Allout : Yamraj of Mosquitos

Brand : Allout
Company : Karamchand Appliances Ltd (subsidiary of SC Johnson Co)


Brand Analysis Cout : 329

Allout is an interesting brand for an Indian marketer. The brand is interesting because it is an example of a pioneer who developed a new category and also a brand which showed the power of aggressive marketing.

Allout was launched in 1990 by a small company known as Karamchand Appliances Pvt Ltd. The company was run by the Arya brothers : Naveen, Anil and Bimal. These brothers spotted a huge opportunity in the mosquito repellent business way back in 1990.

During that period, the mosquito repellent market was dominated by Mosquito coils. Later during early 2000, mats also became a popular mosquito repellent. Karamchand Appliances wanted to venture into the marketing of mats. For that purpose, the company began scouting for technical collaboration. The search took them to Japan where they entered into an agreement with a company known as Earth Chemical Co.


Although the collaboration was for the manufacturing of mats, the Aryan brothers noticed a new product - vaporizers. Vaporizers consisted of a heating unit and a container containing the repellent liquid.

Vaporizers had more advantages than the mats. The mat's effectiveness used to weaken over time . But vaporizer had the advantage of consistent effectiveness since there is a continuous flow of liquid to the heating element. The brothers knew that this was an opportunity.
Karamchand appliances launched the vaporizer in 1990. The brand name was put as " Allout " . The name was easy to pronounce and understand and further the name described the core idea of the brand : to keep the mosquitoes out of the house.

Allout was launched with aggressive brand promotion. The product was priced at a premium and at the time of the launch, the brand was retailing at Rs 225 for the main Vaporizer.
Allout soon attracted the attention of the consumer. Because of the high price, the product was limited to the high income households.

On the marketing front, the company started off advertising in a big way but with little success . The account was initially handled by Avenues and later by HTA but the promoters was not satisfied with the brand communication . Later the company itself took the advertising responsibilities inhouse.

Then came the famous trademark advertisement of Allout featuring the animated frog . The ad showed the Allout machine like a jumping frog eating all the mosquitoes. The ad was a big hit among the consumers . The ad was simple and communicated the brand purpose effectively.

launched another variant - At one point of time Allout was one of the largest advertisers in the visual media. In 1995 AlloutPluggy which was small and priced less than the ordinary vaporizer. In 1999 Allout launched a massive exchange scheme where the consumers could exchange their mat machines and buy vaporizers at a discount. This exchange program helped the brand to penetrate into the mat segment. It was a smart marketing move and a first of its kind in that segment.

Soon Vaporizers began to gain popularity among the users. Sensing this shift, the market leader Godrej Saralee also extended the Goodknight brand into the vaporizer segment. The entry of Goodknight expanded the market much to the advantage of all the players.

The increased competition also rationalized the price of vaporizers. Companies began to lower the price of the vaporizers ( captive product pricing) and gain the margins by selling the refills.

What is intersting about the marketing of Allout is the strategy of using animation in their advertising. Besides the consistent using of the jumping frog, the brand also used animation extensively in their advertising. I also remember an ad featuring Tom & Jerry .

In 1998 , SC Johnson acquired controlling stake in Karamchand Appliances. The support from a large parent company like SC Johnson will be crucial for this brand since the competition is intense in this segment.

Right now Allout is having the slogan " Macharoen ka Yamraj " . The brand also uses the acronym MMR to differentiate itself from the competition. MMR stands for Mosquito Mortality Rate. Allout claims that it has more MMR than the rest of the competition.

Aggressive marketing has made Allout a pioneer in creating the vaporizer segment in India. The brand also showed that a small company can create and lead a new category through smart aggressive marketing.

Act II : Creating a Category

Brand : Act II

Company : Agrotech Foods ( ConAgra)

Brand Analysis Count : 327

Act II is an interesting brand story. The brand is from the global agro-foods major ConAgra Foods. Act II was launched in India in 1999. Since the launch the brand has succeeded in creating the branded popcorn category in India.

Act II is the world's first and largest selling popcorn brand . The brand came into existence as Act( I) which was a microwave popcorn which had to be stored in a refrigerator. In 1984, Act II was launched which was a revolutionary shelf storage product which did not need refrigeration.

The most common consumption of this product was in movie theaters and outdooors like parks and beaches. Act II when launched also tried to tap these markets. This segment is set to grow with the emergence of numerous multiplexes across the country.

Then the brand launched the instant popcorn variant where the consumers can make the popcorn in their homes. But the problem was that the popcorn could be made only using a microwave oven. Thus the product was restricted to upper class urban households. But later the brand launched Act II which could be prepared using a pressure cooker or even a frying pan. This pressure-cooker friendly popcorn was indigenously developed and paved the way for a new category of snack foods in the Indian households. Through this innovation, the company hopes to penetrate the large middleclass market.

To appeal to the Indian consumers, Act II launched many India-centric tastes for the popcorns. Now the brand is available in four flavors : Classic Salted, Butter pepper, Golden Sizzle & Chilly Surprise. The brand is also testing other Indian flavors .

Besides these product centric developments, the brand is also into aggressive promotion. The brand is now running a campaign to highlight the "ease of preparation" of this product. The campaign is around the theme of ' Even Papa can Cook " which gives the message that Act II can be made in just three minutes.

Recently Act II also relaunched the Microwave Oven Popcorns since the company felt that microwave ovens have penetrated many urban middleclass households.

Typically like any new category , Act II is also facing the challenge of popularising the Popcorns as a regular snack. The brand has its tasks cut out since Popcorns are popular but the challenge is to make it a regular snack like potato chips. The brand must increase the usage occasion of Popcorns which is now restricted to outdoors. The current campaign of ' ease of preparation' is relevant but the brand should also have other campaigns aimed at increasing the consumption.

The current state of brand has striking similarity with Maggi Noodles . When Maggi was first launched it also harped on the ease of preparation but later had to change tacts. Act II should be spending money focusing on two factors :

a. Promoting Popcorns as a regular snack. This is more challenging since the brand will be competing with the likes of Lays, Bingo etc. The brand could seek the help of a celebrity to popularize this category. The brand also faces the challenge from private labels and the unorganized sector.

b.For this the brand has to find a compelling reason for consumers to buy Act II . It can highlight the taste, nutrition etc . According to a website popcorn .org , Popcorns are one of healthiest snacks available. If its correct, then the healthy snacks positioning will be the most effective for this brand. The brand could emulate the strategy of Bingo and launch many new flavors which can increase the trial of this product.

In 2007 , Act II was a Rs 30 crore brand. The brand has also extended itself into other categories of snack foods like Corn Chips etc.

Tata Nano : A Promise is a Promise

Brand : Nano
Company : Tata Motors
Agency : Rediffusion ( Rumour)

Brand Count : 303


As a die-hard fan of Ratan Tata , I could not resist joining the euphoria around the Tata Nano. Yes, the world has seen and heard enough of the Tata's one lakh car. Today , every news, talk show talks about this revolutionary new product. Tomorrow newspapers and mags around the world will be celebrating this brand.

Seldom one gets an opportunity to witness a product launch that has the potential to change the dynamics of an industry as such. When the world boasts of an Ipod , we Indians did not had something to talk about. Now we have.
I am a big fan of Ratan Tata because he is someone who could be considered a true representative of Indian management ethos. The way he took the leadership of a whithering empire and the controlled aggression through which he tookover Corus and the way he came out of his initial failures at Nelco all makes him look attainable and inspiring . The dignity with which he handled the situation when his foray into starting an airline was torpedoed by the Government and now the one lakh car exemplifies the qualities that a young mind should aspire for.

