The Marksman Summer 2022 Edition by The Marksman

INTERFACE

The

WHERE MARKETING COMES ALIVE

MARKSMAN Stories. Insights. Knowledge. VOL XII | ISSUE IX | SUMMER '22

ELEGANCE IN EVERY DETAIL

EDITOR'S NOTE "Every luxury must be paid for, and everything is a luxury, starting with being in this world."

Chinmaya Sharma

Luxury exudes opulence. Luxury goods always stand out, and one of the most prominent features of all luxury goods is that they make you stand out as well. Consumers buy luxury for a variety of reasons. Some are motivated by a desire for quality or to acquire a "piece of art," while others are motivated by a desire to let people know they can afford it. In today's competitive market, luxury businesses must connect with customers in more imaginative ways than ever before. Traditional luxury fashion and accessory firms are expanding into the mass market, while mainstream brands are pushing up into the premium sector. To maintain its cachet and mystery, true luxury must differentiate itself in a clever and distinctive way. Read more about 'Luxury Brand Marketing' in this edition's cover story. The edition also takes you through brand stories of innovation and philanthropy, the happenings on social media, and much more.

CFA WINNERS: You have not failed to surprise us with your brilliant articles. A hearty congratulations to the folks who managed to be the winner and runner-up of the Summer edition of the call for articles. 1. Winner - Sudhanshu Aggarwal, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay 2. Runner up - Piyush Gupta, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay

Abhishek Rathee

The inspiring pieces of work can be discovered in the "Featured Articles" section. We were overwhelmed with the response, and we wish the same for the future as we believe you would respond with the same gusto portrayed in the past.

Less is more

Sankalp Jaiswal

Less is more

Anushka Dalvi

Less is more

Aditya Mulye

Amrit Prakash Nair

THE WRITERS

Aditi Pooja Damaraju

Sanket Dangra

THE WRITERS

THE DESIGNERS

MEET THE TEAM

Hari Shankar Kannan

Antarip Biswas

Rayomand Sachinwala

THE WRITERS

Anshul Sheikh

Sanjith S Kumar

Mehek Sethi

Mahak Sonkar

TABLE OF CONTENTS 01

Kickstart Get your daily dose of caffeine with Slay, a handcrafted, gourmet cup of coffee in a spill-proof & temperature-controlled packaging for a hassle-free experience. Here to make your summers delightful and refreshing with great coffee everyday.

Cover Story Any marketing approach aimed at breaking into the luxury industry must appeal to the proper audience. After all, it is not necessary for something to be expensive in order for it to be luxurious; high price doesn't guarantee luxury.

What's Hot on the Gram

Change is the only constant when it comes to social media trends. Creating your brand on Insta never seemed so appealing as it does now. You can also shop while you scroll on the gram, customer engagement is high and the brands make sure to offer a delightful customer experience.

Brand Markive We bring you a story straight from the 'House of Gucci' and how it established itself strongly in the premium fashion segment, a segment where people have enough money to splash and the market for which is growing exponentially day by day.

More than Marketing Providing a home to the homeless is one of the most noble acts one could do. This time we see how a big brand like Airbnb is vying to provide for the several thousand refugees, who have been displaced because of the tensions going on between Russia and Ukraine.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 06

Marketing Buzz Creativity knows no limits, and that is what we witnessed in the new ad campaign of ICICI Lombard. Find out what's the perfect family car, how iD Fresh Foods ensured transparency in their manufacturing process and how The Bat took over Burj Khalifa.

Hallmark Campaign The Irresistible taste of Hershey's backed up by an inspirational hallmark campaign is what we got up our sleeves for you this time time around. Come celebrate the 'Sheroes' in your life.

Pioneer

This iconic personality has seen it all. Vineeta Singh, the front face of Sugar and a business powerhouse, how she gave up her job to chase her dream career is something that will inspire everybody to go that extra mile in life.

Marketflix and Chill Neo is back again and it can't get more exciting than this as he returns to a world of two realities: one, everyday life; the other, what lies behind it. We'll be talking about NFTs too, so you better stay tuned!!

Mark-o-pedia This time we delve deep into the world of Metaverse marketing, as we look at how the physical and virtual reality combine to bring out the best of two worlds. The future of marketing is here and the arrival is as explosive as it could get.

KICKSTART SLAY Coffee

Celebrating everyday victories

Imagine you are drinking a steamy mug of gourmet coffee made of freshly roasted coffee beans. What place are you seeing yourself? Probably some fancy café. The concept of drinking newly brewed premium coffees of various flavours at home was unthinkable in India. Cue: SLAY Coffee. When Chaitanya Chitta left the bustling New York life and moved to Bangalore with his wife Lakshmi Dasaka in 2015, one of the main things they reminisced about was the coffee culture. They often spoke about how premium coffee was available at the drop of a hat in the Big Apple. In contrast, Bangalore mainly was populated with Udupi restaurants serving their traditional filter coffee.

-Anushka Dalvi

After dwelling upon this problem, they came up with a solution for their pain point in the form of SLAY Coffee in 2019. The inception of this brand came forth after a lot of trials and errors. DropKaffee Food & Beverages was the couple’s second venture after attempting an education enterprise company called Smarton Leaning. On venturing into the F&B sector in 2015, the couple faced fierce competition from brands like Kolkatabased Country Bean and Delhi-based Blue-Tokai. The lack of internet penetration caused them to focus on the traditional retail route. However, they continued researching strategies for the expansion and scaling of their brand.

