Sunday, April 12, 2015

Brand Update : This summer, Frooti gets a major makeover

This summer, the 30 year old Frooti has got a bold makeover. Frooti has re-branded itself with a new logo, new packaging and ofcourse new brand communication. Frooti has a commanding 80% + share in the tetra-pack segment of the Rs 3500 crore Indian mango drink market. But the overall market share of the brand is only 11% in the total market. This is because the market is dominated by PET packs

The brands like Maaza and Slice dominate the market with their PET bottle variants. More over, the company feels that Frooti is perceived to be a kid's brand thus alienating the young/teen consumers who now form the majority of the consuming class of these products.

So along with the re-branding, Frooti has also changed the product formula with more juice pulp added to it. The re-branding also saw a change in the advertising agency . The company has roped in Sagmeister  & Walsh for this exercise.
The result is a bold logo, new color for the packaging and a new campaign.

Watch the tvc here : Frooti life

The brand has retained SRK as the endorser.

The ad uses the stop-motion animation and frankly I didn't get the plot until I read the detailed story line in an article

The theme revolves around the tiny people in a tiny world living a Frooti Life.
The brand which brought back the classic " Fresh'N'Juicy " tagline has dropped it in the new scheme of things. The new tagline it seems is " The Frooti Life".

The packaging is bold and refreshing. The ad is amusing because of the stop-motion animation but I am not sure whether it has the wow-factor enough to cause the youngsters to flock to it. The brand has attempted a laddering up from the highly functional FreshNJuicy proposition. But I feel that the plot is not that clear. 


While the brand has made a refreshing change, I am wondering what next for the brand ? How is the brand going to take the " Frooti Life " forward ? Just being amusing is a dangerous goal in a re-branding and re-segmenting exercise. 
The 2013 campaign was so good and bought back the freshness to the brand with SRK boosting the presence. A drastic change in the whole branding and segment is something which is quite intriguing.
Some how I feel a disconnect between the tiny people and SRK and Frooti Life ! May be  because I am out of the TG. 

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Brand Update : Fair & Handsome ropes in Hrithik Roshan

Indian men's grooming  market is estimated to be  Rs 4300 crore market ( Source - Euromonitor). The skin care market is estimated to be around Rs 700 crore. The fairness segment for men was created and dominated by Fair and Handsome . Launched in 2005, FAH became hugely popular. The brand rode to fame with the endorsement from Shah Rukh Khan.

After 8 years of association with SRK, FAH has now roped in Hrithik Roshan as the brand ambassador. Hrithik is featured in the new ad for FAH Face wash. The men's face wash category is worth to be around Rs 250 crore. The 8 years association with SRK has helped FAH to be the leader in the category.

The new brand ambassador is expected to rejuvenate the brand and bring in freshness. The brand is currently airing the TVC featuring the new brand ambassador.

Watch the TVC here : Hrithik FAH

The ad highlights the functional benefits of the FAH facewash with brand ambassador as the user. The reports suggest that Hrithik would be one of the ambassadors and does not indicate that he has replaced SRK. 

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Brand Update : Sunfeast Brand Architecture

Launched in 2003, Sunfeast has come a long way. The brand has become an umbrella brand endorsing a wide range of biscuit and other products from the ITC stable. It is interesting to see the brand architecture of Sunfeast.

Brand Architecture refers to the strategy in which the company decides on how to use the brand elements and how these elements are shared across products. So Sunfeast's brand architecture refers to the strategy on the usage of Sunfeast brand elements across various products.

ITC has used Sunfeast as an Umbrella ( Family ) brand name for biscuit and snack products from its stable. Sunfeast endorses the following products - biscuits, noodles and pasta. 

Within each category, the brand architecture of Sunfeast is interesting.

According to the brand's website, ITC has divided the biscuits into four sub-categories - Cookies, Cream based biscuits and  Light and Fun biscuits and Healthy biscuits.
In the brand architecture , the company has used sub-brands for various types of products .
















In the cookie sub-category, Sunfeast has following sub-brands - Delishus, Special Cookies and Mom's Magic . 

In the healthy biscuits sub-category, Sunfeast has Farmlite, Marie Lite, Glucose and Milky Magic sub-brands.

In the cream biscuit sub-category, Sunfeast has Dark Fantasy,  Bounce , Bourbon Bliss and Dream Cream  sub-brands.

In the light and fun biscuit sub-category, Sunfeast has Sweet'N'Salt, Nice and Snacky sub-brands.
Within the Dark Fantasy brand, there are three modifier brands - Choco Meltz and Choco Fills and Luxuria.

Besides the biscuit category, Sunfeast is also extended to Noodles and Pasta . For noodles category, Sunfeast uses Yippee  sub-brand and for pasta, it has Pasta Treat sub-brand. 
Recently Sunfeast launched a competitor for Choco Pie in the form of  Yumfills which is not a biscuit but a cream filled cake. 
It is interesting that ITC is investing in not only Sunfeast but its sub-brands because it has lot of cash to spend. These sub-brands are differentiated through packaging and other brand elements like color. 

In this brand architecture, the parent brand  Sunfeast is present as a logo in most of the products. In all the packaging and brand related communication, the primary driver is the sub-brand. ITC expects that over a period of time, these sub-brands will acquire equity and Sunfeast would just be a token endorser. 

Wednesday, March 04, 2015

Milso : The ( Goat) Milk Soap

Brand : Milso
Company : Good Buy Soaps and Cosmetics

Brand analysis count : # 556


This post is about a soap brand from my state of Kerala. It feels good when some one from a predominantly consumer state like Kerala dives into the world of marketing with a brand. Milso is a " Made in India" brand of soap from a little known firm - Good Buy Soaps and Cosmetics. According to reports, the company which began operations in 2007 has been marketing soaps in the rural markets. This is the first foray into the branded urban consumer space.

Milso soap's USP is that it is made from goat's milk. According to the brand, goat's milk has many skin nourishing properties. The brand claims to be the first Indian soap brand to have goat's milk. 

The brand is currently running its launch campaign in its home state. 
Watch the ad here : Milso
While there is nothing great about the ad, the thinking behind the ad is to make the " goat's milk" proposition popular. It is true that there is a novelty in the brand which will definitely catch the interest of the consumer. 
The brand has the tagline " The Milk Soap " and I assume that the brand name is also derived from milk-soap. The company has done right in terms of packaging which looks attractive. I am not sure about the pricing part which will be updated soon.

