Brand Wars : Sensitive Toothpastes

Indian toothpaste market is worth Rs 6000 crores ( Source Business Line) and growing at 20%. Colgate has been the undisputed market leader in this market.. Competitors has been trying to make a dent in the share through almost every strategy listed in marketing textbooks.

It was an unlikely player- Glaxo Smithkline Beecham (GSK ) which really broke into the stronghold of Colgate. GSK in 2010 brought its global dental care brand Sensodyne into the Indian market. The sensitive toothpaste segment was very small and almost unknown to the larger Indian market. Colgate had presence in that niche with its variant Colgate Sensitive. 

Sensodyne surprised the market by capturing 10% of the segment within 4 months on launch. The heavy awareness campaign made customers take notice of the brand.The campaign featured " Chill Test " where the customers who had sensitive teeth were asked to tryout chilled products after using Sensodyne. The ads were very convincing and prompted many customers to try Sensodyne.Besides the Above-The -Line ( ATL) promotion, GSK also contacted around 15000 dentists to promote Sensodyne ( Source- TOI). In one year, Sensodyne became a 100 crore brand and the Sensitive toothpaste market was growing at more than 45 % p.a.

Colgate being an agile marketer was not keeping quiet . The brand launched another variant Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief inorder to arrest the growth of the competitor.Both the brands benefited by the growth of the category which has grown to about Rs 500 crore. Sensodyne inched very close to the market-leader and at one point became the leading brand in the sensitive toothpaste category. According to reports, Sensodyne and Colgate Sensitive are now having almost same market share in the category. 

Pepsodent from HUL also got into the fray with its variant Pepsodent Expert.While every brand focused on providing relief from sensitive teeth, Pepsodent differentiated by offering  ' relief and repair'  to the consumer. This move by Pepsodent forced the players to rethink their offerings. In the latest campaign, Sensodyne has added the 'repair' proposition to the brand's positioning thereby achieving points-of-parity with Pepsodent Expert brand. 

Sensodyne success can be seen as the success of a specialist brand's fight with a product-line extension. Consumer's view Sensodyne as an expert in the field and hence the claims are more effective compared to the product-line extensions. However, Colgate and Pepsodent were quick enough to retaliate to the entry of Sensodyne albeit with little success.

The fight in the toothpaste segment became more interesting with the launch of Paradontax by GSK. Another specialist brand against bleeding gums. The war has just began. 

Media Intelligence and Display Advertising Strategies Made Simple

Every so often you come across a really good online experience and you feel the urge to share.  Well, today is no exception.  A little over a year ago, a good friend of mine and marketing guru Lital told me about a new tool she was using to help audit display ads running all over the world.  This was the first time I had really heard about the ability to get local views of web pages rendering in other countries and it wasn't long before I was hooked.

Not having any background in ad auditing or global web browsing, I didn't think much of my initial conversation around "GeoSurf" but over time discovered the power of viewing search results in other countries.  This is especially true when analyzing website traffic, display ads, and how content renders through international browsers.  Thanks to the joys of Universal search, having a clear picture of what others are seeing (no matter where in the world they are) is not only important, but essential.  

Enter the Adclarity browser bar.  Featured on TechCrunch, this is the latest technology providing a new wave of browsing insights to marketers and online advertisers. Understanding how to use these tools is essential for media intelligence and display advertising strategies that can literally put you ahead of the competition.

It's all about the data
The first question I asked myself when I learned of the ability to see web pages from someone else's perspective was this, "what is the benefit of having a local view in a different country?"  And the answer is simple.  Having the ability to see a webpage exactly as someone sitting in front of their computer in Paris France, Jerusalem Israel, or Sydney Australia, provides a level of insight that has previously gone unanswered. Additionally, if you look at your Google Analytics account, I guarantee that some of your traffic is coming from international audiences.  This is especially true if you're running display ad campaigns across the globe and even when displaying Adsense on your own website.

