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Time for local brands to rise to the occasion
by Abhinav Sharma premium is partly why a marketer would People buy things as much for If you own Old Town White Coffee service, bring them out, dust them off
spend to create that brand in the first quality as they do for brand image. And House (OTWCH), now is the time to get and take them to market.
WITH erstwhile resilient economies in place; brand strength is often equated if there is no dearth of money, brand all those Coffee Bean customers to The recession will produce a del-
recession, and brands once worshipped with higher margins. image often drives that purchase over willingly walk in and make a new home uge of consumers that are ready to
for both their prowess and profitability With consumers tightening their other parameters. for themselves in OTWCH. embrace a whole new world. Whether
clocking in unprecedented losses, mar- belts, less familiar (read as in many And that’s true for cars, rubber It doesn’t really matter if you’re a they remain loyal over the longer term
keters are left wide-eyed, helpless and cases local) brands don’t seem to look bands and nasi lemak (most of us local bank or the neighbourhood food depends on the marketing initiatives
stunned. all that unappetising. That which was wouldn’t mind paying that little extra stall, or a big car-maker. People are go- these emerging brands embark on.
And with global demand shrinking once considered premium, now starts and even going a little out of our way ing to be giving a lot of things a second So, while my five friends aren’t
more rapidly than icicles in spring, the looking “indulgent” as the price begins for the nasi lemak at Kampung Tunku or look over the next few years. entirely excited about having to down-
well of marketing solutions to kick-start to pinch. Bukit Antarabangsa). In many cases, it may well be the grade their holidays to Asia, their local
economies is all but running dry. This mindset starts off the purchase But with doubt in the minds of con- same old stories you’ve been telling experience could well persuade them
It’s frightening to say the least. There postponement cycle. The “postpone- sumers, the anvil is now hot enough to consumers but to no avail. And that’s to make Asia their destination for many
is no denying that things are going to ment” in many cases turns to “purchase” change that game in the favor of local because their attention was some- more holidays to come.
change like never before. when people start re-evaluating brands brands. where else. This time around, they will
Many brands and businesses we they once considered cheap and low Brands like AirAsia, now have the be more receptive to listening.
once thought would last forever will be in quality because of a lower price tag; chance to garner an even higher share Consumers are looking for reas- Abhinav Sharma is head of strategic
lucky if they survive 2009. cheap starts to look affordable. of the air travel pie, by blurring the lines surance. They want to be able to buy planning at McCann Worldgroup. He
While trying to save global brands and And that is the new mindset that of service between budget airlines and you. They just need reasons. So if you can be reached aat Abhinav.Sharma@
businesses is one complicated financial local brands need to exploit. This is an legacy airlines. have stories on quality, technology and ap.mccann.com
waltz, home-grown brands in individual opportunity in waiting. But it’s not as
markets may just stand to gain from all easy as upping promotions or slashing
this upheaval and uncertainty. prices even further.
With recession comes the inevitable Let the big, international brands