infotonic

  From Fire, na wild fire to Bloom: Lessons from Pushpa's Rise in the Hindi Heartland The interplay of culture, storytelling, and marketing has always been a fertile ground for exploring how brands—and in this case, cinematic brands—can transcend regional boundaries to achieve national and even global resonance. The recent success of Pushpa, a Telugu movie franchise, and its sequel's promotional event in Patna, Bihar, offers a masterclass in cultural marketing, audience segmentation, and the power of relatability. What can marketers learn from this phenomenon? Let’s explore the marketing brilliance and strategic depth behind Pushpa’s leap into the Hindi heartland. Lesson 1: Cultural Translation and Relatability Pushpa’s iconic dialogue—“You thought my name is Pushpa, so I’m a flower. I’m fire.”—is not merely a statement; it’s a declaration of identity, resilience, and ambition. These themes resonate universally but have found special traction in the Hindi-speaking heartland,...

Blog of my session at NACCMAR 24 Platform.  It was an honor to deliver a speech at NACCMAR 2024, a platform dedicated to exploring how resilience and innovation drive sustainability in enterprises.  Resilient Innovations in Sustainable Enterprises: Lessons from India's Leading Brands In an era marked by profound changes, businesses today face a dual mandate—achieving profits while solving some of the world's most pressing challenges. The intersection of resilience, innovation, and sustainability is no longer a choice; it has become the foundation of enterprises that aim to lead in the future. India, a nation of diverse challenges and opportunities, offers inspiring examples of how businesses are redefining themselves to meet these demands. Let's explore how some of the country's leading enterprises have embraced this paradigm, blending resilience and innovation to drive sustainability. 1. Resilience in Connectivity: Reliance Jio Reliance Jio disrupted India's tele...

  Accelerating Ahead: India’s Two-Wheeler Market Is Now Primed To Go Premium India’s two-wheeler market is no longer just big in volume terms; it’s a high-octane pursuit of premium perfection. With a staggering 18 million units sold in 2022, the country claims the crown as the world’s largest two-wheeler market. But that’s not all – the engine of potential is still roaring, hinting at even greater heights. Accelerating Ahead: India’s Two-Wheeler Market Is Now Primed To Go Premium | The Financial Express

  India’s two-wheeler market is witnessing a paradigm shift, leaving behind its conventional roots to embrace the allure of premium perfection. With a staggering 18 million units sold in 2022, India boasts the world’s largest two-wheeler market. However, the journey doesn’t end here, as the industry is gearing up for even greater heights. Read more here: Unleashing the power: India’s two-wheeler market roars into premium era (indiatimes.com)

The electric vehicle (EV) market in India has witnessed significant growth. Valued at USD 1.45 billion in 2021, the market size is anticipated to touch USD 113.99 billion by 2029 from USD 3.21 billion in 2022, at a CAGR of a whopping 66.52%. The numbers are as per a report by Fortune Business Insights, titled “India electric vehicle Market, 2022-2029.” Much of this growth can be attributed to factors such as government support, heightened environmental awareness, and technological advancements. Tax breaks, subsidies, and investment in charging infrastructure have been among the initiatives aimed at promoting the adoption of EVs. Increased environmental awareness among the populace has also contributed significantly, with people seeking more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles. Additionally, advancements in battery technology and the emergence of convenient charging options have bolstered the appeal of EVs.   Read more details here:...

Adhering to fame-II localization norms is paramount for EV sales to gain steam The government launched its flagship Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme to encourage customers buying electric and hybrid vehicles, as they cost more than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. The scheme also includes an upfront discount of up to 40% on the price of the vehicle, at a rate of Rs 15,000 per kilowatt hour (kWh) to customers purchasing EVs, thereby making EVs affordable.   My article in the Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/adhering-to-fame-ii-localization-norms-is-paramount-for-ev-sales-to-gain-steam/

Here's Why Battery Swapping System for Electric Vehicles May Not be a Good Idea https://www.news18.com/news/auto/heres-why-battery-swapping-system-for-electric-vehicles-may-not-be-a-good-idea-6071467.html

  ESG Cynics. ESG-themed investments (that is, those which focus on environmental, social, and governance priorities) are expected to surpass $40 trillion in assets this year, suggesting that the concept has become deeply rooted in global markets. But the term itself is increasingly ridiculed by detractors. Critics claim the term is hazily defined, has failed to reduce income inequality, and has become a political lightning rod. Even some proponents acknowledge that it might be time for a rebrand—while maintaining that the underlying concept remains important. See the link to the Bloomberg article headlined  ‘Hating ESG’: Advocates Are Looking to Replace the Label https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-17/-hating-esg-advocates-rethink-label-as-us-culture-wars-bite?sref=YMVUXTCK&cid=other-eml-onp-mip-mck&hlkid=188cf10c22854ab789c2b8e012f33990&hctky=9431270&hdpid=e33e1947-f934-4b96-9412-a314b6fc5abd&leadSource=uverify%20wall

