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"Convenience, product and packaging innovation, and affordability drive consumer expectations."

Chennai , Feb. 18

ARE consumers expecting the moon? They may or may not but there's an opportunity for marketers who constantly innovate and improve.

This was the message of three panellists at the Brand Summit on Friday: Mr C. K. Ranganathan, Managing Director, CavinKare; Mr Jaydev Galla, Managing Director, Amara Raja Batteries; and Mr Ajit Mantagani, President (Denim Division), Raymond India.

Mr Ranganathan said convenience, product and packaging innovation, and affordability drive consumer expectations in the FMCG industry, of which CavinKare is a part.

The company has identified products such as masala powders, idly/dosa mix and pickles that make life easier for the consumers. He said CavinKare has innovated with products such as `Meera Reeta Ras', launched primarily in the Andhra Pradesh market, where consumers wanted a natural hair wash product having the attributes of a shampoo.

The affordability plank has been addressed through sachets. The company's Chinni pickle brand, launched in 50-paise sachets about a year ago, is No 1 in Tamil Nadu in volume terms, he said.

Mr Galla explained how a low-interest category such as batteries was brought to life by Amara Raja's strategy of creating "attitude, relevance and emotional connection" around its Amaron brand. Amara Raja built these attributes around the promise of longer life, zero maintenance, more power, better looks, extended warranty, a good network of retail outlets and 360-degree brand building.

Mr Mantagani said companies should keep making incremental improvements however good their products are. This is because, more than ever, consumers today have a tremendous choice, and the money (even at a young age) which they are willing to spend.

More important, what they want to spend their money on is constantly changing, he said, adding that today's consumer is more active, aggressive, demanding and ruthless than ever before.

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