Turnaround a brand or a business is not that easy. Its full of risks and dangers. The Sunday times met the duo soon after the historic victory, for an exclusive interview.
The Sales and Operations Chief of Maliban Biscuits Mr.Ashan Kannangara and , Mr. Hashan Haputhanthri , Brand strategist / tactician and the Marketing Manager of Maliban Biscuits shared their perspectives as to how this victory was achieved.
The repeated endorsement now comes with Maliban SMART Cream Crackers is Maliban SMART Cream Crackers winning the Prestigious GOLD Award for Turnaround Brand of the year at SLIM (Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing) Brand Excellence 2011 and thus there is all the reasons for the Maliban Marketing Team to celebrate with the Brand Loyal Consumers whom Maliban considers “The King”.
In this happy occasion of Winning the SLIM Gold Award maestro, the veteran, The Sales and Operations Chief of Maliban Biscuits Mr Ashan Kannangara obliged an exclusive interview ...
Q:Are you delighted?
A – I am indeed extremely delighted. Let me take this opportunity to pass this ‘delight ‘ to our brand
loyal smart customers. This is a great moment for all our employees (staff) at the Maliban Biscuit Manufacturing Ltd and we share the joy with our consumers .
Q: What are your thoughts on this victory?
A - It is indeed a landmark marketing victory for Maliban and there is no doubt that we would achieve a galaxy of such prestigious awards not only locally but internationally. It is a victory achieved through guts, sweat and blood and through sheer non-conventional planning methods. I must say that one should never ever fool the consumer. Our way is that we are always true to our consumers and we always reward our consumers.
Q: How (What) is the Marketing Department Contribution?
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| GM Sales and Operations for Maliban Biscuits Mr.Ashan Kannangara |
A - It is a great landmark victory for our Marketing Department and it also belongs to Hashan Haputhanthri, our Marketing Manager. I categorically say he conceptualized this brand and developed this brand to this unique level with the introduction of the name called “SMART Cream Cracker.
He has put on lot of hard work with my sales team to bring the brand to this high level and we are reaping the results of his untiring efforts to win the Gold for SLIM Turnaround Brand of the year at SLIM Brand Excellence.
Now we have started working on the second phase of taking “SMART Cream Crackers” to the next level. Hashan’s contribution is unforgettable and its a record in the Maliban Biscuits history.
Q: How do you manure the sales operation to the success of the Brand?
A - I specifically said that we have a completely non-conventional approach for sales and marketing. We work out our plans to exploit all the channels in distribution to reach all types of customers in the country. All these plans are laid down to give the Best – extremely better services to all the consumers, because we always believe the cardinal dictum of treating the consumer “The King”.
At present, we have reached a level of distribution where in all the outlets in the country Maliban SMART Cream Cracker is available. This is one of the great success stories of getting up the Brand to this level. Practicing best trade practices for the brand is an act that we execute with a sense of responsibility. We do not over load our retailers. We do not adopt a dumping strategy in the trade. We do not execute cheap tactics to gain dealers funds – but we have introduced winning brands with profits.
Q: What is the basic approach for success?
A - It is very straightforward and there is no basic approach. It is consumer driven. In place of a ‘lethargic’ cream cracker we gave the consumer a fresh cream cracker – with ‘a cracking ‘Karas’ sound and SMART oven fresh cream cracker – an ideal snack for any age group.
Q: Do you face competition?
A - Not at all. Look at the market place and our stupendous achievements. We have no competition at all. There should be competitors to have competition. If at all, our competition is among us. Our Best Quality concept wiped out the competition. We are like a rock in the market place. We give the best to our consumer with the best quality product. I would say there are “copy cats”. They simply copy or follow us.
Q: How (What) is the consumer outlook?
A - Customers are extremely happy and the retailers are also the same. Their happiness is our happiness because our sweat and blood is carved into the Brand and their happiness is the results our hard work. They helped us to break the monopoly and we broke it by offering our loyal customers with high quality, fresh and tasty cream cracker.
When the consumers are happy , it is effect that the ‘demand selling era’ has come to an end for cream crackers in this country.
Q: Is the Sri Lankan Consumer helping you to grow this brand?
A - Of course, yes. The superiority in quality ideally matched with the taste, the consumers have decided to shift over to Maliban SMART Cream Crackers. Consumers have the choice to select what is right and what is wrong and on top of it what is ethical. Once again with the Sales Team, I thank the Sri Lankan SAMRT consumers who decided to switch from other crackers to Maliban SMART Cream Crackers – making the right decision and in turn making us proud, happy and satisfied for a job ‘well-done’. Since Maliban always stands tall for best superior quality.
Also, others can state many things and claim number 01. But Its SMART cream Cracker who thought a lesson for duplicate brands. These duplicate brands gave wrong signals to our dear consumers to make a “quick buck”. Now consumers, themselves have decided to switch over. It is indeed a great thing. We always offer the consumer the most quality and superior brands.
Q: What is the distribution set-up(network) for SMART Cracker?
A - We are proud that we have a very well focused and well-disciplined sales team. We are equally proud we earned a very supportive distributor network from every corner of the country. At the same time with stable infrastructure we have exploited all the channels to penetrate into the market and cater to all segments in the market place.
