Understand your audience

Understanding your audience is indisputably the key to any effective marketing or communications campaign. No wonder, the bigger guys have big departments in place to understand the demographic and pyschographic profiles of their customers (and prospects), that often can be divided into multiple segments! Similarly, the internal communications departments are gaining more insights on their employees to reach out to them in a more effective and efficient manner.

However, off late I have noticed that even the smaller ones are unknowingly becoming more conscious of this and using it to effectively sell, or up-sell, or cross-sell, basically to address the needs of their customers. The best example of using a customer care-about for cross-selling was when after a pedicure, I was asked if I was wearing closed shoes. When I replied in positive, my nail therapist took out a pair of basic flip-flops and said, "Would you like to buy one?.. (continuing in same breath).. only $10?"

I marveled at the ingenuity of these spa guys. They understood their customers, sensed their need, and bingo, there they were! It really didn't require any elaborate business strategy, or market research, or capital investment to sell these flip-flops at this tiny salon! Truly I would have never imagined a manicure and pedicure (only) salon selling flip-flops. Even if I had broken my shoe right infront of their shop, I probably would have never taken a chance by asking them if they had something that I could put on my feet. I mean, I could still inquire if they sold lipsticks for instance; I would take it for granted that they did sell nail paints though.

In retrospect, however, why didn't I buy the pair of flip-flops? So the nail therapist repeatedly asserted that my nail paint would get chipped, and I really didn't care much about it. The damn thing had just costed me $18 (I had a Groupon). If I was paying a hefty price for the nail art, then I may have worried. So can I say that I didn't see value in their work, or atleast as much value? Though honestly I can be quite a tomboy when it comes to stuff related to personal grooming, another reason why I would never pay for nail art sort of stuff, until I get an attractive deal. Not the ideal sort of customer!

So had the nail therapist insisted that I spend more time waiting at the salon to let the nail paint dry adequately, I probably would have bought a pair. I value time, mine and everyone else's. (Bought it more so because I forgot to carry my book along that day). I may have also bought a pair if they were a tad bit cuter, but then selling fancier slippers would definitely lower their profits assuming they continue selling at $10 per pair! Anyway, so this is where she went wrong with me, probably because I comprised a minuscule of her audience, and definitely not the ideal segment.

Lufthansa Flavors

Talk about excellent Target Marketing and Customer Engagement, and Lufthansa tops the chart amongst the international airlines!

The airline recently ran an Indian recipe contest, Lufthansa Flavors, for their Indian audience. The contest encouraged and awarded people for submitting an Indian recipe, or voting for their favorite recipe, or even telling a friend about this contest, besides a weekly raffle. They had a dedicated portal, Flavors of India (click to be redirected), for the contest and promoted it heavily on Times of India (TOI) website.

They were clearly targeting the Indians living in the US since the raffle ticket prizes were gift certificates valid for major restaurants chains in the US. Anyway since they don't have domestic operations in India, it doesn't make any sense to target Indians living in India, and causing a huge spillage of marketing resources. Obviously Indians living abroad make for a more qualified audience!

Lufthansa must have availed the geo-targeting option for online advertising with TOI. This implies that Lufthansa's advertisement would show-up each time someone logs onto the TOI website with an IP address from the US. Even from a psychographic perspective, their choice of medium is interesting since a Non Resident Indian (NRI), or a prospective customer for Lufthansa, is quite likely to read the online version of TOI. As a side note, it is also interesting to note their choice of words, for instance, 'raffle' as commonly used in the US and not 'lucky draw' as in India.

But why a recipe contest? I wondered, and came up with a plausible explanation.

Well, food is an important part of both our culture and lives in general (as witnessed by the health of an average Indian). It is also an important way of showing our love and hospitality towards someone. I am sure you have heard stories of how we like to feed our guests to death! It also plays a central role in our festivals, and we do have dishes associated with certain religious and cultural festivals. Moreover, Lufthansa is not the cheapest airline to fly between India-US so I am inclined to believe that it does not target the price sensitive customer, who can put up with a crappy meal to save a few hundred bucks on a 10+ hours flight. Lastly, a recipe contest will also grab the attention of stay-home wives and moms, who by the way travel back home more often.

It would definitely be interesting to know if the contest could have any immediate significant effect on Lufthansa's revenue from the US-India sector even though that may not have been the very objective of the contest.

Hail Blackberry Boys!

Blackberry (BB) had the first mover advantage in the PDA space in India, which, amongst other factors such as the product itself, was responsible for its wide-spread corporate adoption.. to a point where it became a status symbol. Owning a BB signified that you were are a key person in your organization, who needed to be connected at all times.

However, after BB became a part of the corporate clout, a need was felt to broaden its target segment and consequently cheaper BB variants were launched. These phones still supported mailing, browsing and BB messenger to keep one connected on-the-go while compromising on functionalities such as a super camera though you could still make-do with this camera if you weren’t a professional photographer.

At the same time, to maintain differentiation and the status aura for their senior execs and corporate clients, BB was smart to launch attractive options that were sleeker and sexier, and had better functionalities and steeper price tags. Infact, these attractive handsets by BB were comparable to Apple's i-Phone in stylistic features though with a different interface, and the ultimate purchase decision was a function of preference for either QWERTY keyboard and BB Messenger, or Touchpad & i-Ph Apps. Of-course the corporate contracts with telecom operators undoubtedly had a role to play here!

