The Marketing Post

I hate having to mail photos everytime to posterous Sachin, Can't we post them in!

The IPL in its third edition has still got probably a dozen central sponsorship spots that can make you stand out and be value for your marketing budget. While Karbonn Mobiles added themselves to the pool and IPL doubled the money in its Central sponsorship pool this year there are many possibilities for budding marketing budgets, if only they appreciate the sport and the emotion...

A great example i the season 2 Citibank add on titled the Citi U-23 Success of the League, that takes away a lot of the gunpowder for the Orange Cap and the Purple Cap awards for the best bat and bowl performances. Rohit Sharma managed the prize last year awarded by darling Ravi Shastri and the omnipresent Sunil Gavaskar with MAK Pataudi the third member of the 'jury'. 

from oneindia.in last may..

An IPL committee comprising of former Indian captains Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi adjudicated the contested. The commitee reached unanimous decision that Sharma has been the best cricketer in the Under-23 category in the IPL.

The award carries a purse of Rs 1 million and a citation. Rohit scored 333 runs at an average of 27.75, at a strike rate of 119. He has also taken 11 wickets at an average of 11.45.

Similarly, the KPL for the namma local Bengalore sold for Rs 8 crores for the 8 teams and a similar amount in sponsorship. and it does deiver TRPs as long as it is Cricket!

There was a great Ferrari 1-2 in F1

The Life Insurance sector in India which has grown to Rs 12 Trillion in Asets ( 12 lakh Crores) or $300 billion with LIC alone and with atleast 35% of the new business share during lean times and 65% share during growth years the Pvt sector also has an asset book of Rs One lakh crore or $ 25 billion. FDI reforms for the sector are a sure thing butt he sector has been lagging behind in social innovation to cater to its commitments of 40% business in urban poor and rural masses. 

The one response to that from the industry has been that of Max New York Life. I intend to show you the brilliant product design of this new great product Max Vijay which has all the 5 Ps of Marketing going for it rather than just branding like Kotak Life's "Chhotu kya banega" r WOM like Birla Sun Life. 

The product Vijay is a Whole Life Insurance Product and thus more affordable as insuranec cover without losing the savings..Also the new cproduct is warehousable, in that it is sold in units of Rs 1000, that are sold at cost to the company on Day ) and goes through distributors, retailers and end agents that use POS terminals to record user details on a simple form. Anyone can pay the Rs 10 ( or maybe 20) required for a Rs 1000 insurance cover, and the company has already sold it from HQ for the 770 value that accrues to the T Ledgers fro the day 1 of sale.. The mortality and the social group demographics have been factored in by actuarrial analysis while the insurer / proposer can buy it 'off the shelf' at his convenience..From my knowledge, for every 10000, the company records 775, while the whole sale distrivutor records the same at 850 or 900 to his retail agents who can be MFI or local Soap/Tobacco/grocery shop owners than can make the sale of each Rs 1000 unit for recorded value f 970. Thus the commission structure is also much more equitable and at the same tie fairly values the insurance contract. The use of POS terminals means that whenever the final sale is made unit value is updated at the CPU and thence any updates regarding renewal premiums and modifications can be made. 

The other products in the sector are basically leaning towards risky capital market based investment pools in Variable Universal Life plans or simply quasi MF investments in Units that can be tracked by their NAV. The riskiest class Equity Funds are allowed 50-60% in Equities. these products then use the family-man appeal to sell by using branding and advertising campaigns around the children / or targeting women. such an example would be Kotak's "Chhotu kya banega" 

A quick comparison above shows you the extent to which Vijay can really serve the rural mass market needs with the operationally complex product that hung IRDA approvals for over a year. As it is sold directly by the company, mis-education may however cause its neglect by the Agent Advisor force and any corporate / bancassurance partners that focus on the wealth segment. 

The final approved product from Max has three distinct flavours, Silver Gold and Diamond, much in use in Sales incentive compensation with largest retail distribution companies like ITC, HUL and thus easily understood.  The product is endorsed by regional and bollywood celebrities like Vijay and Amitabh Bachchan (Brand Ambassador)  and is expected to gather Rs 300 crores in 3 years

The SBI Life was just being posted here during the Filmfare presentation when i had to attend to the new ICICI Bank one. Definitely has the emtional pull. Sadly, I haven't seen it at any ICICI Bank branch :D

Let's hope the Indian Financial Services juggernaut doesn't get toooo many hiccups..

IPL Tadka Maar ke | Colors to launch IPL cricket based entertainment Ad quickies, bu tthe quality of work expected from Colors shines through. On ground execution will be guest calls in Khatron.. and Big Boss? While Coke also brings on the regional flavour bollywood ishtyle. Katrina with namma Vijay and Vidya Balan swinging it with some Marathi macha And IPL in Theaters with UFO

Leave me be..What..unknowns fighting for 4000 votes from netflix stream? Almost the same candidates as the Oscars turned up at the Jazz Club for the Film Independent's Spirit Awards...Oscar night gala, tonight

Crazy Heart for the Oscar..I didn't see it here in Desh, 

 Held at Piaget Lounge, Nokia Event Theater, LA Live

Corporate Sponsorships for LA event venues are definitely sold out!

GP2 veteran Vitaly Petrov gets in front at the new Renault car launch in Russia, while Karun Chandok returns to the Campos (now Hispana) Team for a F1 run. Campos joins after 2005, an dKarun's team mate is Bruno Senna of Brazil, also GP2  

The World Rally Championships carry on in Mexico in the meanwhile, without any Indian competition worth the name.