The digitalization of education: A boon or a bane? - My article in FE  When the pandemic caught us unaware in March 2020, followed by the continued lockdowns, we all realized how digitization saved the day by altering our day-to-day lives, into what we started calling the ‘new normal’! Naysayers have been waxing eloquent that physical academic environments can enhance camaraderie and collaboration among students, infuse a sense of teamwork and community, and play a crucial role in their overall personality development. However, in the face of the unprecedented health crisis that the pandemic had unleashed, the feasibility of the aforementioned is minuscule, if at all. Read the article here.:   https://www.financialexpress.com/education-2/the-digitalization-of-education-a-boon-or-a-bane/2624411/ ... and in Hans India  https://www.thehansindia.com/hans/young-hans/the-digitalisation-of-education-a-boon-or-a-bane-757356

How NEP 2020 will serve as a foundation for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “ The power of education extends beyond the development of skills we need for economic success. It can contribute to nation-building and reconciliation.” The Nobel Peace Prize recipient recognized education as an indispensable vehicle to bring equality of opportunity to the world.   In context, India’s NEP 2020 is indeed a revolutionary policy reform from the perspective that it is the first education policy of the 21st century and it supplants the thirty-four-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. Developed robustly on the foundational tenets of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability, and Accountability, the policy is in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, crafte...

  Transform your marketing by being future-ready The world of marketing is fast changing.  At this point in time, new trends, new technologies, and changing patterns of consumer  behaviors are transforming the industry like never before, and with it,  ample opportunities are emerging.  Read more at: https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/marketing/transform-your-marketing-by-being-future-ready/92399855 Other publications that carried the article:  https://globalprimenews.com/2022/06/23/transform-your-marketing-by-being-future-ready-by-samir-kapur/ http://businessnewsthisweek.com/business/transform-your-marketing-by-being-future-ready/ http://mediabulletins.com/business/transform-your-marketing-by-being-future-ready/ https://contentmediasolution.com/business/transform-your-marketing-by-being-future-ready/ https://onlinemediacafe.com/business/transform-your-marketing-by-being-future-ready/ https://biznewsdesk.com/business/transform-your-marketi...

Global liquidity tightening has started impacting growth (slowing of PMIs, money supply, etc) after valuations.  The shift will be seen from de-rating to downgrades. To add salt to the wounds, there is  tightening by the RBI adds to woes, risking DII flows and SMID/India’s outperformance to large caps/EM. These lead indicators suggest a time for portfolio reshuffle. 1.        Defensives: Pharma (upgrade), staples fmcg over IT (downgrade) 2.        Consumption: Domestic auto and staples over durables 3.        Investment: Cement  (upgrade) over Industrials , Real estate 4.        BFSI: Private banks/Insurance over PSU banks/NBFCs 5.        Global cyclical: Energy (upgrade) over metals/export auto

  On The Route To Unstoppable Growth As per changing dynamics in global geopolitics and economics, one of the key growth drivers for the Indian tyre industry would be the recently levied antidumping duty on China products in USA and other developed markets The road transport and automobile industry are critical for the Indian economy. However, on the Indian terrain, there are only few that last long. Due to diversity of the weather, temperature, and geographic variations, the challenges posed by road network are many. Pacing with major part of the economy on its back is the Indian tyre industry. Like the challenges posed by the country’s terrain, the sector has recently fought hard against unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic and global uncertainties and have navigated through rocky roads and pits, sand and rain-washed slopes to script a strong recovery. In fact, rating agency ICRA estimates a 13 to 15% volume demand growth in FY2022.  JK Tyre – An Unmatched Growth S...

Q4FY22 earnings are likely to moderate AT 12% YoY; this will be a SEVEN-QUARTER LOW.   The reason for moderation w ould be commodities, reconciling its divergence with overall aggregate. While Banks, exporters (chemicals, IT) and consumer services are likely to report strong earnings, however, consumer companies are likely to remain muted, largely due to soft demand. There are more adverse macro and fading tailwinds of global reflation, market share gains and lower credit costs pose downside risk to estimates of FY23. Demand – rather than margins – looks more vulnerable.  Earnings growth moderates  1. Led by commodities… Earnings growth is likely to moderate in Q4FY22 to 12% YoY for our coverage universe. The moderation is likely to be mainly led by commodities (key earnings driver so far), while the uptick in rest is not material enough to offset commodity slowdown.  In non-commodities, unlocking has propelled consumer services’ profits. Exporters (chemicals, I...

