Nycil: Soothing and Cooling

Brand: Nycil
Company:Heinz
Agency:Rediffusion DY&R

Brand Count :220

Nycil is the market leader in the Rs 100 crore prickly Heat Powder (PHP) market in India. This heritage brand has successfully adapted to the changing trends for more than 35 years.
Nycil was initially a drug manufactured by British Drug House for Foot and Bed sours.But later the brand metamorphosed to India's leading PHP brand. The brand changed hands to Glaxo and then to Heinz in 1995

Prickly Heat Powders are highly seasonal products and to manage a seasonal brand is a Brand Manager's nightmare. The typical season for PHP in India is during April-July.The php category is about 20% of the total talcum powder market.Nycil has a market share of over 40% in the PHP category. ( source: Superbrandsindia,org).
During the eighties and nineties the Nycil was generic to the category. The brand was promoted heavily using the cactus mnemonic and the scorching heat gave the additional push to the brand. The brand was able to capture the need of the market which was moving away from traditional methods of applying turmeric or sandalwood pastes.
The irritation caused by heat is felt heavily on kids .Hence Nycil effectively targeted the mother and the child and the brand was positioned as the most effective Prickly heat powder.The brand talked about prevention soothing and healing to fight Prickly heat. The ads featured mother and child effectively conveyed the message. The product was efficient also since using Nycil bought instant relief ( personal experience).
Nycil's success bought many competitors into this category. Brands like Shower to Shower ( J&J),Dermicool ( Paras)Boroplus(emami) Vaseline ( HLL) all tried their luck in the market but could not make a dent into Nycil's leadership position while it took some market away from Nycil.
Nycil is a brand that constantly evolves according to the changing market. in 1970 the famous mnemonic of Cactus gave way to Bramble. Thebrand came out with different fragrances. Later in 1990's the brand expanded the target market to include adults also. The packaging was changed in parity with the industry trends.The brand also tried to expand its usage by including the attributes of fragrance and antiperspirant. But for a consumer, Nycil remains as the PHP.

My point is that Nycil has never rested on its laurels. The brand kept track of the market and competition and never shied away from experimenting. The category is highly seasonal and the purchase is largely problem/need driven. Sometimes the customer will go for the brand that have the maximum share of mind and voice. For example high profile ads of Dermicool took away some of the market of Nycil .It takes lot of efforts to differentiate such niche brands. I havn't seen any celebrity endorsing prickly heat powders? For a change having a celebrity endorsing Nycil may work for the season ...Will it?I also think that it is the right time for this brand to take on "Freshness" platform in place of soothing because there is more value and moving space in taking on the Freshness platform while keeping the points of parity with PHP category. The brand can also come out with multiple campaigns aimed at different set of segments like Sales Executive, Kids, Working women, College students rather than sticking to one segments. The rationale is that since the brand is a seasonal one, expanding the segments will be a viable option.And since different segments have different consumer behaviour, multiple campaigns make more sense.
Summer is on right now and I am waiting for the ad war....

Source:agencyfaqs,superbrandsindia.com

Brand Update : SBI

After surprising every one with Surprisingly SBI campaign, the bank has now moved into the second phase of campaign rationally explaing why SBI is better than other banks.

The bank has taken the positioning of Pure Banking emphasizing that SBI does what it does best : Pure banking. Th bank has now took the tagline" Pure Banking , Nothing else" takes a dig at new generation banks that spent lot of time doing non banking financial services.
A new Tvc is also running which shows a young guy getting impressed by the services offered by SBI which is his old parent's bank. The recent print and tvc is aimed at shedding the " old public sector bank" image of SBI and make it more relevant to the young customers. The bank is now running a mix of Rational, Humor and emotional advertisement to promote the bank. Laudable and Surprising.

Watch the hilarious Chiman Lal campaign here: Chiman Lal Charlie

Related Brand
SBI

Market Statistics : HLL Market Share Across Categories

According to A C Nielsen, Hll in 2006 maintained its leadership position in the FMCG market. It ruled the following segments : Personal wash,Fabric Wash, Dish wash, skin care, Jams,Tea, powder etc and is a strong number 2 in Toothpaste , instant coffee and Ketchups.

Brand Update : Rin and Surf Excel

2006 saw a unique marketing move from HLL. Rin Supreme bar is being migrated to Surf Excel. Although the decision is made in 2006 , the ads are being aired more frequently in 2007 ( I have only recently noticed this after one of my students pointed out this ).I was wondering why HLL is messing up their successful detergent brand like Rin?
Indian Detergent market is valued at around 5100 crore ($1.2 bn).Detergent bar market makes up for 43% of this market .HLL commands 38% of the fabric wash market.
The latest move comes in the wake of the high profile launch of Tide detergent bar. Tide and Ariel always created problems for Surf and Rin. The migration of Rin Supreme bar to Surf Excel bar is aimed at countering Tide.
While Rin is heavily positioned on th whiteness platform and Surf Excel on the Stain Removal platform, the new Surf Excel detergent bar is aimed to take both these attributes.The ad is already on air featuring kids conveying " Good News and Bad news" to their mothers.

It is true that the detergent bar market is important for HLL because in India, homemakers use a combination of bar,detergent and whiteners on their clothes. Hence any move from competitors should be seriously dealt with. But this migration initially did not make sense with me. Why spent money migrating brands? Does HLL gain by migrating Rin to Surf excel?

But I feel that the logic behind the migration is to protect Rin and its USP of whiteness .It is true that Rin supreme can counter Tide bar because both have whiteness positioning. Had HLL used Rin to counter any competition other than Tide, it will have to focus on the Whiteness Platform alone and any additional attribute may affect the parent Rin detergent powder brand. While having Surf Excel detergent bar will help HLL to counter competition not only from Tide but other competitors since Surf is known for its stain removal property. There will not be any dilution in the equity adding attribute of whiteness to Surf unlike Rin. My conclusion is Surf Excel has the ability to be a generalist than Rin.( MyView).
Is it good news or bad news?

source:businessline

Related Brands
Surf Excel
Rin

Idhayam oil : Banking on Health

Brand : Idhayam Oil
Company: Idhayam Group
Agency: Lekha

Brand Count : 219

Idhayam is a strong regional brand in the hugely diverse and unorganised edible oil market in India. Indian edible oil market is huge with a consumption of 360,000 metric tonnes per year. The market is wide and varied with regional preferences diverse across India. For example ,the preferences goes something like this:
Ground Nut oil is preferred in the West, Coconut oil and Sesame oil is preferred in the South,Mustard Oil in East and North, Soyabean oil in Central and North/West and sunflower oil in most parts of the country ( source: superbrandsindia.org).

Idhayam is the biggest brand in the sesame oil (Gingelly oil) segment . The brand has a rich heritage of over 60 years. The company came into existence in 1943 and over these years the brand has grown to occupy a major share in the South Indian market. Idhayam sells over 13 lakh liters per month .

Although in my house, traditionally we use coconut oil, Idhayam is a familiar brand because of the intense promotion by the company. The brand is promoted heavily through television and magazines. The brand uses the famous South Indian Diva Jyothika to endorse the brand.Although the ads are dubbed from Tamil in Malayalam , the heavy and constant bombardment of ads never misses the audience.
What is more interesting is the message of the ad. Idhayam means Heart. The brand has its basic values rooted in health platform. I think the brand had this even before the Sunflower brands took over the health positioning.
Idhayam is positioned as an all purpose edible oil. The brand talks about low cholesterol content and great taste.The ad also reminds you that the oil is best to apply on hair too. Health + Taste has been the positioning of Idhayam for years now.
The company later entered the groundnut oil market with a brand :Mantra Groundnut oil.
The success of Idhayam lies in the ability of the company to built the brand. It had been a commodity business but Idhayam added value and now rules this segment. The brand over time has now come out with an innovative marketing strategy " Oil Pulling". This is an initiative of the company to pioneer the concept of Oil therapy in the country. Oil Pulling is the method of rinsing the mouth with oil for Twenty minutes by Swishing the oil between the teeth. According to the company reports, this process effectively cures glaucoma and gum diseases. ( check out the website & doctor before trying it).

