Monday, March 31, 2008
We Are The World?
I find this video really weird, as it is clear these impersonators have no idea what they are saying, but are just phonetically sounding out the words. Why would it take them 25 years to cover this song, I have no idea. Anwyay, thanks to The Eyebott for this find.
LIC Health Plus : Scaring The Hell Out of You
Brand : Health Plus
Company : LIC
Brand Analysis Count : 318
Company : LIC
Brand Analysis Count : 318
Indian health insurance market is nascent but with huge potential. With only 10% of the population having some form of health insurance, Indian Insurers have seen just the tip of a gold mine. In a very wise move to unleash the potential of the Indian health insurance market, IRDA gave license to many l
ife insurers to enter the market with new innovative health insurance products.
Surprisingly LIC also got itself into this lucrative market. Reports suggest that there are 315 million insurable persons in this market with an estimated market size of over $ 812 million . The market is estimated to reach $ 5 Billion by 2010.
The major issue facing health insurance market is the lack of awareness. Even in the urban market, the awareness about health insurance is very low.
It is not only the lack of awareness about the insurance policies but also the need for having a health insurance policy. This blind eye towards the need for health insurance is rampant in the middle-class who really needs such kind of insurance cover.
The basic reason behind this lack of awareness is because of two reasons :
a. The availability of inexpensive health care. Historically health costs were considerably low in the Indian market. This is because of government control over medicine costs .
b. In early days the kind of diseases and the cures were very much limited. Diseases were less and cures were also less.
c. The false belief that major illness will not happen to oneself.
d. The premium paid in Health Insurance is lost unless there is a claim to it. This is a major negative since premiums paid is lost.
Both these have changed. The cost of health care has risen beyond one's imagination.Government has limited the support on health care and medicines are becoming expensive.
The new lifestyle began creating lifestyle diseases which only have lifestyle cures that has lifestyle expenses attached to it . Now new diseases has arisen and new cures too. And no one has a guarantee of not getting a major illness.
It is in this context that health insurance attain paramount importance to ones life . From my observation, a major illness or a major accident can ruin the finances of a family. With the family size becoming smaller, the avenues of getting financial support is also thinning. Health insurance is a backup against such disasters. I remember a couple of instances where the entire savings of a family wiped out because the guy met with an accident.
Coming to the brand in context, LIC has launched its health insurance plan branded as Health Plus. Health Plus is an unit linked health insurance plan where the money invested will grow investment rather than lost as in the case of conventional health plans. But the premiums are expensive compared to the conventional types.
The new launch is backed by heavy advertising . The ads are scary and will scare your hell out of you. The ad shows a lady reading a magazine on her bed and suddenly the room morphs into a hospital room . The next scene shows a guy watching television sitting on a chair and suddenly the chair morphs into a wheel chair. The voice over says " Anything can happen to you anywhere and anytime " .
The ads and the message are very very disturbing. The message is hard truth but some truths can be
really disturbing. A typical human reaction to such truth is denial and not acceptance. And most often the consumer will turn their head against such disturbing visuals rather than embrace the message. I am a person who has taken such insurance policies but for me also the ad was repulsive. You need not scare your consumers to purchase the product.
What Indian consumers need is real education about the need for having health insurance. The issue is not to make him disturbed so that he denies the truth and get on with life. So the message ought to be on a softer side. Since HealthPlus is a unit linked plan, one can add savings on premium as an attraction. Reliance Insurance had launched a campaign health + wealth which is more an attractive proposition.
The print ad for Health Plus also features a visual from hospital. These are displayed in hoardings too. It too is of bad taste. The execution of the message is with out taking the viewer's emotions into context.
The challenge is making the consumer realize the importance of protection against possible loss of financial security rather than worry about hospitalization expenses. The reason why I took health insurance is to protect my family from any financial shocks rather than cover the expenses ( which was secondary). I remember a friend asking me whether I expect any diseases to occur, when I explained to him the details of health insurance. He failed to understand that I took health insurance to safeguard my existing financial security from such shocks.
The consumers for these products are those who are healthy , alive and rocking. They hate to see themselves in wheelchairs or hospital beds. During this phase of life , one expects to live healthily always. To make him aware of a potential shock should be done in a more subtle way.
ife insurers to enter the market with new innovative health insurance products.Surprisingly LIC also got itself into this lucrative market. Reports suggest that there are 315 million insurable persons in this market with an estimated market size of over $ 812 million . The market is estimated to reach $ 5 Billion by 2010.
The major issue facing health insurance market is the lack of awareness. Even in the urban market, the awareness about health insurance is very low.
It is not only the lack of awareness about the insurance policies but also the need for having a health insurance policy. This blind eye towards the need for health insurance is rampant in the middle-class who really needs such kind of insurance cover.
The basic reason behind this lack of awareness is because of two reasons :
a. The availability of inexpensive health care. Historically health costs were considerably low in the Indian market. This is because of government control over medicine costs .
b. In early days the kind of diseases and the cures were very much limited. Diseases were less and cures were also less.
c. The false belief that major illness will not happen to oneself.
d. The premium paid in Health Insurance is lost unless there is a claim to it. This is a major negative since premiums paid is lost.
Both these have changed. The cost of health care has risen beyond one's imagination.Government has limited the support on health care and medicines are becoming expensive.
The new lifestyle began creating lifestyle diseases which only have lifestyle cures that has lifestyle expenses attached to it . Now new diseases has arisen and new cures too. And no one has a guarantee of not getting a major illness.
It is in this context that health insurance attain paramount importance to ones life . From my observation, a major illness or a major accident can ruin the finances of a family. With the family size becoming smaller, the avenues of getting financial support is also thinning. Health insurance is a backup against such disasters. I remember a couple of instances where the entire savings of a family wiped out because the guy met with an accident.
Coming to the brand in context, LIC has launched its health insurance plan branded as Health Plus. Health Plus is an unit linked health insurance plan where the money invested will grow investment rather than lost as in the case of conventional health plans. But the premiums are expensive compared to the conventional types.
