MAM
iProspect report finds marketers prioritising trust in 2019
MUMBAI: Global business performance agency iProspect has released its fourth annual whitepaper titled 2019 Future Focus: Searching for Trust.
The report predicts that those businesses grounded in credibility, relevance, and reliability across all their marketing channels will see trust at the very foundation for their success in the digital economy.
iProspect interviewed more than 300 global marketers and leaders across a broad spectrum of brands, including FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, and used real-time responses to outline key insights and priorities necessary for businesses to thrive in our fast moving, high expectation digital economy. The report also includes exclusive interviews with global leaders from businesses such as The New York Times Company, IBM, Microsoft, Hilton, The Economist, Rachel Zoe, Inc., and AccorHotels.
Feedback shows that trust is at the forefront globally with 88 per cent of marketers making trust in their brand a priority in 2019. Marketers see gaining consumer trust as vital to business growth with 76 per cent stating that trust is important to keep consumers buying their brand. Digital will play a clear role in this with 34 per cent stating that voice search is their priority emerging marketing channel in 2019, and a further 60 per cent believing that the rise of AI will increase consumer trust as it allows for more relevant and personal experiences.
iProspect global president Ruth Stubbs said, “As businesses continue to transform in the digital economy, successful brands will be differentiated through their ability to establish unique relationships with their most valuable customers, ensuring time is well spent and value is equitably exchanged. As technology further blurs the line between information and value exchange, consumer trust is paramount.”
iProspect India CEO Rubeena Singh added, “In our latest edition of iProspect’s Future Focus, we examine how commerce is influenced by consumer experience and the ramification of personalisation. In our view, brands that focus on credibility, relevance, and reliability will be successful in establishing trust with consumers. Trust, we believe, is the foundation for successful brands in the digital economy.”
Brands
Hocco crosses Rs 530cr revenue in two years
Sauce.vc-led Rs 100cr raise values ice cream brand at Rs 2,500cr pre-money as quick commerce hits 20 per cent of sales.
MUMBAI: Hocco has just scooped a seriously sweet milestone crossing the Rs 530 crore revenue mark in just two full years of operations. The fast-growing Indian ice cream and indulgence brand announced it has raised Rs 100 crore in fresh capital led by Sauce.vc. The round values the company at Rs 2,500 crore pre-money and underscores investor confidence in its rapid scale and distinctive India-first approach.
Founder Ankit Chona said the brand’s success stems from solving real Indian challenges extreme summer heat, fragmented cold chains and culturally rooted tastes. “In India, product development doesn’t end in the lab. It only ends when it survives the street,” he noted. This philosophy has produced viral hits such as Aamchi mango ice cream, BIX cake-sponge sandwiches, the Oh cone and culturally relevant collaborations like Haldiram’s Barfi and festive Modak specials.
Hocco currently operates manufacturing facilities in Ahmedabad and Panipat with a production capacity of approximately 3 lakh litres per day, running near full capacity in peak season. The fresh capital will help expand this to around 4.5 lakh litres per day.
Quick commerce has emerged as a major growth engine, now contributing ~20 per cent of overall business and growing nearly 2x year-on-year. The channel has boosted product discovery, increased consumption frequency and helped extend ice cream beyond its traditional seasonal limits.
Sauce.vc founder Manu Chandra said, “At Sauce, we believe that when you chance upon an outlier business, you double down with stronger conviction. We see Hocco as just that.”
With a strong innovation pipeline, deeper distribution and continued focus on cultural relevance, Hocco is entering its third year aiming to capture even more mind space and market share. In a category long dominated by legacy players, this young brand is proving that the coolest way to win is to build for India’s realities, one scoop, one street and one satisfied craving at a time.
