Differentiate or Die

Charles Darwin wrote in his Evolution of species that genetic mutations allowed species to evolve. Those that evolved differently from their peers to adapt to the special conditions surrounding them won the survival race. Many brands today are fighting a similar survival for market share. Here is a quick look at why and how brands, especially corporates, can win the survival race.

Michael Jordan vs Vietnam

As an ardent socialist during my days at Mumbai University, I remember a debate where I had sprung an ace at my opponent. My question was supposed to be unassailable in a debate to prove the merits of socialism over capitalism. 

"How can Nike pay Michael Jordan more than the entire staff of the Vietnamese shoe factory?"

While I grinned confidently, my opponent answered smugly - "there are millions of Vietnamese workers ... But there's only ONE Michael Jordan". I learned the concept of diminishing marginal utility well that day. I also learned how we, in a capitalist society reward skills. Like the Vietnamese workers, many of the corporates and products are relegated to sphere of commodities, fighting for marginal cost and a bid to survive another month. Differentiation here was Michael Jordan's skill. For brands, it needs to be a unique and relevant position in the mind of the customer.

Differentiation for B2B

Many of the business promoters we have met of the last decade have heard us make this point and have reacted in a similar manner. "Branding is for products, and it needs a lot of marketing." Our submission is that a differentiated brand starts from the Corporate Level.

Why differentiate at a Corporate Level

1. Attracting the right investors and business partners
2. Attracting and retain best in class talent
3. Using your differentiated corporate brand to help your new business divisions gain respectability and margin share faster than other competitors
4. Leverage the social impact of your corporate while others only hawk products
5. A distinct and different corporate brand becomes a rallying point and a biding agent for your stakeholders and helps drive a common vision and agenda

There are enough and more examples how differentiated corporate brands are able to straddle different business easily. One of our favorite corporate brands is Virgin. The company has been able to take the image of it brash, nonchalant explorer founder and use it to build diverse business across the sectors like airline, telecom and entertainment.Even the name suggested they are proud of not having baggage in any industry yet having the gumption to take on existing players.

Becoming the different Finch starts with You.

In Darwin's research, finches that has specialised beaks for coconuts did better than other finches on the island. While Finches may not be conscious about the process of evolution, as business owners and corporate managers,we need to be mindful of the need and power of differentiation. The quest for differentiation and survival start with your own conviction.

By

Devatanu Banerjee

Head - Integrated Corporate Practice 

DY Works 

Brand Architecture Design as a Revenue Stream

Brand architecture comprises of facets of a brand. An architecture is simply a representation everything that is owned by a brand across its range.

Brand architecture is a higher-level plan of the brand eco system. It’s about building one brand and representing its core value across its range under one umbrella to showcase the diversity yet unification. If multiple brands, the relationship can be mother, child, parent, etc. Configuring the brand architecture before choosing which assets to build is a vital step. It helps the board develop the assets that will take the business beyond the ‘reputation’ stage.

Once this is clear, any product defined as a sub brand can be relative to the umbrella brand in order to create a clear distinction. Then starts the visible cycle of revenue generation which can likewise be segregated to achieve individual SBU profits & loss.

Most marketers visit the mode of brand architecture only during rejuvenation. During times of change, like mergers, acquisitions, rebrands and product launches. And, at those times, understanding the relationships between the brand names in your company’s portfolio is essential. Brand architecture design is a relative approach to keep a track on all P & L activities, measured at ease due to a simpler umbrella brand thereby imbibing best of the parent brand to child brands.

As a requirement, brand architecture design should be made as a mandate before any organization begins its branding exercise.

Fully realizing the power of brand architecture starts with documentation. You must spend time outlining the relationships within your company’s portfolio. How do your current brands, sub-brands and products relate to one another?  How do their market positions relate to one another?

All brand architecture strategies fall into one of two approaches, a branded house or a house of brands. In a house of brands strategy, the company name is not identified at all. Instead, product names drive purchases. A branded house strategy has one unique brand name that motivates purchases and offers value. Many organizations use a hybrid or variation of one of the two approaches.

Here are few common brand architecture examples that will help you define your existing strategy:

Four Brand Architecture options:

·         Sub-Brands: There is one corporate trademark and sub-brand trademarks. For example: Apple iPad.

·         Masterbrand: There is only one trademark and then descriptive names. For example: AT&T Device Protection & Control.

·         Freestanding Brands: There are many brands, speaking to many different audiences designed to stand apart. For example: Pringles, Old Spice, Gillette are all freestanding brands of Proctor & Gamble.

·         Endorser Brand: There are product brands linked together by an endorsing brand. For example: Oreo Cookies by Nabisco

By

Deepak Bhatia,

Integrated Corporate Practice

DY Works

Perception Management in Corporate Branding

To begin with, Perception management is a term originated by the US military.
Another term used for perception management is impression management subtly defined as an attempt to control the perceptions or impressions of others. Targets are likely to use impression management tactics when interacting with perceivers who have power over them. Several impression management tactics include behavioral matching between the target of perception and the perceiver.

