Flight and fancy

Exodus.

Leon Uris' novel by the same name may have nothing to do with the state of affairs we are about to discuss…but that's what came to my mind. It's quite a deplorable situation. Marketers seem to be abandoning Chennai in droves and heading for greener pastures such as Mumbai and Delhi. One reason that screams for attention is the stated ‘lack of talent in Chennai'.

It is a classic Catch 22 situation. At the time when large and medium brands flourished in Chennai, many of them were perceived as ‘national' and international brands. They attracted some fine minds, including the pick of the crop from premier management institutes. When some of those brands were swallowed up by giant multinationals, the inevitable migration took place. And ‘wherever Mary went', marketing had to follow.

Ironically enough, Chennai and Tamil Nadu are large markets. For sales, distribution and consumption. Manufacturing reigns supreme … but when it comes to marketing Chennai keeps missing the bus. There's a feeling even among home-grown players that their marketing department is in the wrong place if it's based in Chennai. Indeed there are cases of some large companies based in Chennai whose CEOs prefer to be parked elsewhere. And since talent is at a premium, owners and boards have meekly acquiesced.

So despite the influx of ‘foreigners' and world-brands moving into this city, ‘Brand Chennai' remains like this only. Is it a question of ‘marketing myopia' * where Chennai is concerned? Others feeling the heat are advertising agencies. Downsizing or shutting shop seems to be fairly prevalent. If clients haven't already moved their advertising out of Chennai, they are demanding that their work be done out of Mumbai or Delhi and maybe Bangalore. In effect this reduces the Chennai offices to the status of just being facilitators and not contributors.

Why then would genuine talent head for Chennai?

As it is, advertising currently does not seem to be a preferred destination for bright minds, and this situation is pan-India. Put it down partly to unattractive compensation being offered as compared to other avenues. Agency remuneration has been sliding and marketers drive a very hard bargain. One marketer created history (!) of sorts by inviting agencies to make speculative presentations and demanded a fee for the pleasure of evaluating them. Yes, just like a ‘tender fee'.

So, if talent is not heading for advertising agencies, could the agencies then impart suitable training for available resources? To quote the great bard, ‘Aye, there's the rub'. Agencies don't seem to have the resources to groom and train. Catch 22, all over again.

How about graduates of Chennai's management schools who would like to be in the marketing arena, with rosy dreams of working for large and powerful brands? Here's some advice: Go West, young man! Go North, young woman! Today, it's mostly sales promotion initiatives that are done at a local level. Brand thinking is left to the power centre.

Not that strategies evolved at HQ are always the stuff of legend. There are cases galore where companies have persisted with marketing and communication efforts which were totally misdirected. And very often it's their dealers who have shown them the error of their ways. Wouldn't it be wonderful if in an effort not unlike CSR, corporates could tap into cerebral inputs from a talent pool in their own geography? After all, so many interns have shown promise during their tenure.

Naysayers would be aplenty. Modalities need to be worked out. But all that is required is the will to do it. Is this wishful thinking? Is it naivete?

Will there be a marketing resurgence in Chennai?

Your thoughts are most welcome.

In the meantime, let me consult my tarot cards.

* Not to be confused with Theodore Levitt's elegant treatise

(The writer is a founder-director of the Chennai Business School.)

COMMENT NOW