end of an affair?
I’m a devout CK One girl. It’s the only fragrance that I simply cannot do without. Sure, there’s been a fling here and a flirtation there, but my relationship with CK One has lasted many years. I made an exception for CK in2u (For Her) recently – although I quickly realized it comes nowhere close to my one true (unisex!) love.
I’m in advertising and so it’s often tough for me to be seduced by brands – I work on the strategies that underlie them after all. But CK One is one of those rare brands that I’m intertwined with somehow. I love much of the advertising as well. In a sense, the brand – like a strong brand should be – is a part of me. So when I see the “limited edition” bottles Calvin Klein puts out once in a while, it makes me a bit sad. And less loyal.
The CK One Summer and CK in2u Pop lines look awful. So much so, I honestly don’t care about how it smells. Why CK would dilute/taint their brand this way, I’ve no idea. These colors are unacceptably garish; give me the classic, clean, minimalist feel of CK any day. No CKitsch please!
If their strategy is to seasonally expand the consumer base (with younger folks?), then CK should consider whether it’s putting (older!) loyalists at risk of switching. Shouldn’t brand aficionados be tripping all over themselves to acquire a limited edition? Maybe they’re taking the brand from somewhat niche to totally pop…
Or maybe, just maybe, I need to find another with which to move on! Ah but I might have to stick it out with the One for a bit. I think I’m still in love. =)
such a shame
I met with a Europe-based client today, who expressed concern over how moving their factories to India would affect the marketing of their product. Relocating manufacturing makes sense for them financially because the cost of production is lower, but they worry about whether the MADE IN INDIA on the package will affect sales in the Middle East. So they suggested we help them conduct market research that tests consumer reactions to the product (brand appeal, purchase intention, etc), highlighting in one group and minimizing in the other, information about where exactly it is made.
As an advertising professional, I understand the dilemma – sure you do what you can to sell your product. But, as an Indian, I must confess it makes me cringe. Just the same way I cringed when I still lived in America a couple of years ago. ‘Outsourcing’ had become (quite literally) a rage by then and I noticed a lot of brands had begun displaying MADE IN AMERICA signs prominently on their websites. That was when I realized that businesses truly fear the boycott of their brands based on where their products are made. Amongst others, India and China are on the (s)hit list.
Funnies aside, I see that the quality of products is often at stake – if I remember right, Mattel recently had issues with the toxicity of paint used on kids’ toys in their China factory. There are indeed some very real concerns with the kind of ‘globalization’ that exists today – companies will do anything to save money. The loss of jobs that occurs locally from such cost-cutting is awful and remedies** clearly need to be institutionalized. But is the stigma, which gets attached to developing countries for taking away the jobs in question, appropriate? The people there are often simply struggling to rise above the poverty line.
If companies adopted suitable quality control, perhaps they wouldn’t have to be so embarrassed about those involved in the creation of their products.
** What if, for example, the people laid off could be transferred to a barrage of new businesses (perhaps mandated by governments in the West) such as the Swiss Life Straw? Now that sort of thing could actually give us a shot at building a truly ‘global community.’
brand: dubai
Caught the recently released Will Smith movie Hancock the other day. In a scene, one of the main characters refers to the top 5 cities of the world – London, Paris, New York, Hongkong, and Dubai. I mentioned the slightly surprising fact – that Dubai was so solidly on that list already – to a couple of people in the media biz.
They had similar responses: “It might well be product placement!” Now product placement I understand – like how the judges of American Idol slug down massive Coca Colas and not Pepsis or how Sarah Jessica Parker has a Mac and not a PC on Sex & the City. But city placement as well? Wow.
Apparently, there’s a media operation called ‘in-programming’ whereby moviemakers solicit those who would like a snatch of good publicity. Once the appropriate dollar amount is determined, a contract is signed, and the ‘product’ in question is woven seamlessly in to the plot. Unbelievable! (Even to an advertising person, somehow.)
anatomy of a controversy
Free some underwear from those irksome dangling tags to get a pretty good product: Hanes Tagless Underwear. Then come up with some well-conceived copy to sell it: Because the world gives you enough tags. Add a tri-series of neat artwork. So far, so good, right? Now, add a dash of sensationalism, let a mindless handful of viewers get a peek, and there it suddenly is: the perfect recipe for a disaster. McCann India is the ad agency in question and their campaign – now withdrawn – had 3 print ads. The first showed a man bearing the burden of a vivid bunch of “gay” things, the second had a guy pulling at a similar collage of stereotypically “black” things, and the third depicted an assortment of “Pakistani” stuff – each with the same words at the bottom. Hanes Tagless Underwear. Because the world gives you enough tags.
