MHO:Restrictive vs. Active Communication in family

Parents always resort to restrictive communication because it is the easiest to do to their children but they have forgotten the fact that every child born with a rebellious instinct. The more you push, the harder they bounced, and when that happens, it will follow them and haunts the parents until the child moves in adulthood or when the child is able to reason independently, well.

MHO:Turning Intention into Behavior…

People looks up to role model, especially teenagers. The trend of celebrity adoration among teenagers is emerging, and is parallel with the increased focus of marketing activities targeting at this particular youth segment. It also fueled the increased application of product endorsers in marketing program to sell to the product.

Product endorsement has become ubiquitous among the marketers, and is believed to be able to transfer positive image of the celebrity / endorsers to product; thus creating favorable perceived image of the product among the target consumers. The question left unanswered is, “Is it effective in creating sales?”

Role model can influence the target audience in many ways. They can influence the audience psychologically such as making the audience feels the same as you feel (e.g. pride, classy, pretty etc) when using an endorsed product, and it can only happen if target segment is able to identify with the endorsers.

When the product endorsers are able to allow the audience to identify with him/her, it means they are already opening the ‘door’ in them and is readily to accept what role model has got to say. However, role model has least chance to generate a higher sales volume if the psychological effect on target consumers is not able to turn that into a behavioral pattern.

Inducing a behavioral change needs more than a psychological effect, and it is believed (at least, I believe) it requires more than just a communication (the same actually applies to any marketing communication that intends to create trial among the target consumers), it requires more than just being able to identify with the target audience.

It has actually required the product and the product endorsers to consistently convince the audience that the product can solve their problem. We must remember that when an endorser sell a product on the platform of ‘classy’, for example, it does not just mean to build awaken the consumers that they need classiness but it is actually trying to tell those who has low self-esteem that, “don’t worry. We have got just a product right for you, and you can be me”…

To be able to turn an intention into an actual behavior, the communication needs to work harder, and make sure it helps to architect the image of role model in the mind of consumer, and when consumers start to develop a favorable image on the role model, Pseudo interaction can be formed (when consumers can identify strongly with the role model). When consumers start to believe in the role model, it creates an urge to quickly turn that intention into a behavior – when that happens, you are done 80% of your work; the remaining left unattended is relying on the power of your BTL activities in pulling the consumers.

Prince: Announcement

MHO: Adolescent Interaction with Parents!

Reading a research piece about ‘Adolescent Interaction with parent’ has opened my eyes, I’ve learnt that many strategies are utilized in our daily communication in order to get what we want, yet we do not realize the fact that we are doing it…Sometimes, in life, we really have to step back to look at our self, we may learn more than we often do…below are the summary from the research piece I read, those are the strategies often employed by the adolescent…

1. Bargaining Strategies

· Money & Material Deals (e.g. I clean the house for a week, if you buy for me)

· Money & Money Deals (e.g. I pay half, you pay half, deal?)

· Reasoning (e.g. Quality vs. Price) (e.g. just pay a bit more can last even longer, why not?)

2. Persuasions Strategies

· Opinionates (e.g. all my friends laugh at me, and know it is an old shoe)

· Persistence (e.g. I want it for Christmas, yet its still 5 months away)

· Begging (e.g. please, please please, please…)

· Whining (e.g. high pitch voice to express their needs)

3. Emotional Strategies

· Anger (e.g. I want it)

· Pouting (e.g. run into the room and bang the door close)

· Sweet Talk (e.g. If I look good, you will be happy too)

· Guilt (e.g. you got to give me since you buy one for sister)

4. Request Strategies

· Demanding request (e.g. since you are going to grocery, get me a pair of Nike shoe please)

· Need request (e.g. I need the crayon to color my drawing)

· Want request (e.g. I want to have a pair of good shoe for my sprint competition)

MHO: Sexual Illustration vs. Non Sexual Illustration

Using sexual illustration in an Ad works better on those who favor sexual contents; the correct recall on the brand name among those is also higher. Among those unfavorable to sexual illustrations, the recall is also high but correct brand name recall somehow lower. Using non sexual illustration, the overall correct recall is higher, both non favorable and favorable to sexual illustration. This is because consumers mind can proceed straight towards remembering or understanding the ad without distracted by any means or force of sexual icon or unnecessary icon in the ad.

Marketer needs to remember that gender of the endorsers plays an important role in brand recall. Ad that uses female endorsers will have minimum recall among male audiences because they have an initial perception of the Ad as being target to female than male thus paying less attention; similarly, Ad that uses male endorsers will have minimum recall among female. Thus, a product that target at male who consider using male model instead of female; however, female model can be used as a secondary endorsers in the ad to complement the male endorsers so that the emotional fell of romance can be created (if the product is e.g. perfume, deodorant…).

MHO: Endorsers in China

Sometimes ago, we share about choosing the right endorser for the right product, we concluded that, Product that requires emotional attachment, and involving ‘romance’ – attractiveness become an important element of the endorsers. Functional product, however, endorsers will need to have certain level of expertise and skills in the related product to be effective.