When I worked on the agency side, I used to spend thousands of dollars a month for services that would audit display ads and provide seemingly accurate information.  However, one thing that became perfectly clear over time is that nothing beats having a local international view on your own computer.  As the technology became more advanced, producing this view and accessing data has been built right into your web browser.

Media intelligence just got smarter

As I mentioned in the intro, one of the reasons I wanted to share information about this tool is because it's so powerful and valuable to my online marketing.  Now that I do business with people all over the world (shout out to my new friend Anthony from Australia), being able to view webpages from a local perspective, right from my computer, is not only helpful, but essential. Trust me when I say that Google Local exists all over the world!

The original tool I wrote about on a previous blog post, GeoSurf, has evolved into AdClarity, a media intelligence tool that provides valuable insights using advanced technology allowing anyone to explore the advertising landscape in each website visited and get comprehensive data for making smart advertising decisions.  In fact, the AdClarity tool even has the ability to get instant email and phone details for any key personnel in a website or company you are interested in partnering with.

The new AdClarity Toolbar includes enhanced features from AdClarity, the leading media intelligence platform, including: 1) Advertising intel about the websites you visit, 2) Contact information for the decision-makers of most websites, 3) Alerts that work for you by informing you of new advertising actions taken by your partners and competitors, 4) All of the great functionality of geosurfing, mobile device emulation, screenshots, and more.

Putting it all to good use

As the importance of reaching prospects and customers internationally begins to expand, it's a good idea to learn more about international browsing and how web pages, ads, and other digital assets render differently across the globe.  The AdClarity tool is what I use for invaluable insights, allowing me to surf from 120+ geographical locations as if I were a local user.  By experiencing geo-targeted content, I have much better insights into user behavior and online experiences.

I encourage you to take advantage of a no cost trial to learn more about the power of international browsing.  More than 7,000 professionals and companies are already using this tool to audit their online ads and see webpages from all over the world.  Happy surfing!

How To Make Your Videos The Most Engaging Content On The Web

I'm excited to share great post today from Andy Havard, an executive from Skeleton Productions.  When I asked Andy about making content more engaging, he gave me more than I could have hoped for.  Listen in as he provides great tips for marketers and businesses.

The Set-Up

Today’s online video world enjoys videos shot in high definition with great audio and a good standard of lighting. Your video will need to follow this trend if it wants users to engage viewers successfully.

In terms of the content of your video you’ll want to abide by the key ingredients for making engaging and successful video content; create content that is informative, entertaining or educational, worth sharing amongst social audiences, unique or surprising. Ticking off some of those areas in your video, regardless of its length will put your audience on track to enjoy an engaging viewing experience.

The Content
When it comes to creating engaging content you want to adhere to the three golden values of great video making: Entertain, Inform, Educate

Audiences on and off the web hope to get those prestigious three values out of every video they watch. If your video can provide one, two or maybe even all three of those values your video will be well on its way to being a success.

The Viewing Experience
The experience a viewer has with your video means everything to its success. A great way of giving viewers a pleasurable viewing experience is to make your video content interactive.

Make use of Annotation tools that sites like YouTube offer to turn your video into a “video game”, an interactive video or even provide a simple feedback option for viewers to voice their feelings on the video. By connecting with your viewer within your video you can really enhance their viewing experience.

Social Media Convergence
Connecting your video to your social media platforms is essential. All video sharing sites be it Vimeo, YouTube or Daily Motion allow for convergence with your social media profiles. This convergence allows users to engage with your video through a Like, Share or Comment on their social platforms, which will really make a big difference to your videos popularity.

Call To Action
A call to action in your video encourages uses to engage with your product, brand or service after they've watched the video content. This extra engagement will help you to get more out of your video and give viewers an opportunity to find out more about you.

Measure Your Success
Always remember that measuring the current success of your video is your fast-track ticket to future success. Try to review your campaigns monthly to keep a close eye on how it is developing over time. Beware checking your content too regularly though as this could give misleading results. Allow enough time for your video content to have ran the majority of its course and make amends accordingly. 

