The Hindu : Listen to ordinary individual

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 12, 2003

Business

Business

Listen to ordinary individual - Bachchan

By Ratna Bhushan

Cine Star, Amitabh Bachchan, addressing Ad-Asia 2003 in Jaipur on Tuesday.

JAIPUR NOV. 11. Revolution and change mixed with caution, the need for new ideas in the backdrop of playing by the rules of the game, optimism and bonhomie coupled with concern about which direction advertising is headed for...

That, in a nutshell was the mood prevailing on Day One, at the 23rd Ad Asia Advertising Congress, an event that has brought together the who's who of the advertising and marketing fraternity across Asia. Centred around the theme, `Break the Rules,' the event has brought together up to 1,400 speakers and delegates from across 20 countries, including China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taipei, Singapore, Pakistan, Korea, the UAE and Nepal.

The first rule of the day was broken when the ceremonial lighting of the lamp ceremony was done not by an advertising or marketing head, but by India's biggest celebrity, Amitabh Bachchan. Elaborating on the theme of the event, Mr. Bachchan said, "I have broken several rules in my career — and have not always got it right. When you want to break the rules in a positive way, look for the rules in the way ordinary people want them broken.''

Goutam Rakshit, Chairman, Asian Federation of Advertising Associations, talked of establishing a `common bond of connect' among the advertising fraternity across Asia.

"I am somewhat concerned but greatly excited about the challenge brands in India face,'' began Hindustan Lever's Chairman, M. S. Banga. Speaking on the theme of `engaging the consumers of tomorrow,' Mr. Banga talked of the retail revolution that the country is now witnessing, the explosion of new categories of consumption, and the fact that marketers need to address about 10 per cent of the world's population in this country alone.

"All this stacks up very favourably with corporates. Yet, advertising revenues have been growing in single digit over the last 3-4 years. This concerns us all,'' he said. What can reverse this trend, Mr Banga stated, was the building of an `I' brand strategy.

In other words, building an intimate and enduring experience with the consumer. Mr Banga elaborated on three HLL soap brands — Dove, Lux and Lifebuoy — which had found success through the `I' brand strategy.

Talking about the Big Fight between establishing share of voice and share of wallet for the marketer and advertiser today, Mr. Banga chose to throw light on two 'fatal disconnects' the marketing fraternity seems to be trapped in — clutter versus choice; and resisting change versus embracing change.

"A product can be imitated, a brand cannot,'' said Clyde Fessler, former VP, business development, Harley Davidson Motor Company, U.S. Adding further, he said, "The difference between success and failure, and winning and losing depends on the 5th P of marketing — people.''

His concluding remark — "If you do what you've always done, you get what you've always got,'' obviously drew a thundering applause from the audience.

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