In the highly cluttered toilet soap category, getting a space for a new brand is not that easy. It takes lot of investment to get the eyeballs and also to induce trial. In a cluttered market, the trouble is that one has to continuously burn cash in order to be in the top of the mind. 
Milso has an advantage in the fact that its USP is really new to the Indian market. That gives a certain amount of eyeballs and trial. The brand according to the company is trying to build awareness about the efficacy of goat's milk in the personal-care space. The fact remains that any other competitor can imitate the brand without much of a problem. 
As a new product, Milso has many good things going for it , the fate now depends mainly on how the brand performs and fulfill its promise. 


Friday, February 20, 2015

Oris : The Better Switch

Brand : Oris
Company : L&T

Brand Analysis Count : # 555

L&T which is one of the largest player in the construction and infrastructure industry  launched their brand Oris on the consumer electrical space in 2013.  It was recently that the brand has started making noise in the media.

Indian switches and distribution boards market in India is worth around Rs 2400 crore . The home segment itself is around Rs 1400 crore. The market is dominated by Anchor Electricals but now the market is flooded with national and international brands.

Switches has now moved from functional to aesthetic product. Design of the switches and similar electrical products has become an important attribute. Oris claims that it is inspired by music and the switches looks like the keys of a piano. Earlier Roma brand of switches also claimed to be inspired by the piano keys. The USP of the brand is the LED indicator which is branded by L&T as Intelli-i that helps to identify the position of switches in the dark. The company is also offering 12 year warranty for the switches.

Watch the ads here : Oris switches

It is interesting to note the L&T which is a well known Corporate brand has chosen to have a different brand name for its switches. It would have been easy if the company decided to call its switches L&T switches. One of the reasons would be to create a premium brand name and L&T as a brand name is not sexy. 
Since the brand name Oris is new, L&T is running another campaign building the association with the corporate brand L&T. Watch the ad : Leveraging L&T ( it is in Malayalam Language).

The tagline of Oris is " The Better Switch " which I would consider as an unimaginative tagline. Again since Oris is not going to be restricted to switches alone, a tagline anchored on switches is a myopic step. My understanding is that Oris would be later launching a range of electrical accessories including probably MCBs and in future may be fans lights etc. In that case, the company may have to scout for a new tagline. Instead , the company could have started off with a positioning which can be transferred to multiple products in future.

Saturday, February 07, 2015

Brand Update : Alpenliebe creates new category with Juzt Jelly

Perfetti, who is the market leader in candy category of the Indian confectionery market ,successfully created a new category of jelly confectionery through the brand Juzt Jelly. Launched in 2012, Juzt Jelly was able to catch the attention of the Indian consumers. The success of Juzt Jelly also prompted ITC to launch the challenging brand Candyman Jellicious.

Juzt Jelly is launched as a sub-brand of Alpenliebe. Alpenliebe launched in 1995 has moved from a sugar candy brand to an umbrella brand endorsing wide range of confectionery products ranging from lollipops,eclairs and jelly .

Juzt Jelly was launched through celebrity endorsement from the Bollywood actress Kajol. The brand had the tagline " mast jelly "
Watch the ad here : Juzt Jelly Launch ad

Later the brand moved to animation based campaign themed Jelly ki Duniya meaning The World of Jelly . 


Watch the ad here : Juzt Jelly Animation


The sugar confectionery category consumers are predominantly kids. Hence the animations and jingles catch their attention. The competitor Candyman has taken the jingle route to fight Juzt Jelly. The jingle " Wiggle Wobble " is quite popular. The entry of ITC is set to make the category bigger.
Although Juzt Jelly is available in strawberry , orange and lychee flavors , most of the marketing promotions is concentrated on the strawberry flavor. 

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Jolly Rancher : Banking on Fruits

Brand : Jolly Rancher
Company : Hersheys

Brand Analysis Count : 554

Hershey has launched its iconic confectionery brand Jolly Rancher in India recently. This interesting because in the 65 year history of the brand, India is the first market outside North America where Jolly Rancher is launched.

Jolly Rancher has an iconic status in the North American market and is famous for the bold fruity flavors. In India, the brand has launched its lollipop products. The Jolly Rancher lollipops are available in three flavors - Mango, Green Apple and Water Melon.

Globally , Jolly Rancher is famous for its fruity flavors. Reports say that the brand has customized the flavors to suit the Indian palate. The brand is currently running the launch campaign featuring the actress Tamanna.

Although crowded, Indian confectionery market is growing at 18%. The launch of Jolly Rancher is a part of Hershey's strategy of building global brands. The company is planning to achieve $10 billion revenue by 2017. 
According to an ET report in 2013 , the adult consumption of chocolate and candies is growing at a faster pace in India. Products like lollipop which lost it charm in early 2000 also has made a comeback. 
Launching lollipops as the first product in India is an interesting move. Although lollipops contribute only 2% of the hard-boiled candy market, it is less crowded compared to candies. Hence the brand would be able to create some space and awareness for the brand. The company has priced the lollipop at Rs 5. 
The question is whether Indian consumer will like the tangy fruity flavors. The answer to that question will determine the fate of this brand. 

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Brand Update : Moods wants you to Play It Right

After around three years, Moods have come out with another campaign. The new campaign themed " Play it Right" is also a sort of repositioning for the brand. In the last campaign, the brand adopted a naughty " Your Time, Your Place " positioning.

The new campaign   themed around the man who is playing it right takes the focus back to the man. In one of the earlier campaign - My Man, the campaign put the focus on the women which made the campaign standout from the rest of the crowd. The " Your time, your place " was a clutter-breaking campaign with a touch of humor. 
The new campaign - Play it Right is neither clutter- breaking nor humorous. The theme of a smart man getting what he wants is a much used theme and Moods have not done anything different in terms of execution. 

Watch the ad here : Moods- Play it Right
The brand could have brought some kind of creativity into the ads rather than depending on the old theme with a careless execution. 

According to Economic Times, the Indian organized condom market is worth around Rs 700 crore . Mankind leads the market with a share of 28 % . Moods is trailing in the fourth place with 12% share. 

Monday, January 05, 2015

Pril : Nurturing Relationship by Washing Dishes Together !

Brand : Pril
Company : Jyothy Laboratories

Brand Analysis Count : # 553

Pril is the brand which created the dishwash liquid category in the Indian market. A brand globally owned by Henkel  was created in 1951. Sold in over 22 countries, the brand was launched in India in 1999. At that time, the brand was owned by Henkel India which was the subsidiary of Henkel AG. In 2011, Henkel India sold its brands ( in India) to Jyothy Laboratories Ltd. 

