The Auto Expo is a party in every sense. There is networking, entertainment, a festive atmosphere and lots of different cuisines to choose from. The only difference is that there are many "hosts". How they treat their guests, the kind of environment they create to welcome them (or not) and how much they engage their guests when they call upon them is an interesting lesson on how various brands view the people they seek to attract.
Before progressing any further it is important to state that the visit was made during "business hours". This is when the guests are supposed to be more valuable and therefore lucrative. So a "guest" would expect to be treated with a little extra care during the hallowed business hours. Therefore one was expecting to visit every pavilion and spend the kind of quality time with each exhibit that the price and time of entry warranted.
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| Rupin Jayal |
The first observation was that brands were split down the middle in one very significant way. This was not based on whether they were premium or non-premium brands or the size of the pavilion or the anticipated interest expected to be generated by a particular model, new launch or means of promotion. There were some brands that welcomed visitors with open arms, with lots of information; knowledgeable and enthusiastic exhibitors and representatives from the companies were answering questions and there was enough space to move around and really appreciate the cars on display. Brands like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Skoda, Maruti Suzuki and most of the motorcycle brands exhibited this open-hearted approach. What did this say about these brands? Well for one thing they were really interested and committed to the models on display. But even more importantly every person, irrespective of what they looked like or their apparent level of affluence, were important to them. They were able to increase the interest of the guest and who knows how many people were inspired by their level of engagement enough to become advocates rather than just observers.
Then there were those who seemed to be at the Expo under some kind of duress. Interestingly most of them were brands that were relatively new entrants. One set of premium brands—one that positions itself as a sexy feline and the other that combines ruggedness with luxury; informed us stringently that the pavilion was only open to the media. In other words people who were visiting this brand during business hours were not considered important enough and they clearly believed that media trumps word of mouth. Given that the brands are not even available in the "car capital" of the country, Delhi, and this was business hours when most visitors should be worth addressing, their exclusionary behavior spoke volumes about how these brands view people. Their attitude seemed to be reminiscent of the five-star hotels in the seventies and eighties where exclusion allegedly drove value. As times have changed, that attitude has evolved along with the democratisation of their clientele. Clearly these two brands are still living in the past especially when their key competitors were welcoming far greater numbers of visitors with far greater levels of enthusiasm. The biggest lesson is that an exclusionary attitude, in a marketplace that is evolving so rapidly with new potential customers pouring in, will mean the likely ejection of the brand from the wish lists of the people. The end result was them being a postscript unable to draw the thronging people visiting the display right next to them.
Another brand that prides itself as the "people’s car" brand of Europe and that is seeking to make a very ambitious entry into the mass hatch marketplace had all the ingredients in place. A large space, lots of models to choose from and what appeared to be a very welcoming environment. However this brand seemed to suffer from a rather bureaucratic attitude to hospitality. Entry was being controlled to enable the people already in the pavilion to "appreciate" the models on display. Nothing wrong with that. However the execution was far less than satisfactory. The barrier would be opened at various places arbitrarily and those pushing forward would be allowed entry. People waiting patiently were simply ignored. So, clearly what this brand was saying was that it only recognises you when you act aggressively. If it really was interested in rationing entry to control the crowds (which were no more than any of the other popular brands), then they should actually have demonstrated their "thoughtfulness" by having well-defined and regulated entry and exits so those who cared enough to wait patiently were enabled to "appreciate" the models on display and allowed in by a specific person designated to do so. How will this brand react if it has to deal with crowds of customers? Will it reward those who push and ignore those more patient? Will it have clear-cut policies that are haphazardly executed on the ground? It is easy to cater to a small, exclusive, affluent customer base—the acid test is to cater to large numbers. India’s most popular "people’s car" brand was able to cater to huge crowds without heavy handed and arbitrary regulation. Not surprisingly this is also a brand that continues to top the reputed JD Power Consumer Satisfaction Surveys – coincidence?
Then there were those brands that brought their essence to life by a very imaginative display while others lost the opportunity. Placed close to each other was the American "bad boy" of motorcycle brands and our own home grown version. The latter professed "Selfism" but the spirit remained in passive images alone. The pavilion was a standard display that in no way brought all the highly evocative mass media communication around the brand, the richly nostalgic designs and the cult-like status that the brand enjoys in this country, to life. This may still have been okay had the "bad boy" not been located in its immediate vicinity with a live rock band and a display that powerfully captured the essence of the watering holes where this species thrive. Perhaps all that was missing was a band of 600 lb enthusiasts in leather jackets and lots of beer! This wasn’t just an opportunity lost for our home grown bad boy brand, it was a rout. While the brand did not need to ape its imminent competitor, it had a wealth of heritage to draw upon—the feats of its fanatical riders, the music and the romance of the momentous years that it has lived through. The sights and sounds of India and the brand’s fanatical riders were a fantastic canvas to draw upon. It had the opportunity to bring its unique culture to life. Yet all it had to reflect this was a time line printed and pasted on a panel. Walking out of that pavilion left one with a disappointed sense of what might have been and what was lost.
Media is supposed to understand the nuances of communication. Yet two publications that were seeking to attract their customers by subscription blandishments very clearly demonstrated the leader and the wannabe. Promotion can be a great brand tool but when the brand seeks to attract savvy enthusiasts it should not let its desperation show. Also imagination always trumps sheer scale. So while one had relatively modest offers but was much more accessible and imaginative, the other was offering a luxury SUV. If I was really interested in cars, which one would I choose—the one who understands me or the one who is seeking to bedazzle me? Apart from the fact that larger the "prize", the less likely most people believe they have any chance of winning it. Hence it is far more effective to reward as many as possible with something that is imaginative rather than hold out the (remote) possibility of winning something spectacular. It also helps to differentiate your brand in a meaningful way. So clearly this round went to the leader and not to the brand that is allegedly on overdrive.
Events like the Auto Expo are fantastic opportunities for brands to build the single most powerful communication force in the purchase of any durable especially automobiles – word of mouth. To stand apart needs imagination, relevance and thoughtfulness. It also needs hosts that are welcoming, magnanimous and prepared. Put these ingredients together and you will have carved a very precious space in the minds and emotions of the people. Arrogance, indifference, tokenism and heavy-handedness results in the worst outcome of all – indifference. The former will have created an unseen but powerful wave of positive word of mouth. The latter will have lost more than just an opportunity—they would have missed out on invaluable emotional real estate, who knows at what cost.
The author is Director-Strategic Planning at M&C Saatchi.
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written by Gucci outlet, July 03, 2010
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