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http://www.dawn.

com/culture/Bollywood marketing goes mobile


AFP MUMBAI: Times have changed in Bollywood from the days when all that was required to promote a film was a giant, hand-painted poster, a television or cinema trailer and the pulling power of a star actor. Now, the popular Hindi-language film industry is harnessing the latest technology, hoping that the explosive increase in mobile phones and rapid take-up of the Internet will draw in muchneeded audiences. In the first move of its kind, the upcoming Hrithik Roshan film Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara (You Only Live Once), will be promoted only via mobile phone and online. Film studio Excel Entertainment has tied up with one of Indias leading mobile phone companies, Airtel, to push two three-minute trailers for free to its 55 million subscribers. Producer Ritesh Sidhwani said such technology enabled more targeted marketing for films, which are facing increasing competition from other forms of entertainment and are no longer guaranteed healthy box-office returns. We felt we needed to go beyond voice to promote Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara and therefore we came up with this idea, he told a news conference in Mumbai on Sunday. I think it will work fantastically because mobile reach is much wider Many people and especially the young crowd watch promos on the Internet, so we felt it was better to go with this plan. In addition to the mobile phone promos, the film, which is due out on July 15, will have a dedicated page on Facebook now standard alongside a film website and trailers on the file-sharing website YouTube. Mobile marketing makes business sense for Bollywood, as it has done for Hollywood in recent years. The Indian film industry as a whole has seen revenues slump by 20 per cent in the last three years, and tapping new income streams has been seen as a key to future growth. India is also the worlds fastest-growing cellular market and the second largest after China.

According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, there were 752.2 million mobile phone subscribers as of December 31, 2010 a massive 43.2 per cent increase on the same period the previous year. Meanwhile, 18.69 million people had Internet subscriptions, a rise of 22.6 per cent year-on-year. Of those, 10.99 million had broadband, up 40 per cent from 7.82 million a year earlier. The IT research company Gartner Inc. last year predicted that 82 per cent of Indias 1.2 billion population would have a mobile phone by 2014, mainly due to a focus on the rural market and lower handset prices. Indian film studios have used mobile phones before to promote films, but this has mainly been restricted to music and ringtone downloads or simple text message alerts. The roll-out of third-generation mobile phone services, which allow Internet access and multimedia applications, will help take Bollywood movie marketing to the next level, film industry analysts say. Its the first time its been done and I think its a great idea, said Taran Adarsh, a film critic with the popular bollywoodhungama.com web site and an avowed technology fan. You need to reach out to the consumer and what better way than a cell phone? he told AFP, predicting that other studios will follow suit. The television is an immovable gadget. You cant carry it with you. But your cell phone is with you 24/7. If you want to access something it could be a news report or a promo you can do it.
http://www.dawn.com/2011/05/18/bollywood-marketing-goes-mobile.html

David Cameron launches Great Britain marketing drive


David Cameron is hoping to pull off the same trick after he launched a new tourism and investment drive branded as GREAT Britain. He told an audience of business leaders in New York that the UK would put on the greatest show on earth next year when the London Olympics coincides with the Queens Diamond Jubilee, and said he was sending out a message loud and proud that the world is invited. The Government has spent 510,000 developing the GREAT Britain brand, which will be used at business receptions abroad and in advertising by Visit Britain. Ministers hope the campaign will help to maximise the boost to the economy which the Olympics and Jubilee will bring. Critics, however, have pointed out that it is only a matter of weeks since the Prime Minister was telling the world that Britain had a broken society in the wake of the August riots, making him poorly-placed to bang the drum for the country.

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Britains image abroad was badly hit by the riots, and this week the influential US magazine Newsweek described London as Grimsville, UK, in a cover story about the poorest areas of the capital.

