Marketing: in Times of Slowdown

markezine November 2009
Recent trends in
Marketing
Videocon’s Brand
Makeover
Unique Marketing
Strategies
marketing
in times of slowdown
Fuelling thoughts
1 AD Review: HAVELLS
How this brand has made Recession a
part of their creative idea
4 Product Review: ALIVA

Frito-Lay India's latest offering to
address the growing Indian consumer
1
7 Trends
Reviewing the new trends in Marketing
10 Brand Equity: The Liril Crisis

The move from 'freshness' to 'rejuvenates 2000 body
parts' - The end of the glamour girl era for Liril 10
Marketing in times of slowdown
Strategic Marketing campaigns adopted by
corporates to get through the slow times
12 Alekhya Chakraborty
Rahul Pangasa
14
19 Product review: Bingo
12 & 14
The rise and rise of Bingo –
What makes the brand tick ?
22 Strategy: Videocon
A Review of Videocon's Brand Makeover
19
25 Innovative Marketing &
CommunicationsTechniques
29 Expanding horizons of CAUSE MARKETING
Companies flaunting their social conscience through cause marketing
Editor’s Desk
Dear Readers,
Marketers should continuously innovate and

always look for opportunities and identify the
Editor
lacunae to occupy the space before any one does.
Recession is one best time which made every one
realise this and come out of their complacent
cocoons of the stereotyped marketing. So, to
Ramya Dadana
understand the situation better and deal with it,
we have few lucid insights on recession in this
edition.
Besides these, we have our regular sections of ad Content Developers

reviews, articles and also few creative
advertisements which were part of our latest
event Ad-o-holic from MarkUp. And we also have
something to tickle your grey cells like Mark-O- Sanjna Menon
Meter accompanied by some interesting trivia. So
we would like to constantly come up with new Atmdeo Shekhar
ideas and engaging topics to provide an enriching
experience to the readers.
We are overwhelmed with the response and

appreciation we received for our last edition and
hope this issue too keeps you engaged in the
world of Marketing and we also look forward to Design & Layout
bring out many more such editions in the months
to come.
In the next edition we wish to take it a step
further to an inter B School level with students Ameya Sohoni
from many other B-Schools enthusiastic to
contribute to the magazine.
Ramya Dadana
We look forward to your valuable suggestions, feedback and any queries. Do mail us at
markup.markezine@gmail.com
EVENT CORNER: AD-O-HOLIC 2009
A glimpse of the print ads presented during Ad-O-Holic 2009
Institute of Management Technology

Ghaziabad MarkUp
AD Review
1. Consumer electrical durables.
Nitesh Bhagchandani 2. Wires and cables.
09FT-185 3. Switchgears.
4. Lighting and fixtures.
T
his article of Markezine will try to
review “Shock laga kya” ad Havells was largely a B2B company but
campaign of Havells India and when it started dealing in consumer
discuss its merits and demerits and products after 2003, it developed a
suggest some measures to revive it. penchant for advertisements. It hired ad
However, before we start, it's better to agency Lowe ad and media agency group
have a brief for its advertising which came with the
following:
“Shock laga kya” ad campaign:
Everyone who watched IPL matches

might remember the following
advertisement of Havells India:
The recession advertisement of MCB

(miniature circuit breakers) in which
office employees get a shock after
reading a notice of no increment, and a
introduction of the company. builder getting shock because of slashing
rates of property. Amidst all these
Havell's India is one of the leading shocking events, Havells comes into
companies in production and supply of picture by providing consumers with
low-voltage electrical equipments in option to at least prevent electric shocks.
India. It is a part of Indian business
group- QRG group. Earlier established in Positives of the advertisement:
1958 as a trading company, Havells came
1. Interesting commercial which delivers
into existence in 1983. It is now a Rs 1600
the message entertainingly.
crore company with presence in all major 2. Ability to create high interest in a dull
electrical categories. product such as MCB's.
Havells India Company has focus on 4 3. Brilliant piece of advertising which
verticals connects a product to a negative word

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MarkUp 1
http://clubmarkup.com
AD Review
recession through a creative idea. building strong familiarity but fails for
4. Right blend of lively music and humor developing brand depth.
which puts a smile on your face.
5. Unconventional in a way that typically Suggestions for revival:
brands tend to avoid associating
themselves with anything that can be Current advertisement is a good option
perceived to be 'negative'. Although for short term as it has enabled Havells to
recession denotes negativity still it is get attention in a market where it has to
used by Havells which surprises compete established players like
consumers, and gives them something to Crompton Greaves, Usha, Anchor etc.
remember by associating itself with a Recession advertisement is a product
word which has become a part of their oriented ad which has a very limited life
daily life.
Negatives of the advertisement:
1. There's no signature tune in this

advertisement which could help a person
recall the mother brand of Havells.
Current signature tune is suitable for its
products such as MCB's and not for
mother brand which is more extensive
and covers other products such as CFL
for which electric shock is not a concern
at all.
2. After watching the advertisement if
someone thinks it is of Havells, the
brand, he is wrong. It is just Havells as recession is not going to remain
MCB. Thereby it looks as if this is forever. Therefore in the long run,
promotion of product and not of a brand. Havells need to create a distinct
3. Specific tagline for mother brand is corporate brand image for which there
missing. 'Shock Laga Kya' tagline is a should be some definite changes in the
specific tagline for its MCB range which advertisement.
can't be considered tagline for Havells as
an umbrella brand. Most importantly advertisement should
4. This advertisement is successful in include a corporate tagline which can

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AD Review
help a consumer identify the brand.
Havells advertisement was memorable
because it was high decibel (frequently
telecast) which requires a lot of money in
terms of advertising costs. Now the
advertisement should look forward for
ways by which it can be remembered for
a longer period without being high
decibel which would help in saving
advertisement costs.
This could be achieved by using a catchy

jingle, or a memorable tune like that of
Airtel, or that of Britannia. Now the
advertisement should be more focused
on projecting Havells as an umbrella
brand rather than its individual
products. This will enable Havells to
project a distinct brand image which will
be highly beneficial in future. Havells has
already proved its mettle to use a
negative word such as recession for its
benefit, now it should look forward to
own some other word or phrase like
“Safety”, “Environment friendly” etc.
that can become part of daily vocabulary
of consumer. At last the new
advertisement of Havells should clearly
communicate brand values and brand
mantra which differentiates Havells
from its competitors.

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PRODUCT Review Frito-Lay Aliva
from rice and corn. Hence they are

Surendra Sharma flavourful yet healthy snack. Aliva has
been launched in four variants - special
bhindi masala, tomato & roasted spices,
F
rito Lay has been the success mint flavour with herbs, and original
story for Pepsi in India. And with salted.
the introduction of its Aliva
Price: Aliva has been made available at
brand the success of Kurkure has to be
an introductory price of Rs 12 for 60
carried forward by it. This also marks the
grams against its printed price of Rs
third phase of story for Frito Lay after
14.So also Aliva's biscuits have been
Lays and Kurkure. Aliva is being
priced higher than other similar brands
positioned as the healthy and tasteful
in the market like Parle's Monaco is
and Frito lay is bullish on its success
available at Rs 7 for a 75 gm pack, ITC
because of the new offering it has and the
Foods' Sunfeast
way their research
Snacky is priced at
results have been. So
Rs 10 for 100 gm and
also the positioning
Britannia's 50-50 is
has been done
selling at Rs 7 for 65
mainly against
gm. Hence they are
biscuits category
charging a price
which is roughly
premium for extra
around Rs 8500
benefit of health
crore and has a lion's
being included.
share in Indian
snacks market. We will be looking into Place: Since it has the successful
the depths of this offering through the distribution network of its Kurkure
basic tools of marketing which are 4P'S brand, hence Frito Lay would be leverage
and STP. the existing distribution network by
which Kurkure has been made available
I) 4P'S of ALIVA
to consumers in more than 1 million
Product: Aliva crackers have been outlets countrywide. They have zeroed in
made from a combination of baked on top 100 towns in terms of per capita
wheat and chana dal, which is healthier income and population concentration
than Kurkure that are fried snacks made for the initial phases and then the

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extension would be done. taste has been targeted.

