Anubhav PradhanAvneet Kaur Isha Misra

Pravin Sahu Shalini Singh

Positioning (And Repositioning)

The Storyline

• Stepping Stones

• Incorporating AIRTEL

• Positioning

• Repositioning 1

• Repositioning 2

• Repositioning 3

• Brand Ambassadors

'Live Every Moment' (2002)

'Express yourself‘ (2003)

'Touch tomorrow‘ (2000)

'Touch tomorrow‘ (2000)

STEPPING STONES

• Bharti Group- 1970s- New Delhi- Bicycle Parts Business

• Bharti Telecom Limited- 1985- Manufacturing Telephonic Equipment

• Tie-Ups- Siemens AG (Electronic Push Button Telephones)- Takacom Corporation (Answering Machines)

• Bharti Tele-Ventures - Early 1990s- Bharti Cellular Ltd. (Cellular)- Bharti Telenet Ltd. (Access)- Bharti Telesonic Ltd. (Long Distance)- Bharti Broadband Networks Ltd. (Broadband solutions)

• Alliances & Acquisitions- JT Mobile- SkyCell- Spice Cell- Launched services in Delhi in 1992

INCORPORATING AIRTEL

• AIRTEL- November 1995- Delhi- Post Paid- ‘Airtel Connect’

• Introduction of Services- Second Mobile Switching Center- Roaming, Fax, Call-Hold, Call Waiting, Info Services- E-Commerce Portal

• ‘Best Cellular Service’

Situation Analysis

• Call Rates: Very High- Cellular: Rs.16/min- Landline: Rs.1.20

• Who can afford?- Corporate People & Businessmen above 25 years of age- Focus on Advantages of Cellular Phones

• Obstacles- High Tariff charged by Government- International & Domestic Competitors

• Inference- Value Delivered by Cellular Phones did not match Cost

Positioning

• Period: 1999-2000

• Tagline: ‘Power To Keep In Touch’- Designed to make the user feel ‘in control and powerful’- Perception: Aspiration and Lifestyle depicting brand- Power: Aiming at the Elite Class of Society- Touch: Connectivity

• The ‘Leadership’ Campaign- Core Values: Leadership, Performance, Dynamism- Supporting Values: Courtesy, Politeness, Efficiency- Ads featured successful men & women using cell phones

• Why No More ‘Power To Keep In Touch’??- Competition Intensified- Government Reduced Tariff Rates- Expansion of Cell Phone to every section of Society- Leadership series did not add emotional dimension to Brand Airtel- Influence of Reference Groups- Essar introduced similar talk plans with competitive pricing and its

subscriber base increasing at an alarming rate

In the words of Preet Bedi, Director, Lowe India said -“The brand had become something like Lufthansa - cold and efficient. What they needed was to become Singapore Airlines - efficient but also human”.

‘Leadership Campaign’ ‘Touch Tomorrow’ Campaign

REASONS:

1.Customers didn’t get emotionally connected to the brand as the brand was perceived as distant & cold.

2. Leaders were now perceived as those who worked in a team & not those who dictated terms to their subordinates.

3. In the face of competition from other cellular operators, government reduced tariff rates , which further lead Bharti to bring in innovative strategies to pull in more customers.

Repositioning No.1

• Period: 2000-2002

• Tagline: ‘Touch Tomorrow’- A Humanized Brand: Softer & More Sensitive Outlook- Why Airtel? It is a Brand that Improves the Quality of Life- Main Aim: Bonding with Customers- Perception: Strong Brand-User Relationship

• The Campaign- Core Values: Promising & Family Centric- Advertisement Expenditure: Rs.450 million- Advertisement Medium: Print, Electronic & Outdoor- Ads featured Cell Phone Users surrounded by caring family members

Other Measures

Areas Selected

• Madhya Pradesh• Himachal Pradesh• Karnataka• Chennai

• E-Kiosks, Merchandises• Facades, Collaterals• Karnataka• Chennai

AIRTEL Connect

Segmentation

• 3 Tier Brand Architecture• All Services Branded

Focus Shift

• From SEC Audience• To SEC B Audience

Brand Restructuring

Tier 1 • Airtel (Mother Brand)

Tier 2• Airtel National Long Distance Service• Airtel Broadband Service• Airtel Mobile Service• Airtel Basic Telephone Service

Tier 3 • Airtel FreeNet

• Airtel Long Distance

• Airtel Tango (Mobile Internet)

Changing Brand Ideology

• Distinct Brands churned out by Parent Brand• ‘Magic’ > AIRTEL• Some Brand Names may not click with the consumers

• Youth Penetration• Target Group: 14 to 19 years aged youth• How? By reducing tariffs

• Taking the Advent of Internet seriously?• ‘Tango’ Launched• An alliance of Internet and Cellular Phones

‘Touch Tomorrow’ ‘Live Every Moment’

REASONS :

1. Bharti wanted to give its brand Airtel a younger look and simultaneously created a new logo which symbolized innovation, energy, & friendliness.

