Freebie - A Double-Edged Sword!

The freebie has always been an important weapon in the arsenal of marketers to entice new customers as well as to retain existing patrons. It is also one of the most potent tools used in building brands. However, it is important to recognize 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 super market. 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… but the quality of the pencil box was so pathetic, it was actually unbelievable that an iconic brand like Horlicks would want to associate itself with anything so appalling. It looked “cheap”, the plastic edges of the box were really sharp and dangerous for a child to handle… and the wheels came off the second my son nudged it!

While on one hand a well-researched freebie can help enhance brand value and create/cement brand loyalty, on the other hand a poorly selected freebie has the power to dent brand credibility assiduously built over several decades.