It's from Japan, it's christmasy and it's beautiful.
Love the way KDDI, a Japanese telecom operator, connected this distance couple. Even if they're actors.
Tuesday 30 December 2014
Tuesday in Japan: Just One Step Closer is All You Need
It's from Japan, it's christmasy and it's beautiful.
Love the way KDDI, a Japanese telecom operator, connected this distance couple. Even if they're actors.
Tuesday 18 November 2014
Tuesday in India: Johnny-Come-Lately Making a Dramatic Entry
Only an ad can make this dirty car look so attractive. Or is it the driver?
Mahindra & Mahindra presented the New Generation Scorpio and the video is not your casual car ad.Need I say more?
Watch it.
Friday 14 November 2014
Friday Research: Your Customer Wants It The Hard Way
When Will You Use This?
Developing your products and creating consumers experience.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Traffic jams make me feel helpless. Then I think, how important is it to be in control as a consumer?
Current research* explored how feelings of control influence selection of products that require either high or low effort.
For example, in one study, basketball players who had either just won or lost a game were asked their opinions about a new basketball shoe. Players saw a photo of a shoe with either the tagline “Work less, Jump higher” or “Work harder, Jump higher.” The players who had just lost the game were more likely to purchase the shoe with the “Work harder, Jump higher” tagline. Players who had just won did not favor one shoe over the other.
Results revealed that when a person’s sense of control is threatened, they are more likely to seek out products that require hard work to restore their belief that they can drive their own positive outcomes. However, when progress feels too slow for someone already in a low-control situation, they are likely to switch their product preferences toward lowering effort— succumbing to things like “get rich quick” schemes and “lose weight without trying” campaigns.
 |
| "Did They Just Say I am a Looser? I'll Show Them in a Year!" |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
As authors suggest, "with the plethora of low-effort products on the market today, a brand’s intuition might be to provide consumers with the easiest, most high-tech routes to achieve their goals. However, our research reveals that the more consumers experience threats to their sense of control with respect to health or fitness goals, the more desirable a structured, high-effort program where consumers drive their own outcomes."
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with increasing customer's self control? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 11 November 2014
Tuesday in India: I Bet You Want to Avoid but #DontLookAway
Stand up for your children!
This two-minute film, directed by Jaydeep Sarkar, aims to increase awareness on child sex trafficking.
Not easy on heart.
Friday 7 November 2014
Friday Research: Desire for Product vs Non-indulgence
When Will You Use This?
Developing tactics in order to maximize customer behavior.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
We all have gone through this while studying or simply being on a diet. Gathering strong determination, setting goals and exercising strong self-control. But temptations are never too far..
Current studies* investigated the possibility that individuals may distort memories of past behavior in order to allow for indulgence in the present. In authors words, "people may trick themselves into thinking something like, ‘I’ve been good on my diet lately, so I can have this piece of cake."
Results revealed that people who distort past memories of their indulgences are more likely to indulge in the future. Across four studies involving eating, spending, and studying, the authors found that people distort their memories of past indulgences when faced with an opportunity to indulge. This, in turn, leads to greater levels of indulgence.
 |
| 'I deserve this piece. I've been following a strict diet for past two days!' |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
As authors suggest, "this information can help banks, health clubs, and companies looking to maximize customer behavior and the choices people make on a day-to-day basis. For example, gym managers might send out emails reminding people how long it has been since their last workout—encouraging impulsive people to come in to exercise and ultimately increase their satisfaction with their gym membership. "
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with customer indulgencies? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 4 November 2014
Tuesday in India: Many Things Make the Complete Man. Letting Go is Just One of Them?
Sometimes you don't need a reason.
Some things just leave a good taste in your mouth.
Like this new video campaign from Raymond, one of India's largest branded fabric and fashion retailers.
Oh, I want to wake up tomorrow feeling a child again..
P.S. When you’re done reading and watching, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Some things just leave a good taste in your mouth.
Like this new video campaign from Raymond, one of India's largest branded fabric and fashion retailers.
Oh, I want to wake up tomorrow feeling a child again..
Friday 31 October 2014
Friday Research: Breath Fire into Your Retail Pricing Strategies
When Will You Use This?
Creating retail pricing and discount strategies.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
We all love good deals and low price. So can one retail pricing strategy be better than the other?
Current research* looked at the impact different pricing strategies have on the stores people shop at when they do not know the product prices unless they visit the store. Results revealed that when trying to maximize savings, consumers will choose retailers they believe offer the lowest prices the majority of the time.