The launch of cheaper handsets, starting from INR 8 to 10k, was a beginning. They also used BB messenger as a potent tool, which in my view worked as a viral. The feature supported free chatting if you and your friend owned a BB and was attractive for young adults, probably in the age group of 16 to 30. The priorities of this segment were BB messenger, browsing and emailing, in this order - the exact reverse for a corporate guy with emailing, browsing and BB messenger as a requirement in that particular order. Thirdly, the compatibility of BB services with Vodafone, along with Airtel, ensured that BB was using the distribution channels of both major telecom operators. Infact, Vodafone now supports the BB services even for its prepaid, low value customers.

It is also interesting, though obvious, to notice the change in BB's advertising message with the change in its positioning. Just try recalling and contrasting the first few ads for BB completely centered around the theme of keeping 'daddy out of his office' so that he could spend more time with his little one to the current Vodafone BB Boys ad now. Click here to view the ad! The BB Boys ad does a great job of coining a catchy term 'BB Boys', which has already become a part of the lingo and is often mentioned on social networking sites. In my view, a long commercial (1 min) such as this is expensive to air but at the same time it focuses on a single message and conveys it effectively to achieve its objective of targeting a new segment of customers.

- Namrta R

Out-of-the box!

Does the box (or packaging) count?

Do the consumers have a bias towards a better packaged product, and if yes, under what conditions would they be willing to pay a premium for it? I spoke to a tiny sample in order to gather data points to generalize these answers.

A good packaging may improve the overall appeal of the product, thus making it preferred over its competing products or even substitutes. This is true particularly with the items that induce an impulse buy, for instance food. Chocolates come to my mind almost instantly! "I am guilty of falling for lesser known herbal tea that command a premium for their fancy packaging. Sometimes, I prefer buying an extra variety of this tea over coffee" confides Jessica, a 43 year old HR professional. Con: Consumers with a strong brand preference, or loyalists (though the implication of the word 'loyal' is very succinct today).

Another category that commands a premium for good packaging would be the 'aspirational' products. Perfumes, watches and dainty jewelry – what I describe as the luxury products for the rising middle class masses, perhaps a little oxymoronic! I have observed how most companies use exclusive packaging and premium imagery (in sync with the product positioning) to market them, creating an aura of exclusivity and desirability. An imaginative, and mostly innovative, element is added to the packaging of these products through R&D. Mohan, a 27 year old student, asserts, “Perfume bottles resembling nude women et-cetra are commonplace now, so I bought Azuro that comes in a cool kind of a vertical bottle with a surprisingly well balanced centre of gravity”. I am sure these guys spend heck of a considerable budget for their 'Package Development'. This implies that good packaging may also cause an increase in the production cost, and hence the price if the producer decides to pass it on to the consumer – another con!

And then, the last category comprises reusable, sturdy (often also microwaveable) containers – bought by price-sensitive guys, who readily pay a premium, and even hoard-up the product in order to collect similar containers. "I bought 12 kilograms of coffee, or rather 12 one-kilogram packs of coffee simply to obtain the jars they came in. I consider these as a worthwhile collection to my kitchen shelf,” says a 55 year old housewife, Jyotsna, who paid a premium (over the ‘jar-less’ coffee packs) for these jars and is still consuming the same coffee after 1.4 years of buying it.

On the hindsight, I'd assert that even before the inclusion of 'Packaging' as one of the several Ps of Marketing, the astute marketers were already harnessing this consumer bias and often even passing on the packaging cost to their consumers. A related concept was giving out freebies. It would be interesting to find out how the supply-chain cost increases with an addition of a freebie to the product volume. Just a thought!

It'd also be interesting to find out that what proportion of the budget is allocated to Package Development by a FMCG (or CPG) company. After all, packaging seems to be a science and not an art anymore!

- Namrta R

Are you Loyal?

It's amazing how the Loyalty Programs can get you hooked on! These days you can find a Loyalty Card for almost everything - airlines, websites, malls and retail outlets, grocery shops, bars and restaurants, even petrol bunks!

So if I wish to fly to Dubai to satisfy my greed for clothes and shoes, I earn Air Miles, and further reward points for every buck spent on accessorizing and pleasing myself. Sounds good. Thanks to the wallet makers who drive this fetish further by providing ample slots to 'house' these Loyalty Cards.

So I often wondered that why don't the Indian Railways start such a Loyalty Program for frequent travelers such as me. Infact, you will be surprised to know that the IRCTC website doesn't let you book more than 10 railway tickets per month whereas this deserves a discount for the 'bulk buy'! I am sure the railways would have lost a couple of web bookings due to factors such as this and also their comparatively tedious booking procedure, thus making the customers migrate to other (affiliated) travel sites with a more user-friendly interface, ease of booking, discounts and loyalty programs.

But finally they are here with their SOFT (Scheme for Frequent Travelers), and it's better late than never. Now you accumulate miles for every rupee spent on rail travel and can lay claim to free ticket(s) just like you can in any other loyalty program. Of-course they have their own terms and conditions such as they don't give miles on travel in anything less than AC 2 Tier, which in my opinion should be fine. Considering it's so hard to get a confirmed reservation in AC 2 Tier closer to the date of travel, I presume there would be ample 'takers' for this!