The GREAT Britain campaign is intended to give the country a single brand which will be used by UK Trade and Investment, Visit Britain and the British Council. In June Visit Britain launched its own 100 million global advertising campaign, called Britain Youre Invited, which aims to bring an extra four million visitors to the country over the next four years. Their slogan has now been changed to GREAT Britain Youre Invited. Downing Street unveiled a series of postcards which will be handed out at business events emphasizing Britains exceptional record in the arts, innovation and education, as well as promoting the nations heritage and natural beauty. Each has five facts about Britain written on the back, such as the Queen being the worlds longest-serving monarch, and the Beatles being the best-selling recording artists of all time. Mr Cameron said: In 2012 there will be only one place to bewe are determined to make the most of this unprecedented opportunity to ensure we deliver a lasting economic legacy that will benefit the whole country. This campaign is simple. There are so many great things about Britain and we want to send out the message loud and proud that this is a great place to do business, to invest, to study and to visit. Mr Cameron also announced a global investment conference to be held in London on the eve of the Games, when 200 business leaders will meet ministers to discuss opportunities for investing in the UK.

Nike Sportswear Launches their Holiday 2011 Collection


Sporty guys out there who are style conscious will be glad to know that Nike Sportswear has release their Holiday 2011 Collection just in time for this Christmas season! With the line of apparel and footwear designed for those who are always on, athletes and athletes-at-heart can dress casually yet at the same time, put on their sporty style that has a comfortable fit and innovation.

This Holiday 2011 Collection comes in a contemporary touch with the palette consisting of vibrant hues and colourful detailing that channels a youthful sense of energy be it during sports, work, school or play. No matter whats your personal style, I am sure the extensive range of apparel and footware from Nike Sportswear has something to bring up the athleticism in you.

You can look forward to the reintroduction of the Grand Slam Polo with a twist of modernity as well as the legendary Vac Tech (VT) Dunks that has a seamless, sculped appearance on the exterior.

Heres a sneak peek of whats Coming Soon which I will reveal on the 4th November as I present you some of the shoes and apparels for guys from the Nike Sportswear Holiday 2011 Collection.

Body Shop deserves respect for putting human values above a quick buck
In ditching a supplier that displaced 123 families in Colombia to build a palm oil plantation, Body Shop struck a blow for dignity
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The Body Shop has severed its relationship with Daabon after police were called in to help evict farmers in Colombia. Photograph: Cesar Moreno Pinzon/Christian Aid The Observer reported at the beginning of the month that the Body Shop has pulled out of a supplier in Colombia on ethical grounds. This is a story about a company doing the right thing. It started a year ago when Christian Aid contacted the Observer to tell them a Body Shop supplier had just kicked 123 families off their land in order to burn down all the crops and trees to make a huge palm plantation. As Christian Aid's country rep in Colombia, I was personally involved in the case. I visited the displaced farmers and we hosted them in the Christian Aid office regularly. They were some of the most dignified people I have ever met, battered on all sides by an ongoing armed conflict and now displaced by a company that simply did not care what happened to them. The impact of the Body Shop's decision will be felt by these farmers and their families, as they continue to fight for a return to their land, and it will inspire farmers all over Colombia who will

