Categories

Brands empowering and serving the underserved.

Criteria of Selection:

1) An Indian or a multinational brand.

2) Offers value for money

3) Addresses aspirations of the target groups through constant innovation in the various elements of the marketing mix, such as product, pricing, distribution, promotion, customer experience.

4) Geographical presence in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities

Disruptors and innovators challenging the status quo.

Criteria of Selection:

- An Indian or a multinational brand.

- Launched between 2020 and 2023, both years included.

- Must be a new concept or a state of mind.

- Must have challenged a belief system or foundations defining the product category.

- Must have experienced significant and rapid growth in 2023.

Brands leveraging technology to create new products and to connect with consumers.

Criteria of Selection:

- An Indian or a multinational brand.

- Must have technology at the heart of the product/brand.

- Must have clearly-defined revenue stream.

- Must have been active in 2023.

: Established brands maintaining relevance through evolving strategies.

Criteria of Selection:

- An Indian or a multinational brand in existence in India for the last 30 years or more.

- Has maintained brand integrity while evolving according to changes in the marketplace.

New brands making a significant splash in the market.

Criteria of Selection:

- Brand launched in at least 10 states and/or union territories in 2023.

- Has shown visible impact in terms of paid media, owned media, earned media or social media.

- Has shown significant promise of revenue.

Brands embodying luxury and aspiration.

Criteria of Selection:

- An Indian or a multinational brand.

- Perceived as a ‘luxury’ brand in India.

- May belong to any product or service category.

- Must have been active in the Indian market in 2023

Brands capturing headlines and shaping conversations.

Criteria of Selection:

- A brand, whether Indian or international, that achieved substantial visibility in India through earned media in the year 2023-24.

- Demonstrated increased customer engagement with the brand. For example, search activity, website traffic, app downloads, social media responses, calls to the contact center, visits to the dealer/retail outlet, etc

- Evidenced sales growth or strong potential for sales expansion directly attributable to this heightened brand presence.

Brands making a mark in specific regions or markets.

Criteria of Selection:

- The company's corporate headquarters must be situated in a non-metropolitan area of India. For products, the manufacturing unit may be located anywhere in India, and for services, the back office or BPO can be anywhere.

- The brand can have either regional or national presence.

- It must have been introduced in 2021 or earlier.

Brands revitalizing their image and relevance.

Criteria of Selection:

- Resurgence should entirely be a result of changes in the product or the marketing mix.

Brands making a positive social impact.

Criteria of Selection:

- An Indian or a multinational brand.

- Must have been involved in cause-marketing or cause-related marketing in 2023.

- The activities must be visible and bring about a positive change in consumers' perception of the brand.