Plum in the Middle a Cosmetic Brand That Wears Its Vegan Credentials on Its Sleeves and Is Using Influencers to Dethrone the Giants
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
CCI NG 3.7 Product: ETMumbaiBS PubDate: 29-03-2017 Zone: BrandEquity Edition: 1 Page: BEFP User: kailash.korade Time: 03-25-2017 01:15 Color: CMYK THE ECONOMIC TIMES MARCH 29-APRIL 04, 2017 INSIDEBE OnePlus co- BRAND founder Carl Pei CAN MOD TAKE ON GLOBAL GIANTS? ADD NUTS OVER DONUTS WILL BIG B indigenous THE PLUSES THE BLACKS, THE BLUES & ADVISORY Is mobile brand OnePlus rewriting its THE REDS challenger playbook with mainstream ad SPYKAR’S campaigns and a celebrity endorsement? STRATEGY: KNOCKOUT OR Whether launching a phone WASHOUT? BY AMIT BAPNA from a virtual space station MUMBAI WHO OBJECTIONABLE CONTENT deploying VR (virtual reali- In an era when most mobile ty), or doling out access to the OWNS THE brands are obsessed with phones via invites that could CUSTOMER? With a slew of advertisers objecting to their ads being served up alongside racist, sexist or pitching themselves as be got only from existing cus- INTEX’S SUMIT SEHGAL otherwise offensive content, YouTube faces its biggest challenge yet selfie-specialist devices, tomers, to nearly convincing On XX 2 (at least 3 brands – Gionee, people to smash their phones One agency group, Havas, and, key clients. While the message they of knowledge on digital chan- Vivo and Oppo have made during the launch phase or according to a report in The Times, sent does not recommend dropping nels makes this a lot tougher. For campaigns around their the controversial ‘Ladies BY RAVI BALAKRISHNAN & a laundry list of advertisers in- YouTube, it does highlight the con- instance, if my brand is all about selfie-capabilities) one phone First’ campaign, the global SHEPHALI BHATT cluding the BBC, Tesco, L’Oreal cerns generated. happiness, and it shows up on a site brand is treading a different launches have been news- MUMBAI and McDonald’s, had withdrawn So, why now and what next? Brand with ‘happy endings’, is it Google’s path. Hold the admiration makers and often polarising. advertising on the site from the Equity spoke to people across the fault or the fault of the person who though; the brand in ques- In India, the brand created he YouTube Brandcast UK market. The numbers had spectrum to figure how this came wanted the keyword without think- tion, OnePlus, is going down a lot of chatter around its was supposed to be swelled to include Verizon, AT&T to be such a big problem and what it ing things through?” formulaic path No 1 for fan-based offerings and the a victory lap for the and Johnson & Johnson, at the could mean for India brands across categories – recently launched first-ever MAY WE HAVE YOUR video sharing site. And time of going to print.Some me- “When you were spending 5%, getting a celebrity for a mass- OnePlus experience centre ATTENTION, PLEASE T it mostly was, with dia estimates put the number of Why Now? who cared? But when it’s 32% media blitz. We have nothing in Bengaluru - all giving the YouTube getting un- brands opting out as high as 250. A “People are not asking simple you go ‘oh shit something needs against marketers deploying brand a distinct and niche GROUPM’S stinting praise, courtesy speakers statement on the company’s web- questions” to change.’” the X-factor of celebs but personality. ROB NORMAN from HUL and Maruti. But sour- site said “Johnson & Johnson has When print and TV were the only There are several hilarious ex- when a brand becomes fa- So why go the traditional CONFESSIONS OF ing the celebratory vibe somewhat decided to pause all YouTube digi- options, it was easier to decide what amples of ads appearing against mous for its differentiated, route now – splurging mar- A CHIEF DIGITAL was an issue that Rajan Anandan, tal advertising globally to ensure was and wasn’t kosher. Filters were a backdrop of inappropriate con- unconventional marketing keting dollars on one of the OFFICER vice president, Google India and our product advertising does not in place: clients who didn’t want to tent. However shift the venue from and then seemingly falls prey most expensive (and many On XX 3 South Asia, felt compelled to ad- appear on channels that promote advertise to children, wouldn’t a local newspaper to the internet, to convention, questions are would add ubiquitous) ce- dress. “Brand safety is extremely offensive content.” find their ads on a kid’s channel. make the marketers involved some bound to be asked. lebrities? And of course the critical,” he said highlighting The issue has become serious But according to Vikram Sakhuja, of the biggest brands in the world Historically OnePlus is additional media-spends