Lalatendu Das

On hindsight. I am not a legacy Jaguar customer or even a fan of automobiles. I am unlikely to be a future customer of such brands too. It’s obvious that social media commenters are not privy to discussions on brand strategy but when has that become a barrier for spouting opinions?:) I too did a double take and reacted negatively to the initial teaser and re-brand. Here are some random observations, looking back on the events of last few weeks. 1. It appears that Jaguar has chosen to abandon their current base and build a new audience. It now feels right, having read about the sales decline over the years 2. Time will tell if the the future designs and the value proposition in electric vehicles appeals to the intended new audience. And can build a significant long-term business for the company.  3. Going by what I read, the designs unveiled in Miami are ‘directional’ and not necessarily the final commercial production line. Much like high-fashion where what is displayed on the ramp is not meant for sale - it is just a show of creativity in that domain. 4. ‘Everybody is talking about it’ is still not a valid justification for campaign success. ‘Any publicity is good publicity’ is not true for all brands 5. The company CEO admonishing negative social media commentary (initially) is not a prudent move. It’s the nature of the beast to invite comments from all - one can’t prevent it. The social media team handled the flak earnestly - at least on X.  6. 'Those who can never afford a Jaguar are commenting' is also a futile take. Similar thing happens with iPhone & Apple products right from the 'Mac vs PC' days 7. Does the intended new target audience (younger, going by the teasers) have the money to afford a Jaguar? Am not sure. 8. Should legacy brands breakaway completely from the imagery and brand associations of the past? As with most issues related to marketing & advertising, ‘it depends’ seems to be the right answer. We don’t know the thinking, but probably a ‘half-way house’ option (a little of the past and a little bit futuristic) was seen as sub-optimal. They chose to go for the riskier option of a totally new path. In India HMT had its loyal audience who’ve moved on. Which other legacy brand (in any category) has taken a similar path as Jaguar in terms of breaking away from the past to appeal to a new audience?  #marketing #advertising

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"Price Parity is important, but product parity in different channels may not exist" - I picked up this this and many more insights at the 12th edition of the #DigitalLeadershipSummit that Social Beat Google conducted in Chennai. Thanks Venkatesh (CEO, TTK Prestige) for taking out time to be part of the session on #BusinessTransformation, to the 100+ CXOs and marketers in the audience. Omni channel is the way forward and with complexities of company exclusive stores, franchisee stores, d2c, marketplace & quick commerce - its complex. Venky emphasised on how leadership needs to come together to focus on long term - and thay may mean some sacrifies to achieve channel growth and price parity. Customer Experience remains at the heart of building brands but often brands forget to stick to the basics. Continuing to innovate on the product and experience is what will help brands win the future. He summarised it well that brands need to consistently invest in innovation to stay relevant to the ever evolving consumer. Suneil Chawla

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https://lnkd.in/d2vqP8Ct. PoC to GoLive..it's a long journey. Only those with deep pockets will be able to experiment. So, what becomes paramount - the process of Reviewing, Assessment, Governance, Funding, Risk vs Return, Technology, Operational Viability, Change management, and Organization environment are key considerations. Do you then 'wait and watch' or join the game and play along? Its an interesting debate across many forums. Informative piece Shilpa Phadnis #AI #GenAI #artificialintelligence

