The Council of EU Chambers of Commerce in India has organized a webinar on “No Rona during Corona- Brand marketing growth during Covid times” on May 15, 2021

The eminent speaker was the brand Guru Mr. Jagdeep Kapoor, Chairman and Managing Director of Samsika Marketing Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

Dr Renu Shome, Director, EU Chambers welcomed the attendees and initiated the subject by stating Corona has inflicted irrevocable disaster to the world, be it in economic and lively hood front as well as  health and life front.  The fact that the cataclysms has been formally declared a pandemic at the global level, makes it all the more clear and evident—and got well ingrained to global think tanks and policy makers — that the dent is permanent and it will be not business as usual.

In this changed world order, limiting our views in terms of digitalization will not fully serve our purpose to sail through this hard times. We need to think out of the box, try out new solutions, change our perspectives, change our thought process and the more important one—change our risk appetite.

With so many moving parts—we definitely need expert who can help us to ride through the choppy and indecisive path.

She also briefly talked about the activities of the Chamber and introduced Mr. Jagdeep Kapoor.

Mr. Jagdeep Kapoor initiated by saying that the topic “No Rona during Corona” is a registered trademark of my company. He said during last fourteen months there have been lot of rona and businesses have been crying. My belief is that there are ways where these turbulent times can be navigated and that what I want to share through my brand mantras.

Mantra No. 1 -“Stop Crying, Start trying”. It is a time when organization, company should stop crying and start trying. Crying does not help. When everyone is weeping, when everyone is losing, we have to be awake and shake the market. Need to find the ways to able to serve the consumers. The most essential thing in these times is Living and whatever need to be consumed for living, those business will be able to prosper which almost cover by and large everything.  Few companies are growing and few are not because it is not industry specific but company specific. It is to do with attitude.

Mantra No. 2 -“Brand Marketing growth is like breathing –Don’t stop”, – To live we do not stop routine things no matter what happens. When consumption is continue, why should Company stop marketing, selling and serving the consumer.

Marketing is like breathing, similarly when marketing stop brands die. The companies who continue marketing they are doing well.

Mantra No. 3- “If the Customer does not come to you, You go to the Customer” – If Customer does not come to you then you go to the Customer.  In the current situation, the dynamics have changed so it is very important to reach consumer.

Mantra No. 4- “When everything is closed, keep your mind open” –The mental lockdown is causing the business to loose. One needs to have a look what is open and not what is closed. There is never a complete lock down. Open your mind and market will open.

Mantra No. 5- “Dare. Don’t Compare”Many organizations are comparing what others are doing. One should take the advantage of opportunity, as your competitors are not focussing. Do not focus on competitors, focus on consumers.

Mantra. No 6- ”Be Composed, Not Decomposed”- In these turbulent times , one should be very calm and composed instead of decomposed.  If one can overcome the difficulties/obstacles through methods and techniques in composed manner, then you have moved ahead and will get success.

 Mantra no. 7- “Count on us, don’t discount us: Company should not give discount during these turbulent times as they have not compromised on quality, and services then they should not reduce the price rather assure the customer that they should count on them.

Mantra No. 8- “Logo, logo ke liye hota hai”- This is a time when company should highlight the Logo so consumer get trust. People buy brands and Logos represent brands that does not represent commodity.  He spoke about the importance of highlighting the “Logo and is the best time for brand building.

Mantra No. 9- “Read the Customer”- It is important to read consumer as consumption hasn’t stop but only method or channel and way have changed. It is only required to know what your customer needs.  It is important to give the customer what he wants.

Mantra No. 10- “In Marketing Reach and Preach” -he spoke about the importance of  Reach and the communicate or Preach. Brand building is a process, which can be done strategically and systematically during these times. One need to look at from the perspective that there are opportunities and only the ways of doing might have changed.

Mantra No. 11- “In marketing, be useful and not excusefull” -one should be useful instead of excusefull.

Mantra No. 12- “Not online, Not offline, use INLINE marketing, inline with consumer’s expectation”- he talked of how marketing just does not mean only online or only offline it should be inline. One need to allow the customer to decide based on their expectation whether they want to buy online or offline.

Mantra No. 13- “Home delivery is my birthright” – In current time’s home delivery is consider very important. Every business should have the component of home delivery. If any business which will not have a component of home delivery will loose business. Market don’t decline, they shift. If market shift one need change the mode of selling or marketing . Home delivery has to be the integral part of your strategy.

Mantra No. 14- “Adapt and Adopt”-In new circumstances, one need to have new ways, new products, new brand, new offerings to adapt, then Consumer will adopt. If you don’t adapt then consumer will adopt your competitors products.

Mantra No. 15-“Map, Tap, Cap the market, then capture the market”- You must list your customer. Listing is very important. If you have the listing then during these times you can get in touch with them (map) through various ways. You tap(reach) the market and then cap the market by selling little and finally one can capture the market. During these times, many new opportunities have come in and one need to garb it.

Mantra No. 16- “Take Onus, Get Bonus” – During these times many companies shirking responsibilities and blaming other factors such as Corona, environment and government. A company should take responsibility of the situation and then only we can gain. One needs to look into how to tackle the situation and make best of this situation, how to we serve the consumer so that he continues to remain with the company.

 Mantra No. 17- “In troubled times boost brand immunity” –Must continuously communicate or continuously educate consumer about you product category, about your services and that is how you build brand immunity. Consumer not only needs your help in delivery of product but also want to know how to use it, when to use it , what should we do or what should we not do and that’s how brand immunity is build.

Mantra No. 18- “Market to ever used and never used customers”- There are very few ever used consumers but there are many never used consumers. One should try to market its brand not only to those who have used your brand but also to those who have never used the category. Focus on never used consumers much more than you focus on ever used consumer.

He concluded the webinar by mentioning key takeaways. The webinar ended with very interactive Q&A session.