The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing

There are times when Brand Extensions seem to work. Not in the field of marketing though. But when writing marketing books!

The head of the anti-extension brigade - Ries and Trout – wrote a book ‘The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing’ which was subsequently extended by Ries and his daughter 20 years later as ’The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding’.

If you had enjoyed my previous post – the extended brand ‘The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding’ – you would probably like the original – the mother brand, if you will – ‘The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing’.

Enjoy the extension. Extend the enjoyment!

The Law of Leadership: It’s better to be first than it is to be better. Close Up came first; stays foremost in the tooth gel category, even after some 35-odd years in the running!

The Law of the Category: If you cannot be first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in. Having failed to enter the fairness cream category first, Emami carved a new category out of it to be the first – male fairness creams!

The Law of the Mind: It’s better to be first in the mind than to be the first in the marketplace. Krack was not the first cure for cracked heels though it certainly feels like that.

The Law of Perception: Marketing is a not a battle of products, it’s a battle of perceptions. Samsung, I am told, makes high-end TV’s for Sony. Try telling that to those who think Sony makes the best TV’s in the world!

The Law of Focus: The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect’s mind. Dettol was ‘protection’. Dettol is ‘protection’. Dettol will be ‘protection’. And successful too!

The Law of Exclusivity: Two companies cannot own the same word in the prospect’s mind. Contrary to what many people think, Mercedes and BMW don’t mean the same thing. Mercedes means prestige. BMW means ambition!

The Law of the Ladder: The strategy to use depends on which rung of the ladder you occupy. Clinic Plus is the leader and can try and attempt category expansion. Other brands shouldn’t.

The Law of Duality: In the long run, every market becomes a two-brand race. Proof: Pepsi Vs Coke.

The Law of the Opposite: If you’re shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader. Remember the famous Avis’ ‘We are No. 2; we try harder’ campaign.

The Law of Division: Over time, a category will divide and become two or more categories. Children’s TV channels, for instance, are splintering into English channels (CN, Pogo), Tamil channels (Chutti TV) etc.,

The Law of Perspective: Marketing effects take place over an extended period of time. ATM’s when they were launched failed. But banks persisted and the rest, as they say, is history.

The Law of Line Extension: There is irresistible pressure to extend the equity of the brand. Sunsilk continues to be extended like Draupathi’s saree – without an iota of success, if I may add.

The Law of Sacrifice: You have to give up something in order to get something. Fair & Lovely is the queen of female fairness creams. Fair & Lovely Men’s Active is not going anywhere – except maybe back to Hindustan Unilever factory!

The Law of Attributes: For every attribute, there is an opposite effective attribute. If Coke is old, then Pepsi is young; If ‘The Hindu’s is ‘honest and old-fashioned’, Deccan Chronicle is ‘sleazy and modern’.

The Law of Candour: When you admit a negative, the prospect will give you a positive. Dettol burns and unashamedly admits it. Consumers like that.

The Law of Singularity: In each situation, only one move will produce substantial results.

The Law of Unpredictability: Unless you write your competitors’ plan, you can’t predict the future. Who could have possibly thought a few years ago that the largest manufacturer of cameras in the world would be………….Nokia! Yup, Nokia it is now.

The Law of Success: Success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure.

The Law of Failure: Failure is to be expected and accepted.

The Law of Hype: The situation is often the opposite of the way it appears in the press. Dove shampoo is projected as a runaway success in the marketing pages of business magazines. The story has a different ending in the retail shelves!

The Law of Acceleration: Successful programmes are not built on fads; they are built on trends. Suffola built a brand riding on ‘health’.