Idhayam is a classic example of branding a commodity. The brand is now trying out new markets for its Sesame Oil. Whether it will be successful or not, time will tell

Source:idhayam.com,hindubusinessline

Brand Update : Kingfisher

It is a tough task for a beer marketer to keep the brand's share of mind when there are government restrictions on advertisement. How surrogate can you go without getting into trouble... The issue become more critical when you have a super brand like Kingfisher. The brand had so far being able to promote itself through high profile events like the Kingfisher calender. 2007 saw another series of ads of Kingfisher mineral water taking advantage of the Jingle...
You can watch the latest TVC here , : Lift :Fitting Room
The ads take advantage of the brand element : jingle.. a smart way of reinforcing the brand in the customer's mind. The ad is an attempt addressing the new users and non users of the brand at the same time a reminder ad.
The ad also shows the power of brand elements and its importance in brand building and promotions. The jingle was carefully built over time, you can watch some of the brand's earlier promotions here: Kingfisher ads

Great attempt. ole lale lo


Related Brand
Kingfisher

Kamasutra Condoms : What do you want to be Tonight?

Brand: Kamasutra Condoms
Company: JK Ansell
Agency: Ambience


Brand Count: 218

Kamasutra condoms popularly known as KS is a disruptive brand in the Rs 110 crore condoms market in India. Launched in 1991 by JK chemicals,,KS shot into prominence by differentiating through breakaway positioning. In 1996, the brand was transferred to JK Ansell which is a joint venture between Ansell International and Raymond Group.

Kamasutra was the first brand to position this product category away from family planning. The brand broke the lazy lull marketing in this category by becoming bold and controversial. All the campaigns for this brands were different, memorable and clutter breaking.
Traditionally condom were marketed as a family planning product. The market is divided into
a.Free condoms
b.Subsidised
c.Popular
d. Premium

The brand broke into the scene with a controversial campaign featuring Pooja Bedi and Marc Robinson. The ads became an instant hit as well as a controversy because of the sensual visuals. The so called Moral police brigade cried foul. The ads were instant hit and the sales soared. Consumers used the acronym KS for this brand. The ads gave lessons of Kamasutra postures and customers loved it. But the campaign had its fair share of problems. The tvc was not allowed in National channel and the campaign was restricted to print.
Watch the Pooja Bedi campaign here : Pooja
For a bold brand like KS, the opportunity to create waves in the market was immense. The brand was aiming the target segment of youngsters below 25 ( unmarried) ,College students and young professionals. That TG was a risky proposition at that era because Sex was a taboo... But the brand was able to become relevant to the TG with its boldness and iconoclastic stands.
The Pooja Bedi campaign was followed by campaign featuring famouse models like Anu Agarval and Viveka Babajee. The brand used the tagline " For the Pleasure of Making Love" emphasizing the brand as an enhancer of pleasure ( emotional ) rather than a family planning tool ( rational)
Later the brand became lazy with no promotions for more than 2 years. There was no need to, because company were flush with orders from government and other NGOs so why waste money building the brand?
The brand took a different mode during 2003. It is a kind of repositioning where the brand shifted gear from sensuality to suggestive humour. According to reports, KS was running on the magic of Pooja Bedi and slowly the brand was becoming stale.And the competitors were imitating the sensuous imagery thus differentiation of KS based on visual imagery becomes irrelevant. Since the TG was youth, humour was the right way to get into their frame of mind, especially regarding the subject of sex. Thus came a series of ads with the new tagline " What are You Thinking Of?"
You can watch the ad here : Clinic, Waiting Room and Executive Lunch

The ads were funny and gave the brand a fair share of mind. The ad is based on the insight that
men will always have sex playing in their minds... These thoughts are triggered by simple visuals or sights and this insights was bought in a perfect way by these ads.
2006 again saw the brand changing its communication . The brand adopted the tagline " What do you want to be Tonight?". The ads talks about couple playing out their fantasies .. another extension of the initial positioning platform.

Watch the ad here: Detective and Lifeguard,

The campaigns are much bolder than the previous ones and I have a feeling that the TG has changed from youth below 25 to much older audience ( and married) .
What ever be the campaigns, still this category is in the closet bought ,secretively with only a fraction of customers experimenting the variants or for that matter discussing this category even with their friends.
But the potential for this category is huge and that too in the premium segment. KS has shown the way to build a different brand...

Related brand
Moods

Brand Update: Coca Cola

Its summer time and things are hotting up ( literally). This is the season where cola majors open their war chest and spent lavishly. But come April, summer has not yet reached Atlanta headquarters yet. Coke has been lying low so far... While Pepsi had bitten the bullet sinking crores of money hoping that Indians spent their nights wathcing World Cup suddenly finds themselves in the same situation faced by Indian team : Out of the World Cup...

Coke had released their new ad featuring Aamir Khan in a new avatar ( watch it here) . The tagline has changed from " Thanda Matlab Coca Cola " To " Sab Thanda Ek hai". That is the only thing that they have done this summer for the brand.( or has summer not reached yet?)

But I feel that Coke is missing out the World Cup and the summer. Remember 1996 World Cup where Coke was the official sponsor and Pepsi did a classic Ambush marketing with its " Nothing Official About it" campaign. That was a campaign that propelled Pepsi to mainstage in India. From that campaingn, Pepsi was closely associated with cricketers and cricket while Coke chose not to associate with the game at all. That disassociation in a way limited Coca Cola's acceptance among the youth.

Coke now has the perfect opportunity to revenge the humiliation of 1996. Pepsi is busy reworking its media strategy since its plans to invest Rs 350 crore in World Cup was called off. The campaigns "Blue Billion" " ooh Aaah India" and " Ladega to jitega" now has to be shelved. Reports suggest that Pepsi is going back to SRK and the likes to tide over the World Cup debacle.

But surprisingly Coke is playing it cool. Isn't it the best time to get aggressive? or

Thanda matlab Coca Cola?

Related Brands
Coca Cola

Gold Spot : The Zing Thing ( RIP 1977-1993)

Brand : Gold Spot
Company:Coca Cola


Brand Count: 217

Gold Spot is a sad story in the Indian Branding world. This iconic brand was killed for paving way for Coke's brands in India. Every one knows the story but still...

Gold Spot was one among the three major softdrinks brand that ruled Indian market along with Thums Up and Limca. The brand was built by Rames Chauhan of Parle after the exit of Coca Cola from India during 1977. Chauhan spoted the opportunity and three mega brands were born.
When Coca Cola came back to India in 1993, it bought out the three mega brands from Chauhan for a consideration of $10 mn. These three brands had a huge market share (combined) of over 69 % of India's SDC market. Then came the expected move. Coke slowly began killing the Parle brands to make way for its own brands. Thums Up was sidelined in favour of Coca Coala. Limca was sidelined and Goldspot was killed to make way for Fanta.

