Weekly news from 11th Oct. to 17th. Oct.

By: MANDEEP SINGH

Tough Going: Fiat dresses up front-end staff to revive sales

• FIAT India is meeting the management of Tata Motors to discuss ways to propel sales of Fiat cars in the country, concerned over the failure of its partnership with Tata Motors to push the Italian carmaker’s brands.

• Between April and September, Fiat India could sell only 11,863 cars while Tata Motors sold close to 1.74 lakh units. 

Ctd…• Industry experts blame the

Italian carmaker’s poor after-sales record as a key reason for its dismal sales in India even as the sales of Tata and Maruti brands using Fiat engines boom in the country

• “Customers still lack confidence in the Fiat brand due to its past unsuccessful entries into the Indian market, poor after-sales record and lower resale value,” said Abdul Majeed, auto practice leader PwC.

Biyani eyes 40% in Amar Chitra Katha

• KISHORE Biyani, the CEO of Future Group, has often said retail is like religion. His group, like any other retail group, is known to factor in religious and cultural issues when preparing sales campaigns.

• The entrepreneur-retailer is in talks with the promoters of ACK Media, which owns iconic Indian comic content such as Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle and Karadi Tales, to buy an over 40% stake.

Ctd…

• “AMAR Chitra Katha was the biggest storyteller of our times and this is an opportunity for us to be the Disneyland of this country. We are looking at newer ways to impart values to the new generation and a modern way of storytelling through digital, entertainment, animation or theme parks,” Mr Biyani said. 

PepsiCo ropes in Taproot for World Cup

campaign.• PEPSICO has hired creative

agency Taproot India to manage brand Pepsi’s campaign for the upcoming cricket world cup, ending JWT India’s exclusive hold on the beverage brand for two decades.

• This is the first time the task of creative communication for brand Pepsi has been given to an agency other than JWT.

Ctd…• Pepsi’s world cup campaign,

estimated at Rs 25 crore. 

Tata Motors plans small car to take on Alto.

• TATA Motors is planning to launch a new car that will be positioned between the Nano and the Indica.

• Tata Motors will take on the Maruti-Suzuki Alto, currently the largest selling hatchback in the Indian market. It is expected to be launched by early 2012 and powered by an 800cc engine.

Bugatti Veyron to hit Indian roads at 12 cr

• The Bugatti Veyron 16.4, which competes with the likes of Swedish Koenigsegg and American Ultimate Aero TT handmade for the top spot, has crossed the 430 km/hr mark to become the world’s fastest production car.

• The car, which can accelerate to 100 km per hour in less than three seconds.

Ctd…

• The launch of Bugatti, expected on October 28, comes on the back of the success luxury brands such as Rolls Royce and Maybach in the country that saw the number of its millionaires swell by more than 50% in one year.

Sensex enters Diwali season with a burst

• Rupee Rises To 44.11 Against Dollar, Its Strongest Level in 2 Years

• The Sensex rose 484.54 points, or 2.4%, to 20,687.88, a new high in 33 months.

• 518 points, or 2.5%, away from its all-time high of 21,206.77 set on January 10, 2008.

NSN, Ericsson to roll out Vodafone’s 3G network

• SWEDEN’S Ericsson and Finland-headquartered Nokia Siemens Networks will roll out the 3G network of Vodafone Essar

• Vodafone awarded a three-year contract estimated to be worth $500 million.

Ctd…

•     Nokia Siemens Networks will supply, implement and manage Vodafone’s 3G network in Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh (East), West Bengal (excluding Kolkata) and Haryana.

• while Ericsson will cover the high-density metros of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.