TASK 3

PRODUCT AND BRAND MANAGEMENT

QUES.1 TAKE A RAHEJA GROUP COMPANY AND ANALYZE

THE ASPECTS OF BRAND POSITIONING AND
REPOSITIONING, LOGO AND JINGLES, COMMUNICATION
STRATEGIES, CAMPAIGNS, CO-BRANDING AND
ASSOCIATIONS, BRAND PERSONALITY, ROLE OF REFERENCE GROUPS.
ALONG WITH THIS YOU CAN ANALYZE OTHER BRAND ELEMENTS TOO.

ANS.1 IN THIS TOPIC WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT BRAND. WHAT ACTUALLY
THE TERM IS “BRAND”. HOW
DOES IT CREATE AN IMPACT ON THE COMPANY AS WELL AS
MARKET AND CUSTOMERS? IN THIS, WE WILL BE
EXPLAINING BRAND POSITIONING AND REPOSITIONING,
LOGO, JINGLES, COMMUNINCATION STRATEGIES,
CAMPAIGNS, CO-BRANDING AND ASSOCIATIONS, BRAND PERSONALITY, ROLE OF
REFERENCE GROUPS ETC.

I HAVE TAKEN OUTLOOK GROUP INDIA AS A RAHEJA GROUP COMPANY AND

INDIA TODAY AS A COMPETITOR. FOLLOWING ARE SOME ASPECTS THAT I HAVE
DIFFRENTIATE ON THE FEW BASIS.

BRAND POSITIONING: BRAND POSITIONING REFERS TO THE “TARGET

CONSUMER’S” REASON TO BUY YOUR BRAND IN PREFERENCE TO OTHERS. IT
ENSURES THAT ALL BRAND
ACTIVITY HAS A COMMON AIM; IS GUIDED, DIRECTED AND DELIVERED BY
BRANDS BENEFITS/REASON TO BUY AND IT FOCUSES AT ALL POINTS OF
CONTACT WITH THE CONSUMER.

STRATEGIES OF BRAND POSITIONING USED BY OUTLOOK

INDIA AND INDIA TODAY

• QUALITY POSITIONING: THE QUALITY OF A GIVEN

PRODUCT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
COMPONENTS OF A COMPANY BRAND, AND CAN BE COMBINED WITH
OTHER POSITIONING STRATEGIES RATHER EASILY.
• VALUE OR PRICE POSITIONING: THERE ARE 2 WAYS TO APRROACH
VALUE OR PRICE POSITIONING:
 1. HIGH END TACK- IT EXPLOITS THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL BELIEF THAT THE MORE EXPENSIVE SOMETHING
IS, THE MORE INTRINSICALLY VALUABLE IT MUST BE.
2. POSITIONING THE BRAND AS THE PROVIDER OF HIGH QUALITY,
VALUE-PRICED PRODUCTS OR SERVICES.
3. EXAMPLE: OUTLOOK IS PROVIDING THEIR
MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS AT AFFORDABLE
PRICE AND ON THE OTHER HAND INDIA TODAY IS CHARGING A BIT
HIGH PRICEE FROM THE CONSUMER.
• BENEFIT POSITIONING: COMMUNICATING WITH THE DIFFERENT
BENEFITS OF A PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS BEEN A POPULAR BRAND
POSITION. FOR EXAMPLE:
OUTLOOK INDIA IS PROVIDING THEIR PRODUCTS WITH
AN EFFECTIVE MESSAGE LIKE “THINK BEYOND, STAY AHEAD”. ON THE
OTHER HAND INDIA TODAY HAS NO SLOGAN FOR THEIR BRAND.
• PROBLEM AND SOLUTION POSITIONING : THE IDEA IS
TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE COMPANY HAS THE
POWER TO RELIEVE CUSTOMERS OF WHATEVER PROBLEM THEY MAY BE
FACING, BOTH QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.
• COMPERTITOR BASED POSITIONING: A COMPANY TAKES AIM AT ONE
OR SEVERAL COMPETITORS TO DEMONSTRATE ITS SUPERIORITY AMONG
OTHERS OFFERING THE SAME TYPE OF PRODUCT OR SERVICE.
• CELEBRITY-DRIVEN POSITIONING: HIRING
CELEBRITIES AS A SPOKESPEOPLE OR TO ENDORSE A COMPANY’S
PRODUCT OR SERVICE IS A POPULAR WAY TO POSITION A BRAND.

