Author: Exhibit Staff

Chapter VI – The Experts Roundtable I Changing Marketing Dynamics

We heard the Managing Directors, and now it’s time to hear the front line ‘Brand’ Warriors. All marketing leaders are facing challenges in generating demand and keeping the conversations salient. We speak to heads of some of the most influential brands in India today, understanding the challenges they face, how they overcame them, and what have they planned for the future. 

Panelists for The Experts Roundtable Chapter 6

Vivek Srivatsa, Head Marketing, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors
Shreyash Sigtia, Head of Industry, FMCG, Google India
Pallavi Singh, Director, Marketing, BMW India
Siddhant Narayan, Head of Marketing, OnePlus India

Moderator: Ramesh Somani- Chief Editor & Publisher, BBC TopGear India and Exhibit.

[Ramesh Somani]: Pallavi, I have known you from Harley-Davidson, then MG Motor India, and now BMW India. These are the time when we can’t be silent but salient, what’s your marketing strategy going ahead, in these challenging times when both the demand and supply are restricted.

[Pallavi Singh]: I think the times are unprecedented, and they need extraordinary measures of course. Automotive has been very traditional for a long time, and we are trying to upscale the digital transformation. From a strategy point of view, I think the next few months are going to be very critical, we really need to understand how the consumer behavior is changing, we are looking at first-party data, third-party data and really looking at what’s happening on our own platform and tracking how the customer journey is changing.

Digital transformation is going to lead to digital commerce, and that is something we really need to put forward to our stakeholders, our dealer network, and our customers. I think this a time that requires new learning; there is a lot of skill that we require to live in the post-COVID19 reality.

[Ramesh Somani]: Siddhant, you have worked with some of the most prominent brands – Nike, Daniel Wellington, and Jio. So tell us, how does your previous experience merge with your current role with OnePlus?

[Siddhant Narayan]: I consider myself very fortunate to work with very consumer-centric brands, a lot of youth-focused names. From a personal standpoint,

I have to come to realize whether it’s an Indian consumer of a global consumer, the consumer actually has more similarities than differences.

Whichever industry you look at, these young Indian consumers have more similarities than differences. A lot of this starts from consumer insights, and that’s my approach as well – looking for customer needs and answering them with our products and marketing strategies.

[Ramesh Somani]: We know the markets for automobiles are opening up as the relaxations are rolling out, what are your top three priorities from a marketing standpoint? 

[Vivek Srivatsa]: Priorities are pretty straightforward in times like these. The first is to ensure customers feel confident in visiting our showrooms once again, a lot of work is needed and not only from Tata Motors but from the industry as a whole. Second is the overall concept of safety and wellbeing, how this has significantly gone up in the customer’s minds and as an industry we need to talk to them. The third point revolves around the difficult 15-18 months that the automotive industry has been facing, and we need to work together and get the ball rolling at the right speed. 

[Ramesh Somani]: What are the user trends you are seeing during the lockdown Google? 

[Shreyash Sigtia]: To sum it up in a few words, we were going online till February, now we are living online. I’ll give you a very simple example of how the transformation has taken place – my dad now pays his electricity bill online, my wife now buys groceries via apps and my kids go online to get educated. We would have had this panel face-to-face with the audience sitting in front, but here we are doing it virtually with the audience now coming in as viewers. These are some of the most picked up trends in the past few months. The last two and a half months has forced us to learn new skills to be more relevant in the current times. And now that you have forced me to speak about some really big trends, there are a couple of interesting commonly searched things. People are now looking up groceries near them, and I’ll give one thing from the automotive industry –

people now want to know if it is safe to visit dealers and they are looking up ways on how to sanitize their cars. People will use their mobile phones for a lot more things, and smartphones will become their lifeline in the coming post-COVID-19 era.

[Ramesh Somani]: What’s your source of marketing ideas? Any books, website how do you come up with marketing ideas?

[Pallavi Singh]: One thing that I go back to is 9GAG, and secondly, I have started playing a lot of video games because there is a lot you learn when you look at Call of Duty or you look at Far Cry – how intense these games are but it’s a team’s work together. If you collaborate your spirit, you can implement any idea, especially in times like these when ideas aren’t all that different, they are generally the same ideas but how do you reinvent the idea, how you can communicate them with your customers, those are the most important things. I think it’s all about the team spirit. The idea can be great but if you don’t have a team that can work it through, then it can fall flat. Also, I read a lot of books by Malcolm Gladwell, he writes a lot about business strategies and ways to approach markets. 

[Siddhant Narayan]: I consider myself very fortunate to be working with a young, energetic, and tech-oriented team who are always high on energy, extremely passionate, and very committed. A lot of my ideas are actually my teams and a lot of credit goes to them. I’m also in constant touch with my professors and my ex-bosses and we discuss ideas and market trends. Also, since OnePlus is a community first brand and we have a lot of discussions going on our forums, I just stay in constant touch with the conversations there and bring up ideas from these forums to work with.

[Vivek Srivatsa]: As marketers and people on the commercial side of the business, we have been through a range of books that teach us a few tricks but today there is so much happening around in the world, I consider myself fortunate to live in this world where information is freely available, and the way I approach is to train my mind better to learn from what’s happening around us. This kind of learning probably doesn’t come from books, but we should probably train ourselves on how to take these learnings from things happening around us.

