Political parties in a democracy are answerable to the electorate goes the cliche, but do our parties undertake any scientific research to enumerate the priorities of the masses? Well in Indian democracy leaders assume that majority of the people do not vote on a rational basis. Those leaders are right as the results of elections indicate.
Majority still vote for caste, religion, regional and ideological orientations. Economic issues do not seem to motivate the masses to vote in large numbers. But how do the parties find out what the people are thinking in their constituency? Politician in India seems to go by judgement approach and expert panel opinion taken from experts from within the party.
I have undertaken a focus group exercise in the youth segment to unravel their mind and the issues that they think are extremely important for the nation. The list in the order of priority is given under;
1. Population: Surprisingly no political party has talked about it in 2009 elections. What can the electorate do? Population growth remains the most critical issue that is slowing down the growth of India.
2. Respect for talent: Most participants feel that there is no room for talent & talented individuals in India. Youth is perturbed that the talented individuals do not stand a fair chance of achievement in our society. People still give too much importance to other factors over the talent of an individual. Students believe that it stifles the growth of talent, consequently growth of country.
3. Corruption: Why we have accepted bribery and corruption as part of life in India? Corruption weakens the country but no party seem to make it as an election issue and has offered no solutions to curb corruption in public life.
4. Economic policy: Major political parties do not present a clear cut industrialisation plan that could create jobs for the educated. All parties make similar noise about their economic policy.
5. Removal of poverty: Youth do not find mention of how much growth in per capita income would the political party would like to achieve in their tenure of five years.
April 15, 2009
April 11, 2009
Role of media in election spin !
Just the other day i have been asked to comment on the role of media in elections. Well media like anyother other industry has had commercial plans, though it has to abide by ethics as its influence on the lives is more prominent than fmcg or durable firms. Media do influence the public opinions. Thats why during elections they become target of election managers seeking to spin doctor the public opinion in thier own way.
Media organisations world over take sides in political process depending on various factors including commercial considerations. We too are no different. Moreover the elections are being held in recessions times when the leading media companies have already suspended thier standard tariffs to encourage the advertisers to bring in advertising revenue. It is not unusual for media in such trying times to make commercial compromise.
Ethically media are obliged to ward off spin doctors and never allow the political players to use news and views coloumns for promoting thier agenda. But reality is much different. Media organisations willingly peddle political info for revenue. Electronic media in particular seem to be jostling with each other to garner maximum revenue for carrying blatantantly biased political info for one party or other.
Media organisations world over take sides in political process depending on various factors including commercial considerations. We too are no different. Moreover the elections are being held in recessions times when the leading media companies have already suspended thier standard tariffs to encourage the advertisers to bring in advertising revenue. It is not unusual for media in such trying times to make commercial compromise.
Ethically media are obliged to ward off spin doctors and never allow the political players to use news and views coloumns for promoting thier agenda. But reality is much different. Media organisations willingly peddle political info for revenue. Electronic media in particular seem to be jostling with each other to garner maximum revenue for carrying blatantantly biased political info for one party or other.
February 26, 2009
India Shining to Incredible india, Elections 2009 in the Slumdog Country
We are in 2009 election season in India. The print media, electronic too, has got a God send savior in the form of political parties/politicians that are raring to spend big bucks in these turbulent economic times. They are geared to spend any money so that it could impress the citizen voters to vote in their favour. Therefore the newspapers are replete with huge adverts daily about the glorious achievements of the politicians and their parties.
The political class in office has the luxury & good fortune of spending public money on adverts that eulogise their leaders and parties. Oh, well, they have a right to inform public about their achievements. But about their responsibility? Don't they have a duty not to spend public money on promoting their political agenda? well this topic is well left to the public to debate. Let us look at the marketing of the political parties and politicians.
India loves its heros more than any other country. Since we don't have many heroes therefore we keep on inventing them regularly. A politician becomes a hero when s/he gets a z- security cover and gets to sit in luxury hotels and cars etc. How many of our great leaders have good solid education is a point of discussion? Mr LK Advani and others who wish to lead our poverty stricken country could never have hoped to a clear the IIT or IIM or AIMS entrance test? Our leaders do not take public service as work or profession. They treat it like a lifestyle. That's why India remains a slumdog country.
