The cost of Upgrades: Bait-and-Switch and modified Bait and switch pricing Tactics

Picture Courtesy Pixabay.com

In 1987, I was a Sales Executive for a company that marketed electronic typewriters, sold in 14-inch and 17-inch carriage sizes. The product line 400 we marketed was as follows:

1. Network 400, 14-inch carriage size: Basic electronic typewriter that functioned like a manual typewriter. Its advantages included replaceable daisy wheels for font change and a correction facility. Cost: Rs 9,990/-

                    Picture Courtesy: Pixabay.com

2. Network 401:  An upgraded model that had a small 20-character LED display. Cost: Rs 11,990/-

3. Network 411: This model featured a one-line display and 8KB memory, allowing users to store standard letter formats. Cost: Rs 13,990/-

4. Network 431: Same as the 411 model, it had 32 KB memory but priced higher at Rs 15,990/-

Now, one might ask, what's the big deal? The big deal is that the chip controlling the display and memory was the same across models. In the lower-end models, the display was simply disabled. And for those models that offered memory, the cost difference between an 8 KB chip and a 32 KB chip was marginal—perhaps Rs 500/- at most (considering 1987 prices).

The Pricing Tactic: Customers were led to pay increasingly higher prices for incremental feature enhancements. During demonstrations, the salesperson would often showcase a higher-end model with a display, bold facility, and memory. However, if the customer ended up purchasing the basic Network 400, they would receive a simple typewriter—one without bold typing capabilities.

Some customers may have felt disappointed, but they never explicitly asked if the Network 400 had bold typing. Since they didn’t ask, salespeople remained diplomatically silent.

The E-Commerce Parallel: A modified bait and switch happens on e-commerce platforms today. For instance, a Facebook advertisement may display a Timex watch for Rs 1,285/-, but upon clicking, the actual product page would list it at Rs 1,956/-—an increase of almost Rs 700/- (over 50%).

This kind of pricing deception creates false expectations, luring customers in with an attractive price—only for them to discover the real cost later.

Keywords: Hidden costs, Marketing tricks, Deceptive E-commerce pricing, Selling tactics, Product differentiation, False advertising, Customer perception, Pricing deception. 

Planned Obsolescence and Pricing Tricks: How Companies Make You Spend More

Planned obsolescence is a widely discussed strategy in which companies deliberately design products with a limited lifespan. Over time, these products lose their utility and eventually stop functioning, forcing consumers to purchase replacements. The companies' goal is to ensure that customers buy their brand again instead of switching to a competitor.

One famous example is the original light bulb, which is said to have lasted over a hundred years. Light bulb manufacturers quickly realized that their business model was flawed, leading to the production of bulbs designed to last only a few years. Similarly, LED bulbs, initially marketed as having a lifespan of 20,000 hours, often fail within a year or two. When questioned, some LED manufacturers blamed low-quality radiators, usually sourced from China, for their premature failure. Consumers prefer cheap LED bulbs, even if they last only a couple of years, rather than paying ten times more for a long-lasting alternative. As a result, functioning LED chips are discarded, contributing to global e-waste.

Let’s discuss how companies compel consumers to make purchases, either due to a lack of choice or through subtle manipulative tactics:

Non-replaceable Batteries in Mobile Phones:

In the past, mobile phone batteries could be replaced when they lost capacity or took too long to charge. Today, batteries are integrated into the phone, making it impossible for consumers to replace them easily. If a battery fails, users must replace the entire phone. This is akin to buying a $100 quartz watch and discarding it because the $1 battery inside cannot be replaced.

2. Price Discrimination Based on Device Type:

Reports suggest that ride-hailing apps, e-commerce platforms, and quick-commerce services charge higher prices to iPhone users than to Android users. The underlying assumption is that iPhone users are more affluent and willing to pay a premium for the same services.