Today, I would like to share about endorsers’ match up to the product vs. Attractiveness. Often, marketers forget about the market is the important criteria in choosing the endorsers, taking China for example, the young generation as well as the middle age generation are setting the trend for celebrity endorsers; perhaps influenced by the China cultural and moral influence, Chinese emphasizes heavily on personal images, and tend to, first, judge a person by outer look.

Image is more important to them; thus, the current behavior of the China consumers is towards focusing on the image of the endorsers instead of the match up with the product. As long as the celebrity is well known and attractive, it increase awareness of the product and purchase intention because consumers seem to be attracted by the beautiful endorsers which in turn bring awareness to the product. One must also remember the pitfall of this, it’s the overshadowing effect.

If a company decided to use endorsers who are an expert in the product category, then they must ensure the ‘expertise’ can overrule ‘attractiveness’. A win-win situation is to have someone who is an expert, at the same time well known as a celebrity, and is attractive, then it carries better influence to the market.

MHO: To Share...

MHO: Business is WAR!

The market is a war field, where products or brands competing with each others, and the winners stay on top of the chart. Weaker opponent bound to stay at the bottom of the chart, unless they find a better way to compete that can bridge the gap with the leader in the market, or stay as it is.

Since we know the business is about the same in the war, we compete on the basis understanding to drive competitors out of business, and such principles of competition, should always prevail in the organization or make known.

In the marketplace, all competitors are assumed to adopt the similar belief as they fight on the same platform, and compete on the same understanding to drive each other out of business. This is a way of life, and none should deny its existence, organization which treat the belief as against the fundamental business ethic will suffer the aggressive attack from competitors often, yet can only remain in a defensive mode due to the none- believer of this Predatory competition.

Company who preferred offensive mode will always remain in active mode; their strategy is always to attack the market, to grab market share, but their aims is to take it from [any] competitors in the markets, though they can have a neutral yet ambitious objectives. For instance, marketing objective is to increase market share by increasing penetration for a New brands; the aim is to take share from the leader of the segment, and successfully triggers massive switching. – Eventually, everyone aims to take share from everyone; this is a way of life.

MHO: How to attack competitor’s brand equity?

How to attack competitor’s brand equity?

Should we or should we not attack competitors’ strongest element of their equity? Once, the well known business man said, ‘we should attack competitor’s strongest element of their equity, and leverage on the weakest element of their equity’. I totally disagree; I would deem such suggestion as full of stupidity, because none would want to compete head on with competitor’s strongest. The correct strategy should aim to attack competitors’ weakest and neutralize competitors’ strongest.

Attacked the weak point:

A brand should aim to attack competitors’ weak point, and create a new market opportunity by triggering massive switching from competitors brand. of those users, who are already frustrated or disappointed with competitors’ weak point.

Neutralize the strong point:

Attacking the strong point will drain your resources in the organization because you are going head-on with what competitors’ do best in the market. Competitors will act tough to defend their position; it means you have to spend more to attack. The right strategy should be “neutralized”, It means, do your best to improve that particular point, not to match competitors but to the level that satisfy the end users, and not out perform. Often, company will adopt a ‘me-too’ strategy but remain true, and consistent to their fundamental brand positioning. For instance, I am the most affordable brand in the market, yet I also give you the quality, versus competitors, who may be the most expensive brand in the market, with the best quality. Both also speak of quality, but one is giving you what you need, the other is giving you the best.

MHO: Branding MisConception...

In developed country, the risk of getting unreliable product has decreased as stated by Mercer Management Journal. Simply because the quality gap between retailer branding and branded product have decreased significantly.

# Misconception 1 – Brand are built mainly through advertising

Author subsequently claims that consumers experiences also important. I disagree with author; however, although, consumers’ experiences count, but it does not represent the whole branding effort. I agree that brand building does not depend merely on advertising, but also not merely on consumer’s experiences. Instead, brand building should be a systematic process to achieve the desire brand position in the competing market. Band building does not limited to only advertising, or creating favorable consumers experiences but it also involves utilizing multiple touch-point to achieve multiple brand building objective; each touch-point is to achieve a particular brand building objectives, e.g. advertising through TVC to create mass awareness, In store product sample to create trial to build consumer experiences, and more. In short, brand building required a concerted effort to support the systematic brand building process through every different stage in the process which aims to achieve a particular brand building objective.

# Misconception 2 – Brand are used primarily to influence customer

It is very true; Brands are not used primarily to influence consumers anymore, it can be used to influence investors and talent too. Powerful brands are able to convince talent to join the organization. Powerful brands also influence investor’s choices in placing their investment. However, one area which organizations neglect is employee’s perception towards your brands. As the proverb said, ‘Charity begins at home’, the strength of the brand is first nurtured within the organization; organizations must ensure that employees understand the brand essence and respect the brands and look up to the brands. Employees are important massager of the organization as they play an important role in consumer service cycle. They are the brand ambassador, and how they carry the brand personality contributes partly to consumers experiences with the company and is influencing the product experience as well.

