BRAND LAUNCH AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY :Case study of AIRCEL

Arjun J Chaudhuri

The objective of a company’s product, marketing, and communications strategy is to create a legacy of offering a wide range of products and services, and brand recall. The combination of the two makes an impact, expressed in overall customer’s satisfaction in a short period of time, the equivalent of the product’s life cycle. In India, the players of cricket who represent the country, or a league franchise, are employed to brand build a company’s image, because of the perception they create of the brand in the mind of the consumer, by their association, and visibility, when they participate at sports events, that is BCCI endorsed, company co-sponsored, and rights-held broadcasted. How this is engineered is explored in the relevant case study of AIRCEL which examines the short-term outcome of brand launch, and communications strategy. The long-term outcome in value of corporate assets that is created because of advertising for brand building of brand image is dealt with in the acquisition of Kraft Foods in 1988 by Phillip Morris Companies, Inc. An important function of advertising is to create an brand image that consumers associate with a product.The brand image goes far beyond the functional characteristics of the product. Consumers frequently buy the product not only for its functional characteristics but also because they want to be identified with the image associated with the brand.  

Brand Launch

In post period of April 1999, AIRCEL, as a GSM service provider, positioned itself as the modern face of telecommunications services, by offering value-added services [VAS] and data, with the pan-India launch of a marketing campaign demonstrating how innovative and exciting its mobile phone services are and how it will open up a world of possibilities for consumers in India, showcased in the launch of TV commercial starring youth icon and India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni [BRAND ASSOCIATION].The product strategy of Aircel was blazing fast connectivity that included searching a restaurant, movie reviews, booking flight tickets, transferring money, chatting with friends, down-loading latest song tracks, and checking exam results. This was combined with the marketing strategy of compatibility of the product features offered with easy usage at a price beneficial for both Aircel and its consumers. The brand punch line was “explore your world of possibilities”  

  

Communications Strategy -Aircel launched its refreshed logo, in a first of its kind logo unveiling, Aircel sponsored the Chennai Super Kings, in IPL Twenty20 Cricket, and the brand’s new logo was showcased on the team’s jersey while high viewership of the tournament on TV ensured brand visibility.

Outcome – Short Term-It created a legacy of offering a wide range of products and services, and brand recall, all part of advertising’s public promotion of telecommunications services.This is notwithstanding the allegations of impropriety and misconduct in the 2G Spectrum Acquisition Case, and charges of wrongful acquisition, that followed later, in post 2001 till date period.

General Outcome – Long Term

By adding meaning to a product, advertising for brand building of brand image also adds value to corporate assets at the time of acquisition. The revenue from on-site advertising, and off-field advertising from broadcasting, in print, radio, internet and TV, allows the business model of sport to factor in the benefits of advertising to companies in the launch of their brands and communications strategy. This is the principal aspect of sports economics and marketing where the corporate and commercial interest of corporate and sports meet.