Are perceptions hurting your brand?

When you get into your jobs, it is important to worry about brands and its perceptions

“Perception is reality” is a statement that one often hears. What that means is that perceptions can be so well entrenched and deep rooted that people tend to take them to be gospel truth even if they just have a grain of truth in them. Let’s talk about a couple of real life perceptions before we move into the world of marketing and how perceptions can affect brands. “People from the North are more aggressive than people in the South”. Now this is a popular perception whether it is true or not. We form opinions of people based on these perceptions and even make decisions on the strength of these perceptions. Let’s move on to the world of marketing. “Chinese goods are of poor quality.” This is a fairly common perception in India for instance and this is also something that can hurt the brands in question. Whilst some countries like Japan or Germany flaunt themselves as “countries of origin” of some brands, the Chinese may not. Let’s look at the advertising of a famous brand like Haier which is originally from China.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNgIHZ-ng4g

While it is an interesting product concept and truly Indian execution, you will notice that nowhere is the brand talking about the country of its origin. It probably has its reasons but my suspicion is that it does not wish to talk about its country of origin but instead looks at itself as a truly global brand that adapts itself wonderfully to India and its customs. German engineering on the other hand is something that has been the basis of many of the top cars of the world and as a race they are justifiably proud of their engineering ability. Brands like Mercedes Benz, BMW, Volkswagen and Audi come to mind. But not all perceptions about Germans need be positive as I discovered in my own personal experience. However, I am not here to talk about an isolated experience and make that into a profound theory but to talk about Lufthansa.

German airline surprises Indian flyers

Lufthansa is a popular German airline, the largest in Europe that I have travelled several times by in the past years though I do not do so now. The reason? I find the food and service not to mention the prices much better in airlines like Emirates and Etihad. My own experience was that it was a cold if clinically efficient airline even if I found the food indifferent and the entertainment programs minimal but it took me to Frankfurt and the US later on time. Now with the emergence of several competing brands, Lufthansa has this new commercial and press ad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrYhrZ3ppik

Though you have watched the commercial, let me comment on it. But before that let’s take a look at the press ad as it makes a point too. Not surprisingly it says punctuality and precision are expected and delivered whilst everything else like the customer service are unexpected as they exceed expectations. Let’s move on the commercial now. Grandchildren have unquestioned faith on their doting grandparents and often see the world through the eyes of their grandfathers as this commercial depicts. The grandpa tells the grandson that they are going to New York to meet the boy’s dad and the child is obviously excited. The grandfather tells the child that they are going by Lufthansa, a German airline. He speaks of Germans in a slightly deprecatory tone which is slightly different from the tone of voice that Germans usually use. He says the Germans are different thereby implying that they are difficult to understand. They don’t know Bollywood he says derisively and their food is not worth speaking about. The great day of travel comes and as the two enter the plane, an Indian stewardess welcomes them warmly and the boy has a slightly surprised look about him which turns to an even greater one when the stewardess brings a full course Indian meal prompting the child to say “grandpa we are in the wrong plane“and the grandfather says that everything is fine as it actually is. So clearly research has thrown up certain negatives and perceptions about the brand and Germans as a race and this communication attempts to address it. Will one commercial address all this? Certainly not but the brand’s ability to accept that it may have a problem and that India and its customers matter to it is the point to be noted which is certainly in its favour. Customers will continue to watch the brand and see if these are mere advertising claims or if the brand means what it says.

So when you get into your jobs worry about your brands, consumers and perceptions. See that they don’t hurt you.

Maggi addresses loyalists; says, "We miss you too"

Team Maggi begins its crisis management on the communication front with a three-film campaign.

"Kab wapas ayegaa yaar? Miss you."

"I miss you yaar. Come back, man."
"Ab aa bhi jao. Miss you yaar."
These are lines from the latest three-film digital campaign released by Nestlé Maggi. The ads are monologues by young men who're addressing Maggi. Rife with affectionate endearments, the ads are crafted to resemble a series of personal messages to an old buddy.

The brand name is not uttered. At the end of each film, the Maggi logo appears on the screen, along with the words #WeMissYouToo.
On the brand's YouTube page, a quick message accompanies the videos: "This one is for all our fans! Can't thank you enough for your support. Share it and keep spreading the Maggi love. #‎WeMissYouToo"

Says Nestlé in an official statement, "These short films reflect the spontaneity and affection between consumers and Maggi. We are making efforts to get Maggi Noodles back on the shelves and have been overwhelmed by the messages of love and support that we receive each day. Such messages strengthen our resolve to be back with our beloved consumers. We want to share the warmth of our relationship through these films."

