Is Air Deccan now being run by an ego ?

Everytime I visit the airport, I get sick. I get sick of realising that the first low cost airline of India - Air Deccan is no more. It is simplifly Deccan or some such name.

It is not only some irrational emotion about my love for 'Air Deccan' but it is also my education that taught me brand marketing communication. In the case of Deccan I see brand marketing tragedy. I see short-sightedness and at the same time high-handedness.

Why would someone change the very established 'low cost', 'quintessentially rural' Deccan yellow-blue branding to the 'rich', 'quintessentially urban' Kingfisher red; unless the reds want to prove a point that they have deeper pockets. And can do anything.

Why would someone change the color, the website, the boarding passes, the uniforms, the badges, the nameplates and all corporate stationery but the NAME; unless the reds want to simply prove a point that they are in control. And the masses need to know that.

Why would someone serve Kingfisher mineral water in a Deccan flight, when the press release after the merger implied that Air Deccan would be treated as a separate brand addressing the low cost segment; unless the reds are managed by shortsighted managers and high-handed supremos always proving a point.

How do I tolerate such branding? How do I tolerate the demise of a great brand - Air Deccan for no fault of the brand?

UTI Bank is still UTI Bank in Goa

Just been to Goa on a workshop... had a lovely time... good weather... Goa is getting ready for the season.... most of the shacks and some of the bars were closed for renovation.... they were changing for the better..... lot of energy and newness was beginning to be seen........

However, UTI Bank was still UTI Bank in Goa...
All the UTI Bank ATMs that I saw in Goa are still UTI Banks.... the irony is that when I came back to my room... their ad snippet was playing on the TV... so much for a 360 degree campaign... look at the article attached....

http://digital.agencyfaqs.com/perl/digital/news/index.html?sid=18802

Is it a wrong media reporting or irresponsible PR from the desk of AXIS Bank...

Axis Bank - What a lost opportunity !!

I started my life with advertising and from then I have been witnessing the fight for marketing budget that marketing teams always used to crib about. Marketing team wants to do so much for the brand through mass media but where is the budget ?

Today I am witnessing an ironic spectacle when marketing budgets have been showered on to the marketing team for a mega relaunch of a brand due to legal stipulations. And the marketing team wasting the opportunity - the once in a lifetime opportunity for a mega brand building exercise.

I am talking about the multi-crore mass media splash being done by Axis Bank - the erstwhile UTI Bank.

The message of the campaign - UTI Bank = AXIS Bank.

I wonder why Axis Bank cannot be better than UTI Bank?

It seems to me that UTI Bank is very disturbed by this development that they are forced to change their name from UTI Bank to AXIS Bank. As if it is a big loss for them. It is a lightning that struck them and they are fighting to say that they are not hurt.

I would have taken the situation to advantage. It would have been an opportunity to claim that we are changing for the better.

I would have understood if ICICI Bank or SBI had made such a claim that they have not changed. They have quite a sizeable share of market to worry about consumer dissonance. But UTI Bank has only to gain by changing for the better !!!!

What a loss of opportunity?