Untold stories of 20 brands that did it best. Read on to know more on this best seller!

Day 71, Book 71: Anisha Motwani Pioneering Disruptor in Indian Marketing Anisha Motwani is a trailblazing business strategist and former corporate leader, recognized among Business Today’s "50 Most Powerful Women in Indian Business" (2009–2011).With over 30 years of experience across FMCG, automobiles, and healthcare, she founded Storm The Norm Ventures in 2015 to help brands challenge industry conventions. A board member for Abbott India and Welspun, she also advises the World Bank on initiatives like Swachh Bharat.

Book Summary

Storm the Norm (2016) Published by Rupa Publications, Storm the Norm compiles 20 stories of Indian brands that disrupted industries through unconventional strategist. The book categorizes brands into three groups:

• Legacy Innovators: Established brands like Tata Tea and MTR Foods that reinvented themselves.
• Challengers: Brands like Sprite and Axis Bank that toppled market leaders.
• Entrepreneurs: Startups like PVR Cinemas that created new categories.

Featuring forewords by Santosh Desai and Ranjan Malik, the book blends storytelling with actionable frameworks, addressing India’s unique market challenges—cultural diversity, fragmented media, and evolving consumer behavior. It fills a critical gap by presenting Indian case studies in an engaging narrative style, contrasting dry academic formats1.

Key Takeaways

1?? Reframe Competition: Sprite bypassed lime-drink rivals to target colas directly, using campaigns like "Seedhi Baat, No Bakwaas" to resonate with youth

2?? Pivot in Crisis: MTR Foods transitioned from restaurants to packaged foods during the 1975 Emergency, becoming a ?1,200-crore brand

3?? Cultural Storytelling: Tata Tea’s "Jago Re" linked chai consumption to social activism, boosting sales by 25%

4?? Anticipate Trends: MakeMyTrip’s 2005 relaunch with "lowest airfare guaranteed" dominated India’s online travel market

Brand Example

PVR Cinemas Rewriting Entertainment Rules Before: In the 1990s, single-screen theaters dominated India but faced declining audiences due to poor facilities. Storming the Norm: Chairman Ajay Bijli introduced multiplexes in 1997, blending premium seating, food courts, and varied show timings. This redefined cinema from a "ticket purchase" to an experience, attracting urban families and doubling footfalls.

Result:

• Grew from 1 theater to 1,700+ screens nationwide by 2023.
• Pioneered niche formats like PVR Director’s Cut and luxury PVR Luxe.
• Revenue surged 18x between 2000–2020, outpacing competitors.

Storm the Norm highlights how PVR’s risk-taking and consumer-centric design disrupted India’s ?20,000-crore film industry, proving Motwani’s thesis:

"The future belongs to norm-breakers."