Tuesday in India: The Surprising Evolution of Mannequin Challenge

Mannequin challenge has worked for your entertainment for months.

And now that it caught your attention - it is time to put it for work for a better cause.

Autumn Worldwide has rolled out a film following the recent Bangalore's night of shame - the mass molestation that happened on New Year's Eve.

One of those times when standing still is a poison pill.

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!

Tuesday in China: Leftover Woman vs Independent Woman

"I am a leftover woman".. ..

no modern Western woman ever said.

But in China (and neighboring countries) "leftover woman" is a common label to mark all single women over 25.

That's a massive social pressure because not all women wish to be in a relationship or get married young.

Check the latest P&G skincare brand SK-II campaign trying to bring a little hope for independent women in China.

Warning: It will make your eyes watery and heart heavy.

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!

Tuesday in India: Biting The Hand That's Feeding Us?

From 1995 to 2015 -  nearly 313,000 farmers committed suicide in India.

Having in mind that farmers directly feed the entire nation, this is a very very painful number.

Stop everything and listen to this insightful, powerful and - I'd say - haunting monologue.

Then join #SaveTheFarmer campaign and contribute to any NGO that supports Indian Farmers.

One of them is Centre for Sustainable Agriculture.

Enough talking.

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!>

Tuesday in India: Despite Appearances, This Isn't Just A Pigeon

Simple, light, easy to understand, well made.

Condoms should be more than just a funny word which makes Indians giggle.

Because shit happens.

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!

P.P.S. Thanks Zivile for sharing this one ;)

Tuesday in India: Some Really Bold Moves from Myntra

This is actually a gigantic step for Indian advertisement industry.

I hardly notice her cute blue kurta but I am definetely affected by the message.

A well-developed 'being talked about' startegy, Myntra!

  

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 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

*Haas A., Kenning P. "Utilitarian and Hedonic Motivators of Shoppers’ Decision to Consult with Salespeople", Journal of Retailing (June, 2014) {Thanks for the material}

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.

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.

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..”.

  

*Sharon Ng, a, Hakkyun Kim, b, Akshay R. Rao,c,"Sins of Omission versus Commission: Cross-Cultural Differences in Brand-Switching Due to Dissatisfaction Induced by Individual versus Group Action and Inaction" Journal of Consumer Research, Upcoming 2014 {Thanks for the material}

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.

Friday Research: Dilemma of Sharing With Mom But Not With Facebook Buddies

When Will You Use This?  

Planning electronic and traditional word-of-mouth campaigns and promotions.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 

Word of mouth has always been a powerful marketing method and now, social media platforms enabled people to share their opinions and views in a flash. But are your customers really willing to make those awaited recommendations? Is there any difference between online and face to face word-of-mouth refferals?


Current research* found that consumers are generally less likely to offer electronic word-of-mouth on online social sites (sWOM) than traditional word-of-mouth (WOM). This study also revealed the fact that individual’s need for self-enhancement reduces the difference between consumers’ willingness to provide sWOM versus WOM.

sWOM refferals increase social risk?

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

This research shares a few insights to help you in planning your word-of-mouth promotions. As authors suggest, "first, heightening consumers’ need to self-enhance can encourage word of mouth referral. Some have suggested that pre-announcing the arrival of a new product achieves this; future products are inherently less certain but more interesting than existing products and allow consumers to self-enhance by talking about them. Second, marketers could take steps to ensure that consumers do not feel threatened by social judgments and sanctions as a result of sWOM. Perhaps providing opportunities for consumers to selectively share their opinions with members of their social network might help achieve this. Google appears to have recognized this with their “Google Circles” feature in their social media platform."

  

*Eisingericha A. B., Chunb H.H., Liuc Y., Jiad H., Bell S.J. Why recommend a brand face-to-face but not on Facebook? How word-of-mouth on online social sites differs from traditional word-of-mouth. Journal of Consumer Psychology: July, 2014. {Thanks for the material}

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with word-of-mouth? 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.

Friday Research: Early Adopters Might Lead Your Customers To Smoke And Mirrors

When Will You Use This?  

Planning and developing product and services launches, innovation projects.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 

Early adopters, who live, eat, and breathe everything fresh and new, can be invaluable for your brand. They can start a great sales rollercoaster with spreading the word and encouraging others to try the product.

However, early adopters with a high need for uniqueness may experience a communication dilemma: should I or should I not tell other about this cool new product? As once others adopt the same product, the level of differentness will radically decrease.

Current research* examines early adopters’ communication dilemma and how it leads to the “share and scare” strategy. The research reveals that sometimes early adopters use “share and scare” strategy and share information about their adoption with others, yet scare them out of adopting it, e.g. by focusing on features that diminish the innovation’s appeal for later adopters, such as its complexity, high price, or radicalness.

Limited Edition beats the Fear of Imitation?

