Consumers need brands too

As marketers, advertisers and brand owners, we are pretty weird. We talk of brands as lovable and significant entities: adored by consumers, playing an important role in their lives, making a difference in the world, and so on.

And at the same time, we also talk of marketing as mostly 'interruptive' - things that stop consumers from going about their daily lives and pitch sales stories to them. From this lens, brands are seen as desparate entities fighting for survival. When consumers notice our brand, and recall it from our ad campaigns, we celebrate. When consumers recommend our brand, and talk about it through their social media profiles, we earn the title of industry experts.

But how can an entity worry about relevance, and talk about affinity at the same time? Perhaps, it is led by our perception we aren't too willing to admit - Brands need consumers, consumers don't need brands. "We" need "them" because they buy our products, prefer dealing with us, pay more for our services, etc.

But we never think that consumers need brands too.
We don't discuss from this perspective. We don't have conferences or conclaves from this point of view. We are busy proving advertising effectiveness, calculating social media ROI using grand metrics, even creating new metrics, all in an effort to justify the existence of our brands.

Of course, we are taught all the right theories on how to tap into consumer needs, and building great brands. But the perspective is always that of a survivor. Books and speakers address their audience as people struggling with identity crisis.


Perhaps it's time to change this point of view.
Perhaps it's time to treat brands on an equal platform with consumers.
And perhaps, with that stance, brands will truly make a difference in the world.

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Crossposted on LinkedIn

Truths about ‘insights’

Let’s get the most agreeable truth about ‘insight’ out of the way – it is a much often used, overused, and abused word.

Agreed! But since we haven’t learnt to discuss advertising without this word, let’s continue on this topic.

There are two more, perhaps equally obvious, truths about insight. But they don’t get talked about much; hence, this post.

One, not every ad campaign needs an insight.
Sometimes, a great ad campaign is great simply because it’s a fresh idea or fresh storytelling. The first TVC of Sony Bravia just showed colourful balls filling up the streets of a small town; it was brilliant art direction. ‘Chal Meri Luna’ and ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ became path-breaking campaigns because of brilliant copywriting. Calling a memorable moment a ‘Kodak moment’ is brilliant marketing. There’s no consumer insight in the ad. Creatives, planners, and servicing people know this, understand, and even accept this truth. A few clients would, too. Most others can’t. They would probably get nightmares if they were told that their ad agency would be presenting a script without an insight behind the idea. Nevertheless, if it’s a fresh idea, it would work even without an insight.

The second truth: Insights don’t and can’t exist in isolation.
Have you ever tried to think of insights without a brand or product in mind? Try it... in vain.

Because we think insights are about consumers, we believe that they are independent of brands and products. But they aren’t. When CEAT Tyres said “the streets are filled with idiots”, it said so because the brand offer was safer tyres. When Tata Sky said “Poochhne mein kya jaata hai”, it said so because consumers considered the brand so premium, they didn’t ask about its packages and prices when they were out to buy an inexpensive DTH service. Olx says ‘Bech De’ because it relies on people growing distant from their possessions to the point that they want to dispose them of, at a small price. Would these insights mean anything without the brand offer?

This brings us to the most controversial aspect of insights – their definition.
Based on truth no. 2, we know that we would have to consider both the brand / product and the consumers to be able to arrive at an insight.

Hence, here’s what I propose:
An ‘insight’ is an already-known truth about consumers that makes the brand proposition compelling and irresistible to them.

This truth could be how consumers use the product, how they buy it, or even the emotions and imagery around the brand that is offering the product. But it can’t be bereft of the brand / product. If it is, it’s just great storytelling at work, not insightful.

What do you think?

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This is my post on LinkedIn. It has been cross-posted here so that it has its own URL.

Secret Identity

Hello, Bruce.

Who is Bruce?

C'mon. Bruce Wayne, of course. You.

How can you be sure?

Because, I know, Bruce. I know who you are.

Did Alfred...?

No, Bruce. I know because I figured it out! And it's easy. Anyone can do it. And chances are, everyone has done it. They know Bruce Wayne is Batman.

Impossible!

Really? That's what you think? People are smart, Bruce. They would also know who I am.

You?

Yes, me. Figuring out the man behind this smile doesn't require much effort. But I wonder why they are quiet about it. Why would they just stand by, and watch?

What if they don't really know? What if they are only guessing?

Oh, please! Look at them! And look at us!

Why haven't I figured you out, then?

Because you are not like them, Bruce. You are different. You are busy wearing a mask.

Introduction

Hi there.

Do I know you?

No. I mean... not yet.

What makes you think I would want to know you?

I don't know. You tell me. What about a person interests you?

I don't know either. I guess I just like to stay away from people. And...

What?

Nothing.

No, really. What?

You don't look like someone I would normally talk to, or make friends with.

Wow! Umm, ok. Yeah, I understand. I get that a lot.

You do? Really?

No, actually not. Well... Ok, let's see. Hey. I don't know what you think of me, or... or how I look like. But, I saw you sitting here alone, and I thought, maybe you...

Maybe I what? Maybe I am easy? Maybe you would get me drunk?

I thought... maybe... you were looking for someone. Someone you could talk to. Someone who would just sit and listen... That's all. I am sorry. Have a nice evening.

...

...