Markathon April 2009

“Even a Marathon Begins with a Single Step” -John T Garret
This reminds me the importance of the very first step that leads youto the road of success. The road is perched with pebbles and riding through them requires endurance and perseverance. With the objective cleared we set out for a journey to aspire, inspire and create a change. The change is finally here, right in front of you; Markathon.
It’s a great privilege and honour to write the first editorial of IIM Shillong, Marketing Magazine, “Markathon”. The name substantiates the fact that Marketing is a Marathon. It triumphs only when its vision and objectives are set on a distant platform instead of aspiring for short term gains. In the beginning when things were not falling on line I recalled the golden lines from the modern classic Alchemist, “when you want something with all your heart and ready to pursue the dream, the entire universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”. I pursued a dream on the same line and the result is here. An attempt has been made to give perspectives on contemporary marketing issues and capture the true insights of the subject. Be it on the virtual space or on the ground, marketing’s importance as a fundamental organ of the organization is unquestionable. Be it FMCG, Telecom, Automobile or the Insurance sector, all are on the underpinnings of marketing and are least affected by recession. But marketing as a profession need to undergo a strategic shift to face the unknown realities. These shifts should also be accompanied with the changes in the way marketing is taught in the B-schools. So it requires a 360 degree turnaround to consolidate its numero uno position in the organization.
Keeping the above sentiments intact this issue begins with unearthing the untapped potential of rural India. The cover story again analyses the tits and bits of Indian wedding industry and also draws the marketer to gallop the wedding coins as soon as possible. Separate sections have been earmarked to dissect an organization on various pools and also study the various marketing aspects behind a product and uncover the secrets of its success. A short but profound sneak into the insurance industry has been made possible in an interview with Mr. Sanjay Tripathy, Executive Vice President Marketing; HDFC Standard Life. The Pandora Box opens with the current tumultuous time faced by the marketers and proposes a ray of hope to move over it. A print ad contest is also incorporated in the magazine to discover future Ogilvy’s.
Finally, I would like to congratulate all the members of the marketing club and also others who are behind the making of this magazine. I would also like to thank our Director Prof Ashoke K Dutta for his inspiration and Prof D K Agrawal and Prof S Shahjahan for their guidance and support to accomplish this objective. I hope the endeavor towards rendering you with marketing insights will succeed.
Asit Kumar Jain