Brain Restart

After first seeing and hearing the new ad campaign for Bacchus Energy Drink, I can’t help but admit that it’s a pretty good one. It’s a great positioning strategy because it is so simple, you’d wonder why no one ever thought about it first.

All other energy drinks speak of muscle, and strength, and speed. Only Bacchus made something different by claiming that Bacchus also enhances our brain performance.

The only problem I see is that it looses it’s focus as what kind of energy drink it really is. Is it a brain energy drink (I think energy is confusing because it always invoke strength) or is the usual energy drink? Some may ask, why not both and in fact, I think that is what their marketing department has to say. But the thing is, wanting to have both is suicide. In Al Ries’ words, it’s like riding 2 horses at the same time. Given that fact, you are bound to fall.

You have to choose just 1. Don’t be selfish and be everything for everyone. Your idea about aligning your brand to mental alertness is a great step. Now all you have to do is to leave the industry race as set by Red Bull and Lipovitan. You should no longer connect yourselves with those brawny brands. Bacchus should now be different and it’s about time. I personally have talked to a lot of call center agents and the great lapse between muscle function and thinking has always been a great concern. That is why some of these people prefer brewed coffee over energy drinks, because for them, the former makes them think better during the last few hours of their shift. Now that you have emphasized your brand’s edge over others, it’s time to go on further and let the other brands stagger behind.

In addition, perhaps, for your call-center designed TVCs, you should try placing them during late mornings until lunchtime. After all, call center people will never get to see your ads during primetime. They are at work, you know.

At Your Side

Special alert to all the existing players of the mobile phone industry (hey, you Nokia, Motorola, Samsung!). A new market player is in town to take a nice chunk of the already lucrative business the local market has to offer.

Anyway, I’m talking about HUG with their corny slogan “at your side”. Sounds like Brother’s but hey, I could be wrong. Corporate gossip told me that they will be launching regionally first by May 2007. I haven’t personally seen their technological specimens, but they could be nice. So even if the likes of Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung are already in their bastion of greatness and are foolishly feeling secure of their market share, a threat of a new competitor should never be belittled.

Love Radio’s Mistake

If you’re Filipino, or if you’re anyone who resides within this jungle called Metro Manila, chances are, you know Love Radio (or you’re a liar). I particularly know this one Brit guy who was here for a holiday. Like most foreigners who dreamed of experiencing the wild first hand, he rode a jeepney and distanced himself from taxi cabs. He asked, why are all jeepneys listening to a single radio station? In fact, he has memorized its coined phrases and terms by heart.

I know it’s crass, it’s terrible, and if jologs were a DJ, he would probably be working for this infamous radio station and proud of it, too. Unfortunately, no matter how much the elite would want to reverse hard facts, Love Radio is the number 1 radio station this side of the planet. You can’t deny. You hear it, you hear it, and you will dream about it. In fact, accepting their “greatness” needs no evidence. It’s like a blind fanatic saying “God exists”. End of discussion.

But unfortunately, just like Napoleon Bonaparte, Love Radio is now doomed. The worst part of it is that this is brought about not by any of Porter’s so-called threats. Love Radio is doomed, because they allowed themselves to be challenged.

In previous times, Love Radio stood out all by itself. They didn’t care that copycats are spurting left and right and are blatantly imitating their style. They are the Levi’s of the game, for crying out loud! Why stoop to their level to the new, trying-hard guys?

Sadly, that’s what they did, and that is why recently you can hear them dropping in the names of other radio stations like Yes!, WRR, and Energy FM. One of the worst things a market leader could do is to dignify an insignificant competition on-air. Now, people who are happily listening to Love Radio would know think about the other radio stations and wonder why, oh, why is this lame war happening in the airwaves after all these years.

To the guys at Love Radio, I really like what you do. On my bad days, you make me fume even more (which is why I avoid listening to the radio) but on my good days, you add sunshine on my already beautiful day. Please stop making a fool of yourselves by opening the floodgates of doom. You are number 1, why worry about the rest? And if you have to worry, don’t let the world know. And if the world has to know, don’t settle for immature name-calling and direct comparisons. That’s so childish (but then again, Love Radio’s image is that of a sick, immature child. Hehehe).

But I hope you get my point.

“No one can make you feel inferior without your permission.” — Eleanor Roosevelt