[Shreyash Sigtia]: I would really want to agree with Siddhant, a lot of ideas and creativity comes from the team. Especially in the COVID-19 times, people really come up with ideas that would be otherwise considered wacky but they make so much sense in today’s era. A lot of ideas also come when you sit with your partners and brainstorm for ideas to tackle the challenges that they are facing. My bias would be towards actions, a few months down the lie

I don’t want to be thinking I had this idea but I never got around to try it. I would rather try a lot more things to move the needle. 

[Ramesh Somani]: How effective is “Influencer Marketing” in terms of promoting luxury brands digitally? 

[Pallavi Singh]: BMW is an experiential brand, a lot of our customers can vouch for that and we design and engineer our cars very thoroughly. A lot of our influencer strategy is built on real people, people who use our cars whether they are celebrity chefs or lifestyle influencers in the fashion space. We work with them because they truly understand the brand, and they personify the brand because they are also using them. Some of them have helped us sell cars within their circles, and that is the kind of relationship we build with our fans – we call them brand fans and they are not really influencers they are fans of the brand.

[Ramesh Somani]: We saw a few influencers being associated with the launch of the Tata Altroz. How was the engagement like, were there any lessons learned that you would want to share with us?

[Vivek Srivatsa]: The way we approached the influencer engagement with the Tata Altroz was quite different from what we would have done a year or two back. We have to extremely clear with what we require from the influencers, and we need to cater and align our content to what the influencer does, what’s the audience he or she caters to. Today we are far more nuanced in the way we approach influencer marketing, we align our products or an aspect of our product with that kind of creator or audience and that really helped us. It also helps us dive deeper into our product proposition and it’s been a very fascinating journey so far. 

[Ramesh Somani]: Domin8 has been seeing really good traction, how has been the campaign response?

[Siddhant Narayan]: We are still very fresh from the event that happened on the second. Summer is India is synonymous with cricket, this is the time when consumers are used to turning on their devices and watching the biggest premier leagues. A lot of these top cricketers also play computer games in their off-pitch time and while brainstorming with the team, the idea came up. It was actually something that we took a very big risk on, and as far as the measurement of all of this is concerned, we have got an incredible PR coverage around it. We also got a lot of organic engagement and coverage because something like this was never done before. 

LIVE AUDIENCE POLL:  – Will you go back to buying and reading print magazines?

RESULTS :   57 percent say yes, touch, and feel matters. 35 percent do it with e-mags and 8 percent are yet to decide.   

[Ramesh Somani]: In this new normal, digital marketing has taken the front seat. How will events change shape the future?

[Pallavi Singh]: Well most recently it was Rihanna who did the live concert during the lockdown time, I think there has to be a hybrid model between online and offline. Traditional events like music concerts or even with automobiles where people come to look and feel the automobiles and hear it go for the first time – it’s always been about the physical touch but moving forward things will change. Hybrid models haven’t entirely been innovated in the COVID-19 scenario, they existed before as well. We will have to bring out more ideas and opportunities on the table, try combinations, and focus on technology integrations.

It’s too early to say how events will look like in the future, but we sure have seen virtual launches by various manufacturers using AR in the most recent times.

[Ramesh Somani]: Now local brands are being pushed to help recover the economy and many campaigns have been launched by the government. Do you have any marketing strategies aligned in line with this new #Vocalforlocal

[Vivek Srivatsa]: One point in that is that we don’t have to look for a slogan, it’s smartly ready. But I think as Tata Motors we don’t have to stress more on our local parts. As a brand, we are as Indian as it gets, and the community-building activities that we conduct need no introduction.

We do not wish to piggyback this slogan, we don’t want to push our cars to people because they are local. We want people to come to our showrooms or experience our cars from their homes and then want to buy them.

Our brand has the safest range of mass-marketed cars, and as a cost to features and value for money ration, we sit in a sweet spot. It’s a good sentiment that people have currently, but we do not plan on riding our products on those waves.

[Ramesh Somani]: Tata Motors was one of the biggest sponsors for IPL, with such a big percentage of your marketing budget parked towards it. Since the cricket league has been canceled for now, where else are you going to try and advertise your brand?

[Vivek Srivatsa]: I think IPL will probably happen later towards the year, but generally speaking in terms of the marketing budget, companies have shifted their focus on the digital space. That’s where customers are going, and that’s where the business lies. There are endless opportunities and possibilities in digital ways. Many companies have already broken the line of doing conferences online, rather than spending on those huge travel expenses which ultimately reduce the global carbon footprint. Opportunities are immense, and I am really excited about the times ahead as they are as challenging as ever.

Because of time Constraint – We could only take one Question from 565 Live Attendees :

Esha Mishra from MG Motor India  & her question When the COVID-19 curve flattens, do you think the current marketing challenges will stay or completely fade away?

[Pallavi Singh]: The challenges will be there, digital transformation has to kick in really quickly. There were will huge challenges because there will be new skills and talent required to push the digital transformation. It is important to get the right people and work with them.

But one question to ask – who is it that bought the digital transformation to the industry –was it the CEO, the CTO or the COVID-19.

We really need to understand what a consumer wants, and not what the brand wants. It will be challenging, marketing will have to reinvent itself and it’s going to be a roller coaster ride ahead.

[Ramesh Somani]: That’s right, this is a one in a hundred-year phenomenon and while the challenges are difficult, they are also very exciting. Let’s try and work towards our goals better by reinventing each of our brands while riding the digital transformation wave. Thank you for your wonderful insights! I’m looking forward to seeing you soon, take care of yourself & Stay Safe everyone.