see that campaigning can lead to change. Throughout Christian Aid's engagement in this case, the big unknown was what the Body Shop would eventually decide. We knew the facts of the case, and we were confident that, when the Body Shop had them at its disposal, it would do the right thing. But the decision will have been difficult for them financially. Daabon, the Colombian company, has until now supplied the Body Shop with the majority of its palm oil, which it uses for its flagship product, soap. It is not all that easy to find new suppliers when you have extensive ethical guidelines, and I am sure some of the top executives sitting in the boardroom last week were arguing not to sever ties. But that argument did not prevail. Why not? First, it's just good business. The brand is more important than short-term supply difficulties. The executives knew the story wasn't going away. Christian Aid made it clear that we were standing by the families through thick and thin. Christian Peacemaker Teams (no relation) were organising pickets outside stores in the US and Europe. The risk of more negative publicity was just too great. That was the thinking behind going to the press in the first place: to help tip the balance of risk in favour of justice. It worked. But that is not all. The determination to do the right thing, so evident and inspiring in Anita Roddick, Body Shop's founder, was also evident in the Body Shop staff we worked with. They have set themselves up as a different company, to be judged by different standards, and they do not begrudge being held to account. The business case and the moral case appear to be refreshingly closely intertwined in the company's decision making. Christian Aid's partners, who have suffered decades of displacement and violence at the hands of paramilitaries often linked to multinational companies, were sceptical of sitting down with the Body Shop (now owned by L'Oreal). But my colleagues and I went out on a limb, insisting we had confidence in the good faith of the Body Shop. Thankfully, we were right. The fight is not over for the families of Las Pavas. They are still displaced, surviving on food aid and fearful, in a country with a history of violence, for their future. But they are boosted by this decision, which is all over the Colombian press. Daabon has always stubbornly denied any wrongdoing now it looks isolated. The farmers will use the Body Shop's decision in their campaign for their land and a future for their kids. Other global companies that buy Daabon's palm oil will be next in line for picketers and annoying front page stories. Eventually, justice will prevail. I know people are cynical of companies claiming to be ethical, and I am under no illusion that the Body Shop is perfect, or steers clear of hard-nosed business decisions. But nor do I underestimate the power of such a company to play its part in creating a global trading system that is a little fairer, and which values human dignity more than a quick buck.

Soy-Sauce-Flavored Kit Kats? In Japan, They're No. 1


http://adage.com/article/global-news/marketing-nestle-flavors-kit-kat-japan-markets/142461/

With 18 Other Exotic Flavors, Nestle Takes Product Localization in Country to Culinary Extremes
By: Normandy Madden Published: March 04, 2010

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TOKYO (AdAge.com) -- Western marketers are adept at catering to the tastes of Japanese consumers, with quirky products such as McDonald's Filet-O-Shrimp burgers and a cucumberflavored soft drink by Pepsi.

In Japan, Kit Kat comes in 19 flavors like baked corn. But Nestle has upped the ante for the most creative only-in-Japan product by creating 19 unique flavors for Kit Kat, one of the best-selling chocolate candy bars in the world and the No. 1 brand confectionery brand in Japan.

Besides the regular chocolate variety, which must seem mundane to Japanese by now, Nestle has come up with variations that reflect the local produce and palate of each region. There are some staple flavors like miso, soy sauce and green tea, but the list doesn't end there. Kit Kat varieties now range from yubari melon and baked corn from Hokkaido island to green beans and cherries from Tohoku in northeastern Japan to yuzu fruit and red potatoes from Kyushu island at the southern-most tip of the country. The Kanto region, including Tokyo, contributed the sweet potato, blueberry and kinako (soybean) flavors.

The strategy started three years ago with a handful of flavors but has escalated into a national phenomenon. It's also unique to Japan, so Kit Kat lovers in other countries shouldn't expect to see exotic local flavors. (Kit Kat is owned by Nestle, but is produced in the U.S. under license by The Hershey Company). Nestle won't say how much it spends on Kit Kat marketing in Japan, or what new flavors will be introduced this fall, but "there is a very low cost [and the campaign is] totally operated below the line," said Yuji Takeuchi, head of Nestle's Kit Kat marketing department in Tokyo. His top pick, soy sauce, is also the most popular flavor nationwide.
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"Nestle really understands how to build unique value into the relationship their brands enjoy with their customer," said Tokyo-based Michael McLaren, McCann Worldgroup's regional director, Asia/Pacific, and CEO, Japan, which works on Nestle brands such as Nescafe in that market. "From the unique and fanciful local flavors on Kit Kat to the powerful functional benefits of [plant-based chemical] polyphenol in Nescafe Excella, they are always working to find a way to change the consumer value equation and drive deeper brand loyalty," said Mr. McLaren, a fan of the latest flavor introduced by Nestle, wasabi-flavored white chocolate Kit Kats. "They are truly delicious." Each flavor is only sold in the region for which it was created, a distribution strategy that has turned limited edition Kit Kat packages into coveted souvenirs for domestic travelers. They are also a "popular present in a country where gift-giving remains an important ritual," said Wataru Kageyama, president-CEO of JWT, Tokyo, which handles Kit Kat advertising in Japan.

