Article on JAM

Check this out! The article is copy pasted from JAMMAG.com. The comments underneath are the ones ppl posted after reading it....Had initially put the link to the article here, but after a new article was pu up there, have put the same here..


Campus Buzz: Gyaan @ FMCG Conclave.

Shankar Iyer of SCMHRD soaks in the speakers at the CII FMCG Conclave and returns duly enlightened.

Classroom B-School education had taught me the Kotler funda for marketing, but I was always eager to hear from our own Indian biggies of FMCG marketing who had made it big and executed strategies to perfection. Well, I had a chance to witness the 4th National FMCG Conclave organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries in Mumbai on 19th Dec.

The last minute approval of my director and timely arrangement of tickets by my friend made it possible for nine guys from SCMHRD, all dressed up in suits (our college uniform for special occasions) to travel by Qualis, early morning from Pune to Mumbai. In spite of a tyre puncture on the way we managed to reach early and get hold of some ringside chairs for the conclave.

The glitter of the occasion and the chance to interact with the who’s who during lunch and dinner was exciting for all nine of us. Stalwarts from Marico, Godrej, Rasna, P&G, HLL, Johnson & Johnson, Kelloggs India, Nestle, Coca Cola, GSK Health Care, Vadilal Industries, Britannia Ltd along with knowledge partners ATKearney were present in full force.

One of the best parts of the conclave was it brought together all stakeholders of the sector with participation from the government (Chief Guest, Minister Subodh Kant Sahai for Food processing Industry and Jayant Patil, Finance minister of Government of Maharashtra), legal experts from Pantaloon Retail, Nestle India and GSK Health Care, advertising agencies like Lowe, Leo Burnett and Equus Advertising, retailers and distributors apart from the major FMCG players.

Khimji Ramdas Group from Muscat, a growing player presented how the retailers had grown in the Middle East lending an international perspective to the conclave.

I had slept only three hours other night, but I did not even wink during the conclave, that was the magic of the speakers!

For the uninitiated on the sector, the FMCG sector over the years after liberalisation has grown mainly on two impulses, the rural sector and creation of value for the middle class, but growth for the sector started drying up after 1996, for which depth initiatives were needed.

Many of the speakers were quite crisp and passionate about their views and I hope they are able to translate all that they believe. I was also reminded about how my personal shopping experience to has changed with growth of organized retail and gone are the days during my childhood days when I used to accompany my mother to the local Kirana stores.

Dilip Sahgal of HLL started the post lunch session, “I have a difficult job, the job of the seventh husband of Elizabeth Taylor on the wedding night, to make it interesting and exciting!!” He showed us a movie on Project Shakti of HLL and how it had transformed “Rojamma” a lady from rural Andhra Pradesh. It was really touching to see how HLL had empowered rural Indians with project Shakti.

The conclave also deliberated on the ATKEARNEY- CII FMCG survey 2005 which has given five growth mantras for the industry namely:

* growth with organized retail

* rediscovery of rural

* better customer offers by improving operational efficiencies

* create differentiated, innovated next generation products with strong brand investments

* globalization.

FDI in retail also crept up during the discussion on Modern Trade segment (organized retail) but the forum was quite divided on the timing of the FDI and its implementation.

The audience were also treated to some visual delight with R Balki, National creative director of Lowe India presenting advertisement clippings, which had worked well across the rural and urban segments. Balki surely was a welcome change since he was the only one who was casually dressed for the occasion in jeans and T-shirt but he sure made some interesting points.

Balki’s advertisement clips included the Dabur advertisement starring the Big B and a TAFE Tractor advertisement featuring Raghuvir Yadav. The lack of mass media with adequate reach and under utilization of the national channel (DD) was sighted by Balki as one of the prime reasons for lack of reach in rural areas.

Apart from all this I felt the best was preserved for the last: The CEO session with the panel comprising Adi Godrej, Vinita Bali of Britannia, Narendra Ambwani of Johnson & Johnson, Piruz Khambatta of Rasna, K Venkatachalam of Kellogg India, Suhel Seth of Equus Advertising and moderated by NDTV profit editor Shivnath Thukral.

Suhel Seth was at his eloquent best when he said, “Rural, innovation and Breaking news are the three most abused terms in India”.

I also had my chance to question the panel regarding Talent Management in the sector to which they agreed that the FMCG players need to look beyond the I’s namely the IITs and IIMs for longevity of the employees in the sector. It was a wonderful feeling to get your question answered by a CEO! All in all, an event to remember!

--------------Comments posted on www.jammag.com for the post--

Subject: CoolGyaan

Good work roomie!!! i knew abt ur writing capabilituies but was the 1st time i am exposed to such eloquent & crisp lingo ..kudos
sumeet jain on 2005-12-29 15:28:19

Subject: congrats!!!!!!!
ur article s really great. gud work
divs on 2005-12-28 21:50:47

Subject: Cheerio
Very nicely written, u feel as if u are viewing the meet by yr own eyes, all the other comments hold true
Saurabh on 2005-12-28 15:17:09

Subject: Interesting !
Iyere... kalakkura! Indeed I should say thanks for taking us there to the event through your narration. You have enlightened us. So... what did the director say once you are back? Am sure, that would be an interesting anecdote as well!!!
Prabu on 2005-12-27 22:12:30

Subject: Nice report
Try your hand at reporting...send in your resume to newspapers..they're looking for nice young reporters.
Abhivandan on 2005-12-26 20:11:49

Subject: Good One
Hi dude, Performed as expected from you. Description is lively & crisp. Good indepth details. Keep it up.
Gaurav Maths on 2005-12-26 16:25:11

Subject: well written
i wonder how u got me to read an article on smtg as boring as FMCG sector..i think it was jst ur writing tht kept me rivetted..i like the way u write.
Sriram on 2005-12-26 09:34:05

Subject: fmcg conclave
Great! It was a pleasure reading your very mature writing. Shows you have grown.
Radha Iyer on 2005-12-24 21:39:51

Subject: FMCG conclave
well done. SCMHRD is proud of you.keep it up
Shweta Poddar on 2005-12-23 12:45:37

Subject: grt article
a very well written article which makes u feel that u ahve missed somethign worthwhile if u ahve nt attended the conclave. keep it up
Prashanthinie on 2005-12-23 12:43:40

Subject: That's a cool article!
Dude,that was a well-documentedcommentary of the conclave! Congrats! Keep it up!
surekh on 2005-12-23 12:41:58

Subject: fmcg conclave
dear mr.shankar your article is simply great keep it up
sv and mrs svs viswanathan on 2005-12-21 21:34:52