Marketing Mania Talks: Episode 2–Talk with Amitava Chattopadhyay
Marketing Mania series talking to business leaders, marketing gurus, trend setters, experts in different areas of practice and knowledge.
Kolo Nafaso from a researcher’s perspective – highlights from Amitava Chattopadhyay
It’s been a long-standing interest of mine to understand how businesses can be a force for good. That desire stemmed from a conversation with a former classmate, a pioneer in social innovation, who cogently argued that there simply wasn’t enough money in the form of charitable giving to alleviate poverty on a global scale. Thus,…
Transforming a Supply Chain Into a Social Enterprise
For conventional, profit-seeking companies, moving into social impact carries huge contradictions. An ad hoc, small-scale initiative is an inexpensive way to do a bit of good and receive a nice warm glow in the process. But any attempt to achieve more serious impact through scaling the initiative will likely trigger awkward discussions about how much…
An Unexpected Product Benefit Can Be a Powerful Marketing Tool
As companies test a new product, they often learn that it can deliver unexpected benefits. This very famously happened in the case of Viagra, a product originally developed to treat cardiovascular problems. During the first human trials of the compound, a study nurse reported that male subjects would frequently lie on their stomachs on the…
Busy people more likely to make healthier choices, study found
People who perceive themselves as busy are more likely to make healthier choices, a new study has shown. Although we complain about being too busy in today’s fast-moving world, it has some advantages. Individuals who perceive themselves as busy are more likely to delay gratification. They subsequently make decisions that benefit them in the long-term….
The Little-Known Quirk in the Way Our Brain Evaluates Goals
“Maintaining possessions is more difficult than acquiring them.” – Demosthenes Most managers, whether they are in charge of setting sales quotas or other KPIs, often search for that holy grail-like balance between compelling results and keeping the troops happy. Things get even trickier when the context is less than ideal – a recently expired key…
Why Modest Goals Appeal to Us
Let’s say you’re wondering whether to set more money aside this coming year. You could go for a modest goal, such as increasing your savings by 1%, or pick a more ambitious one. You could also tell yourself: “I won’t increase my savings, but I’ll make sure to maintain whatever savings I already have.” New…
Research: A busy mindset can be a marketing tool
Framing products around virtuousness can help businesses market to those with a busy mindset, according to new research. Global business school, Insead, recently found the mere perception of yourself as a busy person, or what they call a busy mindset, is a ‘badge of honour’ that can be used to promote better self-control, and marketers…
If You Want to Get Funded on Kickstarter, Research Says to Avoid These Tactics
On the surface, the growth of crowdfunding has been phenomenal. Since its inception in 2009, projects listed on Kickstarter have raised $3.3 billion. Over 133,000 projects have become successfully funded. This has led many to claim that crowdfunding can democratize product innovation and access to capital by allowing small entrepreneurs, who lack access to resources,…
How the get the best outcome when pitching new ventures to crowdfunding backers
Using Kickstarter as a yardstick for the growth of online crowdfunding platforms gives us a sense of the dramatic growth experienced by such platforms. Since its inception in 2009, projects listed on Kickstarter have raised US$3.3 billion. Over 133,000 projects have become successfully funded. Based on such data many have claimed that crowdfunding can democratise…