Amul 'Tru Seltzer’ – A Mixed bag

Dairy, Fruity, Fizzy – Can we think of such a combination. That too in India? This question can haunt everyone at least for a moment. But in this era of design thinking, weird ideas are very much acceptable. Nevertheless, the dairy giant Amul was not suspicious of this fusion idea. The result is, a new product is born which is dairy, fruity, and fizzy. Amul ‘Tru Seltzer’ launched during the covid era is a bold innovation from the company. The extension, I feel is a gamble by Amul to cement their berth in the carbonated drinks segment.

Amul Tru Seltzer' is India’s first carbonated dairy drink made up of milk solids, fruit juice, and fizz. The brand is available in two flavors –  lemon and orange at Rs 15 for a 200 ml PET bottle. As per Amul the brand is a healthier carbonated drink with less sugar content and zero caffeine. Instead, it promises the taste of a good cola, but with real fruit juice, the goodness of milk solids, and reduced amounts of sugar. With Amul’s legacy, distribution network, and advertising campaigns, achieving brand salience will be a cakewalk. But can the brand climb further up? If so, to me new history is made. Moreover, as we all know, Seltzer as a concoction holds a legacy of a few centuries but will it fit with the Indian taste palate?

Amul is synonymous with dairy in India. Over the years they have developed a perception as the most trusted dairy brand in the country. The extension to fruit juices itself was a wager. I strongly believe Amul and Tru Seltzer is a brand and category misfit. Will this brand qualify to be in the category of carbonated beverage? How can a carbonated beverage be healthier? My strong contention is that Amul must have tried to create a category by itself.

My second contention is about scaling up the brand. Amul wants the brand to appeal to the masses(in fact the pricing is perfect) but with a confused positioning, it will only get limited to a niche.  Appealing to youth also may be difficult, already we have lessons from brand Paperboat in front of us.

Given the successful history of Amul, all my concerns may go wrong. Let’s wait and see.

For sure, one advantage is that one or two failure extensions can never harm the strong, sincere, and exciting mother brand AMUL.

Fyre Energy Drink – Can it be a Firebrand?

Who buys your brand? What does it mean to your consumer? These are some regular queries raised by brand experts even in casual discussions. Brand success/failures happened or yet to happen can be very well ascribed to the lucidity of the above questions. The Indian consumer today has evolved,  reflecting a radical shift in their preferences. Consequently, several brands were lucky to intrude into the consumer’s mental landscape. One such category that gained traction in the country is the energy drink category. Fyre Energy Drink is the new enthusiastic and innovative addition to the category.

Energy drink traditionally is an under- noticed category in India. Consumer awareness is abysmally low compared to other beverages. Even though, market research reports forecast a CAGR of 9.22% for 2020 – 2025, market penetration is relatively a tough task. Moreover, unlike other beverages, the energy drink category has a dominant player who enjoys a healthy market share of above 80%. Hence, it compels a  new brand to be innovative in its approach to the market. In this context, Fyre was prodigious in its approach.

Fyre differentiated with the product form. They are the industry first to launch a ‘cut-pour-stir’ format(Read Powdered) of energy drink that comes in sachets. Sounds good and rather innovative. Moreover, the portfolio includes various flavours such as classic, orange, and lemon and Fyre energy shots that are available through e-commerce platforms.  Fyre available in different price points such as  Rs  5, 15, 30, and 60 ensures affordability and confirms price differentiation. On view through a branding lens, I am worried whether Fyre is following the predecessors Urza, Tzinga, SoBe, Sting, etc.

Theoretically, companies keep product characteristics or consumer goals as the ‘Frame of Reference’(Point of Parity) to claim membership. However, if a dominant competitor who exemplifies consumer goals exists they become an obvious frame of reference. Fyre, as a powdered energy drink, I feel does not match with category prerogative. The idea of Sachet packs further distance the brand from the category. Then how can you a member of the category? One must remember the fate of ‘Instant Horlicks’ which failed in the market miserably.

The three propositions of the company value for money, sugar-free, and ease of storage/carrying are considered as Point – of – Difference. How energy drinks are sold in India? Functional or Emotional. If functional is the answer, then Urza must not fail. I strongly believe that for Indian market energy drink is predominantly an aspirational lifestyle product. Consumer buys it as a lifestyle statement. Hence, emotions surpass functions. Without belittling the efforts behind developing a disruptive brand, I should say that Fyre is a good brand in the wrong basket. However, the consumer mind is a black box. They decide the fate of any brand I wish Fyre will have their dominant days pretty soon.

Post Covid – How a Consumer Behave?

The world is passing through the toughest of times. A Small virus has made the world standstill. All media, mainly social media, is flooded with scary images from all parts of the globe. We are staring at an apparent economic downturn. A vast majority of the population, especially in developed nations, face a threat to their physiological needs(Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory) for the first time in their life, which has triggered the ominous panic buying. Lock down, social distancing, etc. have become buzz words of today. We are all expecting a New Normal post-Covid. What will happen to consumer behaviour? How will the brands respond?

