Saturday, September 1, 2012

Markathon September 2012 Edition



Dear Readers,

We would like to thank you all for the overwhelming number of entries that we have received for this month’s edition. We have witnessed a threefold increase in the number of entries. This goes to show how Markathon has developed as a platform to showcase the best minds of the Marketing domain. For a team that puts its soul into a magazine month in and month out, there cannot be a greater source of encouragement.

This edition’s cover story analyses the role of marketing in Political campaigns which today, is the buzzword for most of the political campaigns around the world. The various tools and channels used for marketing political campaigns are examined. The cover story elucidates the importance of marketing in political campaigns by analysing examples from the international as well as local environment.

Also, it gives us great pleasure to launch a new section called “Corporate Speaks”. This new section provides a unique platform for professionals from the corporate world to express their views and perspectives on various marketing issues. Thus Markathon taking one step forward has evolved from a simple platform for students to one that caters to students and corporates alike.

Moving on, this month’s Vartalaap features prominent academician, Prof. Ravi Dhar, George Rogers Clark Professor of Management & Marketing and Director of the Center for Customer Insights at the Yale School of Management. He is an expert in Consumer Behaviour and Branding, Marketing Management, and Marketing Strategy. Prof. Dhar shares with us his experiences from the industry and academia and throws light on trends that will shape the future.

We have also received great feedback about our section “Fun Zone”. And bowing to multiple requests, we have decided to feature it in this edition as well. And work is under way to make it a regular section. Recently one of my colleagues asked me, “why do you take the pain of working on a magazine every month”, and I couldn’t think of a more fitting answer than “Have you ever heard of the story of the scorpion and the frog?” (For those of you who haven’t seen the movie “Drive”, you should definitely read up on the tale of the “Scorpion and the Frog”). I calmly told him, “Because this is what we do”. I admit, I did feel like Ryan Gosling and I could hear Kavinksy’s “Nightcall” playing in my head. But Hey! Who is judging?

As always do send in your feedback/suggestions to markathon.iims@gmail.com

Sit back and hold onto your “Scorpion Jackets”, because this is going to be a “Drive” you will remember.

Happy Reading
Team Markathon