When ads forget the connect, focussing on gloss only
Sunday, October 12, 2008
On Indian TV sets, two banks are having their re-branding advertisements running. Ideally its not an easy task to change the image of a PSU bank which has been there for long time and has already made a place in people's mind. It can be good or bad, but people have that image firmly in the mind. So one would see the re branding effort to be having a high marketing cost and some of the big ad agencies are roped in to do the magic. And as Union Bank of India and IDBI takes on to refresh their image in this financial turmoil, lets see how one strikes the chord with customer and how one strikes the chord with only viewers while customers are left out in gloss.
Union Bank of India
New Tagline: Your Dreams are not your alone
Background Info
Critique
IDBI (Industrial Development Bank of India)
This $13.45bn assets worth bank is one of India's largest state-run banks and is also listed on theForbes 2000. It was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. Starting September 01, 2008, UBI has changed its corporate logo to identify itself differently in changing times.
Critique
Best part about the ad is that it is related to a normal middle class family.The TG (Target Group) group for this bank is largest group of people who would be depositing their savings and maybe salary too, essentially Indian Middle class. These people doesnt calculate the exact benefits in terms of money but focus more on safety of deposits. So the campaign should ideally be targeted for emotional connect and thats exactly where this ad campaign scores. The situations are taken from life of an oridinary person where they are overpowered with emotions from a family member, when this is feeling is connected with bank using tagline 'yours dreams are not your alone' it conveys the point home that bank worries about your hard earned investments as your family member would.
Endpoint, it drives the point home with the intended customer and hence the money spent on marketing should result in increase in sales; so I would give it 5 stars.
IDBI (Industrial Development Bank of India)
New Tagline: Not just for big boys
Background Info:
Established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to provide credit and other facilities for the development of the fledgling Indian industry, IDBI is currently the tenth largest development bank in the world. Some of the institutions built by IDBI are The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), The National Securities Depository Services Ltd. (NSDL) and the Stock Holding Corporation of India (SHCIL) IDBI BANK , as a private bank after government policy for new generation private banks.
Critique
IDBI Bank, true to its name, was mainly an industrial development bank. It has now started focus on its retail banking operations (earlier it was more on Corporate banking, SME solutions and agricultural loans) and hence the campaign. The ad shows that two kids are playing football when the ball lands somewhere beyond. When they go to retrieve it they meet a pachyderm and retreat.
Next day when they start to play, the same elephant comes now with a kiddo elephant. The baby approaches the ball and starts playing with the kids. And comes the tagline – Not just for the big boys.
Am sure most of the people will like the ad, thanks to the affection angle and presence of a kid elephant. I agree its fun to watch, but the good charm ends here. How many of the viewers will goto IDBI bank on viewing this account and put their savings there? How many will understand that ad wants to convey to its target group, same middle class, that not only big corporates but they too can use savings account there and other investment services. Even if its for upper middle class, I really dont see any effect; unless the ads start coming in channels like NDTV, Moneycontrol and Economic Times. Nevertheless the targets will be given to sales team for opening accounts and it has to be done by hook or crook. So eventually the money spent on marketing wont contribute efficiently to balance sheet. I would give 2 starts to it.
Also whatever they do on media, it needs to be backed by warm customer service in the branches as marketing isnt just advertisement alone! (remember Kotler?)
Labels: Brand Check, Concept, Rebranding
posted by Jas @ 5:08 PM,
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Bajaj Pulsar - Corporate Ad
Sunday, April 06, 2008
I had written about a quarter back that how the companies across India are increasingly focusing on the corporate brand identity and not just its brands. The advertisements have been carrying the main logo in the end to make a uniform mental impression and instigate a consumer bookmark. Latest to join the wagon is Bajaj Pulsar.
While Bajaj is primarily known for its line of retro-style scooters in America, Bajaj is a major player in their home country of India back here in the motorcycle market. Their flagship model, the Pulsar, is a very respected motorcycle in India. This bike has virtually redefined biking in this country. Pulsar launched in 2001 is the market leader in the 150 cc + performance bike segment. More than that , this brand changed the fortune of Bajaj Auto Ltd.In the wonderfully executed latest TVC, the ad gets what it was made for. Good videography, professional stunt riding and well planned choreography make quite a display, even when the riders are mounted on machines with a mere 200cc of engine capacity. In case you were wondering, that 0.2-liter manages 18 horsepower, which looks to be plenty to have fun with, especially as I have been really happy with the 13.3bhp (@8000rpm) from my darling Honda Unicorn.
Story of success for Pulsar starts with the elder son of Rahul Bajaj coming to India and pushing for higher power bikes. Bajaj had been making mainly scooters and had small range of bikes with technological collaboration with Kawasaki. To prove himself, Rahul gave his son Rajiv (fresh post-grad in engineering from Warwick then) made a new plant - Chakan (near Pune). And that is from where a new bike called Pulsar rose from the ashes of Bajaj Scooters! And a good part of the success is also attributed to the 'Definately Male' campaign made by O&M for bike's launch.
