Who are the real Blackberry Boys ?

In 2010 Vodafone came out with the "Blackberry Boys" bringing about a tactical shift in the way BB services were sold in India. To start with, it moved on from a target audience of "cool suits and shiny boots" to a more younger and innovative set of people who would use the BB services in lots many ways which the shiny shoes would never do.

The move was doubted by many as losing its stronghold ad trying to go where it will not survive.

But not many knew that it was a desperate move by the company to survive in the only market where it was still on a positive growth trend across the globe, only reason being the smartphone revolution was yet to hit the Indian shores.

And it worked, BB revolutionized the way people interacted with each other using the BBM, sharing pics, sharing videos and what not.

But then came the smartphone revolution in India and BBM got replaced by the generic Whatsapp which could work on all platforms including the BB.

Soon BB users started missing the angry birds and fruit ninja's of the smartphone. and thus began the decline of BB in India.

The latest advert of Vodafone for BBM tries to revive the lost sheen going back to the generation which helped revive it fortunes 2 years back. Vodafone has also tried to reduce the guilt of spending by highlighting just Rs 5 a day for the services. But will just the BBM help revive the falling sales of BB in Indian markets triggered by lack of features beyond the messenger, Im not very confident.

Before I close the post, would like to appreciate the creative genius behind the two adverts, and coming up with a follow up of an already acclaimed advert, its really difficult and the creative team has definitely pulled it off. Just concerned that the brief to them was a wrong one.

Chalta hai ya Daudta hai ??

This is what happens when you do not have a new story to tell your consumers.

You start taking digs at competition :)

The advert openly (with smart use of sound dubbing of course) takes on Hero Motors Splenda and Passion, the biggest competetion to the 125cc category of Discover.

But there are few things that the creative team has done very well. Like the use of testimonials to add credibility to the chalta hai sarcasm. Or the way they the three different stories cover three different target audince for the bike (The young cricketer, the family guy and the working class).

Going back to advertising strategies when you really do not have any new story to talk about, the safest bet is to move to the higher order in Maslow's hierarchy. If one were to design the pyramid for 2 wheelers, bikes like Passion and Splendor will fit in Safety/Belonging level, while through this ad Discover has made an attempt to jump to the Esteem level, a level already dominated by the likes of Bajaj's Pulsar and Hero's Karizma.

When I published the last post, I was amazed at the unexpected response from 'The Hindu'.

But just a day later, I came across a set of print ads by 'The Hindu' in response to the 'TOI's' dig.

Though creative, but its like inviting the mammoth Bennett Coleman & Co. to go against you :)

But I still wonder, will such a tactic help in changing preferences ?
or is it trying to nip the problem in its bud when it comes to TOI in Chennai!!!

Is it just about the News ??

I have been thinking of reviving the blog for many days now, but was lacking the motivation to steal some time off the so called 'busy professional life'. But this morning, I came across something which forced me to go back to the blog.

Times of India from Bennett, Coleman & Co. launched its Chennai edition in 2008 with a catchy 'Nakka Mukka' campaign. The campaign did win a few eyeballs and some rewards too, but was not able to change the loyalties of the over a 100 year old Hindu which dominated the southern market.

Circa 2011, 'TOI' decided to shake things a bit and came up with the 'Wake Up to News' advert taking a direct digg at 'The Hindu'. Im sure the advert would have made some change in readership with few changing loyalties for some 'fresh' news.

But nobody ever expected the laid back stalwart to respond to it. But 'THe Hindu' came back with a reply totally unexpected of. Watch the advert yourself for more :)

Around all the creative fun, I wonder when will one change loyalties in a category like newspapers ?? Its not an impulse category for sure where one can move on with such adverts.

Many media houses including the Bennett, Coleman & Co. have been using the largest readership reinforcement for their audience. But will one ever change loyalties because of that?

More than what meets the eye - Tata Sumo

To start off, a great attempt to change the perception held by the consumer about an old and famous brand, The TATA SUMO.

Known to be one of the most sturdy and durable cars on the Indian roads, The Tata Sumo was reinvented as the Sumo Grande two years back. This is the second attempt to change the perception of the consumer about the car and bring it into a personal vehicle for family uses category from its existing commercial usages.

With changed interiors and polished exterior, the car still suffers from the mental block of the consumers perceiving the car as a commercial vehicle. I believe the campaign intends to change that and invites the customer to have a try at the new Sumo.

