shopper's stop

Shopper Marketing is a new area of focus for agency head honchos these days. With organised retailing becoming big in the country and increasingly contributing more to the GDP, Shopper Marketing is seen as the potential growth area for agency business. Yes, after Digital, it's Shopper Marketing now. Agencies are gearing up to set up specialized units and teams to deliver more values for their clients. Paco Underhill's 'Why we buy' is nicely stacked in the bookshelves of most agency heads.

Even big retailers are trying to understand the science behind Shopper Marketing. So the top boss from a client's office calls up and asks if I could spend sometime with his young team and explain them in simple words what is the meaning of shopper marketing. Honestly, with my little knowledge on the subject I did manage to put a quick ppt and presented it to the team. In the process, we had a healthy discussion about the changing face of retailing in Indian metros, future shopping habits and trends to watch out for in the tier II/III cities, dabbled on the eternal debate of kirana store vs organised retailing, how Walmart will bring changes in the existing retail clutter, how futuristic is Future Group, new areas of retailing etc. etc. A long and a hectic day, but a fruitful one because in the process I got to learn lots.

So here are few slides from the presentation. Go ahead and feel free to use them in-case it helps you for similar exercises:

Please do share your thoughts and comments on the same. Let me know what is your take on Shopper Marketing? How will it bring a change in the way retailing is seen in India? What are the things we should look out for? Are there any hidden opportunities that can be explored? Or you can point me to some interesting articles and topics on the same subject. Basically, enlighten me.

The Davos Question

Hear it straight from them, the way it is...

Shocking isn't it? Raise these questions at Davos.

Jazz Masters and Unbelong

Finally got some rest. I guess I needed this rise in temperature with a heavy head and a running nose. Complete bed rest. And after spending 48 hours surfing channels on my Onida set; I found at last, one thing that’s worth mentioning.

Yes, Jazz Masters in association with VH1 sponsored by Black & White. B&W has managed to create a brilliant property for itself. Some thinking has really gone in. B&W is for people who “Unbelong”. People who’re definitely mainstream yet they’re not necessarily from the mainstreet. The alternate seekers… ok… those who drink mixers… eh? Hmm… people who like Jazz with influences of R&B, Pop and Funk. People who Unbelong. ‘Marriage of contradictions, different from the usual,’ as the site mentions. Now that’s real brand connection.

However all my excitement turned in to disappointment when I went through the website they created for these event. It speaks everything about the event but hey I also want to know about your brand. What’s your history - your story from Scotland? Why do you want me to Unbelong, when Johnny’s asking me to keep walking? Now that’s shitty job. Honestly, I will go watch the event, be very happy, tell people about the gig and how Bob James and Earl Klugh improvised and I might even blog about it. But I shall not tell anyone about the B&W brand. What a pity?

Isn't the idea of using event/surrogate to promote the B&W brand?? Don’t get me wrong but half done things as final product really pisses me. Either you do it thoroughly. Or you don’t do at all.

Now here’s a brilliant idea. Free of cost guys. Just make sure you pay me the royalty when you implement it. Ha.

Black and White Terrier owners. Blackie and Whitey. (Someone please find me what breed are those two little cute pups?) B&W should actually promote people with pet terriers. They are people who truly Unbelong. Imagine lots of people in your city heavy petting a pair of black and white terrier. They walk on the streets, in the parks. Living brand icons. Public relation for free. Well you can tie up at dog shows. Give few bottles to the vet to spread the buzz. Even create soft toys of Blackie & Whitey for kids, whose parents drink B&W. Boo.

So next time, please do ensure that you give enough information about your brand because people might just want to know more.

Let’s have it doggy style. Cheers. Woof! Woof!!

feverish, lazy

Yesterday a trip to Chennai landed me in serious trouble. Down with dry cough and high temperature. Ahh! Grrr! Head is heavy, don’t feel like leaving the bed, I was thinking… Isn’t Chennai warmer? Does moving from a colder location to a warmer place affect the body temperature? How does an antibody function? Can I control my body temperature back to normal by concentrating on a charka point? Huh?? Anyway, I was practicing the art of lazing around. Believe me you actually savoir moments like this. Moments when body is too weak to lift itself, while the mind active as hell, which in turn forces a physical movement. You do a balancing act, somehow manage to control calm the mind to zero physical movement and just think. But think about what??

How to study a changing category?

Studying category conventions and mapping changing dynamics (any source is good source) gives me a real high. It allows me to quickly derive at five absolute critical points or quick directions. The best part of the thrill - I get to chase any direction to arrive at a hypothesis. Well, most of the time just to validate how wrong it was. Lol. What I meant was I enjoy doing it. A fun exercise when you’ve fever or just want to laze.

At the moment automotive category in India is the best example. The best, I tell you. It’s completely chaotic. It’s changing. And it’s hot and happening. The real action is in the small car segment. A small car at every price point. Luxury hatchbacks; multiple ownerships. Well, while searching those critical points, I made a laundry list of questions to see what hypotheses can be created.

Now if you’ve a point of view on this, please do share, it’s ‘collective learning’ you see.

Why is Bajaj getting into the four wheeler category? Do they believe in the next 10 years, demand for (their) city bikes will hit rock bottom? (What will happen to bicycles then? Will they even exist then, if yes, in what format?) Are they diversifying because they understand the implications of changing category dynamics? Are they getting future ready for that shift to happen? Will Nano really manage to eat into the two wheeler market? How will small car segment evolve over the next ten years? How will the two wheeler market evolve itself? Will evolution mean bikes getting meatier and meaner, maybe 300cc + will become the standard of what 125cc is today? What role will Royal Enfield play then - follow the Harley path to success?