According to agencyfaqs, the birth of the "Definitely Male " campaign is interesting. The creative honchos found the new product from Bajaj distinctly different. It was Bajaj's first bike without Kawasaki label. The new bike was an R&D and design marvel. Pulsar was designed by the renowned design house Tokyo R&D. O&M knew that the communication of this brand should also be different.Starting with lot of ideas, O&M stuck upon the Big Idea of India's He-Bike. Although lot of bike take the persona of Macho bikes it was more oriented towards being "sexy". The Big Idea was to position the bike as World's first bike endowed with a Sex ( Gender).Thus born the classic campaign of all times " Definitely Male". The campaign together with the design and performance catapulted the brand into stratospheric sales level.
Bajaj targeted the 18-24 with Pulsar but later found that the brand appealed to a much older audience. This helped Bajaj to change its target audience to 21-35 years.
Unlike its old ways of doing things, Bajaj did not rest with the laurels. It knew that Pulsar is the golden key to control the entire bike market. Hence Pulsar got undivided attention from the company. In 2003 another milestone event happened in the product lifecycle of the brand. Bajaj launched its new technology DTSI. DTSi stands for Digital Twin Spark Ignition which delivered more power and efficiency. The increased performance of the brand took Pulsar to greater heights. 2004 and 2005 saw some cosmetic changes in the brand which excited the customers and thus cementing Pulsar's position in the market.
I agree with Bajaj here that its high time they start focusing on the brand image of Pulsar. The adverts now need not to target sales but the brand building - to make Pulsar reach the status of a cult bike. These kinds of adverts, mainly seen from biggies like Nike, Coca Cola, Dove etc make you gasp and maybe even clap! And this ad is no less. Take a look here (ad culled from YouTube)
Story of success for Pulsar starts with the elder son of Rahul Bajaj coming to India and pushing for higher power bikes. Bajaj had been making mainly scooters and had small range of bikes with technological collaboration with Kawasaki. To prove himself, Rahul gave his son Rajiv (fresh post-grad in engineering from Warwick then) made a new plant - Chakan (near Pune). And that is from where a new bike called Pulsar rose from the ashes of Bajaj Scooters! And a good part of the success is also attributed to the 'Definately Male' campaign made by O&M for bike's launch.
According to agencyfaqs, the birth of the "Definitely Male " campaign is interesting. The creative honchos found the new product from Bajaj distinctly different. It was Bajaj's first bike without Kawasaki label. The new bike was an R&D and design marvel. Pulsar was designed by the renowned design house Tokyo R&D. O&M knew that the communication of this brand should also be different.Starting with lot of ideas, O&M stuck upon the Big Idea of India's He-Bike. Although lot of bike take the persona of Macho bikes it was more oriented towards being "sexy". The Big Idea was to position the bike as World's first bike endowed with a Sex ( Gender).Thus born the classic campaign of all times " Definitely Male". The campaign together with the design and performance catapulted the brand into stratospheric sales level.
Bajaj targeted the 18-24 with Pulsar but later found that the brand appealed to a much older audience. This helped Bajaj to change its target audience to 21-35 years.
Unlike its old ways of doing things, Bajaj did not rest with the laurels. It knew that Pulsar is the golden key to control the entire bike market. Hence Pulsar got undivided attention from the company. In 2003 another milestone event happened in the product lifecycle of the brand. Bajaj launched its new technology DTSI. DTSi stands for Digital Twin Spark Ignition which delivered more power and efficiency. The increased performance of the brand took Pulsar to greater heights. 2004 and 2005 saw some cosmetic changes in the brand which excited the customers and thus cementing Pulsar's position in the market.
I agree with Bajaj here that its high time they start focusing on the brand image of Pulsar. The adverts now need not to target sales but the brand building - to make Pulsar reach the status of a cult bike. These kinds of adverts, mainly seen from biggies like Nike, Coca Cola, Dove etc make you gasp and maybe even clap! And this ad is no less. Take a look here (ad culled from YouTube)
Labels: Brand Check, Brands, TVC
posted by Jas @ 12:17 AM,
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Microsoft hostile bid on yahoo
Friday, February 01, 2008
Just heard of Microsoft's hostile bid on Yahoo at 62% premium at Thursday's stock price. What is exciting is how the people are actually looking at Microsoft as a savior for Yahoo. They think that yahoo has never used its full potential in internet domain and the aggression needed in the competitive world of today is just missing.
Well I am traveling right now, but the outcome should definitely bring me back for yet another post! Will appreciate posts on the brand value comparison of the two.