The launch of Nano is a valuable lesson for all aspiring entrepreneurs. The brand is a symbol of VISION. In 1998 , Ratan Tata announced his dream of giving a car for one lakh. Many critics scoffed at the mention of the dream . Auto majors around the world questioned the business logic of the dream. Months back, the chairman of Suzuki Motors categorically ruled out the possibility of such a car at such a price. Now the product is now in front of all of us to see. In a sense this product is also a reminder of the vast potential of a human mind. Just like Roger Bannister who broke the four minute barrier, Ratan Tata has broken the one lakh barrier. Ofcourse he had the money but remember he is the first one to do so in the world. The words he spoke on the launch " A promise is a promise " makes a perfect tagline for this car.

The launch had raised thousands of questions about the quality of the car and the performance. But the look of the car silenced many critics. Tata proved that cheap does not always mean bad quality. Nano looks better than most of the small cars that are there in the Indian market. C K Prahlad in his pathbreaking book " Fortune at the bottom of the pyramid " reminds us that Indian consumers at the bottom of pyramid looks for value even at the low prices. Brands which focused only on low prices and produced junk products always have failed in the Indian market.

The new brand Nano will do two major changes in the Indian markets :
a. It will open up a new segment in the Indian Four Wheeler Industry
b. It will inspire many Indian entrepreneurs to have grand vision.

I think Nano will redefine the pricing in the Indian small car market. Either companies like Hyundai , Maruthi may have to cut the prices of existing small cars or they have to comeout with a similar priced car.

Nano will be making cars an affordable luxury for many Indians. To a limited extend it will affect the two wheeler segment but only to a limited extent. The reason is in the running cost and maintenance of four wheelers. At the current oil prices, Cars are still expensive to run & maintain. It cannot in the near future replace the functionality of a two wheeler until cars match the fuel efficiency of two wheelers.

So Nano will be the first car of many Indians who dream of a four wheeler . For those who travel less than 300 km permonth, Nano is definitely an alternative for two wheelers but more kilometers than that will burn a hole in the pocket of an average Indian consumer . Indian consumers will make a careful balance of usage of his two wheeler and Nano to make sure that his budget does not go out of control.There will also be many who could not buy Nano because their flats or houses didnot have parking space ( just joking! ).

Nano also will inspire many to think big. While Ambani brothers make us watch their progress with awe rather than inspire, the success of Ratan Tata will inspire us because he strikes a chord. The fact that Nano was put in reality within four years will also mark a significant turning point in the way we look at our engineering and design talent. The 1700 crore investment that Tata made in this project will be an eyeopener to many who are reluctant to put their money in R&D.

In the marketing front, Nano had the dream start . Infact Nano may need no ads but heavy dose of positive PR during the launch. The brand may have to counter the skepticism surrounding the performance . Another nightmare is managing the initial rush of the customers. Since this is a car for the common man, there is every possibility that the customers could be given a raw treatment at the dealership touch- points. Indian marketers are still to wake up to the possibilities of a good customer service. How Tata and its dealers handle the initial euphoria will be something to watch for in the Customer-relationship perspective .

Whether the car performs or not, Nano is set to change the dynamics of an Industry. I am happy that my favorite business leader is making that change.

Kandamkulathy Eladi Lehyam : Making Ayurveda Popular

Brand : Eladi Lehyam
Company : Kandamkulathy Vaidyasala


Brand Analysis Count : 296

The brand that is featured today is offbeat and unique. Those readers outside Kerala ( South India) may not have heard about a brand known as Eladi Lehyam. But this small brand from Kerala has lots of lessons for a marketer.
Eladi Lehyam is a brand of Kandamkulathy Vaidyasala. Kandamkulathy is a well known ayurvedic company in Kerala. The Vaidyasala ( traditional name for ayurvedic clinic ) has a rich tradition of over 150 years . The firm which was started by late Shri K P Pathrose Vaidyan has now grown into a company with over 500 product ranges and over 20 patents.

India boasts about its rich tradition of ayurvedic way of treatment. The ayurvedic treatment has been a permanent feature in most of the campaigns that highlight India as a tourist destination ( example : Incredible India campaign). But within India, ayurvedic marketers are facing difficulty in attracting the new generation into this system of medicine. In my opinion Ayurveda is fighting hard to sustain the competition from Allopathic system of medicine. Since Indians have strong roots in their traditions, this system is still in the Consideration Set of the prospective customers. But Ayurveda is considered only after modern medicine by most .
But the real problem lies in attracting the new generation into this system . There is no doubt about the effectiveness of the treatment system, but the issue is with regard to convenience. It is in this area that Allopathy scores over Ayurveda. Usually youngsters are put off by the lengthy healing time and the strict dietary regime which is a part of the treatment system in Ayurveda. Most of the Kashayams ( syrups) taste very bad which adds to the unpopularity of this system among youngsters. What today's customer looks for is a single pill that cures all very fast ( Panacea !)
Modern Ayurvedic practitioners has tried to adapt to the changing times. Now the sour tasting syrups are available in capsules. Practitioners have also liberalized the dietary regime to fit the modern lifestyle. It is estimated that the total size of the ayurvedic products is about $1 billion. It is in this context that brands like Eladi assumes significance.
Eladi Lehyam is a propriety medicine of Kandamkulathy for the treatment of sore throat & coughs. It has expectorant properties and also provides immunity against common cold and cough. Kandamkulathy has the patent for the Eladi Lehyam combination.
Eladi Lehyam was initially launched in the Lehyam product form. Lehyams are thickened and sweetened semisolid extract of a single herb or a combination of herbs. The product form made this brand less popular because consuming lehyam may not be possible during work . It is often messy and you have to wash your hands after taking it or use a spoon . So people preferred the easy to use lozenges like Vicks and Strepsils.
chewable tablet became highly popular. In this segment, the brand faced competition from Understanding this problem, Kandamkulathy launched Eladi Lehyam in chewable tablet form which became highly popular. Since the brand was proved effective in soothing the throat, Eladianother similar ayurvedic tablet branded as "Thalees" from SD Pharmacy.

The innovation did not stop at that . This year , Kandamkulathy launched a granule product form of Eladi Lehyam. What attracted me was the new packaging which was modern and user friendly . The pack looks similar to Tic Tac breath mints pack. What is interesting is that the new variant looks totally Un-Ayurvedic.The granules are more powerful than the tablets and it seems that this version is aiming at those who liked the lehyam form.

Right now the granule variant is heavily promoted in the media across the state. The positioning is based on the ease of use and the packing acts as the key anchor.
I am not commenting on the future of this brand . The brand faces competition from the likes of Vicks which have a strong equity in the market. But I am thoroughly impressed by the efforts of a small company to make its flagship brand sustain in this market. Eladi is an example of how brands change in tune with times. It also shows that even small firms can make meaningful customer centric innovations. The new variant may fail or succeed but this brand should be an inspiration for all smaller brands who wants to make it big.

Brand Update : Colgate

Colgate celebrates October as Oral Health Month. This is a unique example of a brand embarking on strong value system. Colgate has long been positioned on the oral hygiene platform. Strong teeth and prevention of tooth decay has been the main communication points of this brand. To further reinforce this positioning and also to demonstrate the brand's commitment towards society Colgate observes October as the oral health month.

