“The global business world strongly believes that
Indians are highly westernised. The habitual changes among Indians like
dressing, food consumption and others support this argument. So, MNCs are
cashing out using this cultural change.” This is how people all around the
world think. I just want to add my own views regarding this.
All the management philosophers talks about
innovation as an important strategy to succeed in the minds of their customers.
They think that innovation is one among the best way to sustain in the market.
The reason behind this strategy is that customers will not be interested in
buying products which does not have any innovation or variants. It is believed
that people will lose interest in the products that don’t have anything new.
But, I don’t think so.
Innovation is not what people desire. While buying a
product, customers wish that it will satisfy their need. But companies come up
with dissimilar variants to increase sales. For example, when you take textile
industry in India, the traditional clothes are shirts and dhotis which suit the
Indian climatic condition. The manufacturers are not able to come up with
enough variants in shirts or dhotis. So, they come up with new models like
Suits and Blazers which fit Western climatic condition. They marketed such
irrelevant products in India by portraying suits as a formal wear. These suits
will no way fit Indians, but, now Indians are highly attracted towards it.
How has this happened? How did the marketers attract
traditional Indians towards them? This has happened through the strong
development of media. Only through advertisements, companies are able to change
the customers’ minds. Using Ivan Pavlov’s learning theory “Classical
Conditioning”, marketers are using advertisements as conditioned stimulus to
condition the customer minds towards their products. This is the point where the
culture is changed without their knowledge and later they strongly believe that
this is how a perfect man should be.
I think a small narration on “Vivel Soap” will
help. This advertisement portrays that “a
person who does not use cosmetic products like Vivel will not be accepted by
their friends”. Even Titan has transformed watch-a timekeeping device-into a fashion
wear. In the past, people have passed on
watches through generations. Now, the entire dynamics of watch industry has
changed. They did it with a strong advertisement base.
So, I think companies are the ones which decide how
a customer should be… not the customer themselves…!!!
Hi Madhu,
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. Customers only decide that . If your argument is right, all the products in the market should get click. But the case is not like that,even big brand like coco cola (Diet coke) has failed miserably in Indian market. I can point out many failures like this.
Hi Srini, I didn't talk about the success of particular variant of product.It is the variant that the marketers bring in "product form" as a whole. For example, dhotis-shirts-t-shirts-Suits & Blazers. Sometimes this idea may even hold good for particular product variants also. Not always. Srini don't consider the failure of Diet Coke. Instead,Coke is the pioneer in introducing the carbonated drink. It is a big hit. Customers will not blindly accept all the products. Customization is also necessary. Even advertisements are highy customized by using different celebrities for different regions. In some products like Cornflakes, customers take enough time to accept the product. Kellogs tried to introduce cornflakes before a decade in India, when Indians don't have such food habits. But the product is accepted very recently by Indians. Though it is a big time delay for Kellogs, they are successful now. Because Cornflakes are the only breakfast for many Indians now.
DeleteHi Madu and Srini,
ReplyDeleteI think both of you have a very valid point: one, is that the consumers did not demand Coca Cola, but it was accepted (conditioned), and two, not every improvement of a base product will be successful (Diet Coke)......both the points are very interesting ones for discussion.
What is more.....this is like the Chicken-Egg conundrum - which came first?
Ultimately, what happens is that there is always an "invisible hand" in the market that decides the success or failure of a product! Just check if you can get this idea.....!
Hai Madhu,
ReplyDeleteI accept your view.More than classical conditioning,it is sort of trend that keeps changing customer's preference.We all know the dress what we are wearing, was the fashion that was prevalent during 80s.As a manufacturer or a producer u have to be a trend setter or predict the change well in advance.
true and valuable thoughts:)
ReplyDeleteValuable article
ReplyDelete