This makes me wonder, it has been two years since the launch of Sumo grande and the company is still fighting to change the consumer perceptions towards the name "Sumo". They could have gone ahead with a new name for the car instead of having the umbrella brand of Sumo with it. That would have eased the problem being faced by the marketers. Or was it the brand equity that Sumo garners that caught the eye?

Onida: Tumko dekha to yeh khayal aaya

Brand: Onida

Agency: McCann Erickson

Is the devil really dead ???

Well as for now, it sure does seem like the devil is no more. With a series of adverts focusing on various themes of the erstwhile electronic giant, it does seem as if they have finally decided to move on without the devil. Revolving around a young couple, the series of ads seem pretty similar to what LG had done with Abhishek Bachan as the protagonist.

Onida as a brand is now considered an obsolete brand with no new technology products. But all these ads focus on, if not the latest technologies, but much advanced than what Onida is known for!!!

This kind of branding revolves around the concept of a "Silver Bullet". Advertise about the products that are way above your target group, they may not sell, but in turn help the regular products to be sold. Talking about the LCD TV may not push the sales of the LCD TV for Onida, but it surely will improve the brand image and will push the sales for its CRT TV.

Lets see if this image makeover can help revive Onida in the consumers minds.

Here are a few more adverts from the same series of ads!!!

Knorr Soups: Tummy bhi khush, Mummy bhi khush

Brand : Knorr Soups

The need to reposition knorr as a healthy snack before dinner has finally arrived. For a long time, HUL has left knorr soups to make its own place in the consumers minds and their kitchens. But now is the time when they realize that in order to grow the brand and the category, for which knorr soups command a healthy 70% market share, the product needs to be positioned particularly in the consumers kitchens. And what better than a healthy pre-dinner snack.

The use of time 7Pm in the advert also makes it more closer to dinner than the regular evening snacks.

Also with the focus of HUL moving towards food products, knorr soups for a major role in the future growth strategy of the FMCG major. Just a comparison, the foods division of HUL contributes just 16-18% of the total revenues while its global parent Unilever has 50% revenues coming from the foods division. This stark difference has forced the company to shift its focus towards food products. The launch of website www.cookitup.in is also part of the similar strategy.

Thums Up: Mil Gaya Boss

Brand: Thums Up

A non-contemporary advertisement as per the regular Thums Up ads that we are used to in the recent past. Two things that stuck out very prominently in this one are

1. There are no stunts performed. Though the ad does show its brand ambassador Akshay Kumar as having just performed a daredevil act to get to his loved Thums Up and with the words "Mil Gaya Boss" (Got it Boss), it kind of fills in the empty space of the stunt.
   
   
2. A female drinking Thums Up. Now this ones a new!!!
   We are used to good looking females being used only as props along with the male protagonist is most of the ads. With the brand having a highly masculine image, this can be touted as an attempt to move to a more uni sexual appeal for the product. But could it lead to a brand dilution for a well established brand like Thums Up which is the largest selling sparkling drink in India.
   I do agree that its just not the men that drink Thums Up and a lot of females too swear by it, but I still feel that this attempt might just result in unsettling the brand from its established image, for good or for bad is yet to be seen :)

Kinley : Vishwaas kar

Brand: Kinley

Agency: Ogilvy

From trusting the product to trust on your lives...Kinley moves ahead in its communication.

The "Boond Boond mein Vishwaas" has matured into "Vishwaas Kar" with real life stories involving kinley, revolving around the aspect of trust.

But isn't every bottled water supposed be pure and trustworthy ??

And when a highly impulse purchase behavior dominates a category like bottled water, i doubt how much the communication will stand out!!!

Aircel

Brand: Aircel

This will be one of the latest examples of guerrilla markting in India where a Brand has made the best use of the situation and came out with one of the best "In your Face" kind of campaigns.

I really dont need to explain much and Believe that the pics will do the talking for themselves.

Just have a look!!!

I could not upload these many pics, so have tried to put them in a video file!!!

By the way, this happened at the Milan Subway in Mumbai. A few days back I was in Delhi where I came across a similar promotional hoarding by Aircel near the Minto Bridge. But the rains were yet to reach Delhi by then...so not sure if it ever came in use!!!

Bajaj XCD

Brand: Bajaj XCD

Agency: Ogilvy

The bike pitted as the younger sibling to Pulsar, has suddenly toned down its positioning. Initially it was explicitly portrayed as the bike that attracts females (The Bitch Fight) but this one tones down the message, though in the end it still remains the same.

