FieldTurf (India)

A Marketing Communications Strategy

August 2004
 CONTENTS

• THE OPPORTUNITY
- A summary of brand strategy.

• THE ADVANTAGE
- A summary of the creative work.

• THE CREATIVE DIRECTION

- The actual creative work.

• THE MEDIA VEHICLES

- A summary of the media strategy
THE OPPORTUNITY
A summary of the Brand Strategy
WHO is the current primary target,
in demographic and psychographic terms?
Primary 1:
• Heads of sports bodies in Govt and Corporate sector, elite
sports clubs,
• Essentially in Soccer, Golf, Rugby and Field hockey
• Ones who believe better facilities create better performances
• People who invest in the future
• Well informed technically, path breakers, risk takers, normally
champions or ‘wannabe’ champions
• Believe that they are fund-strapped, have access to funds but
need to be convinced on cost
Primary 2:
• Professionals in the field of environment aesthetics - real estate,
architecture, …development and designing
• Males and females, 25+ years of age, influencers, creative
• Mainly in the metros and mini metros
• Open to new ideas that increase aesthetics, functionality of
work, adding value to their reputation
• Positive thinkers, risk takers and decision makers
• ‘I introduced the concept first’ - egoistic
• ‘Forget about the cost, if you want class you pay for it’
Primary 3: (Institutional)
• Key decision makers in the government and private sector
• (MCH, HUDA, Housing Development Corp, Elite private housing
projects, College campuses, Elite schools, Corporate campuses,
Playgrounds etc)
• “I have the money, I want the best”
• “Let us try it out for that elite project”
Secondary: (Retail)
• Upper middle class+, home market
• Keen follower of international trends
• Individuals, predominantly males, with a sense of style

DISTINCT SUB SECTIONS , ALL WITH DISTINCT COMMUNICATION

NEEDS.
WHICH are the others that actively compete
with the brand?

• Natural grass surfaces!

• Cheap imitation grass-like carpets!
• Synthetic turf for sports usage!

THE ONLY TRUE COMPETITION IS MOTHER

NATURE…TO AN EXTENT!
WHERE is the brand in terms of consumer’s
perception ?

“ FIELDTURF? Nah! Don’t know”.

“ I know of Astroturf”.
“ Replace grass? Come off it!!”
“ Artificial! Will definitely be plasticky.”
“ You mean they are all playing on artificial grounds?”
“Sounds too good to be true!”
“Might work in western countries..not here”

BRAND IS VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN. NEED OF HOUR IS TO

CHANGE MINDSETS VIS-À-VIS ARTIFICIAL GRASS.
WHAT is the opportunity, the
marketing aim ?

• Create an awareness among prospective target audience –

address each segment’s needs separately
• Creating a demand for the product in South Asia in line with
business plan

START THE PROCESS OF CREATING AWARENESS ABOUT

AND DEMAND FOR A PRODUCT THEY HAVE BEEN
LOOKING FOR ALL THIS WHILE.
 THE ADVANTAGE
A summary of creative strategy
THE PURPOSE
Why are we running the campaign ?
State the key objectives or reasons.

• Create the brand FIELDTURF

• Create excitement around the brand
• Create an awareness for the brand
• Create a demand for the brand
• Build a strong reseller/ commission agent base.

FIELDTURF HAS TO BE SEEN AS THE SINGLE MOST

VIABLE SOLUTION TO NATURAL GRASS/ SYNTHETIC
TURF SURFACES.
HABIT OR ATTITUDE
The consumer learning on which
advertising can be based.

“The proof of the pudding is in eating it.”

LOGICAL . CYNICAL . WILL NOT TAKE ANYTHING

AT FACE VALUE…HE HAS TO BE LED TO
EXPERIENCING IT.
 THE DISRUPTION PROCESS

VISION
TO BE THE MARKET LEADER IN ARTIFICIAL GRASS
IN SOUTH ASIA
AND A PRESENCE MARKET IN ALL ‘ELITE’ STADIUMS,
INSTALLATIONS!

