BY JAGDEEP KAPOOR

Brands grow strongly if they are allowed to move uninterrupted and without putting a brake on their momentum.

Because Brand Brake could be a device for reducing speed or stopping motion. This could lead to a Brand Brake and Break the brand. The Break would separate the brand into pieces as a result of a ' blow or a strain.

Brand Brake is the blow, which will Break a brand.

Whether in FMCG or services or in jewellery or in entertainment or in pharmaceuticals or in Consumer Durables the brake could break the brand.

We have seen that an excellent brand like Thums Up many years ago went through a brake due to neglect or a low priority and slipped from the no. 1 position.

We have seen that a great brand like Kelvinator- the coolest one went through a brake, which broke its momentum and was out of the market for some years losing valuable market share and then it got launched again.

In both cases, there was Consumption- Resumption which led to loss of momentum.

However brands which had continuous and perennial Consumption-Consumption without a brake did not 'break and grew whether it be Pepsi or Samsung. Therefore I strongly recommend that if you do not want to break your brand do not allow your brand to brake. Let it flow. Let it grow.

I would like to recommend 6 strategies to ensure Consumption- Consumption and not Consumption -Resumption.

1. DON'T NEGLECT:

Your brand is like your child. It needs full attention and therefore any kind of neglect could put a brake on. consumption leading to loss of sales and face.
Neglect is the most dangerous element in braking a brand and-therefore breaking the brand. The owner must be fully involved in brand building and therefore should not have any neglect. Brands are built in the hearts and minds. Don't Neglect. Ensure Consumption- Consumption and not Consumption Resumption.

2. AVOID PRESUMPTION:

Do not presume it to be true that enough stocks are there in the market place vis-a-vis the Consumption patterns. If your consumers are going back empty handed for lack of stock and you are presuming that there is stock but it is not so, thus leading to a brake and not ensuring Consumption-Consumption but later having to go through the difficulty of Consumption-Resumption.

It is important to track stock and sales and the number of days of stock and regular replenishment to ensure consumption- Consumption otherwise because of stock outs, you will have a brake which will break the brand. Ensure Consumption - Consumption and not consumption Resumption which will break the brand. Check up the stock position at the level of the Company at the level of the distributor and at the level of the retailer.

3. AVOID ASSUMPTION:

An assumption is a belief a supposition a hypothesis which unless it is validated could make an 'ass' of 'u' and 'me'. Assuming that consumption doesn't take place due to seasonality and regionality factors, you may disrupt supplies which could be a costly mistake braking the speeding and breaking your brand. Branded jewellery today is sold and consumed 365 days in a year and it would be stupid to assume that it is only sold during the wedding seasons or during festivals.

In today’s world of 24 x7 and 365 days a year the Indian consumer is ready to consume. Are you ready, to sell? Are you ready to regularly sell? Are you ready to sell in an uninterrupted manner? Don’t assume that the consumer is not ready. Avoid Assumption because the consumer is always ready. 1f you put a brake, your brand will break.

4. BE VIGILANT:

If you are not alert and do not keep a vigil, not only to cater to consumption but also to create consumption, then you could be a spectator rather then a player in the market place. You need to constantly suggest to consumers to try your brand and promote it aggressively through communication and availability.

Regular audit in the market tracking studies, research, monitoring is very important in today's world as I have written in my book, 'BRAND SWITCH'. A consumer can take out his imaginary remote control and switch from one brand to another brand in a few minutes or seconds. Therefore, be vigilant. Make sure that the consumer gets Consumption-Consumption and then the consumer is with you. Do not let the consumer switch to another brand 'or else you have to go through the problem of Consumption- Resumption.

5.BREATHE THE BRAND:

Consumption -Consumption is like breathing and needs to be done in a continuous manner Even a few minutes brake lead to death, breaking the brand. It is important' to understand that a lot of effort gets done to launch a brand, to give birth to a brand. If you do not nurture it and lead it to Consumption- Consumption the chances of Consumption- Resumption being successful may be poor and forgetting to breathe your brand may lead to death.

Copyright © 2005, All rights reserved with Jagdeep Kapoor – Managing Director, Samsika Marketing Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
No part of this document may be modified, reproduced, stored, deleted or introduced in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (Electronic, Mechanical, Photocopying, Recording or Otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of the document.

The author is Jagdeep Kapoor, Brand Guru and Managing Director of the successful Samsika Marketing Consultancy.
Tel: (022) 28477700/7701 (022) 28470214/15
Fax:022 28477699
E-mail : jkapoor@samsika.com