have been adding to their brand portfolios, the market leaders have largely stayed off new product launches. In keeping with its power brand strategy, Hindustan Levers marketing strategies in 2002 revolved around rejigging and relaunching established brands such as Lifebuoy, Rin, Surf and Vim. The company phased out brands such as Sunlight in detergents, and Jai in toilet soaps, so as to focus better on its 30 power brands. The strategy appears to have worked, as brands such as Lifebuoy and Rin have moved into a higher growth trajectory after the relaunch. In fact, HLLs power brand strategy has found a few followers in the FMCG market, with companies such as Godrej Consumer also announcing plans to focus on a clutch of key brands. Streamlining and spend While the power brand strategy has helped the leading players put their marketing prowess behind their most important brands, it has not really helped them save on ad spend. For most FMCG companies, advertising and promotion spends in 2002 grew faster than their sales. In high penetration categories such as soaps, detergents and toothpastes, marketing efforts of the players revolved around persuading existing consumers to use more of the product or to upgrade to a higher-priced brand. The slew of 100 gm free for every 150 gm offers in toothpastes and the series of promos on the 2 kg packs of premium detergents were both intended to induce existing consumers of a product to pep up their usage of the brand. Companies operating in relatively low-penetration categories such as chocolates, shampoos and skin creams tailored their marketing strategies to bringing in new users, through scaled-down versions of their brands in affordable pack sizes. The low-priced Chocostik, a liquid chocolate in a small-sized pack, launched by Nestle India, has helped pep up the companys topline and is now a large contributor to the companys revenues. Nestle India is now trying out a similar small-sized Rs 5 pack for Maggi noodles. Shampoos have been among the few FMCG categories to register a positive growth rate in 2002, and growth in this category has been driven mainly by sachet packs and by scaled-down 50 ml bottles priced at less than Rs 10. Overall, the FMCG slowdown of the past three years has served a useful purpose. At one level, it has made sure that the dominant players in the market no longer enjoy unlimited pricing power, as they have in the past. There now appears to be a greater effort on the part of the players to hold selling prices and look at their own operations to save on cost. At another level, the emergence of the regional challengers has made sure that consumers of FMCG products have a few more choices in their purchases of essentials. Is selling soap the same as selling a TV? It isnt. The difference is how the particular product is sold and more importantly, how is it distributed. India is a unique market, where the manufacturers who deliver products at the doorstep, which is the ideal way to deliver anything, spoil our consumers. We have an extremely evolved distribution mechanism for most products. Different products are sent to the consumer differently. Depending on the number, the price of the product and the complexity of the selling process, they may vary from direct selling to selling through a channel that may have as many as four levels between the manufacturer and the consumer. A look at a few of them will show what it means to be a sales person of that product. Most FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) products are not hard-sold to the end consumers. Sales are built up largely by pull a technique using advertising and consumer promotion. The sell-in happens to the trade i.e. to various members of the distribution channel the CarryingForwarding/Super-stockist, the distributor, the wholesaler and most importantly the retailer, who is the interface with the end-consumer. This chain forms the most important link in getting the product economically to the consumers doorstep. A large MNC in the FMCG industry may be covering as many as 1 million outlets across the country with the help of thousands of distributors. Even a mid-sized company covers at the least 1 lakh outlets. Factoring in the vagaries of operating in more than 25 different states, each with its own sales tax complexities, different consumer needs, differences in the distribution structure, not forgetting differing octroi structures within a state, distribution is extremely complex in India. If the sell-in does not happen to this channel for whatever reason or is sub- optimal, a product is likely to fail. CHAPTER 3 I. UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISEMENT II. UNDERSTANDING SALES- PROMOTION III. CREATING DIFFRENTIATION THROUGH ADVERTISEMENT IV. PROBLEMS FACED BY MARKETERS I. UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISEMENTS Whether it is a serial in a regional satellite channel or a One Day International cricket match, there is a non-stop stream of advertisements, which clutter the commercial break. Well-established brands attempt to sustain brand recall while new ones try appealing to prospective consumers