Maruti offers 'Best Deals of Best Wheels'
Maruti has launched its Best Deals of Best Wheels offer targeted at state government employees in association with the State Bank of India. According to the offer SBI will give a cash discount of Rs4,000 on the M800, the Alto, the Zen, the WagonR and the Omni, and Rs15,000 on the Esteem, the Baleno and the Versa.

The offer includes SBI offering loans of up to 90 per cent of the on-road price of the vehicle. MUL has also come out with an exchange bonus of Rs5,000 on these vehicles, which has been linked to the loan.

Loans are for tenures of three, five and seven years at interest rates of 7.75, 8 and 8.25 per cent respectively. The offer is available for a limited period. Maruti's dealers have also come out with sales schemes for this month.

India can call over 40 countries for Rs 2 per minute with World Phone's Economy Plan
With the opening of the VoIP, World Phone Internet Services Private (WPISPL), an internet services provider also operating internet telephony has launched its 'World Phone economy plan' in New Delhi and other cities. The plan enables consumers to call over 40 countries around the world for just Rs2.00 per minute.

Customers can get 500 minutes talk time to various countries for a monthly charge of Rs995 per month.

Targeted at home users and small and medium sized businesses, the World Phone economy plan is available for subscription through its own offices, channel partners and authorized resellers in New Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai.

The calls will be routed through the world-wide internet backbone leveraging World Phone's data networks.

World Phone says that its corporate clients include HCL Technologies, ICICI Bank, Rose International, Interra Systems, Hinduja's, Ebix Software, Solutions Inc, Jet Airways and NIIT.

Crabtree launches bathroom fittings
Crabtree India., a Havell's Group company has launched its latest range of bath fittings "CLOVA." Inspired by the latest international design trends this premium end product is available in chrome plated finish and comes with a 7 year warranty against manufacturing defects. Young in design and conception, Clova offers individualized extra comfort. The Clova is designed to fit in virtually all bathrooms and decors.

Awaaz wraps up the year with 2005 Specials
Awaaz — The only Hindi consumer channel in India will host a special series of four year-end specials that will feature some of the hottest programmes on the channel that include:
Smart Shopping
Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi
Prime Property
Glamour Bazaar

Smart Shopping: This will consist of four special episodes beginning in the first week of December where Supermodels like Pooja Bedi, Tupur Chatterjee and others will go on a shopping extravaganza in a special series called 'Super Shopping with Super Models'.

Each episode will feature a supermodel who will take viewers to their hottest shopping spots discussing what they shop for, how they bargainand most importantly whether they are smart shoppers. The show will discuss options or brands available in the market for buying similar products bought by the celebrity and will auction products that the celebrity bought or was planning to buy at the store.

Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi's final episode for the year ending December 2006, will wrap up the year with the most successful cars that made it to the top in 2005, the reason for their success above the competition and what one can expect in the automobile sector in India and globally in 2006.

Prime Property: this will feature property trends in India during 2005, how the property market will evolve during 2006, what will be the prime property for the year 2006.

Glamour Bazaar: The last episode for 2005 on Glamour Bazaar will include Bollywood's biggest flops and major blockbusters that hit the movie business during 2005 and what to expect in the business of Bollywood in 2006.

Alembic positions 'Zero' itself as a lifestyle product
Alembic Consumer Healthcare is positioning itself on 'lifestyle' platform and aims to establish itself as the leader of the Rs60-crore low-calorie sweetener market with its `Zero' brand within the next two years.

The company believes that the sweetener market can double to Rs120 crore through aggressive marketing and proper brand positioning. The company recently launched Zero Bake and Cook, which can be used during cooking. Most sweeteners available in the market today cannot be used so but only added later. Alembic is planning to spend close to Rs4.5 crore by the end of this fiscal on marketing and advertising to drive ahead its lifestyle positioning.

Also on the cards are dessert festivals using low-calorie sweeteners. The company is also going to roll out low-priced SKUs of Zero Bake and Cook, such as smaller bottles and sachets.

The current market leader is Sugar Free, which has 65 per cent market share, followed by Equal, which has 12 per cent share.