Gold Spot was the orange drink with a Zingy taste. This iconic youth brand was positioned as " Zing Thing" and was promoted heavily through all media. The jingle " Gold Spot.. The Zing Thing" was one of the most memorable jingle at that time ( still that jingle lingers in the mind of old timers).
Gold Spot was positioned as the youth brand and the ads talked about being crazy about the brand . You can watch the Gold Spot ad here .
But the brand was killed. Fanta was launched but till now the brand has not being able to take the position of Gold Spot. Coke was not able to clearly focus on the segmentation of Fanta. Fanta is never perceived as a youth brand. Fanta is not viewed or targeted at college students/youth. This confused targeting may have crippled the growth of Fanta and still it couldn't reach the status of Gold Spot. Coke expected that the users of Gold Spot will migrate to Fanta but it did not happened.
We saw Limca coming back in 2006.. can we ever hope Gold Spot coming back ?

Related Brands
Limca

Lacto-Calamine: For Complete Complexion

Brand : Lacto-Calamine
Company: Nicholas Piramal
Agency: Orchard Advertising

Brand Count: 216

Lacto-Calamine is one of India's oldest cosmetic/skin care brand. Once a necessity in the beauty kit of every ladies, this brand has started its second life after meeting a near death situation. Lacto-Calamine was introduced somewhere in 1970's by Duphar Interfran. But later in 1996 the brand was took over by Nicholas Piramal group for a consideration of around Rs 1.75 crores.

Lacto-Calamine was a popular skin lotion during early days. Calamine is another name for Zinc Carbonate. Lacto-Calamine was earlier used as a lotion for soothing the skin especially during summer. The lotion had germicidal properties and more importantly had a cooling effect on the skin. Calamine lotion was also used as a base for applying powder/other cosmetics on the face. In short, the brand was very popular in the early eighties.
Later for some reasons, the brand faded away from the market. There was no promotion, no marketing as such. The brand missed the new generation by miles. The brand's availability was restricted to medical shops .
Although I don't remember any ads of Lacto-Calamine, but I think that the brand was positioned as a complexion lotion. One report suggest that the brand had the tagline " Skinnoccence" meaning " Innocent skin". The brand was also prescribed by dermatologist for skin rashes and sunburns.

This year NPIL has relaunched this heritage brand. Earlier at the demise of Lacto-Calamine, Lakme has introduced Lakme -Calamine lotion but could not make an impact on the market. There are still lot of unbranded generic Calamine lotions available at medical shops ( druggists).
Although I feel little nostalgic when I hear this brand being relaunched, doubts linger in my mind about the future of this brand. The new generation is neither unaware of this brand nor the efficacy of the product. There is a huge generation gap which cannot be bridged easily. With a plethora of cosmetic brands in all sizes ,shapes and variants, the scope of this brand is very much limited. Although TVC's are now running , I don't see any forceful communication that can bring this brand back into the market. There are chances that the old users will start buying this again.

Brand Update : L'Oréal

L'Oréal has been aggressively promoting the men's range of personal care products in India. Loreal uses the brand name Men Expert for its men's range. The company expects a

big boom in the personal care products targeted at men. Although there are no exact figures on the size of the male grooming market, one report in cosmeticsbusiness.com puts the figure between Rs800-1100 crores($0.25bn) and growing exponentially. Men Expert was launched in India in 2006. The company has been using the Slow Skimming strategy in India till now. The products are advertised in selected magazines and the product range is amazing: which Indian men may not have seen before. The company has been using its international ads here also.For example one ad in a leading English magazine was for Pure & Matte (?) Anti Regreasing Moisturising gel with anti sebum complex. The gel promises long lasting hydration, non greasy, non sticky texture. If used after shaving, it soothes razor burn...Cool isn't it? The ads are tempting and appeal to the rational mind unlike the ads of " fair and handsome".

Indian men has not seen anything like these before... Check out their website lorealmen.com, you will amazed by the range..
Globally Men Expert is positioned rationally using taglines :" The best skincare technology for every man's skin". In India, the brand uses the tagline " You're worth it too" taking a cue from Loreal Paris' tagline " Because you are worth it".
Loreal men expert is premium priced and the print ads convey the message of premiumness. The brand is looking at the increasingly beauty conscious Indian male who doesn't shy from spending on grooming.

Related Brand
Loreal

Kristal Dtsi : Intelligent Scooter

Brand :Kristal Dtsi
Company:Bajaj Auto

Brand Count :215

Kristal is Bajaj Auto's latest offering in the ungeared scooter segment in India. It is a unique situation with the erstwhile king of scooters struggling to find place in the scooter market which it once ruled.
Kristal is a 95 cc ungeared scooter targeted at college girls. The product was first showcased at Auto Expo 2006. This month the company has launched this new brand in the Indian Market. Kristal takes on the market leader TVS Scooty in the increasingly competitive Ladies' scooter market. Kristal is somewhere in the middle of the 75 cc Scooty and 102 cc Pleasure.

Kristal Dtsi is positioned as an "Intelligent Scooter". The brand boasts about lot of innovative features. The website of this brand focuses on 7 features that makes Kristal different. The seven features are
1.Front Fuel tank: the company says that it is the first in this segment to offer this facility.The fuel tank is in the front hence the rider needn't step out and lift the seats to fill in the petrol. Also the fuel flap opens with the turning of the ignition key that is also a great convenience to lady riders.
2.DTSI: No body knows what it means but every one has see this technology delivering in the Pulsar. Bajaj has put this technology into the new scooter and hopes that it does the magic .
3.Extra large storage space: Kristal boasts about 22lts storage space and lot of additional hooks aimed at making the product user friendly for the TG. The storage below the seat also has an automatic light (like a fridge) .
4.Pentalock: The brand has one key that opens many doors. The company has made use of the ignition key to the maximum. With a single knob , the rider can open the fuel flap,open the seat, accelerator lock ,steering lock and ignition.
5.Smart Lamp: The brand has sensors that look at the lighting conditions outside and will adjust the front and panel lights. The front light will be automatically on when you go through a tunnel or when the lighting conditions become low.
6.SNS suspension: Kristal also features Spring in Spring suspension to deliver more comfort to the riders.
7.Low battery /fuel indicators: The scooter also have battery and fuel indicators.

Bajaj has put in lot of thinking behind Kristal. The failures of earlier scooter brands like Wave, Saphire & Sunny may be still haunting the company.So they have put in all out effort to regain the lost empire. According to reports, Bajaj is planning another Male Scooter branded Blade and may launch it this year.

As a scooter with all those thoughtful features, Kristal has done it right at the product front. The brand is now being promoted through television ads that calls this brand as an Intelligent Scooter. To a certain extent, the communication is able to catch the attention of the viewers. About the size of the scooter, I have a feeling that the brand is smaller than its peers. If it is so, then Kristal will have a huge problem.
But the issue is with the price. Kristal is priced stiffly at Rs 35000 and I think if that is the price , Kristal may not succeed in the market ( my view). Why because , the features that the brand talk about doesn't justify the heavy price put on this brand. Another issue is that except for the DTSI,all the features can be copied by the competitors. Kristal may have to spent too much money convincing the customers about the value proposition. Why I am skeptical is that the TVS Scooty has strong brand equity and to match that , Kristal has a long way to go.

source: bajajauto.com

Brand Update : Pleasure

Pleasure has started using Hrithik Roshan in a latest marketing move. The latest ad is aimed at promoting the Just4her showrooms. Just4her is the all female showrooms for giving personalized service to Pleasure customers.
The latest ad offers Pleasure customers to have a date with Hrithik. 21 lucky customers will dine in style with Hrithik. Hrithik is the brand ambassador for Hero Honda group as such and had been endorsing Karizma. Pleasure is now trying to leverage the celebrity in breaking the stronghold of TVS Scooty.
Pleasure is Hero Honda's take on scooters. Aimed at the fairer sex, the product is advertised heavily in media with the tagline " Why should boys have all the fun". Just4her showroom are first of its kind in India. The showrooms are promoted using the tagline " Where every girl is a celebrity". Hero Honda has also created an Exclusive Lady Rider Club taking a lesson from the success of its Passport programme.