Also Read:
The Experts Roundtable – Chapter 5 with Gary Shapiro, CEO – Consumer Technology Association [CES]

Ananya Birla Is Raring To Build Her Own Unique Legacy

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Interviewed | April 2017

One of our most anticipated shoots, we knew instinctively, was going to be replete with a lot of youthful vibe despite the location (which is popularly said to be one of the most haunted places of Mumbai) and we couldn’t have been more right. Ananya Birla and her youthful entourage totally justified the theme of our issue. The banter, Ananya’s quirky yet honest responses to our questions and her being a total pro at striking just the right poses all made for a great shoot.
And finally, Ananya was everything she stands for – humble, charming, gentle and genuine, and we were in awe. As we caught her in between shots, she bared her thoughts showing us why she is not just her father’s daughter but her own unique identity that’s ready to propel the Birla legacy to greater heights.

Ex: “What’s in a surname?” Tell us about the stress that comes with being a Birla.
Ananya Birla: I see myself as a girl following her passions and pursuing her vision. I feel very blessed for the emotional strength parents, siblings, grandparents lend. My biggest challenge is to live up to my own expectations which, at times, can be stressful.

Ex: You can’t take the Birla out of Ananya – is it so? Or the other way?
AB: I would like to believe that both complement each other to distinctly make me who I am today.

Ex: From Businesswoman to Popstar – what’s the transition about and why?
AB: I don’t see it as a transition. It is just a parallel career path that I have taken up. I have always been composing my own music and at one point decided that I wanted to share it with the world. Soon after, I started to pitch my work to music labels and in due time, eventually after the struggle, saw acceptance at Universal Music Group – India.

Ex: Does your childhood dream and present reality match when career is concerned?
AB: Yes absolutely! I always wanted to be a singer-songwriter, but always doubted myself. As soon as I was able to break out of those shackles and become more self-aware, it all started to fall into place.

Ex: Tell us something about Svatantra and MPower.
AB: Svatantra is a Microfinance company, a mini lending-bank of sorts. I started Svatantra when I was 17, so I am very emotionally attached to it. We lend loans to women in rural and semi-urban areas in India to financially support their businesses. In a sense, being an entrepreneur myself, I wanted to fund rural entrepreneurs given the vast potential and confidence these women have.
Svatantra means ‘freedom’ in Hindi and the organization is one of the fastest-growing microfinance organizations today in India. The key aim is to encourage entrepreneurship, self-sufficiency, and financial literacy and inclusion.

While studying at university in England, I interacted with people about my own age who were suffering from anxiety and depression. The experience stirred something familiar in me. In fact, when someone breaks a leg or has a surgery, they get flowers and get well soon cards. But to someone who suffers from mental health related illness, the empathy is sporadic just because they don’t see an actual wound!
I co-founded MpowerMinds as it is a cause very close to my heart, to increase public awareness about mental health and diffuse the social stigma associated with those suffering quietly. At the Mpower center, we let people know that they are not alone and offer a range of confidential services including therapy and psychiatric help.

Ex: What are the other business ideas that Ananya is brewing up in the days ahead?
AB: At present, creating music is my main aim and personal focus. However, we have many leaders in our team and together, we are working on a few other ventures as well. You will hear about this soon enough. They all have a larger vision of creating a positive impact and I hope that as a community, it enables conversations and sees participation on various levels.

Ex: Ananya – the Businesswoman or Ananya – the Popstar – which one do you like more personally?
AB: This is a very tough question as I fancy both the facets in different ways. The business woman keeps my mind going. However, I think being able to create music for myself and the world is probably closer to my soul. I see them both cross pollinating eventually and thus the time I invest would be prioritized as such. Having said that, presently I am investing more of my time in music.
Ex: What have been your lowest lows and highest highs?
AB: I had a phase in my life while studying at Oxford where at times I wasn’t able to get out of my cottage. There was a lot brewing inside me then, which at times saw an outlet in composing and writing my music. That time, feeling stifled was probably one of the lowest I have been. Even though there have been speed bumps after the launch of my music career, I have had my highest highs during this journey. I would say peaking on #11 on Shaazam was one of them. Being the first Indian to have DJ Afrojack’s remix of Livin’ the Life being backed by PM:AM – one of the largest dance labels in the world – was another one. I find making history, however small or large that maybe, quite contagious.
Ex: Who is your inspiration to reach where you are now?
AB: A larger vision; a wish to impact people’s lives through my work is what keeps me inspired. If you ask of a person, it will have to be my grandfather.
Ex: Do you think your age comes in the way at any point?
AB: Only in a positive way. Retrospectively, if I wasn’t 17 when I had started my first company, I would not have made certain decisions that have led up to it being successful today. Having more experience under my belt now, I have learnt a lot from my mistakes and my achievements. I am now in a position where I stand strong and plough my knowledge to excel further in all my other ventures.
Ex: What’s Ananya’s definition of “Livin’ the Life”?
AB: Spreading love and seeing people smile. I question whether true altruism exists, however having pure intentions is all that matters. Enjoying everything I do, making the best of every moment that we have been offered, is also what Livin’ the Life means to me.Ex: Ananya Birla – give us the unknown story.
AB: I am an explorer, a writer, a singer and just a girl who believes in following her dreams and wishing to make a change in this world. At the end of our time here, we are all just stories and I would like mine to make an interesting read. I love the energy each new day brings.
Some days are spent in board rooms leading strategy, other days are more creative and spent ideating on music. Mostly all my hours are hi-performance driven and crazy but it is that energy that I enjoy. With all that goes on through the week, I try and take a break and choose to be lazy on Sundays. These are spent in bed with my comfortable blanky, reading a book and fighting for space with Skai, my Yorkshire Terrier.Ex: How do you keep a balance between business, music and personal life?
AB: I don’t. I am learning to. I don’t truly see it as ‘work’, reason being both the businesses and my music have become a part of my lifestyle. Where my personal life is concerned, I am lucky to have found friendships within my core team itself. Outside of this, my circle is very close knit, very supportive, always there for me and very understanding.Ex: What is the impact of social media?
AB: I think anything powerful has both boons and banes. Where social media is concerned, I think one must be absolutely honest and authentic to themselves. That is how I choose to run my social media handles as well. I think it is a great platform, and if used correctly to voice our thoughts and opinions, we can bring about a collective positive change to make the world a better place.Ex: Your take on relationships.
AB: Always be yourself. Don’t compromise on who you are.