In the last two months they had the first Hence the consumers' basically young
phase of marketing for Aliva in the top adults who were previously either having
ten metros with the use of modern retail salty snacks such as Kurkure, Bingo or
chain. Now they are going ahead with the potato chips or having biscuits but were
second phase which will see the brand looking for health benefits apart from
being introduced in 20 more cities across taste would be the target consumers.
country. Apart from this new consumers who seek
health on the go and were not previously
Promotion: The visibility of brand till involved with the above defined
now is not much because of the initial categories would be the consumers of
phases of launch and so also due to less of Aliva.
television and print media being utilized.
But then the company has plans for the Positioning
promotion of brand with bollywood star
Chitrangada Singh being signed as the Positioning is the act of designing the
brand ambassador for Aliva and having a company's offering and image to occupy
360 degree marketing campaign with a distinctive place in the minds of target
'Thodi Sharafat, Thodi Shararat' being market. Specifically, deciding on
the tagline for Aliva. positioning requires determining a
With Chitrangada Singh on board, they competitive frame of reference and
will be undertaking a marketing identifying the POP'S and POD'S.
initiative for Aliva targeted specially at
1. Competitive frame of reference
the young Indian women according to
Director (Marketing). It usually involves category membership
as the starting point and then defining
I) Segmentation-Target-Positioning
the competitors, substitutes etc. The
Segmentation and Targeting products with which the brand Aliva will
directly or indirectly compete include
Segmentation forms the basis for biscuits and salty potato based snacks
selecting the target market for any and hence will include major
company and the segmentation basis for competitors like Britannia, ITC, Parle
Aliva has been behavioural and Priyagold.
segmentation in which the consumer Hence the positioning of Aliva as a baked
who seeks benefits such as health and cracker in the category between biscuits

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and salty snacks apart from being a ingredients like wheat and dal which
healthy food with ingredients like wheat strengthen the health factor association.
and daal has been defined.In fact Aliva Also Aliva is packaged such that the
marks the creation of a new baked packet is able to stand up straight
savoury cracker category. without being held by the consumer
while consuming the product directly
2. POP from the pack, a feature which is not
POP'S are driven by two basic needs - to available in any of Frito-Lay's products
establish category membership and to including Lays, Kurkure etc and hence a
negate the competitors POD'S. But in new proposition altogether.
this case of Aliva which has the Brand Benefit Level: The biggest benefit
ingredients, textures of biscuit and that Aliva carries is of healthy and tasty
flavours of Namkeens certainly marks food.Since any buyer is interested in the
the beginning of a new baked savoury benefits of a product, so during
cracker category. So also being backed by positioning of Aliva health benefit has
Frito Lays which has successful brand been emphasized.
like Kurkure under its umbrella makes it
a legitimate offering. Overall besides being a healthy food with
ingredients like wheat and daal, fritolay
3. POD is also positioning Aliva as a baked
Generally it is up to marketers to decide cracker in the category between biscuits
at which level to anchor the brand's and salty snacks targeting people
POD'S. We will be looking at Aliva's POD seeking healthy snack options. Now it is
from two levels. up to the Indian consumers and how they
Brand Attribute level: - Aliva has value this proposition.
VALUE PROPOSITION

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Trends... Ashish Azad and it isn't going anywhere soon. You
08FT-135 have to seize every opportunity to get
permission to connect and then continue
to build relationships through your hub.
F
rom Barter system to experiential Technology is a massive tool that allows
marketing, times of Aristotle to us to connect, stay in touch with, and to
modern internet, the world of influence.
marketing has changed manifolds.
Giants like HLL, Dabur and Wal-Mart From segmentation to insights
have understood the need of customers
from time to time and have been It's time to move more inside the
innovating for better customer traditional Segmentation and look in
experience with their products and depth of it. With identifying the target
marketing tactics. segment it is very important to know the
insights of your target segments, the
Online Marketing phase they are going through etc. So it's
time to move from segmentation to
Technology has transformed insights.
relationships between businesses and
customers Time to go Green
The rules of business have changed. We
used to go to the yellow pages to find It may be a cynical choice by many
information, now we go to the internet. companies, but green awareness is the
We used to read the newspaper that was trend to
delivered to our front porch, now we read come. If even
news on-line. If you're playing the old Wal-Mart is
game, wake up. starting to
promote
Once you have eyeballs you have to keep e c o -
them friendliness,
where will it
The game and trends in marketing and
stop? As
business success have lead to a
there is a lot
significant point of leverage. And that
of revenue
leverage is database. Database is king

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Trends...
waiting in this market – be it from selling
eco-friendly goods at marked-up Following the leaders like Unilever, P&G
margins, or actually providing eco- and Heineken, marketers realize that
technology, this one won't go away. they will have to set a portion of their
Expect to find a new seat being formed in marketing budgets aside for well
the boardroom: Chief Green Officer structured experiments. Developments
(CGO). in the digital domain are so fast and
furious it's not always possible to wait for
Tap the Grey's full understanding. By experimenting in
a controlled way companies can get
Marketers the world over are waking up
insights at very attractive cost – and
to the fact that the older demographic is a
sometimes even strike gold.
major opportunity – and needs to be
addressed in a different way than the 18- More Consumer Generated
34 year olds. Mind you, different doesn't Advertising (CGA)
mean being patronizing and playing on
old age. We're talking people who went to Not only developers have their lazy-
hill station and did all kinds of naughty dream, marketers too: Consumer
things in their youth – don't talk to them Generated Advertising. Let your
as if they are senile. customers not only be your Promoters,
but actually make your advertising for
Co-creation you. As this advertising will always be
based on what they really love about you,
The lazy developers dream – let your
it's sure to strike home with other
customers come up with your products
consumers.
for you. The power of harnessing your
customers' insights is amazing. Once Mobile: I can hear you now!
again you are connecting directly to the
insights, wishes and beliefs of your This may be the year in which mobile
customers, ensuring that you will hit a deserves a closer look as technology
home-run with the rest of the world too. improvements create new opportunities.
And the funny thing is – they will do it for Apple's iPhone partnered with Google
free, and even shout it out at the world for and Yahoo to enable ad-supported
you, 'hey, I helped develop the next Lego programming. Mobile marketing can
Robots, and man, they are cool'. deliver highly personalised, and useful,
information when and where needed and
Experimentation budgets as long as marketers don't spam.