Related Brand
Pleasure

Marketing Funda : Indian Readership Survey (IRS)

Indian Readership Survey or IRS is one of the largest readership survey conducted in India. Conducted by Hansa Research for Media Research User's Council ( MRUC), IRS covers readership for newspapers, internet usage, television veiwership .
Established in 1995 IRS data is widely used by media planners for finalising the media strategy. Besides giving the readership habits, IRS also provides valuable insights into the consumption habits of the Indian consumer. According the Hansa Reaseach, the information coverage of IRS is as follows

Media data study includes the following :
Press Readership: 350 + Publications
TV: 150+ channels
Cinema
Internet
Radio Listener ship: 15+ Radio Stations

Product data for the following is captured
70+ FMCG products usage and consumption habits
30+ Durable products ownership details
Financial Services
Urban & Rural Lifestyle Indicators
Telecom Data ( Source: Hansaresearch.com)

IRS uses sample from 24 states 91 cities covering a 250,000 respondents.The sampling details can be found here
IRS survey results are dissected by the media executives to prove their reach and cost advantages.
IRS is done twice a year and right now IRS round 1 2007 is out.
According to IRS Round 1 :
The top English Dailies are as follows (readership in 000's)
1.Times of India :6781
2.Hindustan Times:3331
3.Hindu : 2209
4.Deccan Chronicle:1311
5.Telegraph:919
6.The Economic Times: 774
7.Mumbai Mirror:735
8.DNA:539
8.Tribune:539
9.Midday:509
10.Deccan Herald:498

The Top Indian Newspapers are (readership in 000's)

1.Dainik Jagron: 17114
2.Dainik Bhaskar:12514
3.Hindustan:9052
4.Malayala Manorama:9052
5.Daily Thanthi:8351
6.Amar Ujala:8255
7.Eenadu:7233
8.Mathrubhumi:6961
9.Rajastan Pathrika: 6946
10. Lokmat:6874

Top Indian magazines are : (readership in 000's)

1.Saras Salil Hindi Fortnightly 4760
2.Vanitha Malayalam Fortnightly 3067
3.India Today English Weekly 2786
4.Grihshobha Hindi Monthly 2486
5. Malayala Manorama Malayalam Weekly 2294
6.Kumudam Tamil Weekly 2130
7.Balarama Malayalam Weekly 2124
8.India Today Hindi Weekly 1943
9. Anandavikadan Tamil Weekly 1898
10.Reader's Digest English Monthly 1869 ( Source : agencyfaqs)

Although IRS is used by most of the media planners, there are always some controversy surrounding the results. Since this is a sample based results, one can always question the statistical inferences. Every time the survey results are out, there are bound to be objections and blaming. To counter IRS, another survey is also there in the readership domain i.e National Readership Survey ( NRS).Combining both the results help media planners to chose the right media across markets. But all these surveys give only approximations. There is no guarantee that a 100 cc ad at the front page of the best daily in India can deliver the desired results. Hence marketers invent a new term : Opportunity to See ( OTS).. By putting an ad in the front page you are giving the reader an opportunity to see the ad .. how wise.

What is the front page ad of today's newspaper? Do you remember?.........

Bingo : A Challenger Brand

Brand : Bingo
Company: ITC

Brand Count: 214

Bingo is ITC's challenge to the monopoly of Frito Lays. This March ,ITC launched Bingo in the highly fragmented Rs 4500-5000 crore ($1 Billion) snack food market.Indian snack food market is dominated by unorganised sector. The organised snack foods market is only Rs 2000 crore and is dominated by the iconic Lays brand with over 77% market share. Having tasted success in Biscuits, staples and Ready to eat market, Bingo will be another test for ITC's marketing muscle. It fights in this segment with none other than Pepsi.

Indian snack food market is divided into : Traditional Snacks ( bhujiya, Chanachur etc) Western Snacks and the newly created Finger snacks segments.
Bingo is entering both the potato and finger snacks market. According to the company press release, Bingo comes in 16 flavors. Its potato snack has 4 innovative variants taking into consideration the taste difference across Indian market. The Finger snacks line has six variants.The TVC's are now on air and the company intends to position this brand as a fun brand targeting at the youth. The brand tries to differentiate from Lays by focusing on innovation (in flavors). Snack foods : because of the low financial risk (low price) for the customer, new tastes will be a key in marketing success. Lays succeeded by offering great quality, variety and brand to reach the leadership position. Bingo it seems is following the leader.
The task is very tough for ITC to fight with Lays. The golden line is that the market is so large that every player will have a space provided, the brand keeps the promise. The high profile brand launch of Bingo will see the market expanding thus benefiting all the players . ITC is aiming at a 360 degree brand building effort to boost the new launch. The exit of Indian team from worldcup may force a re- look on the media strategy for this brand since the company was trying to leverage the worldcup fever in India.
The brand takes the tagline : No Confusion Great Combination. The brand is promoted through a series of funny ad which I feel is little too complicated. The ad tries to be funny but fails to make the audience laugh. The poor execution can create problems for the brand.
Watch the TVC here; Vango Pongo
The launch of Bingo is going to see a fight between two marketing giants in the Indian market.It will be a treat for marketers and consumers .. Bingo....

Source: itcportal.com

Brand Update : Mysore Sandal Soap

In a unique marketing move, Karnataka Soaps and Oil which markets the famous Mysore Sandal soap has gone in for creating a new super premium segment in the highly cluttered soap market. The company is launching the costliest (most expensive) soap in the Indian market Mysore Sandal Platinum. Priced at Rs 200, the soap is 4 times expensive than the current premium soap brands like Dove.

Mysore Sandal Platinum make sense for the company since it will add more equity for the existing product line. Rs 200 is quite a price for a soap but Mysore Sandal may not have volume in mind when it is launching such an expensive soap.
Now Mysore Sandal has following variants:
Mysore Sandal Soap
Mysore Sandal Classic Soap ( for overseas market)
Mysore Sandal Baby Soap
Mysore Sandal Rose
Mysore Sandal Gold
Mysore Sandal Herbal Care.
The new launch is also aimed at the overseas market. Mysore Sandal with its heritage and quality will create a good market in the west. The new brand Platinum although expensive in India will be affordable in the western market (less than $5).
In India too, the brand may adorn the super rich households. This could also have some positive effect on the Parent brand.
Along with Platinum , the brand is moving to mass market ( downmarket stretch) with a non sandal soap branded Wave. Both these initiatives can be cited as an example of Two Way stretch of a product line.

Related Brand
Mysore Sandal Soap

Source: Business standard

Brand Update : Lux

Lux is getting better and bolder. Facing the pressure in a cluttered market, Lux is now in an effort to break the clutter. 2007 is seeing Lux in a new avatar: Lux Pink. Lux has launched all new Pink in a Special Edition pack. The new variant Lux Haute Pink comes in a new flavor, color and fragrance. The most differentiating being the packaging. Lux Pink as you can see from the picture is a stark deviation from the existing variants. The look is different and the message is also different. The brand says : Beauty is not a color or a fragrance... its an attitude! Lux invites you to wear this attitude everyday, to enter a world where we celebrate the pleasures of beauty. Lux .Play with beauty.

