Is it the real you ?

An interesting article in the Chennai Chronicle, which analyses the current scenario in online matrimonial sites, where people have found to fake their profiles and portrayed themselves to be a different “natured” person . One quick look at their profiles in social networking websites such as Orkut and Facebook , and u know they are lying.

Do some people prefer to portray an alter ego in their social networking sites? Do they really turn out to be the real person when u meet them?
whats the validity of a profile in sites such as Orkut or Facebook. Do they really turn out to be the campy,cheesy,humorous,fun loving persons as they have mentioned in their page ? Do they even have an inkling of resemblance with their “About me ” column ?
So why do people lie ? To impress the opposite sex ?
Well little do they know , that if they have portrayed themselves in these profiles , their true personalities,being a little short tempered , moody,shy , and a reflection of their emotions itself is enough to attract a small group of followers

So when do you know the other person is really “real”(If u happen tobe in different cities or country ) ? When do you proceed to allow them to come to your comfortable zone ?

Some people it takes time.Some say otherwise.
I totally accept the “Blink” approach here.
” The power of thinking without thinking”. When you get to feel this gut instinct about them , trust that totally.

So what ‘s this got to do with marketing and branding ?

It directly correlates to the brand promise .

The brand promise is what the customer is assured of receiving as a result of their relationship with the brand and the brand’s guarantee to fulfill a specific need for the consumer and for itself in an ever-changing market.

When you advertise or promote your brand , the assured features,
performance and promise has to be in the exact way as specified through your communication .

When someone buys a Volkswagen , for the safety tag and the air bag fails ,
or the safety mechanism fails to load
When Taj promises you the maximum luxury , and you get to find one of their cots is broken
When you buy a Nike athletic shoes , and it gets torn in a couple of months

Thats called failing to deliver on the brand promise.

Sprite has been a wonderful example , who was quick to catch on this concept
They didnt promise a great rush of adrenalin feeling if you drink it (like Thumbs Up) or the “cool factor” when you drink it. All they promised is ,
A simple drink to quench your thirst and they managed to over-deliver and succeeded big time

Another famous example is Fed Ex. Their brand promise of overnight delivery ,(their tagline reads :When it positively absolutely has to be there !)
and their passion and commitment to fulfill the promise , has given them the edge over others

The 2 immutable laws of Karthik Murali

1) Brands should not try to portray as one which they aren’t
or can never be!
2) Brands should promise less , and over deliver

If you dont follow them , this is what happens !

Picture Courtesy : Tom Fishbourne