Bangalore, Feb 3 (Inditop.com) The fifth edition of the Brand Summit, being held here Feb 19-20, will focus on how to build brands and woo consumers in times when a recession-hit economy is in a recovery mode.
“As staying with consumer has become a challenge due to changing consumer profile and an evolving media mix, the summit will look at the challenges for the industry to connect with customers,” summit chairman Srinivasan K. Swamy told reporters here Wednesday.
The biennial event, to be inaugurated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, will deliberate on the directions the industry has to take to build brands and stay relevant when disruptive technology has become a great leveller.
Marketing disruption is taking place on consumer, media and technology fronts due to the advent of generation next or “global millennials” — those born during 1982-2000 and have grown with instant and multimedia communications, entertainment and social networks.
“Millennials are plugging into iPods, mobile phones, video games, personal computers, television sets and social networks for multi-tasking,” said Swamy, chairman and managing director of advertising and marketing agency R.K. Swamy BBDO.
“They consume so much media and entertainment through different channels and are bombarded with advertising messages,” he added.
The summit will hold plenary sessions on disruption by the new age customer and technological advances, rise of new media, co-creation of products, commercial content and engaging with consumer through celebrities and enhancing shareholders’ value.
“Technology convergence has transformed handheld devices like mobiles into a single platform for brand promotion and aggressive marketing,” Swamy said.
“In a competitive environment, brand values will erode unless the stakeholders keep pace with the changing demands or preferences of consumers.”
About 400 delegates from across the country and overseas, including chief executives, senior management in marketing, advertising, corporate communications, public relations and branding are expected to participate in the summit.
Godrej group chairman Adi Godrej, Unilever Asia and Middle East vice-president for media services Rahul Welde, PepsiCo India executive director (marketing) Punita Lal, TVS Motor president H.S. Goindi and Maruti Suzuki marketing and sales executive Mayank Pareek will address the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)-organised summit.
