Young Achievers – Soudip Banerjee, Asst. Brand Manager – Nutralite

In conversation with Soudip Banerjee, Asst. Brand Manager – Nutralite, Zydus Wellness

Please tell us about your professional & academic background. Can you also brief us about your role in your current organization?

I’m an out and out marketing professional with an MBA from Globsyn Business School and have close to 6 years of experience in Brand Management across categories like Foods, Beverages and Personal Care.

I started my career with Emami which is one of the leading and fastest growing personal and healthcare businesses in India, with an enviable portfolio of household brand names such as BoroPlus, Navratna, Fair and Handsome, Zandu Balm, Mentho Plus Balm and Fast Relief.

As a Brand Executive handling the most valuable and flagship brand, Navratna Oil; there was immense learning for me in those 2.5 years thanks to numerous challenges and opportunities.

I’m currently working as an Assistant Brand Manager with Zydus Wellness and take care of the Nutralite range of products wherein I look after the entire brand management aspect as the sole brand custodian for Nutralite.

What is your favourite advertising campaign in the present scenario?

In the present scenario, I like advertisements which are not only clutter breaking but which have an underlying social appeal, like Coke’s Crazy advertisement and Idea Internet’s new campaign – “ullu mat banao”

Not only are they thought-provoking but they also project the brand in an extremely positive light.

How and by what channels do you create an emotional attachment with customers to build brand loyalty?

I always believe that a 360 degree plan helps build connect with the consumers better than prioritizing on any one media vehicle.

To build a successful brand, we need to create the awareness/aspiration through electronic/print media and then build on that experience through activations and brand interactions through digital campaigns.

Also, the campaign should be followed up with properly planned PR initiatives and this is especially important for the foods category.

Do you think having a “Brand Character” is an important component of a successful branding strategy? Who is your favourite brand character?

I think the importance varies from category to category – for some categories, a brand character might be the most important aspect of that brand while for others it might not work out so well.

My favourite brand character is Amul’s cartoon girl – witty, humorous and adorable – positive traits that appeal to the Indian family and consumers. However, not many people know that the Amul girl was created as a response to Amul’s rival brand Polson’s butter-girl!

What measures do you take to ensure a better brand positioning vis-à-vis your competitors?

India is a market of educated people and consumers are becoming smarter every day. I feel it is important to differentiate on the basis of key benefits and Reason to Believe (RTB) for the consumers to believe in those strong claims.