KICKSTART One such coffee-specific survey conducted on Facebook garnered a massive 10k responses. They found out that many people were looking for premium sound quality coffee at affordable prices. This is how SLAY Coffee was launched in February 2019 in a cloud kitchen model by joining hands with one of the highly established brands in the F&B industry, Rebel Foods; as a brand created at the onset of the pandemic, the values and mission of the brand centred around bringing a bit of normalcy to people’s lives. The name SLAY entailed celebrating the everyday victories of life that we often choose not to make a big deal of. The brand wanted people to reward themselves with a cup of gourmet coffee for their little achievements. The founders aimed to procure the best quality coffee products for their products. The quest for coffee beans led the couple to various coffee estates across Karnataka before ending at Chikmagalur. This place from where they chose to source the finest quality of Robusta and Arabica coffee beans to ensure a luxury coffee-drinking experience for their customers. The next challenge was to ensure that the packaging was durable and prevented spills. After several tests against the roads, the team finally landed with the rugged and sustainable SLAY case 1.0 packaging. SLAY Coffee opened its first three kitchens in Bangalore. Post this; there was no looking back. The business of these cloud kitchens soared as they received 100 orders per day, with high-density areas getting 300-400 orders daily. SLAY Coffee sold more than 3 million cups of coffee from 160+ locations across 20+ cities. Unlike other brands whose business floundered during the pandemic, SLAY Coffee witnessed a 3x times growth. Today, SLAY Coffee has become the secondlargest online coffee brand in the country, with the highest online customer ratings in less than a year. They have further plans to expand in South East Asian markets and revolutionise their coffee-on-the-go experience.

Cover Story Luxury Brand Marketing For the expensive taste in life

The business of advertising and selling high-end products is known as luxury product marketing. Luxury brands not only entice customers with their high-end products, but they also carefully manage how these products are perceived. A significant aspect of a luxury marketing plan is incorporating facts about your market potential.

-Anshul Sheikh

In 2017, luxury car sales dominated the market, growing by 6%. Luxury experience sales climbed by 20% in two categories: high-end food and wine (up 4% since 2017) and luxury cruises (up by 16 percent). Personal luxury items, which are at the heart of the luxury consumer industry, have seen a 5% increase in sales. The best luxury product marketing campaigns target individuals who can afford high-end items more than simply. They are aimed at everyone willing and interested in putting money aside for high-end items. It's possible that reaching the same luxury consumer today may be different in a few months. Wealth fluctuates.

The luxury market has expanded by 5% globally during the last year. The sales of three primary commodities are driving this growth: luxury cars, luxury experiences, and personal luxury goods. These three things alone account for about 80% of the total luxury market.

Cover Story But there's more to it than that. You can uncover more ways to influence existing and new customers by learning about their interests and purchasing habits. Knowing this information can assist you in finding new strategies to increase sales. You could believe that only wealthy people like to buy luxury items. However, other groups are likely to buy these things, and you can't overlook them. Consider the person who has been putting money up for a new BMW or a new Louis Vuitton bag. Those customers are so enamored with high-end goods that they are willing to save and splurge on your interests. This provides you with the chance to cultivate them as lifelong luxury customers. As a result, luxury goods marketing focuses on customers who have the financial means and desire to purchase your products. The luxury market is no longer entirely reliant on brand awareness and reputation management. Understanding luxury customer behaviors, stating your aims and ambitions, and leveraging this information to motivate purchasers are all necessary, if not essential. These characteristics will help you develop a loyal customer base. Here one is compelled to ask the following luxury marketing questions:

What do customers buy - what does the brand promise? What do our high-end customers care about — causes, issues, or other nonproduct-related factors? How can we use wealth and interest data to improve customer profiles and reach out to more people who meet our buyer persona? Based on what we know about their purchasing influencers, how did we engage our customers, and how are we engaging them today? You naturally form stronger relationships when you design luxury product marketing campaigns related to the things that affect your buyers. To figure out who the wearer

Cover Story adventure. Luxury necessitates agility.

goods

marketing

It's critical to understand that your customers aren't all the same. More importantly, they have various requirements to meet, which are constantly changing. Today, a customer's wealth profile and purchasing proclivity may alter from next year. As a result, it's critical to stay on top of changes in your premium consumer's money and interests. You can communicate your objective in more accessible and appealing ways to more people by personalizing your

is, brands that look beyond the product can produce content that speaks directly to their target market. This necessitates thorough consumer profiling and a thorough understanding of your 'ideal customer.' Rolex appeals to the current consumer's aggressive, adventurous go-getter mindset. They appeal to a substantial aspirational audience with content that flawlessly represents these traits.

messaging. You're staying true to your brand's vision while changing to the customers' requirements. Burberry is the only brand that can compete with it regarding marketing 2.0. Burberry's campaigns are creative and unique, and they never fail to catch people's attention. They quickly adopt emerging platforms and locate their target audience in locations where they already spend time. The Burberry Kisses ad, which they modeled with Google, illustrates this.

The Rolex website's World of Rolex Science and Exploration page caters to this distinct feeling of adventure. It features journeys to uncharted ocean depths and the world's tallest mountain ranges. Each piece of material deftly ties the product's empirical usefulness to the idea of

Cover Story customers to come back! You have the authority to analyze demographic data to predict what they'll require in the future. When customers are approaching retirement, they may be more tempted to purchase luxury travel-related products. They are in desperate need of it. This data enables you to develop more targeted messaging for individuals and groups who share similar experiences. In this scenario, luxury goods marketing allows customers to feel like they're part of a unique and exclusive experience. The prospect of a personalised experience, even more,

The campaign was unique in that it combined two previously unrelated elements: the web's ease of communication and the universal relatability of a real kiss. The promotion, which was primarily aimed at Millennials, encouraged Burberry users to send kisses to loved ones worldwide via the Burberry app. The figures speak for themselves: within a week of the app's introduction, users had sent kisses to over 200 nations and had spent more than 3 minutes interacting with it.

enthralls customers. Marketing luxury brands is no joke; it needs more effort than a regular brand. It is more about selling dreams rather than products.

Your brand's foundation is built on developing a targeted message. You can, however, use wealth data to determine how likely your new consumers are to make a purchase and when they will do so. This means you won't have to wait for

After all, according to the popular bumper sticker, "He who dies with the most number of toys wins in life."

WHAT'S HOT ON THE GRAM

The only constant is change. Always keeping us on our toes.