to get into their `consideration set. There are ads for children, housewives and youth. With advertising expenditure in the order of Rs. 8000 Crores per annum in the recent times and the proliferation of brands across categories, there is a strong need to consider the effectiveness of these advertisements. The idea is not to cease advertising but to consider how considering decisions would have to be considered with non-advertising alternatives. These non-advertising alternatives may also enable a brand to create and sustain consistent associations, which may be desirable in terms of long-term implications. A contemporary approach that creates a synergy between various aspects of a promotional mix (a dvertising included) provides a refreshing approach towards marketing communications. There may be several objectives of advertising and a promotional mix could be used in an innovative manner to address each of these objectives depending on the product category and target segment. Creating-brand-awareness When a new brand enters a category or creates a â€Å"new to the market† offering, it needs to create brand awareness. This would depend on whether the product is a consumable or a durable. The involvement level in a speci FMCG Market Analysis FMCG Market Analysis EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. Penetration level as well as per capita consumption in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low indicating the untapped market potential. Burgeoning Indian population, particularly the middle class and the rural segments, presents an opportunity to makers of branded products to convert consumers to branded products. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading in the matured product categories. With 200 million people expected to shift to processed and packaged food by 2010, India needs around US$ 28 billion of investment in the food-processing industry. Rapid urbanization, increased literacy and rising per capita income, have all caused rapid growth and change in demand patterns, leading to an explosion of new opportunities. Around 45 per cent of the population in India is below 20 years of age and the young population is set to rise further. Aspiration levels in this age group have been fuelled by greater media exposure, unleashing a latent  demand with more money and a new mindset. The importance of consumer sales promotion in the marketing mix of the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) category throughout the world has increased. Companies spend considerable time in planning such activities. However, in order to enhance the effectiveness of these activities, manufacturers should understand consumer and retailer interpretations of their promotional activities so that appropriate differentiation can be used. Retailers stated that role of word of mouth and television advertising was very important in providing information inputs to the consumers regarding sales promotion activities. This perception of retailers was supported by the consumer unaided recall of sales promotion schemes which were widely advertised. The research concludes with the discussion of the results, managerial implications limitation of the study and future research directions. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION I. ABOUT THE DISSERTATION INTRODUCTION Advertisements convey brand differentiation and this may be important in several categories, which consist of several brands. In FMCG products like tea, coffee and detergents, â€Å"differentiation awareness† can be created by television advertising, but in certain categories there may be a need to demonstrate the effectiveness of brands. Differentiation with which consumers cannot â€Å"connect† may have a negative implication and if a brand â€Å"connects† consumers with its differentiation, it is likely to also differentiate itself in terms of getting identified with the consumer. A detergent or a washing machine, which claims â€Å"low water consumption† has to demonstrate this claim at a retail outlet especially given the fact that the quality of water varies across areas even in a specific geographical region. It is also essential that a good â€Å"differentiation proposition† result in a positive word-of-mouth. In a certain situation, the company may have two offerings in a product-line and there is a need to differentiate them clearly depending on the target segments involved. This is a complex situation where differentiation decides the growth of the brand and the perceived difference between the offerings. An added layer to the complexity is the same brand name being used for the offerings. Fairness cream is a category in which the benefit is the fairness of the complexion. A brand like Fair and Lovely built over the years still has a strong association with the category but under tremendous pressure from competitive brands and the most important criteria which these brands is the herbal touch associated with them. Herbal ingredients are becoming popular with consumers in several categories and personal care in India has a strong tradition of herbal care. Fair and Lovely had to