As authors explain, “to simulate 100 weekly purchases from a retail store, study participants were asked to purchase products from one of two competing retailers 100 different times. Participants were given a monetary incentive to minimize their total spending and were instructed to base their selections strictly on price. On each shopping trip, participants first selected a retailer before they were shown the store prices for that week. The authors manipulated the pricing strategies, but in most cases, one retailer used deep-discount pricing while the competing retailer used everyday low pricing or frequent (but small) discounts. While the average price of the two retailers was the same for most experiments, results showed that people consistently tend to choose the retailer they believe is less expensive more often than the retailer they believe is cheapest on average. This pattern held whether or not the retailer used frequent discounts or an everyday low price guarantee."
 |
| Discount rule: many little ones are better than banging one! |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
Authors suggest that this research offers great insight "for companies regularly using deep discounts or pricing their products lower than their competitors’ average prices. The authors suggest a more effective strategy is to simply offer prices that are generally always lower than their competitors’ prices. <..>One reason consumers find these retailers so attractive is that their product prices tend to be cheaper than those of their competitors on the majority of shopping trips. Consumers seem to prefer many small discounts to a few large ones."
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with discount strategies? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 28 October 2014
Tuesday in India: Sometimes The Best Gift Might Be Your Time..
Do you also sometimes feel like competing with technologies for the attention of your loved ones?
I often do.
Titan, world's fifth largest wrist watch manufacturer, feels you.
Their new ad video for Indian market encourages to give the 'gift of time'.
Festive message.
Friday 24 October 2014
Friday Research: Nostalgia Shopping - Remind Them Something and They'll Buy
When Will You Use This?
Creating promotions and product lines, raising funds.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Once I purchased a pretty expensive chair only because it reminded me of a beautiful chair from my grandma's house where I used to play as a kid. I bought that chair because I wanted to feel like that playful kid again.
How useful nostalgia is in marketing?
Current research* looked at how much people were willing to spend, donate, and value money when feeling a sense of nostalgia-evoked social connectedness.
For example, in one study, consumers asked to think about the past, were willing to pay more for a set of products than consumers asked to think about new or future memories. Also, there was an increased willingness to give more money to others after recalling, reflecting, or writing about a nostalgic past life event.
 |
| 'Where is my wallet?! I feel like doing some Nostalgia-Shopping!' |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
As authors suggest, "this information is useful to brands looking to elicit feelings of nostalgia in their promotions and product lines as well as charitable and political organizations looking to raise funds for others. During times of recession, the authors note that consumers are more reluctant to part with their money and add that nostalgia could be used to help stimulate a dwindling economy."
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with nostalgia in marketing? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 21 October 2014
Tuesday in India: Don't Bother Asking the Whole World. Ask Experts.
Indians love advice, guidance and tips.
Both, give and receive.
Even about the things they have no idea or knowledge of.
That's why this new video campaign from CarWale is a spot on.
Both, give and receive.
Even about the things they have no idea or knowledge of.
That's why this new video campaign from CarWale is a spot on.
Friday 17 October 2014
Friday Research: Holymackerel, Don't Let Your Customer Buy and Avoid Buyer’s Remorse
When Will You Use This?
Developing tactics in order to increase customer satisfaction.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
We all know this feeling: it’s the last day of the month, your wallet is light as a feather.. Suddenly, you get seduced by a very attractive ad and buy a new pair of beautiful pumps. Just like that. They are really beautiful but you suddenly get mixed feelings: satisfied and guilty.
Current studies* measured satisfaction from purchases made with the last of participants’ financial resources. Results revealed less satisfaction with a purchase if someone thinks it will be difficult or take a long time to replenish their budget.
On the other hand, if someone comes into money without any effort—like winning cash from a contest or a lottery—they are more satisfied with their purchases if funds were running low compared to if they already had plenty of financial resources.
 |
| So Happy, So Broke! |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
As authors suggest, "brands looking to increase customer satisfaction can run product promotions during times of the month when they believe consumers have more money in their budgets. Additionally, to reduce the pain of spending one’s last dollar and increase product satisfaction, brands can use coupons and special pricing incentives at times of the month when they believe consumers have exhausted their budgets."
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with increasing customer satisfaction? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 14 October 2014
Tuesday in India: I Bet You're Looking At Your Screen Now. Look Away
Off your computer, then.
The food brand Kissan's new video will encourage you to stop and smell the roses with your family.
Or grow tomatoes.
Superb storytelling anyways.
Friday 10 October 2014
Friday Research: Do You Have to Sacrifice Quality Figurine to be Green?
When Will You Use This?
