No-holds-barred brand wars take root

The increasing spate of comparative advertising betrays brands' desperation as consumers cut spending

Long weekends have become a ripe time for a gloves-off battle between brands. The relaunch of Hindustan Unilever's (HUL) Pepsodent Germicheck during the long weekend (August 9-11) has been no different. But then, HUL has never balked at taking competition head-on, even if it means naming a rival. It had taken on Procter & Gamble earlier. This time, the target is Colgate.

The commercial for Pepsodent Germicheck shows two kids brushing their teeth. One is using Colgate, the other Pepsodent. Both packs are clearly visible in the commercial, with no pixelation resorted to by HUL to prevent consumers from knowing which is the rival product they are referring to. The voiceover eventually says that Pepsodent Germicheck is 130 per cent better than Colgate, without any muting when Colgate gets mentioned.

In the last week of July, Anil Ambani's Reliance Communications slashed its prices to advertise its 3G services at 2G rates. Introducing the offer with a rate chart, it named its competition such as Airtel, Vodafone and Idea's 3G rates in print ads. It later went on to take jibes with taglines such as "...Make the switch - Kyunki no extra cost bhi zaroori hota hai" (Because no extra cost is also important) and "...Make the switch - because we are really happy to help" with unmistakable references to rivals' marketing and prices in individual ads. (SOME RECENT BATTLES)

For the latest initiatior of ad-battles, HUL claims its comparison was necessary for consumers to make an informed choice. Satish Goel, global R&D director, oral care, Unilever, says the product has additional germ attack power than Colgate's Strong Teeth variant, an innovation developed locally. India is the first market where the product has been rolled out, with the company filing for a patent here.

SUCH ADVERTISING COULD BACKFIRE, AFTER ALL

• You are giving your rivals a free branding opportunity each time you mention/show them
• The competitor’s product could be perceived as the one to beat with such pointed disparaging
• You might alienate your rivals’ loyalists
• You invite similar tactics from rivals

Despite this, the fact remains that advertisers are no longer hesitant to name their competitors in their ads - something which most preferred to avoid a few years ago. Six months ago, British consumer goods major Reckitt Benckiser (RB) took on dish-washer Vim from HUL (see box). HUL was quick to hit back with an improved version of Vim, which it claimed had the power of 100 lemons. The slugfest did not stop there. The two companies eventually took their battle to other categories, notably soaps and anti-septic liquids.

At the height of this brand war in March, Chander Mohan Sethi, senior vice-president, South East Asia, Reckitt Benckiser, had said, "Dettol is a power brand and has stood for trusted protection from germs. We provide innovative ways to deliver this purpose in our drive to grow and reach more consumers The new Dettol disinfectant is a step in that direction, helping consumers achieve both personal and household hygiene."

But the point was hardly lost on many that RB was responding to HUL's claims of superior germ

protection - a property the British giant had resolutely held on to for the last 80 years since the launch of its anti-septic liquid in India.

Harish Bijoor, chief executive officer, Harish Bijoor Consults, says, "The days of sedate advertising are over. At a time when the marketplace is increasingly competitive, brands will also have to respond appropriately. If that means being aggressive, then so be it."

A month ago, beauty & cosmetics major L'Oreal took a dig at HUL's 'Five Crore Challenge' for its Fair & Lovely brand, saying its products offered superior whiteness, so would it be rewarded with the money?

But this was a one-off episode, say experts, which most brushed aside as a harmless dig. It gets tricky when spoofs and comparative advertising become disparaging. Apart from cheeky battles between PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, P&G's Ariel and HUL's Surf Excel have also gone down that path. Most brands have typically not stopped at launching ads and counter ads; most have also dragged each other to court.

While the verdict is yet to be out on the current round, as Colgate is yet to retort, one thing is clear: Comparative advertising is here to stay.

With inputs from Sayantani Kar