Pril was the pioneer in the liquid diswash category. The Rs 10,000 crore Indian dishwash category was dominated by the dishwash bar product-form. The bar product-form had its own limitations like being soggy and messy. Pril saw a need for a hygienic upmarket alternative for the soggy dishwash bars. Pril was launched as a hygienic alternative to the dishwash bars. The brand was launched with the positioning of " tough on grease , soft on hands " platform. 

The journey of the brand was never easy. Its difficult to change the habits of the consumers. According to Business Line  the liquid form of dishwash is used by on 15 % of the consumers. Although the potential seems to be high, to create the shift from one product form to another is not an easy task.
To break the strong-hold of the dishwash bar product form, Pril  entered the market with follwoing product attributes
  • Strong de-greasing property - establishing parity with bars
  • Fragrance ( De-odorizing ability) - established point of difference 
  • Germ killing capability - established point of difference.
  • Hygienic - established point of difference with bars.
The efforts of the brand reaped rewards in creating a category that was growing more than the traditional bar-product form. The brand has created a shift from the soap form to the liquid form in certain segments of the market.
According to Business Standard, Pril now have a market share of over 16 % growing at 26% p.a. The brand is estimated to be worth around Rs 450 crores. 
The brand used a direct comparison with the dishwash bar product category in its campaigns. The brand used celebrities like Sonali Bendre and Shobhana in its ads . In the earlier campaigns during 2009-13 , the brand highlighted its de-greasing and de-odorizing attributes to create a point-of-difference while highlighting the soggyness of the dishwash bar category.
The brand last year tried to ladder up its pitch into relationship. In the latest campaign featuring the new-generation couples, the brand is trying to appeal to a higher level attribute of " relationship".
One may wonder how a dishwash product can " nurture relationship " but Pril claims that by sharing common household chores like washing dishes together, one will further strengthen relationship. The brand uses the tagline " Bartan Chamkein, Aur Ristey Bhi "  meaning  - both utensils and relationship will sparkle. 


The campaign is well made and the brand has to be credited to think beyond just product attribute. Laddering is a risky strategy since the higher-order attribute should be clearly linked to the brand. In this case, the brand was able to establish that link in a beautiful manner. The campaign also gives an upmarket feel to the product. So much for a product like dishwash liquid !

Pril although the first mover in the liquid dishwash market is not having a wonderful time. The category competition is intense with fewer options to create sustainable differentiation. The laddering up of Pril in a way is a smart move to create some amount of visibility in the crowded market. 

Monday, December 22, 2014

Brand Update : Where is Fastrack heading ?

afaqs! today carried an interesting piece about Fastrack's new OOH campaign titled " Sorry for What".The new bold campaign features various models showing their shaven heads, unshaven armpits, guys wearing thongs and with nipples pierced . The campaign has the theme " Sorry for What ".  

Over the last few years , the brand has been trying to project itself as an iconoclastic brand. I think the brand is trying little too hard in driving its message. While the attempts are creatively nice and clutter breaking, the brand seems desperately trying to create controversy propelled image probably inspired by the likes of UCB.

Although there is nothing wrong in trying to be the Indian UCB, the brand should not be seen trying too hard to be rebellious. Its always uncool if you are making an effort to be Cool.

One grouse about this brand is that although the brand is for the younger crowd, the brand is pricing itself out of the market. No advertising can justify an out-of-value pricing. Fastrack's recent helmet launch was  priced too high to justify the value.

Having said that , I like the way Fastrack trying to create a differentiation using the brand image. It is experimenting and one should give credit for that. 

Tuesday, December 09, 2014

SKINN : Every Day French Perfumes

Brand : SKINN
Company : Titan Company

Brand Analysis : # 552



Titan Company has forayed into the Rs 2000 crore Indian perfume market with the brand SKINN. This is the first launch from Titan after the company has rebranded itself as  Titan Company. 

The launch of SKINN is a smart move because in my personal opinion, Indian perfume market is at a nascent stage with very little penetration.Business Line puts the penetration at 4%.
SKINN as a brand is launched with an endorsement from Titan. It was wise for Titan not to launch this brand as a sub-brand like Titan SKINN, rather SKINN is launched as an independent brand from the launch itself.

The perfumes are created in India but bottled and imported from France. The brand is positioned as  a " French Perfume".

According to reports, the company did ethnographic studies to understand the preference of Indian consumers towards this product category. French perfume houses Olivier Pescheux of Givaudan developed the men's range and Luc Berriet developed women's range. ( source)

The brand is running their launch campaign. The launch TVC however falls into the " Seduction" genre - which in a way is sad. I expected something different from Titan. Rather than seduction, the brand calls it Passion Ignited. SKINN has the tagline  " Everyday French Perfume for him/her" which is rather an  unimaginative tagline.

Watch  the ad here : launch ad of SKINN

The brands are priced in the range Rs 990  for 50 ml and Rs 1790 for 100 ml which makes it pretty expensive for an average Indian consumer. The brand is said to be targeting the young of the 23-27 age group. 
While there is a definite potential for a brand in the Indian perfume space , I wonder whether the brand has priced itself out of the market. Rs 1800 for a 100 ml makes this brand out of reach for many . At the same time, the brand does not have the equity to compete with the established imported brands. By pricing it aggressively, SKINN has lost an opportunity to be a Masstige brand which could deliver decent volumes. At the same time the premium positioning is not reflected in the launch TVC which somehow pegs the brand in the league of the Seductive Deo brands. So IMHO, it is an opportunity lost for SKINN to capture a fair-share of the growing market. 

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Brand Update : Dear Engage, Parent in me requests - can you move on please !

Engage, the deo from ITC has made a quick impact in the Indian market. Within a year, the brand has claimed second spot in the India deo market with a volume market share of 8.1% ( source : ET). The brand playing on the " attraction " theme has taken it to the next level.

This season, the brand has come out with the new campaign for the "zero gas" cologne spray version.

Watch it here : Engage Deo

The brand's ads have always forced parents like me who have little kids to scramble for the remote to change channels. The new ad takes the " attraction" to the next level.
 While the rise of the Engage deo can also be attributed to the effectiveness of these ads, my personal opinion is that brands should also be little sensitive to the audience especially the family audience. Ofcourse the counter arguments would be that movies are much worse or explicit, that doesn't justify a suggestive ad.

I am getting old , I suppose. 