The inside of a Japanese post office decorated for the "Kit Kat Mail" campaign, which earned Nestle and JWT, Tokyo the Media Grand Prix at Cannes in 2009. Even though Japan has perhaps the world's most sophisticated digital-media markets, Nestle took a low-tech route for Kit Kat: the post office.

Nestle was struck by the discovery that the Japanese translation of Kit Kat -- Kitto Katsu means "surely win" -- and realized it could be paired with the tradition of sending students good luck wishes before they take tough higher-education entrance exams. So it partnered with Japan's postal service to create "Kit Kat Mail," a postcard-like product sold only at the post office that could be mailed to students as an edible good-luck charm. Nestle decorates post offices with a cherry blossom theme that coincides with Japan's annual exam period. It also stocks a sales point in each post office, a move that became possible when Japan's postal service was privatized in 2007. "If it were still government-owned, probably it cannot support a private brand like this. The post office is a great distribution channel for Kit Kat, because there is no competition, unlike in convenience stores or supermarkets," said Mr. Kageyama, whose sweet tooth favors the strawberry-cheesecake flavor Kit Kat.

A map of the regional Kit Kat flavors. The strategy earned Nestle and JWT, Tokyo, the Media Grand Prix last June at the 56th Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. Kit Kat's success with initiatives such as making the post office a major sales channel has also led to a major promotion for the Nestle exec behind the campaign, Kohzoh Takaoka, to exec VP and representative director, Japan from president of Nestle's confectionery division. Many of the special flavors are only introduced for a limited time to entice consumers to try something new while they can, then quickly taken off the market. Excess inventory is collected and used to create "Happy Bags" sold during major gift-giving periods in Japan, such as New Year. "This allows them to create mixed bags of consumer favorites and exciting new flavors as highvalue gift bags. Consumers love it and all the product is consumed," Mr. McLaren said. ~~~ Contributing: Laurel Wentz

This is a perfect example of a company who found a way to Create Demand for a product by making it fit the market need and making it available in limited quantities. Thanks so much! I may share this idea in an upcoming issue of Quirky Marketing Calendar: 365 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Zany and Non-Traditional Holidays Heidi Richards Mooney, Author Kudos to Nestle for product customization -- a great idea to make the flavors unique to each region, therefore bringing a "limited edition" status to each, and also to recognize the cultural emphasis on giving small, individualized gifts. Sure, it was serendipitous that "Kitto Katso" had a meaning that could be easily funneled into a large-scale marketing campaign that easily pairs with a long-held tradition. But it took a comprehensive, holistic approach to marketing translation to take advantage of that coincidence. Quite often, we see product marketers frustrated by the limitations of translation...this is a good example of how it can open up possibilities. As a reference, here are some articles we've published in other B2B pubs:

Pakistans ad-woman stuck in a time warp


February 28, 2011

A perfect ad-wife spends her day cooking and washing. Most ads in Pakistan show women as maids. Their major worries seem to be their familys health, their complexion, hair and aging skin. All they do is cook, wash and their whole lives revolve around their family. But is this a true reflection of Pakistani women today? Gone are the days when men were capricious and women servile. Today, Pakistani women are empowered and active in every arena including government, military and sports. The concept of a joint family is fading in our society and women are (or aspire to be) as independent as men. But our ads continue to remain stuck in another century. In ads, if a woman is successful she belongs to showbiz or is a doctor. There is no concept of a third successful profession in the world of advertisements. An ad showing a corporate environment will rarely feature a woman. Advertisers have not broken free from ads which sell the idea of the perfect bahu rather than the brand. Most cooking oil, soap and washing powder brands show women as the sole givers of love and care for the family -they simultaneously do house hold chores and care for their familys well being. A womans role today is so much more than this.

