Airtel Marketing Strategy

Integrated Marketing Communications Group-8, Sec-C Ajit, Anuj, Prateek, Rohit, Vaibhav AIRTEL: Evolution ? ? ? ? Founded: 7th July 1995 First mobile phone company in the world to outsource everything except marketing and sales and finance operates in 20 countries across South Asia, Africa and the Channel Islands The largest cellular service provider in India 4P+2P+3P for AIRTEL ? 4P’s ? Product: Airtel is the fifth largest telecom operator in the world with about 230. 8 million subscribers across 19 countries ? It provides mobile, fixed telephony as well as broadband and subscription television services Airtel won 3G licenses in 13 telecom circles of India ? Product differentiation is limited so main USP is uninterrupted services and troubleshooting support ? ? Price: Price in the telecomm industry are close to similar, hence main focus is on customized payment plans ? User is free to choose between plans which favor cheaper SMS? s or calls ? Pay-per-second of usage v/s Pay-per-minute of usage is the latest attraction ? 4P+2P+3P for AIRTEL ? 4P’s ? Promotion: ? Promotions are usually in multiple formats as discussed further in slides Main focus is connectivity, customized plans as well as dependable network ? Place: ? Airtel has separate plans for each of the regions ? Rural customers get more support and focus is on basic services ? Urban customers are main targets for value added services and accordingly Airtel designs its product offerings and communication plans 4P+2P+3P for AIRTEL ? 2P’s ? People: ? Involvement of people with Airtel has increased with campaigns like “har ek dost zaroori hota hai” ? Final offerings are also highly customized to friend group discounts and so on ? Pack Design: Pack design is kept red to re-inforce Airtel Brand ? Description of Plans is also evident 4P+2P+3P for AIRTEL ? 3P’s ? Peer -to-peer: ? High rate of communication to increase peer-to-peer interaction and reviews especially in recent stages ? Personalization: ? Personalization is constantly on rise especially with value- added-services ? Participation: ? Airtel has tried to conduct contest every now and then to maximize customer participation but due to high brand clutter it is difficult Media Vehicles ? ? ? ? ? ? Above the line Advertising ? Television ? Radio Print Media ? Out-of-home ? Cinema Below the line Advertising ? Trade Scheme ? Consumer offer ? In-shop and shop-front activities Direct Marketing Events Buzz Digital Communication Ad Agencies ? Creative Agency- JWT India ? ? ? ? Airtel ended its 15-year-long relationship with creative agency, Rediffusion – Y&R on Aug, 2010. Rediffusion has handled the brand since its inception in 1995 The Airtel account is worth Rs 400 crore in terms of ad spends This also led to change in their logo Madison Media handles ? ? The media duties for Airtel for more than five years now

It also handles out-of-home and digital for the brand too Airtel TV Commercials TV Ad Campaigns by Airtel ? “Har ek friend zaroori hota hai” ? Purpose: ? The commercial for Airtel aims to make the brand trendier for the youth, while attempting not to alienate its older target audience set ? To position Airtel as a brand that embodies friendship, and helps all sorts of friends connect with one another ? TV Advertisement analysis: ? The commercial depicts different kinds of friends one has, and how the presence of each one is necessary in some way or the other ?

A jingle penned by film lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya, makes use of ‘Hinglish’ and popular youth lingo, and has the story of different categories of friends, such as the one who wakes one up during the wee hours for help, or another who may give you company during your financial crunch days ? The jingle ends with ‘Har ek friend zaroori hota hai’, and with the message that Airtel keeps one connected to their friends TV Ad campaigns by Airtel ? ? ? ? ? ? ? “Dil jo chaahe paas laaye” “Baat karne se hi baat banti hai” “Do airtel bajenge to tarakki main char chand lag jaenge” “Dil jo chahe pass laye” Kuch bandhan atoot hote hain, jaise Airtel ka network” “Airtel internet 3G par” “Express yourself ” “Har ek friend zaroori hota hai” Ad “Do airtel bajenge to tarakki main char chand lag jaenge” Ad “Dil jo chahe pass laye” Ad ATL-TV ? ? ? It creates Pervasiveness, allows Airtel to be in the eyes of the audience all the time Even though the audience is not obligated to pay heed to the advertisements, the high creativity quotient of the Airtel Ads makes it virtually impossible for the audience to turn a blind eye to them The Ads are very high on the use of imagery and music ATL-TV ? ? ? The genius of the Oscar winning music director A.

