Free roaming- that is real good news!!

According to news report a month back speculated that if the government had its way, then we may have a united telecom India, in its literal sense. The panel of ‘Babus’ of Department of Telecom (DoT) to make recommendations on strategic issues related to licensing matters, have recommended to the government to consider the entire country as a single service area or four separate zones instead of the existing 22 telecom circles.

At present, around 10 per cent of the revenue of telecom companies comes from roaming charges which from my information (unconfirmed) is in the range of Rs. 13000-14000/- for the whole industry. If this indeed is implemented, it would be wonderful for the customers but would bleed the already bleeding telecom companies who spend a fortune of communication through advertising. The tariff wars had subsided a reasonable bit and now you have news about the abolishing of roaming charges.

Anyway this is going to happen sooner rather than later. So how should telecom companies gear up for this monumental change? At the outset, believe in the first-mover advantage and start communicating about no roaming charges before the government announces it. This way, you would get a head-start in top-of-mind recall just the way Idea Cellular did with Mobile Number Portability (MNP). The advantage would not last long because the other players too would immediately jump in the fray with their communication. At least you had the pioneering advantage.

It would surely work for people who spend a high percentage of amounts on roaming. But the moot question is that whether abolition of roaming charges by an operator is good enough to change the operator. The answer is a resounding yes since we are seeing it in conjunction with MNP. Thus ‘free roaming’ and MNP together surely is a winner on your hands.

‘Keep cricket clean’- not a good idea

Idea Cellular has come up with some very good campaigns in the clutter of telecom ads. They have indeed managed to break the clutter frequently. Most notable of which was the ‘Walk When You Talk’ campaign with Abhishek Bachchan. Its earlier ads of ‘Sirjee’ too were very good. ‘Save Paper’ campaign too was done intelligently. There was also a single ad about Idea associating itself with the government’s UIDAI initiative. A common thread which can be drawn is that all the ads were based on a social issue affecting the common man thus making it relevant to the target audience.

The latest campaign with six Cricket World Cup winning captains (Clive Lloyd-1975 & 79, Kapil Dev-1983, Allan Border-1987, Imran Khan- 1992, Arjuna Ranatunga-1996 & Steve Waugh-1999) was also related to a social issue though not specific to the Indian audience. The world had recovered from the Match-fixing scandal until it was hit by the Spot-fixing one. A lot was said and done to prevent it. All the six captains have impeccable integrity and respect among not just the cricket connoisseurs but general public alike. By associating themselves with these captains and the theme of ‘keep cricket clean’, Idea has a broader audience to talk to. Cricket being the religion in India and the world cup in toe, the timing would not have been apt.

It seemed to be a masterstroke by Idea but unfortunately I counted my chickens before they hatched. Keeping at the theme, they should have talked about their brand relevance to the ‘champions of the world’ cricketers and what, if any, they are doing in partnership with the ICC to keep cricket clean. Saying it is one thing, following it up with actions adds credibility. By launching the ‘No Idea, get Idea’ ads, with these cricketers talking about getting Idea seems frivolous. The copy seems so obvious. With due respect, apart from Kapil Dev, Imran Khan and probably Steve Waugh, none of the other 3 cricketers have the charisma to endorse an Indian brand. Youngsters under 25 years probably would not even know how great a player and Captain Clive Lloyd was.

These cricketers could have been used to create a brand recall rather than to make a sales pitch. It surely doesn’t seem to be a good idea now. Disappointed would be the word to describe the campaign and a great opportunity lost to add further value to the brand

Sony and MS Dhoni

The recent news of MS Dhoni pulled up by the ICC for a case of ambush marketing for Sony’s HD TV campaign wasn’t intentional. No publicity is bad publicity doesn’t apply to Sony. It is too big a brand. On the contrary, I feel Sony doesn’t even need the Indian captain MS Dhoni too.

