The Silent Giants

In today’s hypercompetitive businesslandscape, it seemsalmost counterintuitivethat some brands manage tonot only survive, but thrivewithout investing in any form ofadvertising. Yet, such successstories do exist and they offervaluable insights into how somecompanies employ alternativestrategies for the organicgrowth of their products.

Growing up, we have allencountered a multitude ofproducts, yet we cannot recallever spotting them on televisionor any other mainstreamplatform. These include brandslike New Town Butter, KiteMatches, Piano ballpoint pensand more. Despite the growingarray of choices in the market,these brands continue tocommand a significant presencewithout spending anything onmainstream advertising. If sucha Utopian situation can exist,then brand managers andstrategists should obviously aimto achieve this status for theirbrands. Or should they?

Getting the basics right:These lesser-known butwidely available brands staysuccessful because theyconsistently provide highquality products that peoplelove. They rely on goodreviews and word-of-mouthrather than flashy ads. In aworld with many choices, theircommitment to quality andcustomer satisfaction keepsthem strong. By ensuring highquality consistently, they havemade a place for themselves inpeople’s homes and hearts. Anexample from the global marketis Krispy Kreme doughnuts,known to have never beenadvertised, yet maintain a strong following from their loyalcustomer base worldwide. Thisis because such companieshave found that the meaningfulexperiences consumershave with their products holda significant place in theiraffections. What counts interms of brand reputation isthe development of a positiveimage in the customer’s mind.The best way to achievethis is through personalexperiences and word-ofmouth recommendations.

Stick to your niche: Aninteresting aspect about thesebrands is that they have notfaltered in their brand offeringor USP – they have maintainedit at every point of their cycle.For example, New Town Butterwas known for being a lowcost high-quality butter brand,ideal for cooking. Despitemany new brands enteringthe market, including giantssuch as Unilever with theirBlue Band margarine, theproposition of New Town Butterremained unshaken – low-costhigh-quality butter to cook with.Similarly, Kite Matches havebeen in the market long enoughfor almost every kitchen to haveat least one of their boxes lyingaround, despite the widespreadavailability of cooking lighters.They were created to do onething and continue to do iteffectively without ever givingpeople much trouble.

Play by volumes, not value:One of the main commonalitiesof brands that choose not toadvertise is that in most casestheir margins are relatively low,but they generate enough salesto retain their value and earnhigh returns. For example, whilewe see extensive advertising for savoury snacks, such as Lay’s,Kurkure, Kurleez and others,we never really come acrossadvertising by smaller localplayers, such as Zee Snacks,Wah Rey and Nice Nimco. Thesales for snacks marketed underbig brand names may be large,but smaller players are selling atpar with them due to their pricepoints and their availability.

Leveraging legacy andloyalty: These unadvertisedbrands often draw strengthfrom the legacy and the loyaltythey have built. Customerswho grew up with productssuch as New Town Butter orKrispy Kreme, often developa deep attachment to them.The memories associated withthese brands, passed downthrough generations, create analmost nostalgic connectionthat transcends their need toadvertise – a powerful reminderthat maintaining a consistentbrand identity and quality canfoster long-lasting customerrelationships. For example,United King Bakery in Karachiand Imtiaz Supermarket havebeen around for decades,consistently delivering highquality food and service to theextent that they gradually grewtheir presence in the marketand achieved high levels ofsuccess through word-ofmouth. These brands have nowcome to a point where althoughthey still do not advertise,they have started spendingon marketing efforts aimed atcementing their position at thetop of the pyramid.

However, the approachcan establish a solid marketpresence, but does notguarantee a lasting top position.Newcomers and challengerbrands can threaten the position of established legacybrands. As newcomers gainpopularity, legacy brands may beovershadowed, necessitating ashift towards advertising to regainattention and remain relevant.The ability to adapt and innovateis crucial to staying competitiveand maintaining consumer loyalty.Take Rooh Afza. Right from thestart, it secured a solid footholdin Pakistani households withoutmajor advertising investments,remaining highly profitable.This continued until it startedlosing ground among the newgenerations. Yet, in the face ofintense competition, Rooh Afzahas rekindled its advertisingefforts, striving to maintain itsrelevance and popularity in anever-evolving market.

Silent giants in marketing:In a world where marketingnoise is high and advertisingbudgets skyrocket, theseunadvertised brands serve assilent giants. They exemplifyhow success can be achievedby prioritising customerexperiences, staying true to aniche, and playing the volumegame. While they may not boaststar-studded endorsementsor top-dollar ads, they havemanaged to carve out theirspace in the market throughan unwavering commitment todelivering value and trust.Their journeys underscorethe enduring truth that in theworld of advertising, it is notalways the loudest voicesthat prevail but those thatunderstand their customers.

Muhammad Ali Khan was AVP/Manager Communications at JS Bank and currently teaches Media Sciences at SZABIST Karachi and the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture.