Of Apples, Oranges, Chalk and Cheese!!

Marketing has often been compared to a battle-field. Positioning is considered an effective marketing strategy for protecting and expanding the territories of brands, thereby garnering market-share. Remember when Al Ries and Jack trout, in their popular book on Positioning, called it the “Battle for your Mind”? The idea of positioning itself has grown over time. When Kellar, Sternthal and Tybout said that there are ‘three things you need to ask about your brand” - they talked of the Frame of Reference (FoR), Points of Parity (POP), Points of Difference (POD). They implied that to position effectively we must draw our boundaries for comparison (FoR) and show that we can deliver the same value propositions as competition that consumers have grown accustomed to (POP) and even better - show that we can do it differently and more effectively than the competition (POD). 

So what’s with Comparative Advertising and the hullabaloo about it when the premise of marketing is to compare, position and win the battle for share of mind and wallet?

One may take the proverbial angle that “to compare is not to prove”, but when brands are like two or more peas in a pod, what choice do they have but to emphasise the POD - which cannot be done without comparing. Didn’t we cheer loudly, when Avis said - “Avis is No.2: We Try Harder”- obviously establishing superiority of service over the Numero Uno, Hertz? This was the case of the underdog going for the kill and we know how we feel about underdogs.

But when top brands compared themselves with the lesser (im)mortals, a less sympathetic audience is sure to say as Bob Wells said – “Your true value lies entirely on what you’re compared with, so why downgrade yourself”? It’s easier said, but the leader however must decide in competitive scenario - whether to bring a knife to a gun battle or an AK 47.

Take for example the on-going ad battle between Times of India and The Hindu that are circulating as much in social media as they are on paid channels. When a brand like The Hindu, which is as proud as a peacock, feels as fit as a fiddle in its comfort regional zone despite a national presence, is confronted with what it perhaps perceives as an assault on its fiefdom - what does it do? Faced with insinuations of being a ‘boring’ newspaper that puts people to sleep - Should it walk just walk away?

With change of guard at the newspaper editorial board, The Hindu has unleashed a set of ads hitting the competition below the belt in no uncertain terms. The series of ads say the following: “We also have page 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7…”, “Sense, not sensational”, “Read about political parties not page 3 parties”, “Because government malfunctions matter more than wardrobe malfunctions”, “For current affairs that go beyond Bollywood affairs” - all ending with the punch-line - “Stay ahead of the Times”. Not only are these retorts being placed on mass media, but are interesting enough for people to circulate them on their own volition.

Reaction to comparative advertising is typically quick as a shot and advertisers can actually have their Turkey’s voting for Christmas. Comparative advertising feels fresh as a daisy in a message cluttered world. For an audience that is as keen as a mustard and sharp as a tack but fed on advertising dull as ditchwater - these battles are a turn on. Some of these ads like the series of Audi, BMW, Subaru and Bentley ads as well as the Jet Airlines hoarding that was ambushed by Kingfisher and Go Airline are as good as gold and never fail to put a smile on our face. When credibility of advertising is increasingly likened to putting a lipstick on a pig, the least one can do is entertain the audience for their time.

Sometimes these wars can and do get ugly as sin. Comparisons and personal statements bring in the crowds like moth attracted to the candle but getting it right can be like nailing the jelly to the wall and end up sticking out like a sore thumb. Case in point: The Rin-Tide comparative advertising ads and the Complan-Horlicks ads which aimed to provide dubious facts to outdo each other – boring and baseless. We could discuss the issue like there is no tomorrow and call on the guards to police their laws better. But who really wants to miss out on the fun when the battles are just heating up?

An edited version of this post appeared in Post Noon, Hyderabad's first compact form mid-day daily. http://postnoon.com/2012/01/29/of-apples-oranges-chalk-and-cheese/23952.