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    Reboot & Refresh 2.0: The new Indian marketing playbook

    Synopsis

    With consumer sentiments and household spending still low, Brand Equity finds that leading advertisers are exploring newer approaches to market their products...

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    The marketing rules have not only changed for brands that are witnessing consumer pull but also for industries that have strongly felt the pandemic shock.
    As several major states are in unlock mode, India Inc has optimistically started to ramp up production capacities and boost services. However, following a deadly second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, consumers aren’t ready to loosen their purse strings yet, indicate several studies.

    According to the recent Reserve Bank of India’s consumer confidence survey, household spending has weakened. Consumers are concerned about the economic situation and job prospects more than before. The survey further states that while essential spending is showing signs of moderation, non-essential spending continues to shrink. But marketers aren’t seeing these as roadblocks to engage with consumers. A year into the pandemic and several lockdowns later, brands have refreshed their marketing playbooks, which they flip through when times get dull with consumers.

    Brand Equity spoke to leading advertisers to understand their reboot strategies for when consumers don’t want to spend and aren’t optimistic. Here’s what they had to say:

    Storytelling through gratitudeRecently, multinational consumer goods company Reckitt’s brand announced that it will replace its iconic germ protection logo, for a while, with stories of unsung Covid-19 warriors like cab drivers, homemakers, nurses and students. The push is part of the brand’s ‘Banega Swasth India’ programme that debuted in 2013 and will appear on four million Dettol original liquid handwash packs. According to media planners, Reckitt, makers of brands like Harpic and Lysol among others, had almost doubled their ad spend from Rs 500-600 crore in 2019 to Rs 900-1,000 crore in 2020 in the wake of the pandemic. The company’s marketing investments will only continue to grow in the coming months, estimate industry experts.

    But with the increase in the volume of advertising comes the need to be responsible. Dilen Gandhi, regional marketing director, South Asia- Health & Nutrition, Reckitt, tells Brand Equity, “Brands that recognise the change in consumer sentiment and respond effectively have always been more successful, regardless of tough times.”

    He further adds, “It’s more important (for brands) to decide what to say versus how much to spend on advertising. At the same time, it is also incredibly important to be authentic: Consumers will not reward brands that are simply riding on the bandwagon.”

    Anil Viswanathan, senior director – marketing, Mondelez India, has similar views. ‘Gratitude’ has been the theme for the company’s Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate brand since May 2020. Back then, it launched limited-edition Cadbury Dairy Milk bars by replacing the brand logo with a ‘Thank You’ in recognition of the “generous spirit” of the country’s “unsung heroes.” The brand’s ad script has been revolving around the same theme too. Viswanathan says, “Today, brands cannot afford to exploit situations to their benefit. They have to be respectful of consumers’ lives. Brands need to have a strong purpose to engage with their customers. Keeping the consumer at the heart is a marketing principle that no brand can let go of, especially during these challenging times.”

    The theory of multi-plans
    Edtech unicorn Unacademy took off as soon as learning moved from classrooms to living rooms. The startup doesn’t believe in putting all its marketing ideas in one basket. Karan Shroff, chief marketing officer, Unacademy, explains, “Our greatest learning from the pandemic was to continuously work on multiple plans rather than focus on one. We have multiple avenues to bank on instead of channelling all our energies into one campaign.”

    He says, “Holistic development was the greatest need of the hour and the ideal pedagogy should enrich the minds in every possible way, especially in times like this.” Over the last several months, Unacademy has been placing its bets on content marketing through web series like ‘Aspirants’, ‘Operation MBBS’ (second season) and its marquee initiative called ‘Legends on Unacademy’, to draw new users to the platform. The brand’s latest film ‘Unacademy Believers’ also emphasises the message of gratitude.

    The marketing rules have not only changed for brands that are witnessing consumer pull but also for industries that have strongly felt the pandemic shock. For instance, a recent online survey by YouGov India shows that the second wave has led many consumers to reconsider their car purchase plans. However, a recovery of the category in the second half of this fiscal year is expected, with the country gearing up to hit the road of optimism.

    Shashank Srivastava, senior executive director (marketing & sales), Maruti Suzuki India, foresees “considerable changes in buying behaviour and patterns” in the coming months. The company’s car subscription service and online finance portal were initiated keeping in mind the new normal purchase trends. Additionally, the company worked with government authorities to provide cooked meals, PPE kits and supporting ventilator production during the first wave. Recently, the brand set up a multi-speciality hospital in Gujarat; along with the installation of Oxygen PSA plants in Gurugram, Noida and Delhi.

    “Recessionary times do force brands to go completely dark. However, it can be because many brands are clueless about what their message should be during unprecedented calamities like this,” says Srivastava. At the end of the day, the role of a marketer is also to make customers lives better in every possible way. “If we have this part sorted, advertising will not only help in business recovery, but also increase customer trust in the brand,” concludes Srivastava.
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