The new launch is backed by heavy advertising . The ads are scary and will scare your hell out of you. The ad shows a lady reading a magazine on her bed and suddenly the room morphs into a hospital room . The next scene shows a guy watching television sitting on a chair and suddenly the chair morphs into a wheel chair. The voice over says " Anything can happen to you anywhere and anytime " .
The ads and the message are very very disturbing. The message is hard truth but some truths can be
really disturbing. A typical human reaction to such truth is denial and not acceptance. And most often the consumer will turn their head against such disturbing visuals rather than embrace the message. I am a person who has taken such insurance policies but for me also the ad was repulsive. You need not scare your consumers to purchase the product.What Indian consumers need is real education about the need for having health insurance. The issue is not to make him disturbed so that he denies the truth and get on with life. So the message ought to be on a softer side. Since HealthPlus is a unit linked plan, one can add savings on premium as an attraction. Reliance Insurance had launched a campaign health + wealth which is more an attractive proposition.
The print ad for Health Plus also features a visual from hospital. These are displayed in hoardings too. It too is of bad taste. The execution of the message is with out taking the viewer's emotions into context.
The challenge is making the consumer realize the importance of protection against possible loss of financial security rather than worry about hospitalization expenses. The reason why I took health insurance is to protect my family from any financial shocks rather than cover the expenses ( which was secondary). I remember a friend asking me whether I expect any diseases to occur, when I explained to him the details of health insurance. He failed to understand that I took health insurance to safeguard my existing financial security from such shocks.
The consumers for these products are those who are healthy , alive and rocking. They hate to see themselves in wheelchairs or hospital beds. During this phase of life , one expects to live healthily always. To make him aware of a potential shock should be done in a more subtle way.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Jawbone #199: The One Before 200
One show away from our big 200th show! Neil joins us and we share cold stories, what to call Houstonites, listener voicemails and more! Join us, won't you?RSS feed.
Download now.
Brand Update : Onida
The summer is on and air-conditioner ads have started to peep in. Surprisingly one of the ads that caught my eye was that of Onida.
Onida and the devil is having a tough time . The main reason for this is the fight between the brothers : Gulu and Sonu Mirchandani and their brother -in- law Vija
y Mansukhani over the control of the group.
The fight had severely eroded the share of the brand and even the marketing of Onida. Onida was staging a recovery after the successful relaunch of the brand and the return of the Devil. But the family feud made things difficult for the brand .
What is interesting about Onida this time is the branding . According to reports in Livemint.com, the creative duties of the brand has partly moved from Rediffusion to McCann Erickson.
But as usual, when the agency changes, the entire brand elements changes. For Onida, the change is always for the worse. When O&M took the brand from Avenues, the famous tagline " Neighbor's Envy, Owner's Pride " and the Devil was taken off. The brand suffered for almost 10 years and has never recovered since .The change of agency from O&M to Rediffusion again changed things and Devil returned in a new avatar and a new tagline " Nothing but the truth" came into existence.
The new arrangement is not making things better. In 2007, Onida launched a new campaign for its A/C and with a new tagline " It can change your life ".
Now the new campaign for the air conditioner features a new Devil and the tagline has again changed to " Experience the desire " .
Onida is proving to be a case study about " How to Mess up a wonderful brand ".
As a marketer, I believe that the ownership of the brand should be with the Company and not the agency. But what is seen is that the brand managers 'outsource' the strategy to the ad- agency. Things are consistent till the agency handles the account. But when the agency moves on , the new agency resist continuing the existing strategy since it was crafted by the competitor.
So whatever be the quality of the existing branding strategy, the new agency will try to change it. This has resulted in many brands drifting from time-tested successful themes to uncharted territory and often sink in confusion.
Onida which already is in deep trouble is moving on to further confusion with an unnecessary change in the positioning strategy. The brand has not been able to consolidate the earlier theme based on 'truth'. Even before establishing it, the brand has repositioned again.
Can anyone explain the logic ?
Related Brand
Onida
Onida and the devil is having a tough time . The main reason for this is the fight between the brothers : Gulu and Sonu Mirchandani and their brother -in- law Vija
y Mansukhani over the control of the group.The fight had severely eroded the share of the brand and even the marketing of Onida. Onida was staging a recovery after the successful relaunch of the brand and the return of the Devil. But the family feud made things difficult for the brand .
What is interesting about Onida this time is the branding . According to reports in Livemint.com, the creative duties of the brand has partly moved from Rediffusion to McCann Erickson.
But as usual, when the agency changes, the entire brand elements changes. For Onida, the change is always for the worse. When O&M took the brand from Avenues, the famous tagline " Neighbor's Envy, Owner's Pride " and the Devil was taken off. The brand suffered for almost 10 years and has never recovered since .The change of agency from O&M to Rediffusion again changed things and Devil returned in a new avatar and a new tagline " Nothing but the truth" came into existence.
The new arrangement is not making things better. In 2007, Onida launched a new campaign for its A/C and with a new tagline " It can change your life ".
Now the new campaign for the air conditioner features a new Devil and the tagline has again changed to " Experience the desire " .
Onida is proving to be a case study about " How to Mess up a wonderful brand ".
As a marketer, I believe that the ownership of the brand should be with the Company and not the agency. But what is seen is that the brand managers 'outsource' the strategy to the ad- agency. Things are consistent till the agency handles the account. But when the agency moves on , the new agency resist continuing the existing strategy since it was crafted by the competitor.
So whatever be the quality of the existing branding strategy, the new agency will try to change it. This has resulted in many brands drifting from time-tested successful themes to uncharted territory and often sink in confusion.
Onida which already is in deep trouble is moving on to further confusion with an unnecessary change in the positioning strategy. The brand has not been able to consolidate the earlier theme based on 'truth'. Even before establishing it, the brand has repositioned again.
Can anyone explain the logic ?
Related Brand
Onida
Forgive Me For The Lack Of Updates
I have been sicker than a dog since I returned from my trip to Houston last week. Literally, since I stepped off the plane, I was hit with a devastating flu virus that has wreaked havoc with my system all week. I am still reeling from it today. This, combined with some other wonderful happenings that I'm sure we'll detail on tonight's show, have rendered me useless on all fronts except the bed one. Needless to say, I apologize and I hope to be back ion the saddle sooner than later.
