The document, authored by Pavan Choudary, discusses the significance of strategic creativity in pharmaceutical marketing. It emphasizes the need for innovative marketing strategies tailored to the specific needs of the Indian pharmaceutical industry, distinguishing successful marketing from failures through a creative lens. The work has garnered praise for its practical insights, making it a valuable resource for both pharmacy students and marketing professionals.

3. The Factor
Strategic Creativity in
Pharmaceutical Marketing
PAVAN CHOUDARY
W V P D
Wisdom Village (Publication Division)
Knowledge is information. Wisdom is transformation.

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Books from Wisdom Village (Publications Division) envision to enhance and
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Copyright©PavanChoudary,2009
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ISBN 978-81-906555-8-3
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FirstPublishedin1997by
Response Books (Adivisionof SagePublicationsIndiaPvtLtd)
M-32, GreaterKailashMarket-1,New Delhi110 048.
LibraryofCongress Cataloging-in-PublicationData
Choudary, Pavan1965-
The factor:StrategicCreativityinPharmaceuticalMarketing/PavanChoudary.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
1.Pharmaceuticalindustry—India.
2.Drugs—India—marketing.
3.Pharmaceuticalpolicy—India.I.Title.
HD9672.I52C48 615.1' 068'8—DC21 1997 97-18645
ISBN: 0-8039-9378-1 (US-HB) 81-7036-626-7 (India-HB)
0-8039-9379-X (US-PB) 81-7036-627-5 (India-PB)
W V P D
Wisdom Village (Publication Division)
Knowledge is information. Wisdom is transformation.

5. Pavan Choudary
Brief Introduction
Pavan Choudary is the author of path breaking books like Broom & Groom (co-
author Kiran Bedi), A Trilogy of Wisdom, Machiavelli for Moral People and The Rx
Factor. Pavan is also the Managing Director of Vygon, a leading French
Multinational, hosts the TV program Hum Aise Kyun Hain on Doordarshan,
and has written columns for The Times of India and Financial Chronicle. Today,
Pavan is considered one of the most original Indian socio-political thinkers and
management strategists. To know more visit www.pavanchoudary.in
You may reach the author at pavan2000pc@yahoo.com

6. Other Books by Pavan Choudary
1. How a Good Person can Really Win
2. A Trilogy of Wisdom
a. Chanakya’s Political Wisdom
b. Confucius’ Social Wisdom
c. Kabir’s Spiritual Wisdom
3. When you are Sinking Become a Submarine
4. Machiavelli for Moral People
5. Broom & Groom (on Hygiene and Manners) co-authored
with Kiran Bedi
6. Uprising 2011- Indians Against Corruption co-authored
with Kiran Bedi

7. Comments on
“I strongly recommend this book for all pharmacy students and
marketing professionals…it gives a creative landscape for
Pharmaceutical marketing filled with innovative and practical marketing
strategies…ausefultoolfor thesalesforceinthepharmaceuticalindustry.”
Dr. B. Suresh, President, Pharmacy Council of India
“Written in a racy, 'un-put-downable' style (which one rarely comes across
in a book emanating from India), one reaches the end only 'asking for more'
and wishing that the author had included some more marketing examples
and cases to reinforce many of his imaginative ideas. A book not to be
missed.”
Express Pharma Pulse (Indian Express Group)
“Such examples abound and that is what makes the book refreshing and
interesting.”
The Business Standard
“He offers marketing wisdom distilled from studying communication
strategies behind brand successes and flops.The case study format makes it
lively.”
Advertising & Marketing (A & M)
"Brilliant, bright, blasphemous ....Blows much of what we have held to be
sacrosanct—USP, marketing warfare, positioning—to smithreens…The
author has captured the essence of successful marketing in this readable
text,focusingon thepharmaceuticalindustry.”
Elsa Davies (Fellow, Institute of Management, UK)
The Factor

8. Praise for the Author and his Books
The Rx Factor
Kip Piper, Senior health Advisor to the White House Office, USA, has included The Rx
Factor in his list of Top 10 books on Pharmaceutical Marketing. To view the list you may
visit amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Pharmaceutical-Marketing-Bookshelf-
Recommended-Piper/lm/2RUHJCQM7ERX0
How a Good Person can Really Win
This book is for real people in the real world with insights, practical wisdom and a fresh
perspective for everyone…the alternative of course, is to read up hundreds of books over tens
of years!
- Carolyn Marcille (Barnes & Noble, NewYork, USA)
Pavan Choudary's passion for dwelling deep into the questions one feels remain unanswered,
has ensured him a place amongst the foremost thinkers of the world.
- The Times of India
An invaluable, timeless treasure. Pavan is a megamind taking Indian thinking to refreshing
new heights in the global arena. His works should be made compulsory reading for leaders,
teachers and parents.
- Dr. Kiran Bedi
A Trilogy of Wisdom (on Chanakya, Confucius and Kabir)
Each book in this collection of mini books has great depth…there is great insight on political
sharpness, social gain and spiritual intelligence - to aid the ambitious soul.
- Hindustan Times
This book has been able to capture the spirit of Confucianism. It is most appropriate that it
dwells on the social aspect of Confucianism. It talks of Social Harmony, which is key to
Confucius.
- Mr. Xei Fei (Cultural Head, Chinese Embassy)

