Minefieds in the market place

There are those of us who spend months, perhaps years, labouring over the creation of a new brand - it's name, identity, packaging... the culmination of a lot of research in understanding consumer insights, competition SWOT analysis, brand values, positioning, brand DNA and all the knowledge of modern day practices in brand strategy that we bring to our desks.

Every member of the brand creation team is convinced that they have the best packaging, that their brand has the best value proposition and that there is a latent unmet demand from a large number of consumers who have been denied this fabulous new product.

But the reality of the brand market place is the one truth that is hardly ever understand -

1. The consumer is not desperate and dying for one more new product or brand!

2. The distribution and retail channel is eternally suspicious of every new brand that is launched and rightly so, having seen the many failures and heartaches of brand launches.

The involved and passionate labour of creating a new brand is perhaps a walk in the park compared to the brutal battle field that every new brand has to face in the market place. From the complacent consumer unwilling to even glance at a new offering, to the retailer bent on the opportunity to exploit better margins and profits, and a distributor's unpredictable cash flows - there is a veritable minefield, ready to ensnare the marketer.

The success and failures of every new brand is linked to an awareness and readiness in engaging these realities. Brand survival is based not just on detailed market inputs but the distributor mindset, retailer insights, and salesforce attitudes as well. Perhaps, as much time needs to be spent in understanding and creating brand engagement and communication plans for these important constituents of a brand's success, as we do to the consumer.

Ramesh Rao
Managing Director
www.scion.co.in