The Law of Resources: Without adequate funding, an idea won’t get off the ground. Krd Rys, packed ready-to-eat curd rice, is languishing for want of funds, a receptive market notwithstanding.

saravana @ Paris

Singur

Some years back Tata Steel ran a creative ad campaign with a cryptic slogan: ‘We also make steel’. It claimed, quite legitimately, that apart from its main business activity, the company also ran the best-managed industrial township in Jamshedpur, encouraged sports and supported other corporate social responsibility initiatives. In other words, steel-making was sought to be projected almost as a byproduct of the company’s larger commitment to the nation.In the context of the Tata Group’s proposed investments in West Bengal and Bangladesh, I am tempted to speculate: if the road blocks to these investments are cleared, and the Tatas set up the small-car plant in Singur and the steel-power-fertiliser complex in Bangladesh, might these enterprises some day prove to be byproducts of a larger endeavour, namely, economic reintegration of the two divided halves of Bengal?This possibility is within the grasp of the people and politicians of India, especially of West Bengal, and Bangladesh, to close the chapter of artificial division and open a new one of cooperation and co-prosperity. Yes, it is within our grasp if only we care to listen to the great call of 21st-century Asia and also to the centuries-old music of the spiritual-cultural-social unity of Bengalis on both sides of the border.It is not difficult to know why some sections of Bangladesh’s political and intellectual establishment — since its creation in 1971, the country has received only $3 billion of FDI — have fiercely opposed the Tatas’ offer to invest nearly $3 billion in the country’s core industrial sectors. The main reason lies in the rise of anti-India sentiments, stoked by the rising power of foreign-funded Islamist forces. These forces are also the principal opponents of India-Bangladesh cooperation to harness the latter’s considerable natural gas reserves. India-locked on three sides, Bangladesh simply cannot use its natural gas except within a framework of cooperation with India. Yet there is an entrenched mindset in Bangladesh that resists such a move.What is appalling, however, is to see that some forces in our own Bengal seem determined to keep it industrially underdeveloped, economically stagnant and thus incapable of opening new avenues of employment and wealth-creation. Until recently the communists themselves were responsible for Bengal’s de-industrialisation. But now that the CPM has finally realised its mistake, its opponents are using the traditional communist methods to oppose a project that promises to become the harbinger of the state’s re-industrialisation.How ironic. With due respect to Mamata Banerjee, who is spearheading the opposition to Singur, I have to say that her agitation militates against both West Bengal’s immediate interests and India’s long-term interests. She has many admirable qualities, but if she wants to be taken seriously as the potential successor to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, she has to look beyond her party’s rural base for the next panchayat elections. She must expand her vision to see the big opportunity that India has not only to accelerate economic growth in our eastern and northeastern states, but also to pull our estranged eastern neighbour into a new paradigm of sub-regional cooperation, which alone can make Tagore’s dream of ‘Amaar Shonaar Bangla’ for undivided Bengal come true.Today, regional and sub-regional cooperation is the axis around which the wheel of economic growth is turning. The nay-sayers to new investments in West Bengal and Bangladesh should glance eastwards to see how this wheel has turned in the direction of poverty alleviation, employment generation and shared prosperity. Not long ago, undivided Bengal was more advanced than several countries in Southeast and Far East Asia. Kolkata itself was ahead of Shanghai. Today, if Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and, lately, even Vietnam, have left West Bengal and Bangladesh far behind, it is primarily because theyrealised the virtue of economic cooperation. Fifty-five per cent of Asia\\'s trade is now within the region, and this figure is rapidly rising. No wonder, America and Europe have had to confront the truth, which was unimaginable earlier: their domination of the world’s economy, and hence politics, is nearing an end.Every vibrant centre of enterprise has a demonstration effect on the neighbourhood, eventually leading to a symbiotic way of collective growth. Thus, Singapore spurred Malaysia’s success. Japan’s miracle influenced China, and today China’s growth sustains the Japanese economy. In spite of the political problems between the two neighbours, today there are 35,000 Japanese companies operating in China, employing 10 million Chinese. There are also 100,000 Japanese working in China. Goods and capital are moving almost freely here. The Asean and East Asian region have been transformed into an integrated manufacturing plant, in which some components are made in one country, others in another country and the final product is assembled in and exported from a third country. Can we not envision a similar transformation in our eastern region? Is it impossible that an economically vibrant West Bengal will not open the eyes of Bangladeshis, just as the success of Narendra Modi’s ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ initiatives have opened the eyes of many communists, whether they admit it or not?What India and Bangladesh need are visionary leaders in politics, business and public life. Leaders who refuse to live in the past and are determined enough to script a new future for our children whose grandparents were, after all, once part of the single family of undivided India. In this endeavour to re-integrate our two countries economically and socially, we should learn from the EU. Last week some Auroville-based European devotees of Maharshi Aurobindo organised a seminar in honour of Jean Monnet, a French statesman regarded as the architect of European unity. From the ashes of World War II, he extricated the golden idea of economic cooperation. He began with something as mundane as establishing the European Coal and Steel Community with Germany and France, bitter rivals in the war, as its core members. The idea evolved and engendered the EU. It now has 27 member-countries, which have broken down walls that divided them in the 20th century. Shouldn’t India and Bangladesh pull down the ‘narrow domestic walls’ keeping them apart to the detriment of both?