However, I feel they still have a few lessons to be learned from their counterparts because their Loyalty Card doesn't come for free. They charge you Rs 500 for signing-up for first year and an annual renewal fee of Rs 300 every subsequent year. Not heard of a paid loyalty program for individuals in a long time now though it may suit the likes of travel agents.

It'll be interesting to notice how this program evolves. I'll keep you updated!

- Namrta R

Product Engineering

And who says that product engineering is all about making the products better! Instead its about increasing the per capita consumption, and hence the sales of the product and the revenue of the company. Himalaya seems to have adopted a unique technique too!

I tried Himalaya's neem (green) facewash way back in 2006, really liked it, and even propagated it to the others. And have pretty much been a brand loyalist since then! They have made minor modifications to their packaging, almost twice, and have even launched a liquid version of the facewash, with a handsome bottle (I presume that 'bottle' is masculine :D) but almost double the price!

A loyalist and a curious observer, Himalaya's latest experiment couldn't escape my observation. In my opinion, their R&D team seems to have increased the cohesive force amongst the molecules of the facewash, which in turn has the quantity per use of the facewash has increased. Let me explain how. (I hope it does make sense scientifically!)

There have been discernible changes to the texture of the face-wash, which now comes out of the tube with a considerable oozing noise. Firstly, it doesn't spread on the palm anymore, in the shape of a coin, as the facewashes, bodywashes and handwashes are supposed to. Instead, it requires holding more like a pearl for it is ALMOST solid. (I attribute this to an increase in the force of cohesion). So basically if you have your palm stretched straight, the face-wash could be a little hard to hold-on it and it would sure go down the drain ('poor' pun-intended). This, obviously, makes it more difficult to froth also as it does require some effort.

I could feel the difference particularly because I am such a zombie in the morning and I so want to go through my ablutions so effortlessly, while the facewash would just slip-off in the basin, from my palm, too often. I also noticed that when I wasn't applying a considerable effort to froth the facewash or rub it on my face, I actually needed re-apply or increase quantity of facewash.

What an amazing way to increase the consumption! More like altering the inherent qualities of the product, which is a factor that they can control. So, while their marketing team worries about increasing their customer base and increasing the per capita consumption per customer, the R&D guys have already implemented a fall-back option in the recessionary environment that would see them through for sometime.

Interestingly, Himalaya seems to have tried this only with their neem facewash. Probably it wants to monitor the effect of this change on the sales of this facewash, if any, before implementing it across their products.

Surprisingly, I don't feel like a consumer who has been fleeced-off some extra bills, I rather feel pleasantly surprised at their ingenuity :P

- Namrta R

Constitutents of a Brand

Brands just amaze me. Indeed, in my opinion, they are the biggest creation ever!

The term brand originated from the Old Norse word ‘brandr’, meaning to burn, and is of Anglo-Saxon origin. In the olden days, around 4000 years back, farmers used to mark their cattle, and other livestock, for easy identification by burning the hide. This practice was later replicated to mark fugitives, galley slaves, gypsies, vagabonds, brawlers, and even clergy for an easy identification. However, in the days to come though this practice of burning hide was eventually replaced by painting on the livestock with pine tar or paint, but the term ‘brand’ remained with us forever, and evolved as a concept to be discussed in the finest B-schools across the world. And what also remained back with us were the Egyptian tomb walls, dating back to 2000 BC, which also have some peculiar marks for easy identification, as a fine example of the then branding. Whatever said and done, there is no two-way about the fact that the basic role of a brand, evidently, was to serve as a platform to identify and differentiate objects, like from like, or like from unlike.

Lets now fast forward to the present, a world which is so very 'branded'. Its like living in a closet full of brands, weird analogy, but that's how I feel. I eat, drink, wear, drive, play, talk, write, feel, think and use brands all the time. Infact I feel that I also breathe brand, since the air conditioner, and even the residential or office space is branded :)

Although the constitution of brand is more complex in today's competitive and saturated market, yet the basic role of a brand remains pretty much the same, ie, identification. In the past, it could be a letter, numeral, character, or symbol, or a combination of one or more of any of these, or all of these, however today I would describe a typical brand as a sum-total of the following elements:

1) Name: An identity, much like your name. Imagine if a brand was to have only a visual representation, and not a name, how would someone talk about it. Its like living in a world without names where people talk about each-other by, let’s say, referring to pics. So, we would all need to carry a photo album with us wherever we went, with everyone's pic, everyone we know of of-course. And when we want to refer to a third person, in the course of our conversation, we would need to out our album, look into the index for the right he-she, then flip to the right pic, and start talking. And when we meet someone new, rather than the business card, we would exchange our pic. Sounds funny, but seems like the only possible solution. I would actually maintain albums under categories like 'hot', 'medium' and 'ugly' ;) Or use an i-phone to make things lot easier :) Only catch would be to communicate to people who aren't quite gifted with sight or vision, or simply put are blind.

2) Logo: A visual identity, and very crucial for brand, esp (i) when the name of the brand is difficult to pronounce, or not-so-sure kind of a term (eg Gucci, Actis, Lacoste) (ii) while communicating either a local name to an international audience (eg Haldiram, Ayur) or an english name to a non-english speaking country (iii) while communicating to an uneducated or illiterate audience who can't quite read.