R.

Rahman is the man behind the catchy tune Airtel advertises more on its brand and its values than its products and services Most ads just establish the value and beliefs of Airtel than establishing its services like mobile, telephone, or broadband ATL-TV ? ? The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Vidya Balan, A R Rahman have all been brand ambassadors of Airtel at some point or the other One of the key reasons for the lasting impact of the Airtel ads is the reinvention of the content displayed TV (Sponsorship) ? ? Leading sponsor of Kaun Banega Crorepati Airtel subscribers were given a special chance to directly enter KBC ? Participation to the show was only restricted to the Airtel subscribers and BSNL/MTNL landline users for the first couple of seasons. Sponsor of Indian Idol ? Airtel subscribers got an exclusive chance to enter the show TV (Sponsorship) ? ? BCCI has awarded the series sponsorship rights of all international cricket matches played in India to Bharti Airtel for the period 2010-2013 On 9 May 2009, Airtel signed a major deal with Manchester United Football Club TV (Sponsorship) ? ? In 2009, Airtel had signed a three-year deal orth Rs 150 crore with official tournament broadcaster ESPN Star Sports for the title sponsorship of the T20 league. Airtel signed a deal to be title sponsor the inaugural Formula One Indian Grand Prix during the 2011 season Print Media Radio ? Bharti Airtel is among the top two advertiser on radio in India (1% share) ? Promotional ads released by Airtel on radio: ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Mobile recharge Score kya hua? Aaj ka kya plan hai? EMI Airtel World Cup Pack Airtel happy Recharge Airtel Minimum Recharge Marathon Airtel – radio ad jingle Consumer Sales Promotions ? ? ? ? ? “Friendz” pre-paid plan for youth Ladies Special” plan “Seniors plan” for discounts to senior citizens Executive Corporate Plans “Family Celebrations offer” – Special discounts in Call rates & SMS services Promotional Campaigns ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Airtel Jai Hind AD Campaign Leadership campaign Quality Time Campaign Magic Dalo Say Hello Launch campaign Magic Hai to Mumkin Hai campaign Call Karo Sona Jeeto campaign Promotions: Health Campaigns ? ? ? ? Airtel and Wockhardt hospitals together launched a “Good Health” campaign to mark World Health Day on April 7 Comprised two health check-ups at discount of 75% Post-paid subscribers of Airtel could avail the

Wockhardt master health check up at Rs 799 against a original cost of Rs 3200 Also available as part of the campaign was the Wockhardt Heart Check at Rs 499, aginst Rs 2400 Grameen Mobile Puratchi: Rural Markets ? ? ? This scheme was for more than 45 lakh society members of IKSCL (IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Coopreative ltd) Farmers had five free Value Added Services under this scheme. The farmers had five free voice messages on mandi prices, farming techniques, weather forecasts, dairy farming, animal husbandry, rural health initiatives on a daily basis The pack for farmers ranged between Rs 1299 and

Rs 4000 along with the mobile phone. Direct Marketing ? Direct marketing techniques used: ? Email Marketing ? Display Ads, Social Media sites ? Location based marketing tools, QR Codes ? Telemarketing to customers Events (1/2) ? To reach their target audiences, Airtel has sponsored various TV programmes like ? Big Boss ? Indian Idol ? Super Singer ? Indian Sangeet awards ? Bol Baby Bol Events (2/2) ? Airtel has sponsored various events like ? Indian Grand Prix 2011 ? Champions League T20 ? Delhi Half Marathon ? Border-Gavaskar Trophy, other cricket tours ? Indian Fantasy League ? Indian Golf festival Buzz ? ? ?