Use tools like Google Analytics, SEOmoz, HootSuite, Wistia to give yourself a clear view of how well your video campaign is engaging with your audiences. Once you've reviewed its progress start to plan how to capitalise on its current success to make your next video even better.

Andy Havard is a Marketing Executive at Skeleton Productions, a UK based corporate video production company.

Brand Update : Cadbury Bournville says its "Not So Sweet " but why ?

Cadbury Bournville launched in 2009 created a new market for premium dark chocolate in Indian market. The brand smartly positioned itself as THE premium chocolate with a tagline of " You don't buy a Bournville , you earn it ". The launch and follow up campaign effectively conveyed the positioning.

But the 2013 campaign comes as a shocker. The brand has ditched the " You have to earn it " positioning and took on something very peculiar - the new tagline is " Not so Sweet".

The new tvc is equally intriguing.

 Watch the new tvc here : Bournville tvc

The question is why a brand like Bournville ditch such a powerful positioning statement and replace that with a dud !

Not so sweet !! now everyone knows dark chocolate is not that sweet so in this ad, what exactly the brand is conveying - only the agency and the brand manager knows. I presume that this ad is directly imported from some other market and put in the Indian media without much thought. The ad is totally disconnected with the Indian market and fails to evoke anything in the consumer's mind. At end of it the question remains " What the heck ?

 Saving cost by killing the brand ?

Related brand

Bournville : You have to earn it 

Brand Update : Axe disappoints with Ranbir doing a Ben Affleck

Axe deo is facing the fiercest competition  in its life in India with local and MNC deo brands breathing down its neck. According to certain reports that came in ET Now's Brand Equity show, the brand had lost its leadership position in the Indian market to the new entrant Fogg.

One of the reason for the trouble is that Axe's positioning has been under threat. almost all deo brands has been aping the positioning theme of Axe thereby diluting the brand's uniqueness in the Indian market. Axe was not able to do much about it and continued with its strategy of frequent launches of new variants and importing ads from its global markets.

For a change, Axe decided to go local in its promotional strategy and roped in the current Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor to endorse the brand. The news came as a surprise since Axe never ( in my knowledge) ran a campaign using a celebrity in India.
Axe launched its new variant Axe Blast with the new celebrity endorsement . The ad is currently on air.

Watch the ad here : Axe Ranbir Ad

What was shocking is that the ad is the exact copy of an older ad ( more than 7 years) of Axe Clicker which is a variant available in markets outside India. The Axe Clicker brand featured Ben Affleck .

Watch the ad here : Axe Ben Affleck

Now if the brand Axe can afford to bring Ranbir to the fold, why did the brand chose to just copy an old theme and present it in the Indian market ? 

Its so cheap a strategy to adopt in an era where information is available to everyone. And its a totally a wrong move when the competition is eating away the share. Ranbir will get eyeballs and may in the short-run help the brand to reinforce the existing awareness.The  current approach is sending warning signals regarding the laziness of the marketing department in attempting to find an easy way out rather than brainstorming on developing a differentiation strategy to take on the competition.

Building Your Brand Online

Improving online rankings of any digital asset: web pages, images, videos, etc., has taken on a different direction thanks to Google's latest update which is having an impact on other leading search engines as well. How can you continue to optimize your assets if you've been impacted by these latest optimization changes? The good news is that search results can still be improved.  However, the methods to optimize your site and brand must change to leverage the recent emphasis of an updated Google algorithm.

What no longer works

The place I like to start when it comes to optimization is with traditional methods of optimization.  In the past you could hire a company based in India and pay them pennies on the dollar to build thousands of links into your website from a variety of sources.  Whether you successfully optimized your website from an on-page perspective first or not didn’t really matter.  All you needed was a series of inbound links including your target keyword phrase and you’d find success.