2. Bharti wanted to make foray in the international telecom market as a global telecom company , therefore underwent a complete change in its brand architecture, i.e. from a 3 tier architecture to a 2 tier architecture of wired & wireless telephony.

Repositioning No.2

• Period: 2002-2003

• Tagline: ‘Live Every Moment’- Emotional Appeal- All Indian Citizens Live Every Moment of Their Lives with AIRTEL

• Position- Target: Youth- 3 Tier replaced with 2 Tier

- Wired & Wireless- Revamping Agency: Rediffusion- Roping in The Legend

New Logo

• Change From BLACK to Dark Red Background is to refresh the brand and give it a new look.

• “Airtel wants to show its leadership by having only one letter capital in new brand logo.”

• The new look and feel of the brand signify the core values of the Airtel brand accompanied by a set of supportive variables like courtesy, politeness and efficiency.

The peripheral value of the brand was status.''

Composing the Signature Tune

• Year: 2002

•What happened..- AR Rahman’s 1st Association with a Brand- Endorsement Fee: Rs.10 million- Composed the Signature Tune- Starred in an Advertisement

Repositioning No.3

• Period: 2003-…

• Tagline: ‘Express Yourself’--'Express yourself' was successfully launched taking the ownership of

the entire space of communication and strengthening the emotional bond Airtel enjoys with its customers

-- The masterminds behind the 'Express Yourself' campaign are the joint vice-presidents: Mr. Prashant Godbole and Zarwan Patel.

-- Airtel is a market leader in the cellular network and they wanted a very fresh and contemporary idea to build a brand image which their customers could identify".

Video (Express Yourself)

Brand Ambassadors

Reasons for taking Brand Ambassadors

SHAHRUKH KHAN

YEAR - 2002

-- According to Mr. Atul Bindal, Director & Group Chief Marketing Officer, Shahrukh Khan’s core values of being a self made actor with his success & glamour .

Reasons for taking Brand Ambassadors

SACHIN TENDULKAR

YEAR- 3rd Oct, 2003

--According to Mr. Atul Bindal , Sachin Tendulkar’s dedication, innocence and performance are today seen as a driver of self-identification amongst the masses.

--Sachin and Airtel both are leaders having similar values and personality traits like trustworthiness, friendliness, youthfulness and trend-setters.

3 Idiots

YEAR – 2003-2007

-- All the three are the leaders in their respective fields, so is AIRTEL. SACHIN - CRICKET Cricketer of the Year SHAHRUKH - MOVIES Filmfare Best Actor AR RAHMAN - MUSIC National Award

--Sachin is a legend of international cricket. He is a belief, a motivation and an idol of cricket-crazy Indians.

--Shahrukh khan is one of the biggest movie star - Indian film Industry has produced, he has the record of holding most number of awards.

-- A.R REHMAN Blasting music, classical songs at a very young age. Popular among masses.

Reasons for taking Brand Ambassadors VIDYA BALAN AND MADHAVAN

YEAR– 2008

--Spontaneity and Vibrancy are two key attributes of Airtel. Vidya Balan is someone who brings a lot of freshness and naturalness to any role. These traits will have a positive rub off on the brand as well.

--Madhavan is a big superstar in the southern region. Airtel picked him up to connate

leadership.

-- Chemistry in ‘Guru’

Reasons for taking Brand Ambassadors

SAIF-KAREENA

YEAR– 2008

--Bollywood real life couple Saif and Kareena are touted as the powerhouse couple. Their public display of personal emotions, fights, tattoos, love expression has done miracle.

--They replace Vidya Balan and Madhavan who had mesmerized the audience with their sensuousness and on-screen chemistry

--According to a source, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are the hottest couple when it comes to brand endorsements.

DANKE!!