3. Surge Pricing Based on Battery Life:

Research has indicated that ride-hailing apps display higher surge pricing when a user’s phone battery is low. The assumption is that users with low battery life are more likely to book a ride immediately without comparing competitors.

4. Differential Pricing in Quick-Commerce Apps:

Quick-commerce platforms like Zepto have been observed engaging in deceptive pricing practices. The same product may be priced differently when viewed from two different mobile devices. A regular customer might see a higher price, while a new customer is offered discounts, cashback, and better deals. Traditional marketing strategies emphasize rewarding loyal customers, but quick-commerce apps focus on new customer acquisition and boosting brand valuation. This approach benefits companies seeking to increase their market valuation ahead of an IPO.

These tactics highlight how businesses prioritize profits over consumer interests, often at the cost of fairness and sustainability. 

Keywords: Planned Obsolescence, Limited lifespan, Replacement purchases, Light bulb longevity, LED failure, E-waste, Non-replaceable batteries, Mobile phones, Price discrimination, Device-based pricing,  Surge pricing, Battery life manipulation, Quick-commerce apps, Differential pricing,  Customer loyalty, Market valuation, Consumer manipulation, and Sustainability. 

General Concepts: Planned obsolescence, Consumer manipulation, Product lifespan, forced upgrades, Market strategy, Corporate profit, Consumer spending

Industries:  Light bulb lifespan, LED bulb failure, Mobile phone batteries, Non-replaceable batteries, Quartz watch analogy, E-waste crisis, 

Pricing Strategies & Tactics:  Price discrimination, Device-based pricing,  iPhone vs. Android pricing, Surge pricing, Battery-based pricing, Ride-hailing apps, Dynamic pricing, Quick-commerce platforms, Zepto pricing

 

The hot Indian Cola War: How Pepsi Torched Coca-Cola’s Comeback @ 1990s

 

Marketing is a field full of nonstop action. It’s a dog-eat-dog business, where one needs to be on one's toes 24/7, 365 days a year. In marketing, it’s often said that you must execute a counterplan even before your competitors can think of an offensive.

Many from the present generation may not remember, but in 1975, the then Janata government asked all foreign companies to either reduce their control over Indian companies or exit the country. As a result, many multinational corporations (MNCs) left India, creating a golden era (1975-1991) for Indian homegrown brand dominance. Companies like Bajaj, Ambassador, Thums Up, and Fanta ruled the market during this time.

The liberalization, privatization, and globalization (LPG) policy of 1991 opened India's gates to foreign companies. One of the first to enter was Pepsi, and it was introduced as Lehar Pepsi. The government allowed Pepsi to enter under the condition that it would contribute to India's exports.

To comply, Pepsi strategically entered the agriculture sector while quietly establishing itself in the beverage industry. It didn’t take long for Pepsi to settle in and dominate the market.

But where Pepsi goes, Coca-Cola was bound to follow. Determined to reclaim its lost ground, Coca-Cola planned a grand comeback. The company wanted to make a splash, meticulously preparing for a massive launch campaign. Everything was going according to plan—until they hit a major roadblock.

Coca-Cola had planned to dominate the front pages of all major newspapers in India on the day of its relaunch. However, Pepsi got wind of Coca-Cola’s strategy through its intelligence network. Acting swiftly and quietly, Pepsi purchased all the front-page advertising space in the leading newspapers before Coca-Cola could book them.

The result? On Coca-Cola’s much-anticipated launch day, October 19, 1993, readers woke up to newspapers filled with Pepsi ads instead. Pepsi had successfully outmanoeuvred Coke, proving that in marketing, timing and strategy are everything.  Not only that it was rumoured that Pepsi dealers and bottlers quietly bought up all the reusable glass bottles of Coca-Cola from the market and smashed them. No one knows the truthfulness of this story.  

In an industry where glass bottles must be returned to the factory and reused, this below-the-belt tactic from Pepsi severely hampered Coca-Cola’s logistics. As a result, production suffered. 

