The freebie has always been an important weapon in the marketer’s arsenal, used both to entice new customers and to retain existing ones. It is also one of the most potent tools for building brands. However, it is important to recognise that a freebie can be a double-edged sword.
Recently, we received a car-shaped pencil box as a freebie along with a jar of Horlicks bought at the local supermarket. Needless to say, my “car freak” six-year-old son was over the moon. But I was shocked.
No doubt, the concept of the freebie was brilliant. However, the quality of the pencil box was so poor that it was hard to believe an iconic brand like Horlicks would want to associate itself with something so appalling. It looked cheap, the plastic edges were really sharp and dangerous for a child to handle, and the wheels came off the moment my son nudged it!
While, on the one hand, a well-researched freebie can enhance brand value and help create/cement brand loyalty, on the other hand, a poorly chosen freebie can dent brand credibility that has been assiduously built over several decades.
