which BRAND have you LOVED lately?

 "Love" has become a key factor in many marketing programs. 

·         "Get consumers to fall in love with your brand."

·         "Get to their hearts as well as their minds."

·         "Create intimate, emotional connections. Pamper them with attention and affection."

So, does "love" work in marketing?  Sure. As a matter of fact, falling in love is a good analogy for the branding process.

A young person will fall in love and will get married. Now suppose the next year that same person meets someone who is better looking, wealthier and more fun to be with. Bingo, he or she tends to change their spousal brands.

Not likely. The surprising thing is not that half of all marriages end in divorce. The surprising thing is that half of all marriages don't end in divorce.

Falling in love with a person is an emotion that has consequences that can last for years. Besides, people normally don’t fall in love a second time without falling out of love first.

Falling in love with a brand has similar consequences. Just because you run across a "better" brand doesn't necessarily mean you will switch. Pepsi might taste better than Coke, but most Coke drinkers have fallen in love with the brand and NOW they won't switch.

Then "love" must be a powerful marketing strategy, right?

What differentiates the winners and losers in most categories is purely a question of who was first in the mind.

Loving one brand blocks your interest in exploring other brands in the same category. This is the ultimate advantage for the "first brand into the mind."

Without some help from a leader brand that does something inappropriate, it's exceptionally difficult for a No. 2 brand to overtake a leader. You can't fall in love with the No. 2 brand in the category until you first fall out of love with the No. 1 brand. Therefore, The No. 2 brand should pay attention in creating love for its own brand in such a way that eventually the consumers fall out of love of No. 1 Brand.  A No. 2 brand can also launch a marketing campaign to weaken the leading brand. It is also known as "repositioning the competition."

People track a similar pattern. When a consumer is in love with a particular brand, he won’t be always comparing his brand with other brands.

Most marketing messages are misdirected. If you're not the leader, then almost everything you say about yourself is totally overlooked. The consumer thinks, hey, I already love a brand, and it's not yours.

"Open happiness" is Coca-Cola's latest performance. However, why do people drink Coke instead of Pepsi? It's surely not because Coke makes them happier than Pepsi. People have fallen in love with Coke because it's the genuine cola. It was first. It's the original. It's the real thing.

Brands that are first in the mind can often effectively strengthen their leadership by using ideas and concepts that relate to their authenticity.

What's love got to do with it? LOTS. But you need to figure out how to create that love.

Have you generated the correct love for your Brand?

Cross-Platforms is the only way of building brands

While Shakuni found out that the Pandavas were in the kingdom VIRAT during the agyaat vaas (hiding period of 1 year), he did not attack virat immediately. He made the surrounding kingdoms to virat attack on kingdom virat. The entire army of virat was occupied in war against the neighbouring kingdoms.

Only then Hastinapur army (Shakuni) attacked Virat. And Virat was left with no army but the young teen age prince to fight the mightly army of Hastinapur (Guru Dhrona, Bhishma, Karna, Duryodhana and many).

Utilizing different channels in the right proportion and time will always give your Brand a One Upon like Shakuni did.

Reaching consumers has become increasingly complicated with the addition of newer and newer media platforms.

Advertisers simply don’t have the tools they need to effectively choose between:

30 second spots on leading TV shows

Banner ads on popular websites

Video ads on streaming video sites

Conversations on a friend’s social media newsfeed

Mobile ads on a smartphone

Countless other advertising vehicles

While your message has to be unique and specific, the mediums available to communicate your message are virtually limitless. The opportunities are practically endless, but the prospect of having so many choices causes brands to get confused during the decision-making process.

Cross-platform marketing is an opportunity to reach customers on a new level of engagement. 

WHO WE ARE - When brands are questioned this, in many cases, it brings up questions that haven't really been answered.

WHO ARE THEY - get to know your customer base.

Who are they?

How do they use technology in their daily lives?

When are they active?

How could their experience be better?

A cross-advertising contains traditional advertising methods along with synergistic modern media experience. Creating clutter breaking communication message for the brand and figuring out appropriate vehicles are essential. It’s also critical to recognize that the digital user experience is just as important as the in-person experience.

In 2014, one-dimensional advertising just isn't enough anymore.

Today’s contemporary advertising and branding strategy requires coining of a clear, consistent message, an accurate view of the customer base and a continual, focused communication effort through multiple vehicles.

Needless to say, like us, mediums too evolve and according to the changes, the cross platform selection too is dynamic.

Have you ever thought on the amalgamation of mediums that you do for your brand success?

SHIVAJI ADVERTISING

Always an exception, always a hit!

Shivaji  - one of the greatest warriors Indian history ever saw. He did not have as big an army or modern arms then, as the Britishers, yet, he was successful in defeating them.

His unconventional methods during the warfare made this happen. He drove the opponents towards the vulnerable hilly regions of Maharastra and threw big stones while hiding behind the hills.

Now this is what we call Guerrilla warfare tactic. Unconventional and cost effective. (stones don’t cost)

And ever since, guerrilla techniques have been working wonders, not to forget in branding also.