These ads mar the image of Pakistani women. While there are some ads that deserve to be praised for portraying a positive image of the Pakistani woman, they are few in number. A Mobilink ad with Pakistani athlete Naseem Ahmed is one good example. Tapal has also done good work in this regard with their recent ad in which a daughter convinces her reluctant father to allow her to work in a company. The target market for many of these brands is educated women between the ages of 20-40 years. These women are least likely to relate to the women shown in the ads. To me, the primary reason that ads are stuck in a time warp is that advertising professionals are reluctant to depict the new Pakistani woman. They still cannot relate to her. Secondly, the male dominated ad industry has resulted in chauvinistic ads. Perhaps, advertisers dont want to break this stereotype at all. http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/4539/pakistans-ad-woman-stuck-in-a-time-warp/

targeted advertisement can only be successful when it encompasses the most prevalent cultural attributes.In Pakistan still majority of women are not independent regardless of the reasons, more than 65% live in semi urban or rural areas and more are entitled to stick to there cultural norms. You can show up a gutsy women to an educated urban middle class to sell your product but such advertisement will be bound to counterproductive due to hugely diverse populace residing in the semi urban or rural areas.Plus the education disparity, few available choices add up to the argument of not showing independent women in an advertisement which is targeted at huge populace. For an advertisement to be perfect , it should address the well established cultural norms and should also carry some Moral message coupled with corporate agenda. Now how many men would have wanted there wives to be independent and not be submissive , its surely is a question of the time ;). If such a survey is conducted to generate figures of such men, i am sure advertising agencies would be forced to show innocent ,humble and loyal house wives aka tameez dar bahus regardless of there liking it or not!!!

I will realy congratulate the writer for writing on this social potrayal of women in our marketing world. The Pakistani women is always depicted as an obedient Bahu or a helpless girl with no confinence. The fairness creams can make her confident by improving her colour of the skin and her looks. She is always busy to impress her husband or the groom-to-be. These type of ads maybe mental torture for some girls, but for others its a key to their dream life. The media and ads play an important role in shaping the mindset of society. As the writer mentioned above the ad agencies should come up with ads depicting the modern Pakistani women with power n liberty, who stand by her male counterparts and work for the betterment of Pakistan.Recommend

What Olfrute did wrong


July 25, 2010

Nestle is the current market leader in juices. Can it hold its place on top? Nestle has been having a hard time in Pakistan for the past few years. First, Aquafina by Pepsi snatched its market share of mineral water then Olpers by Engro foods sidelined Nestles Milkpak to become the market leader of that category. Now Engro Foods is set to give Nestle a tough time again. Olfrute is a juice brand recently launched by Engro foods. The question is can Olfrute take the market share of Nestle Fruitavitals or will it share the fate of Shezan and Freshers? Freshers failed largely because of poor distribution even though the taste and packaging were different and nice. Shezan has an image of being a low quality juice and this is the reason for its failure. Olfrute is no doubt cut throat competition for Nestle Fruitavitals But so far Olfrute hasnt been a big hit. Engro foods relied on the brand equity of Olpers by naming the juice Olpers Olfrute but this confused positioning. Olpers is a diary product and fruit juice is totally different category thus Olfrute should not have been leveraged on Olpers brand equity. Moreover the taste is similar to Nestle Fruitavitals. It offers nothing unique to offer to consumers. I dont think anyone would be able to distinguish between the two on the basis of taste alone. However, Olfrute does have a characteristically unpleasant smell. The price level of the new juice has been kept high. I feel that the introductory price should have been lowered to create a niche in the market. Besides this, the television commercial is absurd and fails to make any impact on consumers.The brand is endorsed by Nadia Jamil, a lady in 30s romping in fruit orchards like a teenage lass. Are

