Why brands are playing the ‘numbers’ game – Part I

Today, there are many brands that have a number central to their branding. It could be a call to action at times and intrinsic to the brand story at others. So, when does a marketer invest in promoting a number for a brand?

In a recent ad for Idea, ‘sarpanch’ Abhishek Bachchan suggested that mobile numbers should replace the names of the villagers. ‘What an idea!’ went the ad. Well, Lowe and Junior B may have just touched upon a subliminal marketing truth that leads us to ask: Can numbers ever replace brand names?

Today, there are many brands that have a number central to their branding. It could be a call to action at times and intrinsic to the brand story at others. So, when does a marketer invest in promoting a number for a brand? And given a budget, does he chose to push the name or the number?

Counting on a number

Over the past few years, there has been a steady rise in the number of brands – across categories – that make use of a number or a combination of numbers in the overall branding mix. Some marketers have brands that are actually numbers (remember Maruti’s 800, 502 Pataka Chai or 555 cigarettes?). But this story is about brands punching out numbers while advertising for their brands.

Radio stations, food delivery companies, handset makers, information desks, cab services and even TV companies have all used numbers to stay connected. FM stations promote the overall combination of the station frequency along with the brand name (like Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM). Domino’s and McDonald’s have been promoting their ‘Hunger Helpline’ numbers over their past few campaigns. Nokia always promotes its models, which generally carry numeric names (like Nokia 6600). Information dial-up services such as Just Dial (69999999) or DNA Infoline (26666666) find it imperative for their numbers to stick in the consumer’s mind. A more recent category – radio cabs – also considers numbers important.

The question is: Should a marketer spend his ad bucks promoting the brand name, the number involved or a combination of both?

Figuring it out

While the occasional product may make use of digits in branding, it is the services category that largely feels the need for numbers. Viren Popli, senior vice-president and head, mobile entertainment, STAR India, agrees with that. “Yes, it is a phenomenon with the service end of every category,” he says.

In the service industry, the number along with the brand often answers the question, “Where do I get this?” Often, the question pertains to after-sales services. Sometimes, a new player in a category may not get the immediate retail presence that he needs for his brand, and may invest in promoting a number so that consumers can have access to the brand.

Take the case of (5)7827. The four year old mobile short code service from the STAR stable also uses the name to promote itself. That gives rise to the name vs number debate. STAR, however, alters its strategy depending on the target group to be addressed. If it’s a show on a STAR India channel, then the short code is in a STAR environment. In this case, emphasis is laid on the access point – the number. No branding is created for the STAR name in the short code service.

When an advertising partner of the group – such as ICICI Prudential – is making use of the short code service, then the word STAR has no place in the activity. The brand, ICICI, is the hero, while the number is the facilitator (earlier, ICICI Prudential made use of long toll free numbers, but opted for the SMS platform later). Conversely, when external content (non-STAR content) is being promoted (ringtones, singtones, callertunes or wallpaper downloads), the brand name STAR is leveraged equally, if not more, than the number, as the STAR equity helps in this case.

“I must admit that in the initial phases of setting up STAR 7827, we did give more importance to the word STAR, so that the brand’s existing equity rubs on to the service,” says Popli. Interestingly, the digits 7827, when typed out in an SMS, quite nearly spell out STAR.

Curse of the number

Others aren’t quite so lucky in achieving a name-number balance. Ashok Vashist, chief operating officer, Easy Cabs, a radio taxi service started in January 2007, admits that in the initial days, people did start remembering it solely by its number, 43434343.

Till as recently as six months ago, Easy Cabs was merely seen as a number to avail of a taxi service. “While that drove sales, we realised that we need to invest in branding to differentiate,” shrugs Vashist. This is perhaps why the brand is now venturing into web and print media (with ads created by Catalyst). What Easy Cabs has also done is more prominent vehicle branding. While the side panels reflect both the name and the number, the rear windshield has only Easy Cabs inscribed on it, while the number is pasted through a much smaller sticker near the car logo area.

This is how it works. The brand approaches a telecom operator (BSNL or MTNL) and checks out the various combinations to arrive at the easiest one to remember. This is acquired by signing a deal with the service provider and the number is then owned across the cities in which the brand wishes to have a presence.

A peculiarity in this category is that virtually all radio cabs have an eight digit, call to action number starting with ‘4’. If Meru has 44224422 and Mega Cabs has 42424242, Easy Cabs opts for 43434343. “Yes, this does create some ambiguity, which is why we’re all looking towards branding of sorts,” says Vashist.

But in a nascent category such as radio cabs, shouldn’t a number suffice? “Not really. As more players enter, it will be increasingly difficult to remember all the numbers,” warns Gavin Dabreo, chief marketing officer, Meru Cabs. “After a point, differentiation has to come by way of a brand experience.”

Brand arrogance?

From radio cabs to radio stations, the story is the same everywhere. In the initial days of building awareness about a radio station brand, the frequency number gained prominence over the brand name. It was the address that the consumer was being invited to.

Abraham Thomas, COO, 93.5 Red FM, says, “The brand becomes more important than the ‘address’ only once the brand has been built. It articulates what you stand for and is symbolic of the move from a generic number to a personality, an entity.” This is why we hear RJs rattling off both at the same time.

In the ideal situation, if a brand reaches a position of dominance in the category, it’s okay to let go of the number while branding. “But this is true only if the brand reaches a state of ‘brand arrogance’, wherein it becomes synonymous to the category,” offers Thomas. But to achieve that kind of cult status is difficult.

In categories such as radio, which is marked by undifferentiated offerings, the emotional connect through branding becomes imperative. FM is also marked by government and statutory restrictions. In that respect, the stations don’t always get the frequency of their choice when they start out. So, at some level, the numbers game is really a frequency game for this category. Mobile makers, on the other hand, have differing points of view.

Nokia largely uses numbers to christen and promote its phone models (like Nokia 6233) and rightly so. Going by the rate at which it launches its variants, it would perhaps be foolish to spend time branding each model with a different name.

If Nokia is into numbers, Motorola uses names (MotoRazr, MotoRokr and MotoPebl). Sony Ericsson has alphanumerics (a combination of alphabets and numbers, like Z520i) but went back to names with its latest model, XPERIA.

Lloyd Mathias, senior director, sales and distribution, Motorola India, says, “Each Moto range is followed by a four alphabet mini-name and that strategy has worked for us. Names are what consumers respond to. But to show the depth in each range, we make use of alphanumerics like V8.”

(To be continued)