The reputation of a brand is frequently associated with its logo or tagline, but occasionally, it is recognized for a marketing strategy that leads to a significant change.
In the 90s, Parle G biscuits struggled to maintain their market share in South India. Pravin Kulkarni, then head of marketing, contacted Sanjay Mudnaney from the marketing team to help address this issue. Mudnaney’s creative approach paid off when they brought Shaktiman, a much-loved character to Chennai and generated a huge buzz. To further amplify the excitement, Parle G made clever use of their resources by booking out a stadium and hosting promotions in schools and across mass media. Entry was free but you needed two wrappers of Parle G biscuits to gain entry. Lakhs of visitors thronged to see Shaktiman, and soon the sales of Parle G biscuits skyrocketed in the southern region.
Asian Paints weaved its fortune in the 1950s by launching a contest inviting people to name its mascot, an elfish little boy with a mischievous smile and unruly hair, created by celebrated cartoonist R.K. Laxman. The winner would get INR 500. Out of the 47,000 entries that were filed, two people from Bombay suggested the name Gattu. Soon, it became a household name, and the company’s sales increased manifold over the next few years.
In the 1950s, a toothpaste company was looking for ways to increase their sales and revenue, so they held an open competition for innovative ideas. This decision enabled them to take their brand to the next level. A man had a game-changing concept that could result in an immediate 40% growth for the company. He asked for $100,000 to be paid after legal proceedings. Upon payment completion, he provided a simple note saying “Make the hole bigger”. In the past, toothpaste tubes only had a tiny hole for toothpaste squeezing out. Widening this opening would result in using up more of the tube’s contents in one go and thus quicker depletion of it. This then created a need for regular replacements.
Also Read: The Evolution Of Male Representation In Advertising
Harsh Mariwala, the founder and chairman of Marico identified a need to modernize the packaging of coconut oil. At the time, it was sold in bulky tin cans which weren’t easy for people to transport. He then went ahead and innovated a new way to package coconut oil which made it easier for consumers. Mariwala decided to start selling coconut oil in plastic bottles instead of tin cans. However, oils would leak out of these plastic bottles, and rats would nibble them. Mariwala came up with a revolutionary round-shaped plastic bottle that was highly durable and difficult for rodents to grip. This innovation propelled their market share from 10-15% to 50%, demonstrating their commitment to providing innovative packaging solutions in spite of all the resistance.