Show 199 later today! Woot!
Show 199 later today! Woot!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Idea : An Idea Can Change Your life
Brand : Idea
Company : Idea Cellular
Agency : Lowe Lintas
Brand Analysis Count : 317
Company : Idea Cellular
Agency : Lowe Lintas
Brand Analysis Count : 317
Idea is an interesting brand in the mobile service provider market in India. The brand is interesting because of its troubled history and the current marketing practices.
Idea in its earlier avatar came into existence in 1995 as Birla communications. In 1996 the company was rechristened Birla AT &T. In 2001, the company again restructured into Birla Tata AT&T. During that time, this combine was the talk of the town. Here you have three major players coming together to tap the promising Indian cellular market. But nothing happened. Soon the much touted JV failed and Birlas bought out the entire stake from the other two players.
In 2002, the birth of the " Idea " brand took place. By looking at the history, its obvious that nothing may have happened to the brand. I would say that the market also did not demand heavy investment on branding during those times. Much of the connections happened based on tariff and offers.Idea was more focused on expanding the network and improving the infrastructure during those years.
Idea as a brand began to take shape in 2006. I think that till that time, the brand owners were not sincerely committed to the brand ( My Assumption). However by the end of 2005, major investments were seen in the brand.
According to the Idea website, the brand has taken Innovate, Stimulate & liberate as the core brand values. But its doubtful whether these brand values are communicated to the consumers.
Idea is now having a market share of around 15- 17% share in the entire mobile communications market.
Even after 2006, Idea as a brand was never in the limelight. A major factor was that the investment on the brand was erratic. Most of the ads were highlighting the new tariff plans. During that time, companies was frantically rolling out new tariff plans trying to bring in customers through attractive offers.
Idea displayed its brand value - innovation through various offers and schemes. Idea My Gang was an example of such an innovation. The Closed User Group specifically targeting young customers was the first of its kind.
Idea b
rand got a major boost in 2007 when the brand roped in Abhishek Bachchan as the brand ambassador. Reports suggest that Abhishek and Idea had a 3 year contract which cost the company around Rs 30 Crore.
The entry of Abhishek gave the brand a lot of eyeballs. The brand had chosen a tagline " An Idea Can Change Your Life " and the entire brand communication was around this theme of ' an idea changing the life '. Before Abhishek coming in the campaigns, the brand had done a series of campaign highlighting the positioning around the theme.
In my opinion, the major breakthrough for the brand came from the campaign involving Abhishek as the Sarpanch ( village chief)
Watch the Tvc here : Number & Name
Although many viewers scoffed at the ' idea ' , the ad gave the brand lot of mileage. Also it gave some confidence behind further investment in the theme revolving around " idea" and 'Communication' changing ones life.
The latest commercial where Abhishek plays the role of a guide and using sms to communicate with a deaf tourist further popularised the brand
Watch the tvc here ; Idea guide
I must say that both these campaigns had a sticky factor. The sticky factor was indeed the performance of Abhishek Bachchan. This single factor has made the brand Idea and the tagline " An Idea can change your life " very popular. The latest campaign has a new additional slogan " What an Idea " which also has the potential to become a popular lingo.
My personal view is that despite getting these eyeballs , Idea has not been able to get its acts together. I still feel that the brand has not yet found its true essence. There is a glaring disconnect between the message in the ads and the brand. Infact as far as cellular service market is concerned, Idea as a brand does not stand for anything.
I feel that despite the ads being sticky and well made, there is nothing mentioned about the brand Idea. No message to the consumer as to what the brand stands for , what it means, and what it does. At best these campaigns will do is to increase the brand recall. Nothing further than that.
Idea is also heavily investing in events as a media to build the brand. It is associated with some of the popular shows like Idea Rocks India, Idea star singer & Idea Andhra idol ( reality shows).
The brands in this industry has already recognized the importance of investing in brand building and is trying to corner as much mental associations possible because many aspects of the services are getting commoditzed. The features like connectivity, tariff plans and coverage are almost standardized. There is intense fight in the Value Added Service domain but I feel that it will also get standardized. Vodafone is now on an overdrive to position itself as a VAS leader. The new entrant Virgin Mobile is also started coming out with new ideas life incoming calls which pays the subscriber money !
So the challenge is to get the brand embedded in the mind of the consumer so that they chose the brand instead of the plan or a feature . For that Idea may have to define a certain position.
My personal opinion is that Idea has not found its true self. The brand has everything going for it except the idea !. The brand has a good name , a good logo, a catchy slogan , a cool brand ambassador and lot of money but what a paradox - the right idea is missing.
The slogan and the theme focusing on the idea concept is powerful. However when executing, there has to be a connect between the Idea brand , the function ( the service provider) and the Idea ( concept). The latest TVC is the closest interms of connecting the functionality of the brand and the concept. But not enough.
An Idea can change your life . But which idea will change this idea's life ?
Idea in its earlier avatar came into existence in 1995 as Birla communications. In 1996 the company was rechristened Birla AT &T. In 2001, the company again restructured into Birla Tata AT&T. During that time, this combine was the talk of the town. Here you have three major players coming together to tap the promising Indian cellular market. But nothing happened. Soon the much touted JV failed and Birlas bought out the entire stake from the other two players.
In 2002, the birth of the " Idea " brand took place. By looking at the history, its obvious that nothing may have happened to the brand. I would say that the market also did not demand heavy investment on branding during those times. Much of the connections happened based on tariff and offers.Idea was more focused on expanding the network and improving the infrastructure during those years.
Idea as a brand began to take shape in 2006. I think that till that time, the brand owners were not sincerely committed to the brand ( My Assumption). However by the end of 2005, major investments were seen in the brand.
According to the Idea website, the brand has taken Innovate, Stimulate & liberate as the core brand values. But its doubtful whether these brand values are communicated to the consumers.
Idea is now having a market share of around 15- 17% share in the entire mobile communications market.
Even after 2006, Idea as a brand was never in the limelight. A major factor was that the investment on the brand was erratic. Most of the ads were highlighting the new tariff plans. During that time, companies was frantically rolling out new tariff plans trying to bring in customers through attractive offers.
