In No Man's land -"Coke Vs Pepsi"

The consumer preferences have changed and so consumers are shifting to more healthier options like water and sports drinks.The same was experienced by the two beverage giants Coke and Pepsi in the U.S.As the consumers became more calorie conscious Coca-Cola tried adding Diet Coke with Splenda,Coke Zero and C2 to its portfolio of drinks.This was in response to the launch of Pepsi One,Diet Pepsi and Pepsi EDGE by Pepsi.
The challenges to the launch of these versions were the cannibalization of the existing products and on the other hand the consumers lacked the knowledge to differentiate Normal drink and the Diet Versions.Pepsi One thought was launched for the age group 20-30yrs who don't like the taste f normal cola but the advertising featuring Cuba Gooding failed to communicate the real message and hence the product was a failure.Then came the launch of Coke zero and Diet Coke with Splenda.The company dint projected the calorie aspect of the Coke Zero initially but the confusion between the consumers made it launch a new campaign stating "Real Coca-Cola taste,Zero Calories,no compromise."Both of the companies also took initiative to launch the mid-calories drinks but the consumers were indifferent to the same.Thus products like Pepsi EDGE were faced out.
The consumer knowledge that the marketer failed to know as the consumer wanted taste and calories of a a Cola or there is not much middle ground.

What speaks is the "Brand"!!!

Philip Kotler defined "Brand" as a name,sign,symbol,logo that help a firm differentiates its products from others in the market. A brand has many dimensions other than a product that a customer values and pays for it.Though marketers argue that brand usually lies in the mind of the consumer and it is the perceptions and feelings of the product that makes it a brand.
Talking about the Satyam scam,what still holds investers in the so called " Brand Equity" created by Satyam.As quoted by Kiran karnaik( Former Nasscom President and Government appointed Director for Satyam)the company has done well,it has grown,it has great assets specially in the form of talents.This will keep the hope of investors alive in the Indian I.T and hence the demise will just have a short-term effect
Satyam has a strong brand name. Some individuals have done terrible things, and brought disrepute to the brand and to the Indian IT industry. But the company itself is a sound proposition.This will thus help the company be on tracks again once its granted the Loan as the government still holds confidence in the brand to pay-back it later.

The changing patterns vis-a vis changing choices

The article focuses the name " change" in all spheres of life.This goes from when a customer goes to a shop,a guy goes to see a bride and henceforth.Today's bachelors don't want what they crib about understanding,they need beauty( to enhance their image when it stands beside them),they need puppets to dance on their tips as their hectic schedule doesn't allows them to indulge in games. And ego clashes has eroded the word so called emotions from the lives.It was juz dated bac to romeo's and julliet's that no more exist.This also states that today when u get money,u don need honey!.So guess the replacement is from honey to money,status ,power and Career.
Hence now the marketer who targets these bachelors should take an account of their behavior( as consumer behaviour) dictates the way the marketer sells his offerings:)
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Barack Hussein Obama -"The epitome of change"

I changed the way i brought the groceries,I changed when I went to bring my second car.."Above all i also changed when i was at the electoral poll b'coz I wanted a change in my economy"
Winning the presidency is the latest in a lifetime of dramatic, self-induced transformations: from a child reared in Indonesia and Hawaii to a member of Chicago’s African-American community; from an atheist to a Christian; from a wonkish academic to the smoothest of politicians; and now, from an upstart who eight years ago was crushed in a Congressional race to the first black commander in chief of the only superpower on earth.
The change started to take place two years from now when Obama announced his candidacy in Illinois, the first Afro-American to dream the U.S.Here started the journeyto make a change. It would have nevr been possible without the perfect modern startgies devised by Obama's long time friend turned Chief Strategist -David Axelrod.He gave his blood to dsign the most sucessfull campaign during the Elections.Now finally when the chair is taken exopectations are high.the change is felt to be seen in plethora of fields.Reduction in health care costs,double the production of alternative sources of energy,tax cuts,withdrawl of troops from Iraq,lifting the restriction on stemcell research.Thus,they all speak about the dramatic changes that the man thinks to bring for any lay man on the road to the big houses.
Good luck Obama!!

Has the recession hit the patient?

The impact of recession is experienced by everyone the companies,the consumer,the government and has thus made everyone to scrutinize their spending.So, the pharmaceutical industry can also not eacape from the scrutiny.
So,what has really held criticism is the drug prices and hence the money that comes out from the consumer's pocket."Celgene" has gained media attention in this recessionary period with the launch of its Multi-Myloma Drug "Revlimid,that cost $260 per pill and thus the total expense on one pateint comes about to be $90,000.So.what should the consumer do?
The consumers are more relying on "cutting edge infomation",i.e the analysis data that the prescribed drug will yeild results btter than the exisiting ones and thus comes into play" Outcome based Pharmaceutical pricing.Its ot just the consumer but the govrnement and the third party payors demand effective data analysis to prove the effectiveness of the drug to inform their reimbursement decision making process.