Nexcare : Differentiate through creativity

Brand : Nexcare
Company : 3M
Brand Analysis : # 533

Indian wound-care market is dominated by the brand Band-Aid by Johnson & Johnson. This category is created and owned by Band-aid and Band-aid has a generic status in this category. Brands like Dettol had earlier tried to break into this category without much success.

It is in this market that 3M has launched its Nexcare brand. Nexcare has subtly launched itself in the Indian market without much above-the-line promotions. What needs to be appreciated is the traction that Nexcare has got interms of the distribution reach. Nexcare is now very well promoted in most of the medical retail outlets. 

So what makes Nexcare standout from the market-leader ? The main USP of Nexcare is the form-factor and licensed branding. Nexcare has a unique form-factor in the shape of diamond. According to brand's micro-site, the shape provides for a 360 degree protection and makes it more waterproof.The entire packaging of the brand is highlighting the diamond shape to convey the unique form-factor.

Another differentiator is through the launch of  bandages for kids using licensed brands like Barbie, Ben10,Hot Wheels etc. 3M has positioned these bandages as tattoo bandages which instantly appeal to kids. Infact my daughter pestered me into buying  a Barbie tattoo . 

Being waterproof and having a unique shape are not very sustainable brand attributes. Any competitors can copy these attributes. However, Nexcare has effectively placed itself in the market using this USP.Another wise move from 3M is that the brand has not restricted to wound-care but has extended its scope to skincare. Under the skincare range, the brand has launched skin-care pads in its portfolio. 

Sunfeast Dark Fantasy : Escape into One

Brand : Dark Fantasy
Company : ITC

Brand Analysis : 529

Sunfeast Dark Fantasy is the story of a brand which started its journey as a sub-brand and later acquired the status of a standalone brand. ITC forayed into the  biscuit market in 2003 and Sunfeast Dark Fantasy was launched in 2005. It was only after four years, that ITC thought of taking the brand to the next level.

Dark Fantasy's success can be attributed to the careful detail with which the brand was built by ITC. ITC took a risk in positioning Dark Fantasy as a premium biscuit brand. The premium space was vacant in the Indian market and marketers was unsure how consumers would react to a premium biscuit offering. 

To do this, Sunfeast tried to build the brand among emotional platform taking on the proposition of   ' Indulgence'. So here is a biscuit which would appeal to your sensuous self and take you through an experience of indulgence. It was a risky proposition and ITC backed the theme through some heavy campaigns. 

The brand had the tagline " Pure Indulgence " when it was launched. The USP was the packaging. Dark Fantasy in a way assured in a new wave of packaging in the biscuit market. The bold use of colors and calligraphy supplemented the brand's positioning as a premium biscuit. Later the tagline was changed to " Escape into One ". Dark Fantasy had twin packaging - there is an outer cardboard box and individual choco fills had wrapper packaging. That gave the brand a premium feel.

Watch the ad here : Dark Fantasy 

Rather than restricting itself as a premium biscuit, Sunfeast Dark Fantasy tried to create a space for itself by launching a new variety called Choco fills. Choco Fills are essentially biscuits with   chocolate filled inside. Although these types of biscuits were available, through smart packaging, Dark Fantasy brought lot of interest into this category. Now choco-fills are very popular that competitors like Parle had to launch a new brand in this category.

Buoyed with the customer response to Choco Fills, Sunfeast has extended this packaging strategy to its Cookie category by launching Delishus brand of cookies.
Dark Fantasy can be termed as a packaging success story. The brand has showcased the power of packaging and its influence in the positioning and brand image. Its not the first time that ITC has leveraged the power of packaging , it had tasted success in the FMCG category with Fiama and Vivel which differentiated  through smart packaging..The success of Dark Fantasy has created a freshness wave in the biscuit category with lot of colors and forms emerging from the leading brands. For consumers, shopping for biscuits is becoming  a delightful experience.