launch its herbal variant (it used the same brand probably because of the brand equity built up over the years) . The interesting fact is the differentiation being conveyed by advertising. The original version uses an aspiration route in which the brands ultimate benefit is success through confidence. Estimates based on Chinas current per capita Consumption, the Indian FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. The dominance of Indian markets by unbranded products, change in eating habits and the increased affordability of the growing Indian population presents an opportunity to makers of branded products, who can convert  consumers to branded products. Penetration level in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low. The contrast is particularly striking between the rural and urban segments the average consumption by rural households is much lower than their urban counterparts. Low penetration indicates the existence of unsaturated markets, which are likely to expand as the income levels rise. This provides an excellent opportunity for the industry players in the form of a vastly untapped market. Moreover, per capita consumption in most of the FMCG categories (including the high penetration categories) in India is low as compared to both the developed markets and other emerging economies. A rise in per capita consumption, with improvement in incomes and affordability and change in tastes and preferences, is further expected to boost FMCG demand. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading, especially in the matured product categories. CHAPTER 2 I. LITERATURE REVIEW Impact of Effective Advertisement on Consumer Attitude Dr. F.R. Alexander Pravin Durai By going through this article I have come across some points which you should look upon. If you want to read the article it is present in the appendix. Following are some points:- Advertising is the only direct method which helps to reach masses of potential buyers. Advertising, being dynamic, changes with changing methods of distribution and consumption. In the present era of information explosion and media influence, these advertisements playa major role in changing the settled perception or thinking, which is otherwise called attitude, of the consumer and · also the consumption pattern of the society in general. Thus, the impact leads to cultural and social changes to a great extent. Why is there a need of advertising? Advertising is a way of communicating information to the consumer which enables him or her to compare and choose from the products and services available. Advertising is the most economical means by which a manufacturer or an Institutional body can communicate to an audience whether to sell a product or promote a cause of social welfare. Essentials of Effective Advertisement-the writer thinks that there are 4 important things for an advertisement to be effective. They are importance of claim, believable, uniqueness and repetition. The advertiser must constantly assess the situation to choose the right environment and ideal time for an advertisement to be launched. Some of the situations are as follows:- When there is a favorable primary demand of particular product. When there is a distinctive product differentiation from other competitive brands. When mass market is penetrated. In order to ensure that the advertisements reach the target consumers in a most effective way and gets right response from them, it has to be ensuring that such advertisements are presented in the right way. The following steps on the part of the consumer may ensure that the advertisements are on the right track. Getting attracted towards the advertisements. Listening and observing the contents of the advertisements in full. Continuous watching of the same over a period. Comparing the advertisements of similar products. Making a trial purchase as follow up activity. Assessing the level of utility of the product individually. Ascertaining the level of utility derived with other similar consumers. In the article Dr. Alexander Told about a model which exemplifies the attitude or response of a consumer to an advertisement. Techniques of advertising for Fast Moving Consumer Goods Dr. Archi Mathur- Assistant lecturer, Department of Management Studies, National Law University, Jodhpur Dr. HK Bedi- Professor, Dean, Department of Management Studies, National Law University, Jodhpur This article shows how an advertiser can use different techniques of advertisements to show FMCG products. The techniques are as follows: Value added ads- In addition to providing information about the product; Value-added advertising transforms a product into something more appealing to consumers than the physical object produced in the factory. Therefore, it is a missing link between brand attributes and the customer perception, between product features and need fulfillment, .between benefits and values. Comparative ads- the advertiser compares the 2 brands of the same product category. The ad can be copied as the Pepsi and sprite example in the case. They have used the same story but both have them had a different approach. Informative