When Dr Bhaskar Das cracked a Rs 5 crore sales deal with Amul without discussing pricing

Amul had never advertised in The Times of India. One day, Dr Bhaskar Das happened to visit the sales office and learned that the sales team was preparing a pitch for Amul’s MD. When he reviewed the presentation prepared for them, he found it to be ‘garbage’ and offered to make his own—without discussing pricing.

The sales team’s original pitch criticised Amul's TV spending, which he believed was the wrong approach. Instead, he began by praising their “Taste of India” campaigns and highlighting their effectiveness. Then, using Target Group Index (TGI) data, he identified untapped market segments that weren’t being reached. TGI focused on psychographics, occupation, and education, rather than income, offering a new perspective.

Amul's MD, intrigued, questioned why he hadn’t been informed of this insight before. When asked for specific ideas, he provided examples tailored to their needs. Finally, when he inquired about costs, Dr Das told him to decide based on the value he saw, even joking that if it wasn’t worth it, he’d settle for a cup of tea and the bragging rights of meeting him.

Five days later, Amul confirmed a Rs 5 crore deal.

Dr Das shared this anecdote with Gautam Shelar in his podcast ‘Sell Side Conversations’ in March 2024, as an example of a client who had initially declined but he was able to convince them. Similarly, he narrated how he convinced Madura Garments and Britannia as well.

A distinguished media veteran and stalwart of the Indian media industry, Dr Das passed away on January 15 after a prolonged battle with cancer. 

A visionary leader and former president of response at Bennett, Coleman & Co. (BCCL), Dr. Das dedicated over three decades to the organisation, playing a pivotal role in its transformation and growth. He left the organisation in 2012 and was also the president and board member of BCCL. During his six-year tenure as President, BCCL’s turnover grew from Rs 1560 crore to Rs 4200 crore.

During the podcast, he also spoke about the launch of Mumbai Mirror in 2005, where it was entering an already competitive market. “At the time, we faced intense competition from HT, Zee, and the Dainik Bhaskar group, who launched DNA. They had poached over 100 people from our editorial and advertising teams, including my boss. Taking charge, I quickly realised the challenge of competing with well-funded players like Subhash Chandra and the Dainik Bhaskar group,” he shared.

He also spoke about how the publication launched special supplements catering to different categories, for example Times Property and ET Brand Equity.

He shared that the publication engaged with industry stakeholders like CREDAI, who highlighted the need for a dedicated property publication, leading to the creation of Times Property, which generated Rs 150-175 crore as a standalone. Similarly, it launched a weekly auto publication and an auto awards initiative. Under the ET Brand Equity banner, it organised 15-20 events focused on marketing, advertising, and branding.

“Our growth strategy operates on market development, product development and by targeting new geographies and consumer segments. We nurture each initiative as an individual property, accelerating its revenue and driving overall impact,” he said.

When the Bangalore edition rose from number 4 to number 1, or TOI Delhi secured the top spot, the strategies evolved significantly. It wasn’t just about pricing but about deeper market penetration. For display ads, it collaborated with automobile dealers to recommend the publication to their head offices, leveraging cooperative advertising. Similarly, it engaged with real estate brokers to strengthen its presence in that sector.