The concept of social media is no doubt a great one. We know all about the conversations that occur but the dynamic has changed significantly over the years. The potential for a great marketing tool still remains. However, the lack of a framework, while advantageous in many ways, also goes creates a significant disadvantage. The ‘social’ in social media necessitates creating large networks. But the messages flow randomly and without any context which is the biggest hindrance to any business activity. Hence, while the reach remains significant, the actual eyeballs are but a miniscule percentage. And if we think of any retention, it is practically nil for most brands. The ‘likes’ are no better. It happens at the click of a button without any real investment. And hence, without any reward (or punishment) for that matter, the concept of likes is a very hollow one.

The biggest advantage of social media was the trust factor. Since networks comprise of friends (and friends of friends), there is an inherent connect. However, the novelty has long worn off. The ease somehow just seems to undermine the seriousness (if any) of the recommendations. On the other hand, a face to face conversation has a certain personal touch which makes it weighty. And of course, when it comes to online conversations, the sheer volume doesn’t help at all. Even things that trend in today’s times last but for a few days and are then forgotten. Unfortunately, this is just not long enough to form the solid associations that a brand requires. With everyone jumping onto the social media highway, the amount of information that is flowing through social media channels is humongous. But the human mind just doesn’t have the processing capability to tackle it.

In short, while companies are doing everything right, human constraints are limiting the effectivenss of online branding strategies. And because of this, the offline mode of communication is suddenly beginning to gain prominence once again.

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These “smart bins” will also serve as advertising mediums and what better time to introduce them than before the Olympics. While regular bins, although quite visible, still tend to fade into the background when it comes to their actual usage, these “smart bins” will surely be difficult to miss. Hence, the city stands a really good chance to stay clean as well as make money. There are of course two downsides. For one, the “smart bins” are going to be expensive, especially when it comes to maintenance and preventing their theft. Also, they may just become so popular that they may land up being the next place for having the proverbial water cooler conversations.

In any case, the pedestrians of London are in for a good time this summer.

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One of the key reasons for any film’s success is the marketing. And that’s what we shall be looking at in this post. While Agent Vinod had a huge marketing budget, I’m not quite sure it was utilized in a proper way. The strategy was successful in creating initial interest. However, the marketing effort, while extensive, turned out to be quite fragmented in the end. The main problem was the positioning of the film. There was no one well defined target audience that it focused upon. Instead, the makers tried to appeal to everyone. And in the end, the result was disastrous. So let’s take a more detailed look at how the film was marketed.

The hype for Agent Vinod was created with PR, events, social media, online marketing and billboards. However, while the promos and songs were slick, the intrigue was lost as the promoters overdid it. But all in all, they did manage to raise awareness. A graphic novel and a PlayStation3 game were planned. These seem to have become the norm after Ra.One. But both markets are still quite nascent in India. A tie up was announced with McDonald’s for a line of merchandise followed by another one with American Tourister. But somehow, I just don’t see a burger in a high octane thriller. Nor do I feel comfortable with a luggage brand partner in a high flying spy movie.

While the makers seem to be convinced that ‘fun and entertainment’ (McDonalds) and ‘toughness and strength’ (American Tourister), are the same values carried by the movie and it may well be the case, there is still a vast difference in the audiences that are being targeted. Yes, there was a McDonald’s in the climax (well, at least one of them) and Agent Vinod chases villains across 12 countries (no wonder the joke goes that it should have been called Travel Agent Vinod), but these aspects seem more forced than anything. The makers should have ideally selected one audience and revolved the marketing campaign around it. However, they seem to have chosen the media first and then gone about promoting the movie with full force but without a direction.

Finally, even marketing has its limitations. The plot was a messy mix of James Bond and Jason Bourne with a very Robert Ludlum-esque ending. The screenplay dragged on and on with only meager bits of entertainment. And the action sequences were nothing to write about either. The verdict. Box office failure.

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Superheroes have captured the imagination of hundreds of millions of people worldwide for years and years. So what can be easier than to capitalize on this readymade audience? And especially because of the advances in technology that allow for superior special effects. So we have Captain America, Green Lantern, Thor and other superheroes finding their way onto the big screen these past few years. Furthermore, unlike most other movies, sequels and prequels for superhero movies are planned well in advance. Even movies like the Incredible Hulk which only did average business was made again as the audiences were willing to spend money to see another spin on the same superhero. And if that’s now enough, reboots help in reviving franchises, both Spiderman and Batman being prominent examples.

