The CMO and the CEO were seated across each other in the oak-panelled, false ceiling, focus light inserted, frozen board room replete with the new state-of-the-art touch screen and all the paraphernalia that came with it to make it 'smart'. The highly polished rosewood round table (reminiscent of Arthur’s knights hungover) perfectly mirrored the emotions wright alight on both their visages. Amul’s buttered knife could cut through the tension!
Why so much angst, you ask? Well, they were experiencing extreme FOMO! In the whole brand sparring happening between their two archrivals, their brand had been woefully left behind! All their consumers and their brethren were seated with their popcorn and thoroughly enjoying this game of wits. There was a rise in sales, TOM, brand equity scores, conversions, impressions for both the partners, so high was the interest. Consumers were hedging bets, the lines were drawn, loyalties were being created, what more could the brands have asked for?
In English, the dictionary meaning of the verb 'To spar' is to intelligently banter albeit in a friendly fashion.
In the wonderful world of advertising & marketing, sparring is a fascinating tool that can be used in the most transcendable way conceivable to mankind. Copywriters, art directors and brand managers can literally go 'loco' in their rebuttals. Remember it’s all done in jest and good humour. It’s 'friendly'. The avatars they are donning are not unlike those of rappers in a battle on stage complete with their disses and jibes. The brand teams are the Tupacs, the B.I.Gs, Drakes and Lamars! It is literally that fun! And you thought business is all suits! Huh!
It's ingenious really as it builds both the sparrer brand and the sparree brand alike. It creates the category. It constructs a loyal customer base and it crafts a habit, often for life.
Let’s take a walk down brand memory lane. The first ever Brand Spar was witnessed in the late 19th Century by you guessed it right – The Cola Wars. Pepsi started it really by going up against Coca Cola and well the rest is history, really. They are still at it, in every corner of the planet, offline and online, at every event, on every platform, at every moment, occasion, festival or the lack of it. And who won? Both, aren’t they still category leaders?
This witty sparring was done beautifully in the 80’s by luxury car manufacturers Audi and BMW in an intelligent wordplay using chess metaphors and later literally doing a super diss by paying rather mean-spirited congratulatory messages while slyly blowing their own horn, of course in a very 'friendly' manner, of course.
There are some cult classic beloved nemesis brands – McDonald's and Burger King, Apple and Samsung and as consumers we love it, look forward to it and consume their rebukes with such bated breath.
Closer in time and space, who in India can ignore the most important apps in our lives – Swiggy and Zomato. These guys have literally captured the nation’s imagination across metros, non-metros, tiers 1 & 2 alike (how could I not mention their reach, come on now!) with their non-stop banter, one-upmanship with superb penmanship on social media and outdoor alike. Who can forget their showmanship with the Zomato founder making a beautiful 'unassuming' lovable appearance surprisingly on one of India’s highest TRPed shows, Kapil Sharma. As Swiggy IPO'es, Zomato torpedoes upwards as well, intelligently capitalising on this opportune moment with its mushy wishes to Swiggy 'You and I in this beautiful world…' Well done, both! It’s a win-win-win for all parties involved – Swiggy, Zomato and us, the consumer! And we are being highly entertained as well as getting an additional discount at check-out. Whoa! This is Brand Sparring at its finest!
Speaking of the new titans, Blinkit and Instamart have had their own little thing happening on the side where one speaks of 10-minute delivery, while the other speaks of good things taking time!
All of these brand spars/wars/clash of the titans/friendly banter or one might even say secret strategic alliances or must I say dalliances (giggle) have led to extremely clear data-driven outcomes. The Swiggy-Zomato spew generated over 120 million views and counting collectively. The quick commerce market grew 25 per cent year-on-year in 2024, with Blinkit and Instamart commanding over 70 per cent of the market share. Blinkit’s cheeky Twitter campaigns like offering free deliveries 'before your chai cools down' spurred engagement while Instamart’s strategic expansion into tier-2 cities solidified its position as a household name. Blinkit’s Twitter campaigns boosted app downloads by 15 per cent in October 2024. Social media posts from feuding brands consistently outperformed standalone campaigns, with engagement rates up to 20 per cent higher.
So, what is the future of brand spars asked the bewildered CEO to the CMO (who was upset with not having jumped the spar bandwagon!)
Well, in my opinion as our consumers grow savvier, the brand spars of the future will likely emphasise authenticity, sustainability and hyperlocalisation. Brands will have to balance humour with substance, ensuring their campaigns resonate with both online and offline audiences. And that’s what we will do now, don’t worry. Look at Amul, it is the master of the sparring game, literally buttering everyone up so wonderfully and wittily!
Honestly, whether it’s Swiggy vs Zomato, Instamart vs Blinkit or any other rivalry, one thing is clear: brand spars are here to stay. With their blend of creativity, wit and strategy, these battles don’t just entertain; they shape the way our consumers connect with our brands that fuel their daily lives.
Let’s hop on then, my dear CMO. The CMO secretly chuckled. He felt like a gladiator, ready to enter the hallowed arena. Let the games begin!
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