# Misconception 3 – The key to successful brand management involves understanding the effectiveness of the brand in today’s marketplace

It is true that a brand must always remain relevancy to consumers. As the time goes by, when a brand has achieve significant market position or becoming the leader in the industry; Self Complacent kicks in. Brand ‘builder’ tends to be complacent, and in denial of change in the environment, and will gradually lose the relevancy with consumers.

# Misconception 4 – Brands are symbolic and emotive and therefore are managed primarily through creativity rather than analysis

Analysis is paramount to brand building. Creativity without conclusive analysis is tantamount to ‘a blind man with machine gun’ – shoot without aim, or unable to aim. Analysis of the market can tell you area of focus by importance, and it also tells you area of improvement to be better. Merely relying on creativity is insufficient if aims to strengthen the brand, you need to know what, why, and how in making ‘creativity’ possible and relevant to consumers.

# Misconception 5 – Brands are the responsibility of the department

Brand is the responsibility of everyone in the organization. Everyone plays a role in brand building process. The pillars to the brands are the ‘love and passion’ to the brands of the people in organization, the more ‘love and passion’ you have, the greater the strength of the brands…When people have love and passion to the brand, they will contribute more to the brands, a concerted effort is notice to take care of the brand and grow it to the next level…

MHO: Common Wedgwood....

MHO: Sharing....

MHO: For Sharing....

MHO: Immutable law of marketing

Immutable law of marketing has in fact not immutable, and is arguable for a few laws…

The Law of Leadership can not sustain the retaliation from the leader in the market…thus it may not be applicable if you are ‘already’ in No.2 position…

Being the first isn’t always won; unless you dominated the ‘very first’ position in the market. Otherwise, you just have to keep trying. You can be the first in the market for anything within your category but if you are not the first to the market; you are not match to the leader’s retaliation. For example, assume you are No.2 in the detergent market, and you launched a newly create detergent that kills germ in a minute to target the hygienic market; you are the first to launch a laundry detergent that anti germ. However, if you are the No.2 player in the market with a huge gap versus the leader in term of market share, you either have to be very good in your marketing skills or lose out to the leader when the leader retaliates. Predominantly, as a leader of the market already enjoy a positive and significant brand equity, brand trust and also brand affinity with the target market; which all these help to double effectiveness of me-too strategy. Thus a leader’s me-too strategy is likely to drawn your ‘most’ creative product launch.

The law of category

You can win by creating a new category, but you can’t win if it can easily be copied or duplicated. Again, you can win beautifully if you are already the No.1 in the market. The first law precedes all…

The law of mind

Being the first to market is important to determine if you are the first in the mind; company fails because they are resting at their laurel when No.1 is achieved through being the first to the marketplace, yet forgetting to create the first in consumer mind, then competitors slowly creep in. To win a war, company needs to always push, push and push…never give up.

The law of perception

Win consumers perception means you win the war; yet you also have to win the perception of what you want other to perceive. You win if you manage to get consumer to perceive what you want them to see you…

The law of focus and exclusivity…

You just got to own a word; for example, Post office express mail owns the word ‘speed’, Volvo owns the words safety, but owning a word does not grant you any advantage if it is not what the consumer wants…

MHO: High vs Low Credibility, Favourability vs. Confidence

In a research conducted to test the degree of credibility of medium in relation to the degree of favourability and confidence; Respodents was asked to fill up a set of questions before and after the message communicated...

Low credibility figure command less favorably in pre-message period, but command higher favorability post message…

Low credibility command high confidence level during pre message but command lower confidence level during post message level..

MHO: Physically Attractiveness

Physically attractiveness model are more effective in endorsing product that is "romantically oriented"! such as....Perfume....Sport Car...

MHO: Targeting Children?

Advertising that target children needs to understand younger one do not read, but older one read. Thus, message in advertisement vary due to the age of target audience.

Advertisement with spokesperson using finger pointing towards a package is more effective for younger children because it catches their attention, and may use their finger to point it back.

Mothers are usually easy towards older baby, and attend to their request when shopping; thus message can channel to those older baby, but must ensure message is straight forwards and easily pick up by target audience.

MHO: Is research everything?

Coke conducted a research on 200,000 consumers to test the taste of its new coke, and was confident is launching it. Nevertheless, the new product was a fiasco. Immediately after its launched, consumers started to boycott the New Coke. What they have done wrong, is to change consumers perception on their brand which had built a decade ago...they miss the bonding with the brand...

MHO: Something about Branding I read from book!

MHO: Benevolence is Asian's Value?!

Ability, Benevolence, and Integrity is what Asian care the most.

An Advertisement must be able to reflect these value in order to improve marketing efficacy.

Ability refers to the performance of your products, must be able to exceed your target consumers' need.

Benevolence refers to the sincerity of your advertisement, hard sell does not work in this case!

Integrity refer to the credibility of your brand in the market, be true to yourself and present the truth to consumers...