People have been calling the campaign “anti-gay” and “racist”. How is it either of those things? The fact that it was seen as biased is odd; it’s anything but! (The only thing that does bother me about the campaign is that people who aren’t really aware of the stereotypes in question will indeed become so after seeing it.) Yes, the executions are hard-hitting for the times, but I also think that the basic brand idea borders on brilliant! And that is what McCann’s defense should have been – instead of the spineless apology they actually mustered up.
tattoo much!
Millward Brown recently did a worldwide study to measure brand loyalty. One of the questions they asked was: would you be ready to permanently tattoo a brand logo on to your arm?
Almost 20% said they would be willing. Of them, the most popular response was Harley Davidson. If you are thinking that’s because of Harley’s rough-n-toughness, then consider the brand that came in a close second: Disney. So, obviously, it’s less about brand-consonance with the concept of tattoos, and more about the brand itself. Not surprising then that Cocoa Cola came in third?
Now guess which brand was fourth…
It wasn’t Apple, no. Go here for the answer, but think about it for a moment first – just for the fun of it!
I’m sort of amazed by it all.
bloody mary
No matter how delightful the concoction, I’ve always found its name vaguely distasteful. Some say it refers to Queen Mary I of England who was known for her violent persecution of Protestants. Others say it is just a cheeky reference to the color of the drink. I sense from it (especially when you consider its non – alcoholic counterpart, the Virgin Mary) a mild irreverence for Christianity. It’s funny, sure, but also sort of irreverent…
I’m no proponent of church (or for that matter any temple, mosque or synagogue), but I’m no fan of deriding religion either. In fact, I find organized religion fascinating – from a marketing perspective. Seems to me that the need for something like it is a hallmark of humanity and I am curious about why organized religion “sells.” (I apologize if this is way too simplistic or mundane or offensive to some, but I had to start formulating my thoughts on this somehow.)
So, I believe, organized religion tries – and usually haplessly fails on the whole – to satisfy a few very basic human needs:
Our need for congregation. Simply getting together with other people regularly, for the sense of community, being part of a social group, hanging out with likeminded others, call it what you will. When I was little, my parents held traditional celebrations of a couple of religious festivals, and the aura of purity and cohesion during those times at home was lovely. But we also satisfy this need at places of non-worship, such as the cofffee shop down the street, where for instance, some of us to the left might congregate and then complain about those to the right.
Our need for devotion. We need an earnest, almost mindless attachment in our lives, whether it is to a person/s, pet, cause, or a hobby. Really, art could be a great substitute for organized religion. Unfortunately, the focus on artistic passion is in dire need the world over.
Our need for hope. What guarantee do I have that I will be or keep being happy? None whatsoever. So maybe I should pray to someone/something outside myself in order to truly believe that it is all going to be okay. But perhaps I could also find that within myself somehow, and I could also perhaps learn to enjoy (or at the very least, accept) the present moment a little more. (So could I have that Bloody Mary now please?) 
Our need for harmony. I believe we have a need to feel that we are one with the universe. I went to a Christian private school, and singing hymns was a part of our daily morning routine. We called it assembly, and raising our voices together in praise of ‘Him’ was one of my favorite parts of the day. I realized, when I was a teeanger, that the feeling I got waving a lighter around with thousands of other people at a Europe concert satisfied (albeit in a slightly different way) that same need for harmony.
Our need for distinction. All of us want to feel like there is a difference between us and them, to see ourselves as one of those who know the difference between right and wrong. I am a Christian/Hindu/Muslim/Jew/atheist… religious affiliations and non-affiliations are great identity-generators.
Our need for indignation. We unfortunately have some misguided need to enhance ourselves (and those we associate with) and derogate those we feel are not like us (i.e. those we don’t or can’t associate with). Organized religion satisfies the need for an ego-boost particularly well. Consider this however: I tune in to preachers on the radio on and off. Besides giving me fodder for thought, it also allows me my self-righteous indulgence of the day. How am I different from the rest of the world? “Well, don’t you see, I can see right through those manipulative sermons. Oh, the poor suckers who fall for that stuff every week…” One might say some of us are religiously irreligious.
