The Hindu Business Line : Building on `brand family'

MCDONALDS restaurants all over the world are perceived as a family restaurant. The Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai is positioned as `your family hospital'. Disney World attracts and excites millions of families from all over the world as it is a `family destination'. Crossword, the largest bookstore chain in India, advertises and invites consumers by saying `come with the family and spend time with yourself'. The recent positioning of Brooke Bond Red Label tea is `warmth of your family'.

The single most important segment or set of consumers in India is the family. Whenever brand marketers have looked at penetrating markets and addressing different segments of customers, the family has always been given tremendous prominence.

I would strongly recommend that the Indian family should be looked at with great care and looked up to with great respect. In fact, the Indian family, to my mind is the single most important segment that brand marketers should try to cater to. Yes, there are other segments of kids, teenagers, senior citizens and individuals, but to my mind the family segment is the most important.

Many a time, the movies highlight "family first" as a concept. Family first has been demonstrated in various movies in Bollywood, including Virudh, as well as a movie called Family. And, to take that example forward, is the book on the first family of Bollywood, the Kapoors. Five generations of actors from the same family. We can see that there are many examples of `brand family' and family brands, which have caught the imagination of the Indian consumer and have done well.

Some more examples: the Dena Bank very clearly claims that it is `your trusted family bank' while Raghuleela mall in Mumbai also claims that it is focused on families.

There are many family brands, which have become very powerful and have been nurtured over the years. The Tata brand is a family brand as is the brand Godrej.

These family brands reflect integrity, trust and durability. In fact, the concept of family branding goes beyond just names and positioning, but is also marketed as concept like the Reliance family of share holders or like a family of retailers or distributors.

The concept of a family is very strong in India and is well respected. It is also seen to be an integrated unit and is one of the most powerful consumption segments in India. Not only is the family used as a concept or a name for set of customers or positioning but it is also used very often for sizes as in an ice cream family pack. In my opinion, a family is the most powerful consumption unit and is going to be the driving force for increasing sales and market shares of brands, irrespective of whether it is for products, services or ideas. Even TV serials reflect families' aspirations and some of these serials have got high television rating points.

There have been situations where cars have been positioned as family cars and have received a very good response, having been highlighted in various TV commercials and ads. India is a country where a family unit is, in fact, intact.

All the more reason why brand marketers should focus on families. Brand family and family brands will continue to fuel the growth of consumption in virtually all categories in India in the next ten years.

Brands should focus on families with different cultures, hopes and aspirations within the culture of each state and each region so that they grow by building on this concept. Whether it be in the field of entertainment and multiplexes or whether it be in buying consumer durables, it is important to note that the purchase behaviour revolves around the family.

(The writer is MD, Samsika Marketing Consultancy.)