I believe the focus has shifted from the youth as was in the last advert to more of a family guy in the lower middle class, but still portrayed as an aspirational product.

Vodafone: Happy to help

Brand: Vodafone

And I thought they were over with the pug. With the zoozoos making a long lasting impact in the minds of the consumer, going back to the pug is something which i don't understand.

The brand had come to be identified with the zoozoos, but going back to the pug might create some confusion within their minds.

This a series of ads running simultaneously on television. What impact will it create is still a point of contention.

Videocon

Brand: Videocon

old wine in a new bottle....though a wrong metaphor when used here for videocon, cos older the wine, the better its supposed to be.

Videocon has been loosing out on the market for a long time, and its old tag line "Bring home the leader" and "the Indian Multinational" have become so mundane that they hardly make a difference. Hence the re branding!!!

also this is a series of ads featuring the two characters, featuring various aspects of the brand, something inspired by the zoozoos. These characters are known as Chow Mouw!!!

Idea: Walk the Talk

Brand: Idea

Agency: Lowe Lintas

Another 'idea' to change our lives, " Walk When you talk".

Idea has been fighting the telecom battle with the bigwigs and has finally been able to create some mind space after its "What an Idea" campaign with Abhishek Bachchan. Idea has emerged as a big player in the prepaid connections segment providing good service at low cost. But staying put in the prepaid market need to be a top of mind awareness, and thus the success of "What and Idea" campaign. This one carries forward the same message with an additional theme of Walk when you talk.

Nice concept, great use of Abhishek Bachchan.

I'm sure the ad will be successful in creating further awareness and increase the recall for the brand.

Hero Honda: 25 Years of Mileage

Brand: Hero Honda

Agency: JWT

Hero Honda goes back to its old claim to fame, playing the mileage card again.

After being ousted by Bajaj as the market leader and now with the new gen super bikes of Yamaha, the only USP that Hero Honda is left with is its great mileage. So going back to the decades old tag line "Fill it- Shut it- Forget it" Hero Honda is trying to get back into the motorbike market.

The ad also is pretty similar to one for Bajaj Chetak (Ice Cream Ad).

And I wonder, a copied ad, a copied tag line....where is the creativity, where is the juice ???

Bajaj Pulsar: The Fastest Indian

Brand: Bajaj Pulsar

"Definitely Male" is now "The Fastest Indian"

Pulsar has been dominating the two wheeler market with its range of bikes from 125cc to 220cc.

But since a few months back, new entrants in the market like Yamaha have scared the hell out of Bajaj. So, the ad tries to make an impact against the super bikes and boasts itself to be the fastest Indian. The metaphor "Indian" used to depict the bike is a great way to depict the indigenous nature of the bike.

Maruti Suzuki: Service Centres

Brand: Maruti Suzuki

Agency: Capital Advertising

Only a mother knows a child's problems...and only Genuine Maruti service centres know the cars problem....Nice metaphor, touches the emotional aspect, but somehow the execution is a bit misplaced and looses out the message midway the ad.

The ad comes after the famous Ladhakh Ad for Maruti service centres which was focused on the reach aspect. This one has a different objective but the message gets lost by the end of the ad.

Cadbury Dairy Milk- Aaj pehli tareekh hai

Brand: Cadbury Dairy Milk

Cadbury trying it differently this time. With most brands having a celebrity endorsing them, Cadbury choose to break the clutter by moving away from Mr Bacchan this time.

The focus remains the same with "Kuch Meetha Ho Jae" and with these recessionary times, pay day sure is a time for celebration!!!

The creative is shot in a retro feel which helps it stand out from the rest of the ads on TV.

Eveready Ultima: Gimme Red

Brand: Eveready

Agency: Rediffusion

Its the season of creative advertising. After zoozoos comes eveready with this highly creative ad.

In a time when the use of batteries, especially the Zinc ones is on a decline, the ad seems to be just for re-branding purposes. Eveready has already tested waters in the FMCG domain with its products like dishwasher bars and mosquito repellents. This creative can only serve the purpose of building a stronger brand for the company but would hardly make an impact at the battery business for the company.

Airtel

Brand: Airtel

Agency: Rediffusion

Airtel continues with its emotional branding campaigns with this one focusing on the "young brigade" becoming part of the Indian political drama. The creative also takes in the rural aspect just like the last few ads, cos with high penetration in the urban markets, the new growth area for Airtel is the rural market.