The new variant is being promoted in tvc and also in magazines. The brand takes on the pink and celebrates the color. This special edition Lux aims to break the clutter and tries to bring the excitement back to Lux. The packaging is tempting and can see a lot of trial purchases.

Related :
Limited edition
Lux

Minute Maid : Refreshingly Orange,Surprisingly Pulpy

Brand : Minute Maid
Company: Coca Cola
Agency: Leo Burnett

Brand Count:213

Minute Maid is the latest launch from Coca Cola. Minute Maid is the global leader in the fruit juice industry. The brand which was earlier associated with Orange Juice has grown to become a umbrella brand for fruit juices and has even extended it to non soft drinks.

Minute Maid was launched in India in February 2007.The brand assumes significance in the plans of Coke because of the scare it had in the pesticide issue. By launching Minute Maid , Coke is moving towards health drinks. According to Financial Express, the market for Packaged Fruit Juices is expected to be around Rs 350 crore. The market leader is Dabur Real with a share of 57% and Pepsi Tropicana with a share of 30%.

Minute Maid have a rich history. The brand was born in 1945 when Florida Foods Federation developed orange juice powder with a rich fresh-squeezed taste. The name Minute Maid signified the ease of preparation of this product ( "It can be prepared in a minute"). The brand became instant success. The brand later was acquired by Coca Cola. Today the brand spreads across the globe and comes in various flavours and SKU's. Some of the popular extensions include Calcium Fortified, Premium Choice,Heart Wise, Bone Wise etc.

Minute Maid is now being launched in India in a phased manner. The initial launch is in the southern states of Karnataka, TamilNadu and Andhrapradesh. The brand is being initially positioned on the superior taste platform. The brand uses the tagline "Refreshingly Orange, surprisingly Pulpy". The tagline signifies the USP of Minute Maid which is : Pulpy Orange juice drink with real orange pulp. The brand is targeted towards young adults who look at health drinks.The brand is priced at Rs 25 for 400 ml and Rs 60 for 1 litre. (I havn't seen the ad since it is not launched in Kerala, will be updated in due course)

The brand is expected to shake up the fruit juices market in India. The success of Maaza will give lot of confidence to Coca Cola in this segment. And a high profile launch will help increase the category size also.
Watch the international commercial here

Source:minutemaid website,financialexpress

TVS 50: RIP (1980- ........)

Brand : TVS 50 Mopeds
Company:TVS
Agency:McCann Erickson

Brand Count:212

TVS 50 is in the death bed. Anytime the plug can be pulled from the life support system which supports this brand. The brand which was once the favorite two wheeler of common man is at the end of its lifecycle.
TVS 50 has a special place in the automobile history of India. This brand was the first twin seater moped in India.Moped is the combination of Motor + pedal ( nobrainer isn't it).The history dates back to the time of first world war and later a resurgence during the great depression.
Mopeds were pioneered in India by Kinetic with its single seater Luna. But TVS 50 made the category popular. This simple machine which was a category between cycle and scooter was a affordable transportation mode for a middle class person who couldn't afford a scooter.

The success of this product can be attributable to two things : price and utility. At a low price one could have something better than a cycle and also which was simple to handle and no hassles. The brand became favorite for small traders and at one point of time an entry level category for teenagers.
The Mopeds are now facing extinction because of the rise of certain categories within the two wheeler segments . The emergence of scooterette took away lot of consumers who was in the TG of mopeds.Along with that the product also had its inherent problems. The most nagging one being underpowered. The pedal starting also distanced ladies from considering this product. Although the product offered good mileage, the emergence of scooterette virtually took the consumers away from mopeds.

TVS has tried to keep the brand afloat in the changing market. It introduced a 72cc moped :TVS XL Super to make the moped powerful. Over its lifecycle the brand changed from TVS 50 to TVS Champ to TVS Superchamp to TVS XL Super and TVS XL Super heavy. The pedalling gave way to kick starting .So looking at the product changes, the company has done all the right things. Even in 2001, the brand had 66% market share. But the question is about the shrinking market for mopeds. In 2003 the company officials announced that the brand is slowly being phased out.

TVS was once a brand that reversed the fortune of TVS motors. It was a cash cow for the company and kept afloat the company during trying times.Now this category itself is becoming irrelevant or is it? One significant factor to look is that the design was never touched upon regarding the mopeds. The look remained the same.Globally mopeds are a preferred product category for short distance commuters. Looking at the electric bikes that are being promoted now in India, the performance is comparable with mopeds. So are curtains being pulled a little too early? Theoretically there is a gap existing in the market between cycles and scooterettes:Where TVS Scooty remains the leader. Price wise also there is a scope for a product. But mopeds in the current design and image may not bring in customers especially urban customers. A redesigned funky and attractive two wheeler in the price range of mopeds still holds some market. In western markets there are 50cc mobikes that teens use. No for an urban teenager, there are less options or settle for a ladies scooterette.

Will it take a Honda to reinvent this category.....
Source:businessline

Brand Update : Sunfeast

In a unique marketing move, FMCG major ITC has launched a new range of Sunfeast Biscuits: Sunfeast Sachin's Fit Kit. The brand's uniqueness lies in the fact that first time in India a product is being co-created by the company and the brand ambassador. In a world cup Googly , Sunfeast has not only roped in Sachin as a brand ambassador but also bought in a variant of a different kind.

Sunfeast Sachin's Fit Kit is the first Indian brand where the celebrity has been actively involved in the product development. Sachin has shared his dietary regimen which has helped him to stay in top fitness for more than 17 years ,with the company and the product was developed taking inputs from the dietary regime. The new variant is branded as Sunfeast Sachin's Fit Kit.

Sachin's Fit Kit comes in two variants : Vitamin and Protein Enriched and Multi-Grain. The Vitamin and Protein biscuit has Vitamin B1 B2 B5,B6 & B12 in it. The Multi-Grain biscuits has 6 grains in it viz Barley,oats, raggi,corn and wheat. The range retails for Rs 5 for 75gms and Rs 10 for 100gms.
The brand is promoted by Sachin and TVC's are on air now .The brand uses the taglines " Ab Har Ghar mein Sachin" translated to "Sachin in everyhouse" and also " Sachin ne Banaya" translated to : " Made By Sachin". The ads are made by Prahlad Kakkar for Ulka. The TG as I infer from the TVC is kids. The rationale of the current high profile heavy investment product is the understanding that Indian consumers are getting more health conscious. According to media reports, a part of the sales revenue will go to Sachin as a Royalty apart from the fee for endorsement.
The ordinary range of Sunfeast is endorsed by ShahRukh Khan (Watch TVC Here).The brand is leaving no stones behind and Sachin and SRK endorsing the same brand gives it an Awesome leverage

Related Brand
Sunfeast

Source:itcportal,businessline

Asian Paints: Every Color Tells a Story

Brand : Asian Paints
Company: Asian Paints
Agency: O&M

Brand Count : 211

Asian Paints is the market leader in the highly fragmented and highly competitive Rs 7750 crore ($1.73 Bn) Indian paint Industry.The organised sector constitutes around Rs 5400crore ( $1.2 Bn).
Asian Paints started its journey in 1942 with four young men in a garage in Bombay. The name Asian Paints was picked randomly from the telephone directory. The brand has traveled from that garage to become a Rs 1000 crore brand.From 1968 ,this brand occupies a premium position in the Indian Paint industry.

The story of the evolution of Asian Paints as a brand is interesting. The brand now has an iconic status in the industry thanks to some blockbuster big ideas from O&M. The brand once positioned as a mass market brand has evolved itself to a higher plane.