Interestingly, the Indian market has not been very kind to the iconic Coca-Cola brand. Its flagship product, Coke, lags in third place: Sprite (20%), Thums Up (16%), Coke (9%) and Pepsi comes in at 4^th with 8%. (Source: Statista).

That must be quite a bitter pill to swallow for Coca-Cola. The only silver lining? Both Sprite and Thums Up are owned by Coca-Cola India, so, at the end of the day, they still dominate the market.

Key words: Cola Wars, Coke vs. Pepsi rivalry, Coca-Cola vs. Pepsi market battle, Soft drink market competition, Pepsi marketing strategy, Coca-Cola business challenges, Pepsi vs. Coke in India, Soft drink industry trends, Top-selling soft drinks in India, Coca-Cola sales decline

"AMUL Disrupts the Market: When Curd Becomes Cheaper Than Milk!" 🥛🔄🍶

Marketing is a strange field. Normal logic does not hold water.  For example, 500 ml or 500 grams of milk costs 31 rupees @ 6.2 paisa per gram, and typically curd 400 grams costs 45 rupees for 400 grams @ 11.25 paisa per gram. 

Economists always talk about "value addition". Don't know what value addition is in letting milk become curds!!. Add some yeast and keep it aside for a night. 

In every market, there is a disruptor and that disruptor is AMUL. AMUL has come out with new pricing for its curd. 

AMUL is selling 850 grams of curd at Rs 50. That is 5.88 paisa per gram. 

And in comparison all competitors charge 100 Rs for 1000 grams and that 10 Paisa per gram. So AMUL's price is almost 50% of that of the competitors!! The cost per gram of curd is cheaper than milk. How is it possible?

Keywords: How AMUL sets competitive prices, Dairy industry pricing strategies, Why curd is more expensive than milk, AMUL vs competitors' pricing, Cheapest curd in India, Economics of dairy pricing,

Points to Ponder:  Why is AMUL curd cheaper than milk? AMUL’s disruptive pricing strategy in the dairy market, How AMUL is changing the curd pricing game, Comparing AMUL curd with other brands: Which is cheaper? The economics behind milk and curd pricing in India.

"Rage-Baiting & Hypocrisy"🔥📺

Rage baiting is a manipulative online tactic that intentionally provokes anger or outrage to increase engagement. It's often used to increase traffic, subscribers, and revenue.

So why patronage such shows. I have not even seen one India latent show but I am told that each show had views over 3 to 4 crores. So most of the viewers are hypocrites. They watched it, loved the content, and now are saying  "Chee, chee"

Keywords: How rage baiting increases views, Why do people engage with controversial content, The Psychology Behind Viral Outrage, Hate-watching phenomenon, Media tactics to provoke outrage, Manipulative content marketing, 

Points to Ponder:  Why do people watch content they claim to hate? How rage baiting tricks audiences into higher engagement, The dark side of viral marketing and social media outrage, Why controversial shows get millions of views despite criticism, The role of hypocrisy in boosting online content popularity,

"900,000 Reads & Counting: A 15-Year Journey to the Million-Reader Club!"

It happened early in the morning and it took 15 years to come! 900000 lifetime readers point reached for the blog dranil-marketingmusings.blogspot.com.

A point to ponder 45 crore blogs exist throughout the world. How many cross a million reads. No exact statistics exist. Maybe 45,000!!!

Proud and humble to be in that club. Thank you to all the readers who made this happen. 😀🙏😅

Keywords: How many blogs reach 1 million views, Blog readership statistics, Blogging achievements, Celebrating blog milestones, Growing a blog audience, Successful blogging journey, 

Points to Ponder: How I reached 900,000 blog views in 15 years, What percentage of blogs cross 1 million reads, The journey from zero to a million blog readers, Blogging success: Reaching 900K lifetime views, Lessons from growing a blog to 900,000+ readers

900000 life-time views and Counting: How AI Helped Me Create Stunning Posters in Seconds!" 🚀🎨

AI is a fascinating field. Used properly it can aid us in many ways. My blog is inching towards the 900,000 views mark and sits at 899643. 