I feel the New Normal will stay forever, and the change seems to be irrevocable. However, brands have started responding to the change. Opportunity lost for someone is gain for others. I wonder the speed at which brands have tweaked their product portfolio by including sanitizers and hand-washes in the kitty. The emergence of Zoom and other platforms have portrayed a different dimension of consumer adoption. Post-Lockdown, face masks, sanitizers, etc. may act as crowd pullers for small/ Kirana shops(a shift from cigarettes, recharge coupons, etc.). We are not sure when the government will lift the lockdown. But for sure, there will be a surge in usage of online platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, etc. that helps in social distancing. The automobile sector may fare well as consumers avoid public transport and rely on their vehicles. However, the most exciting and crucial fact is the shift in consumer behaviour as such.

I predict three types of consumer behaviour.

Liberated Buyer:- You can see liberated buyers immediately after lifting of lockdown. The consumer enjoys freedom after a long time, and he now focuses on individual habits. Besides, alcohol or tobacco, the consumer was missing a lot of his pet habits. He may be missing a tea from his favourite shop or may be missing a Pizza, Burger, etc. Moreover, he may have postponed purchase some necessities like inner garments, natural beauty products, visit a beautician, etc. which had frustrated them. In some families, this lockdown may be a revelation to buy/change some kitchen utensils, or some consumer durables. This buying can lead to a sudden surge in economic activity. But availability may be an issue for at least some products. This behaviour is shared among all consumers, even though wallet-size decides the extent of purchase.

Responsible Buyer:-  The consumer accepts reality and become more accountable. There exist a self-imposed austerity. Health and hygiene get a more significant share of wallet. Since lockdown can happen anytime, there will be a demand for large-volume packs and, in some cases, sachet packs. Sanitizers, hand washes, immunity supplements, health drinks, etc. are considered inevitable by these buyers. The consumer always makes a planned purchase and stay away from impulses(read impulsive buying). They also strongly reappraise their priorities.

Normal Buyer:- The Buyer shows a very regular buying pattern. They tend to buy everything, not restricting themselves to necessities. They are less concerned about their wallet and spend more time window shopping. They are least bothered about the pandemic or any other issues. Moreover, for them, things are the same as before. I presume this group of consumers is tiny in size.

These are just my anecdotal observation. For sure, consumer behaviour will change, and the future will take its due course.

Alto K10 – Bid Adieu. But Why?

The Indian car industry always considers Maruti as the HUL of the car industry. They are well known for their flurry of launches. I firmly believe that Maruti's top position in the Indian market is attributed to these new launches. Are all launches successful? The answer is a big No. Maruti's story is entwined with prosperous as well as failure brands. However, the customer is happy and proud to own a Maruti.

The hot news of the month is about a brand that had a meteoric rise and was in the kitty of Maruti for a decade, Alto K10. Launched in the year 2010, Alto K10 was a modified version of their ever best-seller brand Alto. In Marketing terms, the launch was a line filling. There existed a gap in the market between the entry-level segment Alto and a slightly high-end Wagon R. Alto K10 was Maruti's answer for the need. The brand was doing good, or I should say, still doing good. But no major facelift has been done to the brand since 2014 as per the company sources. But why?

K10's exit was not an ignominious one. For me, K10 was a cash cow for Maruti. To be more specific it has reached the maturity stage of the product life cycle and without market/product modifications survival is tough. Moreover, the success of cross over SUV – like models such as Kwid accelerated the push outside. But I don't think there is a desperate need to discontinue the brand. The factor that, to me, has contributed to the exit of K10 is brand cannibalization. After the initial success of S Presso, K10 started losing its customers to S Presso, which is a classic case of cannibalization. The threat of cannibalization is always there if your portfolio size is large. Companies usually manage it by withdrawing one brand. In this case, Maruti wants to protect the younger one with a more meaningful life. The fate of S Presso is again uncertain. But investing in a question mark is more critical than protecting a cash cow. (Cash cow, Question Marks are two quadrants of the BCG Matrix).

 Anyway, it is time for us to bid farewell to an exciting brand that people remember forever.

New Santro – Facing an Identity Crisis?

The Indian Automobile sector today, like other sectors, is haunted by the ‘tyranny of choice’(Phrase Courtesy: Jack Trout). One wrong step can result in irreversible damage both for image and market share. The bygone years have witnessed an enormous leap in the number of car brands in the country. The level of competition in the market intensified. Some brands got vanished in no time while new ones occupied the space. New designs and technology replaced the obsolete. However, Maruti and Hyundai still enjoy the top two positions in the market with Maruti on top.