Indian paint industry can be broadly divided into two segments
a.Decorative segment which constitutes the wall paints : exterior and interior, wood paints etc
b.Industrial segment which consists of automotive paints, and paints for industrial sector.
Decorative segment constitutes around 75 % of the total paint industry and Asian Paints is the market leader with around 44% share. In the Industrial segment, Nerolac is the market leader.

In the decorative segment, it is interesting to see how Asian Paints have changed the buying process of the product like paints.Paints are usually considered to be a low involvement product. In earlier times, the decision of the brand was taken by the builder/contractor and the home owners does not involve much in the process may be the decision of color rest with the house owners.
Asian Paints realized the need for brand building even during sixties. But at that point of time, the company had a wide range of brands/subbrands. The focus of the company was on product innovation and service network and managing quality proposition.The brand focused on mass and rural market. Asian Paints had a mascot called Gattu who was created by the celebrated cartoonist R K Laskhman.These efforts made the brand a leader during the late sixties.

Then the company realised that although volume justified the leadership position, share of mind for the brand was very low.That was the result of the mass segmentation adopted by the brand. Rightly so because the industry was driven by channel driven promotions, building a brand at that time was" uncommon sense". During 1983, the company tried to reposition the brand as a premium brand. Asian Paints initiated the corporate campaign aimed to position the company as the number one player in the industry.The objective was to upgrade to a more margin premium product marketer .The corporate campaign " Spectrum of Excellence" was aimed to increase the Salience of the brand in a quiet market.

But this campaign failed to inspire any interest in the consumers and the company felt that the market is moving towards a commodity market where price is the most important differential. Asian Paints undertook a consumer research aimed at understanding the perception of consumers about the product category. The research revealed lot of interesting insights. Consumers felt that paints could change the mood of the space and it was a sign of festival and plenitude.It could make a gloomy place bright and pleasant. From this insight came the campaign of Asian Paints associating itself with festivals. Research also confirmed that customers tend to repaint their houses on the occasion of festivities. Thus born the campaign "Celebrate with Asian Paints". The campaigns were carefully crafted and there were different campaign for different regions. These campaigns effectively enhanced the brand equity of Asian Paints and established itelf as a premium brand. More than that , these campaign ensured an emotional connect with a brand in a low involvement category.The brand also phased out many subbrands and rest of the subbrands was brought under Asian Paint's umbrella brand.

During the late nineties the brand had to be reinvented. Because no longer festivities formed an important part in ones life. Since many brands went after festival seasons,the positioning platform has become cluttered.More over the consumer buying behavior has changed. The category was becoming less seasonal. People started associating more importance to home decor and interiors. The choice of color became a high involvement decision. From a low involvement category, paint was increasingly becoming a high involvement category.

The brand also went in a brand overhaul. The logo was changed to a contemporary upmarket one designed by Entreprise IG based in Singapore.The logo/design was to convey self expression, sophistication and Technology.

Thus came the birth of a wonderful positioning strategy created by O&M. The insight was that the brand is about people and homes and homes reflect the people living in it. Hence " Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai" translated to " Every Home has a story to tell". This campaign is a perfect example of a brand laddering up and connecting to a higher level in the mind of the customer. The campaigns reinforced the brand as a premium emotional brand.
Along with the campaign Asian Paints also ran parallel ads for its subbrands. Saif Ali Khan endorsed the premium brand Royale .For Apex Ultima, the campaign was highly localized and was different in different market.

View Asian Paints ad here : Pongal :Saif Ad

Taking a cue from the success of Ghar campaign , the brand took ownership of the COLOR. The insight is that each color has a story to tell. The latest campaign reflects on the color and uses the campaign " Har Rang Kuch Kehta hai" translated to "Every color has a story to tell".The brand is so serious about the color that it has tied up with IIT to explore new colors and conduct research on colors.
Asian Paints is a classic branding story and the brand is still exploring and growing.

source:businessline,agencyfaqs,Ficci

Marketing Funda : Limited Edition

Marketing Funda #4: Limited Edition

The post is inspired by one of my students Mr.Prateesh who raised this intriguing question: Why do companies come out with Limited Edition products?
Obviously this question can be seen in the light of high promotion advertisements of Marketing giants like Pepsi launching Pepsi Gold and Mirinda Limited Edition.
According to Wikipedia, the term "Special Edition" when used in Marketing, is intended to give the product something new and previously unseen in the regular edition.Limited Edition carries a sense of urgency and the products will be released for a shorter time or in limited numbers.
Limited Edition term is derived from publishing industry where limited number of editions can be printed with top quality impressions. But later this term was taken and used across industries.

Although Limited Editions are sold at a premium, there are many FMCG companies take up this concept minus the premium factor.The industry that has used this concept widely is the automotive sector . In India too there were lot of products that come with Limited Editions. The recent one is the Pepsi World cup Gold. Pepsi has earlier came out with Pepsi Blue in the last world cup.

The reason for launching a Limited Editions can be many :
1. Induce brand rejuvenation
2.Consumer Connect
3.Celebrate an event
4.On occasions/Festivals
5.Sales Promotion
6.Test Marketing
7.Creating a Hype in the market
8.Celebrity Endorsement
9.Encourage multiple purchases.
10. Create Brand Associations
11. Enhance Share of Mind

According to MG Parameswaran of Ullka, marketers use Limited Editions to increase consumer connect, to excite the market or for celebrations ( source:Financial Express). For example Lux came out with two limited edition flavor Chocolate Seduction to celebrate its 75 th anniversary.Pepsi Blue is to celebrate World Cup. Amara Raja Batteries had a Limited Edition to celebrate Narain Karthikeyan's entry into F1.

Sometimes Brands come out with Limited Editions to Excite the market. If the brand sales is plateauing, Limited Editions can bring back excitement into the product.The incremental improvements may encourage many new consumers into the product thus rejuvenating the brand.
Limited Editions also help to encourage customers to make multiple purchases as a Collectors item. Sometimes marketers use these Editions as a test marketing of a feature of attribute. For example Wagon R used a series of Limited Editions to test market some of the features which later became the part of the standard equipment.
Limited Editions are also used by marketers to boost the Share of Mind i.e to ensure Top of Mind Recall. Brands like Pepsi which has limited scope of differentiation in terms of product attributes uses Limited Edition like Pepsi Aha, Caffe Chino to boost the image and also the high profile promotion ensure top of mind recall.

Limited Editions are used for special seasons and occasions. Many marketers launch event/theme based variants of their products that runs for a short period but with a view to enhance the brand image.Some times Limited Editions are used to create a hype in the market.

Another advantage marketers see in Limited Editions are to use it to maximize the use of a celebrity.Palio effectively used Sachin and Special edition cars to boost the image of the brand.Limited Editions also help the brand to create positive brand associations. Coke used limited edition Rang De Basanti bottles to create positive association of truth and optimism.

All though there are many advantages to using Limited Editions as a strategic marketing tool, often these editions are expensive.Most often the return from these limited ranges cannot be measured. Sometimes the Limited Editions become failures which in turn affect the brand equity of the parent brand. Now a days marketers use Limited Editions as a tactical weapon ( sales promotion ) rather than a strategic tool.

Source: Financial Express

Easy Off Bang: And Dirt Is Gone

Brand : Easy Off Bang
Company: Reckitt & Benckiser

Brand Count 210

Easy Off Bang is a global brand launched recently in India. Easy Off Bang is a Multipurpose surface cleaner that cleans the tough stains,rust,hardwater build up and the like from surfaces.The brand was launched in Europe in 2004 and according to reports, the brand was a blockbuster success in the European market.