-Rayomand Sachinwala

When it comes to Instagram trends, the only constant is 'change'. Of course, that's true of social media trends in general - digital platforms and how we use them are constantly evolving and fluxing — but you're here to learn about the hottest Instagram video, Instagram post, and Instagram Story trends in 2022. Because, indeed, this year is different from the previous one... Even from the last month. The lesson is that social media marketers cannot rest on their couches. Whether we act on Instagram marketing trends or not, it's vital to be aware of what's going on so we can construct a social media strategy and content schedule that are relevant to the brand and success. You can be adaptable if you keep informed. Continue reading to learn about the top Instagram trends that marketers should be aware of in 2022.

Instagram shop-a-thon has become the norm. Instagram Shopping exploded in 2021, owing to a perfect storm of pandemic behaviors and enhanced digital capabilities, resulting in a spike in ecommerce. Instead of sending visitors to your website, Instagram Shopping lets them choose and buy things directly from the app. More than 130 million people click on an Instagram Shopping post every month, bringing in foot traffic that a brick-andmortar store owner could only dream of. All signs point to a continued shopping spree in the coming years — eMarketer predicts that social commerce will be an $80 billion industry by 2025, and Instagram's 2022 Trend Report revealed that nearly 1 in 4 of its Gen Z users expect to shop through their social media feeds.

WHAT'S HOT ON THE GRAM A new area in direct messages dedicated to partner communications should make communicating with a potential collaborator easier. The option for artists to earn affiliate money for Instagram stores or open their shops in collaboration with companies is tested. Replying with Reels

What are you waiting for if you don't have capability enabled on your account yet? Creators are kings Four out of five Gen Z Instagram users believe that creators have as much, if not more, cultural impact than mainstream celebrities. And thanks to the emergence of the creator economy during the pandemic, there are now more content wizards on Instagram than ever before: 50 million, to be exact, as of 2021. By 2022, 72.5 percent of marketers in the United States are anticipated to embrace influencer marketing. Instagram's Collabs and Branded Content advertisements make it simpler than ever for companies to cooperate. The platform's most recent features enable creators to identify businesses with which they'd want to collaborate and brands to filter and search for the best-fit artists for specific campaigns. Instagram is playing matchmaking to the best of its ability, and it wants you to get along.

We're interested in watching how companies use this new tool in 2022 since it's a very visual and dynamic method for fans to engage with creators and vice versa. Visible Replies are likely to take off on Instagram, too, if the popularity of TikTok's video reply feature is any clue.

BRAND MARKIVE Redefining luxury fashion

Not just another brand, but an icon

-Aditi Pooja

Kering comes to the top of their minds for those obsessed with everything branding and fashion. The luxury goods group owns Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and Gucci. Here, we trace the legendary journey of Gucci. First coming to be in Florence in 1921, inspired by Guccio Gucci's work as a porter at a ritzy hotel, it started with leather goods and travel items, later expanding into equestrian equipment as it reached British aristocrats. When faced with the issue of a shortage in leather supply, the brand dynamically moved to the use of specially woven hemp with its first branded print that is now widely recognised- the interconnecting diamonds. Around the same time, they created a bamboo-handled bag, interestingly in the shape of a saddle. By the '50s, Gucci expanded its stores to Milan and the U.S. notably among others, and the fashion house well embraced the green-red-green stripe. They also renamed a Gucci bag spotted being carried by Jacqueline Kennedy as 'The Jackie' in 1961, successfully creating a buzz. Gucci continued to charm the elite segment, gifting. Grace Kelly a custom-made floral scarf, and then commissioned the 'Flora' print to launch a collection used heavily in its first ready-to-wear fashion show. The fashion house ventured into more places and product segments, from the beauty space to the debut of their fragrances with the launch of Gucci No. 1. Subsequently, Gucci underwent significant changes in ownership, influencing the brand. Investcorp, a holdings company, acquired almost half of Gucci in 1989 and hired talented people to revolutionise the brand. This is where Tom Ford came in. He oversaw the ready-to-wear collection initially and became the Creative Director of Gucci while the rest of the shares were sold to Investcorp. Ford revitalised the brand by using hypersexual designs and campaign imagery.

BRAND MARKIVE His collections were won commercially, with celebrities like Madonna and Jennifer Lopez wearing his pieces on the red carpet. Relaunches of the ‘Jackie’ bag, the flora pattern, and more even years later proved to be successes for the brand. This attracted the attention of LVMH, which attempted a takeover that was eventually foiled and led to LVMH’s French rival François Pinault buying the company into what was then PPR, and is now known as Kering. They bought Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen in less than three years. However, tensions built between the new management and Ford, who left the company in 2004. Gucci aired its first-ever tv campaign in 2008 for the Gucci by Gucci scent, and the following year, they launched the now-iconic Flora by Gucci fragrance, with the scents being a stronghold for the company. In January 2015, following a slowdown in sales, the abrupt exit of the creative director saw Alessandro Michele take it up for his quirky and androgynous aesthetic for Gucci’s men’s fall 2015 season. The collection helped return Gucci to the fashion forefront, cater to younger customers and fueled growth. In 2017, the company announced its plans to go entirely fur-free and promised to reduce its environmental impact, including greenhouse gas emissions, by 2025. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Michele announced that Gucci is embracing seasonless fashion and leaving the structure of Fashion Week behind. Inspired by the music world, Michele created a series of seven episodes for his collection in November 2020, tapping the likes of Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Florence Welch, among others. In April 2021, marking the brand’s 100th milestone, Michele introduced an innovative tie-up with Balenciaga. The “House of Gucci” movie was released in November 2021, starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, and Al Pacino. There is always something new buzzing with Gucci, a story never failing to surprise the world.

MORE THAN MARKETING Brand in need is a Brand indeed! Airbnb users rush to aid Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin's threepronged invasion of Ukraine is the most significant attack on a European state since World War II. The Russian President announced a 'Special Military Operation' in Eastern Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Russian missiles struck different towns in Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv, a few moments later. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine's president, replied by proclaiming martial law. More than 4 million people fled from various Ukrainian cities during this war. Different international brands worldwide have shown their support to aid residents of Ukraine since then. But a campaign initiated by an Airbnb user stands out.

