Revitalizing the brand

It’s over a century old, a leading engineering and consumer products company and it seeks to connect increasingly with young India. "We realized the company had a fuddy-duddy image that needed to be changed. Our aim therefore was to appeal to a younger mindset,” said Tanya Dubash, executive director and president (marketing), Godrej, as one of the company’s new initiatives goes on air on the popular Star network from June end. Godrej Khelo Jeeto Jiyo is a lifestyle reality show in which a participant teams up with a relative or friend to play a series of games through the various stages, winning Godrej lifestyle products (refrigerators, air conditioners, microwaves, molded furniture…) at each stage. The grand prize is a fully furnished Godrej Brighter Home. "The change was long overdue,” Dubash is quoted in the Mumbai Mirror, June 14, 2009. Hosted by effervescent actor Soha Ali Khan, "the show is an opportunity for us to showcase our lifestyle solutions that would help consumers to become enablers of a better, aspirational lifestyle,” DNA, May 20 quoted Dubash.

Godrej’s bright logo unveiled last year in blue, green and ruby had also been seen prominently during the IPL (Indian Premier League) cricket matches in South Africa. "We put in place our strategy last year itself. Our strategy has been to revitalize the master brand, reinvent the products and services,” Dubash stated. Asked whether she considered herself a tough, hard-to-please boss, Dubash told the Mumbai Mirror correspondent: "Not really. Maybe I am demanding for we do set high standards for people.” About her father Adi, chairman of the Godrej Group, Dubash remarked: "He’s calm, collected with a great sense of what’s right and what’s wrong.” Mother Parmeshwar is "iconic! Both my parents (are) so different from each other but what’s common is that they are both passionate people and go-getters.”

Tanya Dubash and Vijay Crishna and (alongside) Nadir Godrej (extreme right) with wife Rati, sons Burjis, Sohrab and Hormazd (in front) and French ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont

Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), a major player in the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) sector has been ranked as one of the 25 Best Employers in Asia in the Wall Street Journal Asia-Hewitt Best Employers in Asia 2009 Study, state company sources. GCPL was ranked the 11th Best Employer in India in the Outlook Business-Hewitt Best Employers in India 2009 Study. "We want to catapult Godrej Consumer into one of the top five FMCG companies, primarily through big-ticket inorganic acquisitions. And we are exploring all possible options to ensure that we have the capabilities to raise adequate funding if needed,” Adi Godrej told The Economic Times, May 30, 2009. He also made it clear that the company will not go overboard in its bid to expand. The Group is planning some big buys in the non-food space. In the foods segment, it operates through independent joint ventures owing to a non-compete clause with its partners, the paper adds.

In November last, Nadir Godrej, managing director, Godrej Industries Limited, was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honor, the highest distinction given by the French government to its citizens or foreigners. An admirer of France and its culture, Nadir Godrej’s love for the language resulted in a book of poems entitled Life and other poems written both in English and French, reports the Godrej house magazine Change, July-October 2008.

Vijay Crishna, husband of Smita Godrej, has been inducted into the board of directors of the Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited from October 1, 2008 when Lawkim Limited, of which he was the chief executive officer, merged with Godrej and Boyce to become Lawkim Motors Group — a business unit of Godrej and Boyce, adds Change. Lawkim, one of the leaders in the specialized motors industry, has a manufacturing facility near Poona.