A recent marketing conclave in Calcutta stressed the rising clout of the direct-to-consumer (D2C) model of business.
The theme of the Bengal Chamber Marketing and Brand Conclave, organised by the The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, partnered by The Telegraph, was “D2C — Connected Closer and Cozier".
"The three Cs required to be successful in the D2C business are very similar in real life as well. If you want to woo someone in real life, you have to develop a connect. Then you have to understand her preference — what does she like, what does she want, what is her aspiration. It is important to know these things to get closer. Then, you get into a cosier domain by being able to satisfy those needs," said Abhijit Roy, senior vice-president, the Bengal Chamber and managing director and CEO, Berger Paints, who delivered the inaugural address.
"It is quite similar in the digital world as well. There is a consumer with whom you need to connect first. It can be on your website, on Facebook or Instagram. Then you need to understand, through data analysis, what the consumer wants. What are the needs, preferences and aspirations of the consumer? If you are able to find a need gap there, that's where you can get closer to the customer. The next step is to develop a cosy relationship with the consumer.
"Preferences keep changing. You have to keep monitoring the customer. You must keep track of changes and be able to respond to those changes," he said.
The 13th edition of the conclave, a flagship programme of the Bengal Chamber, was held at the auditorium of a city hotel on October 7.
Several speakers dwelled on how the D2C model has emerged as a game-changer, disrupting traditional business paradigms and offering a direct channel between brands and consumers.
Prashant Singh, co-founder and COO Leadsquared; Lloyd Mathias, investor and business strategist and Rohit Ohri, executive chairman and CEO, FCB Group India, were among the speakers.
Two panel discussions were also held. The first one, titled "Perspectives of Startups on D2C", comprised Resha Jain, chief brand officer, GIVA and Samiran Sengupta, founder and CEO, JustMyRoots.
The participants in the second one, on "Perspectives of Established Brands on D2C", were Sairam Subramanian, general manager, Hindustan Unilever Limited and Debaditya Chaudhuri, founder and managing director Chowman, Oudh 1590 and Chapter 2.
Both the sessions were moderated by Kavita Mahto, business head, Tata Steel Aashiyana.