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Trends...
undoubtedly triumph.
Rise of the widget
Net Promoter Scores (NPS)
Mini software applications (known as
“widgets”) can provide unprecedented Sell your shares in market research
access to hard-to-reach targets, as agencies – their extensive research
Facebook and MySpace can attest. For methods will go the way of the dinosaurs.
example, iLike, which allows Facebook Turns out, it all comes down to one
users to share iTunes playlists, grew to question: "On a scale of 0 to 10, how
over 10 million users in only 10 months. likely are you to recommend
Slide, which creates slideshows and brand/product X to someone else?" As
embeds them in social network the results of this research can be directly
homepages, claims to be the largest tied to revenue growth, instead of
personal media network in the world, intangible parameters like brand
reaching 120 million viewers monthly. recognition, watch the corporate world
That's just the beginning of the widget being taken by storm NPS, following the
avalanche. likes of GE and Philips.
And isn't it great that the interruption
Marketing as a service during dinner time will only last 10
seconds instead of 10 minutes?
For years, marketers have been more
concerned with what they say than what
their target hears, resulting in seemingly Finally, Sharing a Corporate
endless monologues. Those marketers Personality
who continually support their For too many years, large organizations
customers, providing actual value have focused much of their marketing
through each communication, will be the and communications on becoming
most successful in 2010. The HSBC Bank "faceless" - yet the danger of facelessness
Cab, which provides free rides to HSBC is now becoming better understood. As
customers in New York City, is one more organizations realize this fact, we
example of marketing as service, will continue to see more "corporate
transforming customers into brand bloggers" and more touch points for
evangelists with every free ride. customers to interact with the true
Marketers who treat marketing as a personality of a brand.
service and deliver real value to
customers and prospects alike will

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BRAND EQUITY The Liril Crisis
had to be shelved
Abhinav Sinha .
09FT-003 Next, they took the help of a young,
British marketing head and created a
Talking about iconic brands, which green marble soap. It was a regular lime
advertisement comes to your mind soap owned by HLL. The team's aim was
which completely revolutionised Indian to get into households with a bang.
branding and marketing scene? I am Extensive research conducted on young
talking about the famous Liril ad, which women and housewives helped them
launched India's most remembered gain an interesting insight:
brand ambassador to date – Karen "It was found that an average Indian
Lunel, rewrote the rules of Indian soap woman who lived with her husband's
marketing , had a jingle which was family had to undergo a lot of pressures
simple but as memorable as Bollywood in her daily life due to her responsiblities
songs and even has waterfalls named towards her family and the household.
after it. It has such an aura and myth that Apparently the only time she had for
people who were not even born when the herself was the 10-15 minutes that she
first Liril ad came on air, keep watching was in the shower. “
the ad on YouTube. This thought provoked the Liril
More than 30 years ago, a team of advertisement created by Alyque
managers was appointed by Jagdish Padamsee , the then Director of
Chopra , the then MD of HLL, to create Lintas,which featured a green swimsuit
freshness soap in premium price clad girl, frolicking enthusiastically
segment that promised fresh mountain under a waterfall. There was no real story
breeze. A brainstorming session steered board for the ad. It was pretty much a one
by the late marketing guru Shunu Sen line brief – girl under a waterfall. The ad
was held to find out what freshness was shot at Khandala and Kodaikanal.
meant: like walking barefoot on marble, The model was Karen Lunel, who was
being sprayed with a jet of water, like icy working as an air hostess for Air India.
blue and the like, they came up with icy The first ad was shot in 1975. Since then,
blue. While test marketing in Nashik and the Liril girl has become a household
Indore, the blue Liril failed and the idea name and been played by famous models
like Anjali Jathar , Pooja Batra , Tara

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The Liril Crisis
Sharma , Preity Zinta and many more. makeover is – 'We are giving meaning to
The ad campaign catapulted Liril to the Liril in the new millennium and moving
market leader spot in the 'premium it out from being trapped in a few
freshness soap' category within one year elements from its past. Closeness and
of its launch. bonding are the current needs.' But I do
not agree with that. If they really wanted
Liril once enjoyed 14% market share of to target the touch proposition, they
the overall soap segment. Then, could have taken Pears or Hamam,
somewhere things started going wrong which are family soaps. If they did not
and the market share started sliding. want to change any of their existing
HLL tried every variant trick – Liril had a brands, they could have launched a new
shower gel in 1994 , a cologne variant in soap brand. This makeover which HUL is
1996 , Liril Rainfresh in 1999 , and even doing is no makeover at all, since it has
an Orange and Icy Blue variant followed nothing to do with the core values of
by an Aloe Vera and Lemon introduction. Liril. Even Alyque Padamsee has this to
But none of this has been able to stop the say – 'Liril without the girl-in-the-
downward slide of this freshness brand. waterfall is akin to Lord Krishna without
Today the brand has a lowly 1.3% market his bansi.' I feel freshness and lemon had
share by value. been the core associations of Liril and
Lime soaps still account for Rs 540 had made Liril an iconic brand in the
crore of the Rs 7715 crore toilet soaps HUL stable. HUL should have stuck with
market. But the lemon and freshness the core associations. The 'Happy to
offering which Liril was strongly help' campaign by Vodafone is a classic
associated with is now being milked by example of a company sticking to its core
mass-market soaps like Godrej No.1 and values and making it big all the time.
HUL's own Breeze. So instead of going Internationally, Absolut Vodka and The
even harder with its core positioning, Economist have always stuck to their
HUL has decided to move away from the core associations and that is why they
'freshness' association and make Liril a have been such successful brands for a
family soap. Liril has been launched as long time. HUL has moved Liril away
Liril 2000 and its tagline is 'rejuvenates from its core 'freshness' proposition and
2000 body parts'. Though people at HUL Unilever is trying to bring in its Lever
are denying it, the launch of Liril 2000 is 2000 brand through Liril 2000. Such
being seen as a way to launch Unilever's makeovers have not worked in the past.
international brand Lever 2000 in India. Will HUL succeed in its endeavour? Only
The rationale given by HUL for this time will tell.

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THEME: Article 1 Alekhya Chakraborty
MARKETING IN TIMES OF SLOWDOWN
Alekhya Chakraborty 'Of Selling Apples during

recession’
08FT-003 Going against all marketing logic, Leo
Burnett decided to launch his own
M uch as in life, there are often advertising agency in 1935-bang in the

two roads to take in marketing. middle of the depression. The usual
One which appears to be the cynics smirked and one of them even
shorter, more apparent and the easier remarked that Burnett would end up
one to traverse. The other which is filled selling apples on the street. The cynic is
with risks, is utterly 'avoidable' to the nowhere to be seen today-but the
average marketer but which promises legendary apple icon of the iconic agency
the bliss of some unknown Shangri-la. is world famous now.So that's about the
examples, but what is the logic to
The trauma of the recession provides understand the secrets behind good
such a crossroad before a marketer-kind marketing in the times of recession?
of making him feel like hamlet-to spend Let's begin by understanding why is
or not to spend! A good way is to look at marketing an increased challenge during
some of the interesting steps taken by recession.
some visionary marketing companies
during recessionary times Firstly, and possibly most crucially, for
the marketer the share of wallet of the
' The Cereal killer’ customer is appreciably less during a
Kellogg's brand is a notable example to recession. In the words of a HBR study,
quote in this context in the light of the in recessionary times only 15% of the
recession in the 1930s.Post was another customer's wallet goes towards
cereal brand which was neck to neck in discretionary spending, the rest is all on
terms of market share with Kellogg's till existing commitments. Further, the
the recession. When the recession set in, Customer Relationship Management
Kellogg's kept on increasing its initiatives lose strength during the
marketing spends while Post cut back ts recession-building trust and loyalty
marketing expenditure-this was a killer amongst customers to gain the all
move by Kellogg's as they went about important brand resonance is the most
capturing the market leadership which difficult during these times.
they haven't lost since then.
Buying organizations scrutinize
proposals more minutely during

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recessionary times. Thus convincing costly to pull off-which fits the cost
buyers across the supply chain becomes cutting approaches of companies
increasingly difficult for the customers perfectly. .
'Not just nice but necessary’ 'Referrals based marketing’