9. Broom & Groom co-author Kiran Bedi
Broom & Groom by proud Indians Kiran Bedi and Pavan Choudary is a collector’s item. A
must on every book shelf.
- Deccan Chronicle
Indians and civic sense don’t often go together. That may change if our worthy countrymen
take broom & groom to heart.
-The Telegraph
It addresses separate categories- students, government officials, and so on and the
illustrations help make it a useful handbook for people who badly need it.
-The Times of India
Machiavelli for Moral People
Want to read a politician like a book…read Machiavelli for Moral People.
– The Tribune

11. PHARMACY COUNCIL OF INDIA
(Constituted under the Pharmacy Act. 1948)
Prof. B. Suresh, M.Pharm., Ph.D., D.Sc.,
President
Combined Councils’ Building
Kotla Road, Aiwan-E-Ghalib Marg
P.B. No. 7020, New Delhi-110 002
Gram : FARMCOUNCIL
Tel. : 011 23239184, 23231348 Fax : 011 23239184
Vice-Chancellor, JSS University
JSS Medical Institutions Campus
S.S Nagar, Mysore, 570 015
Tel. : 0821 2548391
Fax : 0821 2548394
sureshbhojraj@hotmail.com
sureshjssuni@hotmail.com
www.jssuni.edu.in
October 10, 2009
FOREWORD
Indian Pharmaceutical Industry with more than 26,000 companies and more than a
lakh formulation need innovative and creative marketing strategies to sell them.
Marketing, sales and distribution of Pharmaceutical Products are different from
that of other overseas countries and most of the books available on pharmaceutical
marketingaretheorybased.
Pavan Choudary in this book, The Rx Factor gives a creative landscape of
Pharmaceutical Marketing filled with innovative and practical marketing
strategies. Many national and international journals have applauded his creative
ideas in The Rx factor. Rating the book as one of the top three titles among 665
books on marketingexplainsitsstrengthandpopularityinternationally.
The book is systematically divided into easily readable sections to understand the
concepts of pharmaceutical marketing tinged with Hindu mythology. The way Mr.
Pavan puts the concepts of marketing bubbled with lots of creative ideas, easily
grabs the attention of the reader and creates an interest to complete the book. I
strongly recommend this Rx Factor book for Pharmacy students. I am sure the
pharmacy students will easily understand the concepts listed in the book and
definitely make use of the creative ideas during their career in pharmaceutical
marketing. I also recommend this book as a useful tool for sales force in the
PharmaceuticalIndustry.
I congratulate Mr. Pavan Choudary for his successful efforts in putting the concepts
in a systematic and creative fashion. The book is written in a breezy style which
makesiteasytoreadandunderstand.
Dr.B.Suresh
President

12. he pharmaceutical industry in India has a lot to teach a
student of marketing. The competition, which has become
Tfiercer in recent years, has sharpened the marketing styles of
many companies. At the same time, the dissociation of the industry
from advertising agencies, market researchers and other market-
support organizations has left many noticeable chinks in pharma-
ceutical marketing. Owing to my background in both advertising
and marketing, perhaps, I have been able to discern these gaps more
clearly.Thisbookisanattempttofillsomeofthem.
The foremost thing which a marketing professional needs to
understand is his consumer, very much in the same way as a good
doctor must understand his patient.The doctor can dispense the right
prescription (or, in pharmaceutical parlance, the ) only when he has
correctly understood the nature of the problem afflicting the patient.
A successful is one that meets the intended purpose, namely, treat
the patient by tackling the problem at hand. Similarly, the corner-
stone of a successful marketing endeavour is an astute understand-
ing of the market, which leads to a solution to the problems or
exploitationoftheopportunitiesthemarketthrows up.
A successful marketer must know the pulse of the market. He must
be totally cognizant with the social and psychological profile of the
customer. This knowledge and understanding of the market and the
customer will determine what he needs to do to get his product
9
Introduction