When you see the adverts of various state and central government carrying numerous photographs of their leaders announcing some foundation stone ceremony, inauguration or some ubiquitous public meeting by the name of rally how do you expect the reader to respond? Aren't all the adverts looks and feel the same? And if all the adverts are the same what response they would get? apathy!
When would the political parties and politicians let the professionals do their job of creating political adverts, like you have it in the developed world and stop pretending that they know it all? Till then we would have huge adverts in papers that treat the advertiser and their cronies as the target audience without enlisting an iota of interest by the fence sitter undecided voter whom political adverts aim to target.
Same messages, same layout, similar pics but by different political parties during election campaigns can only convince a voter that now the politicians have started to use the powerful tool of advertising. This would certainly not lead to change of behaviour and attitude. We have so called media advisers and ex-journos turned politicians doing the all important work of deciding how to target the citizen voters during elections. Their claim to such work is the knowledge they have gained by hearing jargon during various presentations served to them by agencies looking for their account. would we learn? perhaps never.
In the west centuries old political parties go for re branding, and all set up their respective war room full of top grade professional to plan and execute this all important task of getting to the seat of government so as to implement their own programmes in the interest of the nation as per their different perspectives.
I would recommend some political party to actually democratise the process and content of political advertising. Why can't a party be brave enough to stop publication of their leader's pics in government funded adverts? And during election campaign too they could keep those pics to the minimum and show the comments of the opinion leaders in sports, films, academia and other public celebrities endorsing the good work done by their party? It is time to bring in professionalism in very sphere for real progress of the country and rid us of the stigma of being a slumdog country. Someone listening !
The political class in office has the luxury & good fortune of spending public money on adverts that eulogise their leaders and parties. Oh, well, they have a right to inform public about their achievements. But about their responsibility? Don't they have a duty not to spend public money on promoting their political agenda? well this topic is well left to the public to debate. Let us look at the marketing of the political parties and politicians.
India loves its heros more than any other country. Since we don't have many heroes therefore we keep on inventing them regularly. A politician becomes a hero when s/he gets a z- security cover and gets to sit in luxury hotels and cars etc. How many of our great leaders have good solid education is a point of discussion? Mr LK Advani and others who wish to lead our poverty stricken country could never have hoped to a clear the IIT or IIM or AIMS entrance test? Our leaders do not take public service as work or profession. They treat it like a lifestyle. That's why India remains a slumdog country.
When you see the adverts of various state and central government carrying numerous photographs of their leaders announcing some foundation stone ceremony, inauguration or some ubiquitous public meeting by the name of rally how do you expect the reader to respond? Aren't all the adverts looks and feel the same? And if all the adverts are the same what response they would get? apathy!
When would the political parties and politicians let the professionals do their job of creating political adverts, like you have it in the developed world and stop pretending that they know it all? Till then we would have huge adverts in papers that treat the advertiser and their cronies as the target audience without enlisting an iota of interest by the fence sitter undecided voter whom political adverts aim to target.
Same messages, same layout, similar pics but by different political parties during election campaigns can only convince a voter that now the politicians have started to use the powerful tool of advertising. This would certainly not lead to change of behaviour and attitude. We have so called media advisers and ex-journos turned politicians doing the all important work of deciding how to target the citizen voters during elections. Their claim to such work is the knowledge they have gained by hearing jargon during various presentations served to them by agencies looking for their account. would we learn? perhaps never.
In the west centuries old political parties go for re branding, and all set up their respective war room full of top grade professional to plan and execute this all important task of getting to the seat of government so as to implement their own programmes in the interest of the nation as per their different perspectives.
I would recommend some political party to actually democratise the process and content of political advertising. Why can't a party be brave enough to stop publication of their leader's pics in government funded adverts? And during election campaign too they could keep those pics to the minimum and show the comments of the opinion leaders in sports, films, academia and other public celebrities endorsing the good work done by their party? It is time to bring in professionalism in very sphere for real progress of the country and rid us of the stigma of being a slumdog country. Someone listening !