This initiative was started in October 2004 and has grown in size and depth. Now this initiative covers 175 cities across 19 states and touches 250 rural areas across the length and breadth of India. During this month, the brand organizes free dental camps for oral checkups. Colgate also sponsors various initiatives to educate the masses about proper oral hygiene.
This year Colgate further expanded the scope of this initiative by an attempt to touch the young urban audience . Colgate for the first time tried an animated viral campaign aimed at youngsters. The brand uses a fictional plot involving a dangerous new species Germosaurus which evolved from the germs that causes tooth decay.
Watch the campaign here : Germosaurus
Whether the new campaign had the desired effect or not, one has to appreciate a brand to take up a worthy cause.
Colgate has set a grand vision for itself. The mission aims at ZERO tooth decay. The brand is trying to promote this vision through various initiatives in partnership with Indian Dental Association. This is a variant of cause marketing. Cause marketing is defined as the process of formulating and implementing marketing activities that are characterized by an offer from the firm to contribute a specific amount to a designated cause when customers engage in revenue providing exchanges that satisfy organizational and individual objectives. Another jargon to define this initiative is Corporate Societal marketing. I call it a variant because a customer does not have to buy Colgate inorder for the brand to conduct these programs.
Such initiatives of brand offer many potential benefits:
a. Building brand awareness
b. Enhancing brand image
c.Establishing brand credibility
d.Evoking brand feelings
e. Creating a sense of brand community
f. Eliciting brand engagement
g. Humanizing the firm.
( Source : Strategic Brand Management by Kevin Lane Keller)

Colgate has been a consistent topper in the Brand Rankings throughout the world. The reason behind a brand sustaining its world leadership position is that it had identified a much nobler cause than the usual market share numbers.
Its a lesson for all marketers to learn....... Do your brand have a vision for the society ?

Itch Guard : Complimenting Active Life

Brand : Itch Guard
Company : Paras Pharmaceuticals
Agency : Mudra

Brand Analysis Count : 287

Itch Guard is a niche brand, that too a highly successful niche brand. It comes from Paras Pharma which has specialized in making successful niche brands. Itch Guard brand is interesting for many reasons , primarily because it address a problem that consumers never speak about in public.
Itch Guard , as the name suggest is a specialist brand dealing with Intertrigo. Intertrigo is the medical term for itch caused due to sweat. The brand which was launched in 1998 is now a market leader in the anti-fungal itch creams.
The problem of sweat related itch has been there from time immemorial ( although I does not have data to prove this point). The itch can be caused by sweat retention, moisture in folds of the skin and also because of tight garments. The itch can case severe embarrassment and is often taken as an a sign of unhygienic lifestyle. This makes the problem very personal in nature and usually this issue is unspoken.
The customers usually retort to traditional methods for solution. The common methods include applying talcum powders, oil and prickly heat powders. For severe cases, people tend to go in for ethical medicines like Betnovate and Soframycin.
Paras wanted to tap this market with Itch Guard. Mudra was roped in to develop the launch strategy. The brand was developed on the consumer insight that " Respectable people do not scratch in front of others" . The brand knew that there was a need for a product that specializes on this problem because prickly heat powders or oil does not solve the problem.

The first campaign focused on the Sweat itch caused in the groin area of men. There were a series of campaign highlighting the efficacy of the product. The interesting factor in the campaign was that the brand was positioned as an upmarket brand. The campaign was wise enough to feature models which was famous and this promoted the brand above the likes of BTex . The brand also created a character ITCH . The website itchguard.com has won creative awards for best product sites. Itch Guard also uses the Cactus Mnemonic to reinforce the positioning.

The brand became an instant success. But success had its fair share of problems as well. A consumer research showed that Itch Guard was perceived to be a brand for " Serious " itches. That means that the brand was used by only those who suffered serious itches thus restricting the usage of the brand. And there was a concern that Itch Guard may be perceived as a brand for itches in Groin area . Hence the brand went for a repositioning strategy whereby separate campaigns were run for broadening the usage and also to make the brand appealing to non-serious sufferers of Itch.
The brand is currently positioned as one which complements active life. The brand takes two platforms . One focuses on the medicinal values of the product and the second one takes the lifestyle values. Use of Itch Guard helps the customer to avoid the Social Embarrassment and thus enables an active life.
Watch the commercial here : Itchguard

Itch Guard has successfully created a category for itself . For a customer, the brand has made his life a lot easier. The brand has also removed the taboo surrounding this problem . One of the success of the brand was that it was able to understand that itch related problems is more of a lifestyle issue rather than a hygiene issue. This insight has helped the brand to communicate to the customer in a more refined manner. This positioning has also helped the customer to purchase this brand without any embarrassment.

Itch Guard is a classic marketing story where a brand identifies a problem and successfully solves the problem. The brand also reminds marketers that even in this clutter, its possible to come up with successful brands if you listen to the customer.

Source; Mudra.com,agencyfaqs.com

Provogue : Redefining Fashion

Brand : Provogue
Company : Acme Clothings

Brand Analysis Count : 286

Provogue is a pure play fashion brand. Born in March 98 , this brand is a classic case of a small company making a big brand. A brain child of first generation entrepreneurs Mr Anand Chaturvedi and Nikhil Chaturvedi, Provogue has been carefully positioned as a fashionable executive brand.

Provogue was launched at a time when Indian readymade segment was moving on overdrive. The brand had peers like Color Plus which redefined the way people dress. Provogue was conceived as a fashion brand. Over these years Provogue has been consistent in its communication and has never diluted the positioning.
Typically a small brand faces the issue of financial muscle while fighting the heavyweights like Arvind Mills and Madura Garments. But Provogue has been exploring various media to promote itself. The brand was innovative in using events as a major brand building tool.

The brand has been sponsoring major fashion shows across metros and was highly effective in creating its position as a " Fashion Brand". The brand used common sense that the best way to build a fashion brand is through ' Fashion Shows". During the cricket world cup fever, the brand did something that was nothing but smart marketing. Provogue conducted a Men's fashion show and women were only invited to attend the show. The move was aimed at targeting the " Influencer " . Women who are non users of this brand were a major influencer in the purchasing process of men's wear. In some cases women were actual decision maker and purchaser of men's wear . This innovative fashion show gave Provogue much media coverage and helped the brand to tide over the onslaught of Cricket Fever.
Provogue was a brand which used a lot of celebrity endorsement. The brand used John Abraham, Hrithik Roshan and Fardeen Khan as its brand ambassadors/ models. The brand ran into trouble when Fardeen was booked for a drug related case. The brand also ran through a rough patch when one of its promoters were booked by the police in a similar case. But the brand survived these issues and had enough equity to tide over these crises.
Now Provogue is being endorsed by three celebrities. The brand uses Saif Ali Khan to endorse the men's wear, Upen Patel for the accessories and Esha Deol for the Women's range.
To project itself as a premium fashion icon, Provogue uses the tagline " Redefining Fashion ". The brand is targeting the high profile young executive.The company had raised capital through an IPO and is on a growth mode. The company have a separate retail division which is rolling out various Provogue Retail outlets across the country. But as usual the brand is getting into a celebrity trap. In readymade category, every brand is endorsed by one celerity or the other. From SRK to Big B, the list is endless. In this market, Provogue may have to walk the tagline " Redefining Fashion "

Oral-B : Dentist's Choice

Brand : Oral-B
Company : P&G
Agency : O&M

Brand Analysis Count : 280

Oral-B is a special brand. The brand is the global leader in the toothbrush market. Oral-B is a special brand since it bought so many innovations in a low involvement product like Toothbrush. Infact, Oral-B is a brand that made Toothbrush a high involvement product category.
Oral-B was created in 1950 by a Dentist Dr Robert Hutson. The first product was Oral-B 60 which had 60 tufs. In 1984 Oral-B was acquired by Gillette and in 2006 it came into P&G's fold with its acquisition of Gillette worldwide.
Oral-B came to India in 1996.Although globally Oral-B is a market leader, it could not replicate its global leadership position in India. In India, it is the second largest player behind Colgate.India is considered to be the second largest market for toothbrushes and the market is estimated to be around Rs 600-700 crore.
Oral-B is known worldwide for its innovation. Oral-B is a favorite example in marketing classes for Planned Replacement. The case in point is the innovative brand Oral-B Indicator. Oral-B Indicator was introduced in 1991. It had fading bristles which indicated to the customer that its time for him to change the brush. The innovation won Edison award for product innovation. Through the Indicator Bristles, Oral-B overcame a serious issue of delay in repeated purchases due to overuse. Typically consumers do not have an idea of when to replace a toothbrush. Often they stretch the planned life of the product thus posing a problem for the marketers. Oral-B Indicator changed all that.Dentists recommend that the toothbrush should be replaced every three months. Oral-B indicator is designed to remind the customer that time schedule for replacement. Now Indicator Bristles have become a standard feature in all Oral-B toothbrushes.