The Marketing Quiz

What’s a good ad? Is it the one that we love to watch often? Is it the one that is cute, cool and contemporary? Or is it the one that we love to talk about?If ‘advertising’ is use of mass media to persuade consumers, I urge you to take the Maayaajaalam Quiz. Given below are the creative situations of a few ads - from very popular and very visible advertising that are currently on air. Try and figure out the brands these ads are for?1. A housewife returns home, searches for her husband and goes around the house calling out his name – Sanju Sanju.2. In a crowded station, as the train is about to leave, a TTE suddenly gets into a mood and starts dancing as the entire crowd watches him completely amused.3. A man runs naked through the street and picks up clothes and stuff from shop to shop.4. Dhoni gets down from his car and starts walking through the village and is greeted by everyone – each with a peculiar hairstyle.5. Actress Hemamalini and her daughters talk about how they get good, safe and clean drinking water at their home.6. Bridegroom cries as she leaves her family along with her new husband, sits in her car and the bridegroom switches her shoulder and she starts smiling and he switches her on again and she starts crying again.7. People from all walks of life – shoppers, people standing in a cue, people at a fast food outlet, all keep swaying from side to side.8. A young couple checks their new house and the husband, keen on impressing his wife, tries to ask the electrician there some technical questions to prove his competence only to find the electrician answer even more technically and the husband sheepishly agrees and leaves the place along with his wife.9. A father sees her daughter off after marriage, waves at her and seeing her cry, starts making faces at her and makes her smile.You would have seen these ads, and seen it many a times - especially with their heavy exposure during the IPL matches. You probably even like a few of them. But the question is, were you able to get the brand name right!To help you, here are the answers.1. Max New York Life Insurance2. Good Day3. The Mobile Store4. Brylcreem5. Kent Water Purifiers6. Crabtree taps7. Citi Card8. Standard Electricals9. Gitanjali MayaSo, how much did you score? If you scored low, what does it mean?

Problem ?

" Pick the problem that's giving you the most trouble, the one that costing you the most, the one that will reward you the most if you can fix it"

பாண்டியன்

The five habits of highly successful slackers

The five habits of highly successful slackers are:

1.Perception is Everything
2.Whatever!
3.The Team Player
4.Procrastination
5.Under the Radar

Today let’s take a closer look at Procrastination, as it is a trait both successful slackers and overachievers alike employed in the workplace.
There are many different ways to use procrastination for a successful slacker’s benefit. The obvious ones are enhanced free time and effective stall tactics.
A less obvious one is using procrastination to test the true importance of a task. In a work world rife with dunderheaded management who have an inflated sense of self-worth and importance, employees often get assigned useless and frivolous tasks which have an “ACTION REQUIRED” stipulation added to them. Yes, it’s in all CAPS so nobody can use the de-facto excuse, “Oh, I didn’t realize it was a required action”.