Idea displayed its brand value - innovation through various offers and schemes. Idea My Gang was an example of such an innovation. The Closed User Group specifically targeting young customers was the first of its kind.
Idea b
rand got a major boost in 2007 when the brand roped in Abhishek Bachchan as the brand ambassador. Reports suggest that Abhishek and Idea had a 3 year contract which cost the company around Rs 30 Crore.The entry of Abhishek gave the brand a lot of eyeballs. The brand had chosen a tagline " An Idea Can Change Your Life " and the entire brand communication was around this theme of ' an idea changing the life '. Before Abhishek coming in the campaigns, the brand had done a series of campaign highlighting the positioning around the theme.
In my opinion, the major breakthrough for the brand came from the campaign involving Abhishek as the Sarpanch ( village chief)
Watch the Tvc here : Number & Name
Although many viewers scoffed at the ' idea ' , the ad gave the brand lot of mileage. Also it gave some confidence behind further investment in the theme revolving around " idea" and 'Communication' changing ones life.
The latest commercial where Abhishek plays the role of a guide and using sms to communicate with a deaf tourist further popularised the brand
Watch the tvc here ; Idea guide
I must say that both these campaigns had a sticky factor. The sticky factor was indeed the performance of Abhishek Bachchan. This single factor has made the brand Idea and the tagline " An Idea can change your life " very popular. The latest campaign has a new additional slogan " What an Idea " which also has the potential to become a popular lingo.
My personal view is that despite getting these eyeballs , Idea has not been able to get its acts together. I still feel that the brand has not yet found its true essence. There is a glaring disconnect between the message in the ads and the brand. Infact as far as cellular service market is concerned, Idea as a brand does not stand for anything.
I feel that despite the ads being sticky and well made, there is nothing mentioned about the brand Idea. No message to the consumer as to what the brand stands for , what it means, and what it does. At best these campaigns will do is to increase the brand recall. Nothing further than that.
Idea is also heavily investing in events as a media to build the brand. It is associated with some of the popular shows like Idea Rocks India, Idea star singer & Idea Andhra idol ( reality shows).
The brands in this industry has already recognized the importance of investing in brand building and is trying to corner as much mental associations possible because many aspects of the services are getting commoditzed. The features like connectivity, tariff plans and coverage are almost standardized. There is intense fight in the Value Added Service domain but I feel that it will also get standardized. Vodafone is now on an overdrive to position itself as a VAS leader. The new entrant Virgin Mobile is also started coming out with new ideas life incoming calls which pays the subscriber money !
So the challenge is to get the brand embedded in the mind of the consumer so that they chose the brand instead of the plan or a feature . For that Idea may have to define a certain position.
My personal opinion is that Idea has not found its true self. The brand has everything going for it except the idea !. The brand has a good name , a good logo, a catchy slogan , a cool brand ambassador and lot of money but what a paradox - the right idea is missing.
The slogan and the theme focusing on the idea concept is powerful. However when executing, there has to be a connect between the Idea brand , the function ( the service provider) and the Idea ( concept). The latest TVC is the closest interms of connecting the functionality of the brand and the concept. But not enough.
An Idea can change your life . But which idea will change this idea's life ?
Monday, March 24, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Happy Easter and a Reminder
A very happy easter to all our listeners and readers from us to you. Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday and that no one eats too much ham.Also, I'd like to remind everyone that our 200th podcast will be in just two weeks, so if you do desire, send us your audio well wishes and whatever else you'd like to our e-mail address: jawboneradio@gmail.com. Thanks and have a great holiday!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Brand Update : Cinthol
Cinthol , the flagship brand of Godrej Consumer Products Ltd is set for a makeover. The brand has roped in Hrithik Roshan as the brand ambassador. The new campaign is on air featuring Hrithik performing out -of- the- world stunts.
Watch the TVC here : Cinthol
Cinthol interestingly is the only masculine soap brand available in the Indian market. Ever after Lifebuoy repositioned itself targeting family, there has been no soap except Cinthol targeting male. The reason may be that marketers felt that soaps are usually bought for the family and used by multiple members . The decision of the soap brand usually is taken by the lady in the hous
e. And moreover, soaps were never considered to be a part of the male grooming product category.
But things are different now. There is a marked shift in the consumer interest towards male grooming products. The category has expanded from shaving products, deo etc to face wash , hair care , face creams etc. The shift is also a result of the emergence of Metrosexual male and also of the Urban Nuclear Family where every individual members have the freedom to use individual products. So typically a modern household may see husband and wife using two different brand of soaps.
In this context , the relevance of Cinthol as a masculine brand achieves paramount importance for Godrej. Even without much promotion, Cinthol has a share of over 2 %. While Business Standards pegs the brand size to be around Rs 80 crore, Businessline puts the brand's size to be Rs 200 cr
ore.
More than the new users, Cinthol's strength has been a strong brand loyal customers. This is both a strength and weakness. The prime challenge for Cinthol is to be relevant to the new Male.
The new campaign features a new look for Cinthol and a new slogan. The last ad of Cinthol featured the slogan " Get Ready Get Close " .
The new slogan for Cinthol is " Don't Stop" . The brand promise is
24 hour confidence &
Long lasting freshness.
Although the slogan has been changed, the positioning has been in a consistent line. Cinthol has long been positioned on the basis of the properties of Deo, freshness and confidence.
The new slogan tells the audience to have confidence to do what ever he likes. The execution of the concept is little out of the world but interesting to watch.
Regarding the choice of the celebrity , Cinthol has pulled off a coup by roping in Hrithik. But what I have seen is that Hrithik has not been exploited as a brand ambassador. Brands like Acer and even Coke was not able to fully exploit this celebrity.
My first impression about the ad is positive but the ad is not enough to raise the brand to a level of an icon. Having said that the slogan " Don't Stop " with core brand values of Freshness and Confidence give the brand lot of power to move ahead.
