The 4Ps of mai bhi Anna

Brand ‘Mai Anna hoon!’

The Campaign launched by Mr. Kisan Baburao Hazare, better known as Anna Hazare was undoubtedly, tremendously successful. Success though is a relative term! let’s for the sake of simplicity assume that this campaign was successful because people bought the PRODUCT OFFERING of Anna’s Vision and so far those who have bought it are not complaining.

Since, We are delving into the MARKETING aspect, let’s look at the MARKETER and the PROSPECTS. The ORGANIZATION here is Mr. Hazare, the MARKETERS are his intellectual supporters, you may like them or not but yes, they are intellectual. The PROSPECTS are the people comprising the Indian democracy.

 The PRODUCT, anything that is offered to the market to satisfy its NEED or WANT, is a vision, a belief that launching the lokpal bill would eradicate corruption from the country. Since the government is not passing it willingly, we, the people have to take up the cause.

The PRODUCT is not the bill, since many people don’t even know what is there in the bill. The product is INTANGINBLE but it’s not a SERVICE. People are buying it because they WANT to get rid of this repugnant corruption, but they don’t know how. Now here comes this PRODUCT which claims to satisfy their WANT. It involves NO DIRECT COST. You can FEEL it. It has HIGH ASPIRATION VALUE. And yes, it is for a limited period. Buy it, it might not come again. Those who did not participate in it even they satisfied their SOCIAL NEED, those who participated in it satisfied a fragment of their SELF-ACTUALIZATION NEED.

Price:

There was NO DIRECT COST for the common people. Only OPPORTUNITY COST. But since the LONG TERM prospective BENEFITS offered by the product were huge, the trade-off was rational.

Place:

The product is basically a vision, MANUFACTURED in Jantar mantar, New Delhi, DISTRIBUTED through Television, through internet, through SMSs, through word of mouth. The DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL was robust and reliable. DEMAND was perfectly satisfied with SUPPLY

 Promotion:

A mire of ever increasing revelations of scams, and here comes a man, 74 year old, challenging the government. The MILIEU was perfect for our PRODUCT LAUNCH.People take this for a fad, but it’s here to stay, Anna goes on to fast for 12 days and PRODUCT DELIVERS VALUE EXCEEDING the EXPECTATIONS. The media covers the story. The luminaries present their opinions. Opposition provides further aide. People from all walks of life using our PRODUCT: filmstars, Yog gurus, social activists et al

 With each passing day, the PROSPECTS get multiplied. Ideal use of social network, Facebook , twitter,  orkut, blogs, everywhere the Anna phenomena. Finally the government succumbs. But Anna claims to fast again if the bill is not passed in an ideal form.

Mr. Anna Hazare is a BRAND today, that too with a POSITIVE BRAND EQUITY. He is known all over the country. Finally the time comes for the government to fulfil its promise; and it fulfils the expectation of the people by not fulfilling the promise. But Anna keeps his promise, the 74 year old man goes on to fast again, the government’s final mistake, it arrests anna and yet he is unshakable and along with him the whole nation .

The entire PROMOTION is repeated, more intense, with more number of people satisfying their needs. The government gives in again. Anna wins.

The 4 Ps not only synergised to cater to the need of the MARKET but the CAMPAIGN had its METAMARKET also ready. But there was another P which added to success of the campaign, the P OF PASSION.