One school of marketers in vogue in the Especially in case of high involvement
21st century are the ones who believe in products, instead of going for high end
provocation based marketing-who go promotions for products, smart
one step ahead in their marketing marketing companies can rely on
communication apart from satisfying the referrals based marketing or similar lead
customer's need. They convey the generation techniques. In recessionary
message to the customer that the times, this serves a double purpose.
solution is not just nice in terms of Firstly, gaining the all important trust of
his/her need but absolutely necessary in the prospective customer is easier as the
the current situation. A few successful product/service is referred to him by
marketing campaigns in this regard will someone he knows/relies upon.
explain this simple yet brilliant Secondly, this method is hugely less
marketing idea during a recession. costly in terms of saving time and money
Airtel urging its customers about not for the company.
enforcing any 'cutbacks on expressing
matters related to life'. So much for some of the smart ways to
spend your marketing budget during the
Walmart's “Don't hold back on living” recession-however to come back to the
campaign urging the customer to dilemma that we began with-to spend or
cutback on matters less priotized in life not to spend, during a recession. There is
than day to day rituals. a strategic thinking behind having
increased or continued marketing
Increased Green marketing efforts of expenditure during a recession. Here is
companies like Nokia, HP to why.
communicate to the consumer the
necessities of buying such This is quite the easiest time to gain
environmentally compatible products to competitive advantage over rivals
combat the evils of global warming. cutting back on marketing spends which
might prove to be sustainable in the long
'More BTL, Less ATL’ run. Having the larger share of voice
One more smart approach that has been during the recessionary times when the
adopted by some market leaders during noise is less proves to be beneficial for
recession is to focus their the player with the lesser market share in
communication activities towards BTL the normal times post recession.
promotions than ATL promotions. This
serves two primary purposes: firstly, Companies should realise that brand
these activities are more focussed building is a long term proposition and
towards the end target consumer. deterrents like the downturns are to pass
Secondly, the activities are much less by with time. The key lesson is to try and

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build one's share during recession and lastly with respect to the marketing
not just treat marketing as an expense communication-as evidenced by the
but as a positive expenditure. path taken by the marketers to adopt a
more provocative approach towards
Overall, recession helps marketers to marketing in a recession.
revert towards a disciplined marketing In conclusion it is seen, that during
approach as each buck of the marketing recession, the choice is not an easy one
proposal is scrutinized by the boards for the marketer. It surely is a bad
before being approved. This discipline is situation for the customer as also for the
essentially imposed on four fronts. company. However, from the point of
view of the company and more
With respect to the brand-both importantly the marketer, the one who
internally inside the company and takes the greater risks by utilising the
externally with the potential and existing opportunities on offer, will surely have
customers. With respect to the the last laugh and enjoy sustainable
competition-existing and new entrants. competitive advantage. Truly, fortune
With respect to the all important favours the brave-even the brave
customer, irrespective of the company marketer during trying times as a
being in the B2B or the B2C arena. And recession
The Grounded Maharaja

The logo of Air India is now a red-coloured flying to the Konark chakra. The experiment was
swan with the 'Konark Chakra' in orange, placed hugely expensive, too. All the 40 planes were
inside it. But advertising and branding gurus are repainted to sport the new logo, setting the airline
yet to figure out the reason for dumping the back by around Rs 200 crore. But the re-naming
earlier logo – the Centaur, a stylish version of star remained good for only a few months as the
constellation Sagittarius — which had become a name of the brand changed to Air India after the
part of the airline's identity since 1948. merger. Result: All the planes are being
repainted again to make sure that the latest logo
AI executives say the flying swan has been is visible prominently.
morphed from the Centaur, whereas the 'Konark
Chakra' is reminiscent of IA's logo. But experts The logo and name change is just part of the
say the decision is as illogical as the earlier story. Ad agencies say the main problem has
initiative in 2005 to tweak the logo and the name been that all these changes have not been
of the airline. That time, the management accompanied by a consistent brand
removed the hyphen between Air and India and communication strategy. For instance, after the
decided that the Centaur logo will be readjusted merger of the two airlines, there have been just
to point upwards to show the “progressive eight print advertisement campaigns.
growth” the airline had made. Additionally, the carrier's communication with its
customers has been limited to the
“But no one noticed the subtle changes even announcements of its new flights or fares.
though a lot of money was wasted,” says a Besides, too many creative agencies were
former Air India executive, adding the airline had involved, with each working on one part of the
in between changed the logo to Sun, which project without anybody having a holistic
didn't work, and had to bring back the Centaur. strategy.
Equally illogical was the change of the name
'Indian Airlines' to 'Indian' just two years before its Air India's brand equity has taken a beating and
merger with AI. The logic then was to revamp the privatization is the only way forward to take it out
domestic airline's image in preparation for an of the mire it finds itself in
initial public offering. The logo was also changed

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THEME: Article 2 Rahul Pangasa
term gain and refocused on future cost of

Rahul Pangasa losing customers and acquiring new
09FT-113 ones. They believe that reducing the
share of voice in market place
significantly affects their market share in
A
slowdown is a contraction phase long run. These companies continued to
of business cycle and its perceived invest big time in marketing and
impact varies significantly with advertising. The IPL and T20 world cup
the size and economic sector of a saw many brands raising their media
business which requires marketing spending. The Vodafone ZooZoo
managers to make adjustments in their campaign and Reebok 'Hexride' were on
strategies in order to stay both profitable a kill. Complan and Horlicks, Pepsi and
and customer responsive. In economics Coke, Bingo and Lays invested heavily in
a recession is a general slowdown in respective competitive advertising.
economic activity over a sustained
period of time .India defines recession as Another marketing strategy widely
a decline in Gross Domestic Product applied by marketers was reinforcement
(GDP) for two or more consecutive and strengthening of best selling brands.
quarters. A brand must reinforce the attributes
that make it appealing and
Let us analyse what exactly is the differentiating in the eyes of the
challenge faced by a marketing manager customers. In automobile sector Bajaj
during a slowdown. Riding on a negative launched new generation Pulsar, Tata
sentiment consumers are not willing to Motors launched next generation Indica
spend. They are buying less, postponing Vista and Honda launched the new
buying decisions, looking for lucrative Generation City and redesigned its
offers, switching to different brands and Activa scooters brand. FMCG biggies like
different product categories. As a result a HUL and P&G were also upto a similar
degree of uncertainty prevails in game plan. Reckitt & Benckiser is
consumer markets. The crux of a already celebrating for its flagship brand
slowdown is the natural reaction of Dettol as it comes close to becoming a Rs
consumers to re-evaluate every business 100 crore brand. Maggi is running a high
relationship they have. So the real decibel campaign on the occasion of its
challenge faced by a marketer boils down 25th anniversary.
to the dilemma of counter reaction – to
cut down sales and marketing Many companies are reaching out to its
expenditure or to give customers customers by creating new segments and
additional reasons to stay at this critical launching new products. New product
time. launches during a slowdown create more
impact on consumers because not all
Considering Indian perspective the competitors have the capacity to do so.
response was unexpected. When most Therfore there is a relative ease of cutting
companies tightened their belts some through in a less cluttered environment.
traded short term profitability for long