13. 10
accepted in the marketplace. It will govern his choice of prescrip-
tion. This knowledge is the key to a successful marketing strategy,
the correct prescription. A successful strategy is one that emanates
from market realities and one that enables the marketer get his
product prescribed or accepted. What distinguishes a successful
marketing strategy from one that fails is precisely what I have
chosentocallthe factor.
For a marketing strategy to succeed in today's highly competitive
marketplace, it is imperative that you adopt a strategy that is unique,
innovative and creative, which will enable your product to stand
apart. Without creative strategies you do not stand a chance of
meeting the unprecedented levels of competition. But 'differentness'
alone will not give results. 'Different-ness' with a purpose will
certainly yield great dividends. What is therefore important is to be
strategically creative with a predetermined purpose, not merely
different. Thus, the factor is a purposive creative endeavour that
emanates from a deep understanding of the realities of the market-
place.
For convenience, I have divided the book into two parts. The first
part, I hope, will provide you with an appreciation of the factor.
The first three chapters in this part provide some of the vital charac-
teristics of the factor as I understand it. Here I have given examples
of both successful marketing strategies and those that have failed,
and have shown how the distinguishing feature in all cases has been
the factor - its presence or absence as the case may be. Here I have
stressed on the need for adopting the right communication strategy
and the importance of being truly creative in a strategic and purpos-
ive way, rather than being wayward or eccentric merely for the sake
of wanting to be different. In the next two chapters I have discussed
some techniques for generating strategically creative ideas and the
importanceofthemarketplaceasareservoirforyourcreativity.
The second part focuses on the creative execution of the factor.
While Chapters 6 and 7 explore options to the commonly accepted
concepts of unique selling proposition (USP) and marketing
Introduction

14. 11
warfare, Chapters 8 and 9 discuss two issues that appear to be
extremely significant when introducing any new product in the
market. The first focuses on the importance of giving the right brand
name. The second deals with correctly pricing the product based on
a proper understanding of the market and the consumer. The next
chapter discusses the importance of credibility in advertising.
Chapters 11 and 12 give ways to generate more productive flipcharts
andpromotoolsandways toselectthemostpotentialdoctors.
In this book, it has been my endeavour to suggest new, practical and
creative directions in pharmaceutical marketing. My idea is to open
the minds (and hearts) of the readers to creative thinking by chang-
ing the mindset. The issues I have discussed by no means cover all
the areas in pharmaceutical marketing. But I do hope that I have
beenabletoplaceafingeronthepulseofmarketingthought.
Though the book has pharmaceutical marketing as its basic content,
1 have drawn freely from consumer marketing and advertising to
infuse fresh ideas or to elaborate some points. As such, I hope that
both pharmaceuticaland non-pharmaceuticalmarketing profession-
als, as well as people in the advertising profession will find some-
thinginthisbookthatwould beofuse tothem.
Introduction

15. PART A
Understanding the
Factor

16. The Creative Legacy
ndian marketing came of age, ages ago. If you delve into the
history of religion in India, you will be amazed at the marketing
Iacumen of the propagators of Hinduism. Many of the concepts
of marketing as laid down in the West in this century, possibly first
foundtheirapplicationinRigvedictimes.
Though the term 'unique selling proposition' (USP) was coined in
America in the 1960s, its first application can perhaps be traced to
Hindu mythology. The Hindu pantheon consisted of innumerable
gods and goddesses. Many had a specific function and were
supposed to satisfy a distinct need that they were called upon to
fulfil. For example, Laxmi for wealth, Indra for rains, Saraswati for
knowledge,andso on.
Moreover, the process of product augmentation (a buzzword today
in marketing circles) is exemplified beautifully when one sees that
some Hindu gods have moods or profiles that can adjust to the needs
of the supplicant or enhance the versatility of the deity. So, we have
Durgatobestowgrace,Kalitodestroyevil.
Hinduism thus offered a composite package of innumerable gods-
one or more of whom could be chosen by the devotee. Now came the
threat of 'cannibalization'. (Cannibalization, as we know, is a
phenomenon where the sales of one product eats into the sales of
anotherproductofthesamecompany.)
CHAPTER 1
15

17. 16
Understanding the Factor
Hindu religion had to now ensure that the appeal of one god did not
interfere with the popularity or acceptability of another. This
delicate problem was beautifully resolved by the marketers of yore
by bringing in the concept of 'Avataars'. That is, the supreme deity is
born a number of times and the number of births matches the number
of gods in the religion (even if this number runs into thousands!).
This concept of Avataars ensured that in the same household two or
more gods could be worshipped by different members of the
household without religious differences cropping up. Thus, family
members worshipping different gods could live in harmony. (See
Figures 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3.) The concept of Avataars helped
consolidatethecorporatemonopolyofHinduism.
Creatively speaking, 'the imagination of our forefathers knew no
bounds.Take Lord Shiva, for instance.What a versatile collection of
features! He has three eyes, one of which opens only to destroy evil.
He also has a serpent coiled around his neck, while a river springs
fromhishead.Perhaps,heistheonlygodintheworldwho dances.
The legacy is rich with a future that holds promise. During a recent
visit to the Kashivishwanath temple in Varanasi, as I walked up the
stairs, an eleven-year-old boy approached me. He was selling lottery
tickets. His spiel went something like this-. 'Sahib, lottery ticket le
lo. Bhagvan muradein puree karega, kismat chamkayega' (Sir, buy a
lottery ticket. God will grant your wishes. It will make Fortune smile
onyou.) Manyboughtlotteryticketsfromhim.Iwas noexception.
The pitch was compelling. This little boy knew that the average
Hindu has a contractual relationship with God.You give something,
feed the brahmins, offer a cbaddar, and you can ask God for things
in return. The boy knew that most visitors ask God for things. The
hopes of a Hindu are high when entering a temple. Our young
marketing man had chosen this strategic place to hawk his wares.
Instead of harping on what attractive prizes could be won, the boy
used a strategy that was different - he beckoned God. He
instinctively knew his customer. Unknown to him, the factor was