I made three posters one about the present views, one about 900000 views, and another about the next target of a million views. 

All in a jiffy without the help of a designer and without knowing the ABC of Adobe Photoshop!

Keywords: Blogging milestones celebration, AI in content creation, Free AI design tools, AI for non-designers, Reaching 1 million blog views, Blog growth with AI.  

Points to Ponder: How I created posters without Photoshop using AI, Best AI tools to design graphics instantly, Celebrating 900K blog views with AI-powered posters, How AI is changing content creation for bloggers,  The road to 1 million blog views: My AI-powered journey. 

"India’s Demographic Dividend: The Economic Power Behind Record-Breaking Sports Viewership!" 📊🏏🔥

February 14, 2025

Can you believe it?? The most watched women's event was the women's FIFA World Cup finals with 1.2 crore views and 2.1 crore views overall. 

The first match of the Tata WPL itself has more views (3.3 crores) only on the Hotstar App and if we add at least another 4 crores on TV we will have over 7.3 crore viewers. That is over 3.5 times more viewership than the most watched women's sports live telecast. 

Talk of India's demographic dividend!!! A normal franchisee cricket match featuring women cricketers attracts more viewers than the finals of the world's most popular game - soccer. 

No wonder every sport in the world including cricket, soccer, tennis, and basketball wants to come to India and put their hand in the money pie. ICC has become a handmaiden of BCCI.

Keywords: Indian sports market growth, BCCI influence on global cricket, Sports broadcasting revenue in India,  ICC and BCCI relationship, Why Global Sports want to Invest in India, Future of women’s cricket in India

Points to Ponder: How India’s Demographic Dividend Boosts Sports Viewership, Why India is the biggest market for global sports leagues,  Cricket vs football viewership in India: A surprising comparison, Women’s cricket in India breaking global records, How India’s growing middle class is reshaping the sports economy

"Gen Z and the Lost Art of Book Hunting: A Tale of Instant Gratification"

On February 5th, 2025, we took our PGDM students on an industrial visit. I was asked to accompany them. Once on the bus, the students were belting out racy beats which were loudly playing out on the bus speakers. 

Unable to bear the cacophony, I tried to immerse myself in a book "Turn on the Heat" by A.AFair aka Erle Stanley Gardner the master storyteller. After some time the swaying motion of the bus was lulling me to sleep. I kept the novel aside and tried to sleep. 

"Sir, sir" a conspirational whisper. 

"Yes, yes"

A female student was talking from the seat behind "Can I take the book and read it?". 

Check she said, "Can I instead of may I". 

Me "How will you finish it by the evening" (I have stopped lending or presenting books. They are never returned nor read). 

"No problem sir, I will read a part of the book and read the rest as a download from the net," said the bookworm oops the girl student. 

I knew what was coming but still, I gave her the novel. The crestfallen girl returned the book within 10 minutes. "Sir, the book is not available online". 

I knew it, I knew it. What would I have done differently? 

1) search the details page. This was an Indian edition and it was printed by Master Mind Books, Bangalore. They might still have some copies. 

2) I would have checked in used books sites on the net. 

3) I would have gone to Abids on Sunday and searched for the book. 

4) I would have searched the net for read and return options.

5) Would have searched Amazon for a Kindle edition. 

6) Deep searched in specialized sites that allow free downloadable PDFs 

No the girl simply asked Google for a free PDF download and quit at the first instance. Gen Z wants instant breakfast, one hour before them feel hungry!! Feeling bemused!!!!

Points to Ponder: Erle Stanley Gardner, Perry Mason, Bertha Cool and Donald Lam Mystery, Why Gen Z prefers digital over physical books, How to find rare and out-of-print books online,  Best websites to buy second-hand books in India, Where to download classic novels legally for free, Are printed books dying in the digital age? 

