Month: June 2015

Not sure what to define this as – herd mentality or in this case heard mentality would be more like it as the brands in question are two leading FM radio stations in the UAE. Catering to a large S Asian expat population. Both being very blase’ and open about their being the No 1 Bollywood Radio Station in the UAE. Two No 1’s. In the same market. That’s too much to take. I know it takes two to tango but this certainly is not something to go (Radio) gaga over I dare say.

Some time back I had written about how brands knowingly seem to be indifferent to differentiation (http://bit.ly/1BUtPIB) and the trend seems to be continuing. What are these brands trying to broadcast? That we are all the same and therefore we are ‘unique’ or our audience is unique and therefore we can offer them more of the ‘same’- am finding it very difficult to tune in to this highly disturbing frequency. We are there to be the same rather than dare to be different.The prevailing wave is all hot air and the sooner the air waves get rid of this baggage, the better. Missing the (Bolly)wood for the trees!

There is comfort in sameness. There is happiness in routine. There (seemingly) is a threat in newness. More about it in one of my past blog posts http://bit.ly/1FGtN1C

The key stakeholders in this exercise are the listeners and the advertisers/sponsors who want to reach out to these listeners in the hope they listen. But given the situation, it just may not be sweet music to any of their ears. When monotony is stereotyped, no Dolby system in the world can make an impact. The toss up now is between sound of music and sound of fury. Take your pick, if it does not prick you!

www.groupisd.com

www.brandknew.groupisd.com

www.sureshdinakaran.com

 

This could come as a surprise. In a world besieged with sales, special promotions and further reductions, there are quite a few brands across the world that are taking a stand far further from convention….a stand hitherto non existent….no more consumer holidays. Only people’s holidays. Brands increasingly are restraining consumers from buying them today. It’s asking people to reimagine a world where disposable goods are well indispensable. Brands are asking for your pledge. Recycle, reuse, and replenish the world! The time for now is always.

An ever growing number of  brands are actually rewarding their customers for not buying them. Yes, not buying them. They are aware that potential consumers remain just that – potential. Smart brands know that one-time monumental purchases are less valuable than passive awareness of the brand 24/7, and that the real goal is to keep consumers continually in the brand flow. Aggressively avoiding sales was once a tactic reserved for the likes of Hermès or LVMH, but now every brand can afford the luxury of unavailability. Scarcity drives exclusivity and builds up brand desire.The clock keeps ticking favourably for the brand, all through.

Leading US based trend forecasting firm KHOLE calls these strategies proLASTination. What it does is it dissolves temporal delineation by establishing checkpoints that move with the consumer through time. These fluid strategies de-emphasize consumption and instead seek perpetual consumer engagement. An antidote to modern day rampant consumerism.

More and more brands that confidently suspend customer purchases will only increase in the future. That’s what the forecast is. They know that by the time ready-to-wear clothes are ready to wear, they’re already out of style. Rushing to the horizon line won’t get you there any faster. So, proLASTination is here to last and more and more brands are sure to come under it’s ambit. Let the good times for brands….last…well proLAST!