"Mass marketing plans are handset agnostic"

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

Related Articles

Gold the most preferred investment

: As the penetration of mobile phones in the country increases, the possibilities open to the burgeoning MVAS (mobile value added services) industry appear limitless. That is also a reason Manoj Dawane, who took over as CEO of MVAS provider People Infocom last year, has his plate full. Consumer demand is keeping his company on its toes—urging it to constantly churn out new concepts and services to differentiate its offering. For Dawane, innovation will drive the growth of the sector in India, and he hopes his 15 years of telecom and software industry experience will come in handy in the company’s bid to improve customer experience. A regular speaker at various industry forums and conferences, he spoke to FE’s Ruchi Kapoor on the prospects of mobile marketing in India, global trends in mobile gaming and the company’s plans to expand its reach. Excerpts:

What is the scope of mobile content and applications in India? Do you think consumers understand the scope and its utility?

Yes, very much. India is a country where astrology, Bollywood and cricket will always draw attention. Content built around Bollywood continues to see great uptake. Cricket content also has a decent download rate. The fact that Bollywood and cricket are two of the most highly marketed entertainment mediums in the country gives any additional service or product developed around them an added impetus. When it comes to astrology, the sheer intrigue that the science instils is what makes it an interesting download across age groups.

How is mobile marketing different from other platforms of product marketing, say TV or radio?

The mobile is an intensely personal device in more ways than one, it has today become as an extension of an individual’s personality. While this situation provides opportunities—for example, better user profiling, increased interactivity, call-to-action—it also adds a lot of responsibility on the marketer, in terms of harnessing the complete potential of the device and ensuring that there is no cause for customer dissatisfaction.

How would you describe the core competence of Mauj Telecom? Also, how do you differentiate your services from those offered by your contemporaries?