Easy Off Bang was launched in India in 2005.The test launch was in Tamilnadu and inspired by the positive response, the brand went National in 2006.The total surface cleaning market in India is estimated to be around Rs 350 crores (including toilet cleaners and floor cleaners).The concept of a surface cleaner is something new to Indian households . Mostly even for toughest stains, we use the common cleaning solutions and if it does not work then leave it like that !. Easy Off Bang is trying to explore a new segment in this category. Reckitt is the market leader in the surface cleaning market with products like Harpic, Lizol and Collin. Easy Off Bang is a product that fits neatly into the product line.

What is interesting about this brand is the Brand Name. The company decided to use the global brand name in India also.It is true that the name caught the attention of customers because of its uniqueness ( clutter breaking). But other than that positive aspect, the brand name (I feel) is a misfit in Indian market.Easy Off Bang is now promoted heavily through television. The brand takes the Demonstration Led Advertising where the anchor demonstrates the effectiveness of the product.The brand uses the tagline " Bang... And Dirt is Gone".

Easy Off Bang is a niche brand and is targeting SEC A and B segment. The product is priced at a premium at Rs 65 for 400 Ml.Although the brand is being advertised as a tough stain remover, the website shows certain surfaces where this product is not effective.According to the website, Easy Off Bang is not effective in the surfaces like Marble, Aluminum, vinyl floor tiles etc .Some customers may get disappointed by this disclaimer.

Easy Off Bang became very successful in the global market within two years of launch. This brand is present in around 70 countries and the company expects Indian market to positively accept the brand. The brand faces the issue of developing this category because customers may consider Easy Off as an avoidable expense and this brand faces competition with the ordinary floor cleaners. Although the brand name is little unorthodox for Indian market, the success of Alpenliebe may give confidence to the company. The performance of this brand will be closely watched by the customers and the delivery of promise will determine the success of Easy Off Bang.

Ginger Hotels : Luxury of Simplicity

Brand : Ginger
Company: Roots Corporation ( Taj Group)


Brand Count : 209

Recently I was intrigued by a simple ad of a hotel in Television with the tagline " Please Help Yourself" because seldom we see hotels advertise and decided to read more about the brand Ginger. There was many surprises in store for me about this brand. Ginger is the new version of Indione chain of hotels touted as the budget hotel chain from the Taj Group. Owned by the TATA's Ginger brand is expected to shake up the hospitality industry for the better.

Indione launched in Bangalore in June 2004 was Taj's first foray into Budget hotels. The hotel chain was expected to tap in the growing population of Business and leisure travelers and expected to satisfy the need for a hotel that offers service at affordable price. The Bangalore property was a test market of this concept.The test market results was encouraging and the Bangalore hotel averaged 85% occupancy rate. After testing and fine tuning the process and service, the company nationally launched the chain of hotels.

Tata's however decided not to use Indione for the chain of hotels ( for some reasons). The brand Ginger was chosen to this new chain of hotels. The brand Ginger was developed with the help of Internationally renowned Brand consultancy firm Landor Associates. Ginger brand radiates simple unique,basic, lighthearted,very different, Indian, innovation as its Brand values. The company wanted the brand to radiate Freshness and Ginger communicates that freshness.
Although the concept of budget hotels looks attractive, it is not easy to sustain the cost and the service expectations. Hence Taj conducted an extensive consumer research to fine tune the service delivery and the ambiance.The national rollout of Ginger Hotel was on March 2006. The brand already has its presence in 6 locations.

Ginger differentiates itself from other budget hotels by its SMART BASICS feature. Smart Basics concept was co-created by Ginger with the help of the Renowned Management Guru CK Prahlad. Smart Basics provide a value proposition of a different kind. It represents a Next Generation category that signifies Simplicity, convenience,informality,style ,modernity and Affordability.The hotel offers a mix of high end facilities with an affordable price tag. Ginger offers a customer following facilities: A/C, electronic lock,comfortable beds, work area, 17" Flat TV,Direct Dial with STD, Gym,cyber cafe etc at a rate of Rs 999 for single and 1175 for double room.The hotels operate with skeletal staff but is highly process oriented so that most of the necessities of the customers are taken care. Some of the services are outsourced but available to the customer on call. As the tagline says " Please Help Yourself", most of the services are self service ( to reduce cost) including check in. The trick is to be process driven so that customers will just have to follow the process and things will be taken care by the process.That also gives the company an option to charge for specific services demanded for the customers.

Ginger effectively fills a gap that existed in the hospitality sector, a need for a budget hotel that delivers reasonable/assured service. Ginger helps that decision making easier for the customers.
Ginger is an example of Masstige service and holds huge potential in the Indian market. The budget hotel market in India is estimated to be around Rs 6000 crore and Ginger is all set to conquer this market.

Source: hospitalitynet.org,gingerhotels.com,businessline, economictimes

Ford Ikon : The Josh Machine

Brand : Ikon
Company:Ford India
Agency:JWT

Brand Count:208

Ford Ikon is a brand with a class. This brand has redefined the car marketing in India. Launched in 1999, Ikon in a way rejuvenated the fortunes of Ford Motors in India. Ford came to India with a dated model like Ford Escort.Escort was launched in 1995 and was one of the first international brand to enter the midsize sedan market.

Ford Ikon was launched in the event of phasing out of Escort. Since then Ikon has been a major player in the entry level sedan market with a share of over 20%. The most interesting aspect of the brand is in its positioning. Ikon dethroned the position of Esteem in the C segment through its breakaway positioning.

Till 2005 Ikon has sold over 100,000 cars and has occupied a special space in the highly competitive car market in India. Ford Ikon is actually an Indian adaptation of the highly successful European Fiesta model. But knowing the Indian market with the Escort example, the company decided to design and Indian car for Indian consumers. Thus born the brand Ikon.
The company virtually adapted the whole product to suit the Indian consumer taste and also Indian driving conditions.Ikon was one of the first examples of Global brand getting Local in the automotive industry.
Once the product is ready, came the question of marketing. Ikon was priced as an entry level sedan car and was positioned in the C segment. C segment was dominated by Esteem and there was a slew of competitors waiting to tap the market including Hyundai Accent. Most of the purchases in this segment was rational and the brands were also positioned on rational platforms. Ikon wanted to break the icons and decided to do away with the demographic positioning. Research and initial test marketing showed that Ikon is associated with the Attractive and Peppy attributes. The company decided to position the brand as a lifestyle brand. The TG was decided to be young professionals who works hard and play hard who are Full of Life and Affluent. This brand is the classic case of lifestyle segmentation.

Ikon had the sporty design and all the pep that a sporty car needs interms of engine capacity and performance. The agency hit upon the big idea of positioning the brand as the Josh Machine.I think the tagline JOSH Machine is one of the best taglines I have come across. Although the term Josh is hindi ( I have criticised Go Fida campaign) Josh term had a universal appeal across India. Although some of the ads were lousy, the product delivered the promise. The Brand clearly identified the TG and Josh satisfied the need for a sporty sedan ( that need is still there). Indian Yuppies lapped up this product and the brand which suffered most because of Ikon was the Maruti Esteem.Ikon was priced between Rs 5.5 lakh and 6 lakhs.The brand broke from the rational positioning into a more emotional plane.The brand had the famous tagline " The Josh Machine " which was later modified to " Live Life with Josh".

The brand hit a rough patch in 2003 with competition hotting up. The launch of Indigo changed the dynamics of the C segment. To compete with Indigo, Ikon launched a variant in the sub 5 lakh category with Ford Flair.

