Bengaluru, Delhi, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Lucknow – This is how a list of cities with top B Schools in the country looks like. Somewhere on this list is Jamshedpur – home to XLRI. Here, we wake up to the picturesque view of the Subarnarekha river in the morning. The privileged few who wake up early get to soothe their nerves with this view before the madness of the day sets in. At the end of the day, ruby red flames from the steel plant spread their tendrils into the darkness of the night. This time around, it’s the turn of the night owls to stretch their legs. This town is a quiet town. But for two days every year, the citizens pour out of their homes to witness the biggest event in town – MAXI Fair. It is in this respect that we stand apart from other b schools.
The Marketing Association of XLRI (MAXI) is the oldest committee on campus with a 48-year legacy. MAXI Fair was conceived in 1979 by Sharad Sarin who was one of the eminent professors at XLRI. So, what is Maxi Fair? Maxi fair is not just any fair. It’s a marketing fair. On the outside, it looks no different from other fairs — a large playground occupied by makeshift tents with a sizable crowd at each tent. Men, women and children visit the XL grounds and add to the crowd. Most of them have a smile painted on their face. Why wouldn’t they? For there is a prize for all the participants of MAXI fair. That’s the picture on the outside. Behind the screens, each event has been tailored to gather marketing insights from the participants. The insights gathered help giants in the industry to tailor their products, develop product launch strategies, and marketing strategy.
A scale has to be defined to measure the success of any event. Unfortunately, I don’t have such a scale. Instead, I have success stories from this 40-year-old beauty. Ever since its inception, MAXI Fair has been turning heads in the industry. MAXI has reserved its place in both the Guinness and Limca book of world records. Marketing gurus Philip Kottler and Theodore Levitt have commended MAXI Fair. Not convinced yet? MAXI is bound to have touched most of our lives through the products that we use. Here are some of them
Brooke Bond: HUL launched a tea pack using insights from MAXI Fair. This Brooke Bond tea pack has gone on to become a Rs 100 crore brand
Nestle: Nestle changed its business strategy to launch NesTea™ based on MAXI Fair results
Pepsi: Pepsi decided to implement packaging design changes based on team MAXI's research
Richardson Hindustan: Richardson Hindustan test marketed their Herbal Vicks product at the fair before its launch
Maxi Fair is the hard work of the twenty chosen committee members. These ten disciples start setting the grand stage months before the actual event. The weight of that particular year’s success rides on their shoulders. Add to the weight the alumni of the 70-year-old institution who have an eye on the event. Okay, you have a fair point there. Not all alumni are interested in the event. Point taken. But what about ex-Maxi members? Below are some of the prominent personalities who once walked the grounds of XLRI trying to put together the yearly spectacle.
To add to the complexity, Maxi draws a crowd of 8000+ each year. A small entry fee is charged for the event. Organizers occupy street corners, malls (or mall), crowded market places, and tea stalls to sell tickets in the weeks preceding the event. To the untrained eye, they might look like street shenanigans. But the people of Jamshedpur are accustomed to the familiar sight during the winter months. For the organizers, the aim is to sell as many tickets as possible. All this is not without its share of fun. When asked about the specifics all I get are cheeky smiles. I guess what happens in MAXI stays within MAXI.
Check out the official FB handle of MAXI for interesting marketing content - https://www.facebook.com/maxi.at.xlri/
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