"Pricing Paradox: How the same Product Has Two different Pricing Strategies!"

 

Relatable?? We can buy five small tabs for 100 rupees and save Rs 35/-. That is a crazy 35% discount for the same quantity and from the same company. Maybe be company is practicing Penetration pricing and Skimming pricing at the same time for the same product!!!

Keywords: How do companies set product prices, Why do prices vary for the same product? Retail pricing psychology, Skimming pricing examples. Penetration pricing in India, Consumer pricing strategy.

Points to Ponder: Why does the same product have different prices in different stores? Is this a marketing trick? Penetration vs Skimming pricing explained, How brands use pricing strategies to maximize profits, What is dual pricing, and how does it affect consumers? Are we being overcharged? The truth about product pricing strategies

"Robbing Paul to Pay Peter: The Shocking Truth About MRP Discounts!"

Emptor Decipiat (Buyer being Duped). All management students would have studied Caveat Emptor (Buyer beware). Maximum Retail Price had been introduced as a measure to help the customer get the best possible price. 

Companies don't seem to practice fair pricing. MRP is simply printed but never taken seriously. Take the case of Wipro Garnet 9 W electric bulbs that I bought from Dmart today. 

The MRP was Rs 240/- but I got it for Rs 45/-. That is an 80 percent discount. How is this possible? I got 10 bulbs for the cost of 2!!. That is buy 2, get 8 free!! So either Wipro has huge margins on its bulbs, middlemen's pound of flesh is too high in India or the mom-and-pop stores get very little margin (maybe 20 percent) on sale. 

So a normal customer who can't afford to go to Dmart pays 80% more than a customer who can afford to go to DMart. A typical example of robbing Paul to pay Peter!

Keywords: How MRP is set in India, Retail pricing strategy, Why MRP is ignored in India, Discounts in Indian supermarkets, Retail Profit Margins in India, Middlemen in Indian retail. 

Points to Ponder: Why do supermarkets offer huge discounts on MRP?, How much margin do companies make on retail products? Are consumers being overcharged due to MRP? MRP vs real price: Who decides product pricing? Why local stores can’t match supermarket discounts?

"From Passion to Recognition": Our Blog is Now Among India’s Top 65!" 🚀✨

Feedspot reader has gone through 1000s of blogs and has ranked "100 best Indian blogs to follow in 2025". Glad to inform you all that my blog dranil-marketingmusings.blogspot.com has secured the 65th position. 

Thank all the readers, you have a huge role in me achieving this position. Most of the other blogs are run by companies and MNCs. An individual blog ranked among commercially run blogs is a notable achievement. Thank you all once again.

75 Years In The Making – Patriotic Advertising!

 

 

Come January 26^th every Indian’s heart is filled with justifiable pride. It is time for celebrations and introspection. We have achieved little and have to achieve much more. Like Frost said “And mile to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep”.

Corporates cash in the patriotic day fervor. Leading corporates leave no stone unturned to make an impression and rake in the moolah. Let us look at some advertisements and promotions that have left an indelible impression on the Indian psyche. Keywords are provided, enabling the reader to access the advertisements from YouTube.com.  See the advertisements for yourself and get inspired. An advertisement is a story that is told in sixty seconds. Cadbury’s Cricket's sixty-second advertisement and the four-hour Lagaan movie have the same ending. Hero hitting the last ball for a six and winning! Short and sweet. Precision is a trait that all advertising legends swear by.

1.   Old Man Saluting the National Flag: Made by Code Red is one of the most inspiring advertisements ever made. It features an idyllic street scene in India. It is business as usual, people leisurely moving about. A girl pestering her mother for pani pooris. Suddenly it starts to rain and it throws everyone out of their zone of comfort. They run helter and skelter. They want to get away. An old cobbler is listening to a cricket match on the radio. The radio crackles and suddenly the Indian national anthem comes on. People keep running while the old man stands up. His old frail frame, white beard, and grizzled hair are accentuated by very old and battered spectacles. His entire visage is spattered by rain but he is resolute in his determination.

