By Gautam Talwar
Visit any shop, supermarket or department store, and in the plethora of brands you are likely to encounter, chances are that most brands belong to the Food & Beverages category. The sheer volume and variety of consumers ensure that despite the large number of brands already present in this crowded space, there are always more brands looking for a way in.
Now, with multiple brands come multiple conversations directed at this wide base of consumers, of which, some conversations are more similar than others. The most repeated conversation cue in this category is “Health”. But can repeating a conversation topic help you stand out from the crowd? Let’s examine whether there are other ways to look at positioning brands in the food and beverages category.
The Brand Asset Valuator (BAV), a proprietary brand diagnostic tool from Rediffusion-Y &R can help us understand how brands are positioned and what possibilities are available to them.
From responses of 10,000 Indians on over 1,400 brands across more than 100 categories, we can statistically identify and analyse a brand’s positioning in the minds of the consumer. We analysed almost 200 brands across the 21 categories of the Indian Foods & Beverages landscape.
In the first step, we tried to identify the various positioning spaces that consumers understand these brands to occupy. A factor analysis revealed that the category can be broken down into eight distinct spaces.
As stated earlier, “Health” is one of the most common and contested spaces in the Food & Beverages (F&B) category. Leader brands like Bisleri, Horlicks, Amul, and Tata Salt are understood by consumers as being “Healthful.” Our analysis also reveals that one in four brands in the F&B category are understood similarly, making this one of the most crowded spaces.
“Ally” brands are trusted brands and are seen as partners. Consumers associate this space with brands like Limca, 5-Star , and Mother Dairy. Brands that add joviality and light-heartedness to the consumer’s life are identified as “Outgoing” ; some of these are Coca Cola, Kellogg’s , and Parle Monaco. “Adventurous” brands like Kurkure and Aliva have changed the conversation in their category and have made a niche for themselves.
These brands add a dose of dynamism and daringness to their category. Even established brands like Bournvita are understood by consumers to be located in this space and are thus seen as highly differentiated.
Brands like McVities, Oreo, and KitKat are seen as innovative and have the consumer’s attention. These “Inventive” brands are far too few in India, with our analysis revealing that only less than 5% of brands in F&B category reside here. Besides the above-mentioned spaces, there are spaces like “Premium,” “Prestige,” and “Heritage” that have emerged in the analysis. These brand connotations may arise from multiple factors ranging from consumer experience, brand communication, or category associations.
Brands like Nescafe, Pepsi, and Bournville are perceived as “Premium” and are associated with sterling quality and performance . For instance, the recent marketing efforts of Pepsi in India have created strong associations with the IPL and Ranbir Kapoor, which perhaps has added gloss to the brand.
Meanwhile, brands like Frooti, Kinley, and Tropicana are associated with simplicity and authenticity. If we look at Tropicana, its association with “100% juice” possibly enhances its connotations of Purity. Finally, the few brands that have built a halo of “Prestige” like Taj Mahal and Aashirvad are associated with glamour and style. The expansive landscape of food and beverage brands in India makes it difficult for a brand to survive and thrive.
Knowing your true position in the minds of the consumer can make all the difference in gaining an edge over your competition. Brands need to introspect and answer an important question: Are you unique or are you fighting in the same crowded space as others for the same piece of the pie?
(The author is Chief Strategy Officer of Rediffusion Y&R)
Visit any shop, supermarket or department store, and in the plethora of brands you are likely to encounter, chances are that most brands belong to the Food & Beverages category. The sheer volume and variety of consumers ensure that despite the large number of brands already present in this crowded space, there are always more brands looking for a way in.
Now, with multiple brands come multiple conversations directed at this wide base of consumers, of which, some conversations are more similar than others. The most repeated conversation cue in this category is “Health”. But can repeating a conversation topic help you stand out from the crowd? Let’s examine whether there are other ways to look at positioning brands in the food and beverages category.
The Brand Asset Valuator (BAV), a proprietary brand diagnostic tool from Rediffusion-Y &R can help us understand how brands are positioned and what possibilities are available to them.
From responses of 10,000 Indians on over 1,400 brands across more than 100 categories, we can statistically identify and analyse a brand’s positioning in the minds of the consumer. We analysed almost 200 brands across the 21 categories of the Indian Foods & Beverages landscape.
In the first step, we tried to identify the various positioning spaces that consumers understand these brands to occupy. A factor analysis revealed that the category can be broken down into eight distinct spaces.
As stated earlier, “Health” is one of the most common and contested spaces in the Food & Beverages (F&B) category. Leader brands like Bisleri, Horlicks, Amul, and Tata Salt are understood by consumers as being “Healthful.” Our analysis also reveals that one in four brands in the F&B category are understood similarly, making this one of the most crowded spaces.
“Ally” brands are trusted brands and are seen as partners. Consumers associate this space with brands like Limca, 5-Star , and Mother Dairy. Brands that add joviality and light-heartedness to the consumer’s life are identified as “Outgoing” ; some of these are Coca Cola, Kellogg’s , and Parle Monaco. “Adventurous” brands like Kurkure and Aliva have changed the conversation in their category and have made a niche for themselves.
These brands add a dose of dynamism and daringness to their category. Even established brands like Bournvita are understood by consumers to be located in this space and are thus seen as highly differentiated.
Brands like McVities, Oreo, and KitKat are seen as innovative and have the consumer’s attention. These “Inventive” brands are far too few in India, with our analysis revealing that only less than 5% of brands in F&B category reside here. Besides the above-mentioned spaces, there are spaces like “Premium,” “Prestige,” and “Heritage” that have emerged in the analysis. These brand connotations may arise from multiple factors ranging from consumer experience, brand communication, or category associations.
Brands like Nescafe, Pepsi, and Bournville are perceived as “Premium” and are associated with sterling quality and performance . For instance, the recent marketing efforts of Pepsi in India have created strong associations with the IPL and Ranbir Kapoor, which perhaps has added gloss to the brand.
Meanwhile, brands like Frooti, Kinley, and Tropicana are associated with simplicity and authenticity. If we look at Tropicana, its association with “100% juice” possibly enhances its connotations of Purity. Finally, the few brands that have built a halo of “Prestige” like Taj Mahal and Aashirvad are associated with glamour and style. The expansive landscape of food and beverage brands in India makes it difficult for a brand to survive and thrive.
Knowing your true position in the minds of the consumer can make all the difference in gaining an edge over your competition. Brands need to introspect and answer an important question: Are you unique or are you fighting in the same crowded space as others for the same piece of the pie?
(The author is Chief Strategy Officer of Rediffusion Y&R)