Creating and developing positioning strategies for your new and improved products.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Nowadays it's quite common for companies to upgrade and add new product features in order to increase the desirability of a product. Many companies choose to redesign popular products using materials that are more environmentally-friendly. But do consumers really respond better to the "greener" products?
Current research* puts focus on green product enhancements and specifically, how the communication of environmental benefits as intended or unintended affects consumers’ purchase decisions
As authors explain, "in a series of studies, consumers learned about a company that manufactures household cleaning products and were told that the company either intended to make the product better for the environment or that the environmental gain was the result of another improvement. Consumers thought the products were higher in quality and were more likely to purchase the cleaning products when the improvement was unintended. Even when the company’s intentions were not disclosed, consumers thought the products suffered from a quality control problem, suggesting that consumers automatically perceive green products as being lower quality even when a company does not specify its intentions."
 |
| Green works for environment, but will it work on my stains?, consumers worry. |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This research suggests a few communication tips for companies, manufacturing green products or thinking of improving some basic product features to become more friendly to the environment. As one of the most important issues for consumers when deciding whether or not to purchase green products is "whether the quality of the green product is undermined", the authors suggest to either position the improvement as unintended or emphasize that the primary goal is improving the quality of the product.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with redesigning a product ? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 7 October 2014
Tuesday in India: This is For The Selfie Addict in You
Riding on a modern selfie madness, Sony India has delicately introduced a brand new Xperia C3.
You won't see a proper promotional ad but rather a hilarious catchy video which is oh-so-true for many selfie-obessed girls out there.
Laugh yourself silly.
P.S. When you’re done reading and watching, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Friday 3 October 2014
Friday Research: Rude Service - Yes, Give Me More of That!
When Will You Use This?
Creating and developing various ways of improving your customers' experience.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
It’s quite common to hear luxury shoppers complaining about snobbery and rude salespeople at the high-end boutiques. But could this be good for your luxury brand?
Current research* examines the circumstances in which consumers increase their regard and willingness to pay after brand rejection.
Results showed that after threat, consumers have more positive attitudes and higher willingness to pay when:
1) the rejection comes from an aspirational (vs. nonaspirational) brand,
2) the consumer relates the brand to his/her ideal self-concept,
3) s/he is unable to self-affirm before rejection,
4) the salesperson delivering the threat reflects the brand,
5) the threat occurred recently.
 |
| 'You think I don't belong here? Bring me everything from the menu!' |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This research reveals that participants who expressed an aspiration to be associated with high-end brands also reported an increased desire to own the luxury products after being treated poorly. This was only true if the salesperson appeared to be an authentic representative of the luxury brand.
Basically, this shows that some people, when made to feel they don’t fit with the luxury brand, are motivated to prove they actually do - that is by making a purchase. When a retailer signals, “’No, you don’t deserve to be here,’ it looks like a challenge and a customer thinks, “I’m going to show you I have a right to be here.”
However, while the snobby salesperson could encourage an impulsive purchase, the experience ultimately leaves customer with a poor impression of the brand. The winning formula to increase sales for your luxury goods is to make your store and staff more approachable and less intimidating.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with luxury shopping? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 30 September 2014
Tuesday in India: You'll Never Look at Festivals The Same Way Again
That's why every initiative by the police to tackle this issue is welcomed with open arms.
Recently Mumbai Police has launched a film campaign in Mumbai cinemas urging citizens to stay alert and look for suspicious objects during the Ganapati festival. Time and again people go about the celebrations without paying attention to anything fishy. And this is a biggie.
Stay observant and keep your eye on the ball.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Friday 26 September 2014
Friday Research: Take Driver's Seat to Impress Your Online Shopper
When Will You Use This?
Developing your website and creating a better online experience for your customers.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
In recent years the Internet has become the main channel for consumers in search for products and services. However, the field of online retailing needs more investigation to understand what’s really significant in this new virtual environment.
Current research* uses pleasure, arousal, and dominance (PAD) model, seeking to extend existing knowledge about consumers’ activities in online retail environments by focusing on the largely ignored role of perceived dominance. If you don't know much about PAD, the original model was created by Mehrabian and Russell (1974) and it suggests that the organism response reflects the individual‘s emotional states. All emotional reactions to an environment can be categorized into 3 dimensions: pleasure, arousal, and dominance (shortly, PAD). Pleasure-displeasure dimension refers to the degree to which an individual feels happy, satisfied, pleased with the situation; arousal-unarousal dimension refers to the degree to which an individual feels stimulated, excited, energetic in the situation; dominance-submissiveness dimension refers to the degree to which an individual feels control over or free to act in the situation.