In such a scenario, if a brand survives and survives for more than two decades, it is often laudable. Maruti’s Wagon R and Hyundai’s Santro, who are still in the race, have a rivalry for years. Wagon R has crossed three generations with seven models during the past 21 years, and the journey is on. Santro, the first mover in the segment, has also crossed three generations but took a break for 4 years as the model was withdrawn in the year 2014 and reintroduced in 2018. Breaks are always good for a fresh start, but was this good for the brand? I doubt whether Hyundai made a mistake while retaining the brand identity of New Santro?

A brand vouches for modification when it reaches the maturity stage of the life cycle. Both Wagon R and Santro on reaching maturity stage also forced a lot of modifications. At this juncture, Hyundai decided to take a break and relaunch while Wagon R came with modifications. The brand identity for both Wagon R and Santro is that of a ‘Tall Boy.’ The Point of Parity is this, while Point of Difference is the performance and mileage. Maruti was very particular in maintaining the identity of Wagon R, all through the product modifications. If we check into the different models, one can quickly identify with the ‘Tall Boy’ image. The Big New Wagon R launched in 2019 seems to be accepted well by consumers, and you can spot more numbers on the road.

The New Santro was launched with much fanfare. The brand was successful in obtaining initial orders at ease. But to me, the brand failed to continue the show. Here comes the importance of Brand Identity. The new Santro to me has compromised on the ‘Tall Boy’ posture, and the Deja Vu(of old Santro) was missing.

Moreover, the brand resembled the other brands such as i10, Grand i10, which creates confusion among the consumers. Is Santro now facing an identity crisis?. It is not a ‘Tall Boy,’ not a replacement for i10, Grand i10, etc. So what is Santro?

Going by the track record of Hyundai, one can assume that Santro will find its space in the market, but my gut feeling is that if they have maintained the “Tall Boy’ posture, it would have been a cakewalk for them.

POP/POD and Positioning Conundrum – Sensodyne

Positioning is always tricky. Brands quite often get confused about what to position, how to position, and so forth. However, the success of brands depends upon how you place the brand in the minds of the consumers. In a crowded FMCG sector, the positioning conundrum is highly visible. The toothpaste industry gives us a classic case of POP/POD, Positioning conundrum.

Colgate Palmolive and HUL dominate the toothpaste industry in India for years. Colgate, with a market share of 58%, enjoys being the leader in the category with Pepsodent, Close – Up, Patanjali, Dabur, Sensodyne, etc. follow the race. On observing the industry, I wonder why Competitive Positioning is essential? Unlike other industries, the brand loyalty of toothpaste is very high. One can find families using Colgate for generations. Then why brands always run behind competitors?

Sensodyne, a GSK global No.1 brand entered the Indian market in the year 2011. The launch was not smooth as the core benefit of the brand i.e., reducing teeth sensitivity, was not accepted by people. The more significant insight is that consumer awareness of such a condition is inferior. So it was imperative for the brand to first turn attention to Point – of – Parity(POP). The taste and foaming(significant drivers of consumer buying decisions of toothpaste) were adjusted to suit the Indian market. The Point – of – Difference(POD) was reducing tooth Sensitivity(Benefit Positioning). When the whole industry was aggressive and widely used red ocean strategy, Sensodyne marched in a different route.

Herding behaviour is present in all sectors. Cause-related advertisement is a trend today. All companies now bet for a cause. Why this herding behaviour? In the toothpaste sector, Smile is the new positioning normal. Competitive Positioning is not new, but I consider it a waste of money. Why brands like Colgate, which enjoy high brand loyalty goes for herding? This always amuses me. A challenger brand using competitive positioning is understandable, but can’t they travel in a different route i.e., rely on POD.

The last company in the sector to show herding is Sensodyne. They have given away their sensitivity proposition from the latest ads. They also now rely on competitive positioning. But Why? I think there is a shift of focus from being a specialist brand to a mass-market brand. Being a mass brand can, of course, attract more new users and increase usage. I doubt the success of this positioning as we know Sensodyne only as an expert. Now a change in approach makes the brand susceptible. When Xerox tried to change the positioning from a photo copier to a ultimate communications provider, the brand failed miserably. The brand IGNIS of Maruti launched through Nexa Outlets confused people. This is the classic positioning conundrum I was discussing here. Will this approach succeed? Wait for time to say something.

Neeman’s Shoes – Comfort Redefined

It’s been a long time since I have written something here. Thanks to the lock down. Unexpected lock down helped us understand life in a different way. But marketers are always very hard to guess. Their expertise in identifying markets and opportunities is beyond our imagination and often laudable. Neeman’s is a new entrant in the market beyond your imagination. Can a shoe be made of wool? I have never thought of it till the recent past. But the answer is Neeman’s Shoes.

Neeman’s is a Hyderabad based start-up started selling shoes since 2017. What makes Neeman’s different from the competition is the product itself. Neeman’s are shoes made of Australian Merino wool. The primary differentiator to me is the fabric, and secondary is comfort. Neeman’s has three variants viz. Jogger’s, Sneakers, and Loafers. Given the value, I feel the pricing is reasonable. Neeman’s shoes are priced at approx. INR 7000 per pair. Neema’s shoes, as of now, are available only online.

