Looking forward to reading the new novel from Amitav Ghosh. The first in set of trilogy. Check his website http://www.amitavghosh.com/ to know more about him and his latest work. Amitav does his research and weaves a compelling storyline. It is based on opium trading/war and the dependence of East India company on opium being sold in China.
Currently reading "The Hungry Tide" by the same author. A stunning novel. "Glass House" is next on the list.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Surrogate Advertising and Mineral water
Surrogate - noun
1. One that takes the place of another; a substitute.
Since the ban on alcohol and tobacco advertisements, liquor and tobacco companies in India have resorted to a interesting way of marketing... using surrogates. This is not something new. But what I find interesting is the side effects of this, especially in mineral water segment.
Alcohol companies took to manufacturing (outsourced mostly I guess) and selling branded mineral water. KingFisher, Fosters to name a few. And thanks to this, today we consumers have a lot of choice. In the beginning, BISLERI was synonymous to mineral water. Now you ask for BISLERI and more often than not you get a mineral water sold by liquor gaints like UB. Some of the ads do not focus on the mineral water.... more on the brand, obviously since they do not intend to dilute (but pun intended) their main product.
But I wonder why they did not opt to use non-alcoholic beverages as a surrogate instead.
1. One that takes the place of another; a substitute.
Since the ban on alcohol and tobacco advertisements, liquor and tobacco companies in India have resorted to a interesting way of marketing... using surrogates. This is not something new. But what I find interesting is the side effects of this, especially in mineral water segment.
Alcohol companies took to manufacturing (outsourced mostly I guess) and selling branded mineral water. KingFisher, Fosters to name a few. And thanks to this, today we consumers have a lot of choice. In the beginning, BISLERI was synonymous to mineral water. Now you ask for BISLERI and more often than not you get a mineral water sold by liquor gaints like UB. Some of the ads do not focus on the mineral water.... more on the brand, obviously since they do not intend to dilute (but pun intended) their main product.
But I wonder why they did not opt to use non-alcoholic beverages as a surrogate instead.
Am kcab
Am back to blogging after a long hiatus. Am looking at blogging on a regular basis and escape from the "short attention span" syndrome that seems to have shaped my life until now.
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