Although Indicator was referred in most of the marketing textbooks, the innovations of Oral-B is mind blowing. Some noteworthy innovations are listed below :
1984 : Oral-B revolutionized Kid's toothbrush market with its Star Wars range which had the characters in the toothbrush
1984 : The first Power Toothbrush launched under the Braun brand.
1987 : Oral-B Ultraplus was launched which had round head
1991 : Oral-B Indicator with fading bristles.
For the entire range of innovations , visit the brand website at : Oralb.com
2007 saw another mindblowing futuristic innovation from this brand- Oral-B Triumph with Smart Guide Technology. The toothpaste now comes with a wireless digital monitor which will guide the consumer to use the toothbrush in the ideal manner. The wireless digital monitor have a timer which guide the customer to brush for 2 minutes and also indicates the various motions and even indicates the replacement of the toothbrush head.
For details visit the brand website : Triumph with smartguide

These innovations have made this product category a highly segmented and a high involvement category. Earlier, the choice available for a consumer was whether the bristles are soft medium or hard. Now the choice is numerous. The introduction of power brushes ( battery powered) created a new premium segment of toothbrushes. The shape and the size of the bristles and toothbrushes also have changed. From the typical rectangular head to round shaped head. From straight bristles to Zigzag . Many things are happening to the good old toothbrushes. The interesting fact is that these innovations have created a change in the mindset of consumers. Earlier consumers believed that Toothpaste is the central product in the oral care/hygiene. Toothbrush's role is limited in the oral care. The innovations from these players have prompted the customers to think that toothbrush is also an important product that needs some serious thinking before purchase.

Oral-B is positioned as Dentist's Choice of Toothbrush. The brand uses the tagline " The brand more dentists use themselves worldwide". In India too, the brand uses the same tagline. The brand is currently on a hyperactive mode in India with lot of promotions in the visual media.

Oral-B also is getting on the volume game by launching a variant ShinyClean with a amazing pricetage of Rs 13.ShinyClean comes with five features :
Zigzag bristles for better cleaning
End Rounded Bristles.
Translucent Contour handle for better grip
Hygiene Cap
Indicator
At a price tag of Rs 13, ShinyClean is expected to rejuvenate the toothbrush market for Oral-B. Earlier Oral-B was positioned as a premium brand.
Oral-B is a marketer's icon. A brand which has brought so much value into a dull product category.

NDTV Good Times : A Unique Co- branding

Brand : NDTV Good Times
Company : NDTV
Agency : Equus Redcell

Brand Count : 279

In September 2007, NDTV launched India's first hardcore lifestyle channel branded NDTV Good Times. This new channel is unique in two ways - its India's first lifestyle channel and secondly its the first time where a product brand has co-branded with a channel.
Co-Branding is where two brands operating in two different domains coming together for a common cause ( objective) . The objective can be anything from tapping a common market or sharing promotions. The oft quoted examples in classrooms were the co-branded credit cards .
NDTV Good Times is promoted by NDTV alone and not with any equity stake by the UB Group.
The new channel is all about lifestyle. In theory , we tend to describe lifestyle with the three descriptors
Activities
Interests &
Opinions ( AIO).
Truly like this concept, Good Times is all about activities, opinions and interests. The channel devotes its time to Health, Fashion, Food, Luxury, Technology , Chats with celebrities, life of rich and the famous etc. The channel also wants to create a class of its own by roping in HOT Properties to anchor respective shows. These include the actor Rajat Kapoor, Chef Manju Malhi, Techie Rajiv Makhni etc. The channel is full of aspirational lifestyle programs and contains about 50-60 original programs per week.
The channel is looking at the target market comprising of socially upbeat 20-40 yr old SEC A viewers.
The questions arises as to the benefit of these two different brands coming together in a channel. For NDTV, the brand association with Kingfisher gives it the revenue cushion. According to Agencyfaqs, UB group has committed around Rs 100 crore worth of ads in the next five years. For NDTV this takes away the risk of launching a lifestyle channel with is atmost a Niche . Kingfisher will provide the much needed ad revenue till the channel began to attract other advertisers.

For UB Group, its a boon. We know that Indian law does not permit Kingfisher Beer to advertise. The rules are getting stricter day by day. Hence there is nothing better than a channel that carries your tagline and the mascot. Besides that every businessman knows the power of having a media under its fold. UB Group may not have the capability to run a media, so why not associate with the best brand in the media domain NDTV. Also Kingfisher as a brand epitomizes lifestyle positioning. Whether its the beer or the airlines, Mallya has built the brand on lifestyle platform . Hence Co-branding with a lifestyle channel makes perfect sense.

But things are not as rosy as it seems. This whole concept will work only if NDTV can bring in quality content to the channel. NDTV has proved its capability in the news front but entertainment is a different ballgame altogether. Right now cost of the new launch maynot be a headache since NDTV has its processes and systems in place. What is going to make or break this channel is the quality of programming and the innovation that this channel will bring in to get the eyeballs sticking. For NDTV , Good Times is testing waters since it plans to roll out an entertainment channel in collaboration with the ace director Karan Johar. For Kingfisher, its a promotional expenditure ( nobody ever has perfectly measured the effectiveness of advertising as yet !!!). I feel that Good Times channel will be an integral part of inflight entertainment in the airlines too in future.
So as of now its a win-win game for both the brands. Time will tell if GOOD TIMES will last.
Related Brand
Kingfisher

Milkmaid : Makes Everything Tempting

Brand : Milkmaid
Company : Nestle
Agency : Publicis

Brand Analysis Count : 275

Nestle Milkmaid is the market leader in the Rs 150 Crore condensed milk market in India. Milkmaid is a heritage brand which was imported to India from the time Nestle started its operations 90 years ago. It was in the year 1969 that Nestle started manufacturing this brand in India.
Milkmaid is partly Skimmed sweetened condensed milk. This is a popular ingredient in sweets and delicacies and desserts prepared at homes. Milkmaid has more than 55 % share in the organized condensed milk market in India.
Milkmaid is positioned as a premium brand and is promoted with the tagline " Bana De Everything Tempting " ( Makes everything tempting). The brand is positioned as the inevitable ingredient in all home-made delicacies.

Milkmaid although was a market leader, the brand faced issue of product usage. There were certain factors that inhibited the product usage : price and convenience . Milkmaid was a premium brand and the shelf life of the product was limited , hence the affordablity of this brand was limited. Another factor was that many households were unaware of the use of Milkmaid other than as an ingredient in sweets and desserts.
The brand tried lot of promotional activities to increase the usage of the brand. The brand was promoted heavily through visual media and through cookery shows, the brand tried to educate the customers on the various recipes with Milkmaid.
The brand also came out with a package innovation. The brand created a variant Milkmaid Squeezy which was the tube form of Milkmaid. The purpose was to use Milkmaid as a topping for biscuits and breads.
Milkmaid faced intense heat of competition when Amul launched Mithaimate brand in the market. Mithaimate was priced much lower to Milkmaid and this forced Milkmaid to reduce the price to match the Amul brand.With the lower price, Amul was giving Milkmaid a tough fight for the marketshare.

This year saw a unique move by this bramd. Milkmaid has comeout with a brand extension. Milkmaid has recently launched Milkmaid Funshake : a fruit flavored milk targeting kids. The marketers predict a huge growth in the ' Alternate Milk Category " in the coming years. I think that Nestle had earlier tried out a Milkshake version of Nescafe but with little success. It was little surprising to find a brand like Milkmaid extending itself to a milk shake category. The ads are already on air. Funshake is available in Mango , banana and Chocolate flavor and comes in a tetrapack. The message is similar to Nido. The ad shows kids crying when their mothers try to give them ordinary milk and then seen enjoying taking Funshake. Old message and nothing new in execution .
In my personal opinion, Nestle needn't have sought the extension of Milkmaid for this product. Funshake could succeed as a standalone brand. By associating with Milkmaid, Funshake is not going to gain any positive association.
Milkmaid is facing two challenges now. One arising from the price war from Amul and host of other competing brands and second is to make the category popular in households. In this era of Sachets and single use packs, I wonder how Milkmaid miss out of small packs ?

Fevistik : Clean Sticking

Brand : Fevistik
Company : Pidilite
Agency : O & M

Brand Count : 274

Fevistik is a brand extension of Fevicol. But I feel that it is a good case of customer centric innovation. Fevistik is the market leader with over 90 % market share in the Rs 35 crore Glue stick market in India. The brand was the first one to introduce the glue stick product form in the country. This innovation has changed the entire segment.
Before the introduction of Fevistik, the glue was in the liquid form. The glue used in the office aswell as at school and home came in the ubiquitous blue glue- bottle. It was messy and non user friendly. Them came the glue in the tube form which was much more user friendly than the bottle version. The tube product form was an instant hit.
I was filled with Awe when during my student days ,I got the first glue stick gifted to me by a Gulf Returned relative. The brand was Pritt. I used it scarcely and wondered when an Indian brand will introduce it.
Although Fevistik was the brand that introduced this product form, the credit of innovating this product goes to the brand Pritt owned by the Henkel group. Pritt invented glue stick in 1969. Fevistik is the Indian version of Pritt. Globally Pritt is the market leader in the adhesives category.
Fevistik is targeting both the students aswellas the office segment. The brand ( extension ) has been promoting through separate campaigns aimed at both segment. Another innovation from Fevistik is the small pack named Fevistik Pocket priced at Rs 10. Fevistik is available at many SKU's of 8 gm, 15 gm and 22gm tapping the various user segment.
The brand has the following features :
Easy to use
Non Messy or Clean
Excellent quality
Good brand image and secondary association with Fevicol
Safe for Kids.
Although a small brand , Fevistik is an example of customer centric innovation. This brand has changed the dynamics of this product category and changed the way customers use this product. Fevistik has removed many issues that customers faced when using glue. Customers used to find their papers becoming messy when using liquid glue, the hands used to get dirty and most often the applicator fixed on the cap of the glue bottle used to fall inside the bottle . Now at one stroke, Fevistik made things easier for the consumer. The storage of this product also became easier. And I think even the shelf life became more with this product form. One innovation which I would like to see in Fevistik is Scented Stick. Still in India, the glues are not scented ( Although we seldom smell the glue . I still remember the Pritt was a scented one and was a surprise feature for a glue.
Another interesting fact I noticed on the Fevistik is that it is not manufactured in India . The pack which I have in my office right now is imported from Korea. That makes this small brand a global one....
It is not that Fevistik is riding on top of the world. Competition is intense with all major stationary marketers have their own brand in this category . An for a product like this, I feel that customers are not brand loyal . If Fevistik is not available, customers will chose either Camlin or any other familiar brand. Hence keeping a strong distribution and a healthy inventory at the retailer end is crucial for this brand.

Nestle Munch : Can't Stop Munching

Brand : Munch
Company : Nestle
Agency : JWT

Brand Count : 272

Munch is the second largest brand in the chocolate based confectionery segment in India. It is also the largest selling SKU in the industry. Munch was launched in 1999 by Nestle to counter the brand Picnic from Cadbury. But now Munch survived and Picnic is dead.

Munch is positioned as a tasty brand. The brand is a result of the intense war between Kitkat and Perk. When Kitkat was launched, Cadbury launched Perk to flank its flagship brand Dairy Milk. The war between Kit Kat and Perk resulted in a stalemate and the category itself became stagnant. Then Munch was launched by Nestle as a price warrior. At Rs 5, the brand became a blockbuster success cannibalizing Kit Kat and forcing Perk to launch a low priced variant.

Munch is an any time consumption product. The product is a wafer layer covered with delicious chocolayer. The brand is positioned based on its taste. Munch uses the tagline " Can't Stop Munching" to promote its taste as the USP.
In 2004, the brand roped in the Bollywood actress Rani Mukharjee as the brand ambassador. The brand is promoted heavily across the visual media.

Watch the TVC here : Munch

Personally I never liked any of the commercials of Munch. All though Rani Mukharjee is perceived to be smart and full of energy, I always felt a touch of artificiality in the ads. ( compared with Perk and Priety Zinta) . And I never believe that the brand succeeded because of the commercials. The prime factor behind the brand's success was the price factor. Rs 5 always enthused the customers to make that impulse purchase. The quantity was just right for the price and parents will have a feeling that kids are not eating too much chocolate.
Munch is brand which has been innovating to keep the excitement going. Munch earlier had come out with a Coconut variant . Another major innovative variant was the Munch Pop Chocs. Pop Chocs are chocolaty nibbles in the form of wafer cubes. This variant is also promoted by Rani Mukharjee.
There is another interesting fact about Munch . Like Kit Kat, Munch is also trying to create a Brand Ritual. The ad asks the customers to Take a Munch Pop Chocs, Twist it and Pop it into the mouth. I feel that this attempt of creating a Ritual is not going to meet with the success that Kit Kat had.
Although I have serious reservations about the campaigns, the market has given a thumbs up to the brand. The company has also invested heavily into the brand which has reaped rich rewards.

Brand Update : Scooty Pep

Scooty has come out with a remarkable campaign - 99 color campaign. The brand now is available in an unbelievable 99 shades. I think it is the first time in the world that an automobile is available in 99 shades.

In marketing classes we use a quote from Henry Ford about the Model T car which was available only in black. " You can have any color as long as its black" ( although there is no proof that he said this).
Marketing has come a long way.....

TVS is now running a series of campaigns featuring the brand ambassador Trisha highlighting this feature.

Watch the TVC here : TVS Scooty

The move is unique and high risk. Scooty off late has been facing tough competition from Pleasure , Active and Krystal. Although the market share of Scooty has not been affected, the brand faces issue of differentiation. The competitors are feature rich and hence differentiation based on features no longer remains. All these brands are heavily promoted in the media. Hence to sustain the leadership, Scooty has to find a unique and serious differentiation.
Color never has been considered a differentiator in the Indian market. Marketers were skeptic about using colors as a differentiators because it is costly to manufacture products in various colors and customers may not be willing to pay a premium for the colors. But those thoughts were applicable in the past. Now consumer research shows that Colors has become an important attribute in the purchase of durables. One reason is that Features now no longer has the exclusivity. Another factor is the need for certain segments of the customers to express their individuality through colors. The affluent Indian middle class are also looking for aesthetics along with features. Hence while choosing a refrigerator, one may buy one which matches the color of the wall.
Scooty's new initiative is based on the consumer insight that customers are willing to pay a premium for unconventional colors. And individuals wish to express their attitudes through the colors. The popularity of Yellow Zen and the success of Godrej's EON range of refrigerators reinforces this insight.
And as the marketing theory suggests, when you have to promote a differentiation, do it in style. Differentiation should be important, distinctive,superior,preemptive, affordable and profitable. And 99 colors definitely makes a difference and significant too. But there are concerns. Concerns regarding the economies of scale . I still wonder how TVS managed to pull it through their production process. Managing the inventory will be a nightmare for TVS managers. According to reports, signs are encouraging. one out of four customers selects an unconventional color. Scooty charges a premium of around Rs 1000 for these colorful variants.

If I go by the theory, Scooty will be the brand which have the largest number of product line extensions. Cool....