to a major source of bad press for enough for some leading media partner and group CEO Madison and suddenly, nobody is laughing. known to have done some give the campaign a life? Is it Google and YouTube over the last agencies in India to reach out to Media, “The opaqueness and lack As Gonzalo Fuentes, global CEO kick-ass clutter breaking a reality of the Indian market week. “Even one ad impression on media & digital practice at Kantar stuff to announce its entry. that brands across spectrum, inappropriate content is a major is- Who’s fault is The mood has Insights, puts it, “The P&Gs and to attain size and scale, have sue for brands.” it, if my brand changed from Cokes etc realise their investment “Our goal is to go mass? According to YouTube’s troubles began in the is pretty high on digital. The mood to be the best Girish Menon, director & UK when a report in The Times is all about experimenta- has changed from experimenta- premium head, media & entertain- highlighted that advertising for happiness, tion to ac- tion to accountability.” The result: ment, KPMG India, “Such leading brands had appeared along- and it shows countability People are no longer willing to let smartphone, is the scale and diversity side highly controversial content up on a site for companies things they always knew were hap- not the big- in India that brands – even IS NIGEL OAKES -- for instance, Volkswagen on the with ‘happy like P&G and pening, slide. As Fuentes puts it, gest” digital natives like Uber or BIG DATA’S BOND? official YouTube channel of a radi- “When you were spending 5%, who OnePlus – have to think inte- cal Islamist accused of promoting endings’? Coca-Cola cared? But when it’s 32% you go ‘oh Interview with Carl grated and cross-platform to On XX 4 Pei, co-founder, terrorism and Toyota alongside a Vikram Sakhuja Gonzalo Fuentes shit something needs to change.’” OnePlus on Page 4 be most effective.” notoriously homophobic preacher. Madison Kantar Insights >Continued on Page 4 >Continued on Page 4 Plum In The Middle A cosmetic brand that wears its vegan credentials on its sleeves and is using influencers to dethrone the giants. Does it stand a chance? spills the beans. not relying on chemicals. As Indians get “Being vegan is a tough thing to do. I am increasingly attracted to natural prod- yet not a full vegan when it comes to my ucts, the brand is sure to find a place in food,” he grins. Though it’s a niche mar- consumer’s choice set. ket when it comes to food, people have re- The strength of the brand, she points alised that in personal care, one doesn’t out, comes from using ingredients need to give up anything if one plans to with certain benefits, and not having turn vegan. “You just need smart and whitening creams and other conceal- thoughtful formulations. That’s all.” ers. Aggarwal maintains that being a What also differentiates the cosmetic masstige brand widens its appeal. “It’s of- brand from others is its use of ingredi- fering quality at a price which consumer ents. “Any ingredient that’s even a little is willing to pay,” she adds. bit questionable on a scientific basis — But when you get a face wash for as low not on the basis of just Googling — we as `50, how difficult it is to sell one priced leave out completely,” he at `350 to the consumers? says, adding that Plum IT HAPPENS TO Prasad reckons pricing is doesn’t have any skin whit- not an issue. “It is one catego- ening and fairness cream. BE FIRST BEAU- ry where we see very strong BY RAJIV SINGH Reason: The narrative on repeat purchase rates,” DELHI skin whitening boils down TY BRAND IN he claims, adding that the to the illogical notion of a INDIA TO BE product effectiveness makes t’s 1,000 times more fun be- person with dark skin be- customers come back for ing the underdog,” confesses ing a loser. “Such a notion 100% VEGAN more. What about advertis- “IShankar Prasad. When a destroys a person’s self-re- ing and marketing? How can chemical engineer with an spect,” he says. he counter the biggies with his modest IIT Bombay and ISB Hyderabad tag, But does the brand stand a chance in a spending power? who started his professional stint with world where every newspaper, TV and so- “The beauty of the beauty market is Hindustan Unilever as manufacturing cial media is cluttered with models flash- that there’s space for lots of innovators,” and product development official, turns ing skin-whitening cream? he says, adding that influencer market- modest about the progress made by his Marketing experts reckon Plum’s posi- ing has done the trick for the brand. From bootstrapped startup, it can’t be just a cos- tioning not only sets it apart but also inad- YouTube celebs, makeup artists, to mod- metic change.