Related Brand
Cinthol
Watch the TVC here : Cinthol
Cinthol interestingly is the only masculine soap brand available in the Indian market. Ever after Lifebuoy repositioned itself targeting family, there has been no soap except Cinthol targeting male. The reason may be that marketers felt that soaps are usually bought for the family and used by multiple members . The decision of the soap brand usually is taken by the lady in the hous
e. And moreover, soaps were never considered to be a part of the male grooming product category.But things are different now. There is a marked shift in the consumer interest towards male grooming products. The category has expanded from shaving products, deo etc to face wash , hair care , face creams etc. The shift is also a result of the emergence of Metrosexual male and also of the Urban Nuclear Family where every individual members have the freedom to use individual products. So typically a modern household may see husband and wife using two different brand of soaps.
In this context , the relevance of Cinthol as a masculine brand achieves paramount importance for Godrej. Even without much promotion, Cinthol has a share of over 2 %. While Business Standards pegs the brand size to be around Rs 80 crore, Businessline puts the brand's size to be Rs 200 cr
ore.More than the new users, Cinthol's strength has been a strong brand loyal customers. This is both a strength and weakness. The prime challenge for Cinthol is to be relevant to the new Male.
The new campaign features a new look for Cinthol and a new slogan. The last ad of Cinthol featured the slogan " Get Ready Get Close " .
The new slogan for Cinthol is " Don't Stop" . The brand promise is
24 hour confidence &
Long lasting freshness.
Although the slogan has been changed, the positioning has been in a consistent line. Cinthol has long been positioned on the basis of the properties of Deo, freshness and confidence.
The new slogan tells the audience to have confidence to do what ever he likes. The execution of the concept is little out of the world but interesting to watch.
Regarding the choice of the celebrity , Cinthol has pulled off a coup by roping in Hrithik. But what I have seen is that Hrithik has not been exploited as a brand ambassador. Brands like Acer and even Coke was not able to fully exploit this celebrity.
My first impression about the ad is positive but the ad is not enough to raise the brand to a level of an icon. Having said that the slogan " Don't Stop " with core brand values of Freshness and Confidence give the brand lot of power to move ahead.
Related Brand
Cinthol
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Beauty Marks Sequins Lipstick Shaped PEN
Fun & Functional BEAUTY MARKS Lipstick shaped pen - looks like lipstick but it's a pen! Great gifts! Wonderful to pop in your purse or makeup bag. Funky with Flair Sassy Pen.
Lipstick Tiger Eye Glow Bronze Shimmer
Estee Lauder Lipstick Tiger Eye Bronze Shimmer , Beautiful color.
Flower Color Lipstick
Plant-based lipsticks formulated to glide on creamy, not dry or greasy. Based on castor oil, vegetable wax and vitamin E, they smooth and protect lips all day.
No Show Tonight
I don't have any recording equipment with me right now, so we'll return next week with a brand new show. Until then, enjoy this:
Brand Update : Vivel & Fiama Di Wills
Its raining celebrities at ITC 's personal care brands. In a major marketing initiative, ITC has roped in two of the hottest bollywood stars to endorse its personal care brands. In my earlier post on Vivel Di Wills, I have expressed my confusion over managing Vivel Di Wills and Vivel.
The latest TVC surprisingly features a new campaign for Vivel featuring Kareena Kapoor endorsing Vivel ( and not Vivel Di Wills) . The positioning of Vivel is same as that of Vivel Di Wills. That makes me wonder again .....
Now the only difference may be is in the flavors . Vivel Di Wills may have some exotic flavors while Vivel comes in usual stuff like sandal ... ( I don't really know !).
Any how ITC has hell lot of cash and can afford to have as many experiments as they wish. It is we, the poor Professors, sweating before the students trying to explain the logic or lack of it .
In another campaign, ITC has introduced Deepika Padukone to endorse the premium personal care offering Fiama Di Wills.
These high profile campaigns especially the celebrities is sure to give HUL nightmares. The celebrities being used by almost all soap brands have hurt Lux the most.
Brand Update
Vivel Di Wills
The latest TVC surprisingly features a new campaign for Vivel featuring Kareena Kapoor endorsing Vivel ( and not Vivel Di Wills) . The positioning of Vivel is same as that of Vivel Di Wills. That makes me wonder again .....
Now the only difference may be is in the flavors . Vivel Di Wills may have some exotic flavors while Vivel comes in usual stuff like sandal ... ( I don't really know !).
Any how ITC has hell lot of cash and can afford to have as many experiments as they wish. It is we, the poor Professors, sweating before the students trying to explain the logic or lack of it .
In another campaign, ITC has introduced Deepika Padukone to endorse the premium personal care offering Fiama Di Wills.
These high profile campaigns especially the celebrities is sure to give HUL nightmares. The celebrities being used by almost all soap brands have hurt Lux the most.
Brand Update
Vivel Di Wills
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Pronto Dry Shampoo
Refresh, revive, and recharge hair and scalp without water. Pronto is perfect for use between washings, in a rush, as a midday hair pick-me-up, or when you overdose on styling product.Natural rice, oat, and tapioca starches cleanse hair by absorbing excess oil, product, and grease and increase hair volume at the roots without weighing hair down. Triclosan and tea tree oil help treat the scalp and reduce the occurrence of dandruff, while the invigorating lemon verbena fragrance leaves hair smelling and feeling fresh.
Anti-Fade Complex Hydrate Shampoo
Pureology Hydrate Shampoo is an essential for color treated hair. This advanced formula is free of any nasty carcinogenic color stripping sulfates. This high lather, quick rinse, exceptionally mild luxury formula preserves and protects hair while it wraps you in an indulgent aromatherapy fragrance experience.
Hydratherapie Hydrating Shampoo
Apply to wet hair and lather with gentle messaging motion. Rinse thoroughly. Repeat if necessary.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Yngwie Shreds!
In case you haven't seen these hilarious overdubbed guitar videos, you don't know what you're missing. Here is one of famed metal guiarist, Yngwie Malmsteen playing with a symphony orchestra...badly. Want to see more? How about Clapton, Stevie Ray and Metallica, just to name a few.
