Ritu Kishore Raizada is the Senior Vice President– Marketing & Communications at Think Strawberries. She plays a lead role in shaping account and brand planning, client strategy, marketing technology and campaigns for Think Strawberries. With over 24 years of industry experience, she has handled the South Asia region – India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as Head of Media & Brand Communications for industry giants like Nestle and Yum! Restaurants (Pizza Hut, KFC). Ritu’s guidance on brand strategy and deployment has led to successful and award-winning marketing solutions for brands across multiple industry disciplines.
Her Past Experience And Journey So Far
With a wide experience in the industry, her work speaks volumes about her. Talking about her journey, she says, “With 25 years of industry experience across multiple sectors in marketing and communications, I have handled the South Asia region – India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and worked on in-depth marketing strategies for some of the world’s most valuable brands. At Think Strawberries, I have been shaping client strategy, leveraging marketing technology and ideating campaigns for the destinations and tourism products we represent. The journey in the travel industry has been an amazing one as the measure of success is immediate and ROI driven in terms of generating short-term visitor arrivals and/ or ticket sales.”
How Did She At Think Strawberries Tackle The Negative Impact Of The Pandemic?
Covid 19 had its adverse effects on the travel industry, but there was a spark in her that kept her going. When asked about the steps taken in terms of cost-cutting and employee handling, she said, “We focused on development work with clients and utilized the pandemic time to educate B2B buyers about the portfolio of products we represent. It was a great opportunity to engage with our travel trade partners and immerse them in our destinations through webinars, virtual events and meetings. Safety continues to be one of the most important aspects of our marketing strategies.”
“Now that countries have started to lift travel restrictions, our prime agenda is to instil confidence in the minds of the consumers about our destinations and attractions. For instance, the ‘One Island One Resort’ concept of the Maldives, one of our prominent clients, has been at the forefront of all our marketing efforts to promote the safety and seclusion of travellers. India was the top source market for the Maldives in 2020 and even in 2021 Indians continue to be a key segment for the island nation.” she added.
Representation Industry In India Evolving With The Digital Era?
In the digital era where everything is a click away, the representation industry has evolved too. While speaking to the Dope, Ms Raizada said, “There has been a tremendous transformation. The entire paradigm of operation has changed and is continuously evolving. There are a lot of efficiencies that have come to pass with regard to time and resource conservation. The digital transformation has accelerated trends like ‘connect from home (CFH)’, ‘connect from base’ and successfully converted in-person meetings, events and training to virtual ones.”
“Even clients are accepting virtual connections across countries as it is much more efficient, streamlined and of course, faster. The whole thing is adding to speed – speed to market, speed to operations,” she added.
Brands Think Strawberries Represents In India And Strategy Behind Marketing Of A Brand?
Ms Raizada couldn’t stop gushing about Think Strawberries and her marketing strategies. She said, “Think Strawberries is actively promoting various destinations and world-class entertainment attractions in India including Maldives Tourism, Sharjah Tourism, Ain Dubai, Majid Al Futtaim, Dubai Parks and Resorts, among many others. We are focused on creating a customised strategy for all our clients which is relevant to their target segments in the Indian market. We aim at bringing the product to life with very vivid imagery which Think Strawberries is widely acclaimed for. Our focus is not on selling our services but on a solution that truly solves problems. “
How Well Prepared Is Think Strawberries From The Marketing Perspective To Engage With The Audience?
The marketing ideas and perspective that Ms Raizada brings to the table is extraordinary. When asked about how well prepared is Think Strawberries for the audience, she says, “Over the years, we have developed creative units that are optimally placed to derive the best results. This has been possible because of the kind of team, resourcing and leadership available which has over 125 years of collective experience working with top global companies to deliver the most effective outputs.”
What Point In The Content To Commerce Journey Does Think Strawberries Stand At?
Think strawberries has been marketing the act of marketing when it comes to their audience and content. Ms Raizada has a wide role to play in it. This is what she had to say about it:
“We assess each of our destinations and products with minute granularity to understand their relevance, appeal (both in B2B and B2C), life cycle in the Indian market and then reconfigure them to mine their maximum potential from a diverse and high growth travel market such as India. We consider our accountability to be end-to-end in the content to commerce lifecycle.”
Message For Aspirants Who Want To Be A Part Of Travel Industry?
“There is no parallel to the opportunity, excitement and rewards of a career in travel. It is one of the most dynamic areas offering manifold opportunities for every skill and a chance to see the world with a different lens and gather unique experiences that add to life really lived!” she believes.
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