The target market segmentation is based on demographics and lifestyle. Neeman’s is available for both men and women and focuses more on the environmentally-conscious buyer. The tipping point to me is the design as it suits all activity i.e., it serves as running shoes, a pair of casual shoes, lounging shoes, etc. In an already crowded industry, how you position yourself is very crucial. In my view, Neeman’s had succeeded in finding a differing proposition. Neeman’s is positioning is on comfort as well as one – size –fits – all(Read one shoe for all activities and all-weather). Hence, being considered as a multipurpose shoe is a clear differentiator. The lightweight and breathable material keep the wearer cool during hot weather and warm during the Winter season.

Usually, brand pundits say that if you don’t have a unique product try a unique way of communication. However, Neeman’s has tried both. Their product, as I said earlier, is unique, and by having exceptional communication, the brand ensured they stand apart. The digital ad for the brand features stand -up comedian Vir Das, who talks about shoes and the brand in a very humorous and attractive way,unlike usual run-of-the-mill shoe ads.

In a nutshell, a potential winner is born. Early adopters well accepted the introduction. But my worry is on the journey ahead. Can the company scale up the brand or will remain as a niche. To scale up, you have to be aggressive. But the brand has not shown any aggression to date. Since the pricing is a tad higher, democratizing the brand will be different. Only time can decide fate.

Can Water be Smart? - Coca Cola Smartwater

Ever since I started observing the packaged water industry, I was pretty amused by the whole idea of packaged drinking water. What is in the water? Who cares about a brand? What is so special in bottled water? It quenches your thirst as usual. Are we concerned about pH factor or the presence of minerals? How can we find a difference between brands? Is it worth spending time for choice? I presume even the people in the industry also may agree with me for instance. But how long companies can survive without differentiation? Apparently, a shift is visible now. A few attempts are done by the giants in the industry like Bisleri, Pepsi Co’s Aquafina, TBL, and Coke.

The packaged drinking water market is an Rs. 14,000 crore market with a CAGR of 20%. A vast majority of the market (approx. 65%) is in the unorganized cottage industry that too comes in around 3000 labels. Bisleri is the pioneer in the industry and the key player has democratized bottled water when potable drinking water was the need of the hour. Interestingly, over the years all the players in the market are operating at the same price point which makes differentiation hardly possible.

However, here comes time for water to be more than water. Coke with their launch of new product in the category Coke SmartWater is trying to differentiate from the clutter. A per Coca Cola, Smartwater is vapor – distilled and re-mineralized with electrolytes- potassium, calcium, and magnesium which gives water a distinctive pure and crisp taste. An innovation inspired by nature. The product is exciting. It perfectly fits with the portfolio. But the challenge is in gaining traction in the high price-sensitive Indian market. Moreover, Bisleri and TBL are already in this segment with Vedica and Himalayan respectively.

When we talk about STP, it is obvious that the product is premium. It largely appeals to Urban Tier 1 consumers. While the USP of competitors is ‘naturally sourced water’, SmartWater uniqueness is in the manufacturing process 'the way clouds are made'. In a market where consumer consciousness on quality is still low, will the consumer appreciate this USP? Only time has to say. However, I strongly believe that the brand name is catchy. The name SmartWater can induce curiosity among the people and can attract the tech-savvy youth of today.

To me what makes the brand unique is the brand communication. They have become the industry first to rope in celebrity endorsers for bottled water. They have used Radhika Apte and Rana Daggubati in their black and white (read classic) ad films for SmartWater. Through the campaign, coke has tried to make it is a lifestyle choice, a frame of mind and an attitude of seeking the best. The ads I think can definitely induce trial in an aspirational buyer.

The fate of the brand is certain. It can’t bring numbers at least for a few years. You can’t expect also. But having such a product in the portfolio can certainly enhance the brand image.

UNIBIC goes Paan India

A few years ago, if you ask anybody in India about a cookie, they will better point their fingers towards Britannia Good Day. Yes. Good Day was a synonym for cookie in India. But there is a significant shift happening in the industry. The consumer awareness and affinity to cookies have increased.  This has made the cookie industry exciting for the biscuit marketers across the country. In the approximately Rs 300 billion biscuit industry the cookie segment accounts for around 30 percent share at Rs 90 billion. Biscuit giants like Parle, Britannia, ITC and a host of players are targeting this market very aggressively. The market is dominated by Britannia’s Good Day and Parle’s Hide & Seek.  A relatively late entrant UNIBIC is also there in the race for the pie in the market.

UNIBIC which came to India had a rough patch for around 10 years. It suffered lackluster response from the customers as well as internal issues which made the company lag behind competitors. Although the brand is home to a wide array of products like biscuit, cookie and snack bar, I strongly believe that brand equity is still at stake.

