The Hindu Business Line : Mess success

All your life you are taught to put things in order. Would you have thought creating a `mess' would be profitable? Brands are being built on a `mess' platform. Yes, it is true. There is a `brand' new trend of `mess success.'

Garnier Fructis Style, a hairstyling product, invites you to `unleash your style.' It further asks you `Want a messed up look?' It suggests you stop being `mild' and go `wild.'

`Mess Success' is in a truly wild form, which is acceptable to many of the young and trendy 555 million young consumers in India. The reason, I feel, that this approach will succeed is because, after all the rules and regulations, orderly and `propah' behaviour, one needs to lets oneself go, set oneself free. If handled well, or shall I say if `mishandled well', it could be a good `mess success'.

In another case of `mess success', a wonderful display of different points of view between two generations is displayed in the TV commercial of HSBC Bank. A young girl is delighted with her new torn jeans and keeps her prized possession on the bed, all the while adoring and admiring it. When she goes to freshen up, her mother comes along, notices them and then takes it to her sewing machine to put it in order. Well, two different perspectives. But the first one, with the trendy, contemporary, messed-up look and outlook, is what is leading to success in the marketing world today.

In another, recent case, an LIC commercial shows a smart child using a vending machine. There is one pack of chocolate, which comes out promptly. This is expected. But then, the LIC Jeevan Tarang policy now shows the abundant returns it can bring — through a `messy' throughput of many, many chocolate packs which tumble out of the vending machine! In another case of a celebrity ad for Lenovo Computers, the celebrity who returns after a long absence cannot be recognised by his spouse. It's the computer that comes to the rescue of this now unkempt individual, by identifying him by virtue of its user-recognition technology, and gets him accepted by his beloved wife! As per my analysis, there are six factors helping this trend do well.

Firstly, it cuts the clutter. Secondly, it reflects a young, trendy, contemporary personality. Thirdly, the `mess' makes it memorable, aiding recall. Fourthly, it is unconventional and so there is a large amount of interest, shock or surprise. Fifthly, it brings out the rebel in one, leading to it being seen as fresh, making everything else outdated. Finally, it could be very cost-effective, as even with fewer insertions or spots, the advertising could be high-impact.

(Jagdeep Kapoor is the Managing Director of Samsika Marketing Consultancy Pvt. Ltd.)