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

This research shares a few tips to help you accomplish successful innovation launches. As authors suggest, "first, by launching a limited edition of an innovation, or premium versus common editions of the product, managers may diminish early adopters’ fear of imitation, because imitating them will be impossible. Second, managers can adjust the content of marketing campaigns to fit the needs of different adopters over time. For example, at launch, managers may appeal to early adopters with a high need for uniqueness by highlighting the product’s uniqueness and scarcity, and in subsequent stages, appeal to later adopters by emphasizing the product’s commonness and popularity. Third, managers can completely prevent the communication dilemma and the consequent “share and scare” strategy by appealing to early adopters with a low (rather than high) need for uniqueness. By focusing on benefits of the innovation separate from its uniqueness—such as functionality, hedonic value, or cognitive challenge—managers will appeal to early adopters who have a strong need to recommend the innovation but not to scare others."

*Moldovan, Sarit, Yael Steinhart, and Shlomit Ofen. "Share and Scare": Solving the Communication Dilemma of Early Adopters with a High Need for Uniqueness, Journal of Consumer Psychology: July, 2014. {Thanks for the material}

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with early adopters? 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 in India: Now You Really Want To Ask Your Boss For Monday Off

"I haven’t had this bad of a Monday since last Monday."

Mondays are hard so who wouldn't like turning the most godawful day of the week into the most stimulating one?

The adventure lifestyle gear manufacturer High Sierra has launched the #TakebackMondays campaign to help mumbaikars cope with Monday blues.

Looks fun!



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!

Tuesday in India: Somewhere Coca-Cola Bottle Caps Are As Good As Money

Coca-Cola and me. No love lost.

And while I might hate their drink, I admire their marketing.

This time again: natural brilliance.

Coca-Cola had set up phone booths (as a part of “Hello Happiness” campaign) for South Asian workers all over Dubai so they were able to call back home more often.

What makes those booths special is that they accept Coca-Cola bottle caps as currency instead of coins.

 Pretty cool.

 

P.S. Just wondering how much is Coca-Cola bottle in Dubai? As workers are kind of forced to buy bottles to make calls. Precious money is still spent...

P.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!

Tuesday in India: I Love the #4amFriends. It's So Bad.

I always get great shakes about well-executed prank videos.

It's a powerful way to attract people's attention and even go viral.

But some pranks are meant to go sour. Especially, when it's evident that they lack inventiveness, presentation and.. well, are simply staged (aka Fake pranks).

Recently Airtel in India created a prank video to promote their night packages. And it felt like all sizzle and no steak for me.

It's more than obvious that the whole concept is copied from the wonderful Carslberg's friendship test prank. And then towards the end some paranormal experiences are thrown in, perhaps an inspiration from publicity stunt for the remake of "Carrie" (remember Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise?).

Watch and decide for yourself.

 

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!

Tuesday in India: I Am a Girl & I Gossip About Politics #BreakingStereotypes

You are a man so you love fast cars.

You are an IT consultant so you don't have life.

You are the only child so you're spoiled.

You love soup operas so you're dumb.

The world is built on stereotypes and labels, and in such a multi-cultural and diverse society as India, it's particularly common to be framed and judged.

Matchmaking website TrulyMadly.com came up with a new campaign to break some of the stereotypes existing in India.

Check a few pictures below to get a grasp of this lovely initiative.

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign used to raise awareness for social issues? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

Tuesday in India: Well, Ain't That A Touching Discovery With #AlphaStories

And again: it's not about budget, it's about story, Brands!

Sony India has launched a three-minute film: simple characters, simple editing, simple plot.

But it tells a story of a loyal product user and it's beautiful. Convincing. Heart-warming.

Watch the video below and check for yourself why “There’s more to a picture”.

 

Tuesday In India: Embracing 'Jai Hind!'

This caught my eye from the first visit in India.

Not everyone might know how to write ABC or have proper roof under their head but every Rakesh, Ramesh or Rajesh can sing national anthem by heart.

Not only that. You can notice rapid changes in the posture, the look, the micro emotions playing on the face.

So few of us still do that in Europe.

Check this sweet video, one of many many more, created to encourage Indians to respect their national anthem.

Despite appearance, this isn't just a trick.

P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your favourite campaign circulating around? Leave a comment or Tweet me, let's chat!

 P.P.S. Thank you my dear friend Karan for sharing this video with me ;)

Friday Research: The Power of Lists Or How Do Rankings Influence Evaluation?

When Will You Use This?  

Developing ranked lists to increase sales as well as managing your own presence on Top Lists.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today? 

People love lists and there is an ever-present Top 10 List for just about everything.

Given the influence of ranked lists on both the consumers and producers, it is important to understand how people use the information provided on these lists in their decision making.

Current series of experiments* examines the “top 10 effect,” the power of round numbers, and how our perceptions can be manipulated. Researchers demonstrate the existence of a cognitive bias in the interpretation of ranked lists: there is an observed significant importance of round numbers (end with a 0 or 5, such as 25, 50, 100). This research shows that round-number categories (e.g., top 10, top 25), rather than place-value categories (e.g., single digits, the twenties) guide the interpretation and value of ranked lists.

Moreover, researchers observe that despite the fact that ranked lists are already explicitly ordered and highly structured, consumers still mentally subdivide them into a smaller set of subjectively generated categories.