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MarkUp 15
Leading the trend are India's same worse it faced tough competition from
automobile markets which were Dabur in shampoo space and from
bleeding losses as they cut down shifts Colgate-Palmolive in oral care. The
and workforce in their plants. Tata reason was its inability to contain prices
motors notably stole the show with the due to closure of modern trade outlets
launch of Nano as global auto majors like (Subhiksha) and passing over the burden
General Motors filed for Chapter 11 to consumers. Traders reduced
bankruptcy. Back to back roll outs of A- inventory levels to half as they did not
Star and Ritz by Maruti Suzuki confirm want to be struck up with high priced
a g g r e s s i v e goods. Most FMCG
investment in players reduced per
p r o d u c t Weaker items in unit grammage (net
development. The product line should weight) of products
latest and by far the while maintaining
most surprising be pruned. A nice popular price points
offering was Jazz however consumers
from Honda as it example in point is reacted adversely to
shifted focus from the case of Britannia this practise and there
sedans to premium was a massive
hatchback segment in rural markets. slowdown in sales
targeting the BritanniaTiger volumes. Companies
booming upper learnt it the hard way
middle class biscuits priced at Rs and started reducing
segment. A similar prices at a later stage.
feather in the cap of
5/- are the most HUL reduced the price
Mahindra was Xylo. sought after biscuits of Lifebuoy by Re 1/-
Coming over to and other FMCG
FMCG sector, in rural India. players followed trend
companies riding on with prices of soaps
the 'summer factor' and detergents coming
generated aggressive action. As Pepsi down. More recently Parle Agro,
launched Nimbooz , Parle Agro came out Britannia and ITC increased prices of
with LMN and Grappo Fizz. Personal biscuits by 3 to 6% due to soaring prices
care brands were also at their best of sugar. The price hike has been
launching new products for male minimal with cost cutting measures like
grooming segment. reduction in advertising spends and
grammage.
FMCG majors utilized the slowdown as
an opportunity to rework pricing and Some more recent practices by
packaging strategies which gave them companies to market products during
some early jitters. HUL lost potential slowdown are as following:
market share to its rivals during this Increasing spends on market research
phase. P&G, Garnier chewed on its profit because marketers need to know more
in skin care while Godrej leapfrogged in than ever how consumers are redifining
soaps category. As if conditions were not value and responding to slowdown.

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MarkUp 16
Marico and Dabur who were more channels widespread as well as deep so
concentrated in domestic markets are that TATA genuine spare parts are easliy
expanding in newer geographies like available. TATA authorized distribution
Middle East and South Africa. At the and retail outlets can be found on
same time companies like Britannia, highways, in transport nagars and in
HUL and ITC are looking at the Indian auto parts retail market.
rural markets as their next hotspot. HUL
and ITC are already into huge Strong players tend to increase market
investments in market research of rural share as they attract repeat purchases.
segment through their respective Therefore brands which increase market
projects: Project Shakti of HUL and share during slowdown stand to benefit
Choupal Sagar/e-Choupal concept by from this multiplier once the economy
ITC. rebounds. A slowdown brings plethora of
of suitable undervalued acquisition
Focus advertising on family values targets which can catapult the company's
rather than individualism, sports or market share. Examples are acqisition of
adventure because uncertainity prompts Imperial Energy by ONGC Videsh,
people to stay connected with family and acquisition of Wyeth by Pfizer, Bharti
friends. Consider the latest TV and MTN merger, Britannia's plans to
commercial of Lehar “Kurkure” where raise Rs 20 bn for funding acquisitions.
Juhi Chawla talks about “tedha” Indian Innovation is the key to success and can
families connecting them with “tedha hai be the biggest potential multiplier of
par mera hai” brand Kurkure. profits. How can one forget what O&M's
Zoo Zoos did for Vodafone ? Cross
Forecast demand for each product in the promotions, new media vehicles and web
portfolio as cutomers trade down to 2.0 channels like Second Life are more
models which stress good value. Weaker recent ways to reach out to customers.
items in product line should be pruned. A Second Life is a virtual world developed
nice example in point is the case of by Linden Labs which is accessible via
Britannia in rural markets. internet. It sells 3D virtual reality to
BritanniaTiger biscuits priced at Rs 5/- enterprises which can use the platform
are the most sought after biscuits in rural for marketing their products and
India. There is a definite demand of this services or for virtual collaboration. IBM
product across rural India which opens a and INTEL have been using this
market of around one tenth of the platform for quite some time now.
world's population (rural India) .
Re-evaluate media channels and go viral
Maintain healthy relationship with to connect at every touch point as
distributors to stock your full product consumers become selective and
line. Extended financing , generous research purchases more carefully.
return policies and early buy allowances Social networking websites like facebook
can play the trick. For example TATA and orkut, entertainment websites like
Motors commercial vehicles segment is Youtube and mobile phones fit these
constantly trying to make its distribution criteria perfectly. Viral marketing refers

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MarkUp 17
to marketing techniques which use pre- prominent sky scraper which appeared
existing social networks to increase as if the child was pushing and moving a
brand awareness through self replicating section of the building with his bare
viral processes. hands.
Re-evaluate messages to justify the

cosumers that they are making a smart
choice by choosing your product. In
short aim for a rational response instead
of an emotional connect. A perfect
example is Videocon's “Experience
Change” campaign.
Plan a post slowdown strategy to win

back abandoned customers and reach
out for new ones when the business cycle
swings back. Usually banking, financial
services and information technology
sectors ride the recovery wave sonner
than more capital intensive sectors like
automobile and real-estate. Healthcare
companies like Cipla and Dr Reddy
Laboratories invested in intensive R&D
during slowdown so that they can
bounce back to recovery as soon as the
phase was over.
Use guerrilla marketing which is both

innovative and cost effective to
communicate your message to the
customer. This fairly clever and ambient
marketing campaign was created by
McCANN ERICKSON in Mumbai for
Anando milk. Anando milk wanted to
increase consumption of milk among
children. The competition in the form of
juices and energy drinks focus on being
cool and fun. So Anando wanted to
change the perception of milk being a
boring drink. Considering every child
lives in the world of fantasy, the idea was
to exaggerate the benefit of milk into
almost giving the child superhuman
powers. So a hoarding was used amidst a

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MarkUp 18
PRODUCT Review
The Birth Story
Amandeep Kohli
ITC signalled its entry into the snack
food segment at the ICC World Cup in
T
he organized snacks category was 2007 with the launch of Bingo and timed
largely dominated by two players it to coincide with the World Cup, of
prior to the year 1997 – The which ITC Foods was an associate
traditional segment (Bhujia, Chana etc) sponsor. While the Indian prospects
by Haldiram and the Western segment were shattered in that World Cup, Bingo
(cheese balls, potato chips etc) along made an almost immediate impact in the
with the Finger snack segment by Frito market with its high level entry which of
Lays. So when ITC decided to foray into course did not go unnoticed in the minds
the highly competitive and dominated of the Indian consumers along with its
market, a large number of eyebrows were competitors, PepsiCo's Frito Lays and
raised Haldiram.
.
Two years on and the sceptics seem to Industry analysts felt that the snacks
have their voices muffled. ITC's Bingo market offered little or almost no
already has a 16% market share in the differentiation and was largely
snacks market while that of its biggest commoditised but this is where Bingo
rival, Frito Lays, has fallen a mind- made its impact felt. Bingo offered its
boggling twenty percent down from 65% products through various shapes and
to 45%. Add to the fact that this textures while being crispier and
spectacular feat has been achieved in a crunchier.
time-span of 18 months is no mean feat.
According to Hemant Malik, ex-head of
According to Ravi Naware, divisional marketing, ITC Foods, "Consumers have
chief executive, ITC Foods, “Success in not had too much choice and our
snacking requires an all-rounded understanding of the Indian consumer
approach and huge preparation. I don't and the Indian palate has helped us
know how many players are there in the develop different offerings."
market with the arsenal to match us. If
Critical Success Factors
there's someone who's got it better than
us, they will succeed, but I doubt it. We're What has made Bingo so popular and a
now aiming for a 25% market share”. marketing success is its effective use of

