FREE ESSAY ON THE BRAND RUSH

THE BRAND RUSH

Isn't it simply amazing? There was no beginning to it. And by the looks of it, there seems
no definite end. What is this talk all about? This is all about branding dot coms. With
every channel being branded, every thing being given a name; there is no reason why the
branding machines of the dot coms be left behind! There is mass advertising of the web
sites. From television (Remember the snazzy ads of zipahead.com) to outdoor(with the
effect of rediff.com and indiainfo.com in tough tooth-for-tooth competition). A full-page
advertisement of a dot com hits the eye instantly, while sipping the morning cup!! Web
sites have now started reaching out. 
Here the crucial and most important factor is Time. That's the base! With entry costs
being very low to register a domain name, the rush is on and very rapid! This is dot com
branding for you. Compare: while the average retailer spends around 5-8 percent on the
total ad revenue, dot coms are putting in more than 25 percent. 
Getting known and remaining inside the head of the surfer is the focus. But the
million-dollar question is: Is all this money being spend wisely? What's the big idea? To
increase awareness and to create a stir. The whole deal is the struggle to occupy the
surfer's mind. Top-of-the-mind presence is the ultimate goal. What's the difference
between branding FMCGs and Dot coms? A world of a difference! FMCGs are advertised and
branded to convince the other guy to make a purchase. Dot coms are branded to "check them
out first!". The hitch: Millions of web sites all around the town. Each waiting to
capture whatever market is left. All of them have the necessary technology and money.
What is needed is Differentiation. Most of the Indian audience is not yet comfortable
with the idea of surfing and browsing. The Dot coms would have to connect with the
consumer.
Pre- requisites of a good name:
u Easy to remember. The name has to clearly define the offering. For example, the name
Jeevansathi.com brings out matrimony in an instant. 
u Similar sounding names. The surfer should not get confused with similar names being
used by all. For instance, there are a hajaar career sites with the word career being
used in all of them.
The name and all is fine. But the necessity is creating an identity for a product or
service at every point of contact with the customer. A real live example is of Rediff. A
site that started on nearly four years ago, but continues to build a bond with the
customer. The idea is to make an emotional connection with surfers. The general idea
that's making the rounds is that the Web is highly impersonal. The other side of the
grass is that it's very private, secure, and trustworthy medium satisfying the needs of
the consumer. Build a bond of trust with your consumer! What others have done is,
building a brand name through contests and promotions. Though they may last forever, the
pull effect is missing. Trust translated does not mean freebies! It is built over a
period of time. 
Then there is the question of ad spend. Which media to use to reach out? Print media is
not that effective with dot com technology changing every single second. On-line medium
of advertising are often ignored. Companies still prefer to use traditional media to
reach out. Television advertising is catching up and seems suitable for dot.com
companies. Then there's below-the-line advertising. Tying up with malls, computer shops,
and with brands of similar image bracket are strong mediums of communication. 
All said and done, the site should be attractive and worthwhile to the consumer. Mind
grabbers are way too many! What converts a site into a brand? Repeated visits. A surfer
should not visit the site once or twice, thrice or twenty times... but for a lifetime...
Bibliography
Further reading: "dot.coms: the branding bazaar", Kulkarni Jatar, Nitin; Mazumdar, Rakhi;
Garg, Pooja; Business Today, April 7-21 2000.