As we know, brands always evoke emotions. From these emotions, form perceptions. Hence in corporate branding, perceptions become an integral part of brand management. Overall, perception management therefore becomes a science to deal with.
Perception management cannot be managed individually without it being a part of the overall brand management process.

Now the question is- where do we find such perceptions happening and possibly capture them?
Social Media is a possible platform wherein different perceptions can be captured.
In the corporate world, perceptions are important and mapping them is equally important as it adds to the overall dynamics existing in the corporate world. To showcase this to the external as well internal audience, the same has to be capsulated via the branding route. Brand perceptions are much more often created by the product or service experience itself than from brand communications or any such campaigns. Brand campaigns are much more effective in building brand awareness than it is in creating or changing brand perceptions. It doesn’t mean that branding cannot be used to help change perceptions, but it can’t do it unless the perception management in the entire gamut of branding is captured.

What’s Trending in Football?

5 things to keep in mind while posting about trending topics

The 2014 FIFA World Cup has been a football lover’s dream. It has generated precisely the level of thrill, excitement, nail-biting, nervousness and satisfaction that a fan desires and expects from the greatest sports tournament in the world.

Mario Goetze’s extra time winner for Germany in the final against Argentina was the 171st goal to be scored in the tournament equaling the all-time world cup record of most goals scored. Each and every team registered on the score sheet at least once. 8 out of the 16 knockout games were decided by Extra time or on penalties. If this isn’t exciting enough, the World cup saw more than its fair share of shocks, controversies and upsets. This World Cup was the justification of FIFA President Joao Havelange’s decision in 1998 to increase the number of participant teams from 24 to 32 as it showcased the potential of the “underdogs” with Chile, Costa Rica and Columbia punching way above their weight. On the other hand, World Cup mammoths like Portugal, Italy, England and reigning champions Spain were thrown off their pedestal pretty early into the tournament. Pundits are describing this as the greatest World Cup ever and it has done nothing but add to the already massive popularity and fan following football as a sport enjoys.

FIFA, the governing body of world football now has more member nations than the United Nations. It is truly a global sport and isplayed or followed by billions of people around the world. It is a sport that requires minimal equipment and is played by people from all races, religions, castes, genders or income groups. Football is played on the beach, in the snow, in the desert, on a ground, indoors and even in war zones. It is this flexibility and adaptability of the sport that creates an unparalleled fan following and loyalty.

The tears in the eyes of fans when their team is losing, the celebration during victory, the anger at the transfer of their favorite player from the club they’ve been supporting since childhood to the direct rivals, the delight of qualifying for the Champions league and countless other emotions are shared universally by billions of fans across the globe. These fans respond very positively or very negatively to every piece of news that the world of football provides and one can count on football to provide regular and ample fodder.

Suarez biting Chiellini, Zuniga’s outrageous tackle against Neymar, Lois Van Gaal’s appointment as the manager of Manchester United, Germany’s mauling of Brazil and Kroos’s move to Real Madrid are just a few examples of gossip that football offers on a daily basis.

In digital marketing terms these are called “trending topics”. The fans discuss this exhaustively online and love to read everything they can about every topic there is.

Herein lies the opportunity for marketing, advertising and building a brand.

Posting about these trending topics has really picked up in recent years with memes, jokes, 6 second videos called vines and tweets. These posts on trending topics that fans want to read about can be used to create brand awareness and loyalty. Users would love to read about, laugh at or enjoy such news or gossip and the presence of your brand name along is a sure shot mantra to increase brand loyalty.

Some examples of impactful posts are-

“But the most important question is: Do the Germans know who Sachin Tendulkar is?”

“Hey @luis16suarez. Next time you're hungry just grab a Snickers.”

“David Moyes....The UnChosen One...”

Brands like Amul, Snickers and McDonalds’s do a great job at this while some brands fail miserable. It does not require a creative genius to come up with these posts. A few things if kept in mind would ensure that your brand benefits the most from these trending topics.
 

5 things to keep in mind while posting about trending topics:-

1)    Do not lose focus- Your brand is not the hero of the post, the topic is. The limelight must be on the topic as that is what the users are interested in.
2)    Be precise- The posts would either be memes, tweets, vines or jokes. No one has the time or inclination to read lengthy paragraphs. You must not try and communicate everything in a single post.
3)    Do not be late- Nothing tastes as bad as expired bread. Post when users are interested to know or read about the topic or do not post at all. No one would be interested to read about the Louis Van Gaal’s appointment or Fabregas’ move to Chelsea now.
4)    Use visual cues- Majority of the users scroll down their news feed without reading each and every post. Usage of distinct and attractive visual cues like giff videos or images is the only way to grab their attention and indicate the post’s link to the topic.
5)    Take risks or be different- Last but perhaps the most important point is to take risks or post unique content. Posting the same kind of posts as the competition will not grab any eyeballs. For example – every possible post against Lionel Messi winning the golden ball has been already posted. A post supporting his selection and making an ideal case for it would be refreshing and stand out from the crowd.


