#stratalogues water wars A strategic provocation around packaged drinking water category in India. There are larger findings & implications relevant for Asia on the whole. But certain special provocations for Indian brands. What Bisleri can do is a provocation both for Bisleri and its competitors. I think this is one of the most interesting categories looking at the future. However the stand alone players are going to have a tougher time, unless they build a strong, innovative & engaging brand. The cokes & the Pepsi's of the world can establish better trading terms with the retail, because of the multi-brand/larger portfolio = larger shelf space occupation. The category is getting further split by government contracts taking a major chunk of the volumes (in terms of public transport terminals etc;), other retail is getting split-away by the alcohol brands (because of surrogate advertising needs). Example: Kingfisher water: both a surrogate and easy to market due to existing beverage distribution system in bars & pubs and alcohol retail. There is an interesting development in the heartlands with "loose mineral water" growing as a category. It is both good & bad for the major packaged drinking water players. While it develops the category and gives it penetration and hence building the ladder for up-gradation, it also means a certain amount of trading down on occasions. Also the vast distribution of the 2-rupee pouch in snack-food places, mess.meal centres is something that the major players need to figure out how to tap into. Penetration here via 2-rupee sachets, could actually be a boon to increase penetration and distribution for their other beverages as well. Something to think about & plan for carefully. Note: The role of social media is heavily under-utilised in this category. Digital & mobile is going to play a huge role in this category soon :). https://www.facebook.com/Wolfzhowl.Strat http://stratalogues.wordpress.com/ http://in.linkedin.com/in/challapallikalyan/ @wolfzhowl wolfzhowl.strategy@gmail.com

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VS
Bisleri = Xerox of the packaged water category. In India people go @ want their documents Xerox’d (not
copied). People ask for Vodka in a pub/bar (&not Smirnoff/Absolut etc; at a mass-premium level). It’s
the same with Bisleri”. He average Indian “Kumar” asks for Bisleri (not mineral water or kinley or
Aquafina).
A already disadvantaged Bisleri (with Coke & Pepsi having better trading power with the retailer due to
multiple-power-products) should at once cease this opportunity before it slips away (mark my words it is
slipping, already a few consumers I have noticed have started asking for Kinely’s or Aquafina etc;). This
“leveraging being Xerox of the category” cannot happen through emotional/thematic communication
around the purity of water or owning water itself like a Fevicol owns “sticking”.
It needs a sharp tactical campaign, like “Bisleri pucha hai toh Bisleri hi lena – baaki sab kuch kyun” )if
you’ve asked for a Bisleri, ensure you get the pure bisleri – why compromise & settle for something
else). Bisleri the hallmark of purity in India since XYZ.
Water is fast acquiring life-style hues even in the heartlands. The way a consumer shows around or asks
in a special tone for a foreign sounding “AquaFIna” or “Kinli (in UP) or Kinelli (In AP) speaks for this.
Consolidation of core & innovations are going to drive this category from now on: Indianising
ingredients, product extensions not just on user occasions (travel), but also on “attitudes toward
packaged drinking water” is the next round. Pro-active living is going to drive urban profits in the future.
#stratalogues Thirst Wars