Some time back, we did a similar article of WATBlog, regarding a marketer’s perspective on web2.0. At the IAMAi’s 2nd session the following people formed the panel.

Shailesh Rao, Managing Director, Google India
Ratish Nair, Chief Executive Officer, Interactive Avenues
Pushkar Sane, Head Asia, Starcom IP
Kiruba Shankar, Director, F5ive Technologies. Blogger & Podcaster
Garima Chaudhry, Head - eAlliances, Citibank India
Mohammed Iqbal, Creative Planner, Ogilvy & Mather
Tarun Bangari, Head-Product Marketing, Akamai Technologies

The session itself started with Mr Pushkar questioning if anything like web2.0 even existed? He stated that “As marketers we need to know what consumers are doing. Consumers do not know what is web1.0 or web2.0. For consumer the internet is seamless.”. He believes that people are reshaping content. With the advent of a co existing virtual life like Second Life there is some form of identity crisis. There is no Prime time anymore, he believes now there is time shift.” Mr Pushkar works closely with markets in China and acknowledges the increase in spending dollars on virtual avatars etc.

Ratish Nair, discussed marketing with the help of blogs, He pointed out that Ajit Balakrishna’s Blog, which has content not only about rediff but the industry as a whole is leveraging its goodwill to the brand . While blogs can have a positive effect he also mentioned how they could backfire, by using the example of Sony PSP’s blog.

Mr Shailesh Rao believes that any form of control is an illusion. He believes that web2.0 has increased standards, power, and openness. It has increased the rate at which news is uploaded on the web, and has increased interactivity.

Garima Chaudhry believes that web2.0 has enabled people, company’s converse with Individuals instead of consumer sectors. While Pushkar Sane believes that web2.0 has increased the trust in the Unknown.

The only non marketer on the panel was Blogger – Kiruba Shankar. From a bloggers perspective he mentioned how marketers could influence bloggers. He narrated an incidence of how a motorbike company sponsored their blogger meet, and at the bloggers meet gave a 5 minute marketing pitch of the product, which needless to say was disliked by the bloggers. While similarly a motorbike company gave 3 of brand new bikes to bloggers and asked them to use it ‘no questioned asked’ and return it in 3 days. The bikes were loved by the bloggers, which directly influenced them to have good opinion of the product on their blogs.

The moderator for the session put up an interesting question – Should blogs be used as a marketing tool?

Pushkar believes that blogging should be used as a marketing tool. While doing the same marketers should question themselves asking who are they targeting the readers or the bloggers? While Mr Iqbal Agrees he even advices to have one’s own blog.

Garima Chaudhry believes that Blogs should not be used a Direct Marketing tool. She believes that if blogs are doctored they loose their authenticity.

Mr Rao stated that Marketing has changed and evolved in its sense. He believes that ad sense that provides a way of earning money for bloggers is relevant targeted ads.

Kiruba on the note of bloggers earning money, believes that it is a myth . “Most bloggers hardly earn any money. I hope that Yahoo and MSN come up with a better form of Adsense and kick Google’s Butt. It will help break Monopoly.” Needless to say his statements earned him the highest applause.

This session helped throw light on different opportunities that a marketer can use with the help of web2.0. Hence after understanding web2.0 from an entrepreneurial and marketers view, the next session hosted the views of Venture Capitalist.

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