Clashing colours?

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Competitors Asian Paints and Nerolac's new exterior paints ads focus on product benefits. Is that enough?

For a country that's known for its vibrant hues and its love of colour, selling paint in India isn't easy. There's no clear house-painting season and once it's done, home-owners don't think of a fresh coat for at least five years. And those are the interiors. Exteriors get a rougher deal "" not just in terms of exposure to the harsh environment and all the heat and dust, but also in terms of getting their share of attention.

And now you've got not one, but two exterior paint brands promoting their wares on television. Asian Paints launched its minute-long TVC for Apex Ultima on February 6. And Nerolac's 30-seconder for Suraksha Advanced also hit TV screens on the same day.

The Ultima ad begins with "Chhote Nawab" standing outside his grand haveli, while a group of villagers gaze awe-stricken, waiting for him to present his annual demonstration of bravery. A herd of stallions races towards him, smothering everything and everybody around in a heavy coat of dust.

As the horses gallop away, leaving him unharmed, a relieved Chhote Nawab looks around proudly, awaiting applause. The villagers surge towards him, but move on towards the gleaming white house behind. It's spotless even after the cloud of dust the horses raised. Ramesh Deo Productions shot the TVC in just four days at Mumbai's Film City, while the concept was the brainchild of Ogilvy & Mather (O&M).

Nerolac's Suraksha Advanced ad also depends on humour to get its point across. The 30-seconder begins with a vegetable seller selling tomatoes. As he passes a freshly-painted house, he immediately doubles his price. Soon a crowd gathers, speculating on the big shot owner.

That is, until an angry woman storms out of the house and drags her ordinary-looking husband out of the crowd. Black Magic Motion Pictures shot this TVC in Bangalore, in just two days. Agency Ambience Publicis claims the ad follows to the letter Nerolac's brief: "make an impression".

Both paints proffer similar claims: protection for exterior walls against dust, black spots and fungal impact. Asian Paints, in fact, guarantees that Apex Ultima will stay fresh for seven years.

Nerolac makes no promises, although the Suraksha ad, too, claims painted walls will stay fresh for three years. "People want products that keep exteriors looking good for longer," says C Venugopal, general manager, marketing, decorative paints, Nerolac.

Those are powerful reasons for choosing an exterior paint. Trouble is, decisions about the brand of paint are often not taken by the home-owner. "Often, the consumer doesn't remember the brand he used the last time he painted his house," says K B S Anand, vice president, sales and marketing, Asian Paints. So the choice depends on what a neighbour bought, or the contractor or paintshop-owner recommends.

The timing of the ads is also significant. Summer's round the corner and there's enough time before the monsoons "" perfect painting season. But, like we mentioned, there's no clear painting season in India. Which is why Nerolac will pull the Suraksha ads off air around mid-March, only to return around Diwali.

The festive season used to be a traditional time to spruce up the house. That's changed somewhat. People now prefer spending that money "" painting your home doesn't come cheap, after all "" on celebrations instead. And even those who do do up their homes, concentrate on the indoors. The reasoning being: Diwali is a night-time festival; who's going to notice the outside walls in the dark?

Despite these issues, the Indian paint industry is thriving at Rs 8,000 crore. And Asian Paints claims 30 per cent of that, followed by Nerolac's 21 per cent. The organised market accounts for Rs 5,500 crore and the Rs 1,754 crore-Asian Paints and the Rs 1,165-crore Nerolac are leading players. Still, exterior paints accounts for just 10 per cent of the total market.

What contribution the two new brands can make is uncertain. Exterior paints aren't cheap and Suraksha may have a slight advantage over Ultima here. While a 20 litre pack of Ultima is priced at a steep Rs 4,200, Suraksha costs a more reasonable Rs 2,700 for the same quantity.

Both brands are aiming for similar customers: SEC A and B home-owners and cooperative housing societies. And the TVCs are aimed clearly at this group of people. The Apex 60-second ad will be followed by 45-second and 25-second edits; while the Suraksha commercial will soon see edits of 20, 10 and 5 seconds.

No other media promotions are planned. "A story with a demo works very well. So the current TVC will be pretty effective," says Abhijit Avasthi, group creative director, O&M.

But Asian Paints and Nerolac also recognise that the decision-maker is usually someone else altogether. So they've turned their attention to the contractors and painters.

Typically, contractors gather at paint stores and dealers outlets every morning where they pick up materials and daily labourers to complete their projects. Suraksha Advanced's promoters organise meetings for the painters and contractors that range from half-an-hour to over two hours, educating them on the benefits of the product as well as advising them on current projects. The meetings are held across the top 10-12 metros, for about 200 contractors and painters at each meeting.

Then, of course, there are the regular displays, posters, streamers and danglers at retail outlets. Which Apex also has, at its 8,000 retail outlets, along with booklets explaining the seven-year warranty.

Apex is also conducting day-long training workshops at stores and outside locations, educating shopkeepers and painters about the product. Will these colours hold?