3) Tagline: Often used to sum-up the essence of the brand experience, or the value which the brand promises to deliver. It can also be used for enforcing a higher/top-of-the mind brand recall, by being a catchy or memorable jingle. And some of them could be effective like 'thanda matlab Coca Cola' or 'No one can eat just one'! So, next time you ask for 'thanda', you may actually land-up saying 'Coca Cola' instead, and you may not want to share your bag of chips. (Disclaimer: I don’t have statistics before and after the campaigns to prove if these taglines have actually resulted in an increase of sales and revenue)

4) Typeface: An important constituent, but the least important amongst all of them, and a sort of secondary visual identity. Infact, in many cases, it may even replace a logo. Like the typeface for Coca Cola is a unique font, and patented by the company. Even brands like D'dmas and CRY use a typeface in place of a logo. However, most brands use both the logo and the typeface, like Gucci, Reliance, Castrol, Tanishq, Shell, so-on and so-forth.

I don’t know if this was fair dissection of the term ‘brand’ but I am quite evidently, quite fascinated by the whole phenomenon of branding. And if I could make my bread, butter and fuel out of it, then I guess I would just ideate brands - their name, logo, tagline and typefaces, to add yet another ‘member’ to the closet I live in!

Watch this space for more on ‘Brands’!!!

BJN: A case in Corporate Branding

I appreciate beauty, and I surely can’t help noticing ads. I seldom criticize them, because creativity is very subjective, and its as personal as an opinion!

So, a few days back when I came across this ad while flipping thru ‘Bangalore Times’ – a supplement that most people swear by, I was struck by a clear, white background with a clear, distinct message!

Unlike customary, the ad had no headline, sub-head or body copy, instead it conveys the message pictorially. An ad for the famous hangout – ‘Indijoe’ – it achieves the following objectives:

1) Educates the readers about the three branches Indijoe has in the city.

2) Gives the ph nos for each of the branches – for enquiries regarding cuisines or timings, making reservations, or just finding the driving directions to these joints.

3) Brands BJN Group. Indijoe, being a successful hangout, can have a rub-off effect on the Group company and form favorable associations.

4) Takes a step further by establishing further credibility with a timestamp ‘1998’ – a very ‘been there, done it!’ approach, thus portraying the group as an established company.

Well, I just couldn’t ignore the strong element of Corporate Branding in this ad, which cannot be anything but a conscious management decision. So, I did wonder and put some factors down that may have prompted a strong focus on the parent Group.

1) The Group is looking forward to diversify in related fields, like hotels, tourism, etc. However, my guess is that they wouldn’t move out of the ‘hospitality’ domain.

2) The Group is going global. Now-a-days, everyone seeks an easy way out by way of acquisitions to save the trouble of starting from scratch.

3) The Group is going public. Boy, then they would require ‘some’ branding to ensure a good ‘List Price’ for their IPO.

Besides Indijoe, BJN also owns several other brands in the city, 13 in total (if I may rely on my credit card statement – since half my salary goes to them every month), namely - Samarkand, Hypnoes, Angeethi, Aromas of China, Phirnagi Pani, Sahib Sindh Sultan, Bombay Post, etc. They operate in six cities – Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Gurgaon and Jaipur.

Ah, it is beginning to sound like a ‘Boiler Plate’ for BJN…

- Namrta R

Sleep with your wife

OOH..!

Yes, OOH or Out-of-home advertising is a booming industry segment, with the key driver being billboards or hoardings. Though hoardings are the most traditional and commonly used medium of OOH communication, yet it's unbelievable to see so many guys go wrong with them.

In my opinion, we should strictly adhere to the following principles for a billboard to serve its purpose better, keeping in mind the placement of a billboard usually a prominent traffic signal or on a highway:

1) It should convey just THE key message, only and only one in number!

2) It should not be cluttered, be it with text or graphics.

3) It should have only the headline and the sub-head; no body copy pls, considering it would be mounted up at a considerable height.

4) It should be catchy enough to draw the attention of the commuters through the route, assuming of-couse that most of them are a prospect for us!

5) And of-course, the only determining factor for selection of the billboard site should be the foot falls of target audience, and not the absolute cost, size, etc.

One of the finest examples of billboards I have seen recently, is a hoarding for Indigo airlines. With a background in indigo, also the corporate color for the airline, the billboard has only three elements, a headline, a sub-headline and a logo - all in color white on a plain, single colored indigo background.

Sleep with your wife

Same day departures from all metros

[Indigo airlines Logo]

No graphic, no design and not even a tint, but never-the-less, extremely catchy and I can also bet, one of the most effective billboards ever. I can't but applaud the genius who created this hoarding, which conveys the key message so ingeniously. With a headline which grabs attention at once, and gels well with the key message or the sub-head, the communication is most catchy, clear and crisp. A 'no-graphic' approach draws attention to the brand logo, which further reinforces the brand recall. Kudos guys for the play of words! Put-up at a prominent traffic signal at Golf Course Road inGurgaon, near the hub of MNCs, it also gets the right eye-balls.

Facts about OOH: According to the FICCI PwC report, OOH is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13% from Rs 11 bn in 2006 to Rs 17.5 bn in 2010. This growth is further propelled by infrastructure development in the form of highways, expressways, airports, increase in commuting time, with the only threats being either the economic downturn or the pace of development.

