MAM
Think beyond the usual discounts, advices Raghu Vishwanath
MUMBAI: The festive season is here and the brands have gotten busy with new and innovative communications to make the most in today’s volatile market.
After a slowdown of the economy for a couple of years now, at least in terms of consumer sentiment, economy seems to be looking up, mainly due to an expected stable government at the centre. Hence, the coming festive season is significantly better than the ones of the last couple of years.
The media agencies have also revised ad spends for the year looking at the trends especially post general elections.
However, even after spending lakhs or sometimes even crores, a brand is not able to create the correct connect with its TG.
“The marketers should think of more innovative promotions this time round. The usual discounts and freebies are no longer attractive to today’s consumers,” says Vertrebrand managing director Raghu Vishwanath while adding that promotions should aim at creating memorable experiences for the whole family.
The end-to-end brand management consultancy, which focuses on improving the customer connect of any business through a rigorously scientific, structured process, says that a brand is a bundle of functional benefits and added values that the selected core target customers/consumers value enough to buy into repeatedly. Therefore, a brand, which dynamically keeps connected to its target group of customers to deliver both functional and added values, that they value, will stay ahead in the category even in today’s volatile market.
After having created early success stories with leading brands like Apollo Hospital, Vodafone, Dainik Bhaskar, Shriram Properties, Mom & Me and many more, Vertebrand has, over the years, worked with a number of national and international clientele spread across industry sectors.
Today’s consumer is very well networked and informed. The very definition of ‘Brand’ is that it is for a selected consumer, so how can one survive by ignoring them? “We have to move from firm-centric paradigm of value and its creation to engaging with our targeted customers. We have to shift from traditional goods-services mind-set to an experience mind-set. For example, most self service outlets offer similar branded products in tea/toothpaste/soaps etc. but consumer choose one over the other,” highlights Vishwanath.
India is a land of entrepreneurs. We have businesses which feature in the list of Fortune 500, but not Indian brands. The reason behind this is that most Indian businesses think brand is a luxury for large businesses and mostly about pretty pictures. “Whereas VB believes brand is equal to business and business equal to brand,” he adds.
The consultancy has various tools like V-Trak, V-Cap, V-Shape, which help brands across sectors create a strategy which will help them know what will work for them or not.
It mostly works on Brand Quotient (BQ), which helps to measure the effectiveness of the brand. The branded offer is measured against four major aspects of the brand, namely: Brand Strategy – strength of differentiation, Brand Alignment – internal alignment of the organisation to brand essence, Brand Communication – clear position communication and Brand Execution – consistently driving the brand experience in the real world.
The BQ number shows the strength and areas of improvement for the brand.
However, lately, many brands have been caught in controversies as well. The favourite being the fairness creams. Is any publicity good? Answers Vishwanath, “Controversy always will bring attention. If it is unwanted, the brand will get negatively impacted. Laws can be made tighter but the moral code of conduct should be applied by all marketers and brand owners to keep the commercial landscape clean and positively charged.”
“Lately, there is more consciousness building to invest in branding, yet far from ideal,” he concludes.
Brands
International Women’s Day ’26: The rise of self-purchased jewellery among working women
By Trisha Paul, head of merchandising, Kisna
MUMBAI: You know that feeling when you buy something with your own money for the first time? Not the first time ever, but the first time with money you actually earned, for something entirely, unambiguously yours.
Fine jewellery has always been given. At weddings, at festivals, at milestones on someone else’s timeline. What is changing is that a growing number of women are buying it for themselves, to mark moments they defined. The question is no longer whether to do it. It is how to do it well.
For women in the early years of a career, a first piece can cost well under Rs. 1 lakh. Many cost a fraction of that. What matters is choosing for your life, your wardrobe, and the milestone you are marking. The woman buying for herself today wants something that works with her life every day, not just for a special occasion. She is thinking about longevity, about versatility, about what still feels right in five years. That shift has changed the entire conversation around what accessible fine jewellery needs to be.
The First Step: Daily Dainty Diamond Neckwear
The right first piece isn’t the most expensive one you can afford. It’s the one you’ll actually wear. A delicate diamond pendant or a fine diamond necklace in 9KT, 14KT, or 18KT gold hits that sweet spot: understated enough to feel effortless, special enough to feel like you.
You’ll reach for it on Monday mornings and Friday nights without a second thought. It works with almost everything in your wardrobe, and over time, it becomes less of a purchase and more of a constant, something that quietly holds both meaning and value.
A Reliable Classic: Diamond Studs That Hold Value
A pair of well-sourced diamond studs in 18KT or 14KT gold is as close to a guaranteed wearable asset as fine jewellery gets. Round brilliant cuts hold their appeal longer than more fashionable styles and resist the ageing effects of trend. Look for independent grading documentation when you buy. The difference it makes to what a piece is worth at exchange is significant, and it is a straightforward thing to ask any reputable retailer for.
Building a Collection That Marks Your Milestones
For women who would rather accumulate meaning incrementally, stackable rings are the most satisfying category. A plain gold band for the first salary. A diamond-set ring for the first promotion. Another for the move or the launch. Each band is its own modest commitment. Together they become a record, worn on your hand, of everything you have done.
Starting Small: Savings Plans and Digital Gold
Not every first purchase needs to be immediate. If you prefer a value-driven approach, begin with a jewellery savings plan from a credible retailer. These plans typically allow you to set aside a fixed monthly amount for 10 months, with the retailer contributing an equivalent 11th month that can be redeemed toward a diamond jewellery purchase. For those who would rather build value gradually and with greater flexibility, digital gold offers another route. It allows you to accumulate gold in small increments online and redeem it against physical jewellery when you are ready. The habit of building towards something is often more valuable than the thing itself.
The Bigger Picture
Fine jewellery in India has always told stories. For a long time, those stories were written by someone else. The piece you buy with your first salary is a story you are writing yourself. It does not need to be expensive to be meaningful. It needs to be right for your life, and bought because you decided it was time.