Instead of immediately responding to the task and completing it, successful slackers follow a flowchart entitled “ACTION REQUIRED - Not Really”.
It’s a three step process designed to test whether or not the action being assigned is truly required, so you don’t waste precious free time on useless assignments from people who think what they have to say is important.

A Valentine’s Day Poem for Managers

If you don’t love what you do.
Stop paying your dues.
Look for loving clues,
For work that you can say, “I DO.”

Telling Your Family That Work is More Important

This is a tough time in any middle manager’s life. The time when you finally realize that you care more about your job than your family.
I remember when I told my Dad. He was crushed, but it felt great to release the burden I was carrying around. I also gained more free time that I wouldn’t have otherwise had available. It was nice to know I didn’t have to visit him in the nursing home anymore and I could be myself again.
So, how do you broach this touchy subject? The best way to start is to increase your weekly work hours by multiples of ten until your significant other notices. It’s important that your work doesn’t suffer during this awkward transition.
When the situation comes to a head it’s best to set up a pros and cons chart so everything makes sense. I titled my chart, “The Pros and Cons of Eliminating You From My Life.” You might want to use some of the following Pros:
I have the freedom to work late.
I don’t have to waste my time at our children’s soccer matches.
I will no longer have to buy presents and gifts, which definitely helps the wallet.
I won’t have to pretend like I’m listening anymore.
I can share my love with spreadsheets, Word documents, and my desk.
I like to keep my Cons column empty, just so everything is clear. I hope this helps you free yourself from the clutches of a loving and supportive family.

Anger Management Joke

Dad to son: when I beat u how do you control your anger?Son: I start cleaning toiletDad: How does that satisfy you?Son: I clean it with your toothbrush...

Asian Market Tumble again on U.S.

Continued worry that the beleaguered U.S. economy will slow global growth caused Asian stocks to fall sharply. Shanghai took the biggest hit, dropping 7.2%, as winter storms threatened to exacerbate national energy shortages and accelerate already-high inflation.
In Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore and Seoul, the decline in share prices ranged from 3.8% to 4.3%.
In China, weather woes gave investors another concern on top of a global slowdown. Heavy snows, which are disrupting transportation at a peak travel time, depressed share prices of airlines, insurance companies and energy-intensive industries. The latest jolt pushed the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index firmly into ...

‘A’d Joke!

A mother had three virgin daughters. They were all getting married within a short time period. Since mom was a bit worried about how their sex life would get started, she made them all promise to send a postcard from the honeymoon with a few words on how marital sex felt.The first girl sent a card from Hawaii two days after the wedding. The card said nothing but: ‘Nescafe’!Mom was puzzled at first, but then went to her kitchen and got out the Nescafe jar. It said: ‘Good till the last drop’.Mom blushed, but was pleased for her daughter.The second girl sent the card from Vermont a week after the wedding, and the card read: "Rothmans".Mom now knew to go straight to her husband's cigarettes, and she read from the pack: ‘Extra Long. King Size’.She was again slightly embarrassed but still happy for her daughter.The third girl left for her honeymoon in Cape Town. Mom waited for a week, nothing. Another week went by and still nothing. Then after a whole month, a card finally arrived. Written on it with shaky handwriting were the words "South African Airways”.Mom took out a latest magazine, flipped through the pages fearing the worst, and finally found the ad for South African Airways.The ad said: ‘Ten times a day, seven days a week, both ways’.Mom fainted!

Advertising Poetry

Who ever said Advertising is poetry probably meant only this! I scavenged this piece from the net. Author unknown.When the client moans and sighs,Make his logo twice the size.When the client's hopping mad,Put his picture in the ad.If he still should prove refractory,Add a picture of his factory!

Ad Quotes

Writing well, rule No. 1: Write well!- Luke Sullivan, copywriter and author.Imagination is one of the last remaining legal means to gain an unfair advantage over your competition.- Tom McElligott, cofounder of a highly creative Minneapolis advertising agency.I don’t think people read body copy. If the first five words of body copy aren’t “May we send you $700?” word six isn’t read!- Luke Sullivan.Great print ads can make you famous. Great TV ads can make you rich.- Anonymous.Your radio spot just interrupted your listener’s music. It’s like interrupting people having sex. If you’re going to lean in the bedroom to say something, make it good: “Hey your car’s on fire.”- Luke Sullivan.