And soon, we shall be witnessing the mother of all superhero movies: The Avengers. This movie has a group of superheroes, most of whom have already had their own successful solo releases in the past. To bring them together in one mega movie is every superhero fanatic’s wildest dream. I, for one, shall be waiting with bated breath as the Avengers take on the evil forces that threaten our planet.

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So how does the technology work? Customers have to align their eyes to the ovals that are displayed on the windows. The technology then projects designer shades around their eyes on the screens in front. They can also turn their heads to see what the arms of the glasses look like. Finally, with a simple tap on the icons on the window, they can virtually try on different designs. While Bloomingdale’s is only offering this facility till May 7, 2012, it still provides a very exciting peek into the future of window shopping.

Impulse purchases are something that every retailer dreams of. A virtual window shopping experience can be just the incentive to get people interested. This idea could also be extended to mobile devices where customers can sample new items virtually, pay for them and have them delivered. While the technology is ideal for apparel and accessories, it could have other applications as well. Although some may argue that this technology can never replace actual trials (and that may be true), the time factor is something that may incentivize a large number to go in for something like this. For awhile, the novelty factor would also definitely be a catalyst.

All in all, this technology can save a lot of time. If nothing else, it certainly adds an element of fun to the entire shopping experience.

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Airbrushing is now a common practice in the world of advertising. From shaving off pounds to removing wrinkles, from giving perfect curves to toning the muscles, Photoshop is being used to create the perfect look. But unfortunately, the ethical boundaries are getting more blurred than ever before. To use software to create beautiful images is a perfectly acceptable practice. However, when the image can directly mislead customers in terms of the efficacy of the product or service being advertized, then it certainly becomes cause for concern. For instance, touching up the background scenery is alright, but ironing out the wrinkles off the face to demonstrate the efficacy of an anti-wrinkle cream is not.

Recently, L’Oreal was pulled up by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in the UK for digitally manipulating a black and white ad for Revitalift Repair anti-wrinkle cream featuring Rachel Weisz. Using gimmicks has always been an integral part of advertising. However, a digital touch up that directly impacts a primary decision making driver constitutes fraud. While many companies would argue that they have the right to present their products in the best light possible, it still does not give them the license to mislead people. Hence, the use of a model that did not require airbrushing seems to be a logical solution. However, there is another question that remains unanswered. How can we know whether the company’s claims have been substantiated?

Hence, while using an airbrushed image of Rachel Weisz constitutes an ethical violation, simply the use of another model without wrinkles still doesn’t completely remove the ethical dilemma. However, if we were to isolate the function of advertising from the rest of the organization i.e. we simply operate from the advertising paradigm, the solution does become more palatable.

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What can we say about these brands? While coffee chains have existed in Europe for a long time, Starbucks really transformed the concept into a phenomenon. Tata is well known all over India and has coffee and tea brands. So there is a natural chemistry between the two players. Starbucks also brings with it considerable retail expertise while Tata offers the home base advantage. The synergies in the true sense of the word are perfect. The first outlets are expected to be opened in Mumbai and New Delhi with a total of 50 locations planned in the first 12 months. While Starbucks will retain 100% ownership of the stores, the coffee will be sourced locally from Tata Global Beverages, India’s largest coffee producer.

According to Technopak, about 1000 coffee shops have opened in India over the past five years and the market is growing by 25% each year. Hence, the TATA-Starbucks joint venture is entering at a time when the concept has generally gained acceptance in a society that predominantly consumes tea. There is no doubt that this venture will create waves in the premium coffee chain segment in India. However, there is also no doubt that it will face stiff competition from the established players, especially veterans such as Café Coffee Day with about 1200 outlets and Barista. The TATA-Starbucks venture also has to take care of two more important things – the menu with respect to localization and the pricing.

The launch is only a few months away. But the battle lines have already been drawn. It will be interesting to see how this one ultimately plays out. But regardless of the result, India is in for a mega caffeine treat.

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The Encyclopedia Britannica announced that it would cease production of its iconic multi-volume book sets. This makes the 32 volume 2010 edition the last print version. While the company was the first to venture into bringing out a digital version of its encyclopedia way back in the seventies, the arrival of the Internet completely changed the dynamics of the game. Print suddenly started going out of fashion, at last when it came to information. The Internet was quicker and a much richer source of data with regular updates. The print version of the Encyclopedia Britannica continued to trudge through the nineties and the first decade of the twenty first century purely on the basis of the goodwill that it had generated over two centuries. But it was always a foregone conclusion that the end would come sooner than later.

