Bisleri tries multiple avenues to prove #HarPaaniKiBottleBisleriNahin

'Ek Bisleri Dena' is a common phrase that's both a boon and bane for the brand, prompting them to put across a clear message that #HarPaaniKiBottleBisleriNahin.

Just like Xerox is synonymous to photo-copying and Colgate has a stronghold among toothpaste, Bisleri has become a common term in the world of packaged water. This conception has helped the brand strengthen its brand image, giving it a leg up among consumers. However, with such a response, copies of the brand have bloomed across the spectrum, a market share threat and perception risk the brand cannot afford to neglect. They have tried to leverage their media presence to stay relevant and counter fakes along the way. #HarPaaniKiBottleBisleriNahin is a part of the efforts.

Bisleri's marketing strategy involves broadcasting commercials to strengthen brand recall. This year, major spends were made on advertisement spots during cricket matches, including the OTT space. The brand often ties-up with marathons, college festivals and sporting events — spaces where they can leverage the hydration brand tag. Sponsor partnerships, especially on TV, too are a big plus as the reach helps reiterate the message and can be leveraged in the digital space too.

In the OOH space, hoardings often go up in the eight top-tier cities in the country, especially during the summer season, when the frequency of TV commercials to rises. Visibility of the brand at local shops is one of the biggest segment they work on under marketing mix as that is the ultimate space where sales happen.

In a category as universal and homogeneous as bottled water, differentiating between locals and brands becomes difficult for consumers, says Anjana Ghosh, Director, Marketing at Bisleri International Pvt Ltd. She explains, "Although consumers ask for Bisleri, they eventually settle for any bottle of water handed to them by the retailer. The last mile truth here is at the retailer level, where the consumer is often given whatever the shop-keeper fancies. Additionally, the paradigm of being identified with the category, though is an advantage, has posed a big challenge for us."

This is how and why 'Har Paani Ki Bottle Bisleri Nahi' was brought into the picture. This campaign aims to address these issues and reinstate the trust of the consumers, as well as seal the preference for the brand. "We are sure that this campaign will not only address the counterfeit product issues but also translate into annual sales growth of the business," Anjana tells us.

To tackle the issues of fakes on the ground, Bisleri introduced dual language labels across the country, and across different pack sizes. Anjana tells us, "Labels in local languages are not only emotionally appealing to consumers as it helps them read and understand the language they are most comfortable with but also help them spot the difference between fakes and look-alike from the original Bisleri."

Also Read: What do I communicate with my consumer every time? Water is water after all: Anjana Ghosh, Bisleri

Bisleri’ s latest brand campaign, while being heavy on the ATL and digital mediums, is backed by supporting BTL point of sale materials planted at the retailers and modern trade outlets to act as a reminder, that, #HarPaaniKiBottleBisleriNahin.

Unfolding #HarPaaniKiBottleBisleriNahi

With the help of TVCs and supporting tweets tagged #HarPaaniKiBottleBisleriNahin, that talked of the purity, hygiene and premium quality of Bisleri, the brand seeded the campaign's communication on Twitter. Efforts were made to stay in tune with the trends and facilitate the creation of memes around the concept.

According to the brand, they did not involve any paid seeding or influencer umbrella promotions for #HarPaaniKiBottleBisleriNahi. The team kept track and acknowledged every tweet/post to make people feel heard. "Our social media team is closely monitoring all the conversations on socials to map the trend and actively reach out to consumers," says the brand.

But the question is, will this campaign help brand in fighting counterfeit products or they might lose on the strong recall brand has with packaged water.