Castrol taught me the values of 'influencing the influencer'

I myself was with Castrol from mid 1985 - early 1992, fresh out of B-School. I had the great fortune of interacting closely with the great managers of yesteryears Dr.B.K.Barman, Mr.Dilip Kumar Guha, Mr.Ramesh Chandra Mahajan. They taught me hands-on about Castrol's (then, Indrol Lubricants and Specialities Ltd) strategy of influencing the influencer.
Irrespective of our hierarchy in the organisation, we had to visit a large number of roadside mechanics every week, spend time with them chatting about the virtues of multigrade oils, additives, et al and offcourse in their language. I loved getting under the gigantic trucks to help mechanics open the oil sump and collecting lube samples in special bottles for further testing in the labs at Paharpur, Wadala, Patalganga.
I have carefully preserved a couple of oil stained shirts as mementos along with the large number of certificates and trophies and ties. I personally love automobiles, the work in Castrol was a passion for me. I have heard and seen people joining Castrol from office automation companies and leaving in a few months since the system of 'influencing the influencer' was too much for their system.
There were no computers those days, yet the entire strategy was so systems driven. At one point of time in Orissa, I was commanding a 35%+ market share in the commercial vehicles lubricating oil segments. And that too, when the brands were priced 40% higher than the PSU oil company products. And mind it ... we were not even allowed to sell from the PSU petrol pumps.
During the past 8 years, as an Independent Marketing Consultant working closely with Youth and Children as target audiences and as the person behind the ideation and implementation of the only one of their kinds in Child and Youth Marketing activities India, viz. Inter School and College PowerPoint Presentation Contest (Powerplay and IT Kriya contests respectively), I have managed to convey the message and virtues of influencing the influencer to brands like LG Electronics - IT Divn, Nerolac Paints, Osram, TVS Motor Co., Eveready, Power FM, Rasna, General Mills and many more.

Bring back the Maruti Suzuki Esteem

The 1300 cc, three-box Esteem car from Maruti Suzuki was one fantastic machine. It was very low on maintenance costs and extremely good in fuel economy. Driving comfort was just too good. The pride of ownership was indeed an ego booster .... no wonders the little girl after the joyride in daddy's new Esteem (as shown in the TVC) proudly announces that its "My Daddy's Biiiig Car". In the Indian motor-rallying circuits, Esteem still calls the shots.
Why did the company want to bring in a 'forced obsolescence' with effect from early January 2008? In the product life cycle, the car was still in its growth stage, there was nothing to worry.
It is being heard that a three-box Swift is in the offing. However, I am sure that the new product being planned could have been squeezed in between the Esteem VXI and SX4. The media in no uncertain terms have spelt out that the introductory batches of SX4 is very poor in fuel economy.
Maruti Suzuki had earlier made the mistake of withdrawing the jelly-bean shaped Zen from the market for about a year in 2005 and replaced it with Zen Estilo. Estilo has just not been able to create an impact with customers. With competition hotting up in the small car segment, Maruti Suzuki needs to become far more market savvy in the higher segment and that's where Esteem figured.
Past and present 'Esteem owners', 'Esteem lovers' and marketing gurus, can we have a discussion on the topic please?
(Article by: Deep Banerjee dated 14th February 2008)

Market your brand to and through children and youth

Hello Friends!
If you are working in an Indian or MNC corporate entity in a decision making position in Brand Management, Product Management, Market Research, Market Segmentation, Product Positioning, Marketing Support functions, Advertising Agency of repute or if you are the Head/ Deputy Head/ Divisional Head of Marketing in your company, let's exchange ideas.
Even if your spouse or somebody really close to you is into the same please ask him or her to revert to me.
If the brand(s) / product category you (or your contact) manage or is responsible for, targets directly or indirectly :
-- "Children from Premium Households/ Schools studying in Class 3 - 12 anywhere in India"
-- "Youths in General/ Professional UG and PG Colleges anywhere in India",
please revert to me as soon as possible.
I am sure that I will be able to help you'll a lot.
Even if you are in a different functional area viz. Finance, HRD, Logistics, etc and if you feel that your company will do better by tagetting the above mentioned target audience, please refer me to someone important in the functional area of Marketing in your organisation.
My offer also applies to individual entrepreneurs also.
Those in the functional area of Marketing will know and those in other functional areas should know that children and youth are increasingly becoming opinion leaders in brand selection / purchase / usage.
Directly or indirectly, they are a Rs.40,000 Crores segment in India ..... Yes, That's True !!!