Brand Amul- Connecting with people efforlessly

Brand Amul- Connecting with people’s effortlessly

  

It was 12^th July 2012, I just entered the Hotel Red Fox in Hyderabad at around 11.15 pm, after a day of making arrangements for our new outlet launch in Chandanagar, freshened up, was just about to close my eyes for a good sleep, my room phone rang, wondering who it will be at this hour, It was my boss Mr Alok Kapoor on the another line.

We were called in his room at 11. 30 pm to share some data!

Just as we were discussing some points, My boss stood up and there was one book “Amul‘s India” in his hand.

“This is a gift for you, he said!

I was astonished at his gesture, i had always considered books as most valuable gifts (last week only, my wife had gifted me Steve jobs biography) and a gift from boss, wonderful, i really felt happy!

I slept well that night!

The book is about brand Amul, not how it was made in detail, but how it grew strength to strength.

Few points it taught me-

How Amul system works

Milk Producer---------Village Dairy CO-OP----------District Milk CO-OP union--------State CO-Op Milk MKTG Fed------------Consumer

1.       Cartoon form: First and foremost thing i like about brand Amul is its form, Cartoon Amul girl, it has not tried to become real, had it become real life character, it would have lost the charm, brand Amul is not intimidating, not boasting about its products, this form is most engaging. The sketches are still hand coloured.

2.       Brand Amul: After observing the communication over the period of time, brand Amul is positioned in my mind as “ Priceless products with complete consumer trust” , this brand is so approachable, it’s never far, it tells me “ i have best products whatever milk can produce”

3.       Communication messages: They always are topical, let’s remember it’s really difficult to choose one subject to communicate on as topic need to have dramatic potential, of sufficient interest, they need to appear immediately otherwise impact of that topic will be lost and at the same time, there should be a way to connect with the brand. Amul has always chosen topics which have the maximum connect (Bollywood, Politics and Sports). The messages are thought provoking, lovable and charming.

4.       4-5 words of wittiness and humour and teasing - The best part about brand Amul is that it’s messages are of just 4-5 words and in some cases even lesser than that.

 It’s really difficult in 4-5 words to

           

  Connect with the topic/issue

                Putting humour

               Connect with Amul brand and its products

5.  Amul addressing everyday problems – With its journey from attacking politicians, connecting with Bollywood stars, it started addressing grievances of customers like power shortages, bad roads. Admissions ,Legal age for drinking and more, so customers felt brand Amul as their spokesperson, somebody who is highlighting their problems not as if brand Amul will solve the problems but at least addressing to large public through its hoardings.

6.Controversial nature of messages- Why it got connected to most people was that its controversial Nature, it was put people into thinking for few seconds and then smile, customer would nod in agreement, Yes, i have understood what you meant!

Journey of brand Amul

1970-1980- In this period, Amul billboard documents the disconnected concerns of small group

1985- Mid 1990s- Amul billboards covers beginning of liberalization and change of political discourse.

Post 1991- Political scandals and controversies

After 2000- Bollywood and television

Amul, Utterly Butterly delicious, a brand!

Vikas Sachdeva

    

            

    

          

love is all around

She said its complex subject and let’s write on something else but till then it was too late, the thought had already begun, tickling, finding, questioning and intriguing.

Based on my interactions with people over last few years since I have come to Mumbai , I believe the finding is true” The utmost need of the mankind is to be loved”……I am asking few questions to you

1.       Have you ever felt that you have all the amenities, comforts but still something is missing at times? That is love.

2.       Have you missed that special friend in the parties you were part of? That is love.

3.       Do you often look for someone who really love/like you unconditionally, hear you out completely?

4.       When you look back what is that one or two things that you miss about yourself?

It happens with everybody in different times, we become part of system in such a way that we forget ourselves, we forget that need of pampering ourselves that we used to do earlier. We stop talking to ourselves and we search for others to fill the gap.

Half of the things we don’t understand, half f the things we don’t communicate.

I often admit that I generally don’t express my love for others, I historically assumed that people will come to know how much I care, love them but how, will they get any a dream? I started realizing this and working on expressing, expressing to those special ones!

I remember once Steve jobs said “Stop living other’s life, which means that living life due to other people’ reactions” and since then I have changed.

We, People run away from some facts and points

We need people around us and vice versa, if you have tried to distance yourself from them, it is your choice, question is identifying right set of people should be around you .

Do you get affected by what people think of you/ say about you often? Pls don’t, Practice Neutralism more which is art of getting less affecting by negative emotions and growing inside out.

 List down activities you used to do before and liked them? Why have you stopped doing them? No responsibilities is not the reason, it can only cut down the frequency not entirely

Keep high expectations only from yourself, how much you can deliver to yourself? Keep expectations from others at minimum level, and that level only you can define.

Always contribute in other’s work if asked.

Love people unconditionally ( choose which ones carefully) and they will love you back sooner or later.

In problem, discuss it with close ones, don’t hold it to you, I never used to discuss with loved ones, opening up a bit.

Just think bloody life is so limited, enjoy the uncertainty, I am learning to do that, just think if you will live till 60 ( u don’t know till when u will live) subtract ur current age, se how many years left , lot many things to do, lot much to explore than to given attention to people who never matter to you.

Open up, open up, open up

You will never be able to keep the entire world happy, so just keep yourself happy.

I have  always believed

·         There is lot of love around us, its  we who need to find it.

·         Its your life, all people who have achieved something in life had same no of hours in a day, may be more responsibities/pains than we have.

·         Choose the right people around you & they will sail you through.

·         No, you will not get everything, the world is not created for you alone, so prioritize.

