The Big M partnered with Mumbai’s SPJIMR OJAS to present to our readers this one of a kind competition. Read on..

Brand Bajao

One of Mumbai’s premier B-schools, SPJIMR, may well have provided the much needed break through to India’s current Rock music scenario. Their annual management fest, SPJIMR OJAS, gave some of India’s best brains an opportunity to showcase their marketing & branding skills coupled with their immense love for Rock music in this unique competition called ‘Brand Bajao’.

The judges didn't spare anyone!

The task at hand was to create a brand image for a Rock band and market it to the target audience with the help of some out-of-the-box thinking. Of the several hundred applications, 6 teams, from various B-schools across the country made it to the finals which were held at the SPJIMR campus on 20^th February 2010. We quickly run you through the suggestions and solutions provided by the finalists, some of which if implemented, have the power to turn the Indian Rock scene on its head !

The Big M team at work

How did this work? Just like any other competition, it came with a strict set of rules. Every team was allotted a Rock band for which they would develop a marketing and branding strategy. Participants had to work closely with members of the band allotted to them to develop a plan specific to their requirements. For the final round, the teams had to come up with a 15 minute presentation which they would present before the jury. The eminent jury merged just the two right talents of music and management. Girish ‘Bobby’ Talwar, the founding member of the band “Zero” & the founding Director in OML agreed to be one of the judges. Prof. Renuka Kamath with more than 14 years of experience in the field of marketing, who has also worked with brands like Whirlpool, Kelvinator was more than happy to render her vast knowledge for the same.

THE BIG M was highly impressed with the energy of the participants & we dont want to skip even one of the ambitious ideas that emerged in that boardroom.. here’s a dekko

College: MICA (Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad)

Band allotted: SCRIBE

Highlights of the Presentation:

• • Detailed analysis of the Band’s existing image
  • Analysis of gaps in the marketing strategies used for previously released album ‘Confect’
  • Psychographic analysis and segmentation of the Fan base

Branding Suggestions:

• • Increase performances at corporate pub gigs to target young professionals with higher disposable income
  • Aggressive internet promotion to reach larger audiences
  • Using online radio – like Split/Indiecision for online play and FM radio in cities for PR and publicity
  • Releasing merchandise and memorabilia for Scribe’s gigs

Team 2: Manoranjan Vigyapan Sansthan

College: IIFT, Delhi

Band allotted: UNDYING INC

Highlights of the Presentation:

• • Identifying differentiating characteristic of the band
  • Analysis of target audience
  • Current band positioning

Branding Suggestions:

• • Proposal for a new Logo which is representative of the band’s music as well as its exclusivity factor
  • Let fans be a part of the marketing process
  • Circulate fliers in the form of anticipatory bail plea/hospital admission form, etc.
  • Run Rock-Shaws (fancy Rickshaws symbolizing the band) on college routes

Team 3: Old Monks

College: MDI, Gurgaon

Band allotted: SCRIBE

Highlights of the Presentation:

• • Study of the current status of Scribe amongst its fans
  • Analysis of the duality factor seen in the band’s songs, album cover, poster, lyrical style, etc.
  • Band’s current brand image and positioning

Branding Suggestions:

• • Concert Marketing
  • Association with youth centric organizations like SWAT, Fight-Back, etc.
  • Increasing online presence through Myspace, etc.

Team 4: Dawn

College: SCMHRD (Symbiosis, Pune)

Band allotted: BHAYANAK MAUT

Highlights of the Presentation:

• • Identified USPs of the band with regards to band composition, lyrics, etc.
  • Conducted Chi Square tests to verify influence of age and educational background on preference for Rock music
  • Detailed analysis of choices and behavioral pattern of target audience

Branding Suggestions:

• • Design music videos with an Indian feel
  • Plan special performances in Oct 31^st, i.e. Holloween
  • Guerilla blogging
  • Conduct polls where fans get to choose the tracks to be featured in the album

Team 5: The Horcruxes

College: MDI, Gurgaon

Band allotted: BHAYANAK MAUT

Highlights of the Presentation:

• • Detailed study of the band’s major influences
  • Identifying differentiating factors for the band in terms of its fans, its approach and its attitude

Branding Suggestions:

• • Crossing borders by organizing gigs at places outside the country
  • Increase youth penetration by targeting IITs, IIMs, etc.
  • Rework and new logo which is more aggressive and terrifying
  • Conduct gigs for social causes like AIDS awareness, Terrorism, corruption, etc.

Team 6: Illuminati

College: Welingkar Institute of Management, Bangalore

Band allotted: UNDYING INC

Highlights of the Presentation:

• • Study of the band’s evolution over the years
  • Porter’s 5 forces analysis of the band’s current and future status
  • In-depth analysis of target audience

Branding Suggestions:

• • Hot air balloon concert
  • Ambient advertising
  • Bluetooth advertising
  • Conduct gigs for social causes like AIDS awareness, Terrorism, corruption, etc.

To the participants amazement, the judges conducted a surprise round where a common question was thrown to all teams & was supposed to be answered impromptu. That was the final deciding factor for the team that excelled in quick thinking. The first place was awarded to Manoranjan Vigyapan Sansthan for the wholeness of their research and truly distinctive strategies while team Illuminati were the 1^st runners up. We thought some ideas where superbly brilliant while wondered about the practicality of some theoretically strong ones. Nonetheless, this competition proved, that even though there’s a lot to be done for Rock music in India, a few right steps in the right direction by the right people will do wonders !