The product portfolio of UNIBIC is varied. A glance into their website exposes you to around 30 different cookie and snack bar variants spanning across 8 different categories. It stands out of the competition in terms of product design (design resembles a handmade cookie) and innovation. They a few years back launched the Chywanprash variant which was later pruned out. Their appetite in understanding consumer palate is unmatched as now they have launched a Meetha Paan variant of the snack bar. The fate of the variant is yet to be decided but the innovative spirit is commendable. In order to tap the rural market, the company also have Rs.10 packs in the kitty which is on par with the competition. Have quality products but yet to grab a lion’s share of the market? Quite interesting? I feel that barring product they failed in building the brand. The glad news is that they are now the market leader (as claimed by the company) in the snack bar category.

UNIBIC follows a brand building strategy which is I think is long term in nature. On looking at distribution they have now a presence in around 3, 00,000 outlets across the country. Is it enough? Their institutional selling is strong as they have partnered with Retail Chains, IT Firms, banks, Corporates, Government Organizations, Caterers, Hotels, Hospitals, and Educational Institutions, etc. The major institutional clients include Indian Railways and a lot more. The company is also expanding its business to North India and planning for a new facility in North India ensuring a pan – India presence. But I doubt the positioning of the brand. On brand equity terms do the brand enjoy high brand awareness? The product placement in the retail chains, bus waiting shed branding as well as bill boards are truly attractive. Can they contribute more than salience? UNIBIC is still sold mostly in bundled packages which can induce consumer trial but the product imagery may get affected over a period of time. The Segmentation of UNIBIC goes like this. Cookies are primarily for kids, the digestive range of biscuits are for the middle-aged segment and the sugar-free cookies are for old people. The snack bar is for pan – Indian consumers.

On marketing communication the brand has adopted myriad ways to connect with the customers. The brand has connected with the customers over outdoor media as well as TV and digital. To promote Unibic's cookies and snack bars, the company teamed up with influencers across Instagram and also partnered with Shilpa Shetty Kundra's YouTube channel in a bid to promote their digestive cookie offering. Product activation was also done during events like Puri Jagannatha Yathra. All these have helped in enhancing secondary association. In 2016 brand started using UBU mascot in their campaigns. It has gained appreciation from all corners of the industry. With UBU the brand tries to be lively and friendly personality. The UBU and other campaigns across social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram earned a lot of followers. But in gaining an emotional connection I strongly believe the brand miss a celebrity endorser. In a highly competitive market, it is very important for a brand to have a strong secondary association which a celebrity can provide. A brand is more than a product. So a strong emotional connect can enhance brand equity. I also believe that UNIBIC can follow a cause-related marketing campaign which can also create a strong association.

Anyway, UNIBIC with the high-quality product portfolio they have will surely become a challenger in the market in the near future.

Honeywell Indoor Air Purifier – Can it stay healthy?

What is in the air? The timing is perfect while I ask this question as Delhi is choking. Pollution in India is snowballing at a faster pace. Even though, Delhi is worse other cities also show poor air quality. Several agencies like Pollution Control Board are concerned on the poor outdoor air quality over the years. People are happy staying indoors to avoid exposure to pollution. But are indoors safe? Our incense sticks? Do they pollute our home? Our cooking? Is it harmful? Our indoor upholstery? Who knows?

But this has been taken as an opportunity by a lot of companies. Already we have international companies like Dyson, Philips, Honeywell, Xiaomi, HUL’s Pureit along local players like Kent, and Bluestar competing for a space in the market. According to a marketing research firm Euromonitor, the sales of air purifiers are roughly Rs. 116 crores in 2017 and expected to grow 14.5% by 2022. Considering the fact that India is home to half of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, I think the figures shown are abysmal.

In marketing terms, I presume this is a classic case of non-existent demand. People are unaware of the product or uninterested in the product. Lack of awareness of indoor pollution is a huge challenge for companies. On browsing through various commercials, I found that the companies have meticulously tried to make their commercials more informative. But then why the market chokes?

The answer for this I feel is that people still perceive air purifier as an aspirational product. There is a confusion between mass and premium positioning. Since there is a presence of inferior players in the market, marketers are skeptical about where to position air purifiers. Another difficulty is that utility cannot be measured normally and so there is no differentiation as such in the product. The emotional appeal i.e. family based appeal has become pretty common and so people don’t find it appealing also.

Honeywell air purifiers, in my opinion, tried to stay unique from the competition. They were successful in understanding the consumer behaviour. For a product like this, an endorsing agency can do wonders. They marketed with certificate of recommendation by the Indian Medical Academy for Preventive Health (IMAPH) which adds to the credibility of the product. Talking about segmentation, it serves both the middle class and elite class of the society. The price range as per their website is between INR 12,290 to 30,990. The pricing is at par with the competition. What distinguishes Honeywell from the competition is the product range they have. No other competitor as of now can match with the variety in the product portfolio.