Related Brand
TVS Scooty

Crezendo : Passport to Republic of Pleasure

Brand : Crezendo
Company : Hindustan Latex Ltd

Brand Analysis Count : 265

Crezendo was all over the news for all the wrong ( right ? ) reasons. This is the new brand of condoms launched by the public sector Hindustan Latex ltd who also markets the popular brand Moods.
Crezendo is more than just condoms. The pack of Crezendo contains a battery operated ring which also acts as a vibrator enhancing the pleasure during the intercourse. It is this feature that put this brand into controversy.
The brand was launched with much expectations by the company. Crezendo was a result of a market research by HLL on the reasons for the recent decline in the usage and popularity of condoms. The reason was obvious. Condoms were considered to " restricting pleasure " by men . Another alarming finding was that most of the condoms supplied through the Social marketing schemes were wasted because of non usage. The company was hoping to bring back the customers by adding a pleasure enhancer with the condoms.
Crezendo faced controversy in Madhyapradesh ( MP) when on of the ministers pointed out that the Crezendo ring is a Sex Toy rather than a condom and is against Law. Indian law do not permit the sales of Sex toys. The controversy was then taken over by the So called " Moral Police " which forced HLL to think about withdrawing this brand from the market.

There was a mistake on the company's part too which created the controversy. There was a message in the pack that said " the vibrating ring can be used without a condom for self -pleasure ". Since such toys are banned in India, one cannot blame the hypocritic moral police to stir up a controversy.
But that controversy had a big positive for this brand. It got tremendous publicity across media. As we know controversy is the cheapest and most effective marketing tool for any brand. The sale of the brand zoomed to around 50,000 packs within two months with MP contributing more than 15 % of the sale.
Crezendo was positioned as a bold product. The wordings in the pack referred it as a passport to the Republic of Pleasure. The idea was to reposition the category of condoms from Family Planning Tool to Pleasure enhancement tool. But those bold wordings landed it into trouble. The funniest part is that this matter was taken up in the Parliament and even some request have gone to the Prime Minister's office.

The controversy may have put the brand on a backfoot. Since the launch in June, the brand had not endeavored any sort of promotion. My personal feeling is that Crezendo will be successful as a niche brand because of its adventurous feature. The lack of promotion or the over caution can stifle the growth of this brand. HLL was hoping that this brand will act as a catalyst for the future growth of this product category but the controversies played spoilsport. This brand is an example of how environment can act as a major factor in marketing of a product.

Kinder Surprise : A Surprise Inside

Brand : Kinder Surprise
Company : Ferrero International

Brand Analysis Count : 264

Those who have visited supermarkets recently may not have missed a unique bright red and white colored egg shaped confectionery stocked at strategic locations. Its Kinder Surprise eggs for you. Kinder Surprise is a world renowned brand which has iconic status in some important markets in Europe.

I came to know about this brand from the latest book of Philip Kotler titled " Lateral Marketing". This brand is exhaustively quoted in the book. When I first saw this brand in the super market, I checked whether it was serious about India. Later media reports confirmed that the brand have serious plans about Indian market.

Kinder Surprise is an Italian brand launched in 1972 by Ferrero SPA . Kinder Surprise is a hollow milk chocolate in the size of a hen's egg. Inside the chocolate egg, there is a surprise toy for the kid. Usually the toy requires fixing of smaller parts. Kinder Surprise got the name from the combination of two words Kinder ( in German means Children) and Surprise. It is also known as Kinder Eggs.

This brand attracted Kotler's attention because it redefined the confectionery market in Europe. When this brand was launched, the entire snack market was fragmented. Especially in the category of chocolate bars, the brand saturation was also high. The company wanted to launch something different and attractive to both the end user ( Kids) and the influencer/decider/purchaser ( Parents). Thus the idea of Kinder Surprise eggs was born.
The idea was a lateral one . A toy inside a chocolate. That too a series of toys that can be collected by the kids.
Why the brand was popular among both parents and kids was simple. Most of the time when parents bought chocolate for the kids, they are almost always worried about the health factor. Secondly , seldom kids are satisfied with one chocolate. That creates a hell of an issue at home.
Kinder Surprise aimed to erase these two problems. The brand was advertised in the media as a healthy product rich in energy and carbohydrates. The Egg size ensures enough quantity of chocolate for consumption by the kids. The tricky part is that when the kids open the egg, he/she finds the toy and plays with it and the parents are relieved of being asked for more chocolates. That prompted many parents to opt for Kinder Surprise . For the kid the gets a chocolate , a toy and a collection. ( source : Lateral Marketing by Kotler )
Although Kinder Surprise is a rage in Europe but the product is not available in US because the regulations does not allow non nutritive products to be embedded in food products.

Kinder Surprise had a soft launch in India. I doubt whether they still is test marketing the brand in select market.There are no ads but only in-store promotion/ display. The brand is targeting young children and the differentiation is the toys inside the chocolate egg.

The brand was a surprise to me for another reason. The price. Kinder Surprise is priced at around Rs 25-Rs 30 which I consider too premium for a chocolate brand. ( Slow Skimming ? ) Those customers who are not aware of the surprise inside the brand may not opt for it. With out much promotion, customers are also not going to know about it. That makes the new launch a little troublesome for the company. We may see certain price rationalization in days to come.

Although the brand has established its position in global market, it is in for a certain surprise in the Indian market. I feel that the brand has got its initial pricing wrong. Indians are too choosy to spend Rs 30 on a chocolate as small as an egg. Secondly the USP of the brand is the toy inside. But in Indian market, this concept has been hijacked by ITC for its Sunfeast range of biscuits . Although the toy is not embedded in the product, Sunfeast have the toy which it calls FIXOS which is the same kind of toys found inside Kinder Surprise. And the Sunfeast biscuits are priced much below the Kinder Surprise' price. Hence Kinder Surprise may not result in a big surprise.

I am not writing the epitaph of a product that is newly launched but trying to cite the challenges faced by this global brand entering into the highly competitive Indian market. World over Kinder Surprise has succeeded because of its ability to create unique collectible toys . The company is very careful in the design of the toys and there are lot of exciting series like German Series, MPG, Limited edition , hand painted toys etc. In India too, the brand may be trying to replicate the global model.
With this high price and little surprise will Kinder Surprise can make it big in Indian market will be an exciting story to watch.

Source : wikipedia,lateral marketing

i-pill : Get Back To Life

Brand : i-pill
Company : Cipla

Brand Analysis Count : 262

i-pill is an offbeat brand that has just being launched in Indian market. i-pill is an emergency contraceptive pill which prevents unplanned pregnancy. Although emergency contraceptives pills ( EC Pills) were earlier available in the market, its only in 2005 that Government has allowed the sale of this product over the counter ( OTC). i-pill is special because it is the first brand which has been promoted heavily in media after the government has allowed the OTC sale of this drug.
EC pills were also popular as Morning After Pills because this drug is taken the morning after the " Accident " has occurred. Before 2005, the product was available only with a doctor's prescription.

This product category has lot of social significance in the Indian market. Out of more than 50 million conceptions that happen in India , 30% end up in abortions. There are also reports that suggest that 75% of pregnancies are unplanned ( My Goodness !). And an estimated 20,000 deaths happen because of complication during abortion. Hence EC pills offer a safe and effective second chance for those unprotected events and also a second chance for those contraceptive failures.

In 2005 Government has put this product under the Government Reproductive and Child Health Program. That means , there is going to be a reduction in the price of this drug. According to reports, the product price is expected to come down from Rs 40 to Rs 5. Government will also undertake advisory as well as awareness creating campaigns to promote this product category.