·         Be happy, laugh out loud, meet people, share, be a catalyst for your and people’s growth.

Lets make place around us more beautiful

Vikas sachdeva

Brands, ads and consumer

As an amateur, I tend to have big eye for communication, advertising, how consumer will react (my point of view only), Understanding Psyche of people and response patterns. With 6 years of experience in a bit of strategy, branding, advertising which involves agency handling ( both creative and media), conceptualizing promotional ideas and executing it, brand operations ( ATL and BTL) , I have learnt to become a keen observer of advertising. I am itching to share my point of view on following points

• Gaps in Briefs sent to agency and outcome
• Media- only about reach?
• What clicks!

Gaps in briefs sent to agency and outcome

“We just want to create hype around merchandise as on savings platform” ……I saw his mail mentioning the same to the agency!

9 days later, agency came up with layout with boxes and product pictures placed in it, headline read” The Biggest Bachat Mela”

Disgusting!!! He told agency, this is what I expected from you? You have been with us for years now and this is the output!!!.....not acceptable at all!

Poor servicing guy tried explaining in detail but in vain!

Looking helpless, servicing guy mentioned, we had been briefed in one line about the thought and that’s it, no detailing given to us in terms of direction of thinking, one word savings can be depicted in 100 ways!

And fight went on!

Since then I learnt the importance of proper briefing (meaning why we are doing his communication, End objective, TG, any emotion that we are using, tone, informing or engaging etc)

Today in over communication world, where every brand is fighting for perception space, Brands needs to be engaging the customer not only informing about their offerings.

I really really hated this new Aircel ad (Lets keep believing is the tagline) wherein they show a kid opening a laptop and engaging with MS Dhoni, Dhoni tells about his childhood days and how he believed in himself and tears in his eyes (clearly fake and story didn’t demand those tears) and then suddenly Aircel logo appears …let’s keep believing!

I would like to get answers on

• ·         What is to be believed about (Your unmatched offerings, Trust in your brand by your consumerism?)
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• ·         When I thought about brief that must have been sent to agency, it was clear but the outcome, the ad doesn’t tell what brief must have been!
• 
  
• ·         Why u had tears MS Dhoni? Believe me Consumers are more realistic today and straightforward too!
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• ·         Aircel-From “world of possibilities’ to let’s keep believing” I don’t know what to say.

I started thinking Abhishek bachchan’s idea ad of sharing violence video on YouTube was much better (

Though again the difference between actual thought and the execution was different)

·         We all believe communication has purposes

·         Seeking attention (watch J K laxmi cement ad where a bikini clad girl is coming out of sea with J K laxmi cement pack shot, No connection with product at all but it has caught all the eyes!)

·         Awareness about products and services ( most fall under this category)

·         Contributing to the life of consumer through its offerings

·         And more!

Media – Only about reach?

“Kerala’s no 1 daily is 32.82 lacs ahead than No. 2 daily…….i was made to read this line with its shouting fonts and animation!

Zee surges to no. 2 spot beating Sony this week !i again I had to read!

My question- is media only about reach?.....where is the content?

It’s not only how many people watching a particular channel  but also what is the content most viewed and why? Is any socio economic culture change is prompting most to view that content? Is it a signal to produce that type of content more?

I admire Sony TV for the way they have changed the content, programs like Crime Patrol, Comedy circus, Tarak Mehta ka Ulta Chashma, Indian Idol, Bade Ache Lagte Hain, Saas Bina Sasural…..all have been differentiated in their programming and TG rather than Star TV who is typically seen as Saas Bahu champion.

In Print we often say, this publication doesn’t give me result, have we tried enough? Does by doing communication in said publication 4-5 times gives us accurate results, its TG takes a long to associate with you, you may be new to the publication but publication has enough years under his belt and what efforts have we taken to engage with the readers of publication, just mere self admiring ad and expecting it will do wonders, short term view?

MTV has only its two shows catering to youth, Roadies and Splits Villa, they do fantastic job of faking thrill, emotions, all scripted but still youth is mad about the shows, flesh shown is also a key indicator, are we moving to west by content , yes we are!

So in my perspective, Reach is not only the true indicator, content of media vehicle, engagement with audiences is the key!

What clicks!

• ·         Didn’t you love Dhara’s ad where a kid says “Main ghar chhod ke jaa raha hun” then he couldn’t resist the temptation to eat Jalebi made with Dhara Oil
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• ·         Didn’t you love Cadbury ad when a girl celebrates victory when her boy hits six in cricket ground and she dances in the cricket ground ( I love all Cadbury commercials, super connect)
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• ·         Don’t you like Nescafe’s signature tune …ta..tara..ta..tara…ho shuru har din aise!
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• ·         Lalita ji’s surf ad

There is something that made these ads memorable which is instant connect and relatabilty, celebration, humor, background music!

Fancy jingles, weirdness in communication will help only for shorter period (watch olx ads, serve the purpose of anything can be bought or sold on olx but horrible ads!)

Few characters are so loved that people really visualize them in their daily conversations. Bade  and chote from 9xm, Sudd of hasi ke favaare, Jeevan mein cinema ke faayde,Kamla ka Hamla, Actor calling Actor.

I see so many hoardings on WE highway from Bandra to Goregaon, sometime I wonder a single person must be exposed to thousands of times in brands shouting “ I am the best”

Communication connects when we connect (simple yet not simple)

World’s greatest brands have invested for years to get desired results, and you want everything instantly?? Good things take time and idea is to follow the path, if we measure everything on numbers and conclude our opinions, we will crash in sometime or the other!

Have another blog to write, my point of views only, share yours!

Vikas Sachdeva