He stands very straight. Three small children (shoe shine boys) amusedly look on. Their faces widen in surprise. The old man does not have a leg and he is being supported by a wooden clutch. Moved by his patriotism and sense of Indianness, the three boys too stand up. All the while the frenzied running goes on. Voice over (Amitabh Bachchan in his rich baritone) booms “How can you respect the nation when you can’t respect the national anthem. Respect the national anthem”.   

2.        Boy and the Flag: The advertisement opens with a very small boy talking. He talks about the other person becoming old. He says “You have become sixty years old. Just like my grandfather. That means you are a senior citizen”. The camera pans and to our surprise, we find out that he is talking to the Indian flag. The boy says “When I grow up, I will take care of you. Till that time, happy birthday” He smartly salutes the flag and our hearts swell with pride. What an apt message. The youth will have to take care of the country that is aging gracefully. 

3.    Silent Indian National Anthem: is a public awareness campaign by Reliance for Big Cinemas. It is the Independence Day celebration in a special school for the Deaf and dumb. The entire assembly waits for its leader, the girl who has to lead the Independence Day celebration. The girl races in, sheepishness writ large on her face. The national anthem starts and then it hits us. The national anthem is muted, even the sound. We have to strain to hear it. Imagine life in a silent world surrounded by all the noise you can never hear. It is like watching an exciting movie with sound muted. The children gamely continue. They sing the national anthem with mime and actions. Their pluckiness and grit touch a chord in our hearts. Special children don’t need our sympathy. They only need a pat on the shoulder as encouragement. John Milton said, “They also serve those who only stand and stare”. 

4.       Lead India Campaign: The Times of India group has won many accolades and awards. Many of us think “Oh those people are very corrupt. They are like that and so on” Who are those? They are us. They are no different. We get the government we deserve. If the politicians are corrupt we are responsible. Many times we also say “I could be the leader if I am given a chance’. Lead India provides the platform. It challenges us to walk the talk. Be the change that you want others to be. In an unprecedented move, Lead India tried to mobilize leaders from the aam Janta – that is us. Superbly anchored by Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, Lead India was a super duper success and spawned many other ME TOO campaigns like Teach India and others.

Lead India advertisement opens with a huge tree obstructing traffic on a big busy public road. Everyone is vexed including the cops and a busy politician. The politician who has to solve the problem is whisked away to an alternate route. People are squabbling and things are unfolding the normal Indian way. Watching on is a boy in his school uniform. 

Out of sheer frustration, he gets off the bus and starts to push the gigantic tree. The unstoppable obstacle meets an equally dogmatic and determined counterforce. Seeing the boy getting drenched and struggling with the mighty tree (the insurmountable problem) many join in. And they prove the point. With a collective heave, they succeed in moving the tree out of the way. Our mental cobwebs get cleared too. Leaders are not some strange people or aliens from another planet. Leaders are among us. “Awake the leaders in us”. The soul-stirring lyrics Tum Chalo to Hindustan Chale are written by Gulzar the music is by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, and the song is sung by Shankar Mahadevan. 

5.    Indian Patriotism For Tiranga: A strapping young Sardar has been wooing his lady love for more than two years. The exasperated girl enquires “How long will this go on”.  The gallant Sardar falls to his knees and says “As long as it takes”. The girl’s heart melts and she is about to accept him. She gets annoyed by a persistent tugging of her sleeve by an urchin offering her an Indian Flag. “Not another flag,” she says. Her gallant Sardar takes the proffered flag and pins it to his coat.  He says “A girl who can’t love the national flag can’t love anybody” and walks away. 