Then things slowly began to change.  Google made a couple of updates and suddenly stuffing your inbound links with nothing but keywords became less effective.  After the initial Penguin update, incoming links from many sites became much less valuable and recently became a way to penalize websites for gaming the system.  

Where that leaves us today is with a list of techniques that once were highly effective now proving to be highly damaging to new and well established websites.  It would have been enough if Google simply discredited negative listings but now, unfortunately, they took things a step further and have begun to penalize sites for trying to arbitrarily building links.

What’s working now

The next question you are likely asking yourself is if all of those old optimization strategies don’t work, what’s working now.  And the answer is not necessarily black and white.  In fact the newest strategies combine some old methods with new ones.  As an example, instead of starting from scratch, you need to leverage existing web pages found on other domains for branded search. When users search for the company being referred to, the page renders in search results.  Because the content of this page is positive, it makes sense for the business to link to it from their site and promote via their social media accounts.

Another example is leveraging your own social media and digital assets that reside on authoritative websites. It will also show in branded search results and the content can be manipulated by the company it serves.

This is also true of sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+.  Your initial goal should always be to first identify the sites and digital assets that can be promoted but don’t necessarily reside on your domain.

Promoting your own web property

Okay, you’re probably saying, “This is great but I want my website to rank for a select number of keywords.”  Improving the ranking of your site is possible considering newer methods of optimization.  The best place to start is with your own website.  Is it fully optimized?  Are there any technical errors?  Duplicate content?  Easy navigation? Original content?

Focus on your site first from a technical perspective.  If the foundation is strong, you’ll have a much better opportunity to fully optimize the site and begin appearing in search results for your primary keywords. This leads to the second step in optimization – content development.

It used to be that you could create a website and let it be.  Most optimization work was done off site and Google didn’t give much weight to website updates.  Well, today, that just isn’t the case.  Making regular website updates is essential to search engine optimization success.  And updates need to come in the form of regular, original, shareable content.

Natural link creation

This has all been the result of Google’s goal of making organic search more natural and truly organic.  Think about it this way.  If you have valuable content on your site, other people are going to link to it, talk about it, and share it with their networks.  Thanks to social media this is easier than ever.  The best way to being tapping into this source of optimization is a comprehensive content development strategy.

Once content is developed, consider how best to share and promote that content.  As always, slow and steady wins the race.  Don’t expect to generate great content, build a massive list of followers, and see your rankings skyrocket.  To Google that would look suspicious and to you it should seem unrealistic.  Impacting search engine results is a marathon that begins on solid content principles.

Search engine optimization if dependent more on social media, content sharing, and a diversity of digital assets than ever before.  Start with content development and move towards natural link building (this may include social channels, blogging, press releases, etc.) that makes sense in the eyes of Google.  Over time you’ll see results.

1 Million Views on the Marketing Blog

Today marks a significant milestone in the Marketing Blog's evolution.  We've hit a total of 1 million views since the blog started a number of years ago.  Special thanks to all of my avid followers and those seeking information on marketing, online marketing, and everything in between.

Marketing is continually changing and evolving.  I'm so glad that blogs have finally come into their own.  If you don't have a blog I encourage you to follow, participate, and even start your own.  There's nothing like sharing your ideas and building community around a particular topic or niche.

I was recently asked about my blogging experience and what topics I like to cover.  That's what's great about blogging, anything goes.  The goal of my blogging is to share my experience, positive or negative, so we can learn together.  Although I've been marketing for 15 years now, I know that things are bound to change - it's the nature of life and marketing.

The biggest change I've seen.

The biggest change in marketing I've seen over the past decade has been digital.  Each year digital marketing evolves and has been accelerated with the utilization of social media in all types of formats (ppc, video, images, etc.).  I'm sure this is bound to change but I think the driver that will continue to instigate the change is mobile.  It's already changed so many things regarding our access to data and customization that I don't see it ending anytime soon.