BRAND REPOSITIONING: WHEN A COMPANY SEES A

DECREASE SALES OVER TIME/MAJOR CHANGES COMING DOWN THE LINE, THEY
KNOW IT IS A TIME TO IMPLEMENT CHANGES WITHIN THE COMPANY.

REPOSITIONING REFERS TO THE MAJOR CHANGE IN

POSITIONING FOR THE BRAND/PRODUCT. TO SUCCESSFULLY REPOSITIONING
REPOSITION A PRODUCT, THE FIRM HAS TO CHANGE THE TARGET MARKET’S
UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRODUCT. THIS IS SOMETIMES A CHALLENGE,
PARTICULARLY FOR WELL-ESTABLISHED OR STRONGLY BRANDED PRODUCT.

FOR EXAMPLE: OUTLOOK INDIA ELIMINATE IT’S THE

LUXURY MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION BECAUSE IT HAS COSTLY REFER TO OTHER
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND IT HAS A LIMITED NUMBER OF AUDIENCE. MIDDLE CLASS
PERSON WOULD NEVER INVEST IN THAT SUBSCRIPTION.

LOGO:

A LOGO IS A VISUAL TRADEMARK THAT IDENTIFIES THE BRAND.

TALKING ABOUT OUTLOOK, IT HAS A SIMPLE AND EASILY IDENTIFIED LOGO

FROM A DISTANCE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, INDIA TODAY HAS TILT UPSIDE DOWN TRIANGLE IN
WHICH INDIA TODAY IS MENTIONED.
COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES OF OUTLOOK INDIA AND INDIA TODAY:

STRATEGIES SERVES AS A MEANS FOR ACHIEVING SET

OBJECTIVES AND GOALS. BY SELECTING AND APPLYING
RIGHT STRATEGIES, MANY BUSINESS ENTITIES HAVE
BECOME SUCCESSFUL ON THE MARKET; THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BEAT THEIR
COMPETITORS AND FACE THE NUMBER OF RISKS.
THERE ARE 5 COMMON COMMUNICATION STRATEGY TO BUILD THE GOODWILL
OF THE EXISTING BRAND.

1). A GREAT BRAND NAME: OUTLOOK INDIA IS THE INDIA’S

FIRST MAGAZINE TO BE PUBLISHED IN INDIA IN 1995. ON THE OTHER HAND,
INDIA TODAY LAUCHED IT’S FIRST PUBLISH IN YEAR 1975.

2). LOGO: BOTH BRANDS HAS LOGO THEIR OWN LOGO.

3). PRODUCT POSITIONING: BOTH COMPANIES HAS THEIR PRODUCT

POSITIONING STRATEGY AND THEY ARE IMPLEMENTING IT.
4).EFFICIENT ADVERTISEMENT PITCH: OUTLOOK AND INDIA TODAY PROMOTE
THEMSELVES ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL AS TELEVISION.

5). CORPORATE EVENTS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES:

BASICALLY IT ENHANCES OUR COMPANY IMAGE TO THE
PUBLIC. OULOOK AND INDIA TODAY HAVE MADE THEIR PRESENCE IN
CORPORATE EVENTS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES TOO.

CO- BRANDING AND ASSOCIATION

CO-BRANDING IS A MARKETING STRATEGY THAT UTILIZES MULTIPLE BRAND

NAMES ON A GOOD OR SERVICES AS A PART OF STRATEGY ALLIANCE.

CO-BRANDING CAN BOOST THE REPUTATION OF TWO OR MORE BRANDS,

DEPENDING ON THE STRATEGY EMPLOYED. THERE ARE FOUR DISTINCT
STRATEGIES INCLUDING MARKET PENETRATION, GLOBAL BRAND, BRAND
REINFORCEMENT AND BRAND EXTENSION STRATEGY.