February 5, 2009
What marketing can do for SME in Chandigarh region
Often i have faced this question while ice breaking meeting with family held organisations that i approach for business. Most realize that there are many things that they would like to improve in their businesses but how should they approach & fix the problems. Well first of all all would like to grow faster but do not know which direction to head. Would it be possible to grow both top and botom lines in tandem? And the scale of operations and span of control ends up with less clear division of the task within an orgaanisation. Let us begin at the beginning. Take help of an outside consulatant to have a broad look at the very structure of your organisation. This may help you to discover underutilised assets and overlapping & conflicting jobs.
Well an enterprise has the principal purpose of delighting the customers which leads to higher value for all the stake holders. A great organisation never takes its eyes off its customers. Investers need only monetary benefits, that a delighted customer may provide in any quantum.
Well an enterprise has the principal purpose of delighting the customers which leads to higher value for all the stake holders. A great organisation never takes its eyes off its customers. Investers need only monetary benefits, that a delighted customer may provide in any quantum.
January 16, 2009
New in Product Development in 2009
NEW is always the desireable. What 'new' have you got? Well, besides the new year.How do the marketeers come up with new servings for the unsatiable appetite of the comsumers? There are several ways to come up with new products. I am currently occupied with assisting my clients with creating new offers. Well the most suitable way that i would recommendis to focus on the need gap in experiencing the product. Let us make products in a manner that fits the way consumers experience them.
It is not enough to create a product unless you make it in a way that customer can experience them with delight. Innovation in packaging would be the new mantra in the new year.
It is not enough to create a product unless you make it in a way that customer can experience them with delight. Innovation in packaging would be the new mantra in the new year.
December 6, 2008
Nothing new by way of marketing in state elections
Delhi, J&k, Rajasthan and MP have recently gone through the process of electing state assemblies. Although the later part of electioneering had been clouded by the dastardly violence in Mumbai, but its impact on the voting behavior remains a point of discussion. The results would be out on December 08, 2008.
I had the opportunity to advice an unique gentlemen in an unique constituency in the state of Rajasthan. Besides i kept a close watch on the use of marketing by politicians and parties to conduct their campaigns. Unfortunately once again it were the same old story. Political marketing is still confined to seeking to influence & persuade the voters through by applying marketing tools and concepts.
The parties stubbornly stuck to believing that marketing can go no further. Most parties still depend upon their core members, government agencies and mass media to judge the 'mood' of the electorate. Moreover in most places they refuse to accept that voters can break the caste, and culture barrier,even if the parties put up trustworthy leaders and present credible governance.
Political parties fail to adopt a 'market orientation' by democratising the agenda setting by the electorate. It would be proper if parties could use some grassroot marketing search to understand the mood of the public. When the parties themselves decide the agenda for the electorate,this leads to confusion in the mind of the people who are forced to choose a caste, religion or culture issue for selecting a party to vote for. Politicians must find out what people want and then set out to fulfill their promises if they wish to remain in power for long. Just use some real marketing research.
Just concluded elections were wit out much marketing innovations. If there were any like use of camel for transport it were restricted to introduce novelty without the ability to satisfy the desires of the voters from elections.
Another point worth noting is that politicians and parties firmly believe that Indian electorate can not break the barriers of caste religion. It is not true Mr politician. Go out and make a win-win proposition to your segment of voters, success would come running to you!
I had the opportunity to advice an unique gentlemen in an unique constituency in the state of Rajasthan. Besides i kept a close watch on the use of marketing by politicians and parties to conduct their campaigns. Unfortunately once again it were the same old story. Political marketing is still confined to seeking to influence & persuade the voters through by applying marketing tools and concepts.
The parties stubbornly stuck to believing that marketing can go no further. Most parties still depend upon their core members, government agencies and mass media to judge the 'mood' of the electorate. Moreover in most places they refuse to accept that voters can break the caste, and culture barrier,even if the parties put up trustworthy leaders and present credible governance.
Political parties fail to adopt a 'market orientation' by democratising the agenda setting by the electorate. It would be proper if parties could use some grassroot marketing search to understand the mood of the public. When the parties themselves decide the agenda for the electorate,this leads to confusion in the mind of the people who are forced to choose a caste, religion or culture issue for selecting a party to vote for. Politicians must find out what people want and then set out to fulfill their promises if they wish to remain in power for long. Just use some real marketing research.
Just concluded elections were wit out much marketing innovations. If there were any like use of camel for transport it were restricted to introduce novelty without the ability to satisfy the desires of the voters from elections.