18. The concept of Avataars helped
consolidate the corporate
monopoly of Hinduism
FIGURE 1.1
FIGURE 1.3
FIGURE 1.2

19. 18
Understanding the Factor
at work. No wonder, then, that he turned out to be one of the largest
sellersoflotterytickets.
Creative marketing genius is native to India. Marketing runs in our
blood. But are we utilizing this inherent instinct in us to its fullest
potential? Is the present-day marketer as brilliant as his forefathers?
Can we do better? This book tries to find an answer to some of these
questions. The context is pharmaceutical marketing. The content
draws also from marketing of over the counter (OTC) and consumer
products.

20. Market-based Communication
ow many pharmaceutical companies do you think there are
in India? 10 ... 100 ... 10,000 ...? There are more than
H26,000 pharmaceutical companies operating in the country
today.And how aboutthenumberofbrands?
5,000...15,000...50,000?
The landscape is, in fact, dotted with more than 100,000 brands
which are being marketed in India. This does give an indication of
how fiercelycompetitivetheindustryis.
Why must a doctor prescribe your brand and not the hundred others
containing the same salt? How can you ensure that your approach is
strategic and yet different from what the others have tried?
Especially, when it is likely that the communication strategy that
you decide to choose could be akin to what quite a few other
companies have been using.And to compound it all, the doctors you
gotoarethesame.Theracebeginsnow.
But let us not get off the starting block just yet. Before that let us
examine what we really mean by a communication strategy, and
why itisimportanttoadopttherightone.
The Right Communication Strategy
Let us look at the communication strategy of one of the most well-
marketed antibiotic, ciprofloxaxin. Cost per tablet - Rs.8.50 for
19
CHAPTER 2

21. 20
Understanding the Factor
500mg. Exorbitant!? Some marketers predict doom. However,
companies such as Cadila, Cipla and Ranbaxy go ahead and launch
theproductaggressivelyalloverIndia.Whowins?
Ranbaxy. This company forged ahead and became the undisputed
leader, cornering a market share of 27.3 per cent for its brand,
Cifran. Cipla became runner-up with 18.8 per cent market share
(see Table 2.1). If you compare the two companies in terms of the
number and calibre of their representatives, their stockist network,
promotools deployed, etc., there would be little to choose between
them.Thenwhatmadeoneperformbetterthantheother?
TABLE 2.1
Comparativeperformanceofthethreeleadingciprofloxacinbrands
Product MAT (Crs) MS (%) CHG (%)
Group totalcipro.oralsolids 275.5 100.0 -6.2
Cifran(Oct.1989)* Ranbaxy 75.3 27.3 6.1
Ciplox(May 1992)* Cipla 51.8 18.8 16.4
Ciprobid(August 1989)* Zydus 30.4 11.0 1.8
MAT—MovingAnnual
TotalMS —MarketShare
CHG—Change Launchdates
Source:ORG IMS, 2009.
Perhaps, it was the communication strategy that did it. Cadila and
Cipla, both of which have histories of success, slipped up on this
occasion. Ranbaxy established superior efficacy and justified the
price (Figure 2.1). They positioned Cifran (a quinolone) against
cephalosporins,aclassofexpensiveantibiotics.
Rajiv Gulati, the man behind Cifran's success, feels that this
juxtaposition was so strong that some doctors started thinking of
ciprofloxacin as a fourth-generation cephalosporin. It was factually
incorrect,butappearedrightperceptually.
Their base line, ' Cifran—a reflection of your concern' was meant
to handle objections to the high price. In fact, they used the high
price to provide the doctor with a means to show his concern for his

22. 21
patient. In turn, the doctor too, in his own mind, needed to justify the
choice of such an expensive product. The base line was bang on
target.The factorhadworked.
Cifran was adjudged the best marketed product by the Product
Management Group. Marketing pundits still scratch their heads in
disbelief as the sales of this product reflects Rs 75.3 Crs annually
(ORG 2009).
Let us take another example. Revital, the Ginseng from Ranbaxy
was launched when the total market for Ginseng was about Rs 10
million. A couple of companies which had entered this market in
haste were repentant. Owing to poor positioning and because their
products did not have extensive clinical trials to back them, they
couldnotpenetratethemarket.
Ranbaxy spotted a hole in the market. Conventional tonics had been
catering only to the body and not mind. Revital was positioned as a
tonicforboththemindandthebody.Thepositioningpaidoff.
To tackle the lack of clinical data, Ranbaxy's first communication
was: 'Revital—better experienced than explained.' The doctors
were asked to try the product themselves. Doctors have for long
recognized the placebo effect. (The placebo effect demonstrates that
certain symptoms respond as much to the ritual of taking medicine
as to the physical substance itself. In other words, it is the mind's
influenceoverbodilyprocessesthatisatplayhere.)
Several doctors tried the product. The presentation by the
representative was strong, backed by premium pricing and good
packaging (Figure 2.2.). The product seemed to work. Or was it just
the placebo effect enhanced by the representative's aggressive
spiel?
In any case, the demands for clinical trials did not wane. Ranbaxy
then commissioned a small clinical trial and went to town with it
saying: 'We don't meet standards, we set them.' A few sceptic
medicine men laughed. But the rest of the world bought Revital. It
was the story of one great piece of down-to-earth communication
Market-based Communication

