Described by Philip Kotler (the world’s guru on Marketing) as one of ‘the best speakers on Marketing in Asia’, Walter Vieira has in his thirty odd years as a marketing consultant garnered much praise in the country as well as internationally. He is the first Indian and the only speaker to be invited to address three consecutive World Congress of Management Consultants in Rome, Yokohama and Berlin. During his recent visit to Goa he met with the Ajit John and discussed marketing and other issues.
Herald: How does it feel to be the first Goan to address the World Marketing Summit later this month in Japan?
Walter Vieira: Well it is an honour as an Indian that I accept it so I Suppose it can also be seen as a honour for the state. There are 25 speakers from all over the world and I am one of them. I am in rare company. There are four speakers who are Indian. Two of them are based outside the country. This year the market summit will focus on how to improve the standard of living of poor people through marketing. This will be by using the 4 P’s of marketing and innovating and ensuring that products are developed for poor people. I am an advisor with IDIDOBRO, an NGO working as a marketing platform for products made by disadvantaged.
Herald: There have been several trends in the corporate world and one is that of having a social responsibility ie CSR, how serious are companies about it?
WV: It has turned out to be indirect taxation by the government where they used to charge 2% surcharge. Corporates believe that it is something they have to do, the intention is good but most of the companies lack the mindset or the wherewithal to do it. The rules and regulations are complex and many companies may not have the expertise or interest like i said and may just pay the 2% to the PM fund and be done with it.
Herald: What in your assessment is the state of the Indian market in terms of marketing?
WV: The change has been dramatic, the markets have acquired greater depth, there is greater differentiation in terms of products, Indians are now going abroad, foreigners are coming to India, the tv channels are in large numbers with distinct target audiences.
The demands of the audiences have also evolved. During the course of an assignment with a company that dealt in beauty products I learned that there were 200 beauty saloon in Gorakhpur. Imagine that. The Indian market has moved beyond the four metros. There is much more demand in rural India, just study the reports of the large companies in the country. A lot has changed from the time I started off working in the 60’s.
People in small town consume Knorr soup, shampoos of famous international brands and there are more Jaguars and BMW’s in Ludhiana than even in Pune. In Indore for example five or six familes will come together and set up a club which will have a pool and other facilities and it is not open to anyone else outside that circle. Just like the Gaspar Dias Gym with the swimming pool and the tennis courts but not open to others. Like I said so much has changed and it is still changing very fast.
Herald: As a marketing professional what are the challenges one has to face everyday?
WV: First of all let me say it is the pace that is so very evident now. The mobile phone has changed everything making decision making faster. The digital media has changed everything, my book is available on flipkart, kindle etc. There is also a cost differential with books costing upto 25% less on online platforms. Many of the other media are so expensive as advertising platforms. Some of the newspapers are really expensive but there are options like facebook, twitter etc.
Let me put it this way when I started it was tough trying to access data but it was also an easier world but today it is much more complex but let me emphasise that it is also easier because of the data available as well as the various media who are very focussed in the targeting of their audience.