- Namrta R

Marketing Vs Sales

Philip Kotler asserts that ‘marketing’ focuses on consumers while ‘selling’ focuses on producers. So, in a ‘selling’ approach the producer pushes the products that he finds convenient to procure or manufacture. Whereas in a ‘marketing’ approach the producer gauges and takes into account both the needs and expectations of his consumer, which eventually act as a pull factor for the consumer. Hence, the latter type of approach also calls into play the factors such as innovation, optimum pricing, etc to address the concerns and suit the convenience of the king.. err, the consumer.

However, as described in the modern times, in terms of job roles, marketing and sales carry a different implication.A sales role is a more focused, relationship-based function. It is typically a one-to-one or one-to-few approach, and entails a personal interaction with the prospect or the customer, to understand his need. Huh, will someone care about my needs, please!!

On the contrary, marketing is a one-to-many, and a more intelligent function than sales. Ahem, spare me, I meant it to be more in terms of business intelligence! So you look at the industry trends and statistics; the target audience demographic and psychographic profiles; the pricing, the sales channel, positioning and the USP (Unique Selling Point) vis-à-vis your competitors.


The media used by marketing, it could Above the Line (or ATL) or in the face marketing promotion activities or it could be Below the Line (BTL) subtle marketing promotion activities! The typical ATL activities comprise advertising, mass-mailers, events, etc, while the BTL activities would include public relations activities, theme events, industry events, participation as a third-party, etc.

- Namrta Batra

Misleading Brand Names

So, I've harped enough on the importance of a name in my previous post titled 'Consituents of a Brand' (Click here to joggle your memory!)

Lets try and figure out the conventional parental wisdom underlining the choice of an apt name for their kid, and how these names usually fare,

1) A quality or an attribute they wish to associate with or inculcate in the kid.
- So, do all 'Namrata-s' turn out to be an epitome of politeness :P ???

2) A not-so-common, or rather uncommon name.
- Could have a higher recall, by the heck of being different, and no association!

3) Or simply, a name that sounds good!
- Can be just too generic, easy to pronounce, and remember, and difficult to be associated with a face or a person!

Similarly, the tradition of adding surnames or family names can be explained as,

4) Establishing a lineage with the ancestors, so as to leverage their reputation!
- Can have a rub-off effect and perceptual parental influence.
...................................................................

Lets talk 'brands' now :)

I believe brands is not just an intangible entity, instead its a concept, indeed a phenomenon!

So, let me describe a brand as a planned phenomenon, spread over various phases, which enables a consumer to form tangible or intangible associations with the brand to effectively differentiate it with similar commodities.

Even before a 'brand' is launched in the market, the father, the mother, and the entire family of the brand, spend considerable time thinking and planning for its conception, launch, growth, nourishment, management, and marketing.

So, ideally a brand should have the most representative name, and the right kind of associations - to ensure the right positioning, or rather owing to the right positioning! Yet, its quite ironical that some of the brands may have one of the most misleading and deceptive names! Is it deliberate, uh, lets discover. In my opinion, a brand name should usually rests upon one of these premises,

1) A quality or an attribute, often intended to be associated, with the brand, eg. Reliance
2) A benefit derived, or promised to be derived, from the brand, eg. Sleepwell
3) Association with the parent-brand, eg. Wills Lifestyle
4) Association with the product-line of the brand, eg. Citibank
5) Association with the industry-segment of product, eg. Shopper's Stop
6) Association with the founder, et al, eg. Levis

Unfortunately, we get to hear more misleading and undecipherable names, that make it difficult for us to form an association or connection with the brand, eg. Apple, Axis, Actis, Reebok, Milton, Revlon, Mirinda, Lays, Bata, Philips, Dr Green, 5 Star, Dominos, Fab India, Castrol, and the list is endless. I am not debating the success or failure of these names, since a number of factors go into making a brand a successful! The role played by Advertising, BTL (Below the Line) promotions, and the PR is more crucial than the mere name, for the promotion and top-of-the mind recall of a brand.

However, I am just trying to question the relevancy, the association and the connection of such names - and figure out if its a safe marketing tactic! There is no dearth of such misleading and mis-associated names. 'Dezire' to me sounds like a condom brand, probably the idea was to position the car as a desire of object. Similarly, 'Fabindia' sounds more like a travel operator! On the contrary, one of the most apt names I ever heard was 'Nirman' - a construction company, how significant, can't say if successful though!

With thousands and thousands of brands in the closet we live in, I am sure there must be many more interesting names, worthy of a mention! So, do share some with me if you have an interesting take on any...

- Namrta Batra

The Dark Temptation

A cute ad! It reinforces the brand message of 'irresistible' quite distinctly and strongly. Also, grabs attention.

With all the, not-so creative or even not-so-seductive, beauty soap ads, that air half-nude models in a seemingly fake kamasutra pose in bath tubs, its a pity that this Axe ad has been banned. The only erotic element in this ad, probably, for a 'family watch' is the 'axe' chocolate caricature being assaulted at his ears and his ass. But then aren't the kids anyway exposed to this trivia through bollywood and even other subtly obscene ads.

Another interesting observation is that where as the media always portrays the male as a protagonist in any act related to sexual pleasure, atleast this ad unconsciously, subtly and cutely, contributes to these lil girls growing-up as women comfortable with their sexuality.

