Remember the days when our dads would take our whole family for shopping at that same old supermarket? Our mums would then proceed to stock up on all items in bulk for each and every one of us, without even needing to ask what we would prefer.
Compare those days to where we are now, where we are bombarded with a plethora of choices in every direction even before we enter the super market. There is just so much to choose from, that we are sometimes lost in making decisions for which particular product to go for; so much so, that the Saudi consumer of the past used to be called as ‘Rich in consumer spending but poor in product exposure’, owing to high levels of disposable income but below average product connect.
Well, not anymore, like most GCC countries, consumer purchasing trends have evolved rapidly in Saudi Arabia. Your average Saudi shopper previously used to being crowded in the middle of different international, regional and local products all vying for attention, can now make informed decisions based on ‘real connection’. The marketing phenomenon of ‘brand talking’ has ensured that the average Saudi consumer is now making conscious decisions to select a particular brand product based on direct engagement, appeal, and information. The exposure and connection level between a particular brand and the consumer has also risen via the advent of various marketing strategies taking advantage of social networking platforms, all much different from conventional advertising options of commercials, peer recommendations, and billboard advertising, among others.
Brand Talking, the technique of having actual dedicated brand representatives and/or promoters engaging with a potential consumer, has shown to not only create increased levels of brand awareness and brand recognitions, but also increase the chances of brand recall, and influence shopping behavior. Brand talking targets its audience for consumer consultation and engagement as they pass by the shelf in-store. This creates opportunities for brands to connect with their willing consumer, to get firsthand feedback. Brand talking also has other added advantages over conventional marketing strategies, since direct consumer engagement allows a more personalized touch for the consumer through verbal communication. No amount of ad-banner of leaflets can answer customer queries the way humans can involve in direct dual communication. In the KSA, the promotion of brand talking is still in its primitive stages; to develop it further would involve extensive promoter training, since deep product knowledge of the promoter is an essential pre-requisite for them before the engage with potential customers.
Most hypermarkets such as the Panda’s & Danube’s of Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam are now filled with brand talking promotions. Brand talking promoters enhance and strengthen the consumer-brand relations and create memorable memories in the long run.
So, next time, when you want your mum and dad to select the brand you are selling, and if you want your product to stand out from the clutter, stop chatting and use brand talking.
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