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Libero : Love Every Moment

Brand : Libero
Company ; Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget ( SCA)

Brand Analysis Count : # 551

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) now has a competition from a global player in the Rs 4500 crore Indian baby care market. SCA which is a  $10Bn Swedish company has launched its range of baby products in the Indian market. SCA is a global hygiene and forest products company which is Europe's second largest diaper maker. 

SCA has launched its diaper and other baby products like soaps, baby lotion , powder etc. The brand is now running its campaign in my state Kerala for its range of products.

Libero is positioned as a natural product which is skin friendly. The brand is emphasising natural positioning by comparing it to mother's touch. The brand has the tagline " Love Every Moment" which is not something that the brand projects. The brand is currently putting its muscle behind the Natural positioning. 

Watch the ad here  : Libero 

The Indian baby care market is huge by its sheer size . Economic Times estimates that there are ~ 50mn babies in the age group 0-2 years and 304.8mn in the age group of 0-12. The market for baby apparel , footwear and baby cosmetics is estimated to be around $12 bn growing at a CAGR of 17%.
The diaper market is around 2500 crore and baby toiletries market is around Rs 2500 crore.  
J&J has a strong foothold in the baby toiletries market. 

SCA has launched a whole range of products in the Indian market with a branded house strategy. All the products launched has the family brand - Libero. The company is heavily promoting the brand in the visual media. But here one issue is that since the brand is new, consumers would be unsure about trusting it. It is surprising to see why the brand is not promoting its " Swedish Country of Origin" since it would have helped in establishing credibility in this highly sensitive market. 

Thursday, November 06, 2014

Brand Update : Colgate Slimsoft Charcoal toothbrush will make you say WhattheBlack !

A black bristled toothbrush for your white teeth !!

Colgate has done something unusual in the Indian market- a black colored toothbrush branded as Slimsoft Charcoal. The brand which is available in other parts of the world is now launched in India with much fanfare.
What is unusual and interesting about the new product is the color of the toothbrush itself. Black color is something that will be in the last option when one chose a color for the toothbrush bristles. However Colgate chose to play contrarian and launched it in the market.

The brand claims to have charcoal infused bristles which will remove bacteria and plaque better than ordinary bristles. Now only Colgate knows what is meant by charcoal " infused" bristles. 
Whatever it might be, the launch is pretty interesting. Conventional wisdom says that black color may repel a customer from buying a toothbrush for cleaning your teeth. Just like whether one would choose a black color liquid floor cleaner !
But marketing is all about defying conventional wisdom.

The black color is definitely intriguing for a consumer and this will prompt him to try the brand. But he may have fight the natural urge not to chose black color . Novelty, the backing of the Colgate brand and the relatively low risk would be the factors that will aid the new product to induce trials. 
To hardsell the new launch, Colgate has initiated a social media campaign with the hashtag : # Whattheblack. The initiative where the brand reached out to key influencers like bloggers with a mystery black gift with only the indication of whattheblack site. The intrigued influencers spread the message on their platforms and according to the reports, this went viral ( source

What the new product will definitely do is the bring back some kind of energy back to the toothbrush market. 


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Marketing Funda : Brand Refresh

This post is inspired by  my learned Twitter friend @vijaysankaran when he queried about my opinion about the brand refresh by Raymond. I was more familiar with Re-branding and not refresh which lead to more learning about this term. 
Brand refresh is a term that signifies slight modification of the brand ( or brand elements). Radical modification or change of brand elements implies re-branding. 

Refreshing of brand usually happens under following conditions 
  • The brand is perceived to be old.
  • Brand is trying to appeal to a new segment , for example younger crowd.
  • When there is a change in the brand positioning.
  • When there is a shift in the characteristics of the TG.
  • When the brand elements need modernization . 
  • When the brand launches products in other categories ( Brand Extensions)
  • When you feel consumers are bored with the brand.
  • When nothing else can be refreshed !
Brand often do these refreshing by slightly tweaking the logo/color/tagline /positioning etc but as per the theory , radical changes in the brand elements are entitled to be called as Re-branding. Hence there is only a thin difference between re-branding and refreshing.
As the term implies, refreshing brand make sense especially when one cannot make any radical changes in the product. For example, for products like softdrinks, the product attributes remains the same and only thing that can be changed are the brand related attributes like taglines , slogans etc. 
Brand refresh can be done by 
  • New campaigns 
  • Changing taglines and slogans ( or introducing a tagline )
  • Introducing or changing imagery
  • Changing the protagonists in the campaigns
  • Introducing brand extensions
  • Introduce a brand element which was not there before .
  • Re-positioning 
  • Re-targeting 
My take on this term is that what ever activities that marketer undertake to make brand fresh without radically affecting the brand elements can be termed as brand refresh. One article rightly compared  Brand Refresh to a Makeover. ( source ).

Friday, October 24, 2014

Brand Update : Raymond formally enters into ready-to-wear segment

Although the reports of Raymond entering into the readymade segment was there since 2007, I feel the brand has only now fully launched itself into this category. The " Complete Man" now has become readymade !

The Indian men's wear market is around Rs 97000 crore and the formal menswear market is estimated to be around Rs 15000 crore ( Source TOI) . Raymond has brands like Park Avenue, Parx, Color Plus and Notting Hill in the segment.

The addition of Raymond will further strengthen the company's portfolio but at the same time would cannibalize the other brands like Park Avenue. Having said that the move has to be seen in the larger picture where the trend is moving towards the ready-to-wear segment.

Raymond is now running the campaign for its ready-wear push. The brand retains the tagline " The Complete Man".

Watch the ad here : Raymond Readymade
The ad is well crafted - simple and elegant.
As long as the brand moves with in the positioning of " The Complete Man ",  the readymade push would be well accepted by the consumers. But Raymond has to create a separate space for its brands with distinct identity to avoid cannibalization.  I think it will be interesting to see how Raymond will be affecting Park Avenue .

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Marketing Funda : The cost of Hype

October 6 ,2014 could have been a historical day for Flipkart but in reality, that day proved to be more of a PR nightmare than a marketing success. It may be true that on that day, the company would have emptied its inventory of many products but at the cost of a lot of goodwill .

