Marketing for Social Change!

There are very few avenues in media and advertising that remain untapped today. Penetrating through the clutter of marketing messages and the mess thus created, is challenging than ever before.

It’s great to have a niche product to sell, for you can plan targeted campaigns and precise messages. Reaching out to a wider audience… now that is a real challenge! Take for instance the telecom industry, or insurance, or consumer goods… You cannot get away without spending top $ if you are to create any impact in the market.

Competition has forced marketers to move from creating simple & clear messages, highlighting real benefits & value that their products create… these days it’s about creating messages that hook the audience, at times even coarse them into paying attention!

The marketing buzzword these days – ‘innovative’; it’s mostly about doing the same things differently, using relatively newer communication platforms.

So what’s next? I say Social Change! Think about it, there is an endless supply of social problems, especially in India… poverty, crime, disease, health care, education, energy… everything is a challenge here. Take one of these issues, create a small sample base, resolve their issue and harp about it everywhere… you found a potential solution to a real problem, you helped some people and you got to talk about it…

But was the money well spent in marketing terms?

If your objective was to be heard and talked about… yes

If your objective was to create goodwill… yes

If your objective was to create new customers… yes

If your objective was to create loyalty among existing ones… yes

Besides, your story is worth carrying, so many in the media will… think of the potential savings on media spends

Although, this can’t be a short term strategy, but a directional change… towards creating a framework of ideas for sustainable business and social development.

Idea Cellular’s ‘what an Idea Sirji’ campaign is an example, but not a good one… it’s just an advertising campaign, a pointer to future direction? maybe… no real value created so far!

But there are others… many entrepreneurs are building businesses & products for social change. Be it clean energy, or affordable day to day solutions for the rural and poor, everything is being done… Aiming to be a social entrepreneur is an almost definite success story, right from the start.

And what is the marketing strategy there? Have a good heart and common sense!

Saurabh Shroff

Marketing in recession?… or just smart marketing

Read many articles and saw some presentations on ‘marketing in recession’. The essence of it all is that marketers have to be smarter while spending and use innovative and cost effective ways to reach out to their customers. There are many suggestions on how that is to be done and I wont get into that. Most of these blogs and slideshare ppts are right, the focus should be on innovation, creativity and cost efficiency. My question is this… why should that be during a recession only???

Even in a booming economy start ups fail and market shares change. Better product delivery, creative & cost effective communication and innovation in business management by competitors will create an improved overall customer experience… and customer loyalties will shift.

The key is to have strong business fundamentals, clear business vision and an enduring focus on achieving the goals outlined. A well defined long term business vision inspires efficient business management and complete costumer care, regardless the market conditions and creates an environment that is insulated from externalities such as the current recession. To think, this recession is also an outcome of consistent, systematic pursuit of short term goals by some of the largest institutions in the world.

Although, the impact of recession affects all businesses no matter how they are managed, it is minimal on businesses who have been doing smart things in innovative ways, even in good market conditions.

Continuous creation of real value, regardless of short term impact, is the only real sustainable business model.

Saurabh Shroff