'Amaze'ing

If you have the same bug like me, you should be following ads as closely as I do. There is a growing trend of companies making lofty claims and comparing competitors. What baffles me is that the claims have more often been sky-rocketing.

It was long time ago that HUL came up with its so-called brain food Amaze.

The packaging itself boasts that this is a brain food that gives 33% key brain nutrients children need. Is it? of course, since there is scientific evidence! How different is it from the Rin Vs Tide claims where the comparison was done on the basis of whiteness? Not very...since this is a fact that cannot be understood or validated by a substantial chunk of consumers.

Recently, there was a notice to HUL from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on the basis of compliance to rules. HUL is planning to change the labelling of Kissan Amaze to make sure it is not in the bad books of FSSAI.

How is its impact going to be? It's a trade secret that Amaze hasn't been doing well. There were rumors that HUL was trying to revitalize the brand. This could be a blessing in disguise because this provides a chance for rebranding the product. Companies generally get emotionally involved with the brands - more so with the failed brands, and tend to take time in taking them off.

Will this mean the end of the road for Amaze? I doubt. HUL might use this to their advantage by reinventing the brand. The million dollar question is will they be able to? This may well be like the classic case of Kelloggs which had to create a new segment and then promote its brand. Is the Indian consumer ready for brain food?

Ad-war is here again!

The heroics of Sachin not withstanding, the last week was a pleasant surprise for me. After a long time, we got to see an ad-war. Of course, the Nutralie-Amul and the others were trying to heat up the scene but what better than the two best FMCG companies jostling for attention in ads.

It would be difficult to recreate the ad here (you need to understand and appreciate my limited expertise at translation) but it goes something like this...a proud woman flaunting her Tide gets her ego busted with another woman showcasing the seemingly-better credentials of Rin . The whole point of the exercise is to establish that Rin is much better at providing whiteness to clothes than Tide.

Before we look at the nuances, is it permitted? It certainly is, if you are not leaving ambiguous things at the disposal of the consumer by comparison. To put more simply, 'whiteness' isn't a criterion that is universal or easy to comprehend. This might put a spanner in the work of HUL.

But why the fuss? Well, it is common knowledge that FMCG companies wouldn't like to lose share. Especially in these times, when value is the new volume. Emphasize better value and retain your customers, if not poach your competitors'. More over, there isn't a doubt in the marketing circles that Tide is making Rin run all the way for every inch of its share with its variants.

What will happen next? HUL is running a slippery ground with the inadvertent usage of 'whiteness'. If P&G takes up the issue with the Advertising Council of India, HUL might face the ignominy of reneging its claims. Then of course is the legal angle which could well be the way for P&G.

However, there is an interesting catch in this. If HUL has at least been partially successful in its ad, will this be the advent of a new ad war? Are we going to see the breach of new records ala Sachin? I can't wait to see...