Subhadip Roy

An Exploratory Study in Celebrity Endorsements

This study raises three questions and attempts to provide tentative explanations for them. The first two questions relate to locating, in the consumers perceptual space, the relative position of Indian celebrities and brands on a set of personality attributes. The third question relates to determining the fit between the celebrity and the brands endorsed by her/him. The results suggest that consumers differentially rank both celebrities and brands. Specifically, Amitabh Bachchan ranks high on five personality attributes, and brands such as Pepsi and Coke rank high on four personality attributes. The study further shows that although celebrities may endorse several brands, their personality does not fit well with the personality of the brand they endorse. Evidence offered here supports the basic assumptions of the celebrity–product congruence model.

How Celebrities are Used in Indian Television Commercials

The usage of celebrities by the Indian advertising agencies has experienced a phenomenal increase in the last five years. Effective communication between the marketer and the consumers is the need of the hour and celebrity endorsement is a strategy that is perceived as making full use of this opportunity. Most of the countries have adopted this strategy as an effective marketing tool and even India is carving out space for itself in this arena. The present study attempts to meet three objectives: to identify the mode⁄s in which a celebrity is depicted in Indian television commercials to ascertain relationship (if any) between the category of product endorsed and the type of celebrity used to identify the correspondence between product categories and mode of celebrity presence. For the first objective of identifying the nature of celebrity portrayal, four modes given by McCracken (1989) were used: Explicit mode (the celebrity overtly declares the product endorsement) Implicit mode (physical or verbal communication is used by the celebrity) Imperative mode (the celebrity suggests the viewers to use the product) Co-present mode (the celebrity only appears with the product). For the second and third objectives, cross-tabulated frequency distribution method was used. Content analysis of Indian television commercials was done for the period 1995–2007. The criterion used for selection of advertisements was the presence of celebrity in any form in the ad. On this basis, 558 television commercials (TVCs) were selected featuring a total of 56 celebrities. The findings of the study indicated that: Around 64 per cent of the commercials used the implicit mode of celebrity portrayal for different product categories. Usage of film celebrities was more extensive than sports celebrities in major product categories. This was probably because the shelf life of fame for a film celebrity is more than that of the sports celebrity. Male celebrities dominated the product categories like food and beverage, automobiles, and consumer durables. The female celebrities were featured majorly in beauty products. No distinct association was found between the product categories considered and the mode used for celebrity portrayal. The study findings contributed to the academia as well as practitioners. For the academia, the study identified the most dominant mode of celebrity advertising in India and found that there was no correspondence between the mode in which a celebrity was portrayed and the product category endorsed. For the practitioners, the study identified the lesser used modes of celebrity endorsements which could be used as opportunities.

Xplant: entrepreneurship challenges for student entrepreneurs

Subject area The case is aimed at pointing out the basic nuances of entrepreneurship without a profit motive and the challenges faced in the course of achieving the same. Study level/applicability This case could be a part of the Entrepreneurship course in a Post-Graduate Program in Business Management. In case of an Executive Education Program, this case can be used to facilitate issues in Entrepreneurship Development and Non-Profit Marketing. Case overview The present case is a field-based illustrative study on Xplant, a unit set up by Xavier Research Foundation to promote production and selling of seasonal and ornamental plants with accessories to prospective buyers. The uniqueness about the organization was that it was solely governed and run by the students of Biotechnology Course at Xaviers College, Ahmedabad, India. However, in early 2012, it was found that the organization was facing a lot of issues such as competition, lesser demand and lack of motivation of the employees (students). All of which were taking the unit away from achieving sustainability. Expected learning outcomes Understanding the basics of a new venture and entrepreneurship; understanding the role of the team members in promoting the entrepreneurship venture; role of leadership in entrepreneurship; impact of independence of the entrepreneur and transference of business vision on long-term success of the venture; role of environment in success/failure or entrepreneurial ventures; and problems faced by entrepreneurship ventures. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email subhadip.roy@iimu.ac.in to request teaching notes.

Punascha: marketing strategies of a Bengali publisher

Subject area Marketing, Marketing environment, Marketing strategy. Study level/applicability Post Graduate (MBA), Executive Education Program. Case overview The present case study deals with the marketing strategies of Punascha (meaning re-beginning), a publisher of Bengali non-textbooks based in Kolkata, India. This case is suitable for teaching in Marketing Management course in a Post Graduate Program in Business Management. It could also be taken up for an executive program in marketing strategy. The case study is a live case study, which was based on in-depth interviews with the company people and company site visit. The case study discusses how Punascha started from a humble beginning in 1988 and became one of the leading publishers of Bengali books in India. The key focus of the case is on how a company can use marketing tools effectively (and uniquely) and become successful. Expected learning outcomes Understanding the basics of 4Ps of marketing and how they are used in synchronisation with each other to achieve the marketing objectives. Understanding the role of marketing environment in marketing strategy. Realizing the need of a new product development strategy. Assessing the need of non-traditional modes of marketing communications and its role in product promotion. Supplementary materials Teaching notes.

Perceptual Mapping of Hindi News Channels

There has been a veritable television explosion in India in the last 10 years or so. And nowhere is this better seen than in the Hindi language television space where a number of national and regional channels have emerged vying for the audience’s share of attention. Conducted in two towns (Jaipur and Patna), this article maps the relative position of seven leading Hindi news channels (HNCs) vis-à-vis 10 editorial attributes of news. The study found channel Aaj Tak enjoying a considerable lead over its rivals in both the cities. In addition, the study answers the question: Who watches what channel and what is their demographic profile? The study found differences in the demographic profile of viewers from the two cities emphasizing that viewers’ tastes and preferences have to be examined more deeply than what Television Rating Points (TRPs) indicate.