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MarkUp 19
PRODUCT Review
the 4 P's of Marketing, namely Product, Bazaar outlets and that shelf space was
Price, Place & Promotion. taken up by Bingo.
1. Product 3. Promotion
Since the snacks market consisted of an Bingo was strategically launched around
undifferentiated product offering, ITC the time of the World Cup to cash in on
formed an 8 member research team who the ravenous appetites of cricket lovers
studied various home-made snacks like who loved to snack in between matches.
Bhel, Gol Gappa, Khakra etc. Hence their Also the advertisements along with the
initial offering in the potato chip flavours have a very Indian touch with a
segment consisted of flavours which dose of humour which was the marketing
catered to the eating habits of people strategy of Bingo all along – the cheeky,
from different parts of the country while humorous ads which stay on your mind
finger snacks segment consisted of long after the advertisement has passed.
unique and innovative offerings like the Along with the television
Pakoda inspired Live Wires and Khakra advertisements, Bingo has made its
inspired Mad Angles. presence felt on outdoor hoardings and
the internet. Their website
2. Place www.bingeonbingo.com has been
This is another point where Bingo strikes designed to target the youth and offers a
a major punch. It is leveraging heavily range of functions from downloads,
and effectively into the vast distribution mobile games to even a virtual world!
network of ITC and this has resulted in Their advertising blitzkrieg has seen
Bingo being present even in 'paan' shops. them tie-up even at with the Aerosmith
The distribution network is estimated at rock concert.
around two million outlets and hence 4. Price
penetration has not been a problem for
Bingo. Hence the 360 degree approach The different flavour offerings of Bingo
for ITC Foods – target the grocery outlet are priced at par with Frito-Lays and the
along with the 'paanwaala'. Also, ITC chips come in two standard prices of five
Foods has tie-up with retail giants like and ten rupees. But Bingo's USP is that it
Kishore Biyani's Future Group and this offers 16 variants thus forcing
was the reason why Frito-Lays was taken consumers to take that first bite. With its
off the shelves in Big Bazaar and Food pricing strategy, ITC Foods is targeting

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MarkUp 20
PRODUCT Review
the HORECA segment (hotels, consumer has to do now is wait and
restaurants and cafes) which usually watch for the Boing! sound to ring
have little or no branded snacking louder.
options on offer.
Another advantage that ITC has is its

strong farm linkages which are crucial
for the sourcing of potatoes. The success
of Bingo, therefore, is on account of the
aggressive strategy adopted on all fronts
— product, pricing, promotion and
distribution. While this has reaped
benefits for Bingo till now, maintaining
this strong position and wresting the
numero-uno position from Frito-Lays
will be a different task altogether. All the
Swine flu brings a surge in Domino's sales

Sales at Domino's Pizza are
booming in the economic
downturn and could get a
further boost if more people
stay at home because of
swine flu.
Britain's biggest pizza delivery

chain said it was on course to Domino's has been cashing in,
beat City forecasts for this with more people preferring
year, after reporting a 25% home delivery to restaurant
surge in first-half profits. As meals.
economic gloom has
descended on the country,

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MarkUp 21
STRATEGY
brand idea, 'Experience change'. The
Atul Gupta & color palette has been chosen to reflect
Jayesh Attal the philosophy of Videocon Group i.e.
the color green is symbolic to the
V
ideocon has recently gone company's ecology drive.” It has also
through a complete brand changed it tagline from 'Truly Indian
makeover, clearly visible with Multinational' to 'Experience Change'.
the change in its logo from sturdy steel
With the current portfolio of consumer
crafted V to a fluid green colored V. This
electronics (TVs, DVD players and audio
new brand element was recently
systems) and home appliances
unveiled by Bollywood star Shahrukh
(refrigerators, washing machines and
Khan in LA. To communicate this
Acs), Videocon is also going to foray into
makeover, Videocon has launched new
unchartered territories of mobile
marketing campaigns with two green
handsets, mobile services and D2H
colored animated characters called
services.
Chouw and Mouw which join to form the
new V logo. The choice of green color is Over the last two decades of existence in
deliberated to get into the peppy the Indian market Videocon has been
bandwagon of 'going green' initiatives doing well in entry/middle level
recently adopted by many other segment, but in the premium segment it
organizations. Though this has been far behind LG and Samsung. The
substantiated by their upcoming 5MW company has recorded consistent top
solar PV project in Jodhpur. According line and bottom line growth in the past
to the company's official website, “The few years with net sales standing at Rs
Videocon logo is the heart of the new 10,105 crs and profits of Rs 854 crs for
brand identity. The Fluid lava reflects the the year 2007-08 (Videocon follows Oct-

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MarkUp 22
STRATEGY
Sep financial cycle). But these figures But it may involve many tactical changes
have slumped in the past 2-3 quarters, necessary to maintain the strategic
unlike the other electronic giants like LG, thrust and direction of the brand. In the
Samsung and Voltas which have given case of Videocon's brand
registered consistent growth even in makeover, though its success over a
recession. period of time is questionable, it is
indeed a revitalization strategy and can
From a marketer's perspective, it is be understood from Brand
important to understand whether these Revitalization Model suggested by Keller
change amount to brand revitalization as explained below. The strategic
strategy or is it merely brand direction adopted by Videocon with this
reinforcement. Reinforcement, as name brand makeover has been highlighted in
suggests, is to maintain consistency of green.
marketing programs with greater vigor.

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MarkUp 23
STRATEGY
market, with Chouw & Mouw giving that
Why the change? dynamic angle to the brand, it is to be
seen whether these two little chummy,
The new brand identity has been
bubbly characters can connect to the
targeted to give a new environment
customers. If the customers are not
friendly, improved technology, young
connected the brand is not accepted. The
looking multinational look to the
choice of the brand
company. The company has
makeover design can
planned hi-blitz promotional
campaigns across all the media i.e. With the brand also be analyzed, with
the Zoozoos of
print, electronic and radio plus positioning V o d a f o n e ,
various BTL & on ground
changing humanized network
activities, marketing collaterals,
visual merchandising etc. almost every 2- bars of RComm &
Unique characters of
According to their website, 3 years, the Virgin already in the
internally also the focus is on
further developing latest
consumer can competition,
Videocon's Chouw &
technology products with thrust get confused.
Mouw could actually
on quality and innovation,
end up being “Me-
improved service penetration and
Too”. This is more likely since Videocon
increased employee morale.
is planning to enter into the same market
The brand has been changing its space of mobile handsets/ services.
positioning quite a few times now,
So now the success of the 200 crore
starting from the older 'Videocon
brand revitalization campaign actually
washing machine' jingle to the more
lies in something more basic, something
recent ones with Shahrukh Khan ads
which consumers demand and i.e. good
with tag line like “Bring home the
quality products & service. Say if an older
Leader”, “New Improved Life”, “The
customer who had bad experience with a
Indian Multinational”, “Ecologic for
CTV or washing machine will never even
sustainable life”. With the brand
try new products just because you have
positioning changing almost every 2-3
change to Green color. So the change in
years, the consumer can get confused.
brand identity has to be backed up by
Though this positioning is targeted at the excellent after sales service & really good
youth & premium segments of the product.

