Yes, the World.

Imitation brands

Prenu coughed just like me.

She also walked like me.

Ate the things I liked and liked the people I liked too.

 

She was the tiniest kiddo in my neighbourhood and I suppose she wanted to be me. Afterall I was clearly the eldest person around and therefore cooler I suppose (or just nicer, I never was cool)

She observed me all the time (it was quite freaky if you ask me).

 

Vicks’ Prenu

There’s a brand in the market that’s pretty much Vicks’ Prenu. It looks just liek Vicks form a distance, though it isn’t a counterfeit. The packaging, the choice of colours, it all gives you the unblocked feeling of being around Vicks. And mind you, it’s worked wonders for them. From a no-brand to an almost-know-brand, the team’s convinced the brand’s going places.

 

So when someone suggests a new design and look, it’s only natural for the management to balk at them. After all, who in their right mind would change something that’s doing well.

 

But ofcourse there’s something wrong with that thinking (else I wouldn’t be writing a post about it, now would i)

Vicks’ Prenu is a small brand today. It managed huge gains by virtue of imitation. But sadly it’ll always remain an imitation. A copy. A me-too. A wannabe.

 

It’ll grow. A lot. And that’ll be great. But then it’ll stop. Like really.

 

Brand ambition

Imitation doesn’t work for ambitious brands. The ones who want to kick the leader off his pedestal. It works great for those who wants a piece of the market-pie, albeit a small one.

At some point of time when you’re nearing the market leader, when you’re available at the same shelves, you’re advertising in the same expensive papers and TV channels… someone’s bound to notice that you’re a rip-off. And really, why’d I buy a me-too when I can get the real thing?

 

But then, how do you convince a client that what’s been working for him these past years won’t work any more…