CONVENTION Why follow conventional

Create media hype brand building exercises for sharply
defined target segments, with a
limited budget?
 THE DISRUPTION

Create the brand through direct

marketing channels.

GO TO THE MARKET IN A FOCUSSED MANNER…

UNTIL THE MARKET IS READY TO COME TO YOU.
 THE BIG IDEA
Or the reaction jerker.

• FEEL the difference

THE KEY IS TO GET EVERY PERSON TO

EXPERIENCE THE PRODUCT.
THE BIG PICTURE
The image the campaign leaves behind.

• Grass! Only grass!

AFTER ALL IT DOES LOOK LIKE GRASS…FEEL LIKE GRASS.

 THE CLEAR POSITIONING
How we expect the brand to be perceived
against the others.

FieldTurf
Looks like grass! Feels like Grass! Plays like grass!

ACTUALLY… EVEN BETTER THAN GRASS!!

 THE COMPELLING BENEFIT
What will the product/service do for me.

Gives you all the pleasures of grass…without the hassles.

BUILD IN FIELDTURF AS A PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION COST.

 THE RESPONSE
When he gets the message, the desired
response we want.

“Exactly what I was looking for. Now I need not compromise

on design or worry about the results and maintenance!!”

AT A FRACTION OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST, YOU

GET A GREAT LOOKING, NO-MAINTENANCE GRASS!
 BRAND PERSONALITY
What long term subjective impressions do
we want the consumer to form ?
International. Classy. Dependable. Clearly ahead of
competition.

THE ‘MICHAEL SCHUMACHER’ OF THE INDUSTRY!

THE CREATIVE DIRECTION
A summary of creative strategy
 Overall strategy

• We have to virtually create a new category

• The need of the hour is to first create awareness and establish our
pedigree – everything pointing to an ‘elite’ product
• Create focused awareness and demand in target segments
• Attract personnel who would like to join the company either as
commission agents or distributors
• Reach each target segment with communication aimed specifically
at them.
• Reach decision makers in corporate, government circles early
enough to enable them to factor in the cost in budgets for year
2005-06

CREATE A RIPPLE EFFECT THAT RAPIDLY ESTABLISHES

FIELDTURF IN SOUTH ASIA.
 Creating Awareness

Mass media
• Awareness ads in specialised interior and architectural magazines
• Awareness ads in sports magazines.

Outdoor
• Specific bus shelters, purely for brand recall

RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THAT THE CREDIBILITY OF THE

COMPANY GOES A LONG WAY IN AIDING SALES.
 Events
• Exhibitions, trade shows that attract the real target is an ideal way
• Event sponsorship is a cheaper method of creating awareness
• Sponsorship of a single sporting event (a small golf putting
competition?) consistently
• The FieldTurf Blindfold Challenge – a sporty, exciting and
adventurous event - aimed at the architect, landscapers
community
• FieldTurf’s Field Goals Contest in a High profile soccer tournament
– aimed at soccer players. Will create tremendous goodwill and
attract attention in a country that is fed up with too much focus on
cricket

EVERY EVENT IS A PREMISE TO REINFORCE BRANDING…AND

ENCOURAGE ‘FEEL’ FACTOR.
 Direct marketing
Direct marketing is a 4 stage process:
• Identify your target
• Get to know your target
• Close the sale
• Re approach the target

DM IS NOT JUST SENDING MAILERS…IT IS ALL ABOUT

BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP…ITS ALL ABOUT CRM.
 INFLUENCING THE INFLUENCERS
• Compile a list of the top architects in the 9 metros, approach
through intro letter, brochure
• Invite them to a stylish select party
• Get an international architect to talk about the brand, endorse the
brand in architecture magazines
• Encourage “feel” of the product
• Incentivise to encourage use of FieldTurf in their newest projects

GET REFERENCES FROM RENOWNED ARCHITECTS

WHO ARE WILLING TO TRY TO INFLUENCE DOWN THE LINE.