"We intend to market around 2,000 Ambassador Grands through promotions; this is in line with the concept that the Ambassador Grand is not mass oriented; it is targeted at the individual buyer. And we feel this is the best way of reaching out to him "
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Soni Srivastav, GM, Corporate Communications, C.K.
Birla Group
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Soni Srivastav, General Manager, Corporate
Communications - C.K. Birla Group has been in the field of
media interaction since 1987. Prior to joining the C.K. Birla
Group in April 1999, she has worked with The Times of India,
India Today, and Le Meridian among other companies.
In a conversation with Jasmeen Dugal, Soni Srivastav discusses
the role of corporate communication in Hindustan Motors, in
the individual positioning of their various models and why
The Grand is being marketed more through PR and Promotions
than through the dealership network.
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| P.S. |
How
important is corporate communications in a company like Hindustan
Motors? What is your role? |
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As General Manager, my role is that of a spokesperson
of the entire C.K. Birla Group, whose flagship company is
Hindustan Motors. As such it is an important position. I handle
corporate communications within the Group companies (Hindustan
Motors, Birlasoft, Hyderabad Industries, NBC, Orient Cement,
Orient Paper and Orient Fans) and with the outside world -
essentially media.
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| P.S. |
How
have you positioned Pajero in the Indian market? How did you
use PR to portray the car's distinctive qualities to the target
audience? |
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The Pajero has been positioned as beyond product
ownership status. And it has been presented as an individual
self-driven vehicle, targeted at the successful, young achiever.
The car connotes adventure and excitement. The Pajero is usually
used for off-the-road experiences. And is generally picked
up by consumers who are globally familiar with SUVs. The numbers
in sale are not too large as it is targeted at a niche audience
- we sell around 50-60 Pajeros monthly.
We have highlighted the aspirational qualities of the Pajero
with the slogan: "You only live once". The best
is what one desires. And the Pajero is beyond comparison.
So it is aspirational positioning loaded with attitude. We
have extensively advertised the Pajero on niche channels like
Discovery, ESPN and BBC World in 15-second commercials.
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| P.S. |
How
does Lancer's new campaign reflect it's positioning? |
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The Lancer is targeted at the professional,
who would like to be in control of his life. This is reflected
in our new campaign M.A.D.E.- Mitsubishi Active Driving Experience.
The new baseline is 'Always In Control' which denotes that
the Lancer is a safe car to drive, be it on city roads or
the highway. It is under your control when you are behind
the wheel and it reflects personality. The theme is that it
provides an unforgettable driving experience.
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| P.S. |
Was
launching the Ambassador Grand an attempt to enter the individual
buyer segment? |
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The Ambassador has till date been associated
with the govt. as a taxi. The launch of Ambassador Grand is
not a big foray into the individual segment. It has been done
with the purpose of making the Ambassador more contemporary
and driver friendly.
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| P.S. |
The
Grand is being marketed more through PR and Promotions than
through the dealership network. Why is it so? |
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We intend to market around 2,000 cars. But our marketing
plans for Grand will be more personalized than it has been
with the other cars. We intend to market the cars through
promotions; it will be more individual oriented. This is in
line with the concept that the Ambassador Grand is not mass
oriented; it is targeted at the individual buyer. And we feel
this is the best way of reaching out to him.
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| P.S. |
The Grand retains the same appearance as the older version.
What are the differentiating features? |
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Special
care has been taken to retain the concept of the car, as we
believe that the Ambassador would lose its charm and personality
if it were to look any different. The Ambassador plays an integral
part in our product portfolio. Not only is it the largest selling
product of Hindustan Motors, it is also the third largest selling
car in the mid-size segment. Hindustan Motors is hopeful of
selling 18,000-20, 000 units in the current fiscal. In 2002-03,
the company sold around 14,000 units.
The Grand sports spruced-up interiors and exteriors, while
retaining the characteristic Ambassador silhouette that embodies
the core benefits of comfort, space and sturdiness. It incorporates
NVH (noise vibration harshness), resulting in lower noise
levels. With power steering, it makes it easier even for a
woman to drive the car. The gears are like any modern car
gears: no stick shift, an improved access to the brakes. The
hand brake is no longer near the door, it is now in the center;
the axle whine gives service dealers better serviceability.
Among the cosmetic changes, the Grand comes in metallic colors
- no black, yellow or white; the car has body colored bumpers;
the front grill is re-styled; the front indicators are newly
styled; rear number plates are different; and the car sports1800
cc for petrol / 2000 cc for diesel. With the souped version
of the Ambassador, we are sure we have a market, as it is
good value for money.
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| P.S. |
How
have people reacted to the Grand? |
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At the
Auto Expo 2002, we had showcased the new variant of the Ambassador.