Our need for rituals. There’s something very gratifying about doing something familiar regularly, whether it is eating a bagel every day, taking your dog to the park every Sunday morning, or praying every night. We are creatures of habit, and again, organized religion happens to step in and satisfy this craving exceedingly well.
Our need for tradition. This one is close to but not quite the one above. Tradition makes us feel like we have a legacy, that we are of historical value, and so we must do things a certain way. For instance, I can’t imagine being married in a purple outfit, no matter how much I like the colour or how anti-establishment I’m feeling. Ah, tradition, good old tradition.
Our need for escape. It is a harsh reality sometimes, and we all need a break from it on and off. So some might escape with alcohol or drugs, others with exercise or food, and yet others with religion.
Our need for mentorship. So we are all a little lazy and would like someone to help us with our homework, in this case with something that should be as personal as spiritual deliberation. It’s not just that though; it really is nice to be able to trust someone we look up to in guiding us in the “right” direction. However, should we not pay a little more attention to the credentials, intentions, and wisdom of who we trust? (I’m thinking of the likes of Ted Haggard and Raj Thackeray, ugh.)
Our need for awe. This one I find particularly interesting. When you look at a beautiful cathedral for instance, you might see how it is designed to inspire a feeling of awe. It juxtaposes a tiny little you against a massive and beautiful monument often times associated with some sort of “creator”. Awe has two components: a sense of utter humility mixed with a paradoxical sense of upliftment. I think it is a very addictive emotion. I realized this more so in Los Angeles – there are tons of newagey religious outfits around (the L.Ron Hubbard building on Sunset Boulevard is huge and straight out of a sci-fi movie), and yet the worship of celebrities is way more pervasive than any other in the city. The awe generated by nature (think of the Grand Canyon, a magnificent sunset, or a really pretty tree) could be a great substitute for that created by religion or Paris Hilton. Sad thing is, it is nature (catastrophes like hurricanes/floods and natural diseases like the plague/cancer) that religions are created to “explain” and superstitions come about to “control”.
The point is this: we could satisy all these needs in ways other than religion, if we just bothered ourselves with a little curiosity, observation, engagement, and introspection. But therein lies the irony, doesn’t it? The garden-variety of most religions drastically curbs introspection, ceremoniously puts blinders on people, and systematically detracts from our innate curiosity about ourselves, our worlds, and how deeply personal spirituality should be. Simply obey, do not question, practise rituals, live your life just so, be afraid, feel guilt, look down covertly if not overtly on other religions, proselytize, fight wars for your beliefs. This is how religion usually manifests itself today, when in reality, it should be classified under philosophy, and each religious text just be considered somebody else’s point of view – one that you are free to agree or disagree with, so long as you are discerning and careful to avoid a herd-like mentality.
Let’s say cheers to that.
PS: Just in case you were misled here by the title of this entry, then I hope this recipe will leave you a little less disappointed!
1/2 fresh lime juice
1 tsp wasabi, 1 tsp hot pepper sauce, or both if you are brave
6 cups low-salt tomato/veggie juice
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups vodka
Combine lime juice and wasabi with a whisk, until wasabi dissolves. Pour into a pitcher, and add juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and salt. Chill. Stir in vodka and serve over ice, with a stalk of celery or pickled asparagus. Sprinkle on some crushed pepper. Serves 8. Enjoy.
big-idea generator
This comes from Wired magazine and is totally funny! Check it out here.
if only we talked…
Kudos to Airtel and the chaps at Rediffusion DY&R in India for the new direction in which they have taken the campaign.
It’s almost predictable, which is precisely why it is close to genius. Much like the Corona campaign: on-the-tip-of-your-tongue intuitive. The trick often lies in hitting on a concept so seamless that everyone – from consumer to creative to CEO – takes a look and wonders why they didn’t think of it first. Nice!
Airtel’s reliability index better be pretty good though, or users might have to take the brand with a pinch of salt! Good for beer, not so much for a mobile network – no matter how noble its advertising.
V for viral
It’s neat how certain internet gimmicks have been wildly successful in transcending language barriers and publicising brands across the globe. Not always elegant perhaps but often powerful! You’ll see what I mean, if you enter your first and last name in the two boxes on top, and then hit the ‘visualiser’ bar on this link.