23. FIGURE2.1
Ranbaxyjustified
Cifran'spriceby
comparingitwith
cephalosporins

24. 23
Market-based Communication
andonegreatmarketingsuccess.
According to Christopher Adams, the head of marketing at Glaxo,
UK, a drug is only one-third hardware (by which he means the
chemicals encapsulated in a pill and swallowed by a sick person).
The rest, according to him, is software or 'communications' made up
of the knowledge about the drug, which persuades the doctor to
prescribe it, and the monitoring and pushing of the drug, which
persuadesthepatienttokeeptakingit.
TABLE 2.2
Comparativeperformanceof leadingginsengbrands
Product MAT(Crs) MS (%) CHG (%)
Ginseng products (Evans) 121.6 100.0 22.7
Revital(Jan. 89), Ranbaxy 106.8 87.9 26.8
Riconia-G(May. 05), Ranbaxy 4.2 3.4 -2.3
Trinergic (July,96), Unichem 3.9 3.2 -5.3
MAT—MovingAnnualTotal
MS —MarketShare
CHG —Change
Source:-ORG IMS, 2009.
The medical community, when convinced, lends overwhelming
support. The sky, then, is the limit for a brand. The doctors blessed
Revital, and it was off to a flying start. Today, Revital whose equity
allowed the company to make it an OTC (over the countr) brand
reflectsRs 106.8 Crores.
This may appear like wishful thinking, a pie in the sky. But markets
such as this do exist. The trouble lies with us—we are content with
scratching the surface. Revital's success was based on a perceptive
understanding of the market. When a marketer does not respect the
reality of the marketplace, the market shows no mercy.What follows
is an illustration of a mission that failed owing to this very lack of
understandingofthemarketplace.
The Pucca Structure —An Open and Shut Case
One multinational aid agency identified open defecation as the main

25. FIGURE 2.2
Market-sensitive communication, strong presentation, premium pricing
and good packaging helped Revital take off.
Better experienced than explained

26. 25
Market-based Communication
reason for the poor rural health scenario in one of the states of India.
So, it decided to sponsor a free pucca lavatory in each rural
householdofsomevillages.
A noble mission to curb defecation in the open. The lavatories were
built but nobody used them. For reasons that would appear strange to
someonewho didnotunderstandtherealitiesoftheland:
• In most houses this was the only pucca structure so it was
used to store grains which the normal structures with
thatchedroofs couldnotprotectfromrain.
• In some houses this free lavatory was covered up and
convertedintoanadditionalroom.
• Most importantly, because all houses were given near
identical structures, the upper castes did not use them as this
would reduce the gap in status between them and the other
castes. They felt that their exclusive status would be
jeopardized if they were to use the toilets. At the same time,
the lower castes too did not use these because their reference
group,theuppercastes,werenotusingthem.
Such noble intentions, backed by big money!The scheme, of course,
got'shuttered'.And defecationstilltakesplaceintheopen.
Ranjana Subberwal, an eminent sociologist, observed a similar
phenomenon in Rajasthan when a high-yielding variety of seed was
being marketed to an audience of landless labourers! Out of sync
withmarketreality,such schemesarebound tofail.
Market-sensitive Communication
A brilliant piece of market-sensitive communication is that of
Calmpose. You know what it is for. So does the doctor. So do most
patients. And there lies the rub. The brand is familiar; if the doctor
prescribes Calmpose to a patient, he loses to some extent the aura of
mystery surrounding his profession. The ad for Calmpose says:
' Calmpose—thebestisalwaysfamiliar'(Figure2.3)

27. 26
Understanding the Factor
Doctors know of the widespread awareness of the brand name. By
saying, 'the best is always familiar' you tell them why Calmpose is
familiar.Few doctorswould desistfromprescribingwhatisthebest.
FIGURE 2.3
Calmpose making a strength out of a weakness
TABLE 2.3
Comparativeperformanceof leadingdiazepambrands
Product MAT(Crs.) MS(%) CHG%
Tranquilizers 30.0 100.0 5.7
Calmpose(Sep.1969),Ranbaxy 12.7 42.3 3.7
Valium(Nov.1979),Piramal 11.1 37.1 7.8
MAT—MovingAnnualTotal
MS—MarketShare
CHG —Change
Source:ORG IMS, 2009.
To reinforce this concept, one flipchart asked; 'Should your patient
forego the best just because it is familiar?' This communication thus
was able to extend the maturity stage of the product lifecycle of
Calmpose(Table2.3).
These examples demonstrate that good communication strategies
spring from and take care of the realities in the marketplace. Most
communications from this company were impeccable. Having said
this, take a look at the advertisement from Stancare, a Ranbaxy