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#RealConversations #NotWrittenWithAI They had been in the war room for over two days. The company was responding to a large outsourcing RFP by a top pharma. I was flown in to Gurgaon to help the bid team with domain expertise (whatever little I had gathered until then). The bid team was led by a senior leader. As I joined a bit late (I think late afternoon on day three), I spent a couple of hours to network and find out how we were approaching and building the proposal. I came to understand that apart from talking about our capabilities (services and product suite), the proposal needed to delve into how our product suite was better compared to the pharma company's incumbent vendor. The vendor's and our product suite had four modules that went head-to-head and differentiation needed to be articulated. There was an interim review the next day. The proposal was due on day 12, so we had about a week, but anyone who has worked on such bids would agree with the feeling - we could "make the pitch better", only if we had more time. Anyway, the next day, when the slides comparing the modules were reviewed, the overarching feedback was that they were generic and very weak. Everyone was trying to understand the reason for the lack of depth and the generic nature of the comparison. There was cacophony in the room about whether we should add this, remove that, or if the vendor product really has this feature, etc. After a few minutes, I raised my hand and asked a question - who all among you have worked on or seen vendor's product firsthand? Not a single hand went up in the room. There was silence for a few seconds. I didn't belabor the point and asked if we could quickly find people in the organization who had either worked with the incumbent vendor or with the pharma company (and hence might have some experience using vendor's product). To my surprise, through a flood of super-urgent outreach emails, five employees were identified. Four of them were flown in the very next day. We were racing against time, but at least we now had the right people in the room to "make the pitch better". I don't think we put together a strong proposal (we won a few services-centric parts of the bid, lost the product part). This and many similar experiences showed me how fragmented the bid response process was (still is) in most organizations. The bigger the company, the more fragmented and siloed it gets. There is rarely anyone to bring it all together. Perhaps such is the nature of big-bid beast. Later in my career, I established bid support practice (for another company). We kept a record of SMEs, created an amazing library of reusable content, flagged if the right people were not involved, etc. We became the go-to-team, and I recall receiving so many "Thank You" messages for my team in those two years (we supported 60+ proposals) Knowledge is power, and at times, it could be simply knowing the right person to be involved, when others don't. #WorkplaceMoments

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Proud to share that Accenture is among Business Today’s “Best Companies to Work For” in India, for 15 years in a row! This time, we also bagged #1 positions in two categories - the ‘Software, Hardware, and IT’ category, and the ‘BPO, KPO, & ITeS’ category. Read more about how our disability inclusion program is empowering employees and creating a new crop of leaders. https://accntu.re/4dyhfT0 #BestCompaniesToWorkFor #Accenture

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Global capability centers (GCCs) have evolved to become value creators to their enterprise and are delivering diversified and significant returns in terms of GDP, taxation, and employment at scale. In this Business Today article on the evolution of GCCs, Uma Ratnam Krishnan, Managing Director of Optum India, highlights the various factors that are propelling the GCC growth momentum around the world and more specifically, in India. http://spr.ly/6041cIxqB

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In this podcast edition of Conversations With Dez, Aashu Virmani, Vice President & Client Partner of Communications at Cyient talks with Dez Blanchfield about the impact of 5G in industry sectors and markets such as utilities, energy, rail, and transport. https://bit.ly/496fF7F

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Businesses are increasingly adopting digital #technologies to enhance efficiency, productivity, & customer engagement. Surge in AI adoption necessitates increased spending on advanced software & high-performance computing infrastructure. #India https://t.ly/iAuIC

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Pipelines to platforms to protocols: Reconfiguring value and redesigning markets. An insightful read by Sangeet Paul Choudary published at Boson Protocol, perfect for cross-border digital initiatives. Inclusion and innovation democratization at its core. #PlatformEconomy #ProtocolEconomy India's UPI and Open Network For Digital Commerce (ONDC) are a great examples. EV Infra ecosystem is another great opportunity. Read more: https://lnkd.in/d-hwBQ8b

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As an 𝗦𝗘𝗢 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁, I read a lot of blogs and articles. Recently, I’ve been intrigued by a topic critical for businesses today - 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲. I wanted to capture all the useful strategies for everyone in the cloud business. I hope you'll find this blog on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in cloud infrastructure helpful. It highlights key factors that can drive cost savings and efficiency. #CloudInfrastructure  #TCO  #SEO #CloudOptimization #CloudStrategy #Blog

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Guys, here are some of the glimpses of a recent podcast we did around building startups!