Ex: What kind of boys would you like to go out with?
AB: Blonde hair, blue eyes…haha! On a serious note, someone who I connect with on a spiritual level is important to me.

Ex: Quote that gets you motivated.
AB: ‘Fall down for 7, Stand Up 8’ and ‘Try your best and leave the rest to God.’

Ex: Any closing thoughts or positive vibes for our readers?
AB: Wake up in the morning and seize each day. Believe in yourself no matter what anyone says because they don’t know the entirety of your life and story – let’s not judge. If you have the right values, work hard, be self-reliant and self-aware, you can do and achieve anything you set out to do no matter what the circumstance.

ANANYA BIRLA – UP AND CLOSE
1) What’s your favorite:
• Gadget?
Boring answer but it has to be my iPod
• Outfit?
Torn Boyfriend jeans, White shirt and Havaianas. I need to be comfortable when not at events or the red carpet.
• Vacation?
Rishikesh and Florence
• Cuisine?
Lebanese
• Music?
Rap and mainstream pop. Acoustic renditions always touch my soul.
2) Music idols:
Eminem and Kurt Cobain
3) You would tag him on a #ManCrushMonday:
Zac Efron. Honestly though, I think I have a new man crush everyday.
4) Your guilty pleasure:
I chew way too much gum to the point that my jaws start hurting.
5) Food item you hate the most:
Cucumbers
6) One gadget you have your eyes on:
A drone
7) New Year resolution for 2017:
To be less critical of myself.
8) One thing on your Bucket list:
I want to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for Mpower.
Also Read:

Irrfan Khan In Our Fondest Memories

My life is more like a blank page. I would like to fit myself in other people’s biography. I would like to take their color in mine.

A master in his art of acting, storytelling and making you feel, Irrfan Khan was one of the most treasured actors that Indian cinema had seen. His simplicity oozes out of his personality that will always leave you with a smile. From being a letter writer in his first movie, Salaam Bombay! to his latest, Champak Bansal in Angrezi Medium, we will remember Sahaabzaade Irrfan Ali Khan in our fondest memories, always.
Till then, here is a peek into his life back in 2016. We couldn’t help breaking into the make up room and have a tech chat with this superbly skilled personality. What makes him so perfect in whatever he does?
Lets find out.

Ex: What is next in line for Mr. Khan?
IK: Next in line are surprises, hopes and expectations. 

Ex: Currently, any project you are working on?
IK: I would probably come to know in a weeks’ time. I might be going out of the country for a shoot.

Ex: You seem to disappear into characters you play; do you put in a lot of research into every role?
IK: Not always. It depends. If the role requires research, I do. I also get into discussions with my director. But most of my work, I do by instinct. I go by my instinct. Sometimes however, I do prepare for certain roles. 

Ex: Which has been your best project till date and why?
IK: I have no idea. Shooting wise there are few which gave me pleasure but coming to the output, what will be the best, I am no one to judge. I think it’s the audience, which can claim that. For me, there are lots of films, which didn’t do well but they gave me immense pleasure.

Ex: Are you a very brand conscious person when it comes to buying gadgets? Do you follow particular brands for phones or laptops?
IK: Not at all. I see the features and go by that. However I do have a concern about the services. Sometimes a product could be great, but the services are not there, so I wouldn’t go in for that. For me, reliability is the ultimate.

Ex: Android or Apple?
IK: I have used both. The thing is I don’t like the business model of the Iphone. Things become redundant after a while. That is a philosophy that I detest.  I still use an Iphone but then as a philosophy it’s alluring.  

Ex: Would you invest in a not so fancy phone just because it has a better battery life?
IK: Battery does matter, but just for the battery, no. You need to have combination of features. But again, battery does matter a lot. If there is a very good product but the battery life is bad, then the product is useless. 

Ex: Do you use a smartwatch?
IK: I have used an apple watch and it’s really not convenient. There is a battery issue with it.

Ex: Are you an online shopper?
IK: Yes, I used to buy DVD’s online but definitely not clothes or fabrics. Sometimes, I do order super foods online. There are various gadgets too, which I buy online. In India trust is a very shaky thing, but abroad, online shopping is a very reliable thing.

Ex: Are you into reading? Is there any book you consider as an inspiration?
IK: I am not a junkie but I do read up on things, which interest me. 

Ex: Can you envisage what kind of environment it will be 10 years from now?
IK: See, we would only go forward towards convenience, not something that is totally going to change our life. Things will be alluring us again and again. I wont be surprised if somebody brings out a chip to put in your eyes or your hair with a switch on and off button. 

Ex: In a biographical film of your life, who would you like to play you?
IK: I have never ever thought of writing my biography. I am not ready for it. I don’t think my life is that great enough to make a movie on. My life is more like a blank page. I would like to fit myself in other people’s biography. I would like to take their color in mine.