It is revealed that perceived dominance or influence over oneself has direct effects on purchasing intentions, as well as indirect impacts through pleasure. The impact of perceived dominance on pleasure also is moderated by situational involvement. Moreover, whereas high task-relevant cues exert significant effects on perceived dominance, low task-relevant cues influence arousal.
 |
| Will She Respond to Website Atmosphere as to Real Life? |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This research shares a few insights to help you develop a better online experience for your customers and of course, get more conversions. The results reveal the significant effect of high task-relevant cues on dominance, meaning, tasks that are directly related to shopping goals (verbal website content, pictures of products, navigation aids, etc) should help your customer feel totally informed and confident to make the right decision, your website should radiate power and soft authority to influence the shopper.
Moreover, this study found that low task-relevant cues have an effect on arousal, which means that such website elements as colors, background patterns, fonts, icons, music, etc should arouse, stimulate and excite your customers in order to influence their shopping behaviour.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with creating great online experience for your customers? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 23 September 2014
Tuesday in India: BMW is Making the Most of 'Live The Moment' Movement
That's the idea BMW, one of the most searched luxury car brands in India, wants you to embrace after watching their new ad.
Neat and appealing. But is it enough to convince future-oriented Indians to live as if there is no tomorrow?
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Friday 19 September 2014
Friday Research: Months to Find New Customer, Seconds to Lose Existing One
When Will You Use This?
Planning and developing acquisition campaigns.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Customer acquisition marketing campaigns can be your landslide victory if executed well.
Current research* examines the effect of attractively priced acquisition campaigns on existing customers' retention intention, retention and customer lifetime value (CLV).
The study reveals that customers who are aware of the acquisition campaigns (they know about the process of bringing new customers to the brand that they use) both have a significantly higher intention to stay and do actually stay longer with the brand than do customers who are unaware of these campaigns.
Moreover, there is a positive effect of campaign attractiveness on retention intention, which means that if the customer thinks the acquisition campaign is pleasing, appeals to the senses, has qualities which arouse interest, the retention intention will be higher.
 |
| What Are The Ways of Gaining New Customers Without Losing Existing Ones? There Are Many Answers.. |
*Lhoest-Snoeck, S., van Nierop, E., Verhoef, P.C., ‘For New Customers Only: A Study on the Effect of Acquisition Campaigns on a Service Company's Existing Customers' CLV' Journal of Interactive Marketing, Vol 28 (08/2014) {Thanks for the material}
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with customer acquisition campaigns? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 16 September 2014
Tuesday in India: “Thank god for coffee. It kept me go-go-going and kept you a-a-awake!”
Nestle India revitalized its coffee brand Nescafe with a fresh theme – ‘It all starts with a Nescafe’ and the results look awesome.
Cerified strategy: turn your weakness into your strength.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Friday 12 September 2014
Friday Research: Why Your Shoppers Want to Consult Salesperson?
When Will You Use This?
To improve your understanding of shoppers behavior, training your salespeople.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Most retailers believe in the value of salesperson consultation. But does it really increase store performance and, if so, what could motivate shoppers to seek salesperson's help?
Current research* investigates 425 shoppers and develops a model of four utilitarian and hedonic motivators of shopper consultation with salespeople. The results demonstrate that situational and individual influences, both utilitarian (i.e., shoppers’ purchase uncertainty and efficiency orientation) and hedonic (i.e., shoppers’ situation-related affect toward salespeople and shopping enjoyment) motivate retail shoppers to consult with salespeople. Moreover, salesperson consultation is found to be positively related to the amount of money spent by shoppers.
 |
| Don't Be Fooled: Purchase Uncertainty is Only One Possible Motivator Of Seeking A Salesperson |
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with motivating shoppers for salespeople consultation? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 9 September 2014
Tuesday in India: Lufthansa, Moving Indians With Fresh Marketing
And they want to make a good impression.
Or change the intuitive not-so-good one.
‘More Indian than you think’ campaign is cute and connects well with a viewer, I feel.
Way to go.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Friday 5 September 2014
Friday Research: Customers Enslaved With Freedom And Choice
When Will You Use This?
Researching consumers’ decision process and developing further marketing activities.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
With so much freedom of choice and so many sources of information, today's consumer is empowered and overloaded at the same time.