Coming back to the brand i-pill, this brand was existing in the ethical market as Pill 72. The company has relaunched pill 72 as i-pill in the OTC market. Although Government is taking steps to promote the product through campaigns, Cipla is not aiming the social class that government is aiming at.

i-pill is targeting the urban class SEC A & B. The campaign is already aired in the media.
Watch the TVC from the brand website : i-pill
Although it took a little time for me to understand the ad when I saw it the first time, I feel that its a cool ad that captures the essence of the brand. The brand uses the tagline " Get Back to Life" .

The tagline indicates the core idea of the brand which is explained by an advertorial :

" Take a pill as soon as you know that things have gone wrong . And you can prevent an unplanned pregnancy . That's it. And do be little careful the next time. Now there goes the alarm.Switch it off and begin a new day "

I think its cool way of communicating a concept that most of the marketers find difficult to express. The brand has got it right in terms of communication. And I like the packaging.
Although worldwide , EC pills has been popular, it also has its share of controversies. Some argue that these pills are abortion pills , encourages unsafe intercourse , immorality and so on and so forth. But Government of India has recognized the importance of this product category.
This category also is relevant in the modern context where the new generation has different ideas about morality . When India is aligning toward the west interms of Culture, such safety valves may prove very valuable.
i-pill is a smart move by Cipla because the brand aims to piggyback the government initiative to promote this category. When the category growth is taken care by the government and NGO's , Cipla can concentrate on skimming the cream of the market through this brand.

Fair and Handsome : Be Fair , Be Handsome

Brand : Fair & Handsome

Company : Emami
Agency : Situations

Brand Count : 256

Fair and Handsome is a brand that created the Men's fairness cream segment in India. Launched in 2005, the brand became the creater and the market leader of this segment. Emami was looking for ways to challenge the Fair and Lovely brand from HUL. Emami had a brand Naturally Fair which was small compared to FAL.

Emami went for serious customer research which showed that 25-30% of customers of Fairness creams were men. That customer insight paved way for a specialized brand for men. Fair and Handsome is targeted at young urban men aged 15- 35. The brand was launched with much promotion across visual media.

Watch the TVC here : Fair and Handsome

The campaign for Fair and Handsome is one of the lousiest campaign I have ever seen. Here the main character is depicted as a fool who gets into a ladies hostel to steal a fairness cream ( or has he got in for some other purpose !) . I still couldn't understand why couldn't he just go to a supermarket and buy it.

The brand is being positioned as the fairness cream that can make men handsome and also attractive to girls. The brand uses the tagline : Be fair Be Handsome . Whether the campaign is lousy or not , after two years of launch , Fair and Handsome is worth Rs 45 Crore now commanding a market share of over 30-40% in the segment.

The brand has to be appreciated for creating a category. It is true that men uses creams meant for women. Hence there is a logic in creating a brand for men in this category. The total fairness market is estimated to be around Rs 900 crore and men's segment is around Rs 160 crore. Although Fair and Handsome has gained the first mover advantage, already competition is hotting up. HUL has extended FAL into men's category with a variant Menz Active. Nivea and Lo'real also have moved into this segment. Unlike Fair and Handsome ( FAH), other brands are little subtle in positioning their brands as a fairness cream.

Nivea uses the term Whitening while Lo'real positions the men's range Men Expert has a range of skin solutions for men. However HUL directly positions its Menz Active as a fairness cream but the target market are older men aged 25-35 . These brands faces the issue of the reluctance of men to be seen using a cream because cosmetics traditionally is viewed as a category meant for females. Situations are changing and the Metrosexuals are least bothered about openly caring about their looks. The changing face of modern man is definitely indicating a big opportunity to these brands.

In the face of emerging competition Emami has moved aggressively to promote Fair & Handsome by roping in Bollywood icon ShahRukh Khan as its brand ambassador. The TVC featuring SRK is already on air.
According to a report in agencyfaqs, SRK was initially skeptical about endorsing a fairness brand for PR reasons, However Emami was able to convince SRK into endorsing this brand. Fair& Handsome is the first brand to target men. It was followed by Fair and Lovely extending itself to men's variant Men's Active. Now this segment is seeing lot of activity .
Fair and Handsome is banking on its 5 power Fairness System :
1.Double Strength Peptide complex which was developed in collaboration with Activor Corp. USA.

2.Sunguard: Prevent sunburn
3.Stress Busters: prevent wrinkles
4.Anti Bacplus : anti bacterial
5.Herbo Cool : herbal ingredients.

The brand website also gives an interesting chart that explains why fairness is important.
This chart in a way explains the Brand's thought process.
Fair and Handsome retains the original tagline : Be Fair, Be Handsome" in the new campaign also.
The brand gives an impression that the users are having a lack of confidence and feels insecure and have less self esteem. Again the brand assumes that Fairness gets women attracted towards men. I feel that the brand still lives in the stone age.
I feel that FAH has got its assumptions wrong. By depicting the main hero of the ad as a person with low self esteem, the brand is repelling lot of self assured men who wants to take care of their skin rather than attracting chicks. Gone are the days where Indian men had a complex about the skin color influenced by the long oppression by the British. Now the urban male is a more evolved one . ( I am not denying the fact that there are people who have complex about being not fair) . Men are more exposed to sun and dust and the traditional creams may not be effective for men. Hence such brands should address the host of issues faced by men rather than talking about being attractive to girls. I feel that FAH by default is restricting itself to the Fairness proposition ( which is not a bad idea ).

Even when you are addressing the issue of fairness, the brand have to project itself as an aspirational brand rather than as one for losers. Even the new campaign fails terribly in execution.

The new campaign and the brand ambassador in SRK may spike the sale of this brand for a while, but in order to move up the ladder, FAH have to project itself as a winner rather than a brand for losers.

What do you think ?

source : agencyfaqs,business standard,fairand handsome.net

Zipouch : Keep Fresh, Eat Safe

Brand : Zipouch
Company : UFlex (Flex Industries)


Brand Count : 254

Zipouch is again an Offbeat brand. Its is a classic case of innovation and another instance of a firm trying to tap a latent. Zipouch is a brand from Rs 1350 crore Flex Industries Ltd. Flex Industries is a leader in the B2B packaging industry and supplies packaging solutions to FMCG majors. Zipouch is an initiative of this B2B firm into the B2C segment.

Zipouch is packing solution for households. In simple terms Zipouch is storage bags for household focusing mainly on Food Storage. According to Brand Reporter Magazine, the product idea came from a similar product in an international trade exhibition in Europe in 2001. It took three years to bring the concept to the product form. Zipouch was launched in 2004.

The brand comes under Food Storage segment which is nascent in India. But it is for sure that there is a great potential for such storage solutions for households. Here the brand faces the challenge of

a. Convincing the customer about this product and its efficacy.
b. Pricing it right.
C.Gaining Distribution.

The need is evident when we look at the traditional storage style at our kitchens. Usually vegetables and fruits are kept in the Vegetable Tray in the refrigerator. And within two days, the fruits becomes unusable. If the fruits and vegetables are cut, then the fridge life will be reduced by half. It is this problem that Zipouch is trying to address. Give a storage solution for Fruits and vegetables which is convenient and healthy and along with that enhance the storage life of the food.
Zipouch not only has a product for fruits and vegetable, this brand has a range of storage solutions for the households :

Fresh 'n' lock : For fruits and vegetables
Press'n' lock : storage and freezer pack
Snack Pack: For storing snack items, for kids, can be used in School kit of kids
Assorted Snack pack: To store assortment of snacks.
Press'n'hot : For hot food items
Fresh'n'juicy : Much more stronger pack

Zipouch is taking the following qualities to promote itself :
Healthy and Safe
Retains Warmth and Freshness for longer periods
Maintains high nutritional levels
Convenient to Use
Microwavable.
Reusable
Hygienic .

Zipouch is also distinguishing itself from other plastic bags by its unique Zip ( from which it derives its brand name).The brand is targeting the SEC A+, A , B segment. The brand is being positioned as a safe and healthy way of storing food products. At the promotions front, the brand was very active in the media when it was launched but later went in for hibernation. Today's ET Brand Equity features an Ad which was the inspiration behind this post.