The huge hype created by Flipkart and the subsequent backlash forces us to refresh some basics in managing expectations. 
One of the classic theories related to expectation and subsequent satisfaction is Expectation-Confirmation Theory ( ECT) . The theory is no rocket science . It simply states that during the pre-purchase stage, the consumer forms expectations either by the conscious act of the marketer or through other means. After the purchase or service encounter, the consumer's satisfaction is decided on the perceived performance of whether the original expectations are confirmed.
Because of the equity established by Flipkart, the consumers expected that on that day 
  • They would get a fair bargain .
  • The site would work perfectly.
  • Orders would be fulfilled.
  • Deal would be fair.
Getting a big bargain is a game. Consumers know that and wouldn't mind if the deal is taken by someone else - its a competition. That's why for many consumers, getting discounts is an ego-satisfying process. But when there are news about price tampering and deliberate price increases     preempting the sale, the issue of fairness becomes dominant. It's here that Flipkart got the stick. Consumers were furious not because they didn't get the deal, they felt cheated because of the fairness- factor. 

Here Flipkart simply took the billion day offer to stratospheric levels that even to the best of the intentions, it cannot be matched. Then in reality the entire sale became a nightmare. 
The lessons learned has to be that marketers need to set realistic expectations ( common sense !). But some times common sense need to be emphasized. 

Sunday, October 05, 2014

Brand Update : Wagon R Teaches How to Manage Product Lifecycle

The festive season of 2014 saw the launch of  limited edition Wagon R Krest. Wagon R which was launched in 1999 is still the 4th largest selling car brand in India. The product is a classic example of how consistent performance + value-for-money positioning will achieve long-lasting success in Indian market. 
Wagon R has become a success because it is one of  the most practical car in the Indian roads. Be it space, comfort or reliability, Wagon R has delivered consistently over the last 15 years.
On the product front, Maruti has been very smart in ensuring that the product and the brand is kept relevant to fit the changing consumer needs.
The brand went for relaunches and modifications in 2003, 2006 and 2010. 
In 2013, Wagon R launched another variant- StingRay with a new positioning to attract the young consumers. 

This year, the company is keeping the PLC rejuvenated by launching a limited edition product branded as Wagon R Krest. The new variant has new front grille, audio system, reverse parking sensors, new seats and some sticker jobs. The new limited edition is priced at a premium of Rs 22000 over the original Wagon R. 

From 1999 to present, the brand has sold around 1.3 million units and counting.  In the branding front, the company had tried to maintain the brand's visibility . Earlier it used the actor Madhavan as the celebrity endorser effectively. More than the brand's campaign, it is the practicality of the product that has made it a best-seller.
Maruti has plans for a diesel version and an AMT version for this brand. This brand will be here for a long time for sure.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Schmitten Chocolate : Love to Love it

Brand : Schmitten
Company : Rajhans Group


Brand Analysis Count : # 550

The Rs 4500 chocolate market has a new player- Schmitten. Schmitten is a Swiss chocolate made in India ! or to be fair, this chocolate is positioned as a Swiss chocolate. The new brand comes from Rajhans group which is a Rs 3500 crore real-estate developer. 

The new brand- Schmitten is positioned as a premium brand competing with the like of Cadbury Silk and Temptation. Schmitten is the mother brand which is being launched as a moulded chocolate like Dairy Milk. Schmitten also has another product - Hoppits which is a bar-chocolate like 5 Star.

According to newsreports, the chocolate although made in India is made with machine imported from Switzerland, Denmark and Germany and uses Ghanian coco beans and Swiss recipe.

Priced at Rs 80 for 70 mg pack, the brand resides at the premium end of the chocolate market.It is priced competitively for a luxury brand.

Schmitten is launched with the endorsement from Priyanka Chopra. The launch campaign is styled as a musical and the brand has the tagline " Love to Love It ".
Watch the ad here : Schmitten 

The basic premise of the brand's launch message is that its a crime to ask for a bite of Schmitten. The brand had a launch teaser campaign where various punishment for taking a bite of  Schmitten is shown.

The musical ad has some kind of a novelty in it but doubt whether the packaging and the ad has succeeded in creating the premium image for the brand. The ad purely talks about the story and doesn't convey any message regarding the USP of the brand.
My take on the launch campaign was that it could have been much better and the premium factor is missing in the ad.

Further the tagline " Love to Love it " is a confusing tagline. What does it actually mean !!
Having said that, since chocolate is an impulse purchase, Schmitten , with its celebrity endorsements would get consumer trials and eventually it is the product performance that is going to be the key. 

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Brand Update : Xcent ropes in Shah Rukh Khan

Xcent launched by Hyundai in the sub-meter category has been well received by the customer. According to newsreport, the brand has sold around 35000 units since its launch. To boost the existing success,the brand now has decided to leverage its prized asset- the brand ambassador- Shah Rukh Khan.  

SRK has been the brand ambassador of Hyundai for the last 16 years. According to NDTV, this 16 years association is a record for any brand-celebrity in India. From the launch of Santro to the i10, SRK has been the integral part of the brand campaign for Hyundai. 
But more than the brand promotion, it is the performance of the products that create success in the Indian auto market.

SRK in the new campaign for Xcent amplifies the brand's promise of " more value for money ". 
Watch the ad here : SRK Xcent
In the new campaign, the brand had added an additional claim of " The real family sedan ". The well made ad pitches the brand against the tough competition from the likes of Honda Amaze, Tata Zest, Maruti Dzire etc. 

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Zorrik 88 : Why this great product is not promoted?

Brand : Zorrik 88
Company : Pidilite
Brand analysis count : #549

There are some very useful products in the market which has great usefulness  and potential but seldom promoted by the brand owners. Zorrik 88 is one such product from Pidilite. I have neither heard of this brand before nor remember seeing any ad. I came across this brand when suggested by a hardware store.
I faced a nagging problem of a rusty and squeaky garage gate. Come rainy season,the gate become rusty and the wheels stuck. Putting lubricating oils seldom gave relief.Then one hardware store suggested Zorrik 88. The pack of the brand says it is a quick maintenance spray that cleans,protects lubricates and displaces moisture. Costing ₹60  for a 32 g bottle I thought of giving a try. A couple of spray into the wheels of the gate and bingo the gates began to roll smoothly without any noise.
A nagging problem solved in a minute.
Zorrik 88 was launched in 2006 and is positioned as a quick maintenance spray.  
I was left wondering why this brand was not promoted because rustiness and squeaky hinges and doors are a common problem in many households. This works better than the messy lubricating oil and has more convenience and ease of use than the oil. The problem with these type of products is that consumers search for these products only when the problem surfaces. There is little chance of consumers stock these product anticipating these issues. However in my opinion,this is a really useful product worth promoting. 