FOR EXAMPLE: OUTLOOK INDIA OFFERS THE CONSUMER AN AMERICAN

TOURISTER BAG ON A PURCHASE ABOVE OF 5500 INR MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION.

BRAND PERSONALITY AND REFERENCE GROUPS

IT IS A SET OF HUMAN CHARATERISTICS THAT ARE

ATTRIBUTED TO A BRAND NAME. A BRAND PERSONALITY IS
SOMETHING TO WHICH THE CONSUMER CAN RELATE: AN
EFFECTIVE BRAND INCREASES ITS BRAND EQUITY BY HAVING CONSISTENT SET
OF TRAITS THAT A SPECIFIC CONSUMER SEGMENTS ENJOYS.

FOR EXAMPLE: IF WE TALK ABOUT OUTLOOK, IT FALLS

UNDER COMPETENCE CATEGORY; WHICH MEANS BRANDS
THAT CUSTOMERS CHOOSE WHEN THEY WANT A JOB DONE
WELL AND TO HIGH STANDARD. THEY WANT TO BE SEEN AS
INDUSTRY LEADERS AND SHIOWCASE THEIR COMMITMENT
TO QUALITY. SOME OF THE TRAITS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PERSONALITY ARE
RELIABLE, INTELLIGENT, SUCCESSFUL, INNOVATIVE, EXPERIENCED, AND HARD
WORKING.

REFERENCE GROUPS ARE CONSIDERED A SOCIAL

INFLUENCE IN CONSUMER PURCHASHING. SO IF A GROUP
ENDORSES A PRODUCT, EITHER THROUGH USE OR
STATEMENTS ABOUT THE PRODUCT, THOSE THAT LOOK TO THE GROUP WILL
OFTEN PURCHASE THE PRODUCT.

QUES.2 COMPARE THE SAME BRAND ELEMENTS WITH THE COMPETITOR

COMPANY WHICH IS OPERATING THE SAME SEGMENT.

ANS.2 FIRST OF ALL, WE WILL BE DISCUSSING ABOUT THE

BRAND ELEMENT IS? ELEMENTS USED TO
EXPRESS/REPRESENT AND IDENTITY/DIFFRENTIATE THE
BRAND. THE CONSISTENT USE OF BRAND ELEMENTS IN ALL
MARKETING PROGRAMS HELPS COMMUNICATE THE BRAND
CHARACTER TO THE MARKET PLACE. TALKING ABOUT THE COMPANIES WHICH I
HAVE TAKEN, OUTLOOK INDIA AND INDIA TODAY AS ITS COMPETITOR.

EXAMPLES OF BRAND ELEMENTS:

1). BRAND NAME: BRAND NAME REFERS TO THE WORDS USED TO IDENTIFY THE
COMPANY, PRODUCT, SERVICE OR CONCEPT.

BOTH COMPANIES HAVE THEIR BRAND NAME ALONG WITH LOGO.

2).LOGO: A LOGO IS THE VISUAL TRADEMARK OF THE COMPANY THAT

IDENTIFIES THE BRAND.
ABOVE ARE THE LOGOS OF REPUTED COMPANIES, THE OUTLOOK INDIA AND
THE INDIA TODAY GROUP.

3).THEME LINE: THE THEME LINES ALLOWS BRAND COMMUNICATIONS TO

DEVELOP SUB THEMES TO HELP IT COME TO LIFE.

THEME LINE OF OUTLOOK INDIA: THINK BEYOND, STAY AHEAD.

THEME LINE OF INDIA TODAY: UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO THEME LINE FOR

INDIA TODAY .

4). SHAPE: PHYSICAL SHAPE, LIKE “O” IN OUTLOOK AND “IT” IN INDIA TODAY
CAN ALSO BE USED AS A BRAND IDENTITY ELEMENT.