Having all these positive qualities need not guarantee the success of an innovative product like this. Zipouch faces lot of issues in the market. The primary issue is that of the distribution. I don't think that the brand has been able to secure a deep distribution network in the country. It is understandable since Flex Industries' is not an FMCG company and hence may have to start from the scratch. I talked to one colleague of mine who fits the Target Customer profile , it was sad to find that she was looking for such a product but was not aware that such a product was available in the market.
The second issue is that of differentiation. Although Zipouch is a new and an innovative concept , the product is such that it can be easily replicated. Hence if the market expands, it will be easy for anyone to come out with a product like Zipouch. A differentiation based on product attributes may not be sustainable. Hence the brand may have to take on a differentiation other than the Product attributes. More importantly, Zipouch may have to own a proposition that define this product so that other competing brands may not be able to make a dent. For example , the brand can own a proposition like : " Safe and Hygiene " or " Fresh and Safe ".
Early adoption of such a proposition will make the brand less vulnerable to competition. Having a patented Abbreviation like FSPT ( Fresh safe packing technology) which can act as a differentiator.

The brand has to spend a lot of money, first educating the customers about the product itself ( since the product is entirely new to the market) and also promoting this brand. The brand is retailing in the range of Rs 49- Rs 69 per 10 bags which is a very affordable range.

Zipouch is a wonderful product which has lot of potential but also lot of challenges ahead. Zipouch has got its product and price perfect but distribution is the weak point. The brand could piggyback some of the Retailing giants or FMCG majors for a distribution tie-up. It has to act fast because where there is a potential, there is competition.

Source: businessline, ET,agencyfaqs,brand reporter

Brand Update : Titan

Titan has come out with a new campaign for its thinnest watch Edge.The ad features its brand ambassador Aamir .

Watch the ad here : Aamir and Titan

Launched in 2002, Edge is positioned as World's Thinnest watch. With a thickness of 3.5 mm, Edge is priced between Rs6000 and Rs.12000 . The brand is targeting Business Executives and professionals. According to a report from Television.com, EDGE has so far sold over 75000 watches in 2006 with a brand sales of over Rs 42 crore . Titan has big plans for this subbrand.

The campaign now on air tries to project the brand as something that will catch the attention. EDGE takes the tagline "More Attention that You can Handle". It is true also , since the watch is definitely going to catch attention ( My boss has one ) and the thin watch will not miss your eye. And as the commercial shows - you will notice it as long EDGE is visible. Although You may feel that the commercial is a usual one, I feel that the idea is from a consumer insight.

Related brand
Titan

Axe : The Axe Effect

Brand : Axe
Company : HUL
Agency: Lowe Lintas

Brand Count : 252

I was delaying writing about this brand for the reason that I doubted whether I will be able to do justice to my favorite brand. An Icon for sure Axe is a success story that is so difficult to emulate. One can only marvel and enjoy.
Axe has got every thing perfect for its success, It got its segments correct, the targeting was exemplary and Positioning : something to drool for. And more over Luck was on its side.

Axe was born in France in the Year 1983. 24 years later, this brand is Unilever's Best selling brand worldwide. It has an iconic status in whichever market it has entered. It is also one of the rare brands which can boast of replicating its entire marketing mix across geographical boundaries. The campaigns that you see in India is what the entire world is watching. For those who propound Glocalisation , AXE is an exception.
Axe deo was launched in India during 1999. The brand launch was very quiet and theoretically the brand was having the strategy of Slow Skimming i.e High Price Low Promotion. Axe at that time was the leading men's deo brand in Europe and was popular in India in the Grey market ( available in duty paid shops) .HLL may have launched this brand inspired by the volume of Axe sold in the Grey market. At that time, the deo market was a nascent one with an estimated market size of Rs 72 crore. HLL had the brands Denim and Rexona and was ruling the market. Axe was priced at a premium above the Denim brand which was positioned as a male deo brand.
Axe initially was launched in the fragrance Java, Alaska and Atlantic. HLL did not bother to fine tune its Promotional mix to Indian market but just imported the promotions .... meaning, the company just ran the ads which was popular in the Europe and other markets. At that time , the product was also imported from Europe. And IT CLICKED.... rest as they say is History...
Axe in 2002 was having a market share of over 35% and soon HLL phased out Denim brand to concentrate on this Star.

Axe is the naughtiest brand in the Indian market. The brand is targeted at male aged 16-25 . Internationally this brand targets male aged 15-25. I personally feel that it targets all 'Young at heart" naughty guys. The brand has its brand values of Cool, Fashionable and Stylish. And world over, the brand sticks to its core values. The biggest strength of this brand is the underlying message or the DNA which is that the brand users are High on Confidence and always for the Axe users, Girls Makes The First Move. I think the biggest competitive advantage of this brand is its complete monopoly over this brand proposition. All its campaigns revolve round this central theme of Seduction where Girl makes the first move.
I think it has lot of subliminal implications. The brand assumes that Men wants( Likes) to be Seduced . That feeling ( of being seduced) gives a big boost of self confidence to a man. Although many brands take this proposition, Axe just made it perfect.

I have seen lot of ads where girls are seen drooling over Hunks in Motorcycle or in Readymades, or even in Innerwears, but in most of the Axe ads, there are no Hunks, only very ordinary or even skinny kind of people getting assaulted by beautiful girls. That makes the brand more approachable. Had Axe used a Hunk, the promotions couldn't have been so effective. The brand managers were so wise that when they used a celebrity like Ben Affleck, They ensured that the brand is made approachable
See the TVC here : My Favorite Axe ad
Having said that, The males seen in Axe commercials are not Losers: the ads are careful to show them as confident ( in one way or other) or a better term will be self assured. That is ultimate execution.
The power of this Big Idea has ensured that Indian consumers lap up the foreign commercials without any hitch. I don't remember any India centric ad for Axe especially in Television. And Indian consumers are not complaining either.

Along with these , the brand also ensured that customers are constantly engaged with new fragrances and campaigns. In 2005, Axe had a high profile launch of its new fragrance CLICK and before that there was Axe Land campaign and followed by Axe-Academy then Axe Voodoo and the latest one Phenomenon. I have tried most of the fragrances and not all of them are good, but I try it because I like the brand. That is the power of brand.
Axe is one of the rare brands that has embraced new media to the maximum extent. The brand has started its Internet based marketing initiative in India with Axe Land which involved a virtual trip to the Axe world. Globally also this brand has lot of online initiatives which are almost always naughty.In UK the Axe is marketed as LYNX.Checkout the cool web initiatives of this brand :
Axe- feather
Axe Effect
Axe Phenomenon
and also a blog called Evan and Gareth

Not only the brand uses TVC's to its advantage, the print ads of Axe won several accolades in various ad events. The creatives run amok with the kind of flexibility that they get from the positioning.Besides Print, the brand also uses outdoors to its maximum impact. Axe is a classic example of 360 degree branding effort. Now Axe has a common message in over 70 countries where Unilever sells this brand. Iconic in a real sense.

One of the reports term the marketing strategy of Axe as " Adventurous Marketing" .That is true because its risky because the brand deals with Girls & Seduction. Not always every one may like the theme or the campaigns. In India especially there are self styled Cultural Policemen/Women who cries foul for anything and everything. It is really surprising that so far, Axe has escaped their AXE. That also shows that the ad agency is also careful about the concepts put across the Indian media.
While in a more liberal markets, Axe tests new levels of " Adventures" , here the brand plays really safe. It also ensures the campaigns run in Indian media is accepted because most often its the entire family who watches the TV.
I know I just have touched the tip of Marketing Iceberg called Axe.

For the axe fans, check out a blog dedicated to Axe at Axeads