Current review* investigates how consumer empowerment can make decisions more complex, make tradeoffs more difficult, or lead consumers to be less certain about their preferences. As authors explain “several key factors play a role in how consumer empowerment impacts decision difficulty including consumer knowledge and maximization tendencies, information type and organization, and consumers’ a priori expectations of a decision’s difficulty. Our review of these factors reveals that consumers are more likely to experience decision difficulty in an empowered consumer environment when they possess low knowledge or less developed preferences. Consumers who have a tendency to maximize or to seek the absolute best option rather than settle for one that is good enough face more challenges with choice freedom and expansion of information. Decision environments where choice options are presented one at a time in an alternative-based format or where options are distinguished by unique features are likely to exacerbate consumer difficulty. Additionally, consumers hold lay beliefs that decision difficulty = decision importance, and they display dysfunctional behavior when this expectation is violated. For example, when important decisions prove easier than expected, consumers complicate the situation as a way of enacting due decision diligence (Schrift, Netzer, & Kivetz 2011)."
 |
| Overburden: Too Many Fish in The Sea to Miss One? |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
Current review can help you to better understand the “impact of expanding product lines, offering greater possibilities to customize, providing more product information, and enabling greater access to consumer and expert reviews.” Decision aids such as preference learning tools, product filtering and comparison tools, recommendations, defaults, etc, created to assist consumers and ease the decision process – can actually backfire and make everything more complicated. Check the review * for more details and specific suggestions.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with assuring consumers about their choices? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 2 September 2014
Tuesday in India: No Hushed Tone in This Whisper Campaign
Can you imagine that 54% of urban women in India believe in not watering plants during periods?
And what about areas where the menstruating females are isolated in the rooms to make sure they don't touch a thing?
Various period taboos are still strong in India and "Don'ts" has been ruling during period days for ages.
Recently the sanitary napkin brand Whisper launched a campaign on a very surprising taboo to raise awareness on this eternal issue.
Unjustified taboos - busted! You're free to #TouchThePickle
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
And what about areas where the menstruating females are isolated in the rooms to make sure they don't touch a thing?
Various period taboos are still strong in India and "Don'ts" has been ruling during period days for ages.
Recently the sanitary napkin brand Whisper launched a campaign on a very surprising taboo to raise awareness on this eternal issue.
Unjustified taboos - busted! You're free to #TouchThePickle
Friday 29 August 2014
Friday Research: She Touches Me - She Touches Me Not
When Will You Use This?
Training your sales staff, engaging in direct communication with customers and clients.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Every individual has a different comfort level when it comes to interpersonal touch. Some people like to be touched, some - not so much… What about your customers?
Current research* investigates individuals’ comfort with interpersonal touch and aims to understand how people are different with respect to their preference and use of touch with strangers. Authors of this study developed a scale, called Comfort with Interpersonal Touch (CIT), measuring both dimensions of touch – initiating and receiving touch.
 |
| Do Not Touch: Some Customers Might Be Highly Disturbed By Touch in Shopping Environment |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This research brings some insight for the marketers directly dealing with the customers. It's important to note that when touched, an individual’s comfort with interpersonal touch will influence their evaluation of their surroundings. For example, in retail environment, if Kate, a salesperson, touches John, her customer, and John is uncomfortable with touch, then it's very believable that John will evaluate the brand, its products and his shopping experience less positively after being touched.
As authors say, "these results are really interesting because we are able to demonstrate that comfort with interpersonal touch can influence what a consumer thinks about a service provider and how that consumer perceives an experience. Whether it be tour guides on a campus tour, wait staff in a restaurant, or a retail employee, the way a service provider interacts with customers affects the customer’s experience."
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with touching your customers? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 26 August 2014
Tuesday in India: Have Fiat Just Made Life #MoreInteresting, Anyone?
What's the difference between great and interesting?
It's like a sipping step between black coffee and cappuccino, says Fiat.
It's like a sipping step between black coffee and cappuccino, says Fiat.
The company has just launched a new TVC to highlight features of its revamped Fiat Punto...
..and it's great, or just interesting?
Friday 22 August 2014
Friday Research: When Customers Get Interuppted..
When Will You Use This?
Researching your customer's decision process.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Today we get interrupted by calls, messages, emails, notifications and everything else every other minute. How does that affect us?
Current research* examines how interuptions affect the following decisions, more precisely, whether an individual’s desire to finish an interrupted activity depends on the timing of the interruption (specifically, whether an individual’s desire to finish an interrupted activity is heightened when an interruption disrupts the most intense, important ("climatic") moments of an activity or task).
This study found that people who were interrupted during a climactic moment of a television clip, and who were prevented from watching the end of it, were more likely to make unrelated purchase decisions than their uninterrupted counterparts.
