Name of the game - Differentiation

A few days back, I came across the new packaging of Kinley mineral water, a Coca-Cola company product. Mineral water is more like a commodity now with minimum level of differentiation among various brands of the same. Click here for information on brand commoditization.

Mineral or bottled water category is one of the foremost to get commoditized. In the Indian scenario, Bisleri was the market leader to the extent that the category of mineral water had become synonymous with the brand, Bisleri. Now the competition is intense as the number of players in the category have increased significantly.

If you consider the category of mineral water, the scope of differentiation is really low. As such, the core product cannot be differentiated but the components of augmented product like packaging can be modified so as to survive in the market.

Evian, a French bottled water manufacturer and distributor followed a differentiation strategy long back when it modified its packaging to cater to the premium segment. The modified packaging marked the entry of brand in all premium restaurants thereby creating a niche for the brand. Well, this has been a brilliant differentiation strategy.

Well, differentiation is always different and if it isn't different, it is not differentiation. So is the case with Kinley mineral water. It almost tried to copy the packaging of Evian without alteration in its pricing. Well, it is difficult to say, but the strategy behind this could be to cater to aspirational need of people by providing them a look alike of a premium product in affordable prices.

Let us see how this new packaging and the underlying strategy works for Coca Cola Inc.

Brand Sense 1

As mentioned in my earlier post, I will now elucidate on integration of each of the five physiological senses to brands. 

Le'ts start with the sense of sight. It is easiest for marketers to connect with consumers' vision. There are n number of examples in this context. Lets us take the example of Coke. When I say Coca Cola, what comes to your mind, rather what association comes to your mind? Probably, it is the red color which Coca Cola is strongly associated with. As such, when a brand has such strong association with vision of consumers', it becomes easier for brands to be on top of minds of consumers.

Marketers need to expend very less marketing or promotional expense. Any bill board with Coke-specific red graphics would serve as reminder for the consumers and that is the essence of brand sense with reference to vision.

HATS OFF !!!

Consumers do not want to get overloaded with a number of advertisements, but then how do companies present their products to the consumers? Well, I have mentioned a way earlier, that is, subliminal advertising. This is not is new concept, though its usage isn’t very rampant.

Coca-Cola India has come up with an entirely new concept with their new Limca advertisement, featuring Sushma Reddy. It‘s a very different sequence compared to any other commercial. It is very direct and really enthralling.

As the competition is very high in the market of carbonated drinks or the entire beverage market, brand recall is the key. The advertisement fulfills the basic essence of a marketing communication, that is, it communicates the product features, its benefits. The marketers have kept the advertisement quite simple, easily comprehendible. The major attraction is communication of intended message through a song, which people could relate to because of its relevance to today’s hectic work life. It may be an experiment, but I feel that marketers have brought out this concept after researching on human psychology to remember and recall a song, which is closer to their life.

I think they have put forth an entirely different form of marketing communication, which has got great reviews in terms of concept and presentation.