they trying to show that Olfrute revitalizes you so much that you feel younger? If so then there are better ways to execute this idea. For brand activation, they should have come up with something out of the box. I doubt that this ad has any recall at all. The packaging also fails to attract attention. It has white background just like Olpers but honestly Olpers packing had that vibrant red in it to attract the attention of the buyers. Its seen that decisions are now made in stores by the consumers thus Engro foods should have come up with packaging that would have pushed the consumers for its impulse purchasing. In a nutshell, Olfrute doesnt offer much to consumers, in terms of taste, packaging or promotion. But it has managed to get Nestle Fruitavitals active. They are not taking this attack lightly. Maybe they have learnt from past mistakes and are not taking their position of being the leader in the juice category for granted. Recently they have commenced extensive merchandising in shops and frequent airing of television commercials. Billboards have also been put up everywhere. Lets see who wins the battle this time. Will Nestle be left to be a follower or will it carry on being the leader? Engro foods relied on the brand equity of Olpers by naming the juice Olpers Olfrute but this confused positioning. Olpers is a diary product and fruit juice is totally different category thus Olfrute should not have been leveraged on Olpers brand equity. I do not agree with the above. I feel leveraging a successful brand to launch a new brand/product is a good strategy specially when the company name is not widely known. How many consumers do you think know that Olpers is a product of Engro Foods? Relating Olfrute to a successful brand Olpers gives confidence to customers when they reach for the product on the shelf. Now Pakola Milk is a bad example of leveraging a brand for two reasons. It has been etched in the consumers memory as a green fizzy drink for more than 50 years. Secondly Pakola brand is not being used to launch a new dairy brand but being extended to a completely different line of products. Olpers brand is being used to launch the Olfrute brand, I am sure that the support of Olpers brand will be faded out as the Olfrute brand gains strength.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011


The great lawn crossover Lawn has crossed over from functional to fashionable. Marylou Andrew explains why.

Urban Pakistanis dont need a thermometer or the feel of the hot sun on their skin to realise that summer is nigh. The plethora of lawn exhibitions are indication enough that it is summertime; however, the living is far from easy, thanks to the hoards of women amassed inside and outside hotels and exhibition halls, creating traffic jams that could easily rival Chinas 10-day traffic gridlock in 2010.

It would be a gross understatement to say that lawn specifically designer lawn is trendy. However, the obsession with lawn didnt happen overnight, it has been building for at least five years. But 2011 is the biggest year yet, with more designers, more designs, more exhibitions, more catalogues, more advertising and a whole lot more money being spent on all of the above.

Farrukh Mian, CEO, Textile Links (a company that specialises in facilitating collaborations between designers and textile mills) puts the value of the designer lawn market at Rs 3.5 billion in 2011 (based on 26 designers who have sold approximately 350,000 metres of cloth). He also says that some of the big-name designers such as Asif Jofa (who is on Mians client roster) have spent at least Rs 20 million on advertising this year.

Unfortunately, Pakistans overall lawn market remains largely undocumented so it is hard to estimate the total figure. However, it is safe to say that designer lawn has helped to increase the net worth of the lawn business several times over, and even more importantly, it has forever revolutionised this once humble textile used mainly to stave off the summer heat. Abid Umer, Director, Al Karam says that lawn has always been popular but with designer input, the idea has tipped and lawn has become the new prt.

Two international trends have had an impact in this regard. First, there is the worldwide democratisation of luxury brands to increase the size of their potential markets by making them accessible to more consumers. Pakistans lawn market has followed suit with high-end designers like Sana Safinaz, Sonya Battla, HSY and others offering a lawn suit for a fraction of the price of their couture outfits. This has a made a designer outfit more affordable for a larger cross section of the population. The other trend that has played a role is the international price of cotton, which has recently soared from 0.65 cents to $2.50 per pound. This increase is in large part due to the depletion of cotton stocks worldwide, a situation further aggravated by the floods in Pakistan (the fourth largest cotton producer in the world), a poor cotton crop in China and a bad monsoon in India.

The high price of cotton has forced textile mills to consider value addition to their cotton-based products in order to justify price increases to their end-consumers. This is particularly pertinent for Pakistans lawn manufacturers as the price of a suit has increased by approximately 100% over the last year. For example, a suit that cost Rs 1,800 in 2010 is now retailing for Rs 3,200.

