A STRATEGY BASE FOR BUZZ
The product life cycle models the growth and decline of a product, brand or product category. The PLC has enormous implications for the spread of buzz.
INTRODUCTION
The introduction phase of the lifecycle is also the start up phase of the brand. The brand/product category is purchased by the “ID” category of customers. This set consists of people who enjoy being in the forefront of innovation; they are the experimenters, the risk takers the early adopters.
The onus on the marketer is to create awareness and interest; evaluation, trial and possible acceptance will quickly follow. The ID of the innovator is the dominant decision maker. It is excited about the brand/product. The ID leads the innovator to talk about his experience to others.
In this phase, marketers usually spend heavily on advertising and promotions with a view to drive trial, in the hope that the trial will lead to future adoption. However, this is also the right time to get people talking about the brand/product. These in turn creates buzz.
Indian Examples in this context are:
Skoda Octavia followed a selective launch and distribution approach. They appealed to the Id of the innovator through envy and aspiration.
In an altogether different industry, the example of a pre-introduction buzz creation of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin through flash mobs stands out as a brilliant WOM campaign by UTV and Sony entertainment television.
International Examples of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Alchemist have paved the way for a resounding success of successive issues of the authors.
On a negative connotation the buzz about Fiat Palio being a petrol guzzler has been a cause for low preference amongst prospective buyers. Every brand wanting to create buzz must appeal to some basic emotion in the consumer.
GROWTH
In this phase the marketer must speed up the growth of the product/brand. It may be called the maintenance phase of the brand. The marketer spends on support activities like advertising, regular but lesser promotions. The “EGO state, early majority phase of adoption characterizes the growth phase. The decision making process for this consumer consists of a longer evaluation period. The buzz must now include some rationale for using the product/brand –mere appeal to emotions will not be sufficient.
The story appeals to the ID but the EGO desires a reason for accepting the credibility and appeal of the story. Marketers must now involve positive functional or emotional reinforces to the communication so that the EGO state of mind does not inhibit the ID. Furthermore, in this stage it is the buzz that is created out of trial by the ID that reinforces the EGO to buy, more so on a rational basis. Also, with product innovations, brand and line extensions, redefined consumers, the segmentation base widens, also adding the no. of ID buyers.
Some examples:
1. “Café Mocha” in the city of Mumbai in its growth stage created positive WOM because of the very fact that a franchise opened in one’s locality who then spread the word on a one-to-one basis.
2. Internationally, the launch of the “LH Limited Edition” cars from Daimler Chrysler, meant for only business leaders created a buzz amongst the elite class leading to subsequent and unpaid exposure in newspapers and electronic media.
MATURITY
In the maturity phase, the product/brand loses its novelty which was predominant in the earlier stages. There is a need for Brand Revitalization which calls for variations and nuances that revive the brand. With increased WOM and proven functional benefits, the “EGO” state takes the role of a buzz creator establishing the functionally strong product as a standard must. This phase sees the domination by the assurance seeking “SUPEREGO”. This Ego state needs to be convinced of the suitability of the brand for itself.
This is supplemented by superiority over the brand over the current one that it is using.
Some examples:
1. The revitalization of “Frooti” in the maturity phase through the Digen Verma campaign can be seen as an attempt to create buzz. The brilliant attempt failed because the company failed to link the buzz with the brand.
2. A negative buzz about “Cadbury’s” (worm infested bars) in its maturity stage would have adversely impacted the brand and led it to decline, had the resurrection through Project Vishwas not happened.
DECLINE
Decline phase is characterized by negative growth, declining profits or even losses and low brand equity. In such a phase the buzz marketer aims at placing the brand on a new product life cycle itself. This is a point of inflection calling for Brand
The product life cycle models the growth and decline of a product, brand or product category. The PLC has enormous implications for the spread of buzz.
INTRODUCTION
The introduction phase of the lifecycle is also the start up phase of the brand. The brand/product category is purchased by the “ID” category of customers. This set consists of people who enjoy being in the forefront of innovation; they are the experimenters, the risk takers the early adopters.
The onus on the marketer is to create awareness and interest; evaluation, trial and possible acceptance will quickly follow. The ID of the innovator is the dominant decision maker. It is excited about the brand/product. The ID leads the innovator to talk about his experience to others.
In this phase, marketers usually spend heavily on advertising and promotions with a view to drive trial, in the hope that the trial will lead to future adoption. However, this is also the right time to get people talking about the brand/product. These in turn creates buzz.
Indian Examples in this context are:
Skoda Octavia followed a selective launch and distribution approach. They appealed to the Id of the innovator through envy and aspiration.
In an altogether different industry, the example of a pre-introduction buzz creation of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin through flash mobs stands out as a brilliant WOM campaign by UTV and Sony entertainment television.
International Examples of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Alchemist have paved the way for a resounding success of successive issues of the authors.
On a negative connotation the buzz about Fiat Palio being a petrol guzzler has been a cause for low preference amongst prospective buyers. Every brand wanting to create buzz must appeal to some basic emotion in the consumer.
GROWTH
In this phase the marketer must speed up the growth of the product/brand. It may be called the maintenance phase of the brand. The marketer spends on support activities like advertising, regular but lesser promotions. The “EGO state, early majority phase of adoption characterizes the growth phase. The decision making process for this consumer consists of a longer evaluation period. The buzz must now include some rationale for using the product/brand –mere appeal to emotions will not be sufficient.
The story appeals to the ID but the EGO desires a reason for accepting the credibility and appeal of the story. Marketers must now involve positive functional or emotional reinforces to the communication so that the EGO state of mind does not inhibit the ID. Furthermore, in this stage it is the buzz that is created out of trial by the ID that reinforces the EGO to buy, more so on a rational basis. Also, with product innovations, brand and line extensions, redefined consumers, the segmentation base widens, also adding the no. of ID buyers.
Some examples:
1. “Café Mocha” in the city of Mumbai in its growth stage created positive WOM because of the very fact that a franchise opened in one’s locality who then spread the word on a one-to-one basis.
2. Internationally, the launch of the “LH Limited Edition” cars from Daimler Chrysler, meant for only business leaders created a buzz amongst the elite class leading to subsequent and unpaid exposure in newspapers and electronic media.
MATURITY
In the maturity phase, the product/brand loses its novelty which was predominant in the earlier stages. There is a need for Brand Revitalization which calls for variations and nuances that revive the brand. With increased WOM and proven functional benefits, the “EGO” state takes the role of a buzz creator establishing the functionally strong product as a standard must. This phase sees the domination by the assurance seeking “SUPEREGO”. This Ego state needs to be convinced of the suitability of the brand for itself.
This is supplemented by superiority over the brand over the current one that it is using.
Some examples:
1. The revitalization of “Frooti” in the maturity phase through the Digen Verma campaign can be seen as an attempt to create buzz. The brilliant attempt failed because the company failed to link the buzz with the brand.
2. A negative buzz about “Cadbury’s” (worm infested bars) in its maturity stage would have adversely impacted the brand and led it to decline, had the resurrection through Project Vishwas not happened.
DECLINE
Decline phase is characterized by negative growth, declining profits or even losses and low brand equity. In such a phase the buzz marketer aims at placing the brand on a new product life cycle itself. This is a point of inflection calling for Brand