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"If you lose money for the organization, I will be understanding. If you lose brand reputation, I will be ruthless."

- Warren Buffett

By nature, human being is adventurous. It is in our blood and it all started with Adam; who couldn't help himself from eating the Forbidden Fruit. So the fact is that we, as consumers, like to try new things and do experiments with an inquisitive mind to just try and see "how it feels". And this has always been the start of every new experience that we gain.

This human quality of experiencing and trying something new gives companies the confidence to offer us new things, knowing that the consumers will try. It is only after once we try a product that we make up our mind for a repeat consumption of the product or service. But the punch-line for the trial is knowledge of that product. Unless we know that a new product is available in the market, our adventurous nerve does not get excited to try.

So clearly, the start of any marketing is the urge to get noticed by the consumers.

Another aspect is, when a product is launched and it gets clicked and establishes its consumer-base in the market; other companies also notice it and jump on the band-wagon to share the profits. So the natural process is unfulfilled consumer needs that become the basis for new product launch. If a product is successful, it brings more brands that generate competition leading to Brand War.

Unfulfilled Consumers Needs => New Product Launch => Product Success => Competition => BRAND WAR.

The Chinese goods invading the Indian goods market is the exclusive example of brand war-fares. Manish Market, Crawford Market, Linking Road are the bazaars in Mumbai that sell all manner of imported goods. Attractive watches for Rs. 150, wonderful toy-cars at one-third the price, perfumes for Rs. 200 onwards, powerful torch-lights, which could illuminate a whole room and at affordable prices, the garments, foot-wearM which are very desirable, both in terms of price and quality.

We all are aware that Chinese products don't last beyond six months. If this was right, then the paranoia that all of us felt was quite needless. No consumer, especially the value-conscious Indian consumer, would fall for any of this. After all, we are not a disposable culture. But if the product does last, then why should the consumer not choose that which is better and cheaper? If there is an emergency light available with a built-in watch at almost the same price, why will the consumer not buy the product?

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* Contributed by: -
Prof. Sapna Modi,
Asst. Professor (Marketing),
Guru Nanak Institute of Management, Mumbai.