It's observed that when a climactic interruption prevents individuals from achieving closure in the interrupted domain, the resulting unsatisfied need for psychological closure can cause individuals to seek closure in totally unrelated domains. That need for closure motivates individuals to make a decision rather than remain in a state of ambiguity. Research shows that climactic interruptions could increase the likelihood that individuals would make unrelated purchase decisions rather than continue examining product alternatives.
 |
| Hi, We Are Here So You Wouldn't Finish What You Started! |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This research brings some insight for the marketers, as authors say,“ ..because our findings suggest that climactic interruptions can increase the likelihood of choosing to purchase a product rather than continuing to examine alternatives, it is possible that these closure-motivated choices may increase post-purchase regret. In fact, research indicates that insufficient thinking about decision alternatives in and of itself can increase post-decision regret, even when decision outcomes are held constant. To the extent that the current research suggests that need for psychological closure may increase hasty purchase decisions, it is possible that these decisions may increase post-decision regret.”.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with unrelated purchase decisions and post-purchase regret? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 19 August 2014
Tuesday in India: For Those Who Care Enough to Know the Meaning of National Anthem
Huh?
No shame, actually. Indian National Anthem is written in highly Sanskritised Bengali language which isn't widely spoken anymore.
Help is here. Through this video kids from Akanksha Foundation 'teach' you what you probably didn't know.
Nice concept, sweet execution.
Friday 15 August 2014
Friday Research: East or West - Consumer's Distinct Quest!
When Will You Use This?
Planning and developing your branding and advertising strategy.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Spending huge amount of time in UK and Europe (West) and India (East), I couldn’t help but notice the difference between consumers preferences, consumption expectations and brand experiences. Time ago it has been observed that how consumers feel about an unhappy consumption experience depends on who makes the choice and, more significantly, in which cultural context the choice occurs. Actually there are important differences in how Easterners and Westerners view themselves.
Previous studies shown that Westerners tend to expect individuals to act to promote their own interest (coming from beliefs that individuals are self-reliant, self-centered people with autonomy over their own behaviour). On the other hand, in Eastern cultures, people expect groups to act to promtoe the interest of the group (coming from beliefs and values that places greater expectations on working towards the well-being of a group).
Current research* found that Westerners are more likely to switch brands when the unsatisfactory consumption experience is a consequence of their inaction relative to the inaction of a group to which they belong. In contrast, Easterners are more likely to switch brands when the unsatisfactory consumption experience is a consequence of inaction on the part of the group to which they belong relative to their own inaction.
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| Unhappy Eating Experience: Who will actually change the restaurant? |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This study suggests a few ways how a company might benefit from this study in the areas of brand management and advertising. As authors say, “in bicultural settings (such as Singapore and India), firms would do well to consider the possibility that subtle message frames might yield brand loyalty or switching. Given the behavioral consequences of felt regret, an induction of regret can activate a change in the mode of behavior, such as brand-switching. For instance, a firm might be able to limit consumer switching following an unhappy experience, by emphasizing individual action or group inaction (in a Western setting) or by emphasizing individual inaction or group action (in an Eastern setting) in their persuasive communications, since such an emphasis is likely to elicit relatively less regret. By the same token, when consumers have an unhappy experience with a competing brand, a firm may be able to induce consumer switching by emphasizing individual inaction or group action (in a Western setting) or by emphasizing individual action or group inaction (in an Eastern setting) in their persuasive communications, since such an emphasis is likely to elicit relatively greater regret. Therefore, by appropriately accounting for elements that likely affect consumer regret and brand-switching, firms might enhance or limit brand-switching following an unsatisfactory consumption experience, an issue of considerable interest to firms addressing culturally diverse markets, both domestically and internationally..”.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with cross-cultural marketing? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 12 August 2014
Tuesday in India: Insatiable, Unpredictable Appetite for Movies? This Should Be of Use
Having that in mind, Indian online ticketing site Bookmyshow.com has launched a campaign to promote its mobile app.
And it's quite fun.
When you try, you'll never want to go back.
Friday 8 August 2014
Friday Research: Sooo Cute I Want To Bite Your Product
When Will You Use This?
Developing your products and marketing promotions.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Cuteness is everywhere. Brands come up with new cute products every week and they are popular not only among kids but adults as well.
Current research* examines the extent to which consumers engage in more indulgent consumption when they are exposed to whimsically cute (associated with capricious humor and playful disposition) products and explores the process by which such products affect indulgence.
It is revealed that the whimsical nature of cute products triggers indulgent behavior in adult consumers. Researchers say that exposure to whimsically cute products primes mental representations of fun, increasing consumers’ focus on approaching self-rewards and making consumers more likely to choose indulgent options.
