Indian self-proclaimed gurus have been upping their game now with all the tricks in the book, marketing, finance, psychology, and blind fan following, hero worshipping, branding, economies of scale, outsourcing, distribution network. They are now a genuine industry, career choice and threat to conventional FMCG companies. Many brands like Patanjali, Sri Sri Ayurveda, Isha Foundation, MSG and many more have gained critical mass to directly challenge well established players in corporate India. Enjoy the game and hopefully my poem on Indian FMCG Babas.
Indian Religious Gurus vs Santa Claus
Indian FMCG Babas came with bundles of goodies
Kids thought they were Indian Santa Claus’s homies
Unbeknown to gullible Indian villagers
FMCG Babas are wolf-in-sheepskin entrepreneurs
Santa Claus bestows free gifts to kids in all neighbourhoods,
Indian Babas are mercenaries and brand their goods
Santa only wants your love and goodwill
Indian Babas have an eye on your Estate and Will
Santa wants a place in your heart
Indian FMCG Babas want a pie your grocery chart
Santa wishes yule tide and hopes all goes well
FMCG Baba blow the conch of corporate death knell
Disclosure: Not Invested in companies discussed. Views are personal notions and do not represent any organisation or company. I am not an investment adviser. Investment in stock market can (and many a times do) result in loss of principal capital.
Amit Good one :), But personally i feel FMCG companies are not holier either. They have been advertising Fair and lovely products from my childhood days and still people are dark shaded... :) Everybody plays on your insecurities. Atleast Indian Babas are spending the profits in the welfare projects. FMCG earn billions of profits and move them to foreign countries, but brand India as one of poorest countries. If something can be produced locally and it can bring welfare to the natives, then we need to support it. That's my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteI am sure its a complex system and there are benefits to India (less dividend repatriation to MNC headquarters or via Royalties).
DeleteBoth corporates and Babas are leaving no stone unturned to make an ass of a common man, so neither has my respect :-)
http://www.moneylife.in/article/asci-bans-82-ads-including-loreal-cavinkare-vicco-complan-cnbc-india-today-flipkart-bsnl-uber-snapdeal-honda-in-june/43573.html
One could also argue whether so much intelligence of the country should be applied in selling soaps, noodles, toothpaste ? But that's how evolved a human brain is in general, till date, overweight financial incentive and underweight non-financial.
In Italy, where I lived for six year darker is considered rich, fairer is considered poorer, coz Rich can afford to take holidays to tan their skin, and poor toil daily inside office. Matter of perspective. Most western countries with fairer skin have tanning lotions / spas not whitening creams.