Brands look to earn their millennial credentials
Godrej Interio takes on rival Ikea on social media, shows how the medium is changing the message even for old and traditional brands
By now it is well known that social media alters the way people behave, giving them a persona often at variance with their real-life characters. Now brands seem to be following in the footsteps of their human counterparts. Godrej Interio, counted as part of the pre-internet genteel set of brands, recently took on Ikea with uncharacteristic vim and vigour; with pithy tweets it aimed some friendly fire at the Swedish brand that has just opened its first store in India.
It is not just the new tone and approach of brands such as Godrej Interio that has people’s attention, but also the shift in the nature of advertising by a category such as furniture. Conventionally an unorganised sector with a few branded players, furniture has undergone a big change in recent years with the entry of digital-first brands such as Pepperfry and Urban Ladder, the emergence of branded furniture rental services and most recently, with the entry of Ikea.
Traditional branding strategies are being rapidly shelved. Instead of lavish spreads and television commercials, Godrej Interio took to digital and used a mix of Hindi and English to pun on the name Ikea. The target: milllennial consumers.
In the past Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have indulged in such guerllia warfare, major health drink brands occasionally did too and more recently e-commerce players and auto majors have followed similar tactics. However for furniture brands, this is uncharted territory and for Godrej Interio, a sharp detour from its old ways.
Experts said that in the increasingly digital world we live, it is no longer possible for any customer segment to exist in a time vacuum. The Indian furniture space is witnessing such a change as market dynamics are set to evolve. “Unlike our parents’ generation where furniture was seen as a family heirloom, this generation has a utilitarian relationship with the category and this compels marketers to not only deliver functionally but also create the right attitudinal appeal, said Venkatesh Rangachari, co-founder, Hypersonic Advisory.
Ashish Mishra, managing director of Interbrand India explains that we live in an era that’s not digital and offline separated anymore. “We call it post digital. And this post digital marketing is essentially about optimising the experience at each touch point in the customer journey,” he added.
Two major factors are driving change in the way furniture brands communicate with their customers. One is the medium, the digital format is impacting the message. And the second is the rapidly evolving nature of the category; the entry of new e-tailers and furniture rental marketplaces has changed customer perception about the category.
Experts also said that engaging in banter with other brands, being open about their rivalries in a way, allows the advertising to feel more authentic to the consumer. Product integration on digital channels is another means through which furniture advertisers are trying to connect with audiences.
“If we look at furniture and the new role it plays in our lives, we will find that many of the key touch points are so naturally digital,” said Mishra. The new brands are engaging with them on digital media in a variety of ways, not just direct advertising but also by being a part of web series or comedy shows. Mishra points out that furniture is also turning into a more personalised expression of oneself, the new brands have grasped that to an extent.
Kashyap Vadapalli, chief marketing officer, Pepperfry.com said, “We have two types of customers, traditional (early 30s to late 40s) and new age (early 20s to early 30s). Both behave differently. Millennials look at furniture as a lifestyle accessory, so, we can’t use a transactional approach to sell furniture to them. Also they don’t want to be advertised to directly as they are overexposed to all mediums of communication.” In addition to partnering with Pocket Aces for a web series, Pepperfry also tied up with Miss Malini for a web show.
“The power of this medium should not be ignored by anyone,” said Aditi Shrivastava, co-founder Pocket Aces.Even within digital marketing, brands are delivering different messages for different customers. Shrivastava explains that Furlenco focuses much more on the millennial audience, first jobbers, who are children of the shared economy and highlights functional spaces in the home. PepperFry focuses on young couples and family audiences that want to make their homes beautiful at affordable prices.