Ex: Tell us why do you love Exhibit?
IK: We don’t have that many magazines about technology. Its keeps you updated with new things in the market. 

Ex: What does your tech wardrobe consist of?
IK: My iphone, desktop and laptop.

Ex: Do you believe in staying updated with technology all the time?
IK: If something attracts your attention, then I would mostly go for it but I don’t have a phobia. If a new phone comes into the market, I wouldn’t be dying to have it. I completely detest that. When a company allures you with nothing new, it’s the same invention with just 2-3 more features, then its pointless. If something new comes up which is different altogether and is also user friendly, I would prefer that.

2020 on Two-Wheels | Upcoming Premium Motorcycles in 2020

2020 has not shaped up to be an exciting year for the world. All the industries like Tech, Automobile, Lifestyle and a lot more are suffering terribly due to this global pandemic crisis. Businesses are closing down, employees are being laid off and the economy is headed straight down the hill due to this virus that has created an unexpected rift in the world.

While we expected a lot of tech, automobiles, motorcycles, lifestyle products to show up in the Indian market in 2020, all of that now seems like a distant hope. It is so saddening how a virus could do all this devastation to an otherwise steadily running planet. However, people all over the world have not lost their hopes. They are staying in and countries are taking the best measures to fight this battle against the COVID-19 disease and we believe that “This too shall pass”.

On a very optimistic note, we expect the situation to end soon. Once that happens, the world will spring back to action and being normal again. Companies will start manufacturing and all that was planned to arrive will arrive, albeit in a completely different timeline. Expect a host of launches from a variety of manufacturers throughout the year and as for automobiles, we are going to see many new motorcycles. As a show of our excitement, we’ve compiled a list of motorcycles we look forward to seeing soon here in India. However, the launch times are now way out of anyone’s speculation and anything that we say here must be taken as a grain of salt for that matter.

2020 Aprilia RSV4

Italian motorcycle manufacturer Aprilia is expected to launch their sport-styled powerhouse in India soon. It’s expected to come with two engine options.

Expected Price – 21 – 23 Lakhs*

Ducati Panigale V2

After the V4’s success, Ducati plans to launch a V-twin version of the Panigale to get the numbers rolling even further.

Expected Price – 15 – 16 Lakh*

Ducati Streetfighter V4

A street-naked version of the famed Panigale V4 is going to be making its way to our shores soon! Enough said.

Expected Price – 17 – 19 Lakh*

Expected Launch – Late-2020

Honda CB650R

Following up on the launch of the CB300R, Honda now plans to bring a bigger version of their street fighter to Indian shores.

Expected Price – 7 – 8 Lakh*

Expected Launch – Mid-2020

Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin:

Honda’s legendary off-roader will be getting an update in India soon. The CRF1100L will come with a bigger and more powerful engine.

Expected Price – 14 – 15 Lakh*

Expected Launch – Mid-2020

Suzuki V-Strom 1050

Unveiled at EICMA 2019, the V-Strom 1050 gets a design language inspired from the older Suzuki DR Big.

Expected Price – 13 – 15 Lakh*

Expected Launch – Mid-2020

KTM 790 Adventure

KTM is expected to make bring quite a few motorcycles to the Indian market in 2020, one of which is the much-awaited 790 Adventure.

Expected Price – 11 – 13 Lakh*

Expected Launch – Late-2020

Triumph Tiger 900

Triumph’s venerable Tiger ADV is set to launch in India with a larger and more powerful powertrain, along with a host of other changes. 

Expected Price – 14 – 16 Lakh*

Expected Launch – Mid-2020

Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade

Honda unveiled the all-new CBR1000RR-R Fireblade at EICMA 2019. Expect it to hit Indian roads soon boasting power figures of 218 PS and 113 Nm of torque.

Expected Price – 19 – 22 Lakh*

Expected Launch – Mid-2020

BMW Motorrad F 900 R

BMW Motorrad is gearing up to launch its street naked F 900 R with an upgraded engine in the country soon. The company is expected to launch a touring-based version (F 900 XR) of the motorcycle as well.

Expected Price – 10 – 13 Lakh*

Expected Launch – Early-2020

*All Prices are Ex-Showroom

Chapter 1 – The Experts Roundtable | The Changing Times

The outbreak of Coronavirus had halted human activities worldwide. While the pandemic has harmed the national economy by a hefty extent, it has forced individuals to sit back- staying confined within their houses and compelled companies to rethink their operational strategies, workforce management, and infrastructure configurations.

The Experts Roundtable, a forum conceptualized by teams at Exhibit & BBC TopGear India whilst working from home, was successfully orchestrated in its first form – bringing together leaders from the consumer electronics and automotive domain together to share some purposeful insights on how companies are dealing with the pandemic and their thoughts. For its first form, the panelist talked about the changing times- through and post COVID-19. It was a 45 minutes discussion and we have curated the video here to 12 minutes and the below are the key takeaways.

PanelistS for Chapter 1:

Devita Saraf- Founder & CEO, VU Technologies
Madhav Sheth- CEO, realme India
Yadvinder Singh Guleria- Director Sales & Marketing, Honda2Wheelers India
Tarun Garg- Director, Sales, Marketing and Service, Hyundai Motor India

and moderated by Ramesh Somani- Chief Editor & Publisher, Exhibit & BBC TopGear India.

Ramesh Somani: “Media launches are very important for the smartphone industry. Would you go back to on-ground launches or continue with web-based launches?”