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MarkUp 24
Innovative Marketing &
Communication Techniques
instances. For brevity's sake, we have
Arunaabh Raj divided this article into mini caselets
Rupesh Nagar featuring various examples taken
primarily from the Indian context.
· Promotion of Entertainment
Battle for the consumer mind
Products i.e. films / videos through blogs
through innovative marketing &
and dedicated websites
communication techniques · Corporate Social Responsibility
cum Marketing Initiatives
Marketing, as we all know, is an ever
· Viral marketing
evolving process of satisfying needs till · Radical methods of Marketing
self actualization level and the utility
derived by consumers on Maslow's need Promotion of Entertainment
hierarchy. Existence of segments is a Products i.e. films / videos through
proof of complexities in providing the blogs and dedicated websites
consumer the combination of three
Few interesting observations regarding
things: maximum convenience,
blogging are shared below. Famous
maximum choice and lowest possible
bollywood stars and directors like
prices. One is not alone in fulfilling
Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan & Ram
consumers' basic and evolving
Gopal Varma express their thoughts,
requirements, the competition is tough,
views, and opinions through dedicated
unforgiving and relentless in pursuit of
blogs like bigb.bigadda.com.
the consumers. In such a cut throat
aamirkhan.com/blog & rgvzoomin.org.
environment it is but natural for
These websites not only prove to be the
marketers to search and utilize
most direct link between content
innovative and radical avenues for
producers and content consumer but
reaching wider audience and convert the
also act as a platform where likeminded
potential consumers to users of their
people express, chat, opines and share
products & services.
Endeavour of this article is to bring out their love for the product (i.e movie, song
the new trends in vogue, new or video) and their stars. Above
methodologies being adopted by everything else these blogs & websites
successful marketers on unconventional act as one of the launch pad for
platforms like internet, blogs and real life forthcoming movies. We've had first

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MarkUp 25
Innovative Marketing & Communication Techniques
hand experience of this while browsing initiatives. The buzz is not altogether
through aamirkhan.com wherein mistaken, as the benefits are twofold.
viewer's feedback & reactions (on the Such initiatives helps in the betterment
website) were duly considered and some of society as well as provide the platform
accommodated in the movie after few for reaching out and growing a new set of
weeks of release. In same breadth customers.
rgvzoomin.org and bigb.bigaada.com An example to consider would be project
have been regularly utilized by Mr Shakti by HUL. Armed with micro credit,
Varma & Mr Bachchan for promoting women become HUL direct-to-home
videos, posters and shoots of their distributors of consumer goods in
various movies and getting a first hand remote villages which help them earn a
knowledge of customer preferences, living as well as increase the distribution
likings & disliking. reach of the company manifold. This is a
We must bear in mind that the traffic that classic case of catering profitably to the
flows on to these celebrity blog's/ Bottom Of Pyramid consumers. In this
websites represent the people who are project, the company helps the village
earliest adopters of their products(i.e. women, known as “ Shakti Ammas”,
movies) and plays a very important role develop selling skills and start their own
in success of their product. The hits that small ventures. Project Shakti has
these websites get are in millions and created livelihood opportunities for over
increasing popularity of these forums 45000 rural women and in the process
can be gauged by average reactions in has reached more than 300,000 brand
thousands for each blog they write. This new consumers.
then appears to be a classic case of brand
awareness being utilized in extracting With reference to the same, 'Shakti Vani'
maximum out of a given product program was initiated to educate rural
category to the benefit of all the people about basic health and hygiene
stakeholders and at least possible costs. factors. The Vani program covers areas
including pre and post-natal care, infant
Corporate Social Responsibility nutrition, sanitation, good hygiene
cum Marketing Initiatives practices, and the prevention of common
diseases. By end 2007, the Vani
Corporate Social responsibility is the programme had covered over 50,000
buzz word now a days and companies are villages, reaching out to over 50 million
flocking to have dedicated CSR people.

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MarkUp 26
Initiatives like these should both be Khan promoting his film 'Jane Tu ya
commended as well as portrayed as Jane Na' came alive to interact with the
trend setter for new kind of marketing user on his desktop, walked on the
activities. Rural segment is still a vast website, looked around, knocked on
untapped segment for marketers and uder's screen and then walked back into
techniques such as above would the advertisement click and even danced
definitely give new dimension to the to the tune of the song 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi
marketers as a whole. Zindagi'. A separate shoot was done only
for this advertisement which had a click-
Viral marketing through rate (CTR) of 2.8%.
The average CTR of banner
Viral marketing is the use of internet to
advertisements is 0.3% and the
create product awareness in multiple
incremental benefit (2.8–0.3) through
connections, creating potentially
viral marketing techniques is evident.
exponential growth. Viral marketing
Songs are the first consumer touch
techniques are increasingly used in
points for most Bollywood films and
promoting bollywood films, few
draw audiences to theatres. Love Story
examples would help to elaborate the
2050 and Jaane Tu had groups on
issue at hand.
Love Story 2050 used the internet to Facebook as well much before their
generate a different buzz around the film releases where the film's pictures and
through some innovative campaigns and posters were put up and the group would
the Akshay Kumar starrer, Singh Is facilitate discussion on the film.
Internet is a good way to advertise even
Kinng partnered with web portal
for those movies that are not primarily
Indiafm.com, wherein through an
targeted at the youth. The general
interactive campaign users could see
audience can be reached through
Kumar doing stunts, also the users could
conventional advertising but if
play a game where they get to be Akshay
producers are looking at a blockbuster
Kumar.
Film advertising now has improved hit then the youth must be engaged too
much and it has reached levels where it and what better way to undergo film
ensures direct interactivity with the advertizing than viral marketing.
audience. Microsoft Advertising rich
media banner did film promotion in
somewhat similar way where Imran

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MarkUp 27
Radical methods of Marketing for traditional marketers? Is it a one off

case or this can be consistently utilized in
With breakaway positioning a product solving the existing positioning
disassociates itself from its existing dilemmas. We can see through example
category by deliberately associating with below that breakaway positioning
a different one. Marketers leverage the distinctively add to the customer affinity
new category's conventions to change towards the product, its awareness and
both how products are consumed and the ever beneficial, usage. Films today
with whom they compete. The marketers are surely treated as products with
can change how consumers "frame / promotional strategy, brand imaging,
view" a product and, therefore, how they hiring of marketing agency coming into
respond to it. Instead of seeing the picture for launch and successful
breakaway product as simply an promotion of films.
alternative to others in its category,
consumers perceive it as altogether Bollywood blockbuster Ghajini (highest
different and a superior one at that. grosser of all times, above 300 Cr)
heralded a new era in terms of not only
2007 Gujarat Assembly Elections made marketing extent but also the scope.
us witness to a curious phenomenon, and Breakaway concepts used for marketing
that was every BJP grassroots level were sporting of Ghajini look/hairstyles
worker sported face of Narendra Modi, by the multiplex usherers and spot boys,
literally. This not only created a widest Aamir Khan himself turned barber for a
possible avenue for reaching consumers day in New Delhi and gave “Ghajini
for the incumbent but it also positioned a Haircuts” to his friends ( from a small
political leader in a way that was never boy to a middle aged man). Now, its
done before. Traditionally politicians in easier to dispel such events as gimmicks
India are not considered as stars or but the bumper opening day collection of
celebrities but in the form of face masks, INR 28 Cr (Prepaid show opened at 7 cr)
Mr Narendra Modi was positioned, in a and till date gross have proven all the
breakaway mould, to be a star and skeptics wrong. Therein lies the impact
celebrity combined. This star like appeal which breakaway positioning can create
combined with an impeccable image of for experiential products like movies and
an able administrator turned the tide politics.
and BJP won the assembly elections
comfortably with a majority.
What lessons do events like above have