In communicating with the customer, Honeywell is very cautious in its approach. They portrayed Kareena Kapoor as the brand endorser. The initial advertisements were informative in nature. But the latest commercial took a different route i.e. healthy sleep vs sound sleep,. To me this is a rational thought as poor air always gives you bad sleep. Honeywell stand out from the competition with this healthy note.

I know that these are early days to talk about an industry. My strong contention is that, like air conditioners, air purifiers will also become a necessity in several parts of the country. This will attract more companies into the fray. Can Honeywell be innovative and stay healthy.

SOULFULL – A Balanced Diet

Exactly a year ago, while I was walking through the aisles of a leading supermarket, a salesman approached me with a packet of new breakfast cereal which he said is unique from the competition. I quickly surfed through the packet and returned with my usual comment “Will try next time”. However being a curious marketer, the packet haunted me a lot. Before I left, I went back to him and got one for trial. On a second look at the product, my mind was suspicious about whether this brand will succeed. The shelves of supermarkets today confirms that I was wrong. My son has become a fan of the brand. ‘SOULFULL’ is the brand I was talking about.

Knowing the soul of the consumer is what Soulfull has done. Over the past few years, there is a renewed interest among Indian consumers towards traditional foods. Thanks to the likes of Patanjali, paperboat etc. Soulfull also tried with traditional as well as a healthy formula but with a different category of cereal – Raagi which to me was a risky proposition fared well for them.

Breakfast cereals are not common to us. Kellogs is a household name today with an array of products based on cereals like corn, wheat and Oats. A few others are also there in the approximately ₹26.1 billion Indian breakfast cereal market. Apart from that, the consumer behaviour also have changed drastically over the years. Ready – to – cook breakfast foods which was once evaded is widely accepted nowadays. Although hot cooked breakfast is dominant in the country increased exposure of Indians made cold breakfast also acceptable. I believe this acted as cushion for Soulfull to launch its Raagi based products in the market.

The product portfolio is pretty balanced as it includes Raagi flakes and Bites, Museli (Millet and Desi), Rago(A combination of Raagi and Oats), Oat Millet Meal and Millet Smoothix – an instant drink. They also sell instant dosa mix. The beauty is it serves breakfast, snacks as well as meal which is a unique portfolio by a category creator. The products are rich in nutrition, zero preservatives used and very little water needed for preparation claims the company. I strongly feel that the brand has touched the sweet spot with their product portfolio as of now.

Soulfill is priced at a premium. The price of all their products is ahead of the competition. One argument, I presume is the absence of Raagi based brands in the market. However, can they grab market share and sustain in the market? Even after more than four years of existence in the market they remain as a market niche or at the most a distant challenger.

The market segment they operate is more or less the same as their competitors. The loopies and choco fills are directed towards the kids while all the others like museli, Rago, Oat Millet meal target the urban youth and mothers. The only Point of Difference I feel is that Soulfill is Raagi based while others are not.

Above - the - line promotion is something missing for the brand. Since its inception, the brand was focussed in below - the - line promotion. It helped in enhancing the store presence of the product and initiate a trial but the absence of mass TVCs hinders the growth of the brand. Very recently, a commercial has been screened but it lacks creativity. The script revolves around the age-old monster gimmick to attract the kids. Unfortunately, the creativity punch is missing in way of jingles, or taglines.

In my view the start for Soulfull is perfect, but to sustain is a challenge. They solved the biggest challenge of making raagi delicious and had shown a reasonable presence in the category. Now the stage is set to leapfrog.     

Go Colors – A Category Creator

Every time my wife goes shopping, she spends a lion’s share of time choosing churidar tops. I have never seen her bothered about the bottom wear. In fact, on enquiring, she said there is no much choice for it. Furthermore, finding the perfect match is really tough. I was wondering why? Legwear as a branded category was absent on those days.

The success of a brand depends on how quick the void is addressed. Gautam Saraogi and Prakash Saraogi were quick to identify the potential in the year 2010 and a brand ‘Go Colors” was born. Go Colors to me is a unique blend of fashion and affordability. I presume, with the wide array of leg wears, the brand offers a perfect match to any top wear you have.

Broadly, the brand caters leg wears to women as well as girls. If we dig deeper, we can find out the beauty of segmentation based on life style, size etc. If we peep into the company website we will be amazed by the choice the brand provides. Go colors offers Leggins, Jeggins, Pallazo and ethnic legwear for women which always reflect their lifestyle. Each of these are further split into specific types like churidars, Harem, Patiala etc. The size chart ensures a better choice of apparel. The myriad of varieties available in an array of 120 colors, makes Go Colors different from the competition.

Understanding the dynamic consumer behaviour is the hall mark of Go Colors. Today, there is a growing interest among women towards physical fitness. One can notice this easily by looking at Indian streets during the early hours of the day. More and more women are engaged in fitness measures like jogging, walking etc. Taking the cue from the market Joggers have been added to the kitty recently. For girls Go Colors offers Leggins, Jeggins, Harem and Pallazo (Read. Choice is limited compared to women which is understandable).