Tuesday, September 09, 2014

Brand Update : Axe finally respond to competition through Axe Signature

So finally a response from HUL to competition. After being relegated to No.3 in the deo market by Fogg and Wildstone, Axe finally launched its answer to the competition- Axe Signature Collection Deo.
It was surprising that HUL which is supposedly the best marketing machine in India took so long to respond to competition. Its almost a replay of the Nirma- Surf episode where the market leader was slow in responding to local competition eventually to find itself dethroned as  the market leader. HUL (in my opinion ) was very slow in reacting to Fogg's entry into the market with the No-Gas proposition. The result is that Axe has been beaten down to number 3 in the market.

Now HUL has responded with a variant branded as Signature Collection. The basic USP is the variant is 3X times more perfume. The brand has the tagline " Don't Fade Away" 

Axe Signature is running its campaign across the channels. The television commercial retains the seduction proposition but is now subtle with that message. The message the new variant is pushing is the long-lasting fragrance. 
Watch the ad here : Axe Signature

The " Don't Fade Away " proposition is smart because that idea is different from the current market leader Fogg's no-gas USP. So Axe is now telling the consumers that it is better than others because other fragrances fade away. The packing resembles Fogg Black Collection cannot be wished away as a coincidence.
Although the message is nothing new, Axe has executed the campaign nicely.
Priced at Rs 225, Axe has priced this variant lower than the competition. 
The entry of Axe into the no-gas segment has market as shift in the market dynamics. The no-gas segment is now growing at 30% and is already worth around Rs 250-300 crore in the Rs 2500 crore deo market. This segment which is now named as body-perfume segment is where all the action is. 

The launch of Signature is expected to arrest the growth of Fogg and Wildstone. Since this is a launch from Axe, old loyalists are bound to try it. Rest is all dependent on the delivery of the promise. 

Positioning Sharing : Axe Signature's long lasting fragrance proposition is not new, the brand Set Wet deo already has the same positioning ( Watch the ad). 
Long-lasting is a widely used positioning. Across various categories brands has been using this positioning and the novelty and believe-ability of this positioning has come down drastically. Pepsodent ( dishum-dishum) , Amaron ( lasts long really long) Colgate Total are some of the brands that share the same positioning. 

Friday, September 05, 2014

RIP Accent ( 1999-2013) Reborn Xcent (2014)

Brand : Xcent
Company : Hyundai
Brand Analysis  : # 548


While there are many conflicting views about re-birth in the human world, the brand-world is full of brands dying and getting re-born in another avatar. One such case is Hyundai Accent. The once best selling sedan from Hyundai died in 2013 when sagging sales prompted the company to pull the plug on one of the most successful automobile brands in India. 
In 2014, Hyundai launched its first sub 4 meter sedan Xcent. The similarity in the brand name cannot be wished away as a mere coincidence. The company wants to continue Accent's legacy and equity into the new born brand.

Compact sedans has been a rage in the Indian market which is primarily fueled by the low tax applicable to sub 4 meter cars.The segment is led by Maruti Dzire. While manufacturers take advantage of the tax factor by putting a boot to the existing sedans, consumers find the proposition of value. Indian consumers have a thing for sedans because it raises the status. So even if the boot looks ugly, consumers are happy buying an ugly sedan than a beautiful  hatchback. 
Xcent is positioned as an affordable family car. The brand uses the tagline " Multiplies your life"  to convey its value for money proposition. 
watch the tvc here : Xcent 
With the price starting at Rs 4.66 lakh, the brand has got the customer attention. According to reports, the company is finding it difficult to handle the demand from the market. 
Regarding the branding, Hyundai may have wanted to carry over the equity of Accent to Xcent. Accent as a brand has strong association with a full fledged sedan. So using that brand to launch a compact sedan  has some risk. Also Accent as a brand is perceived to be an old one. Xcent is a new product in a new platform ( Grand i10) with the fluidic design philosophy. So Xcent was the smart move by Hyundai to get the best of both the brands. 
Smart indeed.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Brand funda : Elasticity of Brand

Article Review : What Makes Brands Elastic? The Influence of Brand Concept and Styles of Thinking on Brand Extension Evaluation Journal of Marketing Vol. 74 (May 2010), 80–92 ( Link)

 In this very deeply research article the authors examine why some brands are more elastic than others. Here the authors describe elasticity as the ability of the brand to extend to other categories
  • Research suggest that brand extension success depend very much on the extension fit.That is whether the extensions fit the perception of consumers about the parent brand.
  • The more elastic the brand is when the brand is able to extend itself to distant categories.
  • Early research suggest that the brand's elasticity is dependent on the parent brand's characteristics.If the brand is positioned on prestige, then it is more elastic and can be extended to multiple categories.
  • Functionally positioned brands are less elastic 
This article tries to expand the existing research by saying that while brand's characteristics are important in determining its elasticity, the consumer's style of thinking is also very important determinant in the brand's elasticity. Consumer's thinking styles are classified into Holistic thinking style and Analytical thinking style.

Analytical thinkers focus more on attributes and categories to draw inferences and judgements while holistic thinkers focus on broader connections ( contexts, relationships) between objects. According to the study, brands which have a positioning based on prestige usually have a abstract message which can be transported to multiple categories. Functional brands are at a disadvantage since the functional attributes cannot be moved effectively to distant categories.
The response by the analytical and holistic thinkers to the extension are also significant. Holistic thinkers are able to connect between parent brand and extensions while analytical thinkers will find it difficult to relate parent brand and extensions if they are functionally different.

The study finds that the brand's elasticity is jointly determined by the parent brand's positioning ( prestige vs funtional )  and consumer's style of thinking ( holistic vs analytical)
For prestige brands, analytical and holistic thinkers has similar  response to brand extensions while for functional brands, holistic thinkers had a favorable response towards extensions. The probable reasons can be that when evaluating extensions of functional brands, analytical thinkers focused on functional attributed and their similarities and often found dissimilarities.Another important finding is that prestige brands encouraged holistic thinking in both type of consumers. 

The study also suggest that brand can encourage holistic thinking in consumers through brand architecture. Sub-brands can be used to increase elasticity of functional brands for analytical thinkers.Brands can also bridge the gap for analytical thinkers by elaborate communication about the extension. Marketers has to match the message to the consumer's style of thinking which can make distant extensions receive favorable responses from analytical thinkers.