We are making efforts to get Maggi Noodles back on the shelves.

Nestlé

McCann India has created this campaign. Adds the Nestlé spokesperson, "While Publicis India is the agency on record for Maggi Noodles in India, we have been working with McCann India for some corporate projects. This is one such project."

In each film, the context of consumption, and the convenience Maggi brings to people's lives, is highlighted.
Interestingly, the films leave no room for the possibility that Maggi can be replaced by some other 'instant snack'; the young men resort to alternatives like ordering from restaurants or eating at a neighbour's home, as though they just cannot consider replacing Maggi with any other easy-to-make product that comes in a packet and can be purchased at a store. It's a subtle way of saying 'Maggi or nothing'.
Campaign Review

For Viren Razdan, managing director, Brand-nomics, a brand consultancy, the campaign brings alive the role of Maggi in our culture, and helps preserve the relationship people share with the brand. "For a generation brought up on this brand, this is 'right in the gut'. It's like a friend pulling you into an embrace, saying, 'Hey, I know you are missing me'. The quiet, non-defensive strategy of Nestlé was grilled by many, but these films are Maggi's way of saying, 'Hey, I would never harm you and you know it...'"

Ramanujam Sridhar, founder and CEO, brand-comm, a brand consultancy, comments on the strategy: "It appears to be guided by the fact that the brand still doesn't have formal approval and that the product is still not available in the marketplace. This is also is a way of subtly putting pressure on the authorities."
He finds the strategy interesting, given the current situation facing team Maggi. For a brand that's not completely out of the woods yet, the campaign, he feels, is impressive, as it reiterates the fact that Maggi has a considerable customer franchise and a big pool of loyalists.
While this campaign is hinged on intangibles like sentiments and loyalty, Sridhar is of the view that the next burst of communication ought to touch upon more "tangible" aspects.
"Logically, in the next stage of communication, the brand should give evidence that things are completely okay. Some clarification needs to be given on the ingredients front. They need to do this, especially if they want to get children - a TG they can't walk away from - back into the fold," he suggests, drawing on the reality that while youngsters might welcome Maggi back with open arms, parents will hesitate to feed it to their kids until they're absolutely sure it is safe.
"Maybe Madhuri Dixit can convey that message," he muses, adding about the current campaign, "This can't be the final campaign. It's more like an 'interim campaign, till the main one is out," he says.

While Santosh Padhi (Paddy), chief creative officer and co-founder, Taproot India likes the thought ('We miss you too'), he feels "thrown off" because it comes from the brand.
"The message," he insists, "cannot come from Maggi. It should come from consumers. If they don't have enough loyal consumers who can stand up for them (hard to believe), then they'd rather buy them (without the world knowing) and form a 'club' of sorts," he says, adding, "The idea would've looked more authentic if it was delivered by a bunch of crazy people wanting the brand to come back into their lives."
In a campaign of this sort, there should be around eight to ten "raw" looking films, with a pan-India feel to them, that feature people across age groups and SECs, according to Paddy. "This set of films could have passed off as consumer-generated, but the logo at the end just kills everything and makes it look completely fake," critiques Paddy. He would rather have Maggi appear in the script.
Interestingly, the films showcase only one slice of the consumer pie - young men. In two out of three films, the implication is that he lives alone. "Why only these three youngsters? Why not a kid? Why not a woman?" questions Paddy, saying this makes it look like the nation is persuaded only by the youth.
Will the campaign help salvage brand Maggi, though? "The wound is too deep for these three films to heal," he answers, "There's a small percentage of people who definitely want the brand back, but there is a certain set of people who will never allow it back in their kitchen. But, there is a bigger group waiting to see how Maggi will approach them. These films won't really make a mother feel the same affection towards the brand."

Priti Nair, co-founder, Curry Nation, an advertising agency, says about the campaign, "It is a superb bridge for a come-back. Unexpected and fresh. The usual, expected thing after a controversy is - a film that shows a visit to the factory, then the CEO/a celebrity will speak about the product. This one is from the consumer; it is warm and rings true," she says, adding about the execution, "It's fantastically calibrated, and has bang-on casting and performances. Good locations, even. And there was no need to actually name the brand (in the script); the slate at the end brands the films, top to bottom."
Nair adds, "Now let's hope this brand that everyone has always loved actually lives up to the love and does not have anything harmful in it. Or that would be a shame."