(There’s lot to learn from the Walkman example. Remember how CDs took over cassette tapes? Later how MP3 players started evolving over CD players? How was Sony’s reply to the changing category dynamics with their mobile phones?)

Don’t you think I should shut up and take rest? Eh? Do let me know what you think... ;-)

Safer India

Safer India is an initiative started by none other than Ms. Kiran Bedi. Safer India is an NGO where you can log your complaint regarding any crime, in case the police at your place is not accepting your complaint. The site is directly administered by Ms. Kiran Bedi and she'll ensure that your complaint reaches the DGP of your area. You can also use this mail as the legal document for filing a case in the court of judgment.

So, don't you worry anymore. There are few good women still left in our country who will ensure justice is done. Spread the word to all your friends.

Idea vs Ideal

Media fragmentation, emergence of new media, clichéd communication message, consumers paying less attention, sea of sameness at retail and finally, the need to stand out; Indian marketers have too many things to fight when it comes to building their brands.

Increasingly, consumer engagement is becoming more relevant and effective in a changing environment. Engagement here doesn’t necessarily mean an activation program or a retail promotion or social networking or fan community etc. It is much beyond that. People willingly come forward to participate when there is something meaningful to do. It is an ‘act of doing’ something good, a larger goal that really connects people with a brand. And if you really look closely, we in India hardly do anything meaningful to keep people truly engaged with a brand.

Am sure you know all those brilliant examples better than I do, but unfortunately there aren’t many examples coming out from India. Where is the Indian equivalent of Real Beauty, Run London, Legoland and Innocent Village Fete…

This is where, I think, agencies have a bigger role to play. It is about Brand Ideal versus an Idea. I mentioned here previously about 'the ideal not the idea' stuff. Ideal is ‘an ultimate object of endeavor, a goal’ while an Idea is 'a concept developed by the mind, a thought or an opinion.'

Honestly, Brand Ideal is something which is truly missing in most brands in India. It is according to me translating a true life insight into a bigger brand goal that eventually brings people together. To give you an over used example - Dove’s championed a cause – Real Beauty. People took notice of these simple life insight and instantly connected and actively participated. In case of Pond’s, “Miracle Happens” is just a communication idea. Pond’s used high media exposure/ carpet bombing to ensure that people get the message and start buying their products. So after sometime they realized the need to move on, hence communicate, "Miracle Happened." Absolutely no connection with people and no reasons as to why they should be a part of Pond’s Age revolution. And you cannot qualify the 7 Days Challenge as a bigger brand ideal. Now they might be extending the idea by setting up Miracle Boutiques which is nothing new. Lakme has it, L’Oreal has it… right? So where is the “ultimate object of endeavor”?

Similarly, when Big Adda says ‘Friends Stay’ is it really doing something to build stronger friendship bonds? Here’s another good example of finding a Brand Ideal that helps in delivering better connection and results.

Brand engagement has the same meaning as an engagement ring - A vow to stay together ever after. Isn’t it something worth spending more time thinking about?

Nano Car. Giga Dreams

Tata unveiled the Nano. The USD 2500 car. China must be shocked. It is making news every where. And as usual I’m late in joining the conversation. Well, like everybody it has made me proud as an Indian. Respect for Mr. Ratan Tata has gone up manifold. Made me wonder, how could the team pull it off? It has also made me think what will now happen to 2 wheeler owners. What will happen to Suzuki and Hyundai? What will happen to the category? What will happen to us Indians… Phew!

Amidst all these news flash, headlines and thoughts, some rather different thoughts came to my mind -

"What will be the image of Tata Motors be as a global player? ‘Cheap’ automobile manufacturer from India? Luxury hotels to lowest cost mass car manufacturer - what is the new face of TATA? Will Tata Motors only operate in the Small and Mid segment? Will Tata launch a new car is the luxury sedan class in the near future? Or is the acquisition of Land Rover & Jagaur be an answer to that question. How will the Fiat association help add and build the Tata Motors image? Will Tata Motors join hands with Kingfisher in F1?"

The ‘Nanomobile’… oops… small car bug is about to hit India, big. I say 'India in top gear' but where are the roads? Errr…does Tata Infrastructure Fund got anything to do with it? Ha! ;-)

Maybe another time.

Stuck

New Year brings new hope and aspiration. The first month you go to work with lot of energy and enthusiasm. The second month you await results of your inputs. By the end of the quarter, you think shit-its- summer-already. Busy is the word, for some reason or the other. Eventually takes time off the poor blog. But here’s the interesting part. Five TISSUE ISSUES from last year, which I really spent, time thinking.

• “Shut up and listen” as a guiding and working philosophy of the corporate world. What happens then?
• Smartupidity (I just made this word up, yippy!!) – Smart moves by marketers that is so stupid
• Understanding the problem - Spending more time on the problem
• The Ideal not the Idea
• Experimentation with testing – Your strike rate on gut feel increases and vice versa.
  

So that was that.

Welcome to a musical Tissue Issue. Ha.

Happy 2008

Tissues Issues has been quiet for sometime now for the holidays. Happy new year to all of you. Tissue Issues is ready for 2008 with new ideas, impressions and insignificant issues.