Microsoft's proposal to Yahoo's board of directors represents $31 per share (a 62% premium over yesterday's closing price) or about $44.6 Billion. Steve Ballmer, CEO and big fan of developers, says, "We have great respect for Yahoo!, and together we can offer an increasingly exciting set of solutions for consumers, publishers and advertisers while becoming better positioned to compete in the online services market." Apparently, the deal was laid out in a letter sent by Ballmer to Yahoo's board just yesterday. Seriously. The letter confirms that the two giants have been discussing the topic since late 2006. It also appears to be a direct response to the Google threat as outlined in the following paragraph:
"Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo! can offer a credible alternative for consumers, advertisers, and publishers."
The deal, of course, rests on the two coming to a "merger agreement" and Microsoft having the time to conduct the required due diligence. Microsoft is ready to begin immediate discussions and have a draft merger agreement ready for consideration.
"Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo! can offer a credible alternative for consumers, advertisers, and publishers."
The deal, of course, rests on the two coming to a "merger agreement" and Microsoft having the time to conduct the required due diligence. Microsoft is ready to begin immediate discussions and have a draft merger agreement ready for consideration.
Well I am traveling right now, but the outcome should definitely bring me back for yet another post! Will appreciate posts on the brand value comparison of the two.
Labels: Brand Check, MnA, New Trends
posted by Jas @ 4:14 PM,
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i-pill :The emergency contraceptive pill
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Year 2005 onwards Indian government has allowed the sale of emergency contraceptives (EC) in the chemist shops without prescription, better known as OTC (Over The Counter) sale. Following this Cipla has launched its product pill 72 as i-pill in Indian market, making it the first ‘morning after pill’ to be marketed in India. It is already available in market and its single dose tablet is priced at Rs 75.
The pill is significant for Indian market as different studies have pointed out that nearly 30 per cent of conceptions in the country end in abortions. It has also been proved that 75 percent of pregnancies are unplanned (!!!!). It is just one of the EC products available in market and with its huge marketing the category itself will benefit a lot.
For those curious about the pill functioning, the product's website reveals that i-pill can work in any of the three different ways depending on where the consuming female may be in her menstrual cycle.
The pill is significant for Indian market as different studies have pointed out that nearly 30 per cent of conceptions in the country end in abortions. It has also been proved that 75 percent of pregnancies are unplanned (!!!!). It is just one of the EC products available in market and with its huge marketing the category itself will benefit a lot.For those curious about the pill functioning, the product's website reveals that i-pill can work in any of the three different ways depending on where the consuming female may be in her menstrual cycle.
- It may stop an egg being released from the ovary.
- If an egg has been released, i-pill may prevent the sperm from fertilizing it.
- If the egg is already fertilized, it may prevent it from attaching itself to the lining of the womb
To encourage responsibility in the use of the medicine, the company has started a toll-free helpline (1800-22-9898) and Web site to share information on the product. According to Cipla, i-pill is 95% effective if taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex, 85% between 25-48 hours and 58% if taken between 49-72 hours of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure.
Coming to the marketing and the advertisements which are aired widely across channels, the product is targeted at SEC A and B, the urban class. With tagline " Get Back to Life" the TVC strikes bang on the target. The packaging and the ad theme all relate to a new age Indian female. Lets analyze it one by one.
Firstly, the choice of models has made sure the urban ones relate to her, the simplicity of the character, with white as dominant color stresses on the lifestyle any female of today's rising India will want to be related with.
Secondly, the ad stresses on the relation between the couple. The pill has already been christened as "abortion bill" or "infidelity pill" by NGOs and many others as they suspect it will be used for wrong reasons. So a strong image needed to be portrayed, which has been done beautifully.
Thirdly, the full focus of brand is on its consumer - female. The men even though they are there in ads, still are subtly left out as the decision maker has to be female and its aptly depicted that she is taking things in her control. Attack is on the tension that comes 'the morning after'.
Have a look at the adverts here: http://www.ipillcipla.com/resources.htm
Ad campaign rating -
Coming to the marketing and the advertisements which are aired widely across channels, the product is targeted at SEC A and B, the urban class. With tagline " Get Back to Life" the TVC strikes bang on the target. The packaging and the ad theme all relate to a new age Indian female. Lets analyze it one by one.
Firstly, the choice of models has made sure the urban ones relate to her, the simplicity of the character, with white as dominant color stresses on the lifestyle any female of today's rising India will want to be related with.Secondly, the ad stresses on the relation between the couple. The pill has already been christened as "abortion bill" or "infidelity pill" by NGOs and many others as they suspect it will be used for wrong reasons. So a strong image needed to be portrayed, which has been done beautifully.
Thirdly, the full focus of brand is on its consumer - female. The men even though they are there in ads, still are subtly left out as the decision maker has to be female and its aptly depicted that she is taking things in her control. Attack is on the tension that comes 'the morning after'.
Have a look at the adverts here: http://www.ipillcipla.com/resources.htm
Ad campaign rating -
Labels: Brand Check, TVC
posted by Jas @ 2:12 PM,
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