Communication is playing a key role in shaping perceptions of brand success. It's aggressive pricing in the case of one, and just one is credited with a holistic brand-launch approach. However, when you compare this with the select list of brands provided by the researcher, of the top five, two are credited with a great product, two with innovative advertising, and one with aggressive pricing. Among the most unsuccessful brand launches, lack of focus and less than critical level of advertising is mentioned as the key reason in the case of two. Poor pricing emerges as the reason for one and poor overall effort for two.
Visible advertising is equated with a successful brand.
In categories where dramatic reversals or redefinition's of consumer belief are the objective, as in the case of loose atta to branded atta or to the concept of ayurveda itself, advertising is probably the most powerful tool. In categories with poor differentiation and low involvement, as in shaving creams, other marketing factors like distribution start playing a key role. This is a lesson we all, desi, videshi marketers, have learnt the hard way. There is an inflection price point in each category, below which the mass markets open up to bring in the number so critical to success in the domestic market.