For a new category, pricing is the key determinant for the success. Go Colors ensured affordability with its pricing strategy. A women legwear is priced on an average around INR 500(range between INR300 – INR1000) which is to me a reasonable price point for a middle class homemaker. To satisfy the upper class of customers Go Colors also have apparels above INR 1000. The omnichannel presence of the brand made it easily available to the customers. Go Colors products are available online as well as offline channels. Besides, having an own website, Go Colors is available through leading e-tailers such as Amazon, Flipkart, myntra etc. The company have around 200 exclusive outlets across 43 cities in India and also present in the shelves of retail giants like Reliance Trends, Shoppers Stop, etc.

As a brand enthusiast, I strongly believe Go Colors can improve upon the promotion of the brand. Although few TVCs are shown, the impact is questionable. I think more above the line promotion can be tried to further upscale the brand.

But, I strongly believe that Go Colors can help one master the ‘art of dressing down’ and make the legs happy.

Manyavar - Earning Our Respect

Fashion is a sector which is always mysterious. No one can predict the success of the brands. When Khadi struggled to catch attention, Fab India with similar portfolio was a huge success. The traditional saree is now replaced by the modern churidar and jeans. What puzzles me is the speed at which consumer behaviour changes.  However, the inclination towards modern outfit is dominant among the new generation. This is evident from the extensive use of suits by men as marriage outfit.

Even though embraced well by the younger generation many a time, Suit as a marriage outfit invited irk from the older generation. This resulted in a forced departure from modern attire to traditional attire (Even if forced there exists a vast majority who willingly wear traditional as well as ethnic wears). The difficulty in wearing, is that what stops many to go for traditional ethnic wears. Thus, consumer avoidance of traditional wear is attributed mainly to two reasons – inconvenience and price. What if a brand addresses both?

For the success of any brand, the choice of category is very important. Mostly, brand stays relevant if it creates a category by itself. Manyavar, a brand launched in the year 1999 is now synonymous with wedding wear. The brand journey is quite interesting. The tipping point for me is brand positioning. Largely, ethnic wears are considered as apparel for rich. Manyavar democratized ethnic wear by launching kurta-pajama from Rs 1,000 and sherwanis from Rs 5,000-6,000. This gave the brand the intended acceptance among the consumers.

The flashy segmentation used by the brand is occasion segmentation (even though gender, as well as age segmentation, is present). By adding a wide range of products, Manyavar positioned itself as a Celebration wear brand. The brand now caters to various occasions - from weddings to festivals, Rakhi to Roka. By ensuring a fusion of western and traditional designs, the brand has addressed to the problem of inconvenience. The Manyavar product portfolio includes exquisite Sherwanis, fine Indo Westerns, Royal Band Galas, Jackets, Kurtas and matching accessories for life’s celebrations. Kid’s Ethnic and Fusion wear are also on offer. In tune with the overwhelming success of menswear, they extended recently to women’s segment with the brand ‘Mohey”.

Manyavar caters to the consumers through 400 plus Manyvar exclusive outlets spreading across 6 countries as well as through Multi Brand Outlets. This enhances the brand visibility. The choice of Virat Kohli as the brand ambassador to me is a balanced decision. He can best reflect the brand as Virat can be a synonym to “Earn your Respect”. Another interesting twist which probably an obvious choice is positioning Manyavar and Mohey as complementary brands (see the recent ad below).

So far the journey is smooth. The Indian ethnic wear market is growing with an approximate market of around INR90, 000 crores. Brands like BIBA, TNS etc. are also gaining consumer acceptance and may pose a challenge to Manyavar as well as Mohey. I presume female ethnic wear is more vulnerable to competition than men’s wear. Anyway, I personally feel that Manyavar will remain as an undisputed leader at least for half a decade as the brand DNA itself revolves around innovation.

Rooh Afza - A Seasoned Player

A brand stays relevant for more than a century! Surely it will catch the attention of brand experts. As a curious brand analyst, I also felt excited about the brand. The catch is that no extension has been done as of now. How can a brand survive in a market overpowered by MNC giants with their carbonated and non-carbonated beverages? How can a brand be effective to all changing consumer preferences? The brand Rooh Afza has something to say.

Rooh Afza launched in the year 1907 was the first syrup presented to the people which combined visual beauty with the essence and virtues of other traditional syrups. Its distinctive colour, taste, and fragrance made it unique among the consumers of that time. It was primarily a seasonal product i.e. was extensively used using summer in “sharbat”. Their captive market even today is mostly North India but are now eager to make it a National brand.

