Strategy: Why Videocon wont “pakad life ka any signal”!

Glued to swanky Videocon ads aired on television these days? The advertisements depict various stories trying to connect emotionally with the viewers. Be it “naye kharche ka signal”, “naye job ka signal” or “naye dosti ka signal”, the company scores well when it comes to creativity. They have also managed to showoff India’s biggest brand Sachin Tendulkar every now and then. 100 cities in 100 days look aggressive from outside. But advertisement can only create awareness about a product; strategically the company seems to be lost out, before the battle really begun!

There are many reasons than one. First of all, “Pakdo Life Ka Har Signal" message given in the ads with the company’s reasoning that it underlines Videocon’s commitment to deliver an efficient service through a strong network. When you launch a new product, customer looks at the novelty. What is the value add if I switch from the existing one. And when it comes to changing service provider and number, the reason should be really out of the box. Videocon has emphasized on good signal or connectivity. But when you compare the level of competition, Videocon seems to be in a totally different space. Each service provider is focusing on value added services, promising customers better utilization of money. Good connectivity is not a ground to compete anymore. It is assumed that it has to be good.

Vodafone is trying to empower customer with its Power to you campaigns. DoCoMo is going for caller tunes and low calling charges. Aircel is focusing on connecting with social networking sites with its Pocket Internet add-on. Airtel is again promising on lower call rates and higher value added services. Videocon seems to be boarding the bus when everyone else seems to have taken the flight!

Industry is burgeoning with new entrants. The leaders, the likes of Airtel and RCom are facing problem retaining customer. The prices are falling, profits are hurting, and outlook seems to be bleak. Analysts are shrugging off telecom companies. 3G spectrum is only going to add to the worries of these companies by increasing the capital investments, not promising quick returns.

fOoD fOr ThOuGhT: Videocon doesn’t seem to be in the right industry at the right time. The strategy also isn’t promising. The brand value isn’t so high that people go gaga about the product. Hope somebody is listening and taking corrective steps before it is too late!

Isn’t advertisements making more noise than sound these days!

The advertisements that are aired currently on television simply lack the creativity, content and innovation. The appeal for any product is just not been able to communicate effectively, whatsoever. Companies are now spending more on buying advertisement space (slots) rather than innovating and capturing mind space of viewers. They are bombarding ads with poor content on television.

The Havell’s adv where a person is shown given capital punishment makes no connection with the product. The godrej Jio safety systems adv with all graphics fails to impress. Pepsi’s "Youngistan Ka Wow" make little impact when you compare with the amount company has spent to rope in the two stars. The Zoozoo created by Vodafone was a big hit during last IPL season. But now the company seems to be dragging the concept, covering up the creativity gap. The IDEA Ungli cricket tops my list of failed creativity. What a waste! How many people are actually buying Idea connection for the same, or how many are giving answer to those dumb questions! The HDFC insurance ad where two friends are travelling in taxi, one about to leave the country is again not impressive.

On the other hand, Sprits ads are really cool. The one with “he just love dogs” and the recent one shown in Advasi setup make sense as an audience. Yes, the Tata Tea “Jaago re” ads are cool and meaningful. The likes of “Centre Shock” ads and the creativity of Happydent white chewing gum ads are just not comparable with any ad currently aired. The Airtel music and the one which had lot of lines “conspire, inspire, confession, celebration…” wasn’t that just amazing! Or the “AAla re…, aala re, aala re – soft drink company Pepsi Co’s ad featuring Tendulkar was an instant hit. The Fevicol ad “pakede rehna... chodna nahi...” where a man is trying to save a woman, only to see her falling as a carpenter lifts Fevicol bucket kept above the television or the one in which creaky bus is shown with unimaginable number of passengers holding/hanging with the bus! Feviquick ad were a fisherman applies feviquick on a stick and catches fishes as soon as he puts that stick in water. The Cloromint Panwari ad was so humorous.

fOoD fOr ThOuGhT: Hope the creativity quotient is back in the advertisements, may be after the IPL saga is over. Companies should try to capture mind space of viewers. By the way, I would love to know which ones are your favorite or is on top of your mind!

What an IDEA Sirjee!!!

After long and unfruitful debates between the developed and developing nations, to save the Earth, here come a very different advertising strategy by IDEA cellular. The campaign extends its concern over the issue at the same time successfully manages to make an impression on the audiences. It isnt a rocket science! Save paper - Save tree, simple known fact, but the way advertisements has depicted the concept is really appreciable.

In first advertisement, Abhishek Bachchan, the brand ambassador of IDEA, plays the role of an agonized 'Tree'. He strikes the idea of using mobile phone to save paper, and therefore, the greenery around him. More and more people switch to their mobile screens rather using paper. The tree regains life and leaves the audience with a simple message - 'Use Mobile, Save Paper'.

I liked the second advertisement more. A lady is shown bargaining for vegetables, she takes mobile number of the vendor and instantly transfers the amount to his account via mobile. I wonder if this trend actually picks up, the stuggling telecom industry can actually appear smiling again.
The new campaign from IDEA abides by the essential brand promise of providing a simple, fresh and imaginative solution to a complex problem of the society. The new campaign has been developed by IDEA's creative agency, Lowe.

Some food for thought: Idea cellular can actually stop printing manuals and unnecessary papers for new connections, stop using paper in recharge coupons. Heard they are going to use news-PAPER i.e print medium to spread the message!!! I hope they set an example by following what they are preaching rather than just creating a buzz!

Aman Ki Asha - Not so Asha from it!

The advertisement is fantastic with "Dilwale Dhulaniya..." being guessed correctly in a game of dumb-charades, bringing joy all over. Its a nice initiative. But is it going to help even a bit? Do we wait for 1st Januarys of every year to start something like this? Another resolution...? The motive? Does making Amitabh Bachchan appear in an initiative help? Connecting people-to-people basis and bypassing politicains, going to help? Lot of queries...
TOI and Jang group makes another initiative on 1st January 2010, this time to spread harmony between the two ever fighting nations. The first thing that comes into my mind is, do we really wait for January 1st and make new begining! Nothing changes in a day, we can start things any day and make a difference. Anyways, why is it not supported by other news channels and politicians of both the countries. When its the matter of two nations, it should be atleast supported whole-heartedly.

Music surely has no boundries...
"Sangeet mein hai aisi fuhaar
Pathjhad mein bhi jo laaye bahaar
Sangeet ko naa roke deewar
Sangeet jaaye sarhad ke paar

Sangeet maane naa dharm jaat
Sangeet se judi kaayanaat
Sangeet ki naa koi zubaan
Sangeet mein hai geeta quraan
Sangeet mein hai allah aur raam
Sangeet mein hai duniya tamaam

Toofanon ka bhi rukh modta hai
Sangeet toote dil ko jodtaa hai"
Agreed. Lines from Mission Kashmir movie, written by Sameer and Sung by Shankar.

The adv is trying to connect common people from two nation, bypassing the politicians. I doubt if it is going to be appreciated by any political party. Its also good branding exercise by TOI... trying to make a statement, otherwise limited role played by the nation newpapers as a whole. I see few awards for the initiative for sure.

I am not among the pessimist bunch, but if we look at it practically, the impact is going to be really insignificant. Such initiatives should be carried out. It is not going to make any difference in either of the side, nor its going to move our politians a bit. But, it just keep the hopes alive. It keep us reminding that afterall hatered is not the only solution and we can be considerate at some point of time. It also ensures that movie and music business is not hurted because of the stubborn stance at the highest level. My take, nice initiative, "the first step" seems alright, atleast somebody is thinking on these lines, but we need more actions rather than just words!