5). GRAPHICS: GRAPHICS CAN ALSO BRING ABRAND TO OUR

ATTENTION IN A SECOND. WHILE THEY ARE NOT LOGOS,
GRAPHICS, ARE VISUAL, ELEMENTS, THAT SERVE TO QUICKLY IDENTIFY A
BRAND WITHOUT THE NEED FOR WORDS.
6). COLOR: RED BACKGROUND IN OUTLOOK LOGO AND
INDIA TODAY REPRESENTS THE QUICK ATTENTION TO THE CONSUMER FROM
THE DISTANCE. A LOYAL CONSUMER CAN NOTICE BRAND THROUGH THEIR
COLOR.

7). SOUND: SOUND, OR A UNIQUE SET OF NOTES OR TONES, CAN ALSO ASSIST IN
FORMING A BRAND’S IDENTITY.

8). MOVEMENT: ANOTHER BRAND ELEMENT IS MOVEMENT, OR HOW THE

PRODUCT SHIFTS, EXPANDS, OR CONDENSES. FOR EXAMPLE: LAMBORGHINI HAS
TRADEMARK THE UPWARD MOTION OF ITS CAR DOORS.
9). SMELL: THE SMELL OF BRAND ALSO ADDS TO THE OVERALL BRAND
IDENTITY. FOR EXAMPLE: CHANEL 5 PERFUMES HAS ROSE -JASMINE MUSK AS
ITS TRADEMARK.

10). TASTE: LAST, TASTE IS ANOTHER BRAND ELEMENT THAT YOU CAN
DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF. FOR EXAMPLE: KFC HAS TRADEMARKED ITS
SPECIAL RECIPE OF 11 HERBS AND SPICES FOR FRIED CHICKEN.

QUES.3 WHICH AMONGST THESE COMPANIES HAS BEEN ABLE TO

IMPLEMENT SOUND PBM STRATEGIES AND WHAT HAS BEEN THE OUTCOME?

ANS.3 THE OUTLOOK HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST

RECOGNISED BRANDS BUILT ON THE PILLARS OF
PROFESSIONAL AND MEDIA INDUSTRY. INDIA TODAY AND
MANORAMA MALAYAMA ENTERED THE MARKET
ATTACKING THE OULOOK INDIA ON PRICE. THE NAME
ALONE SHOWS THAT THEY ARE PUSHING CUSTOMERS TOWARDS LOW COST
BETTER QUALITY OF PRODUCT.

HOWEVER, INDIA TODAY ALSO COMPETES ON

QUALITY.THEY FURTHER DIFFERENTIATED BY CREATING MESSAGING THAT IS
FAR FROM THE OUTLOOK INDIA ADVERTISEMENTS.

THEIR PRODUCT DISPLAY ARE MORE REFINED AND THEY

OFFER MORE DISCOUNTS TO THE CONSUMERS. THEIR MAIN RED COLOR DEFINES
THE FIERY AND ATTACKING SIDE OF THE BRAND.

BOTH COMPANIES HAVE FANTASTIC BRANDING. ONE IS NOT BETTER THAN THE
OTHER. THEY BOTH ORGANIZE ALL
THEIR ACTIVITIES TO RE-ENFORCE THEIR BRAND MESSAGE. BUILDING LOYALTY
WITH THEIR TARGET PERSONAS.

QUES.4 YOU ARE AN ENTREPRENEUR. YOU ARE COMING

UP WITH A COMPANY IN THE SAME SEGMENT AS THE ABOVE TWO
COMPANIES. MAKE A DETAILED ACTION PLAN PERTAINING TO PBM FOR
YOUR COMPANY.