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| Neutral vs Cute: Isn't the Winner oh-so-obvious? (these products were used as stimuli in this research) |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This research shares a few insights to help you with developing products and marketign campaigns for them. As authors suggest, "..there are times when adults may not consume beneficial products to the extent that they should (e.g., health-related products), and our findings could be leveraged to suggest that a cute version of such products can increase their consumption, leading to a potentially positive outcome. For example, cute adult “gummy bear” multivitamins are a popular product that may have downstream benefits insofar as their cuteness creates mental representations of fun, causing consumers to indulge in a beneficial way and consume the vitamins more often. Recent reports have indicated increased use of cute anthropomorphized brand characters by companies employing mascots and characters to interact with consumers on social media (Vranica 2012). Because these brand characters are part of the extended product, our findings provide some insights into their potential downstream effects on the brand. That is, the use of cute characters to personify corporate brands could be advantageous for some companies, for which indulgent choices on the part of consumers are beneficial (e.g., Kellogg’s talking granola bar Mel promoting the MilkBite line) but could backfire for others, for which indulgence could result in spending on some pleasurable consumption alternative, rather than on theintended, utilitarian consumption choice (e.g., Aflac’s whimsical duck selling insurance)."
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with cuteness and marketing? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 5 August 2014
Tuesday In India: Anything Can Leak in India, But Not This?
Exam papers leak, videos of corrupted politicians leak, sex tapes leak...
Everything leaks but not these pipes.
A funny ad with a quirky soundtrack from Prince Piping Systems is a marketing gem for this week.
Everything leaks but not these pipes.
A funny ad with a quirky soundtrack from Prince Piping Systems is a marketing gem for this week.
Friday 1 August 2014
Friday Research: Your Experience With Identity Marketing Could Flop
When Will You Use This?
Creating marketing messages that target consumers on the basis of their identity.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Marketing messages often appeal to consumers because of their targeted identities, for example, Crisco targets culinarians by noting that "Cooks who know, trust Crisco" and Jell-O asserts that all real Americans eat their desserts.
However, could identity marketing flop?
Current research* demonstrates that explicit identity-marketing messages can backfire. As authors note, "identity marketing messages that explicitly connect consumer identity expression to a particular brand may highlight the role of external forces in determining consumers’ purchase behavior. In doing so, explicit identity marketing may inadvertently reduce consumers’ perceptions of personal agency in identity expression, undermining the value of brand purchase as a meaningful expression of identity. Five studies support this theorizing and demonstrate that explicit identity-marketing messages may reduce purchase likelihood. Consumers perceive such explicit identity marketing as a threat to free identity expression and avoid brands they would otherwise prefer..".
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| Xbox One Invitation for Real Gamers: Is This a Meaningful Expression of Their Identity? |
* Bhattacharjee, A., Berger J., Menon G., “When Identity Marketing Backfires: Consumer Agency in Identity Expression". Journal of Consumer Psychology: August, 2014. {Thanks for the material}
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with identity marketing? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 29 July 2014
Tuesday in India: Will You Go "Ah My God!" with New Sedan from Mercedes Benz?
Mercedes-Benz is trying to make you speechless.
How does it work?
I'm still waiting for #ThatAMGFeeling!
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Friday 25 July 2014
Friday Research: Trick Of Letting Customer Get All Lovey-Dovey With Your Product
When Will You Use This?
Planning product launches and promotional campaigns.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Theodore: I've never loved anyone the way I loved you.
Samantha: Me too. Now we know how.
This quote from the movie Her (2013) wouldn't sound odd until we knew that this dialogue actually happens between a real man and his operating system Samantha. And maybe even then it's not so weird afterall, in today's lonely world people start bonding with various products on deeper and deeper levels.
Current research* suggests an idea that people might be “bonding” with products without even realizing it, and examines whether physically interacting with products in an affectionate manner (e.g. hugging, stroking) might lead people to grow attached to those products.
This research finds that when people performed the affectionate gestures, they grew more attached to the products, and accordingly liked the products more and were more willing to buy them. Authors note that "this was only the case when the designated product had some visual human-like traits (e.g. a human face on the packaging). That’s because affectionate gestures like hugs are usually reserved for human-to-human interactions, and thus the products must be somewhat humanlike for the gesture to result in affectionate feelings." Also, lonely people were even more likely to get attached to a specific product in consequence of performing an affectionate gesture towards it.
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| Am I So Fond of You Because I Can't Stop Hugging You? |
*Hadi, Rhonda and Valenzuela, Ana,"A Meaningful Embrace: Contingent Effects of Embodied Cues of Affection". Journal of Consumer Psychology: 2014. {Thanks for the material}
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with nurturing customer's attachment? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 22 July 2014
Tuesday in India: What Could Make Chopping Trees More Backbreaking? Camlin Knows...
