Spread Positivity Year on Year...

There are 2 most common types of ways marketing is done for a product.

• Number One?- Product features are explained like it does a, b, c, blah.. blah...
• Number Two?- Scare you with the problems faced like germs, low growth, and some disease, or even use FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and try to convince you their solution/product solves those problems.?

The above 2 types are followed in 95% of the marketing campaign; however, 5% follow something different. Very few companies try to convey positivity via marketing, and those who cater to the viewer's emotions and sentiments succeed.

In India, we have known and used one product for more than 15 years which falls in the 5%, and we still love the marketing mutation of this product. It is none other than Surf Excel.

In the early '90s, Surf Excel soap powder was the only player in the market with a premium price of Rs.15 until Nirma entered the market with a price of Rs.3.50.The surf market share was shaken and taken up by Nirma. It became the market leader with a 55% share. Surf tried lowering its price and also provided freebies, but these ideas could not boost Surf sales.

Finally, Surf talked to their customers to identify what they liked in other products apart from cost and what was missing in Surf. Based on that, they nailed to do 2 things:

1) First, customers thought white color powder cleans clothes better than blue-colored Surf, so they changed color from blue to white with blue crystals mixed in it.

2) They realised that changing color alone wouldn't improve sales. In 2005, modern parenting was booming, and they were fascinated by this idea. For example, when kids play and make their dresses dirty in Brazil, they are encouraged to play more; in India, most kids would get beaten by their parents for spoiling their dresses. So Surf decided to mix both of these ideas and make an advertisement.?

"Daag Acche Hai"?- Dirt is good was launched.

Until then, we used to think - The dirt was terrible. Culturally Indian kids used to play a lot on roads, grounds & fields. Also, Indian festivals are diverse and colorful, like Holi, Sankranti, Ramzan, etc. The celebration of these invites dirt to our dresses. It touched people's sentiments, actions, and emotions?and highlighted that dirt is not terrible but good.

This campaign?focused on people rather than the product, and the product/brand was introduced to its viewers subconsciously, making them regain the market share of 64% and back to the number one spot.

I wonder if Surf is a better product than any other, but I salute their idea of spreading viral positivity, making it a top brand even today after 15 years in the market.

All problems we encounter in our life are good and challenging because numerous solutions always exist - let's march along year after year by spreading positivity and improving our lives.