Regulars could recall the three categories that I threw open for readers’ votes for the Marketing Maayaajaalam Awards 2009: Brand Success of the Year, Marketer of the year and Expected Success in 2009. I didn’t venture my opinion but requested reader participation. While a few had cast their votes for the first two categories, there was hardly any entry for the third.
I could guess two reasons for the non-voting. One, no one wants to put themselves on the line and commit to something. Two, none of you feel there is any brand that could taste success in 2009, given the economic slowdown, falling sentiments etc. Either way, here is my choice for the three awards.
Brand Success of the Year 2008
Without a shade of doubt, 2008’s biggest brand success was the Indian Premier League (IPL). Be it the money it raked in, the interest it generated, the TV viewership it garnered or the advertising it attracted, IPL was the star brand of 2008.
Marketer of the Year 2008
Many had voted for Obama. Agreed Obama won. But guys, Bush had to lose. And that’s why Obama won. In other words, Bush had one of the worst ratings for a President in American history and had to lose. Any Pyjama or Uppuma would have won over Bush. That’s why I don’t consider Obama the Marketer of the year, though he did run a splendid campaign.
Because of the spectacular success of IPL, I grudgingly have to give the Marketer of the Year award to Lalit Modi, the guy who ran the whole show; the accusations of corruption, arrogance etc., levied against him notwithstanding. I believe there is truth in many of the accusations leveled against him but the success he had achieved, coupled with the fact that there weren’t any other brand that had tasted half as much success as IPL, forces me to be objective and hand over the award to him.
Expected Success in 2009
This was a toughie. Not because there were too many brands vying for attention but because there is hardly any in the horizon which remotely even suggest victory at the turnstiles. I am afraid this award is going to go blank this year. That doesn’t mean there isn’t going to be any brand success in 2009. It just means the initial signs of all those brands launched in 2008 aren’t encouraging. (IPL being an exception).
Here is three cheers to all the winners; the ones of my choice and the ones of yours. Even if they don’t match mine!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
The Marketing Maayaajaalam Awards 2
It’s that time of the year; the time when everyone looks forward to the New Year (this post being a trifle late notwithstanding). Yet, this blog looks at the year gone by and attempts to identify the winners, the losers and the jokers!
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the Marketing Maayaajaalam Awards. And the winners are…
Best TV ad of the year: Airtel
I am talking about the ad where the dad ties his wrist along with his son’s to convince his young son he wouldn’t get lost and the son doing the same later in life with an Airtel connection. Rarely do we see such powerful insights in Indian advertising. And even rarely do we see an ad that is strong on strategy while being cute on creative. Without a shade of doubt, the ad of the year!
Brand failure of the year: Kuselan
Kuselan was touted the next big Rajini film after the stupendously successful Sivaji. That Rajini kept insisting that his role in the film was less than 25% got drowned by the hype and hoopla around the film. And when fans turned up in theatres expecting to see Rajini all the way, they were in for a depressing disappointment. Expectedly the crowds gave the film a big thumps down. The distributors ended up with massive losses, the theatre owners with empty seats and Rajini with eggs on his face (sadly though, he didn’t deserve it since he had always maintained he was doing only a guest role in the film). Kuselan, this year’s biggest brand failure of the year.
The brand joke of the year: Airtel Digital TV
You have to hand it to Airtel for making us laugh. I don’t know about you. But I certainly enjoyed Airtel’s sense of humour. Airtel Digital TV! What an idea. What a joke!
Expected failure in 2009: Vivel
What is Vivel? Soap? Yes. What kind of soap? Everything. It has an ayurvedic variant; a natural variant; even a couple of cosmetic variants. Is that all? No, Vivel is a shampoo too. Serious? Yeah, Vivel has a range of shampoos. That’s it? No, Vivel has a premium variant too. Vivel de Wills. Great. What next? Vivel Filter cigarettes? Ladies and gentlemen, expect Vivel to flop without a trace in 2009.
To make this year’s awards a trifle more interactive, I am offering three categories to you to make your choice: ‘Brand Success of the Year’, ‘Marketer of the Year’ and ‘Expected Success in 2009’. Send in your choice, along with your reasons for selection, and let me see if it matches mine!
Remember, this blog is extremely democratic. It always welcomes differing views, countering viewpoints and varied opinions. Yet, the final decision would be unmistakably mine!
Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the Marketing Maayaajaalam Awards. And the winners are…
Best TV ad of the year: Airtel
I am talking about the ad where the dad ties his wrist along with his son’s to convince his young son he wouldn’t get lost and the son doing the same later in life with an Airtel connection. Rarely do we see such powerful insights in Indian advertising. And even rarely do we see an ad that is strong on strategy while being cute on creative. Without a shade of doubt, the ad of the year!
Brand failure of the year: Kuselan
Kuselan was touted the next big Rajini film after the stupendously successful Sivaji. That Rajini kept insisting that his role in the film was less than 25% got drowned by the hype and hoopla around the film. And when fans turned up in theatres expecting to see Rajini all the way, they were in for a depressing disappointment. Expectedly the crowds gave the film a big thumps down. The distributors ended up with massive losses, the theatre owners with empty seats and Rajini with eggs on his face (sadly though, he didn’t deserve it since he had always maintained he was doing only a guest role in the film). Kuselan, this year’s biggest brand failure of the year.
The brand joke of the year: Airtel Digital TV
You have to hand it to Airtel for making us laugh. I don’t know about you. But I certainly enjoyed Airtel’s sense of humour. Airtel Digital TV! What an idea. What a joke!
Expected failure in 2009: Vivel
What is Vivel? Soap? Yes. What kind of soap? Everything. It has an ayurvedic variant; a natural variant; even a couple of cosmetic variants. Is that all? No, Vivel is a shampoo too. Serious? Yeah, Vivel has a range of shampoos. That’s it? No, Vivel has a premium variant too. Vivel de Wills. Great. What next? Vivel Filter cigarettes? Ladies and gentlemen, expect Vivel to flop without a trace in 2009.
To make this year’s awards a trifle more interactive, I am offering three categories to you to make your choice: ‘Brand Success of the Year’, ‘Marketer of the Year’ and ‘Expected Success in 2009’. Send in your choice, along with your reasons for selection, and let me see if it matches mine!
Remember, this blog is extremely democratic. It always welcomes differing views, countering viewpoints and varied opinions. Yet, the final decision would be unmistakably mine!
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