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MarkUp 28
Expanding the horizons of CAUSE MARKETING
Kanwarpal Singh marketing is expanding its horizons it is

just not limited to the corporate it is
08IB-029 being used by political parties, actors to
market themselves and to create a link
with audience.
C
ause marketing can be defined as a
strategic and marketing tool that
Cause marketing initiative in India was
links a brand to a social cause
taken by TATA Salt in which they
which have a mutual benefit. American
contributed 10paise per pack of TATA
Express started this type of marketing in
Salt sold in Indian market for CRY (Child
1980’s under the name of CRM in which
Relief and U) and they inspired the
they served a cause of “restoration of
Indian audience with a very catchy
statue of liberty” in New York. And then
tagline “The Desh Ko Arpan
this trend caught up and entered the
Programme” and their initiative was able
Indian market in the year 1990, CRM
to collect 33lakhs for the organization in
basically provided companies a edge to
just 1 month.
fight against their competitors, potential
benefits of Cause marketing were
If I talk about STAR plus, India’s leading
attracting and retaining customers,
General Entertainment Channel
Market differentiation etc.
recently launched ‘Sabki Laadli Bebo’.
Taking this concept a step further, the
Some of the brilliant concepts that have
channel announced its annual CSR
come up in the Indian market and helped
initiative – Project Laadli, in association
both the companies as well as the cause
with KC Mahindra Educational Trust
would be discussed further and even the
Project Nanhi Kali to create awareness
most important thing is that cause

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MarkUp 29
regarding various issues associated with
Expanding the horizons
the cause of girl child. The Laadli Week
Hindi and English equally well.
of CAUSE MARKETING
Celebration, from April 13, 2009 to April Similarly, Shah Rukh was chosen in the
17, 2009, witnessed a series of fund second phase of Lead India because of
raising events and promotions across his status as a youth icon and the
STAR Plus’ shows. A special on-air campaign was a call to the youth to come
contest was activated wherein viewers out and do something for the nation.
sent in messages and pictures of their
daughters. The best messages were aired
on the show Sabki Laadli Bebo. More
than 51,000 messages were received
during the Laadli Week Celebration, out
of which more than 30,000 viewers
contacted Nanhi Kali to contribute for
this noble cause. The SMS initiative
crossed all standard benchmarks, it
received 8 to 10 times more messages per
day compared to any normal campaign.
STAR has also donated money towards
this cause which will be used to educate
approximately 600 underprivileged
girls.
Coming further and talking of the TIMES

OF INDIA “Teach India” initiative
earlier Amitabh Bachchan was the brand
ambassador then came in Shah Rukh
Khan then finally came in Aamir Khan,
Aamir can be seen currently on
billboards across the country,
supporting the Teach India movement. Cause marketing during elections by
Aamir was selected for his strong sense Congress from a marketing
of ethics for a social cause. “He stands communications perspective, it was
out as credible and honest”. The role that interesting to see how positive messages
Aamir essayed in his last movie, Taare won the day. Electoral alliances and
Zameen Par, teaching a dyslexic child political agendas aside, there was
and helping mentally challenged something about the Congress campaign
children, also went in his favor. that caught the public imagination. Its
Bachchan was chosen for India Poised campaign tune, Jai Ho, matched its
because the campaign highlighted India central slogan “Aam admi ke badte
in its 60th year of independence and TOI kadam, Har kadam par Bharat buland”
wanted someone who was truly iconic to and offered optimism, inclusion and
deliver the message to the entire nation association with all. The Congress’
and someone who could speak both marketing revolved around talking to the

Ghaziabad
MarkUp 30
Expanding the horizons
common man about his issues in the
sharpest manner possible. The result
of CAUSE MARKETING
Talk concept created ripples in market,
when government came up with UIC
was communication which people could initiative Idea came up with the
relate to. Congress zeroed in on campaign “dekha yeh hum kabh se keh
identifying specific target segments rahe hain”. There are many more
within its overall audience, identified examples like Nokia, ITC, and Dell etc.
issues that had immediate appeal to And the expanding horizons of cause
these segments and projected a number marketing can put in many more
of credible leaders. The messaging about corporate, political parties, actors to use
youthful leadership and young India was this in near future.
fresh, sincere and credible. While the
Congress reminded people about Though Cause Marketing has started as a
opportunities seized and offered, the commercial activity, it has evolved as a
BJP and the Left talked about problems. concept and has gone beyond
At a time when the economic crisis was at commercial activity to community
the top of everyone’s minds, such activity. Companies have gone beyond
messages fell far short of expectations. the level of reactive competitive
Running an strategies, and have
election campaign Its (Congress) campaign shown the world the
is about gauging the soft side of
pulse of the
tune, Jai Ho, matched its marketing strategies
electorate – just like central slogan “Aam – a shift from hard
creating a great admi ke badte kadam, factors to soft factors
m a r k e t i n g is evident in their
campaign. The Har kadam par Bharat m a r k e t i n g
brand which has its buland” and offered s t r a t e g i e s .
ears to the ground Companies should
optimism, inclusion and
always wins. contribute truly for
association with all. The the sake of cause
TATA Tea “Jaago Congress’ marketing without expecting in
Re” campaign was a return.
brilliant picture of revolved around talking
cause marketing it to the common man
targeted all the about his issues in the
Indians who did not
go for voting. Some sharpest manner.
more examples are
Procter & Gamble’s
brand, positioned itself as a wildlife
rescue and animal rehabilitation product
campaign called ” Everyday Wildlife
Champion”.
Idea cause marketing concept having a

number for each Indian and Walk and

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MarkUp 31
1. What was originally called 'Brad's drink'?
2. After the Kurkure express and the Kingfisher Express, the Bangalore Delhi
Rajdhani Express has also been branded. Which company is sponsoring the
train?
3. If Raymonds is 'the complete man', the 'Incomplete man' refers to which

brand?
4. Microsoft agreed to buy a $240 million piece of this company in a

transaction.One of the ad system of this company is Beacon.Which company?
5. In 1997, the TATAs sold Lakme to HLL and acquired Britain based
Littlewoods chain. What did it later re emerge as?
6. Which corporate entity has come up with the punchline 'The edge is
efficiency'?
7. What is unique about the Gujarati magazine “Chandan”?
8. Which watchmaker plans to introduce premium brands like Ferragamo,

Versace and Valentino in India?
9. Which famous car giant originally started off with textile business?
10. In Taiwan, Pepsi-Cola made a very grave error (no pun intended) with their
slogan 'Come alive with the Pepsi generation'. The catch phrase was
translated a little too literally in Taiwanese, and ended up saying what?
ANSWERS
1. Pepsi 2. Airtel Bangalore Delhi Rajdhani Express 3. Metro Shoes 4. FaceBook 5. Westside 6. Bombay Stock Exchange
7. This magazine has been coming with no Ads for the last 3 decades and has been placed in the Limca Book of Records.
8. Timex 9. Toyota 10. 'Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead.’

Marketing: in Times of Slowdown

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Marketing: in Times of Slowdown

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markezine November 2009

4 Product Review: ALIVA

10 Brand Equity: The Liril Crisis

Marketers should continuously innovate and

Besides these, we have our regular sections of ad Content Developers

We are overwhelmed with the response and

A glimpse of the print ads presented during Ad-O-Holic 2009

Institute of Management Technology

“Shock laga kya” ad campaign:

Everyone who watched IPL matches

The recession advertisement of MCB

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Negatives of the advertisement:

1. There's no signature tune in this

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This could be achieved by using a catchy

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from rice and corn. Hence they are

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extension would be done. taste has been targeted.

Institute of Management Technology

Institute of Management Technology

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Institute of Management Technology

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Institute of Management Technology