ING Vysya Life Insurance : Mera Farz
Brand : ING Vysya Life Insurance ( IVL)
Company : ING Vysya
Agency : Rediffusion Dy&R
From this insight came this campaign : Sinking Feeling
The ad show three situations
1. Marriage
2. Birth of a child
2. Daughter getting admission to a expensive college.
The protagonist in all these cases feels a sense of sinking with the burden of added responsibilities.
What I noticed from the reaction of my family members is that the idea has clicked. There was a little smile in everyone's face when they saw this ad.
Then came another ad which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Watch the ad here : ING Goa
The ad shows the husband Satheesh literally sinking into the floor when his wife tells the friends about 'their ' plan to buy a house in Goa. Even after seeing the ad many times, we all still liked the look of the harassed " Satheesh " . That was a wonderful execution.
The big idea of ' Sinking Feeling ' has the potential to last for some time because it stems from an actual consumer insight.
These campaign has brought the customer's attention on this brand. The insurance advisors now will have a chance to spent less time talking about the company and more time selling the plans
Company : ING Vysya
Agency : Rediffusion Dy&R
Brand Analysis Count : 316
In most cases, we discuss branding in relation to products rather than services. Some how there is a feeling that unlike products , building brands through promotions lacks significa
nce in the marketing of services. Usually service brands are built on functional dimensions rather than on imagery.
Hence it is taken for granted that if the service provider delivers excellent functional performance , the brand will automatically grow.Five years back , financial service firms focused on their sales force and below -the- line promotion and shied away from aggressive brand building through advertising.
But the increase in competition and the cut-throat warfare on the field forced the service firms to venture into aggressive brand building through advertising.This trend was initiated by the aggressive brand promotion by telecom service providers. Financial services firms began to realize that having a good brand will make the life of a salesperson a lot easier.
The latest aggressive candidate in the financial services branding is ING Vysya Life Insurance ( IVL ) . IVL launched its insurance services in 2001. Now it has grown into size with presence in 246 cities and 300 odd branches.
nce in the marketing of services. Usually service brands are built on functional dimensions rather than on imagery.Hence it is taken for granted that if the service provider delivers excellent functional performance , the brand will automatically grow.Five years back , financial service firms focused on their sales force and below -the- line promotion and shied away from aggressive brand building through advertising.
But the increase in competition and the cut-throat warfare on the field forced the service firms to venture into aggressive brand building through advertising.This trend was initiated by the aggressive brand promotion by telecom service providers. Financial services firms began to realize that having a good brand will make the life of a salesperson a lot easier.
The latest aggressive candidate in the financial services branding is ING Vysya Life Insurance ( IVL ) . IVL launched its insurance services in 2001. Now it has grown into size with presence in 246 cities and 300 odd branches.
What has interested me is the current campaign run by IVL. The brand did not have a good run in the Indian market. According to media reports, the IVL has a market share of only 1.2 %. The primary reason being that the strategy of the company is slow and steady growth rather than aggressive growth. So very rarely you get a call from an ING Vysya Insurance advisor.
The brand first launched its campaign in 2007 when it identified the core brand value. ING Vysya Life Insurance decided that the brand stands with the consumer in helping him fulfill his responsibilities towards themselves and families. Thus IVL took up the slogan " Mera Farz " which means " My Responsibilities ".
Watch the campaign here : Mera Farz 1The ad was well made but nothing special in terms of creativity and was not intended to deliver any result on the field. But this gave the brand a vital direction for the future.
This year, IVL came out with another set of campaign which captured the attention of the audience .
This year, IVL came out with another set of campaign which captured the attention of the audience .
The new campaign took birth from a very important consumer insight that with every happy moments , comes certain burden of responsibilities " . The thought of these additional burden creates a " Sinking Feeling " in the mind of that person and it will take away some degree of joy from him.
From this insight came this campaign : Sinking Feeling
The ad show three situations
1. Marriage
2. Birth of a child
2. Daughter getting admission to a expensive college.
The protagonist in all these cases feels a sense of sinking with the burden of added responsibilities.
What I noticed from the reaction of my family members is that the idea has clicked. There was a little smile in everyone's face when they saw this ad.
There is no doubt that the idea is a BIG Idea but the execution was a little too straight. Personally speaking , I did not liked the term " BURDEN " . In Hindi the term used is "Bhari" and in Malayalam the term used is "Bharam"- both these terms are used to denote Burden and also heaviness.
When my child was born, I never felt it as burden but it is true that there was added responsibility but never a burden. Even the child's education to be termed as a burden is too harsh . It was not the visuals but the term " Burden " that I disliked about the ad.
The message behind the campaign is that ING Vysya's plans help you to experience the joy of responsibility.
The message behind the campaign is that ING Vysya's plans help you to experience the joy of responsibility.
Then came another ad which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Watch the ad here : ING Goa
The ad shows the husband Satheesh literally sinking into the floor when his wife tells the friends about 'their ' plan to buy a house in Goa. Even after seeing the ad many times, we all still liked the look of the harassed " Satheesh " . That was a wonderful execution.
The big idea of ' Sinking Feeling ' has the potential to last for some time because it stems from an actual consumer insight.
These campaign has brought the customer's attention on this brand. The insurance advisors now will have a chance to spent less time talking about the company and more time selling the plans
Caption This: 3-17-08
Happy Saint Patick's Day everyone! Get out there and enjoy a fake beard! And while you're at it, caption this photo for Blarney's sake!
Marketing Practice featured in ALLTOP
Marketing Practice blog is featured in ALLTOP.com. Alltop is the new venture of Mr Guy Kawasaki. Alltop is a content aggregator with a difference. It looks simple, uncluttered and does not overwhelm the readers compared to other site aggregators.
Check out the new site here : Alltop
Marketing Practice is featured in the small business section .
A big thank you to the ALLTOP team
Check out the new site here : Alltop
Marketing Practice is featured in the small business section .
A big thank you to the ALLTOP team
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Avon Super shock Mascara
Unique microfibers instantly expand and plump lashes to larger-than-life proportions...for head-turning drama in a flash. Up to 12x more volume...in a single step. Maximum amount of mascara in just one dip. Molded teal plastic fine combs separate lashes for a precise, bolder-than-ever look.