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks  

 

It’s obvious that people find ranked lists informative and influential. Consumers often choose goods and services based on a product’s inclusion in a ranked list (just think Billboards music charts, Time 100, Forbes lists, etc).

If your company is a subject to third-party ranked lists, it’s important to have a few things in mind:

• if you are just on the outside looking in to a round-number category, invest more actively and devote significant resources to improve your rank (the ones who should be more worried are those ranked 11th in a top 15 list, or 26th in a top 25 list, etc).

• aim for a round-number category to make sharp numbers prominent and reduce consumers’ tendencies to see your products as second-rate.


*Mathew S. Isaac and Robert M. Schindler. “The Top-Ten Effect: Consumers’ Subjective Categorization of Ranked Lists.” Journal of Consumer Research: April 2014.{Thanks for the material}
 
P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with rankings and evaluations, how do they help to sell? 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.

Sunday Video: Moon On The Stick - Marketing Trends of 2014

I think you are ready for this.

My last video in the series of  Top 5 Marketing Trends of 2014.

Hold your breath, dearest Marketer.

The fifth video is on Emotional Engagement. Fresh-baked, right here:

P.S. When you’re done watching, leave a comment or Tweet me how did you like it. Can't wait to hear from you!

P.P.S. Missed the fourth video? Check it here.

Research Friday: How To Become The King Of Loyal Customers?

When Will You Use This? 

 

Planning and developing your commercial settings to provide meaningful experience for your customers and encourage place attachment.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?

 

Place attachment is defined as one’s strong emotional bond with a specific location.

Current research* examines how people develop, experience, and act on place attachment in commercial settings. It is found that commercial place attachment emerges from experiences of familiarity, authenticity and security offered by the commercial setting, and from the associated experience of homeyness.

Moreover, it’s noted that consumers experience this unusually domesticated commercial experience as a gift from the service provider, and reciprocate with supportive behaviors toward the place, in particular volunteering, over-reciprocation, and ambassadorship.

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks    

 

Your business would only benefit from strong emotional bond with you customers. In order to provide enjoyable, extraordinary, and meaningful experience and social interaction, you don’t have to go for something extraordinary or spectacular. Make sure your customer feels comfortable at your business settings; there are a few symbolic elements that are similar to the general home environment; your interactions are always warm and respectful; your customer feels secure and safe, and it’s easy to find one’s way around a place.


*Debenedetti, Alain, Harmen Oppewal, Zeynep Arsel), Place attachment in commercial settings: A gift economy perspective, Journal of Consumer Research, 58 (Feb), 2014. {Thanks for the material}


P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with place attachment? Do you have one specific place (not your home!) you could go to war for? 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.

Research Friday: Could Horoscopes Help You To Sell?

When Will You Use This? 

 

Creating your marketing messages, especially while marketing indulgent products.

What’s The Red-Letter Bite Today?

Most major newspapers and magazines publish daily/weekly/monthly horoscopes, and they are very popular because people are naturally driven to believe in their own fate. Although many consumers subscribe to the idea of fate and read horoscopes to learn about their fate, little is known about how fateful predictions and consumers’ belief that they can change their fate impact subsequent decision making. It is known that fateful predictions (such as horoscopes in the newspaper) impact consumers’ choice.

The current series of experiments* examine the existence and the effect of an implicit theory of fate on decision making after exposure to fateful predictions. This research provides evidence that people who believe fate is malleable and can be changed more often choose an indulgent option (e.g. chocolate cake and not fruit salad, partying and not cleaning) compared to the ones who think fate is preordained and outside of individual influence. This might be individual’s deliberate strategy to compensate for an unfavorable day ahead.

I believe, therefore, I exist

Addition To Your Bag of Tricks  

 

There might be some interesting implications of beliefs in malleable fate. As authors suggest, “<..> if people’s belief in malleable fate can be manipulated, such that marketers can strategically design their messages to influence indulgent choice. For instance, marketers of indulgent products may want to prime the malleability of fate (e.g., “Life’s what you makeit!”) in order to increase sales, especially if the target consumers are avid readers of fateful predictions (e.g., young women; Burrus and Roese 2006). Similarly, marketers of indulgences, such as chocolates, ice cream, or cake, might advertise in close temporal or spatial proximity to horoscopes published in newspapers, magazines, or online, so that consumers who believe their fate to be malleable, or those who have been primed with malleable fate, respond more favorably to the advertised indulgent product.”

** H. Kim, K. Kulow, and T. Kramer (2014), “The Interactive Effect of Beliefs in Malleable Fate and Fateful Predictions on Choice,” Journal of Consumer Research, forthcoming. {Thanks for the material}


P.S. When you’re done reading, I’d love for you to share your experience with the play of words? 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.

Sunday Video: How Will They Shop This Christmas?

Festive season is just around the corner.

And you should definitely have high expectations for UK sales this Christmas.

Why?

Well, there is something to support my optimism.

Watch the video below to find out more:

P.S. When you’re done watching, leave a comment or Tweet me how did you like it. Can't wait to hear from you!

P.P.S. I always talk very spontaneously so please be kind and take my pauses and tongue slips as natural reaction trying to be myself while imagining you :)