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What do all these lines have in common? They are the marketing punch lines for all the big corporate names local and
international. I apologise to those who are working in some other companies, but I did not put their names here ;)

All year round, day-in and day-out, we are being exposed to a zillion brands trying to impress us (consumers) with their
marketing lines, advertizing copies, attractive ads on TV, Radio, Billboards, Newspapers, Magazines and what not. You
name it, and there they will be....ready to grab whatever attention they can from you to hammer their brands into your
minds.

So what exactly is this Brand War and why does it invoke marketing to such an extent that we have almost become a
victim to it?

  
By nature, human being is adventurous. Its in our blood and it all started with Adam, who couldn't help himself eating the
Forbidden Fruit. So the fact is that we as consumers like to try new things and do experiments with an inquisitive mind to
just try HOW IT FEELS. And this has always been the start of every new experience that we gain.

This human quality of experiencing and trying something new gives companies the confidence to offer us new things,
knowing that WE WILL TRY. It¶s only after once we try a product that we make up our mind for a repeat consumption of a
product or service. BUT THE PUNCH LINE FOR THE TRIAL IS, KNOWLEDGE OF THAT PRODUCT. Unless we know that a new
product is available in the market, our adventurous nerve does not get excited to try it.
        
 
 
 
     

Another given is, when a product is launched and it gets clicked and establishes its consumer-base in the market, other
companies also notice it and jump on the bandwagon to share the profits. SO the natural process is, unfulfilled consumer
needs that become the basis for new product launch. If a product is successful, it brings more brands that generate
competition resulting in Brand War.

! "#   "#  "#    "#   

    

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As competition increases with numerous brands entering the market, the market becomes saturated. Think of it like this.

There are 100 consumers, a company introduced a product that got clicked. All the 100 consumers become its customers.
Other companies also notice the potential and jump into the market and start offering the same product with a different
brand name. Now the situation is that there still are 100 consumers and they are divided between 2 companies and with
more companies following, the consumer base keeps on getting divided, shrinking the revenue share of each brand.

Another process that follows this increased competition and takes place at the consumer level is that the consumers starts
perceiving it as a generic commodity without any specialty.

Take an example of Water. AVA started marketing branded water in Pakistan. They developed the market of Treated Water
for safe drinking. As the market for this product (treated water) matured and they started generating good revenues, more
companies jumped in. Even multinational companies like Nestle (Nestle Pure Life), Pepsi (Aquafina) & Coke (Kinley) also
joined the show.

With all these multinational and local brands marketing safe dinking water under their brand names, treated drinking water
has lost its specialty. Consumers have become aware of the treated water (safe for drinking) and do want it. But what they
have started not to notice now is the brand behind it. All the brands, local and international are selling and consumers now
view them all as a generic product and don't attach much value to the name of the brand. Sufi, a local brand is being
viewed almost as Nestle Pure Life or Aquafina. And what's interesting to note is that even in the advertising of these
various brands, we do not see any KEY SELLING POINT being marketed by these companies. They are all just marketing
branded water, nothing more-nothing less.

Once a market reaches this level, we see cut-throat marketing competition as the more exposure brands get, more
chances of it are there to stick on to the consumers mind at the time of purchse. %      
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