It was rather surprising to see that Sony has signed on a brand ambassador for its TV brand. They had Kareena Kapoor for its VAIO laptops. It was a brand fit since Kareena was in the news for her ‘size-zero’. And the new laptop was positioned as a ‘size-sero’ laptop with its thin width. Hrithik Roshan was brand ambassador for Sony Ericsson cell phones. But Sony never had a brand ambassador, at least in India, for its flagship product, TV. Many people might not agree but for Sony, I think TV is their best selling product.

Sony is one of those brands which really has an effect of envy for the non-owner. It’s one of those distinctive brands which is ahead of its competition in terms of brand equity in India. Dhoni or no Dhoni, Sony TVs would have sold. Moreover, I don’t think Dhoni is a brand fit for Sony. Although MS Dhoni is a cricketer par excellence as an individual player, world cup (T20) winning captain and captain of no 1 test playing team, and Sony is excellent in its quality, they some how don’t go together. Dhoni is quite young whereas Sony is a legendary brand. Sachin would have been a more apt choice. I can already see many people up in arms and refuting my choice. It is just a point of view and a different view. Not that I am right. Sony would have their reasons and rationale. Its just that I have a slight diverse take on it.

Considering the creative side of the TVC, I am disappointed. Clarity is a very obvious differentiation that they are talking about. A very clichéd representation.

‘Carpet bombing’ by Airtel for their new logo

Can you spot the difference in the red colour?? Guess Brand managers of Airtel would not be too happy with this image. (An example of a real situation in suburban Mumbai)

The new logo by Airtel has been panned by marketing and advertising gurus. The rationale by Airtel of wanting a new logo for an international feel as Airtel goes to international markets with the Zain Acquisition and wanting to take on Vodafone in other markets hasn’t impressed the pundits one bit. According to them, the old logo was good enough for international markets as well. The new logo did not have any national colours or markers suggesting Indian origin. It has a clear difference in red and colour with a prominent font.

This new logo so closely resembles the red colour of Vodafone known all over the world. With their wide range of celebrity endorsers starting from AR Rahman composing the tune to Sachin Tendulkar, Vidya Balan, Madhavan and the last one, Sharman Joshi, Airtel was firmed ensconced in the hearts of Indian public. Its wider reach gave it a cross-country brand from the rich to the poor. Ironically, there has been a paradigm shift in the communication from Airtel post the logo launch. For one, it has not gone with a celebrity endorser. Only time will tell whether they will continue or get someone one board soon. Second, the signature AR Rahman tune which was so synonymous with Airtel has been done away with. Instead a more peppy and English tune is being used in TVCs.

Airtel, however, it seems in a hurry to make its logo remind people of Airtel again. It being visible from the carpet bombing that they are resorting to with people being targeted through all forms of communications namely the traditional print, TV, Radio to the tech savvy Internet and the mass places such as bus stops, railway stations, roads (hoardings). No place has been left vacant. Thus as time passes, with the incessant bombarding of the logo, it will become prominent in the minds of the Indian public as well.

Looking back, it was said that Airtel needed to have a mnemonic logo since it just had the name. I do not completely argue to this argument. Major brands the world over such as Coca Cola, Nokia, Bata, IBM, Canon, Oracle, SAP, or even the Indian brands such as Raymond, Onida do not have a mnemonic. Thus having it doesn’t make a brand big and not having it doesn’t make it any less known.

The main purpose of a logo is to strike an awareness of the brand and what it stands for through a logo. It the same is possible through a typographic logo, a mnemonic isn’t essential.

Coming back to the Airtel logo, with time, it will get registered in the minds of Indian consumers. But it will not serve ay additional purpose for the brand Airtel except for an exorbitant cost to design the logo and to promote the logo.

Diwali- A Marketer’s Delight

Diwali- the festival of light is celebrated with much fervour across the length and breadth of the country. Diwali is equivalent to Christmas in the North America and Europe, Id in Middle East, Boxing Day & New Year celebrations in Australia and the carnivals in South America. The whole of India is on a a shopping spree during the Diwali week beginning with Dhanteras to the Diwali puja day and ending with Bhau Beej (brother-sister bonding).

