Brand of brothers: Six businessmen team up to ‘sell’ Delhi locality

Pummy Kaul in New Delhi

It’s got nothing to do with beating down the slowdown blues yet leading marketers such as Coke, Fosters, Seagram, Cry and many more have already logged on to it. It’s an idea that will probably make ace marketers and retailers sit up and take note (particularly those big time ones who are going overboard in their bid to woo that elusive consumer): brand, promote and take ownership of an area collectively to increase footfalls (read revenue).

In a novel move, six entrepreneurs—Mr Jiten Bhalla, Mr Ashish Ahuja, Mr Rahul Makkar, Mr Bhai Upinder Singh, Mr Sameer Puri and Mr Rahul Makkar behind six Delhi based pubs and restaurants respectively —Nothing Authentic, Pebble Street, Mercurries, Mezz/Dawat Khana, Lotus Pond and Zila Kebabpur—have come together and formed a consortium to promote New Friends Colony, a posh locality in the Capital, as a branded and the happening place in town. NFC, that is.
The process has already started with the release of a four-ad print campaign—last week—that clearly brands New Friends Colony as NFC and positions the destination as ‘the place’ for someone who wants to have fun in Delhi.

The aim: to increase footfalls in an area which is fast losing its sheen to its closest and upcoming destinations such as large cineplexes and malls which are backed by large corporate houses and mall managements such as Ansals and PVR.

‘‘The idea is to look a year ahead of the situation. PVR, Anupam Ansal Plaza are the future threats. And before others take a lead in positioning these destinations as the happening places, we want to be there too,’’ says Mr Ashish Ahuja, of Pebble Street, one of the promoters of the concept.

Interestingly, all the six promoters operate in one common industry—restaurant business—thereby making them competitors. Nevertheless all have pooled in their personal resources for one common goal to promote NFC as the happening destination. Each is bearing one-sixth of the total costs—Rs 2 lakh per month.

The investment, all hope, will pay its returns to each of them individually. How: ‘‘Rather than competing on a micro level we’re competing now with the strength of a stronger product and punchier message,’’ says Mr Ahuja. NFC, they argue, has all the tapperings of a premium and marketable product package: located centrally, it targets SEC A1 and boasts some of the best pubs and bars in Delhi. The team goes on to list more than one USP of the destination. Says Mr Ahuja, ‘‘NFC is the one and only place in Delhi where within such a small radius multiple winning and dining options are available.’’

‘‘By increasing the number of footfalls, each will benefit,’’ says Mr Rocky Mohan of Zila Kebabpur. Besides, it also gives the six-member team enormous cost advantage. To each of the six restaurant owner—benefit is almost four fold: while individually each one of them was advertising once a month, now the brand is being seen four times a month at the cost of one-fourth.

Further, to make NFC the most sought after dining option in Delhi, the team have various innovative strategies lined up. Launch of NFC Privilege Discount Cards, offering uniform discount and privileges across six restaurants, organising Sunday Festivals, events and functions such as multi-cuisine buffets, Beer Week, Vodka week, Rock festivals, and others are also on the cards.