THE SWEET SPOT: Insight. Imagination. Implementation

When a business or a brand insight is interpreted creatively and executed efficiently; it hits the sweet spot. In my 30 + years in the Branding and Marketing space ; hitting this ‘spot’ is what I have always strived for. Be it category creation in consumer electronics (Philips DVDs/TVs), high decibel Shampoo, Detergent and Telecom wars (Unilever, P&G & BPL Mobile), branding commodities (HP Gas, HP lubricants), corporate branding (Standard Chartered Marathon) or creating an investment brand (Motilal Oswal) ; hitting the sweet spot of insight, imagination and implementation has helped build brand, business and shareholder value. Despite handling large teams across various SBUs; my approach has been to be directly involved with not just the strategy but also the ideation and execution of various campaigns. Infact in my previous role as CMO, most of the marketing communication across 6 SBUs was done in-house. This has provided solutions that are not just impactful but also time efficient and cost effective. After all; isn’t that the sweet spot?

Insight: The 3 C approach To arrive at the insight, I make an attempt to understand the Category. Each category has its own dynamics, challenges & opportunities Next I try to glean insights into the Consumer. These insights are through a combination of quantitative data, qualitative research , ethnographic observations and conversations with the business teams. And thirdly; understanding the Communication landscape and how we can be relevant and differentiated. This comes from cross pollinating various category experiences to communication ideas Follow this process rigorously and Insights appear Imagination: Creative is not a department I believe that everyone has an Imagination. Hence creative ideas are not the purview of only the creative team. At my previous organization I inculcated the philosophy of everyone in the Marketing team coming up with creative ideas. Even if these ideas are tactical/topical, chances are they are business oriented and speedy in execution. For example, our primary social media and digital communication was handled fully in-house with good effect. Source of these ideas can come from anywhere – the product, vivid metaphors, other categories, ethnographic cross pollination etc. I aim to bring a similar Imaginative approach to all assignments I handle Implementation: where the rubber meets the road Branding/ Advertising is the business of creative ideas. Stock broking is in the business of investment ideas. But to make these ideas come to life needs conviction. The conviction to sell the idea and the conviction to execute the idea with pig headed determination. It is at the alter of Implementation that many great ideas falter. The reason why I put most emphasis on the Implementation of an initiative. Rolling up sleeves and getting hands dirty in the process of making ideas come alive. It’s a process I had inculcated both as an advertising Brand Planner and also as a CMO. When it comes to Implementation; I believe in being an ‘executing consultant’ So there you have it. A model for clients that hopefully would add value to their customer, employee, partner and shareholder branding and marketing efforts