It definitely stands out in the clutter, with a threshold level of as low as two exposures I guess. C'mon guys, spare this one!

- Namrta Batra

The Brand Communications Cycle

With the shift from ‘mullah’ to ‘marketing’, and from 'being there' to 'brands' - the companies feel an increasingly compelling need for 'Communications'.

The companies need to communicate to an array of external stakeholders comprising the customers, the prospects, the media, the suppliers, the dealers, the board of directors, the investors, the share-holders and the other financial community. An interesting trend, however, is the evolution of Communication and the key messages with the growth of the company.

Based upon my observation, and limited experience, I have categorized it the Communication in four different phases and mapped them back to the Brand Cycle!

Phase 1: Sell the damn thing, just get me mullah!

So the communication is centered around selling the product, and may even directly talk about the product benefits. It would especially be used to announce discounts or offers, bascially to give the user an incentive to buy.

Phase 2: Product Branding, to foster a top-of-mind recall, and the right associations with the product.

Usually done by way of advertising and events, at this stage the key message is centered around the product's USP (Unique Selling Proposition) and may also incorporate and stress upon aspects like service, technical support, quality, etc. These factors go a long way in building the product as a brand by way of differentiation in the clutter, on the basis of intangible but important factors. And the biggest advantage of a buidling the product as a brand is that it increases the profit margins considerably.

Phase 3: Corporate branding, by way of Advertising or Public Relations.

If there are more than one brand under a single corporate umbrella, in related fields, then most often corporate advertising results in a rub-off effect from the successful to the not-so-successful brand. However, if the brands are in diverse fields, then the rub-off effect would more be in the form of brand associations.

The corporate PR, on the other hand, brings in third-party credibility into picture. For example, a mention in an industry article is a subtle and credible way of imposing ‘We are also here - big, strong & steady!’

Phase 4: Positioning the company as a ‘thought-leader’ for the whole Industry.

It’s typically the last stage of Public Relations, mostly inbound. The higher management of the company, particularly the CEO, is invited of his own accord, to share his thoughts on economic (or even social) issues, eg. Industry trends, Employment Opportunities, Inflation, Infrastructure, etc.

This kind of a situation may get tricky if the company comes to be associated with a particular face. However, if the quality of these contributory articles, usually written by the Public Relations professional, doesn’t suffer, then even a change in personnel can be pitched-in for with the media.

-Namrta Batra

Consumerism: Coming of Age

The tide of “consumerism” has swept the globe and has given birth to a new generation of consumer with four basic rights of choice, information, safety and redressal. With a steep increase in the disposable income, especially with the middle class, ‘impulse’ buy is catching-up over the ‘need’ buy. Fuelling this trend are the seasonal discounts, promotional schemes and attractive POP (Point of Purchase) displays or mannequins.

However, at the same time consumers today are not willing to compromise their rights as a consumer, showing concern over the honesty of advertising and the quality of consumer goods.

Birth of “consumerism”
The ideology of consumerism gained ground in 1950's and began to push for increased rights and legal protection against malicious business practices. However, it was brought into focus in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy introduced the Consumer Bill of Rights to the United States Congress, stating that the consuming public has a right to be safe, to be informed, to choose, and to be heard. Subsequently, March 15 every year is celebrated as World Consumer Rights Day. Fuel was added to the fire in 1966 with the publication of Ralph Nader's book Unsafe at Any Speed, which attacked portions of the automotive industry. When corruption of government officials in the Watergate scandal of the 1970s, coupled with widespread consumer dissatisfaction with the quality of products and inflation were combined with the greater sophistication brought about by consumer advocates, consumerism became a powerful, action-oriented movement in the USA.

U.N. guidelines for consumer rights
In response to protect the rights of consumers as articulated by President Kennedy three decades ago, the General Assembly of United Nations 1985 adopted the following guideline:
(a) To assist countries in achieving or maintaining adequate protection for their population as consumers;
(b) To facilitate production and distribution patterns responsive to the needs and desires of consumers;
(c) To encourage high levels of ethical conduct for those engaged in the production and distribution of goods and services to consumers;
(d) To assist countries in curbing abusive business practices by all enterprises at the national and international levels which adversely affect consumers;
(e) To facilitate the development of independent consumer groups;
(f) To further international cooperation in the field of consumer protection;
(g) To encourage the development of market conditions which provide consumers with greater choice at lower prices.

Consumer rights in India
The resonance of the U.N. declaration on consumer rights was also felt in India and to ensure consumer welfare the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, was introduced. A separate Department of Consumer Affairs was created in the Central and State Governments to exclusively focus on ensuring the rights of consumers as enshrined in the Act. This Act has been regarded as the most progressive, comprehensive and unique piece of legislation. In the last international conference on consumer protection held in Malaysia in 1997, the Indian Consumer Protection Act was described as one "which has set in motion a revolution in the fields of consumer rights, the parallel of which has not been seen anywhere else in the world."

The special feature of this Act is to provide speedy and inexpensive redressal to the grievance of the consumer and provide him relief of a specific nature and award compensation wherever appropriate. The most important feature of the Act is the provision for setting up a three-tier quasi-judicial machinery popularly known as "consumer courts" at national, state and district levels. The apex court, National Commission functions in Delhi. Every State Government has a State Commission. The third tier is in each district and is called District Forum.

