Tata's Nano gains from petrol dereg

Tata's tiny Nano, the world's cheapest car, was planned as basic transportation with high fuel efficiency (as discussed on p. 122 of the new edition of Essential Guide to Marketing Planning).

Now the Nano looks likely to become even more popular as India deregulates the fuel market and drivers feel the effects in the form of higher petrol prices.

Some observers see Tata gaining more broadly in India because it also markets several diesel cars, and diesel fuel is cheaper than petrol at this point (but possibly not in the future).

Tata's sales are already strong, and with the dereg, the marketing environment is more favourable than ever. In fact, Tata has just decided to go into the financial markets to raise more cash for expansion (having cut debt over the last year).

Meanwhile, Tata has been promoting its Nano with a cross-India drive that attracted media attention and showed the car's capabilities. The Nano appeals to buyers trading up from motorcycles as well as first-time vehicle buyers who might otherwise not be able to afford any type of motorised vehicle.

What's in a name (brand)?

Five years after changing its corporate name to DSG, Dixons is taking back the familiar name that high-street shoppers remember. Meanwhile, Comet is refreshing its retail brand at a time when Best Buy, a leading US electronics retailer, is launching itself into the UK market.

What's in a name (brand)? In short, everything your marketing stands for, everything your customers can expect from you. Buyers use brands as short-cuts when they're choosing among alternatives in the marketplace. Therefore, marketers must be careful when they rebrand, to avoid disrupting the short-cut and confusing or annoying customers.

Sonic branding is gaining momentum as marketers link brands to snippets of music or other identifiable sounds. When customers hear that distinctive sound, they should be able to name the brand and, hopefully, respond with positive thoughts and feelings. Isn't that what a brand is all about?

The maturing of digital media

Marketing Week discusses the maturing of digital media this week, calling for more experimentation to better exploit the creativity and targeting possibilities. A fully-mature medium should have extensive and detailed audience analyses available to advertisers, which is not yet the case in the digital world (in my opinion).

To deal with this challenge, specialist firms are looking at ways to measure specific aspects of the digital media audience, such as the media consumption of smartphone users (downloading or viewing videos via mobile, for example). With so many consumers dependent on mobiles for entertainment and information access, companies must understand this audience's habits and preferences if they are to be effective in mobile marketing. To give advertisers confidence in digital media, vendors are launching programmes to ensure the high quality and validity of the audience data they provide.

Clearly, digital media will be a major advertising force in the near future. According to one recent study, the audience for online media is increasing even as the audience for traditional printed magazines is stagnating or moving downward. In the long run, digital media will provide advertisers with better and more targeted opportunities for engaging target audiences in two-way conversations about brands, features and benefits, pricing and so on.

While the maturing process is underway, the biggest advertisers will continue to experiment with digital media until they have reliable facts, figures, and trends to understand digital audiences. Some observers may question the need for measuring audience involvement and reaction to digital media, but it's a must for smart marketers--otherwise, how can they know whether they're achieving their objectives?

Coca-Cola's international flavour

Two weeks ago, Sex and the City 2 opened in Copenhagen. Coincidentally (or not), Coca-Cola had these eye-catching billboards put up to promote its limited-edition Manolo Blahnik cans and bottles.

Visiting the Coke.dk site today, the very timely pop-up welcome screen is all about football. On the way to the Manolo Blahnik pages, Coca-Cola shows a "Mission Impossible" video starring an action hero, a beautiful woman, a daring escape and--of course--Coke.

The Manolo Blahnik pages showcase the shoe designer, the shoes and a quiz, offering a few minutes of engaging fun for fashionistas and Coca-Cola fans alike. Isn't this a good way to connect the iconic soft drink with style and pop culture?

Marketing Cunard via Social Media

Cruising the Baltic on the Queen Victoria, I had a conversation about blogging and marketing with Alastair Greener (photo above), Entertainment Director for the iconic Cunard cruise line. Greener is the enthusiastic blogger responsible for the We Are Cunard blog, which attracts 20,000 readers every month.

The blog is an important marketing tool, reflecting Cunard's heritage, positioning and points of differentiation that set it apart from other cruise lines, including all the other brands owned by parent company Carnival. As Cunard makes changes such as adding Hawaii as a port of call, it recognizes that its blog must be relevant to a broader audience beyond the traditional UK audience that knows this decades-old brand so well.