Two sets of people wait for Diwali. One, the common people looking forward to a lot of festivities, meeting friends and relatives expecting a lot of joy and happiness. Two, the marketers (you cannot keep the marketer away, they pounce on any given small opportunity and this being the biggest of them all). All product/ services have an exponential jump in sales during this time. Looking at the current Diwali, you will not miss the ‘discount’ ads screaming at you through the newspapers from apparel and white goods brands. Car manufacturers too are giving attractive financing options, low EMIs, and other host of car accessories as freebies to increase sales.

Cadbury is a classic example of a brand which has entered the Indian tradition mould through its replacement of the Indian homemade sweets with Cadbury chocolate packs. The communication of ‘kuch meetha ho jaye’ earlier to the current of ‘kuch meethas ho jaye’ and the ‘shubh arambh’ campaign have really worked wonders for the brand. It has cut across the socio-economic parameters and is gifted by the middle class, the upper middle and the rich alike. May be only the filthy rich use more expensive sweets. Coming back to the market, brands from home appliances, upholstery, home decor, home colour, FMCG products such as scented soaps, scented oils and a ensemble of packaged sweets.

Gold being expensive due to the economic scenario in the world has not dampened the spirits from spending on the yellow metal with Dhanteras recording high sales year on year. Although a commodity, brands such as Tanishq, TBZ, Gili, Geetanjali and a host of others have gone on spending big busks on full from page ads on leading dailies just to the customer attention in the clutter.

Conspicuous consumption is back among the public after the lull last year due to the economic slowdown on the back of good growth of companies. Travel and tourism industry also grows due to people travelling to meet their near and dear ones and extended families. Road, rail and air are all booked pre and post Diwali. Some people take an extended off and have their vacations at tourist hot spots away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.

All brands go on a promotion spree to get the most of the consumers’ wallet. Plans are firmed up months in advance with no stone left unturned to reap in the profits from increased sales. Vodafone has launched a new campaign, and so has Tata Sky DTH. White good majors such as Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, LG, and Videocon are more visible in the mainstream media launching new products and displaying their wide range of product mix. Airtel, Aircel, DoCoMo, MTS, Idea are spending even more. Tata Nano is making a lot of noise and the usual ad spenders FMCG giants have spiked up for the festive season. A very busy week for all marketers but a very happy indeed.

IPL- truck load of brands

“Break The Clutter”. One of the first things a client asks when an agency presents a concept for a TVC is whether the ad will stand out on its own by breaking the clutter of other brands on TV. Whether it has a recall factor by ways of a celebrity or a jingle or just a completely new way of dissipating information (ala zoozoos). Frequently we hear the agency saying that this ad breaks the clutter but it rarely does because when the agency presents the commercial to the client in the clients’ boardroom with all the speaker sound at its peak, complete silence and everyone in rapt attention focused on the screen. With so much attention, any averagely good ad would seem good. The real litmus test starts when the viewer has the remote in his hand with options available to change channels during program breaks.

IPL 3.0 currently being aired on TV has all the mass product/ service companies hopping on to the bandwagon showcasing their wares. The official sponsors of the event are DLF, Vodafone, Hero Honda, Fly Kingfisher, Citi, Karbonn Mobiles and Maxx Mobiles. Thus we have a sponsor name for each event in the match e.g. DLF Maximum, Citi Moment of success, Karbonn Kamaal catch, Maxx Mobile strategic timeout just like we have Hyderabadi Biryani and Kashmiri Pulav. The commentators use these phrases as if they are getting paid to mouth them as frequently as they can. Whenever the MRF blimp is shown, the commentators say a very uniform line which seems that they are given a script to read out. It goes like this “MRF blimp. At the forefront of technology. The first to get the blimp in India”. Thus there are 8 official sponsors.

SET MAX which broadcasts the tournament and has paid a mammoth amount for the telecast rights also has its own set advertisers. The cola Majors, Pepsi and Coca Cola, Consumer durable majors such as LG, Samsung, Videocon, Godrej, Sony, Whirlpool, telecom service providers Vodafone, Idea, DoCoMo, Aircel, Airtel and the latest entrant Videocon, Mobile handset manufacturers Videocon, Karbonn mobile, Maxx mobile and Micromax. Apart from these, some others such as Hyundai i10, Kent water purifiers, Vaseline, Metlife insurance and Havells. Whats more, now there are ads between balls compared to between overs earlier. There is no place in the stadium without ads plastered. The boundary roped, boundary boards, stadium walls, the playing field, the stumps, umpire’s attire, third umpire display board, the sight screen. The total tally thus is 21 plus 8 i.e. 29 With such a huge number how does one expect to break the clutter?