Factors responsible for rise in consumerism
The sudden spurt of the service industry and the rise in disposable income with the middle class has resulted in a paradigm shift from the “seller’s market” to the “buyer’s market”. This in turn has led to a sudden surge of consumerism. The producers, propelled by the competition in the market, try to differentiate their offerings by customizing them to the needs of the consumers.

The increasing penetration and use of the internet has also contributed significantly to the rise in consumerism. e-Marketing helps a consumer transcend beyond the boundaries of a physical market and be updated on the latest discounts, offers and trends.

Implementation of several consumer laws to protect the rights of the consumers against any unfair act, practice or bargain has also been a silent aide pushing consumerism.

The rise in consumerism in the society can also be correlated to the prevailing socio-economic factors. In general, consumers in the West are less willing to compromise on the quality of the product, and more aware and vociferous about their rights.

So, is consumer the king?
It is interesting to note that inspite of U.N. recognition, encouragement from the developed countries and the pro-active role played by the Government, the consumer in India still does not get his due. Worse still, he doesn’t even ask for his due!

“In India, there is always a scope for dissatisfaction post-purchase, with no option of exchange or buy-back. So, if something doesn’t perform as promised, we blame it on luck!” exclaims Sancharita Chatterjee, a sales representative.

In India, for most people consumerism is only a feel-good factor, just like gender equality and secularism. Though it’s a subject of discussion at the public forums but when it translates into actually standing up for the rights as a consumer, there is a sudden resistance and withdrawal.

When asked why, Maria D’souza from Human Resource department explains, “There is an inexplicable hesitation and social stigma involved when it comes to dealing with lawyers and trial courts, even amongst the educated class”, she adds almost as an after-thought.

Raghvendra Mittal, a finance professional, believes, “There is a thin divide between demanding your right and creating a fuss over what wasn’t even guaranteed by the seller/producer. What makes me abstain from filing a lawsuit and getting involved with the legal procedures is the general perception of the procedure being lengthy and cumbersome, while the lawyers being manipulative and exploitative.” Everything said and done, the punishments doled out to companies in most consumer cases are often very minuscule, and don’t serve as a deterrent for them to improve their record or a disincentive not to indulge in such practices. “So, then we should really ask ourselves if it is worth,” exerts Harsh Vardhan, a businessman.

So, whereas enacting the legislations and regulations are definitely an encouraging step forward in consumer movement, but consumerism still remains only a feel good factor. These procedures need to be further simplified and implemented more stringently. On the other hand, the consumers need to be made aware of their rights, convinced about the ease of understanding these laws, the convenience of implementing them and the benefits of demanding them.

- Namrta Batra

The Multiplex Fever, Fervor..

With the multiplex fever sweeping India, catching a flick on the weekend ain’t so easy anymore especially if not pre-planned. Indeed these fancy, power-packed cinema halls have come a long way from being a craze to a rage to a chilling-out joint to a weekend hang-out to a norm… Of-course different groups and strata of stakeholders could be in different phases as yet, and will eventually reach the last stage where going to a multiplex on most weekends would just tantamount to a norm or a usual practice.

But, why do people choose these multiplexes over the usual cinema halls or even the very concept of renting a DVD from the nearest video library to watch it at home.Is it the movie? Is it the dobly surround sound? Is it the popcorn?..

Well, it definitely is the experience of a multiplex that sets them apart from a no-frills, regular cinema hall or renting a DVD.

Experience is intangible, a feeling and so it makes it a little dicey to ensure a uniform or the desired experience for each customer. However, this concept of a multiplex experience is a sum-total of various factors put-together in priority as per an individual's preference. And the least we can do is try and comprehend it better by breaking it down into the factors that matter to our Target Market Segment (TMS). So, lets take a step backwards and spend some time understanding our customers.

Step 1: Let’s work out the most basic demographic and psychographic profiles of the TMS

1) Demographics:
· Urban
· SEC A+, A, B+, B
· MHI > 10k pm/person

2) Psychographics:
· 5-day week
· Social, outgoing
· Seeking entertainment with family/friends

Step 2: Based upon the above profile(s), lets identify the factors which would sum-up to provide the TMS with the desired Multiplex ‘experience’. In addition, these factors would also determine if the TMS would choose the Multiplex ‘experience’ over other options available.

Note: The following determining factors are listed in descending order of importance. However, a combination of these factors may be applicable for different individuals.

1) Choice of movies
2) Ease of booking
3) Show timings
4) Location
5) Price
6) Crowd
7) Seating comfort
8) Variety of snacks
9) Shopping & dining options around
10) Clean loos

Step 3: Now, lets look at the macro picture by analyzing the industry segment as a whole from the point of view of a provider and not the consumer.

1) High entry barriers in the form of high investment with high (expected) ROI
2) Extremely Price-sensitive market
3) Location-sensitive market
4) Stiff competition in metros – positioning the multiplex as a brand experience worth the money. (Now, this is exactly where I come in the picture, indeed this contains all the keywords in my Job Description)

Step 4: To overcome the stiff competition and stand out in the clutter, the multiplexes try to score over each-other by developing, advertising and capitalizing upon a USP (Unique Selling Proposition). This USP is intended to eventually translate into a benefit (tangible or intangible) that could be associated with the brand as a differential advantage over the others in the same segment.

