Simplicity Of Communication Should Be The Most Desired Aspect

Kirit JAsani

If you are able to keep your communication simple, without a doubt, it will be well understood by the target audience. But, it seems this simple rule is not being understood by many advertisers and authorities. Let me take you through one interesting example!

Have you ever travelled from Surat to Ahmedabad using Baroda Express Highway? With the development of infrastructure, entry from Baroda side to Ahmedabad has witnessed a dramatic change in looks. The moment you reach this entry point; you will find a flyover and a straight road. The obvious question arises to most of the travelers is which one leads to Ahmedabad? So, highway authority has marked both the roads with their names. One road direction is marked as NH-48 and another as NE-1.

This is the junction where most of the time you will find a car standing and a driver is looking for help to decode these abbreviations NH-48 and NE-1. He needs to know, which road leads to Ahmedabad? The majority of the times there is hardly anyone to help, especially at night. Now, many people may say that drivers are expected to have basic knowledge about routes and such abbreviation. Absolutely right, but here we are discussing the simplicity of communication. Further, as per the old numbering NH-48 was running in an entire state of Karnataka and not in Gujarat. As per new numbering now Karnataka road, from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, is identified as NH-75.

Now assume, sign boards at Baroda Express Highway entry points are replaced as Ahmedabad and Delhi instead of NE-1 and NH-48 respectively or Ahmedabad Express instead of NE-1 and Ahmedabad National Highway instead of NH-48. Will it confuse any driver? I think no. If your purpose is to help the travelers choose the right direction without compromising on speed and passing from any difficulties; marking both the roads with city name is a better idea. Simplicity makes it work!

So, whether you are developing a signage, a poster, a brochure, a hoarding, a website banner, an e-commerce portal or any other form of communication ensure, it’s easy to understand. If it’s not simple enough, certainly it will not work the way creator has expected.

Marketing lesson in RSS’ move from shorts to trousers

Kirit JAsani

In their three-day annual meeting of Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha, the highest decision-making body of the RSS (The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), decision is taken to phase out their traditional Khakhi shorts. Now, Swayamsevak will wear wood brown/coffee colour trousers. The core reason presented for this change is to remain in tune with the time and trend. This decision also reflects that RSS is very democratic and accepts changes.

Whatever the reason may be, let’s we focus on the marketing aspect of this development. Take a simplest form of exercise, what comes to your mind when you think of RSS? Khakhi Shorts or popularly known ‘Khakhi Chaddi’ would be the answer from most of the people. Whether anyone agrees or not, but these Khakhi Shorts are inseparable visual of RSS. It has stayed with RSS for last 91 years! Till 1940, the uniform of the RSS was all khakhi, both shirt and shorts. The khakhi shirt was replaced with white shirts and then the leather shoes replaced with long boots in 1973. In 2010, RSS replaced the leather belt with ordinary belt. That means the only unchanged element is ‘Khakhi Chaddi’.

Now try to think about other organizations with Khakhi Shorts. Hardly anybody would be able to recall another organization or institute, right? That means Khakhi Shorts are uniquely identified with RSS. It acts as a visual hammer for RSS. From marketing point of view, if the target audience can identify a brand with a particular visual, that brand would enjoy high mindshare and top of the mind recall. If you see someone dressed in White Shirt and Khakhi Short it may induce you to ask, ‘Hey, are you visiting any RSS Shakha? Likewise, this unique association has worked for millions of people in identifying Swayamsevak of RSS.

Now, imagine a scenario down the line six-month hereafter when around 50,000 villages, towns and cities of India have absorbed this change of Khakhi Shorts. Then, a person is passing by you in white shirt and wood brown/coffee colour trouser. Will he or precisely his uniform, inspire you to think of association with RSS? There is hardly any possibility. Because trousers are common in life, shades of wood brown or coffee are equally common. And normally, we do not notice common things. We are attracted to unique. We tend to remember the different one and Khakhi Shorts are different.

Here is the lesson. If your brand is identified with a unique visual or with a particular colour, think hundred times before changing them. The moment you change such unique visual or colour; brand loses its unique identity as well. This loss affects brand recall and ultimately sells register in a long run. Let’s wait and watch what happens with RSS decision?