Make It Big Lash Plumping Mascara in Raven Raven
A Lauren Conrad pick!Build and lengthen lashes with this lightweight, smudge-proof formula that's paired with the super-sized brush.
Kiss Me Mascara
This unique mascara is an acrylic based mascara that forms tiny tubes around every lash to add length and volume. Removal requires only a combination of water and slight pressure.
Extreme Lash Mascara
If long, lush lashes are what you crave, this rich, high-calorie lash duo fattens and lengthens lashes like never before.
Brand Update : Kit Kat Chunky
Kit Kat has launched its globally successful variant Chunky in India this year. Kit Kat Chunky is a king size singl
e finger variant of KitKat.
Kit Kat Chunky was globally launched in 1999. The high profile launch was a result of an internal rejuvenation project ( project Tyson) to lift up the sagging Kit Kat brand. Kit Kat Chunky was an instant hit and was touted as Nestle's most high profile brand success in that decade.
The reason for the variant launch in 1999 was because of the lack of popularity of original Kit Kat among the 18-25 year old. Chunky made the brand popular again in that segment.
In India , the brand has been launched in two variants : African Choco and Hazel nut
The variant is being promoted through TVC. Watch the commercial here : Kitkat Chunky
The look of the product itself raised some questions in me. The product is so Un Kit Kat like . Instead of the famous four finger product you have a single finger chunky chocolate bar. The packaging is also entirely different from the original brand. Will it not affect the parent brand ?
The success of this variant globally shows the paradox of marketing. The success of Chunky itself contradicts the 'conventional ' wisdom of Brand Extensions that extensions should be in line with the original brand's core values and strengths. Here that rule is broken that too successfully.
Having said that I feel that one has to be very lucky to get away with that kind of extensions. In India the market for wafer based chocolates has been negligible. Although Perk and Kit Kat had initial volumes, these brands now occupy a negligible share in the total chocolate market. The reason for Chunky's launch is to address this issue. Compared to the wafer chocolate, Chunky is a full finger Chocolate with added crispies like nuts. The launch is from the insight that Indian consumers like to have more chocolate than anything else.
But Kit Kat Chunky is not the first brand to try out these products. I remember Cadbury's having a Chunky range which later faded in the market . Whether Chunky will raise the fortune of Kit Kat is some thing to watch for.
Related Brand
Kit Kat
e finger variant of KitKat.Kit Kat Chunky was globally launched in 1999. The high profile launch was a result of an internal rejuvenation project ( project Tyson) to lift up the sagging Kit Kat brand. Kit Kat Chunky was an instant hit and was touted as Nestle's most high profile brand success in that decade.
The reason for the variant launch in 1999 was because of the lack of popularity of original Kit Kat among the 18-25 year old. Chunky made the brand popular again in that segment.
In India , the brand has been launched in two variants : African Choco and Hazel nut
The variant is being promoted through TVC. Watch the commercial here : Kitkat Chunky
The look of the product itself raised some questions in me. The product is so Un Kit Kat like . Instead of the famous four finger product you have a single finger chunky chocolate bar. The packaging is also entirely different from the original brand. Will it not affect the parent brand ?
The success of this variant globally shows the paradox of marketing. The success of Chunky itself contradicts the 'conventional ' wisdom of Brand Extensions that extensions should be in line with the original brand's core values and strengths. Here that rule is broken that too successfully.
Having said that I feel that one has to be very lucky to get away with that kind of extensions. In India the market for wafer based chocolates has been negligible. Although Perk and Kit Kat had initial volumes, these brands now occupy a negligible share in the total chocolate market. The reason for Chunky's launch is to address this issue. Compared to the wafer chocolate, Chunky is a full finger Chocolate with added crispies like nuts. The launch is from the insight that Indian consumers like to have more chocolate than anything else.
But Kit Kat Chunky is not the first brand to try out these products. I remember Cadbury's having a Chunky range which later faded in the market . Whether Chunky will raise the fortune of Kit Kat is some thing to watch for.
Related Brand
Kit Kat
Friday, March 14, 2008
Modern Day Superheroes Fight Real Crime
I saw this story this afternoon, and while it does seem a little kooky and ridiculous, I have to admire these guys for trying to make a difference on the streets."Don’t be alarmed if you see two masked men walking the streets of San Diego over the next few days. Not if they go by the names Mr. Extreme and Shadow Hare. The duo call themselves “Real Life Superheroes.” This week, their mission is to find the suspect accused of attacking people with a skateboard in the Chula Vista area. Mr. Extreme and Shadow Hare patrol during the day and night warning community members to be on alert"The kid whose superhero moniker is Shadow Hare was taking some ribbing from the reporter on FOX news for his name, until he explained it represented a meek creature who has secret powers. It was actually a pretty good explanation. See the full story here.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Jawbone #198: The Good Old Days
Two shows away from the big 200. Tonight we get feedback on should we stay or should we go, multiplayer Call of Duty, the good old days, vacations, New Media Expo and more.RSS feed.
Download now.
Brand Update : Poppins
Poppins has launched a new campaign with a catchy slang " Doon Kya " . The new ad is aimed to create a v
iral ,anchoring the slang.
iral ,anchoring the slang.Poppins always had a irregular promotional strategy with short bursts of promotional investment. The latest being the campaign " Goli Rainbow Wali". According to agencyfaqs, the brands feel that it is alienated from the intended target market i.e 8-10 yr old.
In the new campaign , the brand give the message that Poppins has so many flavors that you will give it to everyone.
These days marketers are using catchy slogans to sustain the interest in the brand. Its not a new phenomenon and we know the catchy slogans of Pepsi , Coke ,Frooti etc but the difference here is that now marketers depend on local slang to catch the audience's attention.
The advantage of using a popular local slang ( usage) is that if successful, the slang can sustain the brand for a long time. The disadvantage is that in a country like India where we have different languages, local slangs cannot have a national appeal. For example in the Poppins' case, the usage " Doon Kya " is alien to South Indians and you maynot be able to find an appropriate local slang to substitute the original one.