ads- these ads are used to provide information to the consumer about different products and services. Health and Hygiene ads- these ads show that the product is taking care of the consumers health. It is emphasizing of the physical attribute of the product. What does the product do? How does it help you? The ad tells you all. These are some of the techniques. Lifestyle ads- Another way to. nave an impact on the consumers mind is portraying the life-style of a successful person. Humorous ads- Humor in the advertisement is normally kept in order to create a light, jovial and likely kind of an atmosphere Demographic ads- these ads are meant for different segments based on age, sex etc. Farex Cereal Food for infants is an advertisement targeted directly towards the infants, as it comprises a healthy food for them. It is also targeted indirectly towards the mother. Packaging ads- Advertisement is trying to lure the customers to buy their products on the basis of the way they are brought in front of the consumers eyes ie. Packaging. Dabur has brought in different flavors in the market of fruit juice. E.g. Mango, Pineapple, Orange, Mixed Fruit Jete. All these are in different packages, i.e. 50 ml, 1000 ml, etc. They claim that unlike other juices, which have preservatives in them, these products are without preservatives. Hence, the punch line is Real Fruit Juice. Price ads- Marketers also lure the customers by showing in an advertisement that a product is available at a lesser price without any compromise on the standard. Cadbury India advertised the 5-Star chocolate by offering 30% more chocolate in its 5-Star bar for the same price. Celebrity ads- Celebrities are mainly used in the advertisement either to lure the rural people in buying a particular product or in forcing the young generation to buy the products. This is also called endorsement advertising.,{t is also used in portraying that a particular product is best inqtJality because a person who is also very well known in his/her field endorses it. The impact of these stars in advertisements enables the company to increase its sale. CHAPTER 3 I. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY II. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE The main objectives of the study are: 1. To assess current consumer sales promotion schemes in the market 2. To assess how consumers differentiate the products based on advertisements 3. To get an insight into retailers views regarding the schemes being offered in toilet soap category, and consumer perceptions 4. To study consumer perceptions regarding various schemes in this category and responses toward them. 5. To study the various methods of differentiation. 6. To analyze the methodology adopted by companies to target end consumers. 7. To address basic business questions like: Do companies have the right product/service to offer? How companies reach their customers? How the buying power can be created? To prepare new business strategies RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Methodology: Technique used for the survey is questionnaires, focus group discussions and interviews. In order to address the above questions an exploratory study was conducted. The idea was to probe and get deeper insight into sales promotion scenario in toilet soap market and to tap perceptions of retailers and consumers. In order to address above mentioned objectives (i) study of secondary sources was carried out, 10(ii) in-depth interview of six retailers was undertaken and 11(iii) structured questionnaire was designed to seek consumer responses. Convenience sampling was used for both retailers as well as consumer studies. Six retailers ranging from small kirana store to supermarket were approached. All the retailers were located in the Noida. The respondents for consumer study were postgraduate students in the age group of 19-24 belonging to middle and upper middle and upper class. The total respondents were 30 in number. They were residing in hostel or as PG hence sole decision-makers for t his category. Also this age-group being more experimental and likely to be more deal prone, so their perceptions, preferences would give some insights to companies planning sales promotions targeted at them. Scope and Limitations: The geographical scope of the study was restricted to the NOIDA city due to time and resource constraints. The study being exploratory in nature, the sample size was restricted to 30 consumers (student group) and 6 retailers. Focus being mainly on in-depth probing, the generalizations drawn are only indicative and not conclusive. CHAPTER 3 I. FMCG AN INTRODUCTION II. INDIAN CONTEXT III. MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IV. EVOLUTION AND CHARECTERSTICS FMCG -FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS BRIEF DECRIPTION OF INDIA FMCG MARKET MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IN FMCG: According to Estimates based on Chinas current per capita Consumption, the Indian FMCG market is set to treble from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion in 2015. The dominance of Indian markets by unbranded