Umer explains that when the price started increasing, women didnt see the value in buying expensive cloth for comfort alone. They wanted better value for money and multipurpose outfits and this has happened in two ways.

Textile mills are collaborating with fashion designers to offer designer lawn (Umar Sayeed and Al Karam, Sonya Battla and Lala, etc.). This is a win-win situation for both parties; the textile mill receives solid endorsement from a known entity and a chance to market its merchandise using the designers name, and the designer becomes known to a much larger market. Not to mention the fact that the designer name immediately upgrades the product profile.

However, value is also being added in a more tangible way in that fashion designers dont design prints only, they put the entire outfit together complete with all the embellishments, including lace, trimmings and panels. This means that the lawn suit is now sold as a complete package that is, if not ready-to-wear, at least ready-to-stitch.

Although designer lawn has made luxury accessible, it has also added an element of exclusivity to the fabric, highlighted by the limited time nature of the three-day lawn exhibitions. Traditional lawn powerhouses have always sold lawn throughout the year through their large, nationwide network of distributors and retailers. However, because most designers cannot afford to do the same, they must rely on exhibitions to sell, thereby merging necessity with exclusivity. The lust for designer lawn has begun to spell trouble for the larger textile mills that have no design collaboration. Firdous Cloth Mills has solved the problem by hiring Bollywood actors (Kareena Kapoor in 2010 and more recently Deepika Padukone) as brand ambassadors. But it also adapted to new market dynamics by holding exhibitions in the major cities for the first time this year, known as the Firdous Fashion Carnivals. Gul Ahmed known for decades as the provider of the best quality lawn in Pakistan doesnt seem to have changed its business model in any way. It continues to sell fabric only , does not have an exhibition and has shunned the idea of a design collaboration. Ziad Bashir, Director, Gul Ahmed explains that the company has decided not to collaborate with a designer because the Gul Ahmed brand sells on its own and we dont need an endorsement, however he does admit that the objective for 2011 was not to lose market share. Mian believes that ultimately all lawn makers, whether large or small will have to adapt to the new trends. Gul Ahmed has the best quality lawn in the market but is still having trouble moving their merchandise because purchasing power is not unlimited. People have already stocked their closets with designer lawn and chances are that they will not buy regular lawn. Countering this argument, Gul Ahmed and Al Karam assert that designer lawn is very much a Karachi-Lahore-Islamabad enterprise and their regular lawn still continues to do well across the country and most particularly in the Punjab region. However, Mian further counters this by saying that designer lawn is beginning to move out of its comfort zone of the three major cities into Peshawar and Pakistans textile centre, Faisalabad. This can only mean that the trend will keep spreading.

Whichever school of thought you belong to, this much is absolutely clear: lawn has crossed over from functional to fashionable and the next few years are bound to be even more exciting.

http://auroramagazine.blogspot.com/2011/06/great-lawn-crossover.html

Curbing Junk Food Marketing to Children


June 2, 2011 By Heather Carr

The Federal Trade Commission is considering guidelines to curb junk food marketing to children. The deadlines for public comments is coming up in less than two weeks. With nearly a third of American kids overweight or obese, many people are looking for ways to improve the health and activity levels of kids. One thing people are looking at is the amount of junk food consumed by kids and how to reduce that. Recent attempts to limit junk food marketing to children, while successful, have been piecemeal and only apply to a city at a time. Junk food not just fast food, but also sugary cereals, candy, and various sugared-up food substitutes is marketed to children in a wide variety of ways. Television advertising and fun toys in the bottom of the cereal box were all I had when I was a kid. Nowadays, online games and actually marketing to kids in schools are popular methods. Right now the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is accepting public comments on where to draw the line. The proposed guidelines are really only two guidelines: advertise only foods that make a meaningful contribution to a healthful diet and encourage children to minimize consumption of food that could have a negative impact on health or weight.

http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2011/06/02/curbing-junk-food-marketing-to-kids/

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