Another point worth noting is that politicians and parties firmly believe that Indian electorate can not break the barriers of caste religion. It is not true Mr politician. Go out and make a win-win proposition to your segment of voters, success would come running to you!
December 1, 2008
Check corruption to deal with terrorism
India, once again, is writhing from the pain inflicted by the scourge of terrorism. Once more innocent blood has been spilled. Another time India watched helplessly. Who will rid us of this hopelessness? What can India do to stop this terrorism?
Some nationalist parties say that the terrorism can be tackled by attacking a neighboring country as that has been the fountainhead of these uncivilized activities. Even if India exercises the option of strategic strikes inside another country it may lead to full blown war. But are we afraid of war? Certainly not, but India need to know what objectives can we met by going for war against another country. Going to war may only harden their resolve to sponsor more terrorist activities against us. What options are we left with?
The most feverish argument thrown by mass media has been that if USA has had only one strike in last 8 years, why we cannot achieve the same results? Well, India is not USA. On the other side Israel has been at war with its neighbors since long, are they living in peace? And Israel has support of the West which we don’t have. Surely Israel would wish to end the war at the earliest.
India is vulnerable and helpless against terrorism not because we have problem with our neighboring countries. We are let down by endemic corruption and nepotism prevalent within. The enemy within is the total absence of the rule of law. Law does not discriminate between Hindu, Sikh or Muslim but the enforcing agencies and the political parties never apply it uniformly. So called pseudo-nationalist and pseudo religious outfits do not allow a government agency to investigate allegations of terrorism against their own ilk.
The terrorism shall stop when India learns to curb corruption and nepotism. When no one can get a false id card, ration card, phone connection, a university degree, a government and corporate job without having valid eligibility then you surely could catch any terrorist much before they execute their nefarious plan. Citizens in India do not trust our courts, police, politicians and each other how we can feel secure.
How can incompetent assure us security? When India learns to honor talent, competence, strength of character and do not discriminate on the basis of religion, caste, region and language we will have complete security. Armed forces are competent to wage a war against the external enemy we have to fight the enemy within.
India has a strong armed force and enough fire power to take on an enemy but still we suffer. Once we have genuine people in responsible positions no one could defeat us. Therefore let us make India an impregnable fortress with our strength of character; respect for the rule of law, secular and civilized behavior. Believe me no one would be able to dare touch us.
Some nationalist parties say that the terrorism can be tackled by attacking a neighboring country as that has been the fountainhead of these uncivilized activities. Even if India exercises the option of strategic strikes inside another country it may lead to full blown war. But are we afraid of war? Certainly not, but India need to know what objectives can we met by going for war against another country. Going to war may only harden their resolve to sponsor more terrorist activities against us. What options are we left with?
The most feverish argument thrown by mass media has been that if USA has had only one strike in last 8 years, why we cannot achieve the same results? Well, India is not USA. On the other side Israel has been at war with its neighbors since long, are they living in peace? And Israel has support of the West which we don’t have. Surely Israel would wish to end the war at the earliest.
India is vulnerable and helpless against terrorism not because we have problem with our neighboring countries. We are let down by endemic corruption and nepotism prevalent within. The enemy within is the total absence of the rule of law. Law does not discriminate between Hindu, Sikh or Muslim but the enforcing agencies and the political parties never apply it uniformly. So called pseudo-nationalist and pseudo religious outfits do not allow a government agency to investigate allegations of terrorism against their own ilk.
The terrorism shall stop when India learns to curb corruption and nepotism. When no one can get a false id card, ration card, phone connection, a university degree, a government and corporate job without having valid eligibility then you surely could catch any terrorist much before they execute their nefarious plan. Citizens in India do not trust our courts, police, politicians and each other how we can feel secure.
How can incompetent assure us security? When India learns to honor talent, competence, strength of character and do not discriminate on the basis of religion, caste, region and language we will have complete security. Armed forces are competent to wage a war against the external enemy we have to fight the enemy within.
India has a strong armed force and enough fire power to take on an enemy but still we suffer. Once we have genuine people in responsible positions no one could defeat us. Therefore let us make India an impregnable fortress with our strength of character; respect for the rule of law, secular and civilized behavior. Believe me no one would be able to dare touch us.
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