If we simply look at the contribution of the print version as a percentage of total revenues, it stood at a mere 1% at the time of the announcement. As opposed to this, subscriptions to the Web site contributed 15% with the remaining 85% coming from sales of curriculum products. The print version cost a hefty $1395. But today’s masses are not even willing to pay a dollar for information. The reason for this phenomenon was born 11 years ago with the arrival of Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia. While the online version of the Encyclopedia Britannica claims more accuracy, Wikipedia has left it far behind when it comes to usage. In fact, this was one of the key lessons of the Internet bubble that had burst just about a year before the launch of Wikipedia – that people were not willing to pay for information.

But still, 244 years and seven million sets is a very good run. R.I.P.

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Kodak was built on an unshakable premise, that of a captive paradigm. Think about this. The company made the film, sold the chemicals used in the development of the film and sold that paper on which the photographs were printed. No wonder then that the company ruled the industry for well over a century. And it would have continued to do so if technology had not decided to play truant. The ushering of the digital age was the turning point. But here’s the biggest irony. The company that invented the camera, that beamed the first images from the moon, that held numerous patents, was also the company that made the first digital camera.

So what went wrong? Kodak became so comfortable in its paradigm that it refused to see the change happening around. The new technology was dismissed by the company, and it continued to tread down the beaten path. The giant had its head up in the clouds from where the ground realities were invisible. Moreover, when it needed to run, it could only plod. And when it finally dawned upon them that the minnows were leapfrogging over the mammoth, it was too late. For the last decade, Kodak tried its best to catch up, but the race had long been lost.

The dynamics of change have altered dramatically over the last two decades with disruptive technologies plunging so many established companies to their graves. So many other industries such as music and newspaper have been turned upside down due to technology. Even those that have tried to adapt have not necessarily succeeded. Kodak tried many things. But it was like a fish out of the water. All it could do was flap and wait for the inevitable. For Kodak, the moment had long passed.

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Life OK targets the Indian middle class as opposed to simply catering to the youth based in metros as did its predecessor. Hence, the intended audience is certainly wider. In the words of Mr. Ajit Thakur, General Manager, Life OK, “We have defined ourselves as the channel which tells you to cherish all that one has and once we do that, we believe we are targeting just about everybody. We are more mass than any GEC can get. We are reaching out to all families in middle class India based in the heartland of the country.” While Life OK touts that its programming centers around a philosophy of imparting values, the target audience is essentially the same as Star Plus. Hence, there is real danger of cannibalization regardless of “addressing the ‘other’ India where there is a balance between aspiration and the values.”

Life OK does offer some unique features such as three stories every hour that are aired all seven days of the week along with shorter ad breaks. The channel has also roped in Madhuri Dixit to be its face. She serves as the narrator or ‘sutradhar’, something that is a first for Indian television. Some of the shows that are airing on Life OK are ‘Meri Maa,’ a tribute to the mother and child bond, ‘Mahadev,’ an epic about Shiva, ‘Saubhagyavati Bhava’, a story about a woman whose parents are enamored by external appearances, ‘Smile Please’, a show about values, ‘Tum Dena Saath Mera’, which highlights the simple joys of life, and ‘Hum Ne Li Hai…Shapath,’ a show about two cops against a flawed system.

So let’s analyze whether Life is really OK? Let’s start with the name. The decision to stop Star One was sound. Its ratings were low, and its target audience wasn’t that well defined. But was it wise to drop the ‘Star’ prefix? The Star brand is very well established and building a new identity takes time. However, I feel that it was the right decision since it had to move out of the shadow of its more illustrious parent and carve out a niche of its own (I love the friendly logo). However, the target audience (notwithstanding the touted differences in name, logo, slogan and positioning) overlap greatly. This is one area where I felt that Life OK fails. To be fair though, Star has tried to create differentiation through a different format and bringing in Madhuri Dixit.

However, while the format suits the audience, I’m not quite convinced that it makes business sense. The loss in ad revenues given the shorter ad breaks would be hard to compensate through higher ratings given that other channels are also upping the ante. But my biggest issue with Life OK is ultimately the programming. While the channel says its philosophy revolves around “cherishing what you have”, I find the programming not much different from the other channels in general. Some of the shows sound preachy which means they are urging the audience to “strive for better” (Star Plus anyone?) or are quite depressing which is completely against the feel good positioning that the channel aspires for. While ratings have been generally high, I wonder whether this phenomenon is a temporary one.

All in all, I find the launch of Life OK to be a sound decision on the part of Star. However, I hope to see the philosophy reflected in the programming before it gets tagged as just another general entertainment channel.

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