Madhav Sheth: “I think this lockdown has given us a new mantra for doing our launches online-  which is mainly because of social distancing, but I still believe on-ground launches give us a connection point with media and also with core fans, where we can demonstrate what the product is all about and obtain real feedback whether customers like the product or what are the shortcomings of the product. That is important, however, there is a new mantra in the new age of technology that we keep up with by trying to do online video launches and still keep the rhythm going on. I would love to go back to on-ground launches, maintaining a stricter SOP.”

Ramesh Somani: “Two-wheeler showrooms typically have the highest footfall – what are the changes you are planning at a dealer level, especially with regards to social distancing and sanitization?”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “Of course it is going to be a big changer because typically in the auto business it is less of online and more of offline engagement. While online maybe the tracking part, knowing more of the specifics of the product, etcetera, the real experience starts at the showroom once the customer walks in, touches, and feels the product. This is what differentiates auto buying, and the reason why India did not go so far with online. Two-wheelers have more number of inquiries because of the total percentage of the conversion and volumes, that’s why we have a large number of customers walking in. We need to look at online platforms that provide a social 360-degree viewpoint of the product. Virtual test rides could be something that the future could offer, but nothing that’s coming immediately. As far as hygiene and sanitization are concerned, not just the dealerships and showrooms but also the manufacturing plants will be expensive to run and operate because of the kind of guidelines the government will impose when the lockdown is lifted.”

Ramesh Somani: “What according to you is going to be the ‘new normal’?

Tarun Garg: “New shifts will emerge- in attitude, in policy, in work culture, in consumption patterns, and these will be the new normal. More emphasis on compliance will be the new normal, civic sense will be the new normal.

All of us have learned new things, which will be new normal. Digital is not very successful with the automotive industry, however, the click-to-buy website has been getting good traction. Infact, the number of visitors has surpassed the visitor count of the corporate website. The entire sales process is not complete without the consultant as such, but there is a big plus in online platforms that the world will see, and this transition will be the new normal. The second new normal would be consumers realizing the importance of their own vehicle. In the last two years, there were a lot of speculations on shared mobility being the new thing. But the pandemic has made me realize that now my car is going to be my third personal space, in addition to home and office, which I believe is going to bring a very big change in the market demand. The current average usage of cars in India is limited to around 800 to 1000 kilometres a month- with a lot of usage being confined to weekends as people use public transports for their daily commute. The usage of cars will increase, people will start commuting more in their own vehicles. From a marketing perspective, we will see how to leverage these patterns and motivate customers towards better choices.”

Ramesh Somani: “We are in a situation that, to say the least, was unexpected. What was your first response when you heard about the lockdown?”

Devita Saraf: “We were prepared, we had our notes taken on how to work from home. Before it started, I called my management team for a meeting and asked them in case of a lockdown, what is the contingency plan for the next one week or one month. We checked and sorted out connectivity and a tech team was put in place. Luckily we were prepared. So when the PM announced the lockdown, the team and I were ready. If you think the lockdown was a shock, then you generally were living in denial.”

Ramesh Somani: “The Government is promoting a lot of apps to be downloaded on smartphones. If these apps are mandated to be hard-bundled, as a smartphone manufacturer, what powers do you have to deny this as data privacy is a huge concern.”

Madhav Sheth: “Technology gives a lot of awareness, these apps prevent a lot of incorrect and fake news flowing around as people will gain access to the genuine news. So far, we have not been asked to force bundle any such apps. Over time, this can be more helpful to the masses and any app which promotes public health, well-being, and safety will be happily forced bundled in our devices.”

Ramesh Somani: “How does electric cars’ future look like when fuel becomes so cheap? Almost free?”

Tarun Garg: “The progress of electric cars, if you try and link it with fuel prices, it is a very myopic view of things. Electric cars are much more than the comparison of cost of ownership. If anything, COVID-19 has taught us the power of nature, we are all seeing some clean air and benefits of not taking nature for granted. The world will continue to move towards electric cars- we have to see how much funds are being channeled to the electric R&D divisions and OEM investment issues could come in, but as far as the world goes and India goes, we would continue to move towards a cleaner mobility, and we are already headed in the right direction.”

Ramesh Somani: “The total TV consumption has increased in India in the last one month. Do you think this could convert into sales once the lockdown is over?”

Devita Saraf: “With the lockdown in place, people have realized they need TV, in fact, more than one TV per household. The realization and appreciation for the product have gone up. People need more than one TV in their house because you can choose the kind of content you want. It gets difficult to watch entertaining content on mobile screens and laptops. But then, the demand also depends on the liquidity and cash crunch in the market. Once the lockdown is lifted, distributors might go back in savings mode, which might affect the business. It is difficult to predict, and any speculations should be kept aside as these are unprecedented times which we have not encountered before.”

Ramesh Somani: “Do you think Honda 2Wheelers will ramp up the online experience for customers?”

 Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “We cannot hit a moving target with fixed strategies. It’s a lockdown time, not look downtime. We can always go back, go inside, reinvent and re-imagine and look for a new way of reaching the customers and engaging them. We started with the first online product in 2015- to book products online, with the back-end for money to go to the respective account of dealers depending on the location of the showroom that the customer chooses. After some time, we realized the platform needs to be engaging, giving more reasons to the customer to come back, and we have identified the need of creating a platform beyond the benefit of booking or selling point of view. We are already in the process of it, seeing the market and situation. Standardization of digitization should be picked up rather than standardization of dealerships.”