-Aditya Mulye

During the first week of March 2022, many famous online booking service users rented holiday properties they would never use to help Ukrainian hosts trying to endure Russia's invasion. According to the Airbnb website and the company's CEO, approximately 2 million dollars were spent on reservations for more than 60,000 nights in Ukraine, including 34,000 nights booked by guests from the United States. Although Airbnb did not initiate the initiative, it does support it. According to the official numbers put forward by Airbnb, more than 350,000 people have visited the Airbnb website to donate to the refugees.

MORE THAN MARKETING Like Airbnb, many brands now have changed their policies to support Ukraine. Levi’s, for example, has announced that it won't be selling its products in Russia. The iconic fashion brand has also pledged to donate 300,000 dollars to humanitarian aid for the Ukrainian refugees. In Ukraine, Google has upgraded its search and maps services to send notifications to UN resources for anyone looking for information on refugees and asylum seekers. One of the largest OTT platforms globally, Netflix has decided to stop its services in Russia. Millions of Russian subscribers cant stream a single Netflix show.

"The inspiring generosity of our community so humbles us during this crisis. Airbnb is temporarily waiving guest and host fees on bookings in Ukraine at this time," a company spokesperson said in an interview with Fortune. Airbnb has also offered to provide shelters for 100000 additional Ukrainian refugees. The idea is being promoted on social media like Instagram and Twitter as a safe and effective way to get money to the Ukrainian refugees. However, given the Russian government's flood of misinformation via official and social media, Twitter users have warned to check all the listings in Ukraine to "cash in on noble intentions" and advised people to check the host's reviews before attempting to assist.

The Russian-Ukraine conflict has destabilised the entire world and has affected millions of people across the globe. Brands like Airbnb, Google, Netflix, and many others have a varied userbase, and it is a heartwarming moment to see these brands making good use of their money and their resources to help the people in need right now.

MARKETING BUZZ Creative, Quirky, Fun!

-Antarip Biswas ICICI Lombard - Unbelievable But True! Aliens? Pet Dragon? Anaconda in the Kitchen? It seems unreal, right! This quirky advert discusses the unbelievable features offered under the new ICICI Lombard GIC named BeFit Cover. The three-part film shows unimaginable scenarios like a spaceship landing and an Alien causing a skin rash, a pet Dragon sneezing fire, or an Anaconda licking one's face. In all these cases, the people believe the narrator and his stories. Still, whenever he mentions how BeFit Cover schemes like cashless medicines and OPD appointments solved his problems, they tend to disagree and accuse the narrator of lying.

Kia Carens - Meet the Mehtas! In March, Kia launched a new campaign to showcase the Carens as the perfect family car. The clever advertising included the Mehtas, who would subtly talk about the vehicle's features. Over six episodes, the family discusses different things, such as technology and comfort. The first episode has the father talk about the cool tech, and the second episode shows the ample space in the car, making the mom happy. Similarly, the other episodes promote the car's looks, entertainment options, and strong safety. Kia has connected well to its target audience through this series The Big Desi Family!

MARKETING BUZZ iD Fresh Food - TransparenSee Campaign Consumers will be able to see livestreaming from iD Fresh Food's batter facility in Bengaluru as part of a new promotion. The five-day promotion commemorates the first anniversary of iD's completely automated facility, Giant Home Kitchen. Viewers may watch live feeds from all regions of the factory. The company had received multiple requests from customers who wanted to visit the plants. This prompted iD Fresh Food to Livestream its manufacturing process to viewers. The TransparenSee Campaign aims to showcase its 100% natural and transparent food-making process.

The Batman - Spot the Signal The makers of the upcoming superhero film The Batman unveiled a special video on the world's tallest structure, the Burj Khalifa, only days after the film's world premiere. The makers played three different videos on the iconic building with this message being shown to attract fans "It's not just a signal, it's a warning. Unmask the truth." The bat signal was projected on many other essential skyscrapers in cities like London and New York. Warner Bros. Thailand has previously displayed a lifesize statue of Robert Pattinson dressed as Batman as part of their marketing push.

HALLMARK CAMPAIGN Hershey's Chocolates

Celebrating the power of #HerSHE

- Hari Shankar

Celebrating women’s achievements has always been a delightful inspiration for millions worldwide. And what could be more enjoyable than a chocolatey treat that tells us inspiring stories of unsung 'Sheroes' in society? For the second consecutive year, Hershey India launched and celebrated the #HerSHE campaign in March 2022. The theme of this campaign was ‘making the Invisible visible. And it saw overwhelming support from everyone all around the country. The campaign kickstarted with International women’s day in March 2022. And this time, Hershey had numerous ways to bring light to the inspiring stories of women who have achieved laurels in their fields but were not recognised further beyond their area. Diversity, inclusion, recognition and inspiration were the critical factors of focus. Hershey crafted a sweet campaign for the women, starting by featuring six women achievers from diverse backgrounds, Aishwarya Sridhar, Dhvani Kothari, Sandhya Rai, and Rukmini Vijayakumar, Pooja Taparia and Falguni Vasavda Oza. These women have achieved glory in their respective fields, namely, sports, portraying arts, philanthropy, feminism and photography. Hershey’s also made a picture of these women on the covers of their chocolate bars with a QR code, which upon scanning, takes us to a microsite that shares the inspiring story of the women featured. The campaign originated in Brazil in 2020 and was a great success. And then, it was brought to India in 2021 and henceforth. And for sure, the campaign was wellreceived among the audiences in both countries. These six women were from very unconventional fields. And Hershey’s chose them to showcase their level of grit, determination, and excellence against all odds they faced along their journey. They believe that this would further inspire millions of women.

HALLMARK CAMPAIGN And for the first time, as a part of the #HerSHE campaign, the company also made a rap song video in collaboration with two of India’s leading and most talented hip-hop artists, Raja Kumari and Meba Ofilia. They are also renowned for their philanthropic and artistic contributions. The video amassed several millions of views on YouTube. The microsite from the QR code also saw several thousands of engagements from people all over the country. The company believes that every single person would have a known, seen or has been inspired by a strong female individual in their life.