Brands are trying their best to be more creative in the market place leaving a lot of advertising examples behind as inspiration for competitors around the world.

An unexpected advertising approach that disrupts the audiences’ environment to get their “quality” attention, helping brands to convey messages more effectively is termed as guerrilla advertising.

It is a low-cost (not necessarily) advertising strategy that is used to target an audience in an unconventional way

Guerrilla advertising is more about the association of time, energy and imagination and less about big marketing budgets like conventional advertising models (TV, print, outdoor, etc.).  And that’s not where it ends. This advertising approach is usually known to create a lot of buzz and hype and makes it go viral! 

Not every innovate or shocking campaign means that it is guerrilla marketing. Following points identifies the elements of guerrilla marketing campaigns.

Absolutely unexpected

Unexpected and surprise- not expected by the participant of the event was not prepared to observe or be part of it. The essence of guerrilla advertising lies in using this Suddenness and unexpectedness as an advantage. By encountering a surprising situation people tend to raise their attention.

Drastic

The element of this ‘drasticness’ enables the marketer to reach large number of message receivers without necessarily large budget. It is the element that may significantly help the campaign to be cost-effective with great degree of Attention and Interest component.

Humorous

Humorous effect in the communication helps diminishing the barriers between the sender and receiver. Moreover, a bit of amusement in the marketing communication can significantly increase the productivity of the campaign by reaching larger number of receivers. According to a research, it can be stated that those guerrilla marketing campaigns that comprises the effect of humour influence more receivers and helps to create interest.

One shot game

One shot game, meaning that the guerrilla marketing campaign is achieved only in a strict limited period of time, indicates that the receivers of the guerrilla messages know that the campaign is only temporary and also this concept should not be repeated on the same market.

Cheap

The goal is to create rumour, buzz effect and immediate impact on target group but still keeping the budget tight. However, there should be still clear difference between the necessary budget for guerrilla campaign and a traditional marketing campaign

Guerrilla marketing campaign should always give the audience something that will make them feel richer or pleased. The benefit can be conveyed by giving something for free or just giving them a reason to smile.

Unconventional is the conventional new!

Alpenlibe – if Akhbar and Birbal were on FB

Just saw this advertisement of Alpenlibe featuring the most influential characters from our history- AKBAR and BIRBAL. Yes, History intrigues me to an extent of inspiration- Always. That made me wonder what it would be like if Facebook would be present during their era. Naturally, even Akbar would have had an account on Facebook. The question here is- would Akbar be the same ‘King Akbar’ as we all know him? Or he would have had some different personality on FB? Would he have posted his pics of his palaces, and his selfie with a crown on his head and a sword in his hand? Or he would be a common man posting in general like we all do?

In accordance with the above thought, I suddenly realised how different are we all from our real selves to our online selves. Yes, that’s a shocking thing indeed- the way we behave in our real lives may or may not be the same way we behave in our virtual (Social/Online) lives. That makes all of us have two personas. Not indicating that either of your persona is a fake, it simply means we behave and act according to the requirements or atmospheres.

BRANDS communicate through different mediums. But the BRAND PROMISE is the same.

BRANDS too, thus exhibit different personalities on different platforms.

It takes an expert to identify the actual SOCIAL personality of a brand that will offer the same BRAND PROMISE. If your brand has no personality (which gives it a particular identity), then it’s most crucial to have one; only having a Facebook/Twitter/Linkedin/Pintrest page will not help. You need to define a personality. An online presence must be established so that the brand’s existence is not questioned.

This is a gradual process. Personifying a brand is not an overnight process; it cannot and should not be thought so. The audiences must be given sufficient time and space to let it sink into their minds about the SOCIAL PERSONA of the brand. Customers should be able to relate the brand with something, someone, some entity that reminds your brand, and in turn connect to BRAND PROMISE

It is more like moulding and shaping of the pot that a potter does.

SOCIAL personality created for the brand must be engaging and interactive. Both the personalities of the brands (online and offline) must strive towards a mutual objective.

Confusing consumers is not a good idea.

What is the SOCIAL PERSONA of your BRAND?

GOOD IN LANGUAGE; NOT GOOD IN COPYWRITING?

Chanakya was an Indian teacher, philosopher, and royal advisor.

Chanakya managed the first Maurya emperor Chandragupta's rise to power at a young age. 

He is widely credited for having played an important role in the establishment of the Maurya Empire, which was the first empire in archaeologically recorded history to rule most of the Indian subcontinent

I am sure we all have heard of him. Yes, the brain behind the establishment of Maurya Empire. He was the master strategist and upon his guidance and direction, emperor chandragupta maurya ruled.

Why was Chanakya not the emperor then? If his strategy would have failed, the emperor and his empire would have collapsed. But still, he wasn’t the King.

King and King Maker are two different and distinct positions; like Language and Copywriting.

Shakespeare was and will remain a great poet. Wonder if we could really understand if he wrote advertisements.

