Marketing review
24 Feb 2005
Tata
Coffee plans new variants of Mr Bean
Tata Coffee is strengthening its coffee brand Mr Bean and introducing more
variants and retail formats under the brand.
To
begin with the company will launch two new roast and ground (R&G) variants
of Mr Bean, a 100 per cent pure R&G variant and a 80:20 (coffee-chicory)
blend in all South Indian markets.
Currently, Mr Bean is available in 57:43 blend.
Tata
Coffee is opening 'Mr Bean Coffee Junction' which will sell customised R&G
coffee. The customer preferences would be stored in a database and would
be served to customers as per preferences. The company is also phasing out
its earlier retail format 'Coorg Coffee Works' from the market. Currently,
there are 33 Coorg Coffee Works outlets in the company stronghold South
India.
Tata Coffee is also planning to change its, 'The 'Jiffy' vending machine brand into Mr Bean brand.
Swatch
expands network
Swatch Group India plans to launch eight exclusive Omega boutiques by the
end of this year, which will be standalone stores housing the Omega collection
exclusively.
The company
has identified a number of cities for its Omega retail foray. The Omega
outlets will house all special editions of Omega watches as well as Omega's
existing range of watches.
These stores would be based in Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Hyderabad.
The company has also announced the launch of Omega Double Eagle Constellation
range of watches in India, which has an intricate rhodium-plated finish
of circular graining, Geneva wave décor and gold gold-plated engravings,
with a blue-steel screw.
Another attractive feature of this watch is its revolutionary co-axial escapement,
which reduces friction in the movement and offers better long-term accuracy;
it also has a column-wheel chronograph mechanism.
The range is priced at Rs1,42,000 onwards.
Whirlpool
to go ahead with its women-oriented positioning; signs up celeb endorsers
Whirlpool of India is taking holding the second 'Whirlpool GR8! Women Awards
2005' on February 18. The award aims to recognise the contribution of women
in 19 different categories including journalism, cinema, music, literature
and corporate among others.
The company
feels that the awards are a perfect fit with its core target audience of
modern, contemporary women.
The company has aggressive growth plans for this calendar year with its
advertising also undergoing a change. Apart from signing on brand ambassadors
to promote the brand, the company would also be moving away from its product
specific advertising, and its forthcoming ad films will now showcase the
entire range of products.
Also in
a departure from its usual style of advertising Whirlpool of India has signed
up celebrity couple Kajol and Ajay Devgan as its new brand ambassadors.
Whirlpool has never used celebrities to endorse its products before.
IA
extends super saver schemes to business class
Indian Airlines (IA) is giving its customers a bonanza by extending its
bumper super saver scheme to passengers travelling by the business class.
However those executive class passengers can avail of the offer on the payment
of Rs one lakh.
The limited
time offer allows passengers to take 16 flights in executive class to cities
linked by direct, non-stop flights. The offer is valid for one year from
the time that the bumper super saver ticket is issued.
Passenger paying for the scheme on the IA-American Express credit card can get a discount of five per cent.
M&M
offers a CRDe-fitted Scorpio
Mahindra
& Mahindra (M&M) has launched its common rail diesel engine (CRDEe)
fitted-Scorpio.
The 2.6 Turbo CRDE vehicle, which conforms to BS III emission norms, will
cost Rs 6.83-7.93 lakh (ex-showroom) in Delhi. The vehicle will initially
be available in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai and will be rolled
out in other markets gradually.
At present
40 per cent of Scorpio's sales come from 11 cities in India, which will
move on to BS III emission norms in April this year.
The older version of the Scorpio will continue to sell in non-BS III markets.
BPCL
to expand retail network
PSU petroleum retailer Bharat Petroleum Corporation is expanding its retail
network. The company plans to set up 400-odd 'strategic outlets next year
and will spend around Rs200 crore for this.
The retailing outlets will be located in places where the company does not
have an adequate presence.
During the current year BPCL has added around 700 outlets to its network
against 800 in 2003-04. The company spent about Rs300 crore in setting up
these 1,500-odd outlets.
At present, BPCL has around 6,000 retail outlets most of them being dealer-owned.
Airtel
pushes broadband aggressively
Airtel Broadband and Telephone Services has launched new broadband tariff
packages at multiple price points to give customers extra choice in choosing
packages as per their requirements.
The company
is now offering internet speed of 256 kbps against the earlier 128 kbps
on its Rs349 (Speed Plus) and Rs550 (flexi-combo) packages.
For business users, the plans begin with monthly charges of Rs2,495 for
512 kbps.
By using the 'always-on' DSL service, Airtel offers the benefit of scalability
of bandwidth to the users and is currently available in bandwidth packages
of 64 kbps, 128 kbps, 256 kbps, 384 kbps and 512 kbps.
Footwear
brand Skin Sin launched in India
Ladies fashion footwear range Skin Sin has forayed into the Indian market.
Targeted at women aged in the age brackets of 20-45 it will present fashion
in India at the same time the designs hit the shelves in Europe.
Skin Sin brings varied styles in different toe shapes, heel heights, materials
and textures that will meet varying fashion needs according to the company.
Ajay
Chandwani is new CEO of Percept H
Ajay Chandwani has been appointed as the new CEO of Percept H, while the
ex CEO Rajesh Pant has moved to the Middle East to head a new joint venture
of the advertising agency.
Ajay Chandwani, was the president of SSC&B Lintas. As CEO