However, most often, the stories of these females would go unheard, uncelebrated or unrecognised. In an attempt to showcase such inspiration to everyone, Hershey’s also set up its microsite for users to read and share the stories of Sheroes from their life. This campaign thus enabled an equal opportunity for every person to engage and celebrate the success of women. In addition to this, the company also used a #HERforSHE on several social media platforms to bring together women mentors who are skilled in a plethora of domains to help other women reach their goals. The mentorship program also served as an opportunity for women leaders from various disciplines to share their inspiring stories with everyone, highlighting their hardships, obstacles and critical learnings & takeaways.

This program saw massive success among the numerous users and participants. The campaign also organised a fund-raising event that accumulated an amount of $100,000 for an NGO, girl up, to help underprivileged girls in the society. There was also an Influencer marketing campaign using the rap song, calling for people to join the #HerSHE movement. And for sure, Hershey's shared equality & inspiration in a sweet package for the consumers through this campaign.

PIONEER Vineeta Singh

To the top with Sugar

- Mehek Sethi

Sometimes people give up big things to do bigger things in life, which Vineeta Singh also did. Giving up a job offer worth one crore to pursue her dream of building and nurturing a startup shows us how strongwilled a woman she is. She truly has created a mark for herself, from giving up a job offer like that and failed startups to be a shark at Shark Tank India. Vineeta Singh completed her electrical engineering from IIT Madras and then moved on to pursue her Masters in Business Administration from IIM Ahemdabad. By the time she was through with her course, she was sure that she wanted to build something that's hers and embrace entrepreneurship and thus rejected the investment banker job offer.

Before building Sugar, Vineeta had tried her hands at two startups. The first one, Quetzal Online Pvt. Ltd, an HR organisation, was started in 2007 with a classmate from IIM, Ahmedabad. Sadly, it did not scale. The second one, FAB BAG, was a subscription service started in 2012. It still has roughly 3,500 subscribers monthly (at its peak, it had around 16,000). Singh got a taste of success with Sugar when she started it in 2015. Her experience and learnings from her past failures are what helped her. In 2019-20, the company generated Rs 100 crore in revenue, firmly establishing itself as the market leader in direct-to-consumer cosmetics and personal care.

PIONEER Having created a foothold in the market and taking Sugar where it is today, Vineeta Singh was recently seen on Shark Tank India, a show in which aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a group of self-made entrepreneurs known as "sharks" in the hopes of receiving funding. Her fame has heightened, and people now know her story due to the show. Vineeta Singh's journey has its lessons for people to learn. Her passion, dedication, and will are truly inspirational for all. She inspires the women of today to step up and run after their dreams.

The D2C brand Sugar quickly expands its physical presence, with over 35,000 retail touchpoints in 500+ locations by 2021. The Mumbai-based business raised approximately $21 million in its Series C fundraising round last year. When asked how she planned to build a woman-centric business, Vineeta explained that as she was someone who wasn't a big cosmetics user growing up, fashion was never on her radar. However, she had always known that she wanted to build something where women were the customers because she thought the world was changing quickly, but it was changing even faster for women. Women, for example, were starting to work or study and had access to their income and the internet.

MARKETFLIX AND CHILL The Matrix Resurrections: Interactive trailers and NFT's

-Amrit Nair

When Warner Bros. showed video from the picture to exhibitors and other CinemaCon attendees in August, it was the first step toward an official marketing campaign. That began in early September with the release of a video anticipating the coming of the first teaser. Also included in that video was the URL https://www.whatisthematrix.com, which allowed visitors to have a sneak peek at the new film's first footage, with distinct experiences for those who chose red or blue pills. Users were given the option of choosing between the notorious "red" or "blue" pill when they first arrived at the assigned place, much as they were in the original 1999 film. (By now, fans have figured out that the red pill freed Neo from the Matrix, while the blue pill permitted him to continue living his "false existence.") The site chose which teaser clip a user may watch based on which medication they took and what time they visited. The site has 180,000 video versions, including narrations and fragments from the film and its casts, such as a brief clip of Yahya Abdul-Matten II in the bathroom, a "frenzied" motorbike chase action, and Jonathan Groff's mouthmelting shut. Nifty's and Warner Bros. created Matrix Avatars, a first-of-its-kind NFT avatar project, designed from the ground up to be the largest of its kind, with 100,000 individual avatars built with Epic Game's MetaHuman Creator, in advance of 'The Matrix: Resurrections,' the fourth film in the franchise. It was also the first significant motion picture IP to join the dynamic realm of NFT avatars with this project.

MARKETFLIX AND CHILL Snapchat and other app users could use an augmented reality app to join the Matrix. Instagram and Facebook now have a movie-inspired effect that might be used during video talks. The campaign has been *extremely* effective, owing to its early and frequent reliance on the personalities of Reeves and Moss. They aren't Bogart and Bacall, but it's evident that they have a deep bond that allows them to play off one other professionally. They were both dedicated to only returning to this franchise, provided it was loyal to the previous instalments.

Most crucially, it allows franchise fans to inhabit the Matrix universe as a character who is unique to them. Warner Bros. and Nifty chose the Palm blockchain to mint the Matrix NFTs because it is energyefficient and has low environmental impact.

The American Red Cross conducted a promotion in anticipation of the holiday season, offering the chance to win a private hometown screening of the film to people who came in to give blood. Fans could win movie-inspired custom PC mods by entering a competition by Retweeting one of the posts, which Nvidia operated as part of a promotional push.

MARK-O-PEDIA Metaverse Marketing As immersive as it gets.