Greener serves as the blog's host, creating a mix of content for Cunard fans who love to live the cruise life and keep up with the line's latest news. The blog gives Cunard fans an inside view of the company's ships, people, places and plans and also invites comments from the public.

Greener frequently hosts guest bloggers from Carnival as well as reports from special on-board lecturers, Cunard execs, and others who have something to say to Cunard's customers. Currently, many blog entries are about the milestones leading up to the launch of the new Queen Elizabeth, which will set sail on its maiden voyage later this year.

Looking ahead, Greener wants to post more videos for added appeal and, to the delight of Cunard fans interested in behind-the-scenes activities, plans an online archive of information about the ships, the officers, and so on.

Another small but smart marketing touch: We Are Cunard is listed on Best Blogs at Sea, an umbrella page of links to all Carnival blogs. Did I mention that Cunard also posts regularly on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook? Welcome aboard!

New Essential Guide to Marketing Planning

The new edition of Essential Guide to Marketing Planning will be published on June 8.

Amazon has a preview of the book and an author page showing more of my marketing textbooks.

What's new?

- Organising model of the planning process. A diagram at the start of each chapter shows your progress through the seven stages of the marketing planning process.

- Coverage of the latest developments in marketing, including social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, mobile marketing, greenwashing and marketing metrics.

- Examples within the chapters are longer to show how manufacturers, retailers, service firms and other organisations apply the principles of marketing planning to achieve objectives.

- Case studies from well-known companies including Net-a-Porter, Cadbury and Adidas help you understand key elements of the planning process.

- 17 checklists guide you through the essential aspects of creating a marketing plan.

Please look for this new edition at your local book shop or online, and let me know what you think. Thank you!

Sainsbury thinks small

Now that Sainsbury is 140 years old, it's thinking small--as in expanding the number of small convenience shops it operates. The idea is to get shoppers in and out quickly when they need to pick up a few items on their way to do other things. Competitors are having success with convenience shops and Sainsbury sees room for more growth in this sector of the retail market.

Given the price of petrol, shoppers are watching their wallets and seeking out bargains wherever possible. Sainsbury's "coupons at till" programme offers targeted discounts, a plus for cost-conscious shoppers. Also, Sainsbury is emphasising its fresh foods and convenient locations in its marketing.

And, like competitors, Sainsbury offers online grocery shopping for consumers who prefer to buy with a click. Its online store is tying in with "football fever" by offering special buys for fan parties in the coming weeks. Stock up on crisps and soft drinks!

John Lewis "Always a Woman" advert

Did you see the John Lewis "Always a Woman" advert during Britain’s Got Talent? If not, take 91 seconds and click here for the advert and a bit of commentary from The Times. You can also read a Guardian review here and a Daily Mail comment here.

Advertising has the power to make us smile, possibly annoy us, inform us, encourage us to buy, sometimes get us to think. This advert was a memorable sentimental journey through one woman's life, linked to the John Lewis brand. It packed a lot into 91 seconds.

The Future of Shopping?

Cisco created an award-winning viral video about the future of shopping, and it's already been viewed more than 2 million times.

The idea of letting shoppers "try on" clothing in a virtual way is not new.

However, today's versions of a virtual dressing room are more user-friendly.

Tobi.com, a San Francisco boutique, has a virtual dressing room (shown here). All you need is a webcam, and it's easy to click and try different items.

Is this the future of shopping?

What's next for Net-a-porter?

Net-a-porter, which celebrates its 10th anniversary next month, is such a retailing sensation that the luxury products company Richemont bought it last month. Richemont had, in fact, held a minority stake in Net-a-porter but decided it wanted more.

The upmarket retailer, which sells clothing and accessories, has a sterling reputation for up-to-the-minute styles and top-quality customer service. When it features a product, affluent fashion fans click to buy. For example, the popularity of Judith Leiber's sparkly evening purses soared once Net-a-porter offered them for sale.

Because Net-a-porter is so successful, Richemont stands to gain from its experience in e-marketing luxury items. The key is service. Net-a-porter will deliver to London or New York City customers on a same-day basis. Its elegant packaging has special cachet to customers and reinforces the brand's exclusive image.

Marketing online brings its own challenges and opportunities. Net-a-porter understands how to use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media to build buzz and generate sales. (Note how the black backgrounds on Twitter and YouTube echo Net-a-porter's sleek black packaging.) What's next for Net-a-porter?