The article has lot of significance to marketing practice. While conventional marketing wisdom suggest the brands should not extend too far from parent brand, in practice, this may not be possible.The article gives direction for marketers endeavoring such extensions.It is important that marketers understand the consumer characteristics and its impact on the responses to extensions. Prestige brands are difficult to create but it has its advantages when it comes to brand extensions.

#1


Sunday, August 17, 2014

Layer'r Shot Deo : Pure Fragrance, Nothing Else

Brand : Layer'r
Company : Adjavis Venture Ltd (AVL)
Brand Analysis Count : # 547


Layer'r was launched in 2013 by AVL which was founded by Mr Devandra Patil. Mr Patil was a co-founder of Paras Pharmaceuticals and later the brothers of Paras decided to start on their own after selling Paras to Reckitt.One of the brothers, Darshan Patel started the Fogg brand under the company Vini Cosmetics which recently became the market leader in the deo category. Devendra Patel entered the deo market with two brands- Layer'r Shot for men and Wottagirl for women.
In the highly cluttered market for deos, the key success factor lies in the differentiation. The market is hotting up with majors like ITC entering the market with its Engage brand which gobbled up around 6% share within a short span of time.
Taking a cue from the success of Fogg, Layer'r has put in some thought with regard to the differentiation. The brand has rightly decided to move away from the " seduction" theme and has gone for some rational approach.
Layer'r differentiation is on the packaging. For the first time in the deo category, the brand has gone in for a transparent packaging. While most of the fragrance products like perfumes comes in transparent bottles, its is the first time that a deo has chosen to be packaged in a clear bottle.
With the USP of transparency, Layer'r has decided to position itself on the bases of " Pure" attribute which is presented in the form of transparent bottle. The brand has adopted the tagline " Pure fragrance , Nothing Else"
Another interesting fact is that the brand calls it a fragrant body spray rather than a deo. Hence the brand is also trying to create a product category different from deo ( in a way) saying that  deo is old style. So the brand is saying to the consumers to ditch the deo and adopt fragrant body spray. Although body spray products are already there in the market, but it is the first time that a brand has pitched itself against the deos.

Along with the packaging, Layer'r has gone in for a celebrity endorsement by the bollywood star Imran Khan. The campaign featuring Imran Khan take a dig at brands like Fogg by saying that  one cannot know what is inside the bottle of deos since you cannot see it.
Watch the campaigns here : Layer'r 1, Layer'r 2
With regard to the USP of the brand, the transparency of the bottle cannot be sustained because anyone can come with a deo in a transparent bottle.
Another differentiator that Layer'r tries to bring is in terms of a  product category of fragrant body spray. But Layer'r is not trying to say why a fragrant body spray is different /better than the usual deo.
The transparent bottle seems to be a good proposition as far as the brand trials are concerned. The added strength of the celebrity endorser will help the brand get trials at the retailer end.
While the competition has almost killed the Axe's positioning of   " seduction" , the Fogg's proposition of  " No gas " bottles has become the next target. New deo brands are now targeting Fogg. Envy brand is already talking about 1000 sprays and now Layer'r talking about transparent perfumes.
Attaining Points of Difference  in the deo market has now become a herculean task for marketers. 

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Park Avenue Beer Shampoo : Cheers to Man Hair

Brand : Park Avenue Beer Shampoo
Company : JK Helene Curtis
Brand Analysis Count : # 546

Park Avenue is a cash cow in the portfolio of JK Helene Curtis which owns the prestigious apparel brands like Raymonds , Color Plus, Parx etc. This brand has contributed half of the turnover of the apparel business of the company. Later the company decided to extend the brands to categories like men's grooming market.

According to Business Standard, men's grooming market is worth Rs 4000 crore growing at 25-30 % per annum. So for a company like JK Helene Curtis, it makes sense to extend a popular brand to this category. In September 2013, Park Avenue launched Park Avenue Beer shampoo in the Indian market.

According to ET, there is a research backup that beer is good for hair  and if Park Avenue has its way, then the most popular men's drink will find a new place - men's head ( sic).
Watch the launch ad : Park Avenue Beer Shampoo
The ad is clutter breaking and very funny. The ads were able to drive in the USP of the ingredient and isn't boring for repeated exposure. 
In this launch, the brand has done many things right. Firstly the brand has clearly differentiated itself  by its ingredient. Although other shampoo brands can launch their own version of beer shampoo, Park Avenue has virtually owned the ingredient through first mover advantage.The packaging reflects the brand's USP and the packaging is different and very smart. 
The brand has clearly communicated through its ads that men's hair is different and should be treated differently. The message is communicated through the tagline " Cheers to man hair " . The brand emphases Man Hair in the campaign to drive home the message that it needs special treatment.
So in a campaign perspective, Park Avenue has managed to break the clutter and was able to generate interest among the target group.
The challenge for the brand is to induce trial for the brand. The brand's proposition of a beer in a shampoo is intriguing and that may prompt many to try out this brand. 
Park Avenue has put this brand at the upper strata of the category by pricing it at a premium and beer justifies the premium :-)
Unlike the common practice of using celebrity, Park Avenue has gone for an Irish model Andrew Smith as the beer man ( Source ET) . 
Having said these good words, resemblance to the iconic Old Spice Mustafa campaign cannot go unnoticed. 
Last month, the brand launched its follow-up campaign  featuring the beer man. 
Watch the follow up campaign - Beer man
The second campaign however is not as good as the launch ad , may be the brand wants to take the women in the house into confidence because these purchases are often made by women. 
With many brands like Dove, Nivea, Garnier etc focusing their attention to men's grooming category, Park Avenue Beer shampoo has entered into a highly competitive market. It has done it with style . Now what has to be seen is how men reacts to beer in a shampoo .

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

He deodorant : Be Interesting

Brand : He
Company : Emami
Brand Analysis Count : # 545


Another deo hits the market with another big bang celebrity. This time, joining the brand-wagon is Emami with the new deo brand for men - He. He  is sort of interesting brand name which Emami chose to call its deo. Wondering how the company pulled off a generic name since it is very difficult to get trademark approval for generic names.
The Rs 2300 crore deo market is crowded but growing fast to accommodate new players. 
He deo has roped in none other than Hrithik Roshan as its brand ambassador . The brand is currently running its launch campaign in various markets. 
Watch the ad here : He Deo 
He deo wants to position as some thing different from the usual deo positioning of seduction. The ad tries to convey the message of the He deo user as a self assured confident and more importantly " Interesting" personality. 