28. FIGURE2.4
Nocomments!
Youdecide

29. Prescribe Fasigyn
FIGURE 2.5
Pfizer expands the amoebiasis market. Brilliant!

30. 29
Market-based Communication
group company (Figure 2.4). Objectively speaking, how do you
react to its layout, its copy? Do you think such communication can
possiblyproduceresults?
Letus moveon tosomethingmorepositive.
We now turn the pages of marketing history to a communication
message that worked. 1992. The anti-amoebic segment was in the
decline, and Pfizer's Fasigyn, though a late entrant. was the leader
here (Table 2.4). Pfizer saw the downturn in 1992 and focused on
expandingthemarketby suchcommunication(Figure2.5).
TABLE 2.4
Comparativeperformanceofleadinganti-amoebicbrands
Product MAT(Crs.) MS(%)
Amoebicidesoralsolids 622.9 91.5
Fasigyn(Sep.1988), Pfizer 94.7 13.9
Metrogyl(Aug. 1972), Unique 83.5 12.3
Tiniba(Feb.1980),Alidac 29.1 4.3
MAT—MovingAnnualTotal
MS—Market Share
CHG —Change
Source:ORG IMS, 2009.
Today, the market is robust. Surely, this is partly because of Pfizer's
efforts. Zydus Cadila, with its brand Tiniba, has beaten Pfizer in
recent times and this is commendable; but Pfizer did grow the
market. The company, with just 65 products, grosses Rs. 820 Cr.
Remarkableindeed!
To sum up, a successful communication strategy defines what is to
be said. It springs from the realities in the marketplace. But while
this is a necessary foundation for success, it is not enough.You also
need a creative and unique execution of the communication
strategy to succeed in the crowded pharmaceutical market. But is it
possible to be creative while working within the narrow confines of
strategy? Can we be strategically creative? This is what we explore
inthenextchapter.

31. CHAPTER 7
Marketing Peace
ut all marketing is warfare, or so they have said so far. In my
view, marketing is both war and peace. Marketing is both
Bwarandlove.
However, only one facet of marketing has been expanded upon -
war, attack, aggression. It is win-lose only. This is where we go
wrong. The most clearly visible facet of marketing has been taken to
covertheentiregamutofmarketing.
One equally dominant, equally productive strain has not yet been
discovered. The strain of peace - marketing peace. Marketing peace
isanalternativemarketingoutlook.
The concept of marketing peace has been in use since time imme-
morial. I first recognized this concept when I delved into the history
of religion in India. In the first chapter, we spoke of the concept of
Avataars. This concept says that there is one supreme deity who is
born again and again. Through this concept the Hindu religion
ensured that the appeal of one god did not clash with the appeal of
others. Individuals and households worshipping different gods
could live together without religious differences cropping up. This
conceptofAvataars isanexampleofmarketingpeace.
Changing the Frame of Reference
To understand the concept of marketing peace, we will look at the
Hero Puch advertising campaign. But before that let us trace the
67

32. 68
history of the Honda line of bikes because there is an important
lesson here. Remember the Hero Honda commercial, 'Fill It, Shut It
and Forget It' ? What a roaring success the bike was! Some years
later the line was changed. Earlier, the product was in its growth
stage on the product lifecycle and the fuel-efficient message was
well communicated. Now, thousands of bikes were there on the
roads to endorse the bike's credibility. Thus was born the 'You have
got a good thing going' (Aap ka shandar hamsafar) (Figure 7.1).
This commercial owes its genesis to a keen insight into buying
behaviourand,ofcourse,somecommonsense.
The advertiser understood that nobody bought a bike because of an
advertisement. The likely purchaser went to the existing owners of
bikes in his consideration set and sought their opinion. This behav-
iour was recognized and exploited through the advertisement. The
advertisement gave the existing owner words to mouth about his
bike. Later, the number of bikes sold was put up on hoardings so that
the new prospect would feel very positive about the bike - so many
people could not be wrong. Figure 7.2 shows the genesis of the Hero
Honda advertisement and its progress. Note how the message
changeswiththechangingstageoftheproductlifecycle.
The next challenge before the company was to sell Hero Puch. With
no Hero Puchs on the road, who was going to endorse the bike? The
solutionwas tochangetheframeofreference.
Thus was born the advertisement, 'Akele hoti hai har nai shuruaat.
Agar shakti hai pass tumhare to zammana dega saath.' (Every new
beginning is made by an individual. Others will follow if you have
thepower.)
By making the buyer of a Hero Puch a pioneer, the advertisement
tried to change the schema of the existing behaviour pattern (Figure
7.3). You change the landscape rather than crowd the position
everybody is rushing into. Thus by changing the frame of reference,
you makeothersitesasattractive.
Can you recall the Zara sa Rin advertisement that was aired some
Creative Working of the Factor