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Rajesh Ghatge, CEO - Wondrlab Technologies & Founding Team Member, shares his views with ADGULLY, on how AI-powered personalization is revolutionizing mobile marketing. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d_3fbz53 Saurabh Varma Rakesh Hinduja Vandana Verma Amit Akali Sanju Menon Ajeeta Bharadwaj Dimple Dugar Sweety Advani Siddhyesh Narkar Ankit Grover Ritika Malhotra Charlotte Berchman Mitul Desai Upaasna Nambiar Tanuj Khanna dipti rode saad patel Paritosh D. Bhavesh Kosambia Rahul M. Rahul Chandwani Rohan Phatarpekar Ninad Nagwekar Ritika Bandale Rinesh Jayarathne Sandip Chintawar Prakash Kolhe Cymetrix #Wondrlab #MakeWondrlful #AI #MobileMarketing #ReadMore

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In today's fast-paced world, where information spreads instantly, branding has become essential for political movements and activism in India. Just as businesses craft their brand identity, political movements use branding to rally support, communicate messages, and drive change. Here's how effective political branding can amplify a cause and mobilize action. 🔑 Key Elements of Political Branding Clear Message: A concise message that reflects the movement’s goals and values is essential. Consistent messaging across platforms reinforces this identity. Visual Identity: A strong visual identity 🎨, including a memorable logo and relevant colors, helps the public easily recognize and connect with the movement. Storytelling: Crafting a compelling narrative 📖 that highlights the movement's history and impact creates emotional connections, making the cause more relatable. Digital Presence: A well-maintained website and active social media profiles 📱 increase visibility and engagement, while regular, engaging content keeps supporters motivated. Community Engagement: Grassroots mobilization and strategic alliances 🤝 strengthen the movement’s reach, building support from the ground up. Strategies for Effective Political Branding Understanding the Audience: Tailor messaging to resonate with the audience’s demographics, values, and concerns. Segmenting the Audience: Customize branding efforts for different audience segments to maximize impact. Preparedness and Response: Implement a crisis management plan with clear communication protocols. Transparency and Accountability: Maintain transparency and accountability during crises to uphold integrity. Media Outreach: Build relationships with media outlets for better coverage and visibility. PR Campaigns: Use strategic PR campaigns to shape public perception and highlight key milestones. Case Study: Effective Political Branding in India One notable example of effective political branding in India is the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement. The movement’s clear and compelling message of fighting corruption resonated with millions across the country. The simple yet powerful visual identity—centered around Anna Hazare’s iconic white cap—became a symbol of integrity and resistance. Through strong storytelling, grassroots mobilization, and strategic alliances, the movement galvanized widespread public support, demonstrating the power of political branding in driving change.

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It was my pleasure to attend TechSparks 2024, India's most influential tech conference, organized by YourStory in Bengaluru. This premier event brought together visionary leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to share cutting-edge insights and strategies. Strategic Takeaways: 1. Experts highlighted the transformative potential of AI, Blockchain, and Cloud Computing in driving business growth. 2. Renowned founders shared strategies for scaling startups, emphasizing innovation, resilience, and adaptability. 3. Panel discussions underscored the importance of collaborative ecosystems in fostering entrepreneurship and job creation. TechSparks 2024 provided invaluable insights into the intersection of technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. We look forward to implementing these strategies to drive business excellence. I extend my sincere gratitude to Profuse Services for providing this exceptional opportunity. #TechSparks2024 #YourStory #Networking #Profuseservices #FutureOfTech #Entrepreneurship #BengaluruTech #TechSparks #Learning #Innovation #Technology #EventHighlights #Inspiration #ProfessionalGrowth #Bengaluru #TechCommunity #TechEvents #ShapeTheFuture