-Mahak Sonkar

Do you know about Van Gogh's immersive experience, in which you may use augmented reality to experience the paintings physically? 360-degree projections and virtual reality glasses allow you to immerse yourself in the fascinating paintings fully. Imagine not having to leave your house to have this kind of experience. You don't even have to get out of your cozy couch. How? The Metaverse is the source of this information. The prefix "meta" (beyond) and the "verse" (verse) were combined to form the word "Metaverse" (from "universe"). The Metaverse will be virtual or augmented reality environments where users can access and interact. People will be able to participate in social activities and entertainment in ways they have never been before because of this technology. Presence, immersion, and interactivity are the foundations of the Metaverse. The Metaverse, which includes the sum of all virtual worlds, augmented reality, and the internet, has been described as a communal virtual shared place generated by the merging of virtually improved physical reality and physically permanent virtual space. Metaverse is a new marketing environment based on blockchain technology. There are no servers or administrators because it is decentralised. It's a brand-new marketing technique that lets you engage with your customers in ways you've never been able to before. Metaverse Marketing perspective on digital Metaverse, what about "Metaverse Marketing" digital marketing.

will alter your marketing. In the digital marketing? is the future of

MARK-O-PEDIA Meta's primary goal will be to bring the Metaverse to life by assisting people in connecting, forming communities, and expanding their enterprises. However, as I previously stated in the post, Facebook is a centralized network that does not intend to become completely decentralized. They'd have to change their centralized model if they wanted to be decentralized. But, as in the case of Fortnite, the Metaverse does not have to be decentralized. As a result, if you want a successful metaverse marketing plan, they'll need to adjust their business models and aims in tandem with Metaverse. We are now transitioning from digital advertising to metaverse marketing, similar to how we transitioned from television, radio, and banner advertising to social media, search engines, and other mediums. Firms use words and supporting graphics in display advertising that we can see on Google or other search engines today. However, as the market shifts, these visuals will become 3D, making the work more difficult. Furthermore, virtual reality and augmented reality will be commonplace, necessitating considerably more creative effort than now.

SPECIAL STORY Indian cricketers & endorsements Scoring high on the luxury pitch

-Sanjith S Kumar

Cricketers are the preferred brand ambassadors for luxury brands in India, which generates 70% of the global game's revenue, World Cup or no World Cup. In 2012, Sachin Tendulkar, The God of Cricket, became BMW India's first-ever brand ambassador. In 2017, to commemorate Audi's tenth anniversary, the automaker presented Virat Kohli with a white Audi Q7. Kohli also appears in many of Audi's marketing and advertising campaigns. Until 2020, the former captain of Team India was also the face of Tissot. In 2019, Panerai, an Italian luxury sports watchmaker, announced MS Dhoni as their India brand ambassador. Cricketers, like successful movie stars, have an enormous market appeal. Indian cricketers endorse almost everything under the sun, from high-end watches to luxury cars and opulent residential projects. Virat Kohli, worth over Rs. 200 crore, and MS Dhoni, worth over Rs. One hundred crores are among Forbes India's highest-paid endorsers. However, there are still unanswered questions. What are the benefits of these alliances for luxury brands? How do they connect their communication and the cricketer's values and personalities? Do these collaborations yield tangible results for brands? Luxury brands must tell a story, maintain a legacy, and provide an exclusive experience for their customers. Suneel Agarwal, Brand Architect, Presentation Coach, and Transformation Speaker with over three decades of experience across multiple domains, believes that the cricketer's persona is most important in the endorsement game. "Virat Kohli can break the ice with a highend brand because he lives a high-end lifestyle in real life."

SPECIAL STORY Sachin Tendulkar, likewise, is known for his opulent lifestyle." A person who drives a Ferrari, for example, may also use cheap toothpaste. "I believe cricketers can be as good ambassadors of a mass brand as they can be of a luxury label," says Agarwal, the Founder and CEO of Parichay Brand Consultants. The way they're presented in marketing and promotion campaigns is what changes Leading Indian cricketers assist brands in achieving global appeal. Furthermore, consumers are more likely to connect with a brand associated with a celebrity. "It gives the brands an advantage over the competition."

"India has always been a cricket-crazed nation. People love to watch and follow the game, massive events like the World Cup," says Siddhant Narayan, Daniel Wellington's Marketing Manager for the Indian Subcontinent. Dhoni is a suitable option for Panerai. In a press conference, Panerai CEO Jean-Marc Pontroué said, "MS Dhoni is a celebrated sportsman, a sophisticated gentleman with a distinct persona that impeccably resonates the masculine identity of Panerai watches." "His sporting career is a testament to the class, poise, talent, and dedication he instils in everything he does, making him the epitome of zeal and legitimacy." We are privileged to have him represent our brand in India and be a living example of our values."

Returning to the stars of the game, these commercial contracts benefit cricketers not only financially, but also in terms of public perception. Cricketers were not particularly appealing to many brands a decade ago, as the sport drew primarily male viewers. The Indian Premier League made cricket viewing a family affair, boosting cricketers' popularity as brand ambassadors.

CALL FOR ARTICLES Stealth Marketing – Brilliance or Faux?

The communication paradigm has shifted, not just in terms of technology but also in terms of the interaction and the message between firms and users, as mediated by marketing and potential consumers. We are inundated with commercials and promotional messages all day. The result is exhaustion or, worse, scepticism or perplexity for many clients. Consumers have been trained to ignore, tune out, or distrust advertising and marketing messages. On the other hand, consumers have been unintentionally trapped by ineffective campaigns because they are an individual and distinctive component of their day's experience. Stealth Marketing, as it is colloquially known, is a growing

-Sudhanshu Aggarwal

trend in the advertising business, with a bevvy of companies establishing their campaigns. Stealth Marketing, a subtype of guerrilla marketing, is an alternate technique that involves surprising, delighting, and engaging consumers with an eye-catching and typically strategically positioned installation or visual set-up in public. These campaigns seek to create memorable experiences and forge an emotional bond between the brand and the viewer. By generating this experience for the consumer, brands increase the likelihood that individuals will share their experience and tell their friends and family about it on social media. As a result, the product or service being

CALL FOR ARTICLES promoted has the potential to reach a large number of people. It does not often seek to produce instant sales but rather to develop attention for a product or brand for any firm, regardless of size or specialisation.