Even though using syrup at home was common in those days, it was widely used by sharbat vendors. The syrup formula was available in almost all fruit flavours and also vegetables like palak, pudina and hara ghia. Rooh Afza is the first sharbat for which white bottles of uniform size (750ml.) and almost of the same shape, which was called ‘pole’ bottles, were obtained. This innovation was the hallmark of the success of the brand then. The pricing was higher and so targeted only the upper sections of the society.

As the brand was unique the company spend on promotion was meager earlier. But the advent of competition from MNC giants made them rope in Juhi Chawla to endorse the brand during the early 2000s. They also carried on below the line techniques to maintain connections with resident associations preventing a further dip in volumes. In 2010, Chef Nita Mehta was roped in by Hamdard Laboratories to create new mocktail and dessert recipes for Rooh Afza. As a brand enthusiast, I feel this is the best strategy to reinforce your brand i.e. find new uses for your brand. Rooh Afza managed to have a close association with Ramadan as it was served in all iftar parties (read. Associating religion and brand enhance brand awareness as well as relevance). Rooh Afza was positioned as the healthy alternative as artificial flavours or fats are absent. The commercials talk about freshness and energy which go in line with the USP(Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6DycJ3dJwA).

Given all the positives, I strongly presume that the brand failed in impressing the Gen Y as well as Gen Z as they are the strong market for soft drinks or smoothies. Also, they lagged in markets like Andhra and Tamil Nadu where the summer is long.

Taking the cue from the market, very recently they entered into the estimated Rs 7000 crore ready-to-drink beverage segment with Rooh Afza Fusion. As there is a surge in consumer health consciousness of the consumer, they have retained their health proposition to combat competition. But the major brands Tropicana and Real also use the same proposition which happened to be the point of parity. But the point of difference is the presence of ten different herbs along with fruit juice. The pricing of the product is also on par with the competition. RoohAfza Fusion comes in five flavors, namely Refreshing Lemon, Delicious Orange, Juicy Mango, Exciting Pineapple & Orange and Luscious Litchi.

My take is that they are very late in a market where we already have highly established players. Borrowing the words of David Aaker, in order for a brand to be relevant, they have to create a new category as their extension. In this case, no new category is created. Besides, it is very difficult to shake a category where consumer brand awareness is very high. Since Gen Y and Z are not truly brand loyal Fusion can induce product trial. But can it sustain is often doubtful? Paperboat, for instance, came as a disruptor but I feel they failed in satisfying the mass. They now remain a market niche with a reasonably good fan base. Will fusion be treated as me – Too brand? Anyway an aggressive campaign is missing.

Lenskart.com – With a Clear Vision

It was during my school days, I recognised my difficulty in reading letters written on the blackboard. I was taken to an optometrist and was diagnosed with myopia. I and my mother visited the adjacent optical shop and bought a spectacle as per the prescription (choice is minimum). I was pleased to get my vision clear. But to my embarrassment, everyone started calling me “Soda Glass” seeing the thickness of the glass. The picture is not different even today. However the eyewear industry has evolved over the years. I have discarded my spectacles and now wear a Bausch & Lomb soft contact lens with pride.

As a marketing enthusiast, I was indeed very curious in knowing the consumer behaviour. To me firstly, eyewear market even today is doctor – driven. Consumer seldom takes decision without consulting a doctor. Retailers have resolved this by employing in-house optometrist and through this, I presume the industry developed but with low penetration. Secondly, the stigma towards people wearing a “chashma” (Spectacle) still prevails in the society in general. Thirdly, eyewear is a product by force rather than by choice. Due to this, given a chance people evade wearing specs.

As the consumer evolve industry provide us with enormous opportunity. This cue was taken by the promoters of brand Lenskart.com which disrupted the eyewear industry by leaps and bounds. Lenskart modified the consumer behaviour. Thanks to the technology revolution. Lenskart started in late 2010 was the first homegrown online eyewear marketplace in India. To me, it was a clear clutter breaker. The brand broke the “buyer resistance” by launching free home eye test. The game changer was the 14-day money-back policy which abridged the inhibitions. The whole process of ordering is hassle-free as a Lenskart salesman accompanies the optometrist and helps you in placing the order. Lenskart was also careful in positioning. All their campaigns communicated an aspirational element to spectacles similar to jewelry and made it a fashion statement. Their 3D frame selection was an instant hit.

To make their distribution more perfect, Lenskart started offline stores. Currently, 350 Lenskart offline stores are present in 90 cities which enhances the visibility of the brand. Riding on the trust gained, Lenskart developed their own brands which to me is the most significant decision which will make the brand sustain in the long run. Another tipping point is the value for money pricing. My personal experience is also in the similar line. The website provides catchy discounts which can retain the consumer with the brand. 

What haunts me currently is can we make the consumer brand loyal. My personal experience is that I have changed stores as per convenience while buying eye wears. As of now, Lenskart is pretty safe as the majority of their consumers are brand loyal. But what will happen if competition intensifies?

Anyway, kudos to Lenskart to democratize otherwise a category product to a product of choice.