Who does not want to be in the limelight? It is this urge to stay in the public eye that prompts even a 90-year-old to father a child. If humans can go to absurd lengths to gain entry into famed portals, why can’t brands do the same? It all started with Colgate conducting the largest number of free check-ups in an area — something it did for three years — 2007, 2010 and in January 2011. When Colgate smashed a world record its competitor, an oral care brand, Oral-B was not far behind. This brand too, undertook a similar venture and conducted dental checkups at no cost — prompting the brand’s entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. Gillette too encouraged people to shave — via the shave India movement — and this found a place in the Limca Book of Records. The latest brand to go down the same path is Future Generali which created the longest balloon chain in the world.
So what is the reason behind brands clamouring to break records? Saumya Chattopadhyay, Head, Strategic Planning, Rediffusion Y&R, explains this well when he says, “Well, that is one way to grab eye balls. Now brands are looking for various ways to catch a consumer’s attention. Breaking a record is definitely one of the ways in which to do so.” The Guinness Book of World Records is a well-known and respected brand and when a company is able to associate with it, it gives the company some amount of credibility. Says Anushree Seksaria, Planning Associate, Rediffusion Y&R, “It definitely gives consumers a reason to associate with the brand. And they in turn feel happy that the brand they are associated with has created or broken a world record.”
Edging into the world record books also creates more awareness about a company that is struggling to establish itself in the market. The following example will help establish this. A few years ago, Tata Kaapi built the world’s largest coffee mug. It took an astronomical `25 lakh to make the mug and unveil it at one of Bengaluru’s posh places — the Bangalore Palace Grounds. And you will be surprised to know that the move earned the company whopping publicity worth `8 crore.
Experts like Chattopadhyay believe that the strategy works very well for brands that have had a good market standing but have not been doing well in the recent past. So when such a brand goes all out to break a record then, it certainly boosts the company’s image. However, there are a few industry observers who say that such gimmicks can only create temporary impressions. Richard Branson undertook a similar publicity stunt for his Virgin brand. “That definitely gave the brand a shot in the arm when it launched in India.” Records do indeed create a positive impression; however, if not handled well the move could erode brand equity.
All said and done, these moves give consumers the opportunity of experiencing a never before high about a brand. But there are pitfalls that need to be managed. Hence the question: should a brand break a record or not? The answer: the brand should look before it leaps!
The writer is a well- known industry watcher