Impact of global financial crisis on Singapore’s beauty and cosmetics industry.

Aastha Gupta

Product Marketing and Management

April 09

Ayaz Furniturewalla, general manager of Elizabeth Arden’s distributor market and travel retail in Singapore says that “Beauty is recession-proof. Even when the economy isn’t doing well, people still need a little distraction to feel good about them.”

For majority of the Singaporeans, beauty is a ‘must-have’ rather than a luxury.

Irrespective of the slowing economy and the growing financial crisis, the beauty products and the cosmetics industry in Singapore remains upbeat. Above all, this industry is expected to maintain the current pace of growth next year also. A small survey conducted by a marketing research company also showed that despite the job losses and the deep economic recession that the country has faced till date, seven out of ten Singaporeans will continue to spend on beauty products and services. Those who wanted to cut their spending on beauty products like cosmetics said that they would just switch from designer labels to house brands.

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History Repeats Itself-Marketing History in three phases

Gaurav Sharma

Product Marketing and Management

December 08

Since this is the first post that I am going to write for the launch of the SPJCM PMM blog I thought it would be appropriate to understand or revisit the history of marketing. So, let me take you through the marketing history in 3 phases in three different posts. From a marketer of the current times we can actually divide the marketing history into three phases.  One before 20th century, one during 20th century and the one after 20th century i.e. 21st century. During the current times it so important to understand what has happened in past so that we derive the maximum out of it. Also we do not want to repeat the same mistakes which have already taken place.

I am not going to go through the marketing theories which have actually been developed, re-written, evolved over these three phases but what I am going to do is to get the applications of these theories and then have an idea of what made them clicked, survive or not survive till today. Now there are going to be theories which are not applicable in today’s time. So, what is the reason behind that, and could those applications actually do something else so that they could have survived the times or improved in the times they existed? The fact which will always remain is that marketing is infinity, there is so much to do, so much to undo and so much to redo in marketing. It starts from procurement and does not end in retail. The whole concept is not to allow it to end. It is omnipresent but what we have to focus upon after understanding the history of marketing is that it is not omnipotent. But can we make it omnipotent is going to be the next series of posts.

So that’s what the whole idea of the initial posts will be for this coming week. Do let me know what your comments on the same are so that I can pitch in your requirements in the upcoming blogs.

What's in a Name?

Ishtiba Meeajane

Product Marketing Management

Dec '08

Before this course I thought marketing was just one word used to promote any product. I joined this course in Product Marketing to know more about how to sell products. But more and more during our lectures am becoming more reflective about the role of marketing in our lives. Is marketing the mere selling of products? And services? (For my friends in service marketing)  This narrow definition that many of us have once given to marketing has been long discarded.  Today for my first post I won’t bore you with any more theories. I think our case studies in class have been enough for you all.

So let me bring you all to the world of branding. Who has not heard of Gucci, Mc Donald, Louis Vuitton, Coke, Nike, Chanel…and the list continues on. These iconic brands have become part of our daily lives. Some of us swear only by Adidas shoes, the Billabong shorts or the Giordano T-shirt we wear. What is it with those products that make them so appealing? Why do we all purchase them or go mad when we hear about sales of these going on. Like it or not, brands are part of us, part of who we are. This is the power of branding my friends. We may ask ourselves what’s in a name after all!!

Is it only about the name or is there more to it? How did brands make it to the top and what was so different about them.. That  is what my posts for the following week will focus on.  So for the time being, I leave you to reflect on those few things!