Some Brands... They become one of us!

As I return to one of my favorite topics, Branding & Marketing after a long time, here's something which has become a part of our lives unknowingly! I am sure most of you would relate to this.

Marketers' biggest objective is to register their brands in the minds of the customers. And I say register it to such a level that it remains on the top of mind (TOM) to an extent that when the customer enters a store, she's strongly influenced to choose the TOM brand. Millions of dollars are spent on this, commercials are repeated on TV/Radio, celebrities are used, events are done and so on.

Needless to say, there have been hits and misses here as well. And some of the brands have reached a level where they command recall of the entire category rather than the product itself. Talk about some iconic brands, just to highlight say Parle Agro's Frooti (mango pulp brand). Do you think, with the urge of drinking mango pulp we just walk up to a shop and say, "Frooti pls!" rather than maybe "Which Mango pulp drink do you have? " Yeah, ofcourse its a clutter today with Maaza, Slice, Real, Tropicana, MAA and what not! But, I presume Frooti shall always remain as a TOM mango pulp brand for most Indians today! And what's more a Frooti Ad of today shows, When it comes to a mango, Frooti is the name!

Frooti is just one of a list of many. I'm sure you will agree with me if I add these names as well to the list...

Maagi for Noodles?

Surf for Washing Detergent?

Thumsup for a Cola?

Cadburys for a choclate or maybe today for a meetha (sweetmeat)?

{Is blog start karne se pehle meetha nahi khaya, i hope the readers like it :D}

Crocin for a Paracetamol?

Vicks for a Cold Suppressant?

BUT! a brand name becoming a generic category name may also spell doom for a marketeer. An instance can be TTK's brand Fryums. Yes, my friends, Fryums is just not a generic name for any ready to eat fried snacks! It has become one. But TTK is no way in the picture! Sad isnt it?

The generic name of Fryums in the TOM of customers was exploited by retailers to push similar unbranded snacks which offered better margins. In the end, Fryums was reduced to a commodity with no differentiation and brand protection. Several attempts of rebranding to Fryums Yummies also failed and finally when liberalization happened, competition (like LAYS) killed the brand.

But the world hardly remembers the brand martyrs. Customers just move on! Ambassador was an iconic brand but customers have moved on to the likes of Honda, Hyundai, Maruti and Toyota. Kelvinator died but the Samsungs and LGs rule HER (customers') mind today!

Convenience matters, value does! Rest is just a footnote. A generic brand name offers a level of communication between the reseller and the customer that some of them still prefer to use them. And a majority of customers change brands with a hell lot of resistance. Invariably brands become household names! Marketers need to accept this, and ultimately as some great has said, "Change or Die!" Brands are no different!

Cheers!!!