Ramesh Somani: “Do you think people would be more comfortable working from home, and companies would be happy to allow working from home?”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “Depends on the vertical and area of work. Manufacturing cannot happen from home. But the traditional working practices, traditional mindsets will evolve. Companies will be able to identify some areas of operations where flexibility to work from home can be tried in the future.”

Devita Saraf: “Work from home will be useful in emergency situations. Earlier in case of bad weather or national strike, companies would just give an off. But with work from home, it opens an opportunity of working at the comfort of home, and meetings can happen as usual over video conferencing and all.”

Ramesh Somani: “What is the biggest challenge you are facing working from home?”

Madhav Sheth: “Planning and planning, no actions. You just get tired of planning. I miss my office as much as I love working from home. I wish it could be a mix of both, but I would prefer working from my office.”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “Agreeing with Madhav, there are a ton of ideas that are coming in, and we are putting them in the basket. The fire of execution and seeing the results is missing. We have found some good opportunities and great ideas, but until and unless we do not practice or execute them, we do not know the real results.”

Tarun Garg: “Miss giving a pat on the shoulder to the employee, we are very result-oriented people. Currently, we are occupied the whole day making strategies, and the revision of the lockdown dates has brought in a lot of inefficiencies as plans are made and then remade. Effects need to be seen. Key is to see how to see the strategies developed while working from home pick up once the lockdown extends.”

Ramesh Somani: “One book or show you have picked up during the lockdown.”

Madhav Sheth: “Currently reading JW Collins, From Good to Great. Getting into the spiritual side, controlling my adrenaline rush.”

Devita Saraf: “Right now is a good time to be a customer and see what customers doing

Customers have a whole different taste, and I am sitting back and living a life observing and understanding my customers.”

Tarun Garg: “My millennial twins have come back home after 5 years.  We talk about customers, about millennials, and we think we know them- we want to believe that, but that’s never the case.”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “I reserve books for travelling, my bookmark is still between the pages that I was last reading while travelling. I am currently watching NDTV Food, trying dishes that can be prepared in 10 minutes or less. Prepared 15 dishes, and 90 percent were up to my satisfaction  level.”

Ramesh Somani: “How has the impact been for you in terms of big bike sales – you have quite a range of big bikes on sale in India.”

Yadvinder Singh Guleria: “As far as they are concerned, they are a different set of customers. They enjoy riding in groups, they enjoy riding solo, they enjoy riding on the weekends. It is a lifestyle product. It won’t have a big impact on sales, as these customers love to feel and experience the adventure or ride further. We have a new vertical which looks into this. This class of buyers or consumers will not change much, as for them it is all about experience and adventure. We are upbeat about this business to recover and pick up the pace, quicker than the mass segment which would suffer from the economic slowdown.”

 Ramesh Somani: “Do you think there will be a big spike in car buying post the lockdown is lifted?”

Tarun Garg: “Looking at the China example, there is enough evidence to suggest people will look for safer mobility and maintain a sense of hygiene and social distancing. We believe our subscription model will get more traction. Hyundai will have a complete range to cater to- right from the entry-level first-time buyers to the range-topping SUVs. Many customers who used to take shared cabs to work will think about buying or subscribing to our products.”

CONCLUDING NOTE

Ramesh Somani: “The whole panel has been very positive about the lockdown amidst the pandemic. We cannot predict the future, not even the government. Instead of speculations, all we have to do is stay home and spend time with our parents, kids- and take up new skills and learn something new and wait for this to get over and come out all stronger. A big Thank you to all the panelists for their  time.”

 

Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 Coupé or Audi S5 Sportback

Are you an SUV lover or do you prefer Sedans? We are facing the same dilemma as we try to figure out what suits us best. Is it the muscular Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 Coupé or the lean looking Audi S5 Sportback?

1. Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 4MATIC Coupé Engine: 3.0-litre V6 Power: 367 hp Torque: 520 Nm Transmission: 9G-TRONIC Starting Price: ₹99,20,000 (ex-showroom)

2. Audi S5 Sportback Engine: 3.0-litre, V6 TFSI Quattro Power: 349 Bhp Torque: 500 Nm Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic with DSP Starting Price: ₹72.43 lakh (ex-showroom)

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Coronavirus Dramatic Impact On Luxury Sector

The Chinese consumer market is considered as the lion’s share in the luxury global market. But the virulent spread of Coronavirus 134769 cases around the world. For the international luxury industry, which relies heavily on Chinese shoppers, it’s already taking a financial toll.

The outbreak has dramatically reduced the number of shoppers in Chinese cities and made companies to shut stores. Travel restrictions also are curtailing the traditional flow of tourists to other destinations that sometimes host many visitors buying luxury goods. Chinese shoppers structure a few third of worldwide luxury spending, counting their spending inside and out of doors the country, consistent with management consultancy Bain & Company. That’s quite the other nationality.

 

To stop the spread of disease, travel to, from and within China has been curtailed. Stores are closed and even those that are open see a dramatic decline in pedestrian traffic . for instance, 150 out of Capri Holdings’ 250 China stores are closed, Ralph Lauren has closed half its 115 stores, and Adidas reports it’s temporarily pack up a “considerable” number of its 12,000 stores there.

 

The supply chain for goods beginning of China is additionally taking an enormous hit. Factories are traditionally closed for the Chinese New Year celebration, which this year was from January 25 through Groundhog Day, but in some regions, the shutdown has been extended through February 10, though it’s going to go longer depending upon the speed of infection.

 

But looking across China’s vast $14.3 trillion economies, Cowen’s Oliver Chen believes luxury brands are going to be the foremost impacted by the epidemic, as long as the businesses he covers depend upon China for a mean of 14% in revenues.