My goal is to continue to be out in front of these changes and to work with the marketing community to guide the conversation around digital, mobile, and any new form of media we see coming towards us.  Marketing is my life and it's essential for any company or brand who has something of value to provide to others to be on the pulse of marketing change.

How does marketing impact you?
To celebrate our 1 million views, I'd love to hear from you.  How has or does marketing impact you?  What are you focused on as we move into the future?  Any thoughts on how marketing will change or how it can be leveraged to create value for others?

What's great about running a marketing blog is that you can share with others like you and have them share back.  Be sure to provide your thoughts in the comments section below.

Engage Deo : Couple Deodorant !

Brand : Engage
Company : ITC

Brand Analysis # 526

When a company like ITC launches a product, there is anticipation that the product will be remarkable and will make significant impact on the category in which it is launched. Because of the size of ITC and the marketing power it has, most of the time, the brands do make an impact on the category . Brands like Sunfeast, Fiama etc has proved the marketing acumen on ITC.

So naturally when news spread that ITC is foraying into the deo space , such an anticipation is natural. ITC entered the Rs 1400 ( approx) crore Indian deo market with its Engage brand recently. The launch ads are right now on air. The launch campaign however was disappointing because I expected something unique and different from the rest of the deo brands. But surprisingly, ITC chose to play the same theme which the rest of the deo players are following - the so called " Chemistry " between men and women which is apt for an ad for condom rather than a deo.

Engage is being positioned as India's first ' couple deodorant'. I really don't understand the concept initially but the brand's microsite offers some explanation. These deos come in  three pairs ( hence couple)-Rush ( Male & Blush ( Female), Mate ( male ) and Spell ( Female) and Urge ( male) and Tease ( Female). What I don't understand is whether consumer can only buy these in pairs ( pun intended) ?  And what is that the company is intending to convey ? Is it targeting the married couple who would be buying the pair and thus showing love to each other. What happens if husband like Urge and Wife loves Blush ?? 

The launch campaign was a big dampener . The brand is positioned on the bases of " chemistry between the couples " . The ad mentions that " Love Has An All New Language " which probably is the positioning platform of the brand. However, the romance or attraction or chemistry is the most used theme of all the deo brands and Engage sadly failed to differentiate .The focus on " couple deodorant" also will add trouble to the brand since it may restrict the brand's target segment . Another differentiator is the design. ITC has brought in some freshness in the bottle design that will encourage some trial for the brand. 

Watch the ad here : ITC Engage Deo

I think, ITC has rushed into the launch without creating a powerful differentiator. The brand is now launched as an ordinary deo brands that promises  attraction of opposite sex. The Indian deo market is witnessing commoditisation because there is hardly any difference between the brands either in product or in communication. Fogg brand has moved up in the market giving a run-for-money for market leader Axe because it chose to speak in a different language. Engage sadly failed to offer anything new. 

Joining the AMA American Marketing Association

Are you thinking about joining the AMA (American Marketing Association) or a professional organization in your niche?  Well, as someone who's been in and out of professional associations my entire career, I can definitely share the benefits and pitfalls associated with taking the plunge.

About a year ago, I decided to rejoin AMA and make a true investment in terms of time and effort.  The first thing you need to know, is that you only get out of it, what you put into it.  And the second thing is...it takes time to see any tangible results.  Over time however, the positives far outweigh the negatives or fears of joining an association group.

I don't know what your motivation to become a member may be, networking, job search, growing your business, but having a goal is essential.  Based on my experience with the American Marketing Association, I believe that the initial goal should be developing new relationships and expanding your network of marketing professionals.

Professional association fees can cost a lot especially if coming out of your own pocket.  I know this was my initial hesitation and I really questioned the value I would get for my money. But once you've joined as a member other costs are generally reduced and you quickly see how to make the most of your investment.  In addition to networking type of events, many of these organization encourage continuing education and other fee based services that really aren't available through other channels.  You should decide what's most important to you, what you value most, and work towards leveraging the resources that make it worthwhile.

