Rajesh Mani, 38, earned his marketing spurs in the company that has in its fold the world's most valuable brand: Coca-Cola. Now Head (Marketing), at TI Cycles, Mani says his nine-year stint with Coke put him through the mill of brand management where he handled brands such as Thums Up and Limca. Post his MBA from TAPMI in 1995, Mani worked three years with TTK Prestige, which, he recalls, taught him how to handle the durables category, especially those goods that are not top-of-mind such as pressure cookers. With TI Cycles since 2009, Mani says the challenge now for him is to push cycling as a lifestyle habit and in turn spur sales.
My most memorable marketing initiative
The most memorable would be the Thums Up Taste Challenge campaign which I spearheaded as the brand manager when I was with Coca-Cola India. The campaign positioned the drink as the strong-tasting cola for grown-ups against Pepsi which we called the sweet-tasting cola for kids.
This campaign was executed in a mega advertising blitz where we had our protagonist Salman Khan asking the public at large to go and take a blind taste challenge and identify the stronger-tasting cola – the cola for grown-ups. This was heavily supported by a ground leg which had taste challenge centres across the country where consumers could take the blind taste challenge. We had over two million people taking the challenge across India.
The marketing issue we addressed was the fact that Thums Up was not recruiting new users in the age group of 13-18 years. The strong consumer insight we had worked on was that no teenager likes to be called a kid; he wants to be seen as a grown-up. We wove this insight into the product attributes (strong-tasting) and this campaign was a super hit.
My first product launch
The first major product launch which I am very proud of is the launch of the cycle brand Montra in India. Brand Montra is the first to offer an indigenously manufactured carbon frame bicycle in India.
We launched this brand as we saw a gap in our brand portfolio. We had brands BSA and Hercules catering to the mass premium end of the market.
However, these brands could not be stretched anymore and with the consumer increasingly looking at cycling as a lifestyle activity, we needed a brand at the premium end. Brand Montra is that premium cycle offering from TI Cycles of India.
A great idea that never took off
The first idea which comes to my mind which never took off is one for the soft drink Limca.
The strongest attribute was that of thirst-quenching. To amplify this, what we intended to say was that Limca is so great at this that it not only quenches the thirst in your throat but goes much beyond that, quenching your thirst for other things in life like your thirst for money, thirst for achievement, and so on
The idea flew way above the head of the simple Limca consumer who was simply enjoying his Limca which refreshed him thoroughly on a hot, sunny day.
The moral of the story was to not over-complicate the message … keep it simple!
A setback I have learnt from
A setback that I have learnt from is the story of brand Sunfill. The product passed all consumer tasting tests with flying colours and we introduced it in the market with great packaging and a very effective ad campaign. However, what we missed out on was the placement.
We put this product into distributor points and loaded inventory. By the time the product reached the retailers and the end consumer, it started solidifying and caking, and was recalled from the market.
The lesson learnt was that the marketing guy handles all 4 Ps of the marketing mix. It's not enough to create a great product and good promotions, we need to see it through end to end and all 4 Ps are equally important for any marketing specialist.
My marketing idol
My marketing idol is Shripad Nadkarni, my super boss in Coca-Cola India where he was the head of marketing. He is one of the best marketing brains I have seen in India so far.
His eye for identifying sharp consumer insights and translating them into super marketing ideas and initiatives is unbeatable. Over and above this he is an out and out people's person and he knows how to get his team and suppliers to rally around him and deliver outstanding work.
Campaigns such as Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola , the Thums Up Challenge and many many more memorable marketing ideas have seen the light of day thanks to him.
Where I get my insights from
Any enthusiastic marketer needs to put himself in the shoes of the consumer. You need to live his life and do that regularly for you to get insights which are sharp and distinct. The time spent with them need not be confined to how he/she uses your product, you need to understand their life, their issues, things that make them smile, things they aspire to. I very strongly believe in this and try and spend a lot of time both formally and informally with the consumer segments where my products are relevant. The quality time you spend with them will determine the quality of the insights you can come out with.
How B-school helped me in my career
There is definitely no doubt in my head that B-school does help you build your career. For one, I think it is a passport to your entry into the corporate world.
Second - and more importantly - I think it trains your mind to look at issues in a more comprehensive and logical framework. It provides you with frameworks which help you deconstruct the market and help you get a clearer understanding of market situations. This in turn aids you to take better decisions and offer sharper solutions which are more specific and action-oriented.