Apart from generating pre-launch interest, attracting attention, increasing memorability, and saving money, stealth marketing has potential pitfalls and drawbacks, such as – Damaging the brand image if misunderstood by consumers Engaging in legally dubious acts Impossible to track its exact success Deceptive and Intrusive

Stealth Marketing operates based on the three effects listed below: Surprise Effect - Surprising the audience by attracting their attention through unorthodox means Diffusion Effect - Broadening the message's reach Low-Cost Effect - Reducing marketing expenditures by affecting a considerable number of people. It has gone through several incarnations throughout history, paralleling the progression of technology, with new tactics being deployed as consumers' attention has switched from traditional media to social media and beyond. Hiring actors, sockpuppeting, enlisting influencers, generating viral videos, and product placement in movies are all forms of covert marketing. For example, in the film The Italian Job, the band of crooks carry off their robbery in a fleet of Mini Coopers. The automobile was such a significant aspect of the film and appeared in so many scenes that one might argue that the entire film was one giant commercial for Mini Coopers. In a typical stealth approach, Axe body spray added women figurines racing after the male figure to a famous "leave" man sign, following the brand's commercial theme.

Instead of following the same advertising tactics that people are used to and frequently weary of, stealth marketing allows brands to develop something new. Not all sales will be instantaneous, but keeping the long game in mind is crucial.

It is a risky advertising tactic with a misleading character that some regard as an evil marketing plan. as an evil marketing plan.As a result, some regard it as a development of marketing practice, maybe the inevitable conclusion of "overload marketing," in which organisations and advertising efforts to outspend and outcompete one another have reached the limits of their usefulness.

CALL FOR ARTICLES Reels, Shorts, and Stories – New world A.V. marketing

-Piyush Gupta

“Social media is like a drug, but what makes it particularly addictive is that it is adaptive. It adjusts based on your preferences and behaviors.” - Jonah Berger With more than a billion active users each, Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok are undoubtedly the most popular social media and content apps around the globe. Others like Snapchat also remain massively popular. Every new social media generally has a couple of unique selling points that differentiate it from previous apps. TikTok and Instagram reels have capitalized on the value proposition of ‘short videos’. These videos are generally 15 seconds or shorter and serve the purpose of providing entertainment while keeping the user engaged. Stories serve as temporary posts and bring the concept of ephemerality to the posts, taking away user anxiety CWith the ginormous amounts of content present, the apps confidently respond to anyone's ‘what should I watch’ question with a flood of recommendations. Powered by AI engines, these recommendations are catered to the person’s interests and successfully keep them in the loop of watching videos. The videos could be endearing, they could be amusing, or they could even be cringe. But they fulfill their primary purpose of keeping the user engaged and swiping for the following video. Not just for the people, Reels, Shots, and Stories have also become a powerful tool for brands and marketers. With 70% of teens trusting social media influencers more than traditional celebrities and 86% of women using social media for purchasing recommendations, the importance of having a social media presence has increased massively. Reels, shorts, and stories have higher engagement rates from the app's followers than other social media platforms, so marketers can generate a lot of buzz with a well-planned campaign that uses content that appeals to the app's audience

CALL FOR ARTICLES

This has led to many popular brands like Chipotle, Gymshark, Fortnite, and Red Bull investing significantly in marketing efforts in the ‘New World Marketing’ Social media marketing is less about hardsell marketing and more about communication and connection. Brands that use social media effectively develop an authentic voice that resonates with their target audience. They demonstrate to customers that their values are compatible – rather than selling, selling, selling, it's about inviting prospects to join an exclusive club that reflects who they are or aspire to be. One of the most effective tools for showcasing a brand's personality and values is a well-planned and executed video.

After the meteoric rise of these ‘new world A.V. Marketing’ strategies, almost everyone has something to say about this trend. Some might argue that this is tinkering with our already reducing attention spans, others may say that it is promoting a culture of quick fame. Whatever be the case, these trends have successfully acquired the Gen Z customer segment and now threaten the very existence of many older social media platforms. Many of these platforms have retorted by launching their own short video services, but only time will tell which service will emerge as the winner. For now, the only thing that is certain is that the new world A.V. marketing strategies have broken the social media monopoly and have become the trend of today.

FAREWELL, BATCH OF '22

SUMIRAN NARAYAN Convenor

“Enriching” is the word that I’d use to describe my journey at Interface. During these two years when I was at Interface, I have grown as an individual. Interface did not only help me hone my skills but also gave me an opportunity to work with and learn from some immensely talented set of individuals. Leading this team of highly driven, smart and creative people is something that is going to stay with me for my entire lifetime. And, most importantly, the amazing friends that I have made here have added a cherry to the cake. I take immense pride to have been associated with Interface. May this great legacy continue!

These 2 years spent at Interface have been full of learning and growth. Leading a team of such talented and creative individuals has been an honour. My journey from a junior member to a steering member has moulded me into a better version of myself. Interface will always hold a special place in my heart.

JASH SHAH

SAKSHI AGARWAL Co-Convenor

In terms of this committee growing and changing, the last 12 months have been most significant for me. I’ve seen a real shift towards a team management approach and we have really put our values at the forefront of what we do. I’ve been part of the creative process we’ve gone through to get to the heart of who we are as a committee. Upward, Learning and Evolving together.

Co-Convenor

FAREWELL, BATCH OF '22 It has been a thrilling experience being a part of Interface. Working in the content vertical, looking for new topics, ideating and revamping the magazine and then finally handling the baton to a talented bunch. Every task has been hectic but at the end super fun.

SHIVANI JOSHI Editor, The Marksman Head, SGMC

Head, Social Media

Editor, The Marksman Head, FCB Comstrat

It was 'More than Marketing', pun intended. Interface was one of the few places where expectations vs reality matched. It was a crazy roller coaster where I got to explore and learn a lot. Here, I made connections for life. Will ALWAYS be an Interfacian, cheers!

The 2 years at interface has been an absolute rollercoaster. From being a part of the junior batch and always excited to learn something new from my seniors, I've seen the same enthusiasm and excitement in our juniors. They've worked superbly throughout this one year and we have no doubt that we're handing over our committee to the right people. Good luck!

