Now import substitution is actively developing in Russia. National manufacturers, even among small and medium-sized companies, have new opportunities to express themselves. Following the departure of a number of well-known Western brands, our companies are increasing their activity in an attempt to find a niche for their products. “Most manufacturers were not ready for such drastic changes and did not believe in their own happiness for a long time, so they got rid of the competition for a long time,” says Olga Zhiltsova, associate professor at the Department of Logistics and Marketing at the Financial University of the Government of the Russian Federation.
However, in practice, one has to deal with the influence of various factors: lack of human resources, money for marketing. Customer loyalty cannot be earned overnight. If a person has been buying the same shampoo or skin cream for years, and only from clothes that he liked, for example, Zara, then it is not so easy to reorient him to other manufacturers. “If we talk about food products, shampoos, creams, toothpaste, household chemicals and other consumer goods, new brands become famous within 8-12 months. And stable business income, if everything is done correctly, they will arrive no earlier than in a year and a half. If it is durable goods: clothes, shoes, furniture, then you can gain fame in a period of 1.5-3 years, “said the director of the Higher School of NRU Marketing and Business Development. Rossiyskaya Gazeta” Tatyana Komissarova Higher School of Economics.
When it comes to special products, including jewelry, expensive houses, cars, their recognition will take 3-5 years. It will take more than 5 years to earn a reputation. First of all, this is necessary for high-tech companies that produce various equipment, pharmaceutical businesses, beauty salons – that is, all those companies whose services should immediately be liked by consumers. So, if a girl liked a manicure, she will not only come back, but also recommend it to her friends.
According to Tatyana Komissarova, in all cases, the main role is played by the funds committed to promote the product. Indeed, in Russia there are more than a thousand manufacturers of products or cosmetics. Today, if you go to any large supermarket, then there is nothing on the shelves. And eco products, and organic cosmetics, and Russian perfumes, and even our own car tires. How to deal with all this abundance? buy all? Insufficient money. “Any brand exists through competent promotion. And even when it becomes recognizable, advertising is indispensable. As soon as consumers stop receiving brand reminders from various sources, they forget about it,” adds Komissarova.
Another question is how to make advertising work? The same fashion designers, Komissarova emphasizes, as a rule, do not represent their loyal public at all, that is, they do not understand to whom and how they will sell their couture creations. “People who know how to build a manufacturing facility or make a good one, particularly a drug, don’t always understand where they can find competent marketers, how to build a brand, or how to talk to a consumer,” the vice-president says. President of the Association of Communication Agencies of Russia (ACAR) Alexander Oganjanyan.
“For many years, marketers believed that the most important characteristic of advertising is creativity, that is, the originality of the idea, the precision of hitting the consumer’s problem and the brightness of the images used. We still remember ” not a freeloader, but a partner” Lenya Golubkova, the “Tide” or Boiling operation” and the Euroset billboards, although these advertising campaigns have existed for many years,” says Yuri Marin, an advertising producer for the Moscow agency BBDO, winner from the Eurobest Grand Prix festival and several Cannes Lions.
The expert believes that the days of creativity are over. Advertising is different now. “When I turned to cognitive science (the science of how people work with information), I found that most advertisers are still trying to make advertising primarily visually perceptible. Hence the flashy slogans, colorful bright, addictive music. However, this works a lot not always and often, especially, we do not trust the most notable information. There are other features, for example, the context of the message (an ice cream ad in a hot day attracts attention than on an icy one) and consumer readiness (for example, after the World Cup in Russia, the audience at the stadiums of the Russian Premier League has increased sharply – people only saw the ads, which before never seen)”, explains the expert.
From his point of view, these characteristics can be folded into a pyramid: physical appearance will always be at the bottom, context will always be at the second level, and consumer expectations and perceptions will be at the top. “Before launching an advertising campaign, it’s worth evaluating it from the bottom up according to this pyramid. So physical visibility is necessary, but not sufficient, and advertising will be much more effective if it’s placed in the right context. And if the consumer is also correctly prepared for this, then we can expect a “sales success”, – Marin is sure.
And to restart the once famous brand, as Tatyana Komissarova adds, market mechanisms will be required. “The same Moskvich cars will be bought in bulk only when their prices are the lowest of all that are currently on the market. I in no way assess the quality of these cars. It is certainly worth it. But there is a certain history , which has been going on since Soviet times. I’m not sure that this story contributes to brand loyalty, “adds the expert.
