Our thoughts on all that is current and consequential in the world of brands.

ABC of D2C

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Direct to consumer business model (D2C) is the newest buzzword. D2C is a great way to build businesses and brands. With consumer insights and understanding, you can create a successful brand with consumer knowledge and intimacy.

How can brands journey from being symbols to cultural icons?

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Lessons to learn from Mani flags Mani flags and Mani stones get their name from the Buddhist mantra – Om Mani Padme Hum. This mantra is believed to convey the essence of all Buddhist teachings. In English, it means – The Jewel in the Lotus. Across all faiths and philosophies that originated in India, the lotus holds a deep significance. The lotus plant grows in still or slow-moving waters...

Six building blocks of a hospitality brand

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There are few categories as filled with possibilities or as romantic or involving as travel. We research our trips endlessly and share notes with people who have gone on similar journeys. We record those magical moments not just in megapixels but also as treasured memories. Pitching your tent in such a space and growing your hospitality business, therefore, is in equal parts exciting and...

Lessons from Ayurveda

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2020 was a terrible year. 2021 started with a lot of promise but is now threatening to turn bad. Hopefully not. But hopes aside, while 2020 was a bad year for almost everyone it certainly was not so for Ayurveda. Most Ayurvedic brands had a great year. Sales of certain products increased 300 to 400%. If you are running an Ayurveda company and you finished the year with a 20% growth figure then...

Reality check for real estate brands

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The phrase ‘real estate brand’ is a bit of an oxymoron. There was a time not so long ago when this industry was booming. That was when you could just announce a new project and the cash registers would start ringing. That time has gone. Maybe it will be back soon, or it might take a while to come back. Until then real estate businesses should take a hard look at the way they engage with consumers...

The changing face of silk

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Silk and silk sarees have always played a central role in the lives of Indian women. No wedding, festival, or auspicious occasion is complete without silk sarees. Over time large retail chains started to own the narrative on silk, especially in the South. A few of these retail chains succeeded in cornering a large share of the market. They became destination stores. In fact, they came to be so...

Jewelry market

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A case for product differentiation There is something strange about the Indian jewelry market. It is large, yes, but unlike most other markets it does not have a dominant player. There is no Maruti or Jio as far as the jewelry market goes. The reason becomes apparent when you dig a little deeper. This market is not a composite whole. It is a sum of a lot of markets. The brand that dominates in...

Phew!

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The world will breathe a collective sigh of relief as the hands of the clock inch towards each other for one last time this year. It has been a terrible year. Enough has been said and written and experienced about the terribleness of 2020. But like every terrible, devastating, and mind-numbing experience it has left us some hard lessons to ponder over and learn from. Here are a few of these...

We shall keep you updated with our thoughts on the most relevant and latest from the world of brands.

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