VESSELA Kalchishkova, brand manager for the cosmetic company Rubella won the Brand Manager of the Year 2004 award by the Bulgarian Marketing Association, last Thursday, May 20.
Kalchishkova's concept for market penetration of the cosmetic products with the brand name Deva proved to be the best marketing product idea, chosen by a jury of more than 100 professionals and journalists. It was chosen among fierce competition with six other products that made it to the second round of the selection process.
All the winning concepts had women as their project managers and, according to the organisers from the Bulgarian Marketing Association, this is proof that women are better at handling the strategic part of the marketing process. Rubella's project was the only one designed by a purely Bulgarian company among the finalists, with the rest representing global brands like Nivea Lip Care, Aventis Pasteur's Vaxigrip, and Absolut vodka.
In an interview with The Sofia Echo, Kalchishkova said that Bulgarian producers are facing the tough competition of international giants, which have the easier task of adapting their marketing strategies for the Bulgarian market. She would not comment on the fact that only women were admitted to the final stage of the competition but believes that wonderful marketing professionals could also be found among Bulgarian men.
"We designed our Deva brand as a product accessible to all Bulgarian women," Kalchishkova said. This was the competitive advantage of the series of products including face and body creams, shampoos and deodorants, she said. Our strategy employed a full media mix with strong emotional advertising messages, pointing to the quality, proper price, the vision and quality maintenance of our products, Kalchishkova said. The prize is recognition not only for her but also for the efforts of the entire marketing team of Rubella, which was behind the winning strategy, she said.
The award ceremony last Thursday, May 20, was attended by Professor Vesselin Blagoev, chairman of the Bulgarian Marketing Association, Stephan Delahaye, CEO of Euro RSCG New Europe Sofia and the Deputy Economy Minister Valentin Purvanov.
The Brand Manager of the Year prize was awarded for a second time in Bulgaria. Last year, the prize was won by Diana Georgieva, the marketing manager behind the Leko paints of Orgachim.
- Business Staff
Kalchishkova's concept for market penetration of the cosmetic products with the brand name Deva proved to be the best marketing product idea, chosen by a jury of more than 100 professionals and journalists. It was chosen among fierce competition with six other products that made it to the second round of the selection process.
All the winning concepts had women as their project managers and, according to the organisers from the Bulgarian Marketing Association, this is proof that women are better at handling the strategic part of the marketing process. Rubella's project was the only one designed by a purely Bulgarian company among the finalists, with the rest representing global brands like Nivea Lip Care, Aventis Pasteur's Vaxigrip, and Absolut vodka.
In an interview with The Sofia Echo, Kalchishkova said that Bulgarian producers are facing the tough competition of international giants, which have the easier task of adapting their marketing strategies for the Bulgarian market. She would not comment on the fact that only women were admitted to the final stage of the competition but believes that wonderful marketing professionals could also be found among Bulgarian men.
"We designed our Deva brand as a product accessible to all Bulgarian women," Kalchishkova said. This was the competitive advantage of the series of products including face and body creams, shampoos and deodorants, she said. Our strategy employed a full media mix with strong emotional advertising messages, pointing to the quality, proper price, the vision and quality maintenance of our products, Kalchishkova said. The prize is recognition not only for her but also for the efforts of the entire marketing team of Rubella, which was behind the winning strategy, she said.
The award ceremony last Thursday, May 20, was attended by Professor Vesselin Blagoev, chairman of the Bulgarian Marketing Association, Stephan Delahaye, CEO of Euro RSCG New Europe Sofia and the Deputy Economy Minister Valentin Purvanov.
The Brand Manager of the Year prize was awarded for a second time in Bulgaria. Last year, the prize was won by Diana Georgieva, the marketing manager behind the Leko paints of Orgachim.
- Business Staff