Employing our non-conventional distribution methods we managed to reach 85 to 90% of the market and to offer an extremely good service to the consumer. Winning this prestigious Gold Award - Turnaround Brand of the year at SLIM Brand Excellence 2011, confirms that the consumer has decided to select thr BEST, not the REST.
Therefore, we once again thank our dear customers and the retailers for supporting us to make this brand - The winning brand. This is an award reflecting hard work, delivering a best quality product and winning the consumer through the truth but not through cheap gimmicks.
We also interviewed the Brand strategist , who is the Chief Architect for this significant turnaround Mr Hashan Haputhanthri, Marketing Manager of Maliban Biscuits and this is what he has to say……
Q:Are you delighted?
Of course I am, and would like to share this with our valuable consumers, retailers and my collegues at Maliban Biscuits. I should thank the entire sales force of Maliban Biscuits. I also want to thank the Governing body and the fabrication centre of Sri Lankan Marketers, The Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing and to Brand Excellence project committee headed by Mr.Karthik Elangovan and the Superior judging panel headed by Mr. Asanga Ranasinghe for impartial judging.
Q:What’s the process for your invention?
It was a herculean task. Its started with a scientific consumer research. The Sri Lankan consumer said he need a cracker that is so fresh and to consume as a snack. Since, we had the edge with “the sound of freshness” – KARAS, we took the lead for the invention. Then, through non conventional marketing planning we managed to deliver the anticipated promise.
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| Mr. Hashan Haputhanthri , Marketing Manager for Maliban Biscuits |
When I presented my case to the Chairman , the board and to the CEO (Mr.D.L.Weerasuriya), they gave their blessings to move on. Then with the help of the maestro, the veteran of sales and operations, Mr. Ashan Kannangara took over the responsibility in changing the history through – make it available at the right place.
Then through strategic marketing planning we managed to win the hearts and minds of the consumer. Distribution gradually increased. Within six months sales achieved a significant growth.
From the design to the final promotional execution, its sheer hard work, guts and long term vision was set to the brand.
Q:Explain the story of success?
Its two fold.
It’s a marketing victory for both consumer and for the organization. On one hand, consumer received a fresh, superior quality and an innovative snack. And for the organization, it’s a victory of sheer team effort. From Sales, Production, Quality assurance, Engineering to HR and all other divisions had patiently worked to see this victory.
Q:Is there competition?
No…not at all. We do not consider “duplicators” as competitors. We adhere to the vision of our Chairman “Innovation and quality has to be our religion”. Therefore, we deliverer to our consumers three things, “trust”, “taste” and the “truth”. We compete among ourselves to deliver and satisfy what we identify and anticipate.
Q:What have you offered to the consumer?
Pragmatically, A SMART option for a snack in the form of a SMART cream cracker, with a realistic promise. We want our Sri Lankan consumer to be smart in his/ her choice. It has proven through results. For the first time when Maliban Biscuits won the International Taste and Quality award for SUPERIOR TASTE AND QUALITY for SMART CREAM CRACKER, we have proven that our cream cracker stands tall among the rest of the me - too brands. We proved our cream cracker is up to the international mark. We also established that we have a SUPERIOR CRACKER – A CRACKER THAT HAS THE CORRECT BITS, TASTE AND THE GOODNESS.
Therefore, as the number 01 biscuit brand of Sri Lanka that invented the superior taste and quality, that invented cream crackers and revolutionized the Sri Lankan biscuit industry 60 years ago, we stick to our policies and ethics of “delivering the best of the best brands / products” to our consumers.
Q: Have you adhered to the traditional brand building theories?
Not at all. I adhered to my consumer needs and wants agenda, non conventional / practical game planning and to common sense. A product can be developed over night but Brands cannot be built over night. There is a process. You have to dig deep to see what is connection between the brand and the consumer. Is it going to be emotional, rational or morale.
Q:What are the significant mile stones for this brand?
First and foremost, it’s the CONSUMER ACCEPTENCE. Without him we wouldn’t have survived. The cardinal rule of great advertising is “truth well told”. Advertising should not be directed to mislead the consumer. Secondly, the success of the BRAND NAME. A brand name has to make sense. Thirdly, BRAND EXCITEMENT. A brand should excite the consumer.
Finally, SUPERIORITY OF THE PRODUCT. A product should deliver the brand promise. Through our SMART AIR RAID (The helicopter operation), which I name as “the first ever mega consumer promotion in Sri Lanka via air by an organization” proved that we delivered everything which I mentioned at the top.
Q: How did you turnaround the brand?
It is true that Non conventional techniques worked for Marketing game planning. But without distribution, penetrating to 80 to 90% level this wouldn’t have been possible. The credit should go to Maliban Biscuits Sales and Operation Chief Mr.Ashan Kannangara, who worked closely with me to achieve this victory. Ashan’s superior knowledge in executing non conventional game planning was – just brilliant. The disciplines he employed to the system gave tremendous results. So with sheer team effort, we delivered to the Sri Lankan consumer , what we promised.
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