Its interesting to see that it has become a norm that if one uses Hrithik Roshan , then he needs to perform super-human stunts. We have seen this playing out in ads featuring Hrithik. Here also the ad forces this stereotype on Hrithik. So instead of leaning forward and take his sunglasses, our hero chooses " Performed by experts under strict supervision " stunt to get his glasses - how is that for Being Interesting !
And as usual the ad shows " girls" being impressed . So despite trying very hard, He Deo also succumbs to the " Axe Temptation " .

The brand comes in Citrus, Oriental, Marine, Fougere, Woody and Musk fragrances and has managed to create a difference in its packaging which will help it boost trial at retailer end. With the market creator - Axe being sidelined and Fogg being crowned new leader, brands like He can now hope to be in that throne at some point in time only if it can continue to " Be Interesting " ! 

Friday, August 01, 2014

Marketing for Small Business : Marketing Department vs Marketing Function

In a recent study conducted over several SME s in my state, I found that over 70% of SMEs reported that they have a marketing department. But when enquired about certain critical functions like product development or branding, many reported that these activites are not performed.
It is important for small business to understand that mere existance of marketing deparment is not suffice, what is important is that critical marketing activties are performed. Several small business are still not aware about the importance of  having a systematic process of product development/ improvement,market intelligence , branding ,integrated marketing communication activites in their organisation.  Many business argue that they don't see a place for such activites in the current business set up, which is a myopic view. 
The first step would be to ensure that these activites are discussed at appropriate levels even if the business is small. That would help the firm develop a marketing DNA which would help it when it moves to a bigger league.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Brand Update - Axe gets further axed

Business Standard  reports that the woes of Axe continues unabated. In the quarter ended June 2014, Axe was relegated to third position,this time by WildStone . Fogg leads the market with 17% share followed by Wildstone with 6.9% and Axe with 6.8% share. The new entrant Engage from ITC has 6.5% share offers further headache for Axe.
Surprisingly Axe has been virtually silent atleast in Kerala market with virtually no promotions. If this trend continues, we are going to see this brand fading out from the Rs 2500 crore market which it created.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Brand Update : Now Alia Bhatt asks Why should boys have all the fun ?

Having tasted success as a women's only scooter, Hero Pleasure has set its sights on the younger ladies. The brand in its push to appeal to the younger crowd has roped in the latest bollywood star Alia Bhatt as the brand ambassador. 
Watch the new ad here : Hero Pleasure
Hero Pleasure was endorsed by Priyanka Chopra and with the change in the brand ambassador to a much younger actress, the brand is trying to bring in a much youthful persona to it. The positioning and the message from the brand remains much the same . Pleasure also has retained the tagline " why should boys have all the fun ". 
The theme of the new campaign is of nothing new and many things shown in the ad has been repeated by many brands. So as far as the new communication is concerned, the brand has taken the most- traveled route except for the new face. 
If one looks closely at the brand's logo in the TVC, the brand describes itself as a " Light and Zippy " scooter. The emphasis of light and zippy is aimed at the younger crowd. With the new push, Pleasure is also challenging TVS Scooty although later is a scooterette. According to newsreports, Pleasure sells around 25000 units per month. Together with Maestro and Pleasure, Hero Motocorp has around 19 % share in the Indian scooter market. 

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Revotron : The 3 in 1 engine

Brand : Revotron
Company : Tata Motors

Brand Analysis Count : # 544


Revotron is the new hope of Tata Motors. Tata Motors which once was the number 2 in the Indian car market, is now finding it difficult to be in the top 5 thanks to the nagging quality issues coupled with a negative brand perception. This brand is another example of  ingredient branding.

But Tatas are known for its resilience and Revotron is the result of a serious introspection and investment in developing an indigenous petrol engine with global standards. And from the media reports , Tata Motors have managed to live up to the high standards set by itself. And after many years, media has been kind to Tata Motors with a fairly good reviews about the engine performance.

The 1.2 Ltr engine is being promoted heavily by Tata Motors ahead of the launch of the two major new products - Tata Bolt and Zest. The Revotron brand is endorsed by the Indian F1 Racing star Narain Karthikeyan.

Watch the TVC here : Revotron
The USP of the Revotron engine is the 3 driving modes which is usually seen in high end cars. There is a city mode, Eco mode and a Sports mode. For a value-driven brand like Tata Motors, this proposition is a very powerful differentiation.
Platforms and not products are now important to a company's success. For automakers, engines offer the platforms on which many products can be made. Honda has recently demonstrated the power of platform with the diesel IDtec engine.
Tata Motors hope that the better engineered Revotron would help build a better image for the cars produced under it.

Monday, July 07, 2014

Choco Moonz : Not Only But Also

Brand : Choco Moonz
Company : Perfetti VanMelle

Brand Analysis Count : # 543


Cadbury Shots now has a competition. Perfetti has launched its version of Shots branded as Choco Moonz. The new product has the same form factor as Shots but the difference is that Moonz has almonds inside it. 
Cadbury Shots has been a very successful product for Cadbury. It gained almost 3% value share within a year of its launch. The smart pricing and a very good campaign propelled the popularity of the brand. The brand's tagline " Man Main Laddu " has become a part of the lingo.

Every successful product attracts competition and Shots has got the match from the market leader of the candy-segment i.e Alpenliebe.
Choco Moonz is launched as an independent brand endorsed by Alpenliebe. 

One should appreciate the creativity in choosing the brand name- Moonz. The name is superb and apt for the form-factor of the product. 
The brand has chosen the value proposition as  - Not only Choco but also Almonds. The brand's micro-site informs that the tagline would be the quirky - "Not Only But Also " . This tagline indeed is interesting and can open many opportunity for creative promotional campaigns.
I think Perfetti has got most of the elements of the brand right. Pricing is at par with Shots and the brand is currently in a soft-launch phase and no ads has come to my notice as I write this blog. 
The only issue that I see is the emphasis on almonds as the differentiating factor. Moonz has put its entire USP in Almonds which in a way put a constraint on the brand. It would have focused on making brand a differentiator and gave more product flexibility to Moonz. 

Let us see how Cadbury Shots react to Moonz. 

Monday, June 30, 2014

Market Stat : Ice cream market

According to a report in Outlook Business, Indian Icecream market is worth Rs 3620 crore and premium segment constitutes 10% of this market.
The percapita consumption in India is 250 ml while that of US is 20 litre in a year.
Amul leads the market with 30.5 % share and HUL 's Walls with 20.7 % . According to the report the market is growing at 15-20% each year and is expected to double in the next four years. That means the market will be Rs 5330 crore in 2018