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social media can turn SME's into MNC's: Branding guru Kakkar shows how

Ad and media guru Prahlad Kakkar took the audience and co-panelists on a laugh riot during the 22nd forum Secrets of Success organised by India SME Forum.

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From Left: Sreekant Srusti, Dushyant Singh Rathore, Praklad Kakkar, Rajesh Chakrabharti and Vinod Kumar during India SME forum organised secrets of success at Sun and Sand
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You know you are in for a treat, even if it is a forum on small and medium entrepreneurs on SMEs, when you have ad and media guru Prahlad Kakkar on the panel. Right from reminiscing his college days to Pune to how he branded Red Riding Hood as a condom, Kakkar had his audience tuned in for the entire time he was on stage.
The 22nd forum 'Secrets of Success on SMEs, organised by India SME Forum (ISF), is centered on the objectives of knowledge-sharing and the best practices to enhance competitiveness of the small and medium entrepreneurs in associtaion with dna.


The forum was inaugurated by Lt Col Prem Anand, GM DCCIA, Ratnesh Rathi president CMDA, Anant Sardeshmukh, director general MCCIA, Sunil Wuthoo, business head DNA Pune, Sanjay Athalye, Reliance commercial Finance and Vinod Kumar, Country Head SDRC &Honorary VP India SME Forum.


The first session spoke about ways for a sustainable financial and economical ecosystem for SMEs which had Maninath Jha, SL Khosa, NS Mohan, Nandkishore Attal and Sanjay Athalye on the panel.
The panelists discussed the increasing competitiveness and productivity of capital and labour. Cluster-based approach for equitable financing, networking, sharing and growth. "Confidence and trust is what small entrepreneurs need to put in to flourish. Getting finances for your business is not difficult if you have the confidence on your project," said NS Mohan.
The session that has everyone in splits and walking away with a lot of knowledge was that of Prahlad Kakkar, Rajesh Chakrabarti, Dushyant Singh Rathore and Sreekant Srusti. Kakkar said, "This is a smartest way to engage with the target community. The capability of social media is immense for SMEs. As they can target their potential markets according to the regional specifications. Social media has become a platform for personalised engagement with SMEs. Branding can contribute in this area significantly."


The discussions at the forum brought to light many successful business ideas that have created brand worth with cost effective brand and marketing techniques that have built and grown through targeted marketing mediums like digital, social and integrated media highlighting the importance of social media and Internet as an effective marketing tool to reach out to the desired class of people.
 

 

Anecdotes from the animated conversations at the Secrets of Success for SMEs in Pune..


1. 'Robin Hood Pandey?'
To start with, when in Pune Prahlad is Robin. After he gave out on this detail, he went on to add how he recently launched a brand titled Red Riding Hood. When he quizzed the audience on what possibly could be the product, Kakkar replied, "Condoms!" This let out giggles and murmurs in the crowd. "A condom name has to be comfortable to use. You can happily enter a medical store and ask for Red Riding Hood without feeling embarrassed. The chemist guy will also be comfortable to sell it. What I mean to say here is that, your brand name should have a meaning and thought attached to it. Just because you love your daughter does not mean you name your business product after her," shared Kakkar. He added that the condoms are available in three sizes - regular, medium and 'liar'.
"The regular and the medium are available in the liar-sized pack. Once you are done using the two, you can wear the liar-sized condom as a hood and roam," said Kakkar.
 

2. Sweet clicks
Rajesh Chakrabarti, chief marketing and innovation officer, Reliance Commercial Finance shared an interesting story on innovation and branding. He said, "A knowledge and innovation economy is not about accumulating information, but also using the knowledge to improve performance. One such example is that of Shyam SIngh Ghewarwala in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. All he did was use an old video-cam to record his daily activities of making the sweet across 500 metres. He then uploaded the same on youtube. His sales shot up in no time and today he is paid by fellow sweet shop owners to shut his store at 6.30pm. This was a few years ago, but the moral of the story is entrepreneurs need to be highly innovative in their approach which is one of the most important factor that acts as the driving force behind expanding global commerce."
 

3. 'Munni ne kiya Zandu balm ko badnam? 
When Malaika Arora Khan gyrated to the number Munni Badnam hui, little did she know that apart from setting a hundred hearts racing she will also be setting up the sales of a brand by 40 per cent. "The owners of Zandu Balm were in for a shock when their young son told them that their product has been used in a raunchy item number. They first demanded it to be removed but later when they got to know that the song is a hit among youngsters and that is the market the were trying to tap for a while now, they gave in. They agreed to pour in a crore to advertise and present the film with their branding. Interestingly, their sales went up by 40 per cent in the first quarter."

 

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