Guest Column: Balancing brand equity and sales – Jack Klues
Successful advertising is no longer about image-building ads, followed and supported by other BTL efforts that drive intent and purchase. Equity and sales are inextricably embedded in consumer engagement. The question marketers should ask is how to intersect with consumers in a way that will resonate with them and add value to their lives, points out <b>Jack Klues, Managing Partner, VivaKi. </b>

In the current age of consumer control, fragmented media and ‘opt in’ advertising, it is difficult to separate marketing efforts that build brand equity from those that drive sales. As consumers retreat from traditional advertising, including ‘image’ advertising, they measure the value of a brand (and the company that created it), based on the experiences they have with the brand. Those experiences increasingly happen on a branded website, social network, mobile phone, search result, in an email, at a sponsored event or at the retail store. Arguably any of these experiences can drive a sale, and should – a successful search result, for example, may lead directly to an online sale. But these experiences are also contributing to a customer’s affinity for, and loyalty to, the brand.
More than creating the right balance between the two, marketers should focus on the full spectrum of brand experiences, and leverage Performance Marketing to move consumers along that spectrum toward a sale or another measurable result.
If I can go back in time and quote one of my favourite advertising icons, it was Leo Burnett who once said, “Plan for the sale when you plan the ad”. He was addressing a different age of advertising, but the words still apply. While he was certainly talking about a print or television ad, in today’s currency, the ‘ad’ might be a piece of content, an embedded product or any other experience.
The importance of building brand equity is consistent throughout a campaign’s lifespan, as it is also the true determinant of increased sales. Sales are really just facts and figures. Brand equity is something that grows over time and can lead to greater sales in the future.
Consider the case of Nihar Natural, which after 50 years of market leadership had become a commonplace product for women in the rural Bihar province. With little marketing investment, the brand was losing market share and the consumer had become indifferent to the product. Because the essence of Nihar is purity, the marketing campaign included community meetings and rallies in many of Bihar’s villages dedicated solely to the subject of purity, and featuring Nihar Coconut Oil. Thousands of people participated. The effort built equity for the brand and simultaneously drove sales, increasing Nihar’s market share by 4 per cent.
In 2008, the Singapore Tourism Board decided to reposition the way Singapore was perceived in India, and increase intent-to-travel by 10 per cent. Knowing that a vacation for most Indian families is very much focused on children, the Tourism Board partnered with POGO to take its ‘MAD’ (Music, Art & Dance) programme to Singapore for a summer. The ‘MAD in Singapore’ campaign featured an on-air and online contest, asking children in India to express what they loved about Singapore. The month-long contest gave five lucky children the chance to travel to Singapore and appear on the show. Post-campaign research by AC Nielsen showed that one in three families was encouraged by their child to take the family to Singapore. Of these families, nearly 75 per cent said they planned to travel to Singapore within two years, which translates to a 59.1 per cent increase in intent-to-travel.
I cite these examples to emphasise how successful marketing campaigns have evolved. Successful advertising is no longer about image-building ads, followed and supported by other below-the-line efforts that drive intent and purchase. Equity and sales are inextricably embedded in consumer engagement.
The question marketers should ask is not so much how to balance brand equity and sales, but how to intersect with consumers in a way that will resonate with them and add value to their lives. We can no longer separate brand experiences and messaging into that which builds affinity and that which drives sales, because it all fuels engagement. And if we listen closely to consumers, they will help us understand where to reach them, how to reach them, and what they want to hear from us when we do capture their attention.
(Jack Klues is Managing Partner, VivaKi. He oversees a variety of strategic assets spanning Digitas, Starcom MediaVest Group and ZenithOptimedia. Along with his duties at VivaKi, Klues is also member of Publicis Groupe Directoire, the elite governing body that guides Publicis Groupe S.A.)
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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