A spot survey showed us that people wanted a contemporary version
of the Ambassador. And a photo exhibition on the Ambassador
by the late Raghubir Singh proves the importance of the Ambassador
as an Indian icon.
The Ambassador is not just a car; it connotes Indianness.
There is nostalgia, emotion. It is much more than a car. To
quote Pundit Ravi Shankar, 'I travel in an ambassador. A BMW
or Mercedes may be more comfortable but I'm happy with the
Ambassador I use. It's very comfortable, very Indian.'
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| P.S. |
What
is your target audience? |
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We are
targetting 'niche' buyers such as government officials, professionals,
luxury hotels which can use the Ambassador Grand as a taxi,
export markets etc. |
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| Send
your comments to Soni Srivastav |
| Archive |
"PR
is a people intensive business and skilled personnel are
key, to this profession. I do not think we are putting
in enough efforts to train and groom youngsters mainly
because of our inherent insecurities." Samir
Kale, Managing Director, CMCG India. |
"Aviation
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and technology, all at the same time. Different departments
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Nandini Verma,
Vice President - Corporate Affairs, Jet Airways . |
"MGood
companies recognize the importance of PR and have on-going
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stakeholders. Only companies with myopic vision use PR
as a one-time 'quick fix' and most often, it fails"Ashwani
Singla ,CEO, Genesis. |
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relations are 'the bread and butter work' of any PR professional.
Everything else is 'Jam and Jelly;' employers and clients
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their PR people. If they are able to deliver more value,
then nobody will stand in their way. Media Relations is
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Nikhil
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a PR company. The other roles that we've handled successfully
include management communication, crisis management, industry
relations, financial relations and research. The industry
is still young; we will see a growth in agencies with
individual specialization."
Kapil Rampal, CEO - Creative
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"Global
media relationship plays a major role in building the
credibility, which is given immense importance. Information
sharing, both proactive and reactive is a continuous process."
Paresh Chaudhry, Director
- Corporate Communications
|
"In
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obliged to manage and sustain communications with several
sensitive constituencies other than media. 80% of our
time is dedicated to media relations - other constituents
that take up our time vary from client to client."
Archana Jain, Director,
PR Pundit
|
"It
is because we see things, not the way they are, but the
way they can be. Not what exists, but what can be created.
A better way of doing things, a better way of life. Creativity,
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P.K. Khurana President,
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|
"Be
it newsletters, conferences, talks, fairs, events in schools
and colleges, PR agencies are using an integration of
possible mediums. In a country like India with the vast
spectrum of cultural nuances - going beyond media is a
role that PR agencies are managing very well."
Meera Tenguria Founder and
Director Aarohan Communications |
"The
role of PR has gone beyond media relations in India, and
while media will remain a critical tool here as it is
everywhere in the world, more and more advisory and brand
building work will be done by PR professionals."
Mahnaz Curmally, President
- South Asia, Ogilvy
|
"A good corporate PR person is an integrated personnel
in the company, who is involved in understanding the decisions
taken by the company and the repercussions it could have."
DEEPAK JOLLY Director -
Corporate Communications, Bharti
|
"I see PR playing a key role in helping companies work
on an integrated communications plan through PR, advertising,
BTL marketing and specially their own sales force, to
send out synchronized messages that powerfully impact
image."
Anita Lobo - CEO, Accord
Public Relations |
"PR is all about facts and not whitewashing facts."
Nandita Lakshman, Founder
and CEO, The Practice |
"In India however, PR is viewed solely as 'media relations'.
The main function of a PR company ideally is to create
the right environment for the client's business to flourish.
I believe that a PR company is more of a business partner
to augment opportunities for the company it represents
through effective image management."
Kunal R Sachdev,Director
and CEO - Integral PR Services Pvt. Ltd |
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Devdarshan Chakraborty,
CEO, Vaishnavi Corporate Communications |
"The PR industry is in stage of evolution, an evolution
of concepts, of ideas, of mindsets, which are fresh. These
would give green pastures for the participants to grow"
Ashok Kapoor, Director,
Integral PR Services Pvt Ltd |
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mouth"
Sunil Agarwal, Managing
Director, 20:20 Media |
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clients"
Supriyo Gupta, Vice President,
Rediffusion-DY&R |
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recession proof"
Dilip Cherian, Consulting
Partner, Perfect Relations |
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change from facilitating visibility to facilitating transparency"
Rajiv Desai, President,
IPAN |
"In future, the percentage of media relations in the total
PR exercise will decrease"
Tarun Deo, MD, Text 100
India |
"The fundamental
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cannot be managed". So also is a PR initiative"
Prema
Sagar, Principal & Founder, Genesis PR |
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