ANS.4 GROWING BUSINESS IS NOT EASY. FIRST, WE NEED TO

DISCOVER A PROFITABLE NICHE, DEFINE A TARGET
DEMOGRAPHIC AND HAVE SOMETHING OF VALUE TO SELL
THEM. FOLLOWING ARE SOME MARKET STRATEGIES WHICH I AM GOING TO
IMPLEMENT IF I WERE AN ENTREPRENEUR:

• USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA: WE CANNOT IGNORE SOCIAL

MEDIA. THAT’S WHERE ALL THE SO CALLED MAGIC IS
HAPPENING. SOME BUSINESS HAVE BEEN BUILT
SOLELY ON THE BACKS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU WILL FIND POSTING ON
SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET EASIER AND EASIER OVER TIME.
• CREATING VIDEO TUTORIALS: ONE OF THE MOST
EFFECTIVE WAYS TO GET THE WORD OUT ON YOUR BUSINESS IS TO
CREATE VIDEO TUTORIALS.TEACH PEOPLE SOMETHING USEFUL. WALK
THEM THROUGH IT.
HOLD THEIR HANDS. THE BETTER YOU ARE AT THIS,
AND THE MORE VALUE YOU PROVIDE
• BLOGGING: WE COULD START A BLOG FOR OUR
BRAND. IT WILL BE MEDIUM OF BUSINESS TO CONSUMER. LIKE PEOPLE
REACTION AND COMMENTS SECTION.
• UNDERSTANDING SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION: SEO CAN BE
FRIGHTENING. BUT IT CAN BE SO
POWERFUL. CREATE CONTENT FOR HUMANS WHILE
ALSO PAYING HOMAGE TO SEARCH ENGINES. BUT
MORE IMPORTANTLY, ENSURES THAT WHATEVER IT IS
THAT YOU ARE CONVEYING IS INSIGHTFUL, ENGAGING, UNIQUE AND ADD A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF VALUE.
• LEVERAGE INFLUENCERS: FIND THE RIGHT
INFLUENCER IN YOUR CIRCLE SO THAT YOU ARE
TARGETING THE RIGHT AUDIENCE. IT IS NOT JUST
ABOUT SPREADING YOUR MESSAGE. IT IS ABOUT SPREADING YOUR
MESSAGE TO THE RIGHT CUSTOMER
BASE.
• BUILD A GREAT LEAD MAGNET: WHAT TYPE OF LEAD
MAGNET SHOULD YOU BUILD? THAT COULD EITHER BE
 AN EBOOK, CHEAT SHEET, A CHECKLIST, A VIDEO AND
OTHERS. OF COURSE, IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE LEAD
MAGNET. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SQUEEZE PAGE WITH SIZZLING SALES
COPY TO GET PEOPLE TO DROP INTO YOUR FUNNEL.
• USE FACEBOOK ADS WITH RE-TARGETING: ONE OF
THE MOST POWERFUL METHODS YOU CAN USE TO
MARKET JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THESE DAYS ARE
FACEBOOK ADS. WITH FACEBOOK, YOU CAN REACH A
VERY SPECIFIC AUDIENCE AND YOU CAN DO IT VERY
EASILY. YOU CAN TARGET BY INTEREST, AGE, RELATIONSHIPS STATUS,
GEOGRAPHIC LOACTION AND SO MUCH MORE.
• USE LINKEDIN THE RIGHT WAY: THIS IS GREAT PLACE TO CONVEY THE
ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY. TALK ABOUT YOUR CHALLENGES AND
TELL STORIES. THE MORE EFFECTIVE YOUR STORIES, THE LARGER YOUR
POTENTIAL REACH WHEN YOU GO VIRAL.
• CREATE AN AFFILIATE PROGRAM: MOST PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND
THE POWER OF AFFILIATE
MARKETING. AFFILIATES CAN PROVIDE MASSIVE FUEL
FOR GROWTH . BUT APPROACHING THE RIGHT
PARTNERS IS NOT ALWAYS THAT EASY. BUILD AN AFFILIATE PROGRAM
AND START REACHING OUT TO POTENTIAL AFFILIATE WHO CAN ASSIST
YOU.
• USE E-MAIL MARKETING SEQUENCES: PART OF ANY GOOD SALES
FUNNEL IS GOING TO BE AN E-MAIL
MARKETING SEQUENCE. THESE ARE THE AUTOMATED
MESSAGES THAT GO OUT TO USERS ONCE THEY
SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR LIST. USE YOUR EMAIL SEQUENCE
TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUBSCRIBER. BE AUTHENTIC AND
TRANSPARENT AND CONVEY YOUR JOURNEY.