Here’s the trouble with marketing programs: Unlike with hard assets like buildings or machinery, you may have little to show for your investment when the money’s all spent.
Marc Lore isn’t fazed by such uncertainty. A serial Web entrepreneur and father of a two-year-old, Lore founded Diapers.com back in January 2005. Last year his Montclair, N.J.-based outfit posted sales of $11 million, says Lore, thanks to rabid interest from parents looking to buy diapers, soaps, bottles and baby formula for their little ones. (Lore expects to cross the break-even mark in …

A few days ago I read an article in one of the CRM blogs on customer service – The author has explained what role Restaurant waiters play in customer service and what can CRM consultants, solution seekers and marketing folks in general can learn from him.
Imagine you going to a restaurant, after settling in a table asking the waiter to get you some water without ice – The waiter takes the instruction and gets back to you with what you had exactly asked for, after sipping some water you place …

A few days ago, my building security guard had called and asked if he can collect a large size courier from a leading Retailer. The term ‘Large’ drove my attention and was wondering what it could possibly contain. Decided to stretch the suspense and had asked him to collect the shipment.
As per the last interaction I had with the retailer, I am expecting a upgraded loyalty card as I have crossed the limit of the current one. Also, I might be receiving a co-branded credit card from one the large …

I am sure most you would have seen the recent eServe commercial. Did you like it? Isn’t a third world commercial? Why on earth other than anyone other the current employees and possibly the aspirants of the organization excited about the name change?
Honestly, I am not able to understand what they are trying to acheive by burning so much of monies in premium Television channels. Sure, Citigroup prefix sounds pretty good but surely not something that tickle me enough to pull the train’s “emergency stop” chain.
I am not sure, the team must …

On my way back home this evening I was reading an article on Audi’s plan to enter Indian market, though they are available already in India, their presence is yet to be felt.
The article reminded me of how things were over 15 years ago on Indian roads were. Ambassador, Premier Padmini and 800 were essentially the cars on would get to see. Thanks to the early 90′s government to bring in new economy policies in early that virtually changed everything including the road.
In the last few years, world’s leading automobile …

A few days ago, a friend and I had a long discussion over a couple of beers on how brands have become parasites these days. We argued many of them do not have their own characteristics or persona but survive basis on someone (some celebrity, invariably) else’s.
In Indian context, virtually any Television Commercial that you set your eyes onto has some celebrity or the other. Sometimes it so appears these artists does not have any work other than endorsing brands around. I wonder, how I still remember Nescafe Jingle! Endorsement based marketing is one …

Since last 18 months I have been seeing the commercial that was crafted for Tata Safari Dicor. One of the gripping commercials I have seen in the recent past. A few weeks ago, a friend mine had said Dicor’s marketing team is going to be airing a new television advertisement; I almost kept my fingers crossed. After seeing the last one, anything less will be a terrible disappoint. But, the new release is as good as the previous one, if not better.
The new commercial is based on the previous one with some changes around …

I was watching a story on Mr. Narayana Murthy stepping down from his current position at Infosys in CNBC TV-18 in the morning. The programme was sponsored by a host of sponsors including Ford India, Fusion was the product that was shown in a ~30 second spot.
If I were to reproduce the storyboard of the commercial, it would be something like this.. Two guys from an advertising agency present a story for a commercial that is very similar to what happens in Scorpio’s ‘Nothing Else Will Do’ commercial (Cheap Spoof approach). The …