End of the 'devil' for Onida?

Onida has been aggressively marketing its consumer durables on Television since last couple of months. These include TV set, Washing Machine, Microwave oven and home theatre. But there is one thing missing in the TVC. Well, no point for guessing since it is so simple. The bald devil with horns, the most important ingredient which separated other consumer durable company ads from Onida’s. The present “Tumko dekha toh yeh Design aaya” ad is usual run-of-the-mill ad devoid of any clutter breaking copy. We will discuss the ad later but before that, why did Onida do away with the devil from its ads?

The devil was so impregnated in the minds of consumers that it reminded them of Onida. That devil stood as the Onida mascot. This unique identity separated Onida from the other ‘me-too’ products. That identity has been lost now. The devil had a top-of-the-mind recall.

The rationale given for doing away with the devil was that the emotional appeal of the ‘neighbour’s envy’ isn’t applicable in the present environment. Nothing can be further from the truth. When Onida had come with that concept, it was initial years of opening up the economy where Onida stood for class and only the rich people could afford it.

Post 2000, all MNCs have taken over that space. With increase in number of salaries, people buy these foreign brands and Onida was left no positioning. Onida could not sustain its premium positioning. Sony has taken over that premiumness which is used to impress their neighbours. Thus Onida has failed in its attempt to sustain the original ‘envy’ factor.

Now to talk about the new ad, it shows a young couple (seemingly newly wed) talking about the various products of Onida in its different ads. Thus the target market seems (intentionally or unintentionally, I am not sure) to be young newly married couples without children. Had they shown a middle aged couple with one or two children in the ad, this anomaly or doubt would not have cropped up. Apart from this, young couples nowadays are well aware of the various brands and they know the attributes and benefits of all. So technologically they know the quality of foreign brands is much better than Indian. It is a very mediocre ad with no creativity.

Onida needs to rethink its promotional message and go for a much more precise and focused outlook.

Relevance of colours in our lives:

Do you remember the days around two decades back when we had just black & white televisions? Colour TVs had to be imported and were a status symbol in the drawing room. Don’t we reminisce when we see our black & white photographs? It was until Kodak entered India that we got colour photographs. When we buy a consumer durable such as TV, refrigerator, washing machine, don’t we fret over the colour of it? Many a times women change the brand for want of a specific colour. Why do you think women take such a long time to chop for clothes? Colour forms the most integral part of the attire apart from the design. Don’t you take days to decide the colour for our abode? Colour denotes our personality and our style and way of thinking.

Each colour has a peculiar function to when we go socialising or even for a business meet. There goes a saying “when in doubt, wear black”. We do not want colourful attire at an inappropriate place or an inappropriate time. Black solves the problem of a faux pas.

Colours add vibrancy to our lives. It acts as a differentiator for each and every materialistic need or rather ‘want’ of ours. This ‘want’ for appropriate colour has been used by marketers since time in memorial and will continue to be used.

The ads for apparel, show fabulously dressed models with an aura of confidence to get that aspirational feeling to the customer. Currently Videocon and Sony Bravia TV ad shows colours in its ads. The Bravia ad has colour as its theme with the tagline “See more colours”. It shows colours formation in a breathtakingly beautiful way. The non-stop paint company ads lead by the India paint giants Asian Paints and Kansai Nerolac followed closely by Berger and ICI paints talk about colour.

Corel Draw software in computer for creative drawing in ad agencies and Adobe Photoshop has millions of colour combination. The vignette effect and the shine visible for the print in 2D format are exciting to say the least.

This liking for colour has been manifested in humans time and again. Colours truly enlighten our lives and make them vibrant and exciting.