Understanding the reader (read consumer here) and writing what the reader understands is the only key to a successful copywriting; and in turn a very vital element of advertisements and advertising campaigns.

Copywriting is an art of expressing everything in minimal language.

READER: what is it for me?

COPYWRITER: everything

Readers have many choices and access to more information than they can possibly digest. You have 5 – 10 seconds to capture a reader. If your copy does not engage the reader and communicate well, they move away … forever.

READER: I am time poor … I want an answer and I want it now.

COPYWRITER: invest minimal time and effort. We have made it crisp for you.

There are 4 keys to hook the READER rightly

·         Inverted Triangle – get key points first and the details later

·         Short – short and to the point lines works best

·         Packets – make smaller components of the entire text, small packets

·         Headings – all that it does is engagement. Marriage follows later

Beyond these let’s have few points that will persuade the READER and thus does the doing;

• Understand the reader first (read consumer/customer)
• Talk to the reader
• Grab reader attention
• Do not complicate, keep it simple and straight
• Be casual, be vernacular, build a connect
• Clutter break the competition
• Justify what you write
• Create a sense of urgency, sense of losing 

A copywriter has done his job if the advertisement/campaign has

• URGENCY
• UNIQUENESS
• ULTRA-SPECIFIC PROMISE
• USEFUL INFORMATION

Your brands will rule the market and surely establish Maurya Empire

Brand Extension and Brand Cannibalisation

Sibling Rivalry is a common phenomenon known to one and all. And it is irrespective of the material that they fight for. We are sure that Dhirubhai Ambani might not have brought in both the sons in the same business so that one day the group splits. And we do have many such examples.

What makes this happen? And why actually this happens?

Like the extension of the family in Business, when brand extensions are executed; brand sibling rivalry is born.

We may come across various stories in magazines and journals, quoting the success of brand extensions. J Stories are stories only when things go well…….success stories. But we do not come across the statistics which may guide us about the percentage success in brand extensions.

Brand extension is strongly related to the consumer feelings and emotions. One may find more brand extensions being succeeded without a clear thought as to why be the extension needed. This random phenomenon has given birth to the thought that brand extension is diversification to break the monotony of existing brand and business. Upon which its success is a thumbs up.

But, we are playing with it. We need to investigate brands that have suffered.

We need to look at the siblings, who, after falling apart, have messed the group.

There are two possibilities;

• One brand kills the other brand
• Both the brands are messed

When one brand is not appropriately introduced as a part of brand extension, it either fails or eats up the existing brands business. BRAND CANNIBALIZATION.

No matter what ever may be the consumer emotions, brand extension is a very powerful brand strategy and it has to be thoroughly thought of before springing it into action.

Following are the few points that need to be considered before brand extension strategy;

• The PLC stage of the nearest brand of the same group
• New brand offerings and differentiators from the nearest brand
• Identification of separate market or clear subset and Key energizers
• Right positioning of the two brands

When a brand takes this initiative to launch a new product in the same category, it has to be a thoughtful and well strategized process.

It should not be with the aim of increasing sales

The chief objective of BRAND EXTENSION should be quite strong and unbiased; avoiding BRAND CANNIBALIZATION.

Evolution of healthcare Brands “comprehension, continuity, consistency are the new keys”

The Dinosaurs - ruled the planet for a good 135 long years. Dinosaurs suddenly became extinct. Many theories have been proposed by scientists trying to define this mass extinction. One of the primary explanations of their sudden disappearance is their incapability to adapt the drastic climatic (market) changes occurring in that period.

Some birds that we see today are descendants of dinosaurs. They adapted themselves according to the changes in their surroundings- they survived successfully. ‘Evolve’ is the word.

Any species or entity that is able to evolve itself appropriately will have better chances of survival in the future.

Are you reading Dinosaurs as HEALTHCARE BRANDS?

Healthcare in India has begun evolving as a major segment. Years ago, healthcare services were known by the name of the doctors’ names and their identities. People referred to hospitals and clinics as ‘Dr. Raman’s Clinic’. A doctor’s name was more important than the hospital brand name.

Unfortunately, this trend has changed. Slowly and gradually, evolution has given birth to sudden wave of corporate brands. Apollo, Sterling, Vasan, Fortis, HCG, narayana and many more strong corporate healthcare brands have emerged; like the DINASOUR BIRDS. The makers of these brands perfectly understood the need and worth of correct branding and marketing communications. Many hospitals and equally qualified and famous doctors who did not adapt to the changing market and its needs were left behind.

- What is normally seen for of any healthcare brand, the communication is not in synergy all the way.

- It is not a consistent communication that is done always.

- Also, continuity is needed to maintain while advertising if the objective is to create a lasting impression and positioning of the brand.

- There has to be a strategy designed regarding which media the communication will pass through.

- A list of channels and media need to be identified for better and effective reach to the target audience. It cannot go random.

- Importantly, what is communicated in one media must be in sync with what is being communicated somewhere else.

- Only one message should be dispersed under the particular brand name.

                              ARE YOU EVOLVING?