Brands should never position themselves as price warrior
Cement

Brands should never position themselves as price warrior

Branding is an on-going effort and cement companies have been continuously innovating to establish and offer the best products and services to the customers. Aseem Saxena, General Manager – Marketin...

Branding is an on-going effort and cement companies have been continuously innovating to establish and offer the best products and services to the customers. Aseem Saxena, General Manager – Marketing Services, JK Lakshmi Cement believes that strength, durability, and good services are the three key factors to gain trust and establish a strong cement brand in the market. How has been the journey of cement from commodity to brand? The journey of our organisation in creating a brand out of cement has been quite interesting. We have been constantly progressing towards creating that persona for our brand that our audience can connect to. We were amongst the first to introduce a coloured packaging of cement bag. The journey started by positioning our product on the plank of strength with a tagline of Mazbooti Guarantee. Then we progressed to a serious tone of narration depicting Nation Building with Brand Ambassador Om Puri. People associated JK Lakshmi Cement with that for close to a decade and then we moved to a more emotional campaign - India, Ab Soch Karo Buland. As Brand building is not a one-time task, year on year we have invested significantly in various collaborations. From sponsoring cricket teams in IPL to having sports celebrities like Vijender Singh and Rohit Sharma as Brand Ambassadors to connect with our audience, we have invested in constant brand-building activities which has certainly resulted in JK Lakhsmi becoming a preferred brand in our operational markets. What are the three important attributes of cement as a brand? A cement brand should occupy the awareness set of the consumer’s mind space in a positive way. The first and foremost attribute that comes to mind is strength of the cement. Apart from that durability and finish of the cement are also important attributes. With good product quality, a brand should also focus on the services as this is also brand’s responsibility to provide great services like expert advice, on site guidance, hassle free ordering, on time delivery and great customer service which also helps in building a bond between the brand and the customer. What do you think cement companies should avoid while establishing their product as a brand? We feel that brands should never position themselves as price warrior. If a brand wants to mark their presence in the market, they should always avoid price war and should always focus on the product quality and look to provide augmented product benefits. Also, overpromise and under-delivery needs to be avoided at all times as correct brand promise is the only key to build a chain of loyal customers in any industry and cement is not an exception. Is it necessary to attach a personality to cement while creating a brand? It is indeed necessary to attach a personality to cement while creating a brand, as the benefits it brings are very impressive. A brand personality is something to which the consumer can relate as it adds life to your brand. It engages directly with the consumers on a psychological level, which makes the brand stand out and an unforgettable thing for the audience. JK Lakshmi Cement’s campaign – India, Ab Soch karo Buland is intended to fuel up the audience with motivation. It inspires people to push their limits to achieve excellence with integrity and hard work. It also tells people to never compromise and give-up, no matter what the circumstances are, and to battle with every last ounce of strength. How important is the compressive strength of cement while creating a brand? The ability of cement that to what extent it can withstand compression, is known as compressive strength. Compressive strength of concrete is one of the most important property and it is also one of the most tangible benefits with which the customers can relate to. JK Lakshmi Cement’s Mazbooti Guaranteed tagline is prime example of how much importance we give to the strength of our product. In 2020, we came up with a new campaign – Aa Strength Dikha, which is another attempt to showcase the higher strength of the brand vis-a-vis competitors. This campaign also takes our brand thought to another level by depicting that the strength of Buland Soch is always higher than ordinary thoughts.

Next Story
Resources

Blum India, Hyderabad Hardware open new Experience Centre

Blum India has launched a new Experience Centre in Hyderabad, in collaboration with Hyderabad Hardware. Located in Sri Nagar Colony, the centre offers visitors an immersive space to explore Blum’s globally acclaimed fittings, including soft-close hinges, lift systems, and silent drawers. The centre was inaugurated by Nadeem Patni, Managing Director, Blum India, and Pavan Kumar Kanodia, owner of Hyderabad Hardware. It is Blum’s second experience centre in the city, aimed at expanding reach and offering customers tactile engagement with its product range. “This centre gives custo..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

REC gets CBDT nod for ₹5,000 crore Zero Coupon Bond

REC has received approval from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to issue Zero Coupon Bonds (ZCBs) worth Rs 50 billion. The Maharatna PSU under the Ministry of Power was notified via CBDT Notification No. 52/2025 dated 30 May 2025. The approved issuance includes five lakh ZCBs with a tenure of ten years and six months. These bonds, issued at a deep discount and redeemable at face value, offer tax benefits under the Income-tax Act, 1961—making them attractive to a wide investor base. REC’s earlier Rs 50 billion ZCB issuance in FY 2024–25 was oversubscribed nearly seven ti..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

NACDAC PAT Rises 39%, Net Worth Doubles in FY25

NACDAC Infrastructure Limited has posted robust financial results for the fiscal year ended March 2025, with profit after tax (PAT) rising by 38.97 per cent year-on-year and net worth more than doubling. The company also reported a 33.84 per cent increase in revenue from operations, supported by operational efficiency, strategic project execution, and expansion across sectors and regions.In FY25, NACDAC recorded:Revenue from operations of Rs 485.8 million (up from Rs 362.97 million in FY24)EBITDA of Rs 67.6 million (up 31.93 per cent YoY)PAT of Rs 41.4 million (up from Rs 29.8 million in FY24)..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?