33. Jingle: Hero Honda... Jingle continues: You’ve got a
good thinggoing...
Jingle continues: You’ve got a
goodthinggoing...Hero Honda...
MVO: Fill it. Forget it. (Music
under)...
Jingle continues: You’ve got a
good thinggoing...
Jinglecontinues:Hero Honda... MVO: Four-stroke makes all the
difference.(Music under)...
FIGURE 7.1 (Contd)

34. FVO: I like it. (Music under)...
Jingle continues: You’ve got a
goodthinggoing...
MVO: Gaari ho to aisi... (Music
under)
Jingle continues: You’ve got a good
thinggoing...Hero Honda...
Jingle continues: You’ve got a
goodthinggoing...
Jinglecontinues:Hero Honda...
MVO:Veryverysensible.
(Music under)...
MVO: What a bike! (Music
under)...
FIGURE 7.1
Market-sensitive communication makes Hero Honda the leader

35. FIGURE7.2HeroHondachangingmessagesastheproductmaturesontheproductlifecycle

36. 72
years back? If you have used the product you will know that the bar
melts rapidly. That was a weakness. This advertisement changes the
frame of reference by converting this weakness into a strength.
According to Rajiv Vij, the Senior Product Manager at Hindustan
Lever, the advertisement was a roaring success, because not only
did it make the most of a weakness, it also was suggestive of
economyandpower.
In the same league is a flipchart developed by American Remedies.
Thecompanywas smallinsizebutbigin'thinkinput'.
It had too small a range of products. This is how it changed the
doctor's frame of reference.The following was the line the represen-
tativewas tosaythroughtheflipchart.
‘Sir, efficacy, safety and convenience are the three attributes which
you look for in a drug. That is why, though there are hundreds of
moleculesavailable,youwritejustafew.
'Similarly, Sir, efficacy, safety and convenience are the three
parameters we look for in a drug that we market. That is why though
there are thousands of formulations to market, we sell just a few.
This isAmericanRemedies...'
In any product category where product lifecycles are short, product
obsolescence common and new product introduction rampant,
changing the frame of reference is a very useful though little used
technique. You keep your product's appeal current and alive by
redefining the prevailing schema. This also helps you avoid a
dogfight. Changing the frame of reference is thus one illustration of
marketingpeace.
Promotional Cartelization
The word 'cartelization' has negative connotations. Cartelization
usually refers to price fixing, stock cutting, debarring other entrants,
andso on.
But it offers potent avenues for the use of marketing peace. If you
Creative Working of the Factor

37. VO: Hero naye yug ka - Aamir
Khan
(The new generation hero - Aamir
Khan)
MVO: (A. Khan): Akele hoti hai
har nayi shuruaat agar shakti hai
paas tumhare to zammana dega
saath (Every new beginning is made
alone. If you have the power, the
world willbewithyou)
Music: To zammana dega saath...
(Theworld willbewithyou)
Music continued
Music: Akele hoti hai har nayi
shuruaat...
(Everynewbeginningismadealone)
Music: Tumhare pass hai shakti
(If youhavethepower)
FIGURE 7.3 (Contd)

38. Music:Hero haihero Hero Puch...
(Hero Puch isahero)
Music: Naye yug ka hero. Hero
Puchnayayugnayishakti...
(Hero Puch is the hero of the new
generation. New generation. New
power)
MVO (A. Khan): Aur zammana
degasaath...
(And theworldwillbewithyou)
VO &Music:HeroPuch
FIGURE 7.3
Hero Puch - Beyond positioning. Changing the frame of reference

39. 75
canthinkofanewtypeofcartelization-promotionalcartelization.
Let us take a case. Typhoid can be prevented. There are at least two
companies in India which are marketing typhoid vaccines which can
prevent the disease for a particular number of years. But, unfortu-
nately, typhoid is not considered as serious an infection any more by
themedicalcommunity.
The doctor today has antibiotics that can take care of typhoid in just
five days, with the overall cost of therapy running to less than Rs 50.
Moreover, many of these antibiotics virtually guarantee hundred per
cent results with no relapses. At present, the vaccines are pegged at
Rs 275 (for an oral dose of three tablets) and Rs 400 (for an injec-
tion). Both companies are at each other's throats to prove how their
formisbetter.
A lot of energy is going waste. Can it be fruitfully channelized to
provide the marketers larger gains? Yes, through promotional
cartelization.
How? Rather than fighting each other, if these companies were to
fight the current perception in the doctor's mind that typhoid is not a
veryseriousdisease,therewouldbesynergy.Therewillbesuccess.
If the fact that it is much better for a patient not to suffer from the
infection (though it is controllable) could reach the doctor's mind
effectively, far more sales for these companies could be generated
thantheycansnatchfromeachother.
Teaming Up for Mutual Gain
A potent avenue for marketing peace is co-promotion. The pharma-
ceutical industry has just begun to exploit this area. Companies are
realizing that product usage can be extended to market segments and
geographical areas not being effectively covered if they were to
team up with companies that are strong in areas where they are
weak.
Another area where the concept of marketing peace is working well
Marketing Peace