Can't see the tree for the individual living thing?
Focused on that, Indian stationery company Camlin with a bunch of ever-energetic kids planned a great initiative to make cutting down a living tree tougher.
You'll be surprised.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Friday 18 July 2014
Friday Research: Don't Let Your Good Will Back The Wrong Horse
When Will You Use This?
Planning and developing your cause-related marketing (CRM) campaign.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
Cause-related marketing does a world of good.
In a cause-related marketing campaign, a company funds specific charity through donations of money (or products) which are linked to consumer participation and product sales. Earlier it was noted that consumers respond more favorably to CRM campaigns when there is a conceptual “fit” between the activities and goals of a company and sponsored charity. Think of Starbucks, for example, "which donates a percentage of their profits to develop social welfare programs in the farming communities that produce their supply of coffee beans."
Current research* investigated the impact of perceptual fit on CRM campaigns and found that perceptual fit has an overall positive effect on consumer responses, independent of how consumers feel about the sponsored charity. For example, the results of the study no.1 suggested that perceptual fit between the lemonade color (pink) and charity (breast cancer) positively impacted consumer response.
_Laces.jpg) |
| Red Color of Nike’s Shoelaces Fit Perceptually With AIDS Red Color Ribbon. |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This research shares a few insights to help you in planning your CRM campaigns. As authors suggest, "firms interested in exploring CRM as a promotional tool can reap the benefits of CRM without constraining their sponsorships to conceptually related charities. Rather, firms can partner with conceptually unrelated charities by finding creative ways of generating perceptual fit. For example, a baked goods company passionate about conservation efforts could introduce panda-shaped cookies to sponsor the World Wildlife Fund. Although baked goods and wildlife conservation are not conceptually related, this research suggests that the perceptual fit created by panda-shaped cookies will lead to a positive bump in consumer response. The caveat, however, is that this strategy will be most effective in situations where consumers are unlikely to focus extensively on the overall fit. Such contexts may include billboard, online banner, and point-of-display advertisements."
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with cause-related marketing? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
Tuesday 15 July 2014
Tuesday in India: This Dog Will Move You In Plain and Simple Way
Eye Bank Association of India put this Labrador's day to the spotlight.
Casual, free and easy but packed with a very special message.
Warning: it might actually warm the cockles of your heart!
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign this year? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
Friday 11 July 2014
Friday Research: Don't Underestimate the power of GREEN consumers
When Will You Use This?
Planning campaigns and promotions for your environmentally friendly products.
What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?
More and more companies start producing products targeting environmentally friendly consumers and the shelves of “green” products are expanding daily. However, are most consumers willing to buy environmentally friendly products? Does the perception of green product's reduced efficacy or higher cost still exist?
Current research* found that consumers with stronger green consumption values (i.e., “green” consumers) tend to be more concerned with financial savings, are more likely to consider product reuse, and are less likely to dispose of products. Moreover, this study revealed the fact that green consumers tend to evaluate an array of product attributes, such as effectiveness, style, and aesthetic appeal, of environmentally-friendly products more favorably than do less green consumers in order to overcome possible financial and physical resource concerns associated with environmentally-friendly products.
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| Riding on the waves of green: Eco Friendly - the new black? |
Addition To Your Bag of Tricks
This research shares a few insights to help you in planning your environmentally-based marketing actions. As authors suggest, "consumers with stronger green consumption values may need less convincing to purchase environmentally-friendly products as they appear to evaluate the non-environmental attributes of these products more favorably without prompting. Given this, we suggest that marketers of environmentally-friendly products may benefit from focusing their marketing efforts on consumers with weaker green consumption values since those with stronger green consumption values are motivated to purchase these products on their own.<..> We believe the identification of the relationship between green consumption values and conservation of financial and personal resources will be of great use in further understanding how to increase environmentally-friendly consumption."
Finally, the authors of this research developed a scale of green consumption values - GREEN scale - which predicts consumer preference for environmentally friendly products. If you're interested in assessing green consumption values, the six items of the GREEN scale are as follows:
- It is important to me that the products I use do not harm the environment
- I consider the potential environmental impact of my actions when making many of my decisions
- My purchase habits are affected by my concern for our environment
- I am concerned about wasting the resources of our planet
- I would describe myself as environmentally responsible
- I am willing to be inconvenienced in order to take actions that are more environmentally friendly.
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with environmentally freindly consumers? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!
P.P.S. Need some help on crafting your marketing message? Let's do this together.
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