Last year Ford launched its Fiesta in the Indian market at a premium over Ikon. According to company reports, Fiesta is positioned as an Aspirational sedan and complements Ikon rather than cannibalise it. Fiesta became a runaway success because of its blockbuster performance.

Ford Ikon is now at a critical point in its lifecycle. Although the brand has came out with lot of variants over time like SXI, NXT, the brand is now perceived to be an old brand.The Josh in this brand is no longer there and the company is now focusing on its new baby Fiesta. This lack of marketing and brand building on Ikon can prove to be a big negative for the brand. Slowly the brand may lose its relevance in the Indian market . The Ford India site talks about the new Ford Ikon with spruced up interiors,but what the brand needs is a relook on the promotional front.The brand still holds significant relevance in the Indian market because there is no brand that has the sporty look and the positioning of Ikon. There is still an unmet need for a peppy car and Ikon if not promoted with Josh will be a great injustice to the brand. There is not even a need for repositioning. Only high profile well made advertisements will do the trick. Exciting colors and roadshows will pep up this sagging brand. Else this brand will die a very untimely and unwarranted death..

Source: Businessline,agencyfaqs,
image courtesy: agencyfaqs,ford website

Related brand
Ford Fiesta

Center Shock : Hilake Rakh De

Brand : Center Shock
Company: Perfetti Vanmelle
Agency: O&M

Brand Count:207

Center Shock is an interesting brand or rather it is a disruptive brand in the sense that the brand just makes all marketing theories look funny. Conventional marketing wisdom says that the product should deliver a promise ,satisfy a need and blah blah . Here is a confectionery brand that tasted sour making itself a market leader in less than 6 months time.

Center Shock was launched in 2001 and at that time, the chewing gum market was at cross roads. The market lifecycle was at the decline stage. Although the market was worth Rs 300 crore, it was declining at a faster rate at 25-30%. Perfetti then decided to break the category degrowth and make this category more exciting to the customers.

It still baffles me how a product like Center Shock become successful in the market. This peculiar gum gave a distinct fruit filled acidic taste to the customer which really gave the customer a shock. The TG for this brand was SEC ABC and age 10-19.The brand was an extension of the highly popular Center Fresh known for its Fruit Gel Center. Center Shock came in two flavors : Peach and Apple.
Center Shock broke into picture through two clutter breaking ads crafted by O&M . The first ad of the barber ( View Here) created a huge impact in the market. The ads won lot of accolades for O&M. According to reports, the brand became market leader within no time with a share of over 35% beating Center Fresh from the same company.The first tvc was followed by the second one featuring a dude visiting his girlfriend's home to meet the parents ( View Here) .According to Agencyfaqs, the creative brief for Center Shock was simple :break the clutter and make it funny and distinct and really shocking and the ads just did that.

I have no clue how and why the brand became successful. I was tricked into taking a Center Shock by my friend and I swear I have not taken product again. I think the company also doesn't have any dreams about repeat customers. But the brand done the trick with the market. There was a rejuvenation of the category which grew from 1000 tonnes to 3500 tonnes . The lack of excitement in the category was corrected by this outrageous product. The brand adopted one of the most funniest and best taglines " Hilake Rakh De " which translates to " Will Shake you UP". The brand was positioned as a fun brand and customers liked the change. The brand had virtually shaken the market. During those days most of the chewing gum brand were sold on sales promotions and seldom marketers invested any thing more on ads . Center Shock brought back the trust on advertising in the category players.

To sustain a brand like Center Shock for longer period of time is a difficult proposition. After launching the product in 2001, the last ad was aired in December 2002 and for one year the brand went into silent mode. In 2004 the company. In 2003 the brand launched a variant Center Shock Mirchi with another outrageous commercial. But the variant bombed since the novelty was lost for this brand.The brand had a funny tagline " Pilake Rakh De".After this launch , Center Shock faded from the scene.Its long time since I saw any promotion of this brand.
Although this brand had a very short PLC, the brand showed us the power of advertising. A good advertising can make people eat a sour candy and be happy about it . Hats Off to Perfetti for taking such bold and outrageous step .

source: O&M,businessline,perfetti website

Preethi Mixie : I Guarantee

Brand : Preethi
Company: Maya Appliances

Brand Count : 206

Preethi is an upcoming brand in the heavily crowded small appliances market in India. The brand has grown from a humble beginning to become the market leader in Mixer-Grinder market. Preethi is a brand from Chennai based Maya Appliances. The brand was born in 1978 and was no where in the main scene till the late nineties.
Preethi after 29 years is all ready to spread its wings . The brand which is famous in South India has started its journey to become national. The Mixer-Grinder market is worth around Rs 1000 crore and the market is dominated by local players. Almost 60% of the market is unorganised. Preethi is the market leader in the organised segment with a market share of over 30%.
Until late 1990's , Preethi was a small player and the market leader was Sumeet which had a huge brand equity among the consumers. Facing the issue of stagnation, Maya Agencies deputed a marketing and consulting firm Suhita Ethinic Marketing Services Ltd on a Channel and Customer research initiative. The research revealed lot of insight to the company regarding the product and also on the customer buying behavior. One major insight that the company got was the quality attribute that was highly associated with the brand. Both the dealers and customers strongly associated quality and ruggedness to the brand. These insights has helped the company to further sharpen their strategy.
The growth of the brand over the last 5 years has been phenomenal. The market leader Sumeet faced lot of internal issues that adversely affected their position in the market and Preethi became the market leader in the mixer-grinder segment.

Mixers and grinders are of three types : Mixer-Grinder, Juicer-Mixer-Grinder and Food Processor. Mixer-Grinder constitutes the largest category. This market faces the issue of price competition from local players. Hence all serious marketing activity takes place in the Rs 1500 + segment . It is estimated that there are 500 different manufacturers of Mixer Grinders in the country. Another issue is the frequency of purchase. Earlier a family would use the product for more than 15 years but over time, the frequency of purchase has been halved to around 7 years. Most of the time , these products are either bought/gifted at the time of marriage /housewarming and after repeated servicing , the family will opt for a new one. Hence the task of the marketer is to catch the new users everytime and often it is expensive.

I noticed this brand a few years back through the TVC. Preethi regularly uses television to promote the brand. The protagonist in the ad is a homemaker who guarantees the quality of the product . The tagline is " Preethi Mixie : I Guarantee". What impressed me was that the brand has used a homemaker ( Models are used) and the message is simple straight forward. The brand had a good share of voice in the local media. More interesting was the support that the brand enjoyed from the channel. When I inquired about this category, most of the dealers had high opinion about this brand.
Another factor that helped this brand was the product changes that the company made in tune with the trends. The brand comes in following variants : Ecoplus, Popular,Chefpro ,Supergrind and the latest one Blueleaf. In my opinion the strength of the brand is its understanding that Indian homemakers need powerful motor and Preethi Mixies delivered the maximum power.Even in my experience, most of the mixers are severely underpowered to meet the need of a typical Kitchen.

Blue Leaf is the latest offering from Preethi aimed at the upper segment .The new range is designed by Neil Foley of Titan Fastrack fame. The brand priced expensively at Rs 3500+ aims at the SEC A segment .BlueLeaf combine both design and power and is marketed heavily by the company. The brand takes a cue from the heavily promoted Philips Mixie who takes the USP of the silent mixer.Through Blueleaf, the brand intends to project the brand towards a lifestyle positioning.
Preethi has established its equity in Southern Markets by emphasizing its quality and with the new variant Blueleaf, it is all set to go national.

source: businessline,domainb