Brands
Brand trust: Samsung, Sony, LG, Apple & Tata lead in TRA report
BENGALURU: The seventh Brand Trust Report by the TRA Research (TRA, formerly Trust Research Advisory) was released in Bengaluru today by TRA research head Sachin Bhosle.
TRA says that The Brand Trust Report 2017 (BTR-2017), the seventh in the series, is the result of a primary research based on the proprietary 61-Attribute Trust Matrix of TRA. Spread over a four month effort starting November 2016, this year’s research was conducted among 2,505 consumer-influencers across 16 cities, and generated nearly 5 million datapoints and 11,000 unique brands, making it the most intensive study on Brand Trust across the globe reveals TRA.
Bhosle revealed that the consumer influencers or responders were persons between ages 21 to 50, drawing a salary of at least Rs 20,000 per month, working in an organisation that had revenues of at least Rs 50 crore. Another important criterion for a responder was a name card in his or her name.
Some of entries of note in the report include: Samsung has been ranked as India’s Most Trusted Brand of 2017 (climbing 17 ranks from 2016). Sony and LG both retain their 2016 rankings and are at second and third ranks respectively. Apple ranks as India’s fourth Most Trusted Brand and, rising 12 ranks from 2016, makes it to the top 5 for the first time. Holding on to its rank of last year, brand Tata’s trust defies the temporary imbroglio it faced to occupy fifth rank. The 6th position is held by the automobile giant Honda; Maruti Suzuki follows, taking the seventh spot. Dell is at eighth rank and Lenovo, climbing 18 ranks from 2016, features in the ninth position in the list. Bajaj, a brand which has been in the top 10 in five out of the seven reports, comes in at the tenth rank in India’s Most Trusted Brands list. None of the FMCG brands made it to the top ten positions in BTR-2017.
Of note is the performance of some Bengaluru based brands. TRA CEO N. Chandramouli said in a press note, “In keeping with the business vibe of the city, several Bangalore-based brands have made a significant mark in the list. Kingfisher, ranked 213; Infosys, ranked 226; and MTR, ranked 285, are cases to point. Myntra catapulted 283 ranks from last year to secure rank 297 in 2017. Among the 23 Bangalore-based brands, a remarkable 12 are category leaders – Sonata in Watches, Britannia in F&B – Diversified, Amazon in Online Retailer – Diversified, Ola in Online Taxi Aggregator, Fastrack in Branded Fashion, IBM in Consulting/Services, Tanishq in Jewellery, Kingfisher in Beer, Infosys in Software Services, MTR in RTC Foods, Myntra in Online Retailer – Fashion, and Art of Living in the NGO super-category.”
Bangalore-based brands have made a strong showing with city brands leading 6 of the 40 Super Categories in the report. These leaders are Kingfisher (Alcoholic Beverages), Fastrack (Branded Fashion), Himalaya (Healthcare), Kurl-On (Home Furnishings), Art of Living (NGO) and Apple (Technology). 23 city-based brands made it to the top 1000 most trusted brands in India.
Brands
Rohini Laya Venkateswaran named executive director at Gillette India
P&G veteran with two decades of experience steps into leadership role
NEW DELHI: Rohini Laya Venkateswaran has been appointed executive director at Gillette India Pvt. Ltd., bringing with her more than two decades of experience across sales, strategy and brand leadership within the consumer goods sector. In her new role, she will help steer the company’s strategic direction and growth while strengthening its footprint in the grooming and personal care category.
Venkateswaran joins the board after a long career at Procter & Gamble, where she spent nearly 21 years shaping sales strategy, building brands and driving market expansion across India and international markets.
Most recently, she served as chief sales officer for India at P&G. Prior to that, she was vice president and country manager for east gulf markets, overseeing operations in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar while also guiding sales strategy across the Gulf region, including the UAE.
Earlier in her career, she led sales strategy and planning for India while serving as marketing leader for brands such as Olay and Old Spice. During this stint, she focused on reshaping go-to-market channels and building awareness through digital, social and influencer-led campaigns to drive growth.
Her journey at P&G also included roles such as director sales strategy and planning leader India, associate director modern retail and ecommerce, regional manager for Delhi and Rajasthan, and several key account and trade marketing roles across the country. She also spent time in the United States working on the P&G Walmart international team, collaborating on global retail initiatives.
Venkateswaran holds an MBA in marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from RV College of Engineering.
With her mix of sales acumen, brand-building experience and global exposure, Venkateswaran’s appointment signals a sharpened focus on growth and market leadership for Gillette India.