products, change in eating habits and the increased affordability of the growing Indian population presents an opportunity to makers of branded products, who can convert consumers to branded products. Penetration level in most product categories like jams, toothpaste, skin care, hair wash etc in India is low. The contrast is particularly striking between the rural and urban segments the average consumption by rural households is much lower than their urban counterparts. Low penetration indicates the existence of unsaturated markets, which are likely to expand as the income levels rise. This provides an excellent opportunity for the industry players in the form of a vastly untapped market. Moreover, per capita consumption in most of the FMCG categories (including the high penetration categories) in India is low as compared to both the developed markets and other emerging economies. A rise in per capita consumption, with improvement in incomes and affordability and change in tastes and preferences, is further expected to boost FMCG demand. Growth is also likely to come from consumer upgrading, especially in the matured product categories EVOLUTION:  § 1950s-80s Low Investment in the sector Low purchasing power Govts emphasis on small scale sector HLL and other companys urbane focus  § Post liberalization Entry of MNCs Focus shifted to getting to rural consumer first Others, like Nestle, remained with the urban population Latest fad to hit the market is the ‘sachet bug.  § Mushrooming of regional brands Nirma enters and changes the focus to ‘Value for Money in the 70s Post liberalization, Jyothi Laboratories, ‘Ghari Detergent and ‘Anchor toothpaste giving the nation-wide brands a run for their money. CHARECTERSTICS: FORECAST 2010:  § Rural and semi-urban  § 128 million population thrice the urban  § Market size growth from 48k to 100k Crores (Growth of 50% at 10%CAGR)  § Increase penetration from the current less than 1%  § Problems in the rural sector * Low per capita disposable incomes * Large number of daily wage earners * Acute dependence on vagaries of monsoon * Seasonal consumption * Poor infrastructure roads and power supply  § Urban  § Market 16.5k to 35k Crores (Growth of 100% at 20%CAGR)  § Intense competition severe pressure on margins Focus on newer products, such as fruit juices Source: Assocham Report ‘Future Prospects of FMCG CHAPTER 5 I. UNDERSTANDING DIFFRENTIATION II. TYPES OF DIFFRENTIATION III. THE INDIAN CONTEXT I. II. UNDERSTANDING DIFFERENTIATION: Differentiation is the process of adding a set of meaningful and valued differences that distinguish a companys offering from those of its competitors. Differentiation is strongest when it satisfies all of the following criteria: 1. Important: the difference delivers a highly valued benefit to a sufficient number of buyers 2. Distinctive: the difference can be delivered in a clear way 3. Superior: the difference is a better way of obtaining a benefit 4. Pre-emptive: the difference cannot be easily copied 5. Affordable: the buyer can afford to pay for the difference 6. Profitable: the company will earn a return by maintaining the difference BRAND loyalty in fast moving consumer goods categories is a topical issue, with several brands resorting to price cuts across categories. More importantly, price cuts or sales promotion by themselves do not seem to have done much for brands in terms of sustaining brand loyalty. They may attract consumers in the short run: consumers may stock the brands and consumers new to the brand may try it. But over a period of time, a brands value may get diluted in consumers psyche, and will eventually lose a strong base of consumers. The following are some aspects of marketing mix elements and consumer behavior which could contribute to brand loyalty. Product differentiation If the products are differentiated in their characteristics and this difference is perceivable, there are chances of brand loyalty being formed based on satisfaction with greater performance or fit of product with needs. In this case, loyalty is driven by functional or symbolic benefits. Functional benefits would be specific tangible features of the product whereas symbolic benefits would be intangibles such as brand personality and `hedonistic value of purchase. Price differentiation If the price differentiation in the market is perceivable, price-led loyalty might exist in the market. Price-led loyalty is practised by supermarkets, airline companies and FMCG brands, which come out with frequent sales promotions based on freebies. Alternatively, price might be taken as an indicator of brand quality, and the customer might go in for higher priced options. Price-led loyalty has to be carefully considered with other marketing mix elements and the consumer should never perceive dilution, especially in low-priced bands. Hence, lower prices should create a sense of value through the product offerings as well as through communication. Branding activity If the category is organized and there is branding activity, there will be greater loyalty than there would have been if the category were unorganized. Branding activities can