      He is watched by the now wistful girl and the astonished urchin. As he walks into the sunset he is saluted by the mocking kids, a panipuri seller, a shopkeeper, and an old man. Your flag is the symbol of your country and no one can insult it including the girl whom you ardently wooed for more than two years. Way to go Sardarji. 

6.   Mile Sur Mera Tumara: is a video song promoting national integration and unity in diversity. Developed in 1988 by Doordarshan the song features people from all walks of life, including a group of Indian celebrities — musicians, sports persons, movie stars, etc. Mile Sur mera tumara instilled a sense of pride and promoted unity highlighting India's different linguistic communities and societies - India's unity in diversity. Hugely popular it featured the voices of Bhimsen Joshi, M. Balamuralikrishna, Lata Mangeshkar, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Shubhangi Bose, and Suchitra Mitra. 

7.   Maa Tujhe Salaam: is the title song from the album Vande Mataram released on the 60^th Golden Jubilee anniversary of India's independence and has been very popular in instilling a sense of patriotic pride and national unity amongst the people.  It had a profoundly positive and unifying impact on the nationalistic and patriotic mood. Sung by Rahman himself the song has stunning visuals, and great photography, and the music by the maestro has meant that for many it is a song that comes to epitomize the sense of being an Indian. 

8.   Coke small world campaign:   Indians and Pakistanis are always at each other.  A Coca-Cola advertisement shows a way to bring them together. What unites us is stronger than what sets us apart. High-tech vending machines were installed in two popular shopping malls in Lahore, Pakistan and New Delhi, India and consumers were invited to put their differences aside and share a simple moment over a Coke.

Coke Small World Machines provided a live communications portal linking strangers in two nations with the hope of provoking a small moment of happiness and promoting cultural understanding. Coke used 3D touchscreen technology to project a streaming video feed onto the vending machine screen while simultaneously filming through the unit to capture a live emotional exchange. People from both countries and various walks of life were encouraged to complete a friendly task together – wave, touch hands, draw a peace sign, or dance – before sharing a Coca-Cola. That should be the aim of life, be happy and let everyone be happy. Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu' 

 

9.   Hamara Bajaj: The campaign symbolified everything that we Indians stand for. It portrayed normal Indians who take pride in their Bajaj. And taking care of their Bajaj scooter was a common thread that bound us all. After all, Bajaj was the one thing that was totally Indian. It was the pride of India. Hamara Bajaj was a nostalgic advertisement for all of us. It brought out the Indianness in us. Bajaj talked about its manufacturing prowess and its unmistakable pedigree but at the same time, it was totally homegrown. Keywords for youTube.com search:  Hamara BAJAJ (1989) DD old advertisement, Hamara Bajaj (Badal rahe hai hum yaha), Old TV ad - Hamara Bajaj. 

10,   Anbuj Cements Hindu-Muslim Flag competition:  

 

 

Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication!!

I totally agree!! with the coming of Chat GPT and AI, everyone is appearing to be smart!! But it is the simple things that most forget. Some of the innovations are so simple that I kick myself and exclaim, "Why didn't I think about it". 

Take for example those huge popcorn buckets that are handed out at fast food centers and Malls. Most are simply discarded but a marketer in the Australian Big Bash Cricket League has taken it to the next level. These buckets are being marketed as huge hats that can be worn and discarded once the day's play is done and dusted. 

Think of the mileage a company can get by placing its promotional material on the cap!! IPL innovation this year!!! I claim the IP title for this particular innovation!!! 

The second innovation too was very simple. In the Benson and Hedges Cricket Championship 1985 held in Australia the spectators were given blank free posters with the logo of Toyota printed. The spectators were asked to make innovative slogans about the match and the players. The catch - the slogan should incorporate Totota's logo. Incorporating the Toyota logo was very simple. The logo looks like the letter O. The spectators have to simply pen a catchy slogan that has the letter O. The best slogans were featured on live television and the best three were given prizes. 