The fact is that most of the time advertising agencies are not sensitive to the language diversity of our country . In my experience , I have seen many ads created by reputed advertising agencies being messed up by unprofessional dubbing. Even agencies does not bother to approach native dubbing artists for the ad. In most of the ads dubbed in my language - malayalam, the dubbing is done usually by a Tamilian and usually it sounds horrible.
For the Poppins ' Doon kya' also the kids in South Indian states may not be impressed with the idea. On the other hand, there is also a chance that these things catch up with the non-Hindi speaking customers but the odds are less.
Watch the Poppins ad here : Doon Kya
Related Brand
Poppins
In the new campaign , the brand give the message that Poppins has so many flavors that you will give it to everyone.
These days marketers are using catchy slogans to sustain the interest in the brand. Its not a new phenomenon and we know the catchy slogans of Pepsi , Coke ,Frooti etc but the difference here is that now marketers depend on local slang to catch the audience's attention.
The advantage of using a popular local slang ( usage) is that if successful, the slang can sustain the brand for a long time. The disadvantage is that in a country like India where we have different languages, local slangs cannot have a national appeal. For example in the Poppins' case, the usage " Doon Kya " is alien to South Indians and you maynot be able to find an appropriate local slang to substitute the original one.
The fact is that most of the time advertising agencies are not sensitive to the language diversity of our country . In my experience , I have seen many ads created by reputed advertising agencies being messed up by unprofessional dubbing. Even agencies does not bother to approach native dubbing artists for the ad. In most of the ads dubbed in my language - malayalam, the dubbing is done usually by a Tamilian and usually it sounds horrible.
For the Poppins ' Doon kya' also the kids in South Indian states may not be impressed with the idea. On the other hand, there is also a chance that these things catch up with the non-Hindi speaking customers but the odds are less.
Watch the Poppins ad here : Doon Kya
Related Brand
Poppins
Coffee With Sundar
Blogger Mr. Sundar was kind enough to e-interview me on his blog " Coffee With Sundar " . Where I talked about my blog and academics in general.
You can read it here : Coffee with Sundar
ahem .... It was my first e-interview as a blogger...
You can read it here : Coffee with Sundar
ahem .... It was my first e-interview as a blogger...
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Woman Sat On Toilet For Two Years
How's this for bizarre.
"Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said it appeared the 35-year-old Ness City woman's skin had grown around the seat. She initially refused emergency medical services but was finally convinced by responders and her boyfriend that she needed to be checked out at a hospital.Read the full story here.
"We pried the toilet seat off with a pry bar and the seat went with her to the hospital," Whipple said. "The hospital removed it."
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Eurovision is Back!
Thanks to Dan, I would never remember these things are happening. I'm sure there are some other great entries, but this one from Lativa is my fave so far.
Bang! Bang! BANG!! BAAAAANG! BANNNNNGG!
This is a casting call for an XBOX 360 commercial. This is the original ad. It was never aired because it was considered too violent. I feel the woman's acting in the casting call is too violent. You decide.
Anchor Vs. Reporter: FIGHT!
I'd watch the news more often is stuff like this happened more often. Reporter FTW! Thanks Monica for the link.
Awesome Pixar Site
Sent in by JuCo herself, this web tie-in for the upcoming Pixar movie Wall-E. The site is fully fleshed out, with working links to real stories and everything else you would expect from the Pixar crowd. Really wonderful work. I wonder how happy a person would be knowing that this is the kind of stuff they do for a living? I'm envious, really.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Lipstick for Your Hair
Touch up sticks let you go longer between hair colorings. Easy and convenient color application beautifully blends and will not clump or mat.
ULTRA COLOR RICH Lipstick
NEW! Wrapped in Cashmere shades. New matte finish. Shapes lips with the richest, creamiest color. Non feathering moisturizing formula with vitamin E. Lip-magnifying shine.
Mally Beauty Lipstick
Dress your lips in lasting color for a simply sensational look. Mally Beauty's wearable lipstick shades are formulated with one of three great finishes.
NARS Lipstick
A pure, creamy lipstick formula for bold color. Nars Lipsticks are enriched with vitamin E to increase wear ability and keep true color intact. Sheer finish creates the most natural, stained-looking lips. Semi-matte produces velvety, full-bodied lips. Finally, satin fashions creamy, moist-looking lips.
Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick
Intense, high-shine color in a long-wearing formula that pampers, comforts. Incredibly luxurious, with Vitamins C and E plus natural moisturizers.Creates maximum color impact and helps lips look smooth and even. Delicately fragrance with a delectable fresh fig scent.
Best Deal of the Day, Part 2
You may remember this post from a while back about how I got Super Mario Galaxy for just $3.50 new. Well, I got that beat. I picked up a copy of Super Smash Brothers Brawl (new) today at Gamestop and they paid me $1.15! Here's how: I traded in 2 Wii games thinking I could take advantage of a promotion where you could get the game for $10. As it turns out, the two games I traded in were worth more than the game itself! So they actually owed me money.
I haven't played the game yet, but I plan on playing in a few hours. If you want to play online, let me know and we can get a match going.
Woot for good video game deals!
BTW, my brawl code is 2793-0302-0057. :) Look us up if you want to play.
I haven't played the game yet, but I plan on playing in a few hours. If you want to play online, let me know and we can get a match going.
Woot for good video game deals!
BTW, my brawl code is 2793-0302-0057. :) Look us up if you want to play.
Jawbone Listeners Speak Up...Anonymously
I got this in the e-mail box today and thought it was pretty clever. It's from a listener who wants to let us know how he feels about the show, assumingl because of my rant on show 197. Click the image to make it larger.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Richard, The Zombie Podcast Listener
Ordered by Richard for Monster By Mail. BTW, we're still looking for sketches of Richard. Head on over here and contribute. Or leave us a voicemail and either Nora, Neil or I will draw your description.
Jawbone #197: Give Me A Reason (RE-POST)
Tonight! Dreams! Three Shows Away! Headlice! Sleeping! And MORE! This is why podcasts were created, folks. Enjoy! (For some reason, the show was not being picked up by iTunes. Hopefully this re-post will fix that problem.)RSS feed.
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