After a broad-based earnings bounce back in FY21, growth narrowed sharply in FY22.  Key highlights:  1. Top line recovery is moderate at 12% YoY and is largely led by prices, while volumes have been weak.  2. Margin pressure due to higher input prices. Resulting in corporates pruning fixed costs again – wage bill growth for BSE500 (ex IT) has slowed to 7% YoY – pre-COVID low.  3.Banking sector’s asset quality continues to improve as MSMEs bounce back; although not out of the woods yet.  Way forward:   Going ahead, there are risks arising out of earnings downgrades (after upgrades in the last two years) as  earnings become increasingly demand dependent (as opposed to being cost and price dependent until now) – which is weak and outlook uncertain. This, along with high valuations, and tightening global liquidity warrants a decisive pivot towards low beta (risk)  Q3FY22 earnings: Demand revival slow, margin pressures high Revenue:  Topline incre...

Influencer Marketing is growing rapidly   Influencer outreach has matured, grown in size, influence is still defining itself within the world, jockeying for position among more established routes to consumers.  Instead, we must acknowledge the role influence plays in reputation management, and how its unique success can best benefit the company.  The question is no longer if you should partner with influencers.  At the outset, many were skeptical of this approach to communication. Indeed, as social media matured, this new kind of stardom, or at least fame, was not wholly embraced.  Create Conversation Don't just be part of it   The conversation is no longer something that you can plan for on a calendar. Today, it happens serendipitously. So as audience-first trends bubble up across social media, brands need to embrace these cultural catalysts, rather than trying to forcefully wedge PR moments into the digital space.  Just let the hits happen.  ...

Metaverse, Naam to Sunna Hoga. Been referred as “the new internet”.  Is it all all-consuming virtual game that is described in Books and Movies?  In reality, it is somewhere in the middle.  Whatever you may or may or not have heard, that’s undoubtedly true is that the metaverse is here to change our world. So what is metaverse; the definition is something like “the convergence of physical and virtual realities”.  Crypto technology, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), or platforms like Epic’s  Fortnite are current and growing manifestations of the kind of interactions and experiences the idea of the metaverse brings. The metaverse at its core is an idea, a concept, an aspiration. But it’s no longer a dream. How can Companies Shape the Metaverse to Their Advantage? The metaverse presents a potentially major opportunity for brands, but only if brands make sure to prioritize consumers and their experiences over everything else. This is the final frontier for major tech play...

 METAVERSE  It's not a question of if, but when and how. As all of the world's major tech players have made clear, the metaverse is the next frontier of the digital world. An immersive virtual world built on established gaming, VR, and AR elements, the metaverse doesn't merely present a massive opportunity for brands—it's something all brands will have to engage with and utilize to grow. Our metaverse experts are on it, recently kicking off a new multi-part series investigating the metaverse and all its implications for brands.  The metaverse, at this point, is much like the internet of the early 90s or the smartphone of the early aughts—we know it's going to be big, and it's going to change people's day-to-day. But we don't quite know exactly how yet, or how big the shift will truly be. This is discomfiting. But the brands which have endured through other major technological shifts have done so by understanding the consumer, and providing relevancy and ...

NEWS IN FOCUS  1. Economist reported that  as countries and industries look to transition away from fossil fuels to help stabilize the climate, hydrogen has increasingly become part of major decarbonization plans. More than 350 large-scale hydrogen projects have been announced globally—and they are expected to receive $500 billion in public and private funding through 2030. Some companies in steel manufacturing and aviation have already built hydrogen into their energy-transition plans.  Read the story here:  https://www.economist.com/briefing/2021/10/09/creating-the-new-hydrogen-economy-is-a-massive-undertaking?cid=other-eml-onp-mip-mck&hlkid=eb21e67798b74a94b7de9a12cfbd8b55&hctky=9431270&hdpid=16a85c20-d196-43ee-81dc-96a396f74775 2. In August, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced plans for a National Hydrogen Mission to reduce carbon emissions and bolster production of clean energy. The ambition is for India to become a major hub for green hyd...

 https://www.cnbctv18.com/personal-finance/how-covid-19-has-impacted-personal-finance-space-10577031.htm How COVID-19 has impacted personal finance space? Mini A report by KPMG cited that as the impact of the pandemic intensified through the second year, economic hardships and uncertainties led consumer spending behaviour to take a sharp turn towards piling essentials, ordering in every day to day needs, opting for contactless spending and avoiding public transport, public places, restaurants and outlets. The first and the second wave of COVID 19 over 2020-21 and the unprecedented societal and economic disruptions that it caused with businesses shutting down operations, long-drawn lockdowns, the migrant exodus that followed along with job losses, pay cuts and the severe uncertainty as to what the future actually beholds. John Lennon’s famous lines, “Life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans”, have never been truer! Not just the economic impact, which is now o...