differentiate between brands on name, symbol, images and associations. Branding activity in this context refers to creating strong associations which will influence the consumers not only with regard to functional attributes but also with symbolism. Hamam soaps portrayal of its pure ingredients with the child and mother imagery is a good example of one of these dimensions. Branding activities in a broad sense could range from advertising to sales promotion and public relations involving several aspects. III. The Indian context The following were the observations from the literature survey and the examples chosen from the Indian context. The factors indicate that there will be a large segment of consumers for whom price-led loyalty will dominate. Hence there will be strong behavioural loyalty in the segment and only weak attitudinal loyalty. There is thus spurious loyalty in this sector. There is a moderate level of symbolic and functional differentiation which has been exploited by strong brands to build a loyal following. Examples of this include brands such as Dove, Ponds Dreamflower talcum powder, Gold Flake, Wills Navy Cut, Amul and Cadbury. These brands have probably built strong attitudinal loyalty through their brand personality and other brand building efforts. In the FMCG sector, brand habit is high whereas attitudinal loyalty is low. As creating attitudinal loyalty based on functional differentiation is difficult, symbolic differentiation is the key. Building strong brand personalities and associated symbolic benefits is important for crafting customer loyalty. The factors discussed cannot be treated in isolation: they are to provide a synergy to result in brand loyalty. The combination of these factors and the timing of the combination is the topical challenge which marketers face in an environment where loyalty is slowly eroding. Local challengers Some of the most successful FMCG brands in 2002 came, not from the stables of a Hindustan Lever and a Colgate, but from obscure regional players such as Kaleesuwari Refineries, Parakh Foods, Anchor Switchboards and Kanpur Detergents. Over the past couple of years, brands such as Gold Winner and Gemini in refined oils, Anchor White in toothpastes and Ghari in detergents have managed to sustain double digit growth rates, even as the market leaders have struggled to hold on to single digit growth rates for their brands. Yes, the comparison is unfair, as the local brands had a minuscule base to start with. But these brands have demonstrated it is not impossible for a new challenger to break into the traditional bastion of one or two large FMCG players. Traditionally, large FMCG categories in India have been dominated by just one or two players, who rule the roost by dint of their sheer financial muscle and distribution reach. But, of late, successful regional brands have been finding chinks in their armour. And how! Aggressive pricing In the edible oils market, as national players were forced to hike their selling prices in response to rising commodity prices, both Gemini and Gold Winner have used aggressive pricing to woo consumers away from the national brands. Packed tea too, has seen similar trends. The limited differentiation in grocery and the flexibility offered by a restricted area of operations have stood these companies in good stead. Anchor White, among the few debutants in the toothpaste market to garner a significant share, first wooed the retail trade with high distribution margins, and then used rock-bottom prices to lure consumers into trying the product. Though none of these companies can match the market leaders in adspend, they have used focused regional and local advertising to draw consumers attention to their brands. The mushrooming of local and regional media has undoubtedly helped the local players milk the most from their ad budgets. Banking on `power brands While the local brands have been adding to their brand portfolios, the market leaders have largely stayed off new product launches. In keeping with its power brand strategy, Hindustan Levers marketing strategies in 2002 revolved around rejigging and relaunching established brands such as Lifebuoy, Rin, Surf and Vim. The company phased out brands such as Sunlight in detergents, and Jai in toilet soaps, so as to focus better on its 30 power brands. The strategy appears to have worked, as brands such as Lifebuoy and Rin have moved into a higher growth trajectory after the relaunch. In fact, HLLs power brand strategy has found a few followers in the FMCG market, with companies such as Godrej Consumer also announcing plans to focus on a clutch of key brands. Streamlining and spend While the power brand strategy has helped the leading players put their marketing prowess behind their most important brands, it has not really helped them save on ad spend. For most FMCG companies, advertising and promotion spends in 2002 grew faster than their sales. In high penetration categories such as soaps, detergents and toothpastes, marketing efforts of the players revolved around persuading existing consumers to use more of the product or to upgrade to a higher-priced