AASTHA RANKA

NANDANI KABRA

SANCHITA KHATTAR Head, Social Media Head, FCB Comstrat

Interface has been an amazing learning experience for me. The last two years have taught me a lot and given me an opportunity to build connections personally and professionally. The journey helped me grow as a marketer and as a person as well. The journey was a memorable one with ups and downs and it'll always be an important part of my MBA life. Also, cheers to the amazing friends I made in Interface!

FAREWELL, BATCH OF '22 It's been a great learning curve for me personally. From trying to make the best of difficult situations with the guidance of seniors to being in that position to give direction to some really talented juniors, it became a full circle. The biggest revelation has been ARKO GHOSH the ability of this committee to find those hidden Head, sparks within you that you did not think existed. Corporate Communications Grateful and glad that I chose this committee and the committee chose me ( those who know, they know. )

Interface gave me the exposure towards managing zoom when things went digital and it gave me experience towards both, learning new things about technology and learning marketing tactics along with the journey. All the best to you guys for the journey further ahead!

SNEHA PATEL Head, Design and Digital Media

SAMBHAV MEHTA Head, Event Management & Operations

The two years at Interface was nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. It is the place which gave me countless memories, friends, learnings and experiences. It helped me in honing my skills and at the same time also provided a platform to develop new ones. It helped me grow as a person and challenge myself everyday. Interface will always be a special part of my MBA journey.

The experience at the interface has been very enriching and diverse. Especially the journey from being a newbie designer to becoming the head of the design vertical and being given a chance to create another website has been a fantastic opportunity.

ADITYA GUPTA Website Manager & Head, Design

FAREWELL, BATCH OF '22 Interface was one hell of a roller coaster ride for me. Being this introvert who runs away from even the slightest of encounters with people, I was surprisingly very comfortable with this lot. I had the opportunity to learn the majority of my design skills SHRUTI JAIN while honing my corporate communication skills throughout my duration. Interface would always hold Event Head, The Pitchers a special place in my heart.

VATSAL SARAF

Started off with working for social media week continuing to be a learning phase till the very end. An amazing journey and one of the best team

Event Head, The Pitchers

It has been a fun ride with lots of learning and beautiful bonds to make this MBA journey a memorable one.

AAYUSH SHETTY Head Corporate Communications

Mansi Singh

It has been extremely fun. From getting on zoom calls to discuss ideas and events to finally meeting the members for one final picture, it has been a memorable journey.

Event Head, SGMC Leader, InterResearch

FAREWELL, BATCH OF '22

RITVIJ TRIPATHI Leader, MarkForum

Interface gave me immense learnings, amazing friends, and some real good memories. The complete span of 2 years will be the most cherished part of my B-School journey. It has always been a privilege to belong to an extremely talented group of budding marketeers and learn the tips and tricks of business world from all the peers who are a part of this family.

The journey with Interface has always been mesmerizing from brainstorming on creating posts, to writing articles for The Marksman, to being the coeditor for the Marksman, and to interacting with fellow team members.

SAKSHI JALAN Leader, InterResearch

Got a lot of friends and two really close once, and words can't describe the experience it has been!

TARSH RAUT Leader, InterConnect

Interface is the most awesome place where creative heads come together to create mad arts and events. it was a ride that is close to my heart and I cherish every moment here at Interface.

AJITH MENON Leader, InterCompete

FAREWELL, BATCH OF '22 Interface was one hell of a roller coaster ride for me. Being this introvert who runs away from even the slightest of encounters with people, I was surprisingly very comfortable with this lot. I had the opportunity to learn the majority of my design skills while honing my corporate communication skills throughout my duration. Interface would always hold a special place in my heart.

DEEKSHA SRIVASTAVA Senior Member

I made so many new connections with some of the most dynamic talented and genuine people, also I did something out of my comfort zone!

ATHARVA SINDEKAR Senior Member

Interface has been a roller coaster of mixed emotions. From the last-minute crunch to the shower of appreciation, I guess we all gelled together to become a team. It taught me to think eccentrically, and I also got to let my imagination fly while designing posts. Hearty wishes to the new team, and stay frosty.

KRITI AGRAWAL

SAMBARTA DUTTA Senior Member

The interface journey has been quite a learning experience for me. During my first year, I got introduced to so many new things, new people, new experiences, which I will treasure for life!

Senior Member

FAREWELL, BATCH OF '22

To the Batch of 2022, Though we are ending yet another wonderful year at Interface, the zest and passion that we all share for marketing continue to live on. As we bid farewell to you, we would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to each of you and wish you all the luck in your future endeavors. Words fall short to describe truly what Interface as a committee has given us. Thank you for being the guiding light throughout our time here, and we hope that we were able to make you proud as you did so. With a heavy heart and emotions running high, it’s time that we bid adieu but forever be the one wholesome family that we are.

- Team Interface, Batch of '23

FAREWELL, BATCH OF '22

CALL FOR ARTICLES June 2022 Edition The Marksman provides one and all the opportunity to discover their hidden talents in the literary field through our "Call for Articles". For the upcoming edition, the articles can be sent on any of the following topics:

Marketing Automation - Prepare for the future Micro-Influencers - The Best Brand Advocates? ‘Sense and Respond’ - How Brands Listen to Customers Please ensure that there is no plagiarism and all the references are clearly mentioned.

Kindly follow the guidelines given below: One article can have only one author. Your article should be approximately 550-600 words (strictly adhere to the word limit) The article must have relevant pictures that can be used to enhance the article. Send in your articles in .doc/.docx format to marksman.simsr@somaiya.edu Subject Line: Your Name_Institute Name_Course Year. Kindly name your file as: Your Name_Topic. The best adjudged article will be given a Winner's certificate. The First Prize Winners will be awarded Rs. 500 Cash Prize.

Deadline For Submission Of Article: 22nd June, 2022

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For any queries, please contact us Email: interface.simsr@somaiya.edu / marksman.simsr@somaiya.edu