A few examples of such USPs could be -

1) Imax - The Dome: In Mumbai, Imax Wadala has this super-cool ‘Dome’ theatre where the screen is not infront of you but over you on the hemispherical dome, and supposedly 3-D. My experience – I watched ‘The Superman Returns’ in the Globe and unfortunately because the superhero flies in a straight line facing upwards (something like the literal meaning of sky-rocketing!), I couldn't experience any 3-D effects. However, people suggest watching Spideman, whose stunts are largely in the X and Z axis to get the 3-D feel. Besides this, the planetarium feel and the plush interiors are definitely a must experience.

2) PVR - Gold Class: Supposedly has a couch for two to snuggle, cuddle, huddle, nuzzle, nestle….. and free food (limited). My experience – Never explored, representative of the ‘extremely price sensitive market’

3) Fun Cinemas - Love Seats: In Bangalore, Fun Cinemas have these two ad-hoc seats (only) together randomly placed somewhere in the audi, a little misaligned and farther than the usual rows. My experience – just looks vague, you feel like you are in the spot-light which defeats the very purpose of privacy.

So, in short the multiplexes are trying to lure and satisfy the customers every way they can, be it the cleaner loos, cosier love seats, cheaper shows, easier delivery of tickets, or anything else. They are leaving no stone unturned to ensure an 'experience you would love to experience' now and soon again, every weekend.

- Namrta Batra

Set the right expectation & stand by it!

I have very vague, but fond memories of flying 'Go Air' in '06. And as I recall, I was particularly impressed by their timeliness, service and crew. Indeed I also recommended the airline to few, over the other LCCs (Low Cost Carriers), sort of WOM (Word-of-Mouth) advertising for them, though I didn't get paid for it :( But my latest, and probably the last, Go Air experience really marred my impression of the airline. Needless to say that it didn't bear any semblance to any of those faded memories I had of the then carrier or the crew.

So, let me run you thru' the sequence of events. On my way to the airport, I received an sms from the airline announcing a 40-minute delay. Having set already, I decided to hang around at the airport, and thumb-up a good book. So, I propped up my dangling feet on a spacious couch in the departure lounge, past all the checks, and waited to board a 40-min delayed flight. Well, delays often happen, rather always, and it's good to be prepared for it rather than anticipate. Personally, anticipation kills me.

I waited for some good two hours, eagerly following all announcements, with no information about my flight. It was then I started getting anxious. I looked around for the Go Air crew, and found none. Though there definitely was an empty kiosk with a colorful Go Air sign. Soon, I found other passengers, also baffled, waiting for any information about the flight, and searching avidly for the Go Air staff, who really seemed to be eluding their passengers.

Another hour passed-by. Now the passengers started asking random airport officials, and crew from other airlines, for the status of flight. We also requested them to call someone from Go Air to help the passengers with their queries, but no luck. Ridiculously strange, but true, it was then that sitting in the departure lounge, I actually called the Go Air call-center, and then their airport office, barely half a mile away from me, for the flight status. After a long two and half hour wait, I had also tried to sneak out of the departure lounge, to get an update on the flight. But it being the airport that it was, I had been watched, checked & restricted from doing so.

Its alright to be delayed, even for six hours, and I am sure the airline had thousand excuses, true or untrue, but I was a goddamn customer, and I had the goddamn right to know that my flight had been delayed, and more so, because I had bought that right!

After the long six hour camp, finally the crew appeared from a corner, and announced the boarding. People did yell, but they seemed to be oblivious, shut, from it all. We boarded, angry, furious, only to find straight-faced, curt air host & hostess were dressed in track suits, and if anyone asked them for water, they would yell “10 rupees”, ensure they collect the cash, and then get a glass of packed water from behind a small, dingy shelf. They put me off too, just as much as the long six-hour weight, and the crew at the airport. But what about them? Was it the track pants? May be, yes. Was it the lack of courtesy? May be, yes. But these guys weren’t rude. They were just straight-faced, just like I am when I meet strangers. Well, maybe. I guess, that’s where the difference lies. A mismatch of expectations and deliverables. The industry expects you to expect these air hosts & hostesses to be warm, and helpful. And any kind of expectations not met results in a disappointment.

On a product level, this can be applied when the manufacturer or seller promises A-B-C, thereby setting the customer expectations, and if he fails to deliver accordingly, the product fails miserably in the market. On the other hand, there are products that set very reasonable expectations, and promise a single or a few attributes to the customers, usually the USP (Unique Selling Proposition). Volvo, for example, stands primarily for safety, and secondarily for comfort, but it doesn’t promise looks or speed. Tide, being priced lower than the other detergents, ensures value-for-money, and doesn’t promise anything beyond bleaching the clothes white.

Even on a personal level, I feel managing expectations is a real challenge. An individual, just like a commodity or brand, should commit only what he can realistically deliver, and deliver as promised. And, its better to promise a little less than fail on your deliverable, which I believe is equivalent to cheating because when you over-promise, you are cheating yourself since you know your real ability, and it results in cheating the others because he would take your word, and count on you.

I think every principle of branding and marketing can be mapped-back and also applied to an individual. Infact, its amazing to relate and apply these fundaes to ‘I’? It really makes me feel that I am living in a closet full of brands, myself being in the process of becoming the brand 'me'. (Read label: Brands)

- Namrta Batra