By
Siddharth Shetty,
Marketing Intern,
Integrated Corporate Practice
DY Works

MasterchefAU v/s MasterchefUS

The 'Ugly American' is in flagrante delicto at the Masterchef kitchen. The Australian series is characterized by a generosity of the human spirit, inspiring enablement and a superlative passion for the craft and ingredients. The Food rises above all - at the end of the day, setting ever higher benchmarks.
The American version is pusillanimous, mean-minded, low calibre and sickening in its celebration of the self-absorbed contestants. It is the Jerry Springer of cooking shows. While it is obvious that the contestants have been given a brief and may be scripted to some extent, it is nonetheless telling that such a brief is supposed to drive up ratings. The show has tarnished brand America - beyond a doubt and a canny foreign policy wonk would do well to recommend it being pulled off the air.


By
Alpana Parida
President
DY Works

Get Wellness Soon!

Consumer experience is evolving at every moment. With the advent of this evolution, the consumer market has got better in terms of quality, technology and in terms of providing exhilarating consumer experience. As a result, wellness as a category spawned in the process of making “the experience” better for people. Spas and resorts form a major part of wellness sector in India.

                                                             
The International Spa Association (ISPA) defines Spas as “places devoted to overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit”.

The ISPA further categorizes spas as:

Day Spa: A spa offering a variety of professionally administered spa services to clients on a day-use basis.

Destination Spa: A destination spa is a facility with the primary purpose of guiding individual spa-goers to develop healthy habits.

Resort/Hotel Spa: A spa located within a resort or hotel providing professionally administered spa services, fitness and wellness components.

Club Spa: A facility whose primary purpose is fitness and which offers a variety of professionally administered spa services on a day-use basis.

India, with its deep-rooted traditions, is known for being a hub for alternative treatments dominated by ancient healing –Ayurveda & spirituality. In recent years, enormous growth has been identified in the Indian spa industry. With over 2,300 spas, the industry makes around $400 million annually.

According to a report release by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, the Ayurveda and yoga segments, alone, were expected to earn a business of 600 Cr and revenues prospects for medical tourism predicted to be around 400 Cr.

Despite these numbers the wellness sector is largely underdeveloped in India especially because it is unorganized & there is less awareness about the services offered by this sector. There are a very few wellness brands which have succeeded in positioning themselves in line with the modern consumer’s need for a wellness experience. The core problem which one can identify is right branding in the right place.                                          
A lot of upcoming wellness brands entering this segment position themselves as rejuvenation destinations which offer authentic traditional treatments. India’s destination resorts, wellness retreats and spas address body, mind and spiritual wellness through the traditions of yoga, ayurveda and numerous other healing practices. Their branding is also strategically done. Ananda in the Himalayas is one of the examples. Have one look at the website and you will realize how strongly it represents the essence of India and its traditions.  The font style used in creating the identity also has a certain feel of ethnicity.

                                                                                                               

Vivanta by Taj is another example. Their spa brand is identified as ‘Jiva Spa’ which is in line with the spirit of India. Major components of Branding like the attire of the staff inside, the aroma; the products used, strengthen the essence of India and create a unique experience for the customer.                                                                                                              

                                                       
Subtle branding as one can understand is the key to create the right awareness by wellness brands among their target audience which still has a long way to go. Once, the power of branding is realized by the wellness sector, there should be no looking back as the consumer waits for “the experience”.

As this category is growing, the players are growing stronger with their branding, and there certainly is a lot more for us to observe.
                                                   


By
Avani Bapat,
Integrated Corporate Practice,
DY Works

Technology, Jargon and Branding

India is a very social country. People love talking, about everything under the sun from rocket science to global economy to what time the neighbour’s daughter returned home the previous night. We love to talk, gossip, discuss and debate with an authority that seems formidable on the subject but rarely has enough substance if tested. Just for example, last evening as I was returning home by the local I overheard two co-passengers discussing the about-to-start FIFA World Cup and how Real Madrid are the favourites having won the Champions Trophy! I did not bother pointing out the several flaws in each of his statements; he was just another brick in the wall.

But as we have evolved, so has our ability to consume data and information from everywhere around us, grasp the finer points and then make our conversation more relevant. We consume at an immense pace, keeping track of not only ours but pretty much the world’s activities through the virtual world that is wrapping us. Whether it be stalking a friend’s FB wall or following their thoughts via Twitter, we are everywhere consuming all kinds of information, and then happily spreading it around. Social collaboration is at its all-time high without an end in sight.

 

We just love being social!

Source:http://thinkmarketingmagazine.com/