Contemporary branding is tough. Really tough. Hyper competition, generic rivalries, globalization, ineffective yet super-expensive media costs all have made the task of the marketer really tough. Karthi Marshan, a senior marketer friend and EVP & Head-Marketing, Kotak Mahindra Group defined the task of a marketer as protecting a premium for the brand.
However, careful study throws up some great illustrations of impressive actions by imaginative brand managers. While one can think of many a parameter to define what constitutes impressive branding, here are some which I have used:
Category defining in communication and business performance
Vector-like approach to positioning
Seamless brand expansion across products/categories
Expanding the pie in markets which appear matured
Clear and distinctive style of communication
Here are some contemporary illustrations:
1. Fastrack – Good brands dont sit and complain. They get up, dust off the challenges and carve a new path. I believe that Fastrack has done that. In a difficult market, sandwiched between cheap spurious brands and expensive international ones, the brand has created a niche for itself. In a relatively short period of time, it has expanded to many a category very seamlessly. Fastrack has seen 10-fold growth since 2005.
2. Apple – A classic case of operating across business and consumer markets which aplomb and panache. Apple today dominates many categories like music, tablets, phones, laptops etc. As in Feb 2013, Apple’s share of conventional PC device sales is now over 20 percent, thanks to the rapid adoption of iPad.
3. HaldiramsA traditional food brand, Haldiram has transformed itself into a symbol of best quality internationally. It is one of the few Indian food brands recognized globally. Even during the biggest international crises where food articles were not permitted cross country entries, Haldiram’s was. New stores in airports, delightfully new flavors and above all the best packaging ensures that brand is always fresh. Haldiram’s has an over 70% share of the traditional snacks market in the country and has developed significant global presence.
4. Amul again a brand which has been around for the last 50 years. A unique communication style which shows print ads where the brand mascots are always gelling the brand tagline Utterly, Butterly Delicious with current happenings be it politics, sports, cinema ensures that the brand is fresh. Amul is the country’s largest dairy brand and has clocked a sales revenue of $ 2115 Mn (INR 13,750 Cr.) in 2012-13, registering a growth of 18% over the previous year.
5. Incredible IndiaA product of the Indian Tourism department, the communication is always fresh and very impactful. The brand has a very high recall with foreign tourists who are the obvious recipients. With the sheer impact imagery, music and excellent placements, the brand always stands differentiated amongst the global competitors. In the first year of launch (2002), the campaign resulted in an increase of 16% in tourist traffic.
6. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk – The Shubharambh series of communication is a classic case of an attempt to create a different genre of the communications – subtle, yet very effective. The brand also tries very intelligently to create more occasions for consumption, not just during celebration but also during a normal day.
There could be of course a few more in this genre that could be mentioned. But the ones above satisfy the criteria to be impressive.
Do you know other brands which are in this category? Share your views!
In my next post planned for May 10, 2013, I will try and build a discussion on “Simplification of a Brand and how this can help increase a marketers ability to connect with target segments.