 

In particular, LVMH (17% of revenues) and Tiffany (17%) are most in danger, with Richemont (11%), Tapestry (10%), honker (10%), and Capri Holdings (6%) having less exposure there.

 

Farfetch is additionally heavily hooked into China, accounting for 28% of its business, but because it’s an e-commerce company, it won’t likely suffer the maximum amount as other brands relying upon in-store sales. Noting that wealthy Chinese consumers are within the habit of flying into luxury shopping capitals of the planet to form opportunistic purchases, Gandhi sees this halted, albeit people can get a flight out of the country. “Nobody’s getting to get on a plane and risk their health to shop for something.”

 

For some purchases, particularly the very high-end segment, he expects those purchases are going to be deferred and are available back once travel bans are lifted. except for cheaper luxury, like trend-driven fashion, those sales are lost permanently. “It’s an entirely different purchasing cycle.”

 

Most are relying on the Chinese luxury consumers to return roaring back after the pandemic subsides driven by pent up demand and therefore the symbolic meaning luxury brands hold for them.

 

“Luxury goods in China represent a way of accomplishment both at a private level but even more importantly, pride within the nation,” says the Jean Baptist Voisin who is the global strategist at LVMH. “While I’m not a psychologist, I hypothesise that the demand for luxury will increase once this ends.”

 

That is assuming that the consumers on which the posh market depends have jobs and remain willing to spend their income on luxury indulgences.

Best Windows Alternatives for MacBook.

It’s just been a few days since Apple have unveiled their new products and applications meant for their existing and upcoming devices as well. The most interesting product unveiled at the WWDC has to be the new Mac Pro, the most expensive offering starting at $5,999. Not only this, but Apple also launched the Pro Display XDR which starts at $4,999. The Mac Pro is by far the most powerful computer that Apple is offering now and it is purely meant for high-end processing and content creation for creators. For the ease of mobility, people prefer laptops as they are now smaller, thinner, lighter and more powerful. Apple has its MacBook lineup and since its inception, it has been a choice of millions of users all over the globe. Not too long ago when Apple went ahead and redesigned the MacBook Pro with an added touch bar, which also took its prices higher up. This calls for real alternatives which can be used if you are not looking to go into the Apple bandwagon or simply do not want to break a bank for the purchase of an Apple product. Any alternative to the Mac OS will definitely be Windows. And with the arrival of the Microsoft Windows 10, the overall computing experience on windows has increased several folds. We look at some of the best windows laptops which could be better alternatives than the Macbook.

Dell Xps

The Dell XPS is available in two different screen sizes, 13-inch and 15-inch. The Dell XPS is a very able MacBook alternative for those who want a powerful able laptop for their heavy usage. The Dell XPS looks amazing, is very compact and lightweight, with a long lasting battery increasing your productivity. There is an affordable entry-level XPS 13 which you can opt for and the price is something which is lower than Apple’s entry-level MacBook. You will get the latest Intel 8th generation of Intel processors and a display that looks amazing. The bezels are super thin and also have the option of a 4K display.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 2

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 is one of the best offerings from Microsoft. This is the reason it becomes a great alternative for a MacBook. The Surface Laptop is in its second generation and it has been very well received by users from its initial days. The Microsoft Surface 2 laptop is a well-designed piece of technology with very sharp looks. It comes in a few colour options as well and is affordable when you compare it with the latest generations of the MacBook It’s a well designed, sharp-looking laptop that’s available in a lot of colours and it’s incredibly affordable compared to a MacBook Pro. Not only this Microsoft also offers several discounts, especially for students which makes it one affordable option for students, but especially those who create content and media. You get the latest 8th generation of Intel processors and RAM up to 16GB and up to 1TB of SSD storage. Additionally, the display looks great and the laptop has a whopping 14.5 hours of battery life. Asus Zenbook Pro 15 The Asus Zenbook Pro is what we can call very close to the MacBook and its most interesting piece of hardware is actually the screen which is a 100 per cent Adobe RGB 4K display with amazing colour accuracy. The screen also has a higher pixel density than the Retina display on the MacBook and also gets dedicated graphics support. The performance of the Zenbook Pro 15 is nothing short of amazing, it is better not to compare it directly with a MacBook. However, the battery life on the Zenbook Pro 15 is a bit of concern. The touchpad is replaced with a working screen which also allows several functions.

Lenovo Thinkpad X1

Carbon Lenovo has had the Thinkpad series for a few years now but if there is one Thinkpad which could be one of the best alternates for a MacBook. The Thinkpad X1 Carbon comes with a very tactile and amazing keyboard and is designed to be loaded work. The laptop is very thin and light and comes in a stealth black colour. The screen is great and there is plenty of power for all the tasks most users would need. Along with a 13-inch form factor, the screen supports HDR adding to the viewing experience. Lenovo has included all necessary ports for connectivity and also comes with Alexa controls built-in.

Hp Spectre X360

The HP Spectre X360 comes with a screen which swivels 360 degrees and also supports a stylus. There is an option of a 4K touchscreen display too. It is offered with both Core i5 and i7 8thprocessors. Its design is something unique with chamfered edges which look neat and add to the overall appeal. The Spectre X360 comes with an assurance of 13.5 hours of battery life. What makes this laptop even more desirable is the attractive entry-level price point considering you do not want to invest buying a MacBook. Furthermore, you get a lot of customisation options if you need to extract more out of the X360. The X360 is accompanied by a stylus.

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