Kaya plans more `Skin Zones'
Kaya Skin Clinic is planning to set up more of its skin care clinics branded as Kaya Skin Zones. These will be small kiosks, mostly located in malls, which will have dermatologists imparting free counselling on skincare and driving sales at the clinics.

The company is planning to set up close to 70 Kaya Skin Zones in the next couple of years in all those cities where it has clinics and will also be expanding to other countries across West Asia. Kaya already has two clinics in Dubai, and will shortly foray into Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Egypt.

Future plans include increasing focus on hair care along with skin. The clinic plans to provide services that would help improving hair health and hair growth. The company is looking at leveraging its expertise in cosmetic dermatology by collaborating with medical colleges to organise internships in this field.

Suzuki takes 10 Indian companies to court for illegal use of brand name
Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan has filed suits in the Delhi High Court against 10 companies, which are using the word 'Suzuki' as a trademark or part of their corporate names.

These companies are operating in sectors such as finance, textile manufacture, spinning and weaving the company said. Through the suits, Suzuki has sought injunction against the use of the word 'Suzuki' by these companies.

The 10 companies, against whom Suzuki has filed the aforesaid suits, are using the brand name without Suzuki's permission. These companies have no connection with Suzuki and the use of the brand name by them creates the impression that these companies are connected to Suzuki, the release said.

It has filed the suits as these companies are continuing to use the word `Suzuki' despite cease and desist notices.

In India, Suzuki has granted license to Maruti Udyog Ltd (for cars) and Suzuki Motorcycle India (for motorcycles and other two wheelers) to use the brand name.

Goodricke plans special brand for South
Goodricke Group, part of the UK-based Camellia Plc, apart from re-launching all its packet tea brands and has launched a new exclusive brand for south India.

The company recently re-launched Goodricke Perfect, which is a blend of blend of 40 per cent Darjeeling and 60 per cent Assam CTC teas across India. Other brands to follow include Goodricke 3-in-1 and Zabardast brand. While Goodricke 3-in-1 is the main brand, Zabardast targets the mass segment.

Goodricke owns 10 gardens in Assam, 12 in Dooars and eight in Darjeeling. The company produces 30 million kgs of tea annually.

Tata AIG introduces 'Nirbhay Life' policy
Tata AIG Life Insurance has launched a participating money back policy, 'Nirbhay Life.' The company has positioned the plan as a limited-payment period policy with a nine-year payment term.

The policy holder will get money at regular intervals, with terminal bonus at the end of the policy term.

According to the company, the plan allows payout of risk cover in the case of death. While the premium payment will stop, the money back will continue to meet the needs planned by the customer.

The plan will be available in three versions, for policy terms spanning 12, 15 and 20 years. There will be a guaranteed payout of 130 per cent of the sum assured at the end of the term. Besides, there will be a guaranteed 330 per cent payout in case of death on or after the second policy anniversary other than an accident.

There will be a further guaranteed 430 per cent payout in case of accidental death or on after the second anniversary for policies issued to individuals who are 18 years or above.

Provogue gets into footwear business
Apparels major Provogue India has entered the footwear segment with an exclusive licensee arrangement with M&B Footwear (Pvt), one of India's leading shoe manufacturers. As per the agreement, M&B will have the exclusive rights to manufacture and market the Provogue footwear collection.

The company is targeting a turnover in excess of Rs30 crore in the next 3 years from the footwear business. Through this venture, the company aims to enter the organised retail footwear market that represents 8 per cent of consumers' fashion spend in the country.

The Fall-Winter'05 Provogue footwear collection will be launched at 150 retail counters in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat, Rajkot, Pune, Nagpur, Indore, Jaipur, Patna, Ranchi, Gurgaon, Noida and Lucknow.

The Provogue footwear collection aims to target the young trendy executive whose needs change in sync with the demand for an updated lifestyle in the existing fashion conscious scenario.

The Fall Winter'05 Provogue footwear collection offers a choice of 25 styles comprising which include Basic, Trendy, Sporty, Formal Chic & Club wear for ones soles.

— Compiled by Mohini Bhatnagar