40. 76
is that of strategic alliances in research, Glaxo and Searle have
formed such an alliance which is working for the advantage of both.
IBM, Motorola and Apple Computers have been collaborating on
the power chip. Hewlett Packard has a partnership with Canon for
laser printers - Canon develops the engines for splitting ink on the
page, while Hewlett Packard develops software, microcontrollers,
customerresearchandmarketing.
Claiming Higher Ground
Marketing peace is a valuable concept because there is much
unclaimed territory in the market today. However, how often do we
indulge in expensive and wasteful fighting to snatch what is some-
one else's? It happens in all industries. Take the example of media.
Magazines the world over have been trying to take on television
channels. However, if a magazine group could instead tie-up with a
television channel to offer special rates to those who subscribe to
both, it could be a win-win situation. Peace! In fact the largest
magazines in USA is one which tells people about programs which
willappearonTVintheforthcomingweek.
Many markets all over the world are in their infancy. Unclaimed
green pastures are waiting to be acquired. This fact is overlooked.
We assume full adulthood of the market. It is wrong to believe that it
is necessary to fight to win. But mostly, one must have the sight, the
vision, to win. With vision most wars can be avoided and precious
resourcesconserved.
The markets are not saturated. Our minds are saturated with
theideathat allmarketingiswar.
Take the example of the Carefree advertisement - 'Dhona, sukhona,
banana ab gaya vo zamana' (Washing - drying - gone is that era.)
(See Figure. 7.4.) Also note how the line 'Akhir unhe bhi to pata
chale ki hum bhi modern hai (Let them also know that we too are
modern) taps into a common Indian instinct of status. It may be
argued that though you are not fighting these categories, you are
fighting others. But you need to understand that times have changed.
Creative Working of the Factor

41. Video:Ayoung girl is being teased about
hermarriage.
Audio: Aur Pooja, naye ghar mein jaa
karapnipuranimausi komathbhoolna
(Pooja, don’t forget your old aunt when
yougotoyournewhome.)
FIGURE 7.4 (Cond)
Video:Hereldersisteradds
Audio: Jahaan itni nayee baaten sun
raheehai...
(Where you’re hearing so many new
things...)
Video:Close-upofCarefreePack
Audio: Ek zaroori baat sun! Yeh hai
Carefree
(Listen to something important. This is
Carefree.)
Video:Hereldersistercontinues...
Audio: Kyonki main janti hoon... Vahaan
nahi chalega purane style ka dhona,
banana...
(Because I know that there the old style
willnotdo.Washing,making...)
Video:Sheshows aCarefreenapkin
Audio: Carefree ek readymade napkin
hai...
(Carefreeis areadymadenapkin...)

42. Video:Aclose-upas she continues
Audio: Jo zyada sokhe aur poora saaf
dryfeelingdey
(Which soaks more and give a clean and
dryfeeling)
FIGURE 7.4
Another example of marketing peace
Video:Sheshows theelasticbelt
Audio: Aur saath main yeh napkin ko
hilneynadey
(And thiswillkeepthenapkininplace)
Video:Thebridetobegiggles
Audio:Didi!
(Sister!)
Video:Theeldersisterretorts
Audio: Aakhir unhe bhi to pata chale ki
hum bhimodern hain
(Let them also know we too are
‘modern’)
Video:Packshortsuper
Audio: Carefree belted sanitary napkin
dhona, banana, sukhana ab gaya woh
zamana
(Carefree belted sanitary napkins... Gone
are the days of washing, drying and
making...)

43. Bahadurbachchonkipehchaan
(Thesymbolofbravechildren)
Antarrashtriya Handyplast
(InternationalHandyplast)
Handyplast
Duniya bhar mein bahadur
bachchon ki pehchaan -
Handyplast
(The symbol of brave children
the world over - Handyplast)
FIGURE 7.5
Handyplast - A medal for bravery. Ingenious!

44. 80
We have moved from the disposable concept of income to the
discretionary concept of income. There is greater purchasing power
available today. Most small-ticket purchases are impulsive. You
don't always buy one thing and then have to go without the other. In
such a scenario, is it necessary to battle head to head with your
competitor?Isn't thereahigherground thatisabovestreetfighting?
Take a look at this ingenious Handyplast 'bahaduri ki patti' adver-
tisement (Figure 7.5). It exploits the fact that every child likes to feel
that he is brave and display his valiance to the world. Therefore, he
uses a plaster even when it is not called for. It is his way of showing
off. The advertisment exploits this and tries to market Handyplast as
a cosmetic - a medal of bravery for the child - without attacking
other products. Marketing peace. (I only wish they used the brand
namemoreoften.)
But, all said and done, marketing peace is a path of great resistance
which is difficult to find. It needs a high degree of creative search. It
needscourage.Bahaduri.
Creative Working of the Factor