KYC: Know Your Cow? A Marketing Gimmick or Moo-ving Message?

KYC: Know Your Cow? A Marketer’s Chuckle and a Cautionary Tale

This particular advertisement was sent to me by my degree classmate, Mr. Rajiv Nagpal. It was definitely worth a chuckle, but it also woke up the marketing teacher in me. It was a Kisan CONNECT print advertisement.  

In an age of instant everything - instant coffee, instant updates, and yes, instant attention spans (we’re talking about 1/100th of a second!) - the risk of being misunderstood is always lurking. When I first saw the tagline “KYC – Know Your Cow,” my brain, trained by years of habit and context, immediately read it as a Bakrid slaughter animal ad. Yes, really.

Luckily, I took the time to read through it and understood the concept. “Rani,” the four-year-old cow, was the star here—part of an organic farming initiative that promises rich, natural paneer. A noble idea, certainly. However, I still couldn’t help feeling that the ad leaned more towards gimmickry than genuine impact.

Will it stand the test of time like Tata Steel’s iconic “We also make steel” campaign? I doubt it. This feels more like Amul’s short-lived “ATM – Any Time Milk” campaign. Remember that one? Probably not — unless you're a marketing professor like me, who archives such things with academic nostalgia.

When marketing meets moo-scommunication!!!

Some short forms are best left untouched. “KYC” is a serious term in the banking world. So when a bank employee calls and says, “Sir, can I update your KYC?”—I’d really prefer not to pause and wonder if he’s asking about my Aadhaar card details or a cow I may (or may not) own!

Just a point to ponder. Quirky creativity is great - but not at the cost of clarity. In marketing, especially today, every second counts - and so does every interpretation.

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Finding money on the Street - Plain lucky or is there a twist in the tail?

April 14th 

There are reports in the media that people are finding money thrown on the roads of Hyderabad. 

Most rush in to collect Rs 2000, Rs 500, and Rs 100/- bills. On examination, the currency proves to be worthless. They are simply a snare to pull in people. It is a marketing gimmick. 

My two-bits: 

1) Bit one, can a currency of a country even if it is not real currency be thrown on the roads so callously?   It somehow does not appear to be right. And what if there is a stampede thinking it is real money, who is responsible?

2) Bit two, what about the possibility of accidents in the melee to pick up notes? What about the traffic jams it can cause?

Appears to be a brilliant marketing coup at the first instance but shows desperateness!

Brilliant marketing or a gimmick! - Free shopping

Brand factory from Big Bazaar has come out with an offer – “Free shopping”. All of us must be licking our jowls, free is the trigger that all of us love. There is no free lunch in this world. There are lots of catches.

“The offer is this - buy goods worth Rs 5000/- and pay only Rs 2000/- and get even that back. Rs 500 worth merchandise, 1000/- shopping vouchers and Rs 500/- cash back from Big Bazaar e-wallet”

Let us remember

Brand Factory is a commercial enterprise, they need the sale and that too they need a profit. So even at Rs 2000/- they will make profit

There is an entry fee, Rs 100 and Rs 250/- so window shoppers are discouraged and that is extra money for Brand Factory

The entry fee will be deducted from the free stuff.

So let us take what we pay, we pay exactly Rs 2,000/- and Big Bazaar expects to make atleast Rs 200/- per purchase (10% margin)

As we can assume that most goods would be over priced by atleast 100% so our goods that we purchase for Rs 5000/- are actually worth only Rs 2,500/-. Brand Factory would also push its in-house brands mark-ups could even be up to 300%. So when we pay Rs 2000/- that goods could be worth only Rs 1500/- to Rs 1600/- to big Bazaar.

What is being returned. Rs 2000/- is already less by Rs 100/- (remember the entry fee).

The Rs 500/- worth merchandise is worth only may be Rs 200/-. Shopping vouchers are for high priced items like a hair salon where it would be redeemed only for a purchase much above the Rs 1000/- voucher given that is could be redeemed if the bill is atleast Rs 10,000 (may be Brand Factory even gets a cut from the hair salon).

The Rs 500/- cash back from the e-wallet is tied up with lots of other payments that we make and I am sure that brand factory will be able to get a loyal clientele and also get commission from the party to which we are making digital payments.

In all it looks like a good marketing strategy from Brand factory let us see if it succeeds or remains a marketing gimmick.