brand. The slew of 100 gm free for every 150 gm offers in toothpastes and the series of promos on the 2 kg packs of premium detergents were both intended to induce existing consumers of a product to pep up their usage of the brand. Companies operating in relatively low-penetration categories such as chocolates, shampoos and skin creams tailored their marketing strategies to bringing in new users, through scaled-down versions of their brands in affordable pack sizes. The low-priced Chocostik, a liquid chocolate in a small-sized pack, launched by Nestle India, has helped pep up the companys topline and is now a large contributor to the companys revenues. Nestle India is now trying out a similar small-sized Rs 5 pack for Maggi noodles. Shampoos have been among the few FMCG categories to register a positive growth rate in 2002, and growth in this category has been driven mainly by sachet packs and by scaled-down 50 ml bottles priced at less than Rs 10. Overall, the FMCG slowdown of the past three years has served a useful purpose. At one level, it has made sure that the dominant players in the market no longer enjoy unlimited pricing power, as they have in the past. There now appears to be a greater effort on the part of the players to hold selling prices and look at their own operations to save on cost. At another level, the emergence of the regional challengers has made sure that consumers of FMCG products have a few more choices in their purchases of essentials. Is selling soap the same as selling a TV? It isnt. The difference is how the particular product is sold and more importantly, how is it distributed. India is a unique market, where the manufacturers who deliver products at the doorstep, which is the ideal way to deliver anything, spoil our consumers. We have an extremely evolved distribution mechanism for most products. Different products are sent to the consumer differently. Depending on the number, the price of the product and the complexity of the selling process, they may vary from direct selling to selling through a channel that may have as many as four levels between the manufacturer and the consumer. A look at a few of them will show what it means to be a sales person of that product. Most FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) products are not hard-sold to the end consumers. Sales are built up largely by pull a technique using advertising and consumer promotion. The sell-in happens to the trade i.e. to various members of the distribution channel the CarryingForwarding/Super-stockist, the distributor, the wholesaler and most importantly the retailer, who is the interface with the end-consumer. This chain forms the most important link in getting the product economically to the consumers doorstep. A large MNC in the FMCG industry may be covering as many as 1 million outlets across the country with the help of thousands of distributors. Even a mid-sized company covers at the least 1 lakh outlets. Factoring in the vagaries of operating in more than 25 different states, each with its own sales tax complexities, different consumer needs, differences in the distribution structure, not forgetting differing octroi structures within a state, distribution is extremely complex in India. If the sell-in does not happen to this channel for whatever reason or is sub- optimal, a product is likely to fail. CHAPTER 3 I. UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISEMENT II. UNDERSTANDING SALES- PROMOTION III. CREATING DIFFRENTIATION THROUGH ADVERTISEMENT IV. PROBLEMS FACED BY MARKETERS I. UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISEMENTS Whether it is a serial in a regional satellite channel or a One Day International cricket match, there is a non-stop stream of advertisements, which clutter the commercial break. Well-established brands attempt to sustain brand recall while new ones try appealing to prospective consumers to get into their `consideration set. There are ads for children, housewives and youth. With advertising expenditure in the order of Rs. 8000 Crores per annum in the recent times and the proliferation of brands across categories, there is a strong need to consider the effectiveness of these advertisements. The idea is not to cease advertising but to consider how considering decisions would have to be considered with non-advertising alternatives. These non-advertising alternatives may also enable a brand to create and sustain consistent associations, which may be desirable in terms of long-term implications. A contemporary approach that creates a synergy between various aspects of a promotional mix (a dvertising included) provides a refreshing approach towards marketing communications. There may be several objectives of advertising and a promotional mix could be used in an innovative manner to address each of these objectives depending on the product category and target segment. Creating-brand-awareness When a new brand enters a category or creates a â€Å"new to the market† offering, it needs to create brand awareness. This would depend on whether the product is a consumable or a durable. The involvement level in a speci