Life of a Marketer

One thing that strikes me when I lecture in B-Schools, apart from million other things that hit me with increasing regularity, is the aura surrounding the life of a marketing job in the minds of the students. Most, if not all, seem to think a marketing job is the next best thing to being a freelance gynecologist!I don’t intend spoiling their party but I thought I could use this space to introspect a little bit about the life of an average marketer - those hard-working alcoholic workaholics who work 9 to 5 – working from 9 A.M to next day morning 5 A.M! Here is the piece – self-reflection lessons for marketers.You lecture the paper-delivery boy on ways to improve his marketing skills.You get all excited when it’s Sunday, so you can wear casual clothes to work.You find you really need PowerPoint to explain what you do for a living.You know deep inside yourself when you say ‘the work is happening’ means only one thing – the work hasn’t even started.You normally eat out of vending machines and at the most expensive restaurant in town within the same week.You know the people at the airport and hotel better than your next-door neighbours.You think a ‘half-a-day’ means leaving office at 5 o’clock.You know but you don't realize it when you promise somebody you would meet him/her ‘first-thing-in-the-morning’ means meeting that person just minutes before lunchtime.You remember the names of all your high-school classmates but not the guy whom you met just half an hour ago.You are planning to take the weekend off – only that you planned it three years back!And all those marketers who are reading this......if you wish to add more to this list based on your experiences, feel free to add them.That's the whole point about this blog!

Business Sense

A factory’s marketing manager takes a visiting customer on a tour of a latex products factory.At the first stop, he's shown the machine that manufactures baby-bottle nipples. The machine makes a loud hiss-pop noise."The hiss is the rubber being injected into the mold," explains the marketer. "The popping sound is a needle poking a hole in the end of the nipple."Later, the tour reaches the part of the factory where condoms are manufactured. The machine makes a noise: "Hiss. Hiss. Hiss. Hiss-pop!""Wait a minute!" says the customer. "I understand what the 'hiss, hiss,' is, but what's that 'pop!' every so often?""Oh, it's just the same as in the baby-bottle nipple machine," says the guide. "It pokes a hole in every fourth condom.""Well, that can't be good for the condoms!""Yeah, but it's great for the baby-bottle nipple business!"

Sales Sense

A keen Texas lad applied for a salesman's job at a city department store. The store was the biggest in the world and sold everything under the sun."Have you ever been a salesman before?" the boss asked during his interview."Yes, I was a salesman in Texas," the lad answered. The boss took an immediate liking to him and told him he could start the next day. "I'll come and see how you made out after we close up," the boss said.The day was long and hard for the young man, but finally it was 5 o'clock. The boss closed up the store and found the lad sitting slumped and exhausted, in a chair. "How many sales did you make today?" the boss asked."One," said the lad."One?" said the boss, obviously displeased. "Most of the sales people on my staff make 20 or 30 sales a day. How much was the sale worth?""Exactly $101,334,533," said the young man."How did you manage that?" asked the boss, flabbergasted."Well," said the lad, "this man came in and I sold him a small fish hook, then a medium fish hook, and finally a really large hook. Then I sold him a small fishing line, a medium one, and huge one. I asked him where he was going fishing, and he said he was going down the coast. I said he'd probably need a boat, so I took him down to the boat department and sold him that fancy 22-foot Chris Craft with twin engines. Then he said his Honda Civic probably wouldn't be able to handle the load, so I took him to the vehicle department and sold him new GMC 1-ton pickup truck.""You sold all that to guy who came in for a fish hook?" the boss asked in astonishment."He came in to buy a box of sanitary napkins for his wife, and I said to him, "your weekend's shot. You might as well go fishing."