XIMB holds marketing conclave “Mercatique 2018”

Bhubaneswar: The annual business conclave, “Mercatique 2018” was organised by the MAXIM, the marketing association of the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB), in Odisha capital on Sunday.

The theme for this year’s conclave was “Marketing to the Post-Millennials”.

Speaking on the occasion, Sumeet R. Verlekar, CMO & Global Marketer, said how the post-millennials stand out and the factors that should be considered when marketing to them.

Gen Z is extremely tech-inclined and has a low attention time span. They need short, snack-able content which is less focused on data and more on visuals. He concluded his presentation with a summary of what it takes to appeal to Generation Z, he added.

The next speaker, Rahul Gautam, Vice President –Marketing, Ford India Pvt. Ltd., started to elucidate on how his personal experience of being a father to Generation Z kids has made him realize the vast changes that are coming in the future. He explained how this generation values self-education and will start their own venture rather than submit to the status quo. He showed how Ford designed its ad campaign for this mobile-first generation. He concluded his session by stressing on the importance of psychology in marketing.

Similarly, Madhumita Mohanty, General Manager & Merchandising Head, Health & Glow, was the third speaker of the day. She dived into how this generation can multitask effortlessly. She then outlined how the priorities and values of this generation are very different from the previous ones. They have heightened individualism and prioritize fun and experiences over sacrifice.

She spoke about how social media influencers are now preferred to celebrities as far as endorsements are concerned. She finished by explaining how emerging brands like Wow Shampoo and Hooda Beauty have designed their product and content based on customer feedback, and how that has led to their success.

The enriching speeches were followed by an interactive Q&A session with the guest speakers answering thoughtful and challenging questions posed by the students.

Prof. Subhasis Ray then shared his insights and learning with the audience. This was followed by the launch of MAXIM’s marketing magazine – “MaxEdge”. The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Mr. Gaurav Seth, Shadow Member, MAXIM.