Launch of Blackberry, tie up with RIM Indian Grand Prix 2011 Social Networking sites ? Facebook, ? Twitter Airtel Simulator Challenge Airtel Out of Home Advertising – Hoardings ? ? ? ? Launching 360 degree campaign, spread over 43 days, rolled out in metros, mini metros in association with Madison media plus group Want to make the brand the part of every day life of costumer. Depict Airtel as youthful, vibrant &dynamic brand Gantries, bus shelters pole, neon’s, traffic timers, unipoles, dropdowns, public utility branding, station branding etc are the form of advertisements involved Airtel Out of Home Advertising – Transit Medium,

Street Furniture ? ? ? ? To communicate from door to door Seek more attention of the customer Key nodal points of market and high traffic points, TG dwelling and the concentration area Sky ballon branding, boat branding, Cycle branding, Airtel Product Placement Months before the announcement of the August 22nd iPhone launch, fanatics in India were screaming for their shot at iPhone 3G mania. You would think from the crowds in the photo that the Airtel iPhone launch in Mumbai, India was a raging success. Think again! One cult of iPhone follower present at Airtel’s testical festival knows otherwise.

Airtel Branded Entertainment ? ? ? Way to create buzz The ads can be flashed in between the various highly watched TV serials or can be sponsors of some big movies Cricket matches, Super star awards, Dance, singing competitions Airtel Sensory Branding ? Through its signature tune ? Its unique color and logo ? Having celebrities like Sachin Tendulkar and A. R.

Rahman Digital Communication: Web 2. 0 Digital Communication: Web 2. 0 Digital Communication: Web 2. 0 Digital Communication: Web 2. 0 CSR Initiatives ? ? ? Initiative of opening “Airtel Ashiana” for underprivileged children at the Mohali office of Airtel

Tied up with an NGO to distribute daily surplus food to needy children “Airtel Experience Centre by Access MO” for the benefit of visually impaired people as well as people from deprived section of society CSR Initiatives ? ? Bharti foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises was established in 2000 with a vision to help underprivileged children and young people of our country realise their potential In the process of setting up a 1000 “Satya Bharti Schools” to deliver high quality education to underprivileged children in the deepest rural pockets The First Mover Advantage 1.

Electronic recharge 2.

Hello Tunes 3. Airtel Live! 4. Portfolio Manager 5. Song Catcher 6. Easy Music 7. Black berry handsets 8.

M-cheques Airtel- Retail Media ? ? ? ? Presence of recharging options through an extensive network of small stores/big retail stores/small or big retail shops/pan shops etc Easy way to recharge option by keeping a specific number digit for a particular type of recharge option Availability of new sim cards free of cost to increase the customer base at various outlets Airtel owned stores and Airtel galleries present in every district to address customer queries more responsibly

Social, Ethical & Legal Issues ? ? VAS Fraud ? There has been lot of criticism about Airtel for its unauthorized VAS activation ? Many of its services were activated automatically according to a complaint ? Several thousands of users were falsely billed ? In return Airtel launched STOP/START 121 services for such issues ? Alternatively, one can sign up on the “Do Not Disturb” list to avoid all telemarketing calls and SMS Controversy ? Bharti Airtel(India) was issued notices by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India(TRAI) for violation of Mobile number portability(MNP) Regulations. According to TRAI, it had received complains from customers regarding wrong rejection of porting requests by telecom operators Social, Ethical & Legal Issues ? ? Silcon Concept has dragged Airtel to the Federal High Court over allegedly making a publication to the claimant? s customers and subscriber by means of voice call, text messages or SMS informing them that the claimant is a band of fraudster (Oct, 2010) The CCC of ASCI has concluded that Airtel? s advertisement (campaign ‘Dil Titli„) is misleading, as the viewer of the TV commercial is led to believe that Airtel Digital TV has superior picture uality because of MPEG4 or DVBS2 technology (Jan, 2010) ‘Dil Titli‘campaign Social, Ethical & Legal Issues ? ? ? The AIRTEL Digital TV advertisement offering ‘Free Regional Pack for life„ was accused of being misleading as the DTH licence was valid only up to May 2018 (Feb, 2010) The CCC of ASCI found the claim made in the SMS ad that Airtel Digital TV Recorder is High Definition capable as misleading BSNL has accused Airtel of unfair trade practices over the private operator’s claim that it is the only mobile telecom service provider in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) (Dec, 2004) Thank You