And whenever a slogan was shown on Live TV it was free publicity for Toyota corporation.  

 

Kumbh Mela the biggest Pilgrimage in the world – A marketing Bonanza for the companies!

The pilgrimage widely considered to attract the most visitors on a single day, potentially reaching tens of millions, is the Kumbh Mela in India, particularly the "Maha Kumbh" held in Prayagraj. It is often regarded as the largest religious gathering in the world.

On 4th Feb 2019, an estimated 50 million or 5 crore people visited Maha Kumbh. That is the entire population of Uganda or Spain coming to a small place like the Prayagraj Ghats on a single day, and the population of the USA and Egypt visiting the Maha Kumbh in just 45 days!

Maha Kumbh 2025 is set to attract 450 million or 45 crore people over 45 days. it is a once-in-12-year marketing jackpot that all companies big and small would like to dive in and reap the benefits.

It is estimated that over Rs 2,00,000 crores revenue would be earned from the Maha Kumbh 2025. The helicopter facility itself is estimated to garner a business of 3.5 crore rupees per day.

According to the Times of India, Indian brands are expected to spend Rs 3,600 crores on advertising and marketing.

Campa Cola: Reliance industries want to quench the thirst of the pilgrims but offering (free?) Campa Cola bottles for the pilgrims to be hydrated and stay spiritual at the same time.

Mangaldeep: ITC's Mangaldeep brand of Agarbattis will be in full force to cash in. It is the product that directly connects to the pilgrims at a spiritual  level. I am sure that ITC's Mangaldeep would be in great demand. whether offered free or sold at MRP!!

Bingo: ITC’s Potato chip brand Bingo is also jumping into the fray. It will pop up the spirituality by playing local songs at its booths and offering typical Uttar Pradesh dishes blended with what else - its signature brand of Potato chips Bingo - Tedhe Medhe.

Dettol: Reckitt with its omnipresent hygiene brand Dettol is  associating with 15,000 sanitation workers of Maha Kumbh by training them in better sanitation practices and providing them with free Dettol soaps.

Coca-Cola: Not to be left behind Coca-Cola India has come out with Maidaan Saaf a drive to make the Kumbh free of waste and encourage visitors to make Kumbh a place that crores of visitors can visit and enjoy.

Pepsi:  its competitor had come out with a 30 30-foot illuminated Mountain Dew bottle that electrifies the place and provides better navigation and visibility.  The most brilliant strategy is to have 500 charging points under its now famous energy drink brand the Sting. So, with Mountain Drew and string pilgrims can get electrified, charged and recharged

 for the Maha Kumbh

Bank of Baroda:  will provide a Digital Payment facility at various points but the most innovative eyeball-catching marketing exercise comes from Amazon India.

Amazon India:  will provide portable beds made from its rugged cardboard packaging boxes, providing comfort and at the same time reinforcing the point that packages from Amazon are both safe and rugged and that they would not get damaged in transit.

Eveready Industries:  is providing 5,000 Siren Torches (DL102) with powerful safety alarms to the Maha Kumbh Police, along with Ultima batteries. Eveready's torches not only illuminate the way but also help ensure a safer environment for millions of attendees.

Additionally, it enhanced the spiritual experience by installing 13,000 advanced LED lights, including 150W streetlights and 250W floodlights, across the expansive grounds to ensure safety and vibrancy for millions of attendees.

Paytm:  is installing soundbox and card machines across the event for hassle-free digital payments. The brand has also launched the 'Bhavya Mahakumbh QR' to support merchants.

Relaxo provides footwear

KDM  chargers:  are providing 90 tent charging stations that will charge 16 lakh mobile phones in 45 days.

KUKU FM: Kuku FM has launched the 'Bhakti App'. This app offers over 2000 hours of devotional content, including bhajans, audiobooks, and spiritual shows. It will be promoted at the mela through a 360-degree campaign with on-ground presence, kiosks, and giveaways.