Page 64 - The EDIT | Q3 2017

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Thoughtleader
in India, even before it was reported in the local news. The speed and efficiency of being anticipatory pays off when brands have clearly defined content areas and topics that they want to own.
From driving Category to driving Share
A favourite past time of the tragically jaded these days is to laugh mirthlessly while Apple Watch users ine ectively command Siri from their wrists. But perhaps it is the owners of Virtual Personal Assistants like Siri and Alexa who will have the last laugh.
Companies like Apple, Viv and Mimetic.ai are already developing user-friendly ever-evolving VPAs that can take basic instructions. Right now, Mimetic.ai’s Evie is able to schedule meetings much like a personal assistant copied on an email. However, Evie’s ability to decode natural language and parse through both text and voice in order to make decisions means
it’s not a far stretch to imagine that she will oversee re-stocking your home, making a conveniently- timed store run without even needing to ask for permission. This also means that once our VPAs start understanding our buying habits and preferences, they are in charge and they will be the decision makers that marketers need to connect with.
Also, they won’t necessarily be looking to switch to another brand unless explicitly instructed.
There are two typical responses to this. One is of indignance “You mean I’m going to be stuck with buying one type of milk, one type of shampoo, one brand of dishwashing liquid... forever??”.
The other reaction is one of relief “Thank God I don’t have to make these tiny micro decisions anymore. Now I have more time to spend on planning world domination.”
Like it or not, the first brand offered by a VPA will likely be the market leader — because, hey, as much as we all want to be special and unique, brands
like Sunlight and Comfort enjoy market shares of 40% and upwards across South East Asia. Mainly because when it comes to basic essentials, ‘tried and true’ always wins.
Because of that, growing your market share in a category will mean that brands with relatively low market share will focus on driving competitive switching. When you’re marketing to algorithms, the key focus then is driving trial. Attractive promotions, bundling and sampling will not just be a campaign hygiene element, but an aggressive marketing
tool, possibly superseding the usual above-the-line messaging.
From Ownership to Access
The implications of marketing to VPAs will be felt far beyond the FMCG industry even reaching categories that have already been operationalising established consumer journeys. Look at the car industry for example — in Singapore, Audi, BMW and Mercedes sit at the front of the premium auto segment. They appeal to the same small segment of premium car buyers. However, when the Merge happens, it’s almost a given that instead of focusing on reasons to buy a car, advertising will have to focus on how someone uses the car. Hence a potential car buyer might not see the usual ‘Test drive a car today’ message but
a ‘What are you going to do this weekend with the latest Audi A8?’. The emphasis shifts to almost not caring that you own a car; it’s the access to it that keeps you connected to the brand. The way to build audiences then is to subvert the usual models of ownership and focus on access instead.
This idea can be taken further into a premium and luxury brand context — in the social arena, status
is currency. But status gained by material things is fast becoming passé. There is increased emphasis on experiences and access. Looking to invoke envy? Ditch the Prada bag and get invited to Prada’s exclusive flagship launch instead.
But is there still a place for Brand Building in a Merged world?
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that once Merge is happening, people are always in-market
— always in seek-out mode because that’s how we trained them. However, communications will not become as one-dimensional as that. We won’t all be walking around in monogrammed Star Trek standard onesies (unless you’re into that type of thing).
THE EDIT ISSUE 7 | Q3 2017