When I joined my professional association I was looking for contacts that could help grow my business or supplement my staff. With that in mind, I was quickly able to find other people at the AMA who shared similar goals and related experiences, saving me valuable time and effort.  I'm now more convinced than ever that business success is all about who you know and not what you know.  Results are obviously important but the 80/20 rule comes into play.  Said another way, you'll never find potential opportunities if you aren't connected to the right people who are tapped into a pretty steady stream of business opportunities and connections.  Being part of a professional Marketing association is essential if you make a living in the marketing niche.

I'll have to admit that I was a bit intimidated at first.  Walking into a networking event alone, without any prior introductions, can be a bit challenging.  If I could do it all over again, I would have started with a local chapter versus the larger parent organization.  This is true when it comes to the American Marketing Association too.  Local chapters are more hands on and less formal than the national association but I think you must join national before the local chapter.

I guess what I'm saying here is that you should make the investment in your professional association, regardless of your current role.  You can always scale your involvement either up or down based on your current situation. In the past I used associations to gain access to valuable training and industry insights.  Now, I'm using it to expand my network and grow my business.  But that's what's great about belonging to an industry focused group - there are others who share similar goals and come from a similar background.

Before you join any group, think about why you want to join. Honestly, it's half the battle.  Individual experiences with any association will vary but don't expect something for nothing.  If you have specific goals, develop a plan to leverage the association to get there, and do your homework, your chances of success increase 10 fold.  If all you're going to do is pay your annual fee and show up to one annual event, don't waste your time.

For information on the national AMA or New Jersey AMA, click here.  See you at the next event!

Penguin 2.0 and the impact to your business. Is it too late?

For those of you who have been reading my blog for some time, you know that I consult for a variety of companies in need of marketing strategy, planning, and online optimization.  That's why I've decided to blog about the recent conversations I've been having with my clients regarding Google's Penguin 2.0 update.  Even if web optimization has been done correctly, many sites are impacted by Google's decision to cut deeper into traditional optimization strategies.

Getting your arms around Penguin 2.0
The first place that people are seeing an impact is with link development programs they may have been working on.  Even the simple process of link building has been scrutinized to the 'n' th degree thanks to Penguin 2.0.  For example, I've been working with one client who was impacted because a number of the links to his site, which in the past were acceptable, have now been deemed toxic.  Thanks Google!  As such, his ranking have been negatively impacted and the process of link removal is underway.

The second issue with the Penguin update is link profiles and velocity.  We all know that once on page optimization is completed, the next issue that you must focus on from a search engine optimization perspective is that of content and link development.  As such, the process as a whole is being evaluated not only based on inbound link quality but velocity as well.  Google is looking close not just at the links being added but the rate at which they are added as well. This has always been a factor but now carries much more weight.

Finally, Penguin 2.0 is really all about shareability and meaningful content.  I think the word is still out on what defines valuable content but I'm sure relevance is a key factor.   And where there's relevance, there are other signals that help Google clarify quality.  These additional signals could be click-through rate or social sharing. One thing I know for sure is that they matter.

What you can do if impacted by Penguin 2.0
If the latest Google algorithm has negatively impacted your site, begin with an analysis of inbound links.  I recently signed up for Cemper's link detox tool.  Although I'm not thrilled to shell out the $79+ bucks every month, it's now a necessity for SEO's.  Once you identify the toxic and high risk links, use the Google Disavow tool to ensure that Google doesn't associate these links with your site.  Then, submit a reconsideration after a few weeks to have Google re-crawl your site.  Rankings can certainly come back but it takes time.

The next step is to consider a content marketing and distribution plan. There are fewer ways to build links but press releases, blog posts, and social media are still valid.  Focus your efforts on quality content that is truly targeted to your niche and useful among the community.  We're not entirely sure how this will play out but the goal is to be useful to others.

Don't despair.  With each update, the pendulum always seems to swing largely in one direction and then another.  This will all pan out in the wash so be patient but also, be planning your next move.