sounds of BRANDS

Audiences are like an empty wall at which every brand struggles to put its name. And once it is there, it gets even harder to make it stay and speak for itself. For some brands it takes years to engrave their marks in the minds of the consumers and build a lifetime relationship with them; some win their hearts at the first stroke, while some are left unseen, unnoticed and too unknown to be remembered.

The thing that makes a brand huge is not its stylish logo or the melodious jingle alone, it is the power packed impact that comes with the creamy blend of all the tiny individual elements that are usually ignored by us. Power packed impact- because it strikes the eyes of the viewers and holds them tight until they fall in deep love with it. There was a time when brands could only dream about creating this impact. However, if you take a small break here..look up..and think all the way back since you got up in the morning, you will realize the intensity of interference of brands and their marketing moves in your daily lives. Television, newspaper, internet and lots of other sources have made it easier for the brands to reach us. Especially in today’s world where there is no such word as “boundary” and brands are taking full advantage of being free to produce wonderful impact through the best creative ways possible.

Talking about creativity, Coca Cola is the first brand that comes to my mind. Hitting the rod at the right time and at the right place while keeping its prestigious image up is what I call an Art. Coming up with such a fantastic concept of Coke Studio took both Coca Cola and Pakistani music to a next level. It became the most awaited show on Pakistani television, no matter what type of music taste they possess; they are always ready to experience the taste of Coke Studio. Coca Cola has successfully built an image of happiness and that too is depicted in their marketing. Surprising the public at different places with such a warm and beautiful melody, accompanied with a group of young and energetic representatives making merry and bringing the lost smiles back to the faces of all ages is what Coca Cola came up with and did perfectly.

Brands mostly make their personality by their own choices. They step into the market in the strategically best way and make an unbreakable bond with their customers. This reminds me of Olpers, entering the industry with a bang and knocking all other brands out in the war of good advertisement, product availability and better shelf space. From TV commercials to hoardings, even inside the stores, Olpers was seen everywhere! Besides other attractive campaigns, as far as making and sharing a bond is concerned, Olpers did this job by introducing hamds like “Hum mustafavi hain” and “Har lehza hai momin” delivering the message of faith, unity and brotherhood amongst the nation in every holy month of Ramadan. Olpers never leaves its customers alone, and that is why its customers never forget it.

Fame and recognition of the brand is not enough for a marketing campaign to be successful. A good concept and thought is what every promotion should entail, if it is missing, it can ruin the entire impression of the brand. Just like the slogan of Pepsi or rather the tagline of all the recent mobile phone jokes… “Kis ne kaha tha pepsi pe 5 rupay kam ker do”…???... One neither knows who said that nor the logic behind this slogan so it faded away in the echo of laughter. Here I remember a marketing campaign which apparently was very unique and catchy but did not achieve much through it. Glowing Minute Maid bottles hanging down the trees, good location and overall ambiance can be a good combination but unfortunately it could not bring the success due to the lack of proper communication with public. It is just like sitting beside a person and having no conversation for hours. Brands can win the attention of people through many ways. Once they get the attention they have a golden chance to direct the people in the way they want. This summer, Firdous Lawn Collection became the center of attention of all the hoardings by putting as many pictures of Kareena Kapoor as possible on them. This is simply placing the entire burden on brand ambassador’s shoulders- strategically not a very good idea. On the other hand, involving the customers in the marketing campaign makes it more effective, for instance, Pampers Pakistan and OPTP campaigns on Facebook.

Now what I call the memorable ads with crystal clear message and portraying everybody’s life are Ufone ad series. The recent one, advertising “saaf awaz quality” became so common amongst the public that everyone has its famous dialogue “teri mehrbani” on their tongue. People who are generally very indifferent to the normal ads recall this one; hence, it has become one of the best ads of Pakistan. The reason lies in the humorous yet simple and clear method of conveying the message. The aim of Ufone was successfully accomplished when audience started believing in the importance of clear voice and accepting that Ufone is the one that provides it.

A brand is all what its marketing makes it. A single marketing mistake can bring a great loss to the complete brand; however, sometimes simple and easy things work so well that they leave their prints in the history and most importantly in customer’s hearts.