Branded...or...stranded?

The last one year has seen the rise of an amazing bunch of small FMCG players who were, till now satisfied with subsistence.

Companies like Dabur have been curing spoiled stomachs for ages poppin Hajmolas, Marico advocating some slimy oil to the regular housewifey junta and teen babes and ending nowhere but losing market share. But what has been happenin in the last couple of years. There is a wave of self-confidence amongst these brands which talk of nuthin but below the line branding, not scared to dent the massive manowars like HLL.

They seem to be following one simple thing which needs, perhaps a basic knowledge of business.
"Selling what the customer wants". If i say these words in a forum audienced by my own friends, i wont be surprised if i hear yawns and groans. Perhaps, some rebel might just stand up and say" Dude, give me something real, no gas please". And i wont oppose him. Cause he is not wrong, but lets see how I believe i see the scenario.

Ever heard of a company call Paras? The one that makes milk. Ok. Give me any one brand you know of from the house of Paras ? Think...

Lets check our brand recall. Of the following brands how many do u think u know or have used:

1. Krack Cream
2. Set wet
3. Moov
4. Recova

And what do they signify.
Which cream was present for cracks in ur feet before Krack Cream "arrived" ?
There are lots of hair gels present in the market. What accounts for Set wet to be the fastest growing hair gel in the country?
Moov has replaced Iodex as the preferred brand for back aches?

What Im trying to say (or rather ask) is that the focus of the company has been so sharp and transparent, that in some big FMCG, while i may sit and use some hazaar market research fundas to justify some gap in the customer profile, after spending millions , I would just conclude that the market served is too low to support a brand (or in jargonized language, no justification for RETURN ON MARKETING) . But then how come these companies who started out as ants trying to reach the elephant's ear are now, at the least, breathing down their necks!!

Its just a simple phenomenon i would call "Selling with open eyes". No great shakes here, but if my friend wants a yellow submarine, or say, a transparent shoe or some supposedly weird thing like a pair of jeans without zippers!!...why not give it to them...but the catch , focus, focus and more focus on what the shoe of the jeans convey to the consumer...

...what did ya say? no one's gonna buy it...or perhaps im the only one whos gonna go for it..i dont know...but the greatest advantage for mankind is that brands are manmade (including God ...for we are supplied with different types of Gods as is comfy for different religions) ....and the power to twist the brand to suit the need lies entirely in the hands of the brand manager ( i would rather call him a brandsman) .. and hence God, as he doesnt play dice..has left everything to man's moulding...just that some brandsmen have gone and done what everyone was waiting someone might do....and some others have been branded out into oblivion.