MAM
Preethi Mariappan’s five ways of social transformation
GOA: While the marketing world at large is talking about how it is necessary for brands to be on social, Razorfish- Germany executive director Preethi Mariappan thinks it is time for brands to transform. In the ninth edition of GoaFest an interesting point of view that was discussed across various sessions was the need to blend creativity with social communications.
According to Mariappan, it is essential for brands to sit down and understand what type of ideas can go places in the digital space. She believes that 2014 is the age of social relevance. Elaborating more on this, Mariappan listed out five things Razorfirsh keeps in mind while rolling out a social media campaign.
Take a look…
Get content right
If brands want to get noticed on social the first thing that it needs to work on is, play with content. On social, narrative style of content works best. Brands just don’t need to create content that is sharable, what it needs to focus more is on the relevance of it. Apart from this, brands need to develop content that is relevant for multiple channels.
Involve influencers aggressively
Mariappan believes that today, all life experiences are amplified. Social has gone ahead to become a part of everyone’s life. Brands need to work realistically and take into consideration these aspects carefully. Identifying the right associates on social can bring on some great results. Influencers on social media can help brands get impressive results.
Recongise ‘Fandom’
“Behind every like, there is a real fan with a brand story to share,” said Mariappan. Fandom actually makes a brand a hero on social. If a brand really wants to make that difference in its communication what it needs to work on is appreciating the fans it has. It is all about weaving good connections.
Give consumers memorable experiences
Mariappan thinks it is time for brands to give consumers memorable experiences when on social. At the end of every communication consumers should have something to takeaway. If brands want to generate talks it has to give consumers an experience worth remembering. Social transformation can trigger with this never before seen experiences.
Bet high on social data
It is high time to take the power of social data seriously. If numbers generated by social media platforms are taken into consideration much before the campaign the results could be astonishing. When the right idea hits on social platform the results generated thereby is remarkable.
Social transformation cannot generate visibility but soon it looks like leads can be created by brands. All just a click away!
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
