Commodity branding allows companies to differentiate their products and compete on attributes other than just price. It helps build brand preference and long-term competitive advantage. Major challenges include moving customers' focus beyond price and meaningfully differentiating products with constraints on cost. Successful commodity brands invest heavily in branding, promotion, and relevant value additions like quality or innovation to justify premium prices over competitors. Examples that achieved this include Tata Salt through iodization and purity, and Nightingale notebooks through theme-based innovation.

1. Commodity branding Presented by V.Durgadevi MBA-II year DMS,SOM, Pondicherry University

2. what is a commodity? Commodity products which are undifferentiated and consumers buy these products on the basis of their price. Price is the most critical factor that determines the choice of purchase of commodities. - Harish .B

3. Why should one brand a commodity? It is a way to escape from competing on volume and price help to differentiate products enhance their value beyond their functional attributes build preferences versus competing products create long-term sustainable competitive advantage

4. Welcome to the world of commodity branding

5. Major challenges Moving away from the price It isn’t easy to convince the customers to make choices independent of price Marketer’s task: show more value to justify the premium paid strong promotional campaigns & very relevant value additions

6. Differentiation most important determinant of a successful commodity branding It is not easy - constraint of cost Marketer’s task : a meaningful & relevant differentiation Quality most used key differentiator

7. Brand promotion Need to be invested heavily in branding & promotion Marketer’s task: use the various brand elements to the maximum The colour, brand name, logo, mascots have significant impact Packaging also plays a significant role Ex: Pillsbury, Aashirvaad

8. Success stories Tata Salt was a pioneer in branding salt one of 1st iodised salt brands - iodine - a great value addition coincided with the Government of India’s initiative to promote iodised salt positioned on the basis of purity & trust

9. Nightingale A highly successful brand in the highly fragmented Notebook/Diary category brand built on innovation It introduced - theme based notebooks & Diaries

10. conclusion branding provides an escape from commoditization as it moves the buying decision away from solely price factors therefore can generate a strong return on investment and long-term sustainable advantage. Reference: (www.adclubbombay.com/index.php?...branding-a-commodity) http://www.brandchannel.com/features_effect.asp?pf_id=114