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#TinyEnterprisesSelfEmployedIndia #AggregatorsRule #DigitalPaymentsScale India unincorporated club swells 12.7% More tiny self employed enterprises now. More than 25 percent owned by women, 73 million plus employing 120 million. "The percentage of establishments using the internet has also grown significantly from 21.1 per cent in 2022-23 to 26.7 per cent in ASUSE 2023-24. The unincorporated non-agricultural sector plays an important role in the Indian economy, contributing significantly to employment, gross domestic product and the overall socio-economic landscape. This sector not only sustains livelihoods for millions but also acts as a backbone for the incorporated sector by supplying goods and services, reinforcing its role in the domestic value chain." https://lnkd.in/gFAabbDP India has hundreds of millions of self employed tiny individual and family enterprises - there are more than 140 million tiny farms. Millions of travelling salespersons, selling everything from soaps to shawls, sugarcane juice to carpets, door to door. Zomato alone has 1.4 million restaurants in India registered ! GPay has 67 of its 150 million global subscribers in India. As of July 31, 2024, there are 47.7 million MSMEs registered in India. Over 19 million retail outlets (as of 2020) operate in the country and only 4% of them being larger than 500 sq ft in size. India is an aggregator platform paradise. That's why UPI , Adhaar-Mobile-Bank Account is such a huge success. 530 million Jan Dhan accounts that are DBT ready. Rs 40.81 lakh crore was transferred via DBT enabled by JAM trinity, saving Rs 3.5 lakh crore in leakages. The Aadhaar Payment Bridge (APB) is pivotal to this success, connecting over 854 million Aadhaar numbers with bank accounts and achieving an impressive 99.9% transaction success rate. The introduction of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in 2016 revolutionized digital payments by facilitating transactions across multiple bank accounts via a single app. In FY 2023-24 alone, UPI handled transactions amounting to Rs 200 lakh crore, including Rs 21.55 lakh crore in November 2024. European Payments Council writes - "UPI is India's popular mobile-based real-time payment system, which enables instant personal and merchant payments. It processes over seventy-five percent of the country’s retail digital payments, registering over 14 billion transactions in May 2024 alone. UPI with its complete interoperability has truly democratised payments in India, providing financial services access to every Indian with a mobile device. Currently, there are ~350 million active UPI users in India and over 340 million QR codes at various merchant locations to facilitate payments in a seamless digital manner." https://lnkd.in/gV96x5w6

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I stand with NASSCOM on this pressing issue. Bangalore's future looks promising as the industry's firm stance prompts politicians to reconsider. Surprisingly, other political parties remain silent, opting for a wait-and-see approach. It is encouraging to witness the industry's collective influence in driving positive change. #NASSCOM #Bangalore #IndustryInfluence

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🎙 3 I’s that define this podcast: Insightful. Inspiring. Impactful. Abhishek Rungta CEO of Indus Net Technologies (INT.) unpacks the blueprint for future-ready businesses. Tune in for ideas that spark action and drive change. 💡 I am working under his leadership for last 18 years and can connect to each of his answers. #Leadership #DigitalTransformation #SantanuPost https://lnkd.in/gbcpviWW

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**ET Studios at the ET BrandEquity MarTech+ Summit & Awards** Unleashing the Power of MarTech with Netcore Cloud - Watch this exclusive ET Studios session where Siddharth Gopalkrishnan, COO of Netcore Cloud, dive deep into the evolving MarTech landscape. Key Takeaways: 1. AI-Powered Creativity: Discover how to harness the potential of Generative AI to create compelling content, striking the perfect balance between human ingenuity and technological innovation. 2. Personalized Engagement: Learn how to navigate the delicate balance between impactful communication and over-communication, leveraging MarTech solutions to redefine customer experiences. 3. Privacy-First Personalization: Explore the critical role of data privacy in building trust and delivering personalized experiences that respect consumer boundaries. Siddharth also sheds light on a crucial challenge: While 85% of customers crave personalization, 75% are frustrated by impersonal messaging. It's a wake-up call for brands to elevate their approach and truly connect with their audience.

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An iconic interview for many reasons and a must watch master class. -- First and foremost as a marketer it is so heartening to see "Why Building a Mindshare is the Key to Gain a Market Share and Why Mind share precedes Market share". There is no better than some one like Nandan speaking about it. --A man who has built and delivered systems and platforms that have scaled upto the needs of 1.3 Billion Citizens, Using 80 Million times a Day. -- Courage and Conviction to think beyond the normal - Aadhar, UPI, Indiastack, Fastag, Digital Public Goods, ONDC, Bhashini, AI and more. -- The interview again ends with the mantra of Marketing, Articulating and Making the Messaging a Win-Win to sell anything -- Building teams propelled by an audacious goal, a goal that's possible yet ambitious and most importantly staying absolutely secure by remaining hapoy to share, be curious, be willing to see others flourish.. This is about India and i love when he used the phrase to the Power of AI which is some thing that I have been personally championing in the limited canvas that I operate. #cmoinsights #Bharat #Scale #Marketing #tothePowerofAI https://lnkd.in/gBg3cnQa

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