Saturday, March 31, 2012

Brands, ads and consumer


As an amateur, I tend to have big eye for communication, advertising, how consumer will react (my point of view only), Understanding Psyche of people and response patterns. With 6 years of experience in a bit of strategy, branding, advertising which involves agency handling ( both creative and media), conceptualizing promotional ideas and executing it, brand operations ( ATL and BTL) , I have learnt to become a keen observer of advertising. I am itching to share my point of view on following points
  • Gaps in Briefs sent to agency and outcome
  • Media- only about reach?
  • What clicks!


Gaps in briefs sent to agency and outcome

We just want to create hype around merchandise as on savings platform” ……I saw his mail mentioning the same to the agency!

9 days later, agency came up with layout with boxes and product pictures placed in it, headline read” The Biggest Bachat Mela”

Disgusting!!! He told agency, this is what I expected from you? You have been with us for years now and this is the output!!!.....not acceptable at all!

Poor servicing guy tried explaining in detail but in vain!

Looking helpless, servicing guy mentioned, we had been briefed in one line about the thought and that’s it, no detailing given to us in terms of direction of thinking, one word savings can be depicted in 100 ways!

And fight went on!

Since then I learnt the importance of proper briefing (meaning why we are doing his communication, End objective, TG, any emotion that we are using, tone, informing or engaging etc)

Today in over communication world, where every brand is fighting for perception space, Brands needs to be engaging the customer not only informing about their offerings.
I really really hated this new Aircel ad (Lets keep believing is the tagline) wherein they show a kid opening a laptop and engaging with MS Dhoni, Dhoni tells about his childhood days and how he believed in himself and tears in his eyes (clearly fake and story didn’t demand those tears) and then suddenly Aircel logo appears …let’s keep believing!

I would like to get answers on
  • ·         What is to be believed about (Your unmatched offerings, Trust in your brand by your consumerism?)

  • ·         When I thought about brief that must have been sent to agency, it was clear but the outcome, the ad doesn’t tell what brief must have been!

  • ·         Why u had tears MS Dhoni? Believe me Consumers are more realistic today and straightforward too!

  • ·         Aircel-From “world of possibilities’ to let’s keep believing” I don’t know what to say.

I started thinking Abhishek bachchan’s idea ad of sharing violence video on YouTube was much better (
Though again the difference between actual thought and the execution was different)

·         We all believe communication has purposes

·         Seeking attention (watch J K laxmi cement ad where a bikini clad girl is coming out of sea with J K laxmi cement pack shot, No connection with product at all but it has caught all the eyes!)

·         Awareness about products and services ( most fall under this category)

·         Contributing to the life of consumer through its offerings

·         And more!

Media – Only about reach?


“Kerala’s no 1 daily is 32.82 lacs ahead than No. 2 daily…….i was made to read this line with its shouting fonts and animation!

Zee surges to no. 2 spot beating Sony this week !i again I had to read!

My question- is media only about reach?.....where is the content?

It’s not only how many people watching a particular channel  but also what is the content most viewed and why? Is any socio economic culture change is prompting most to view that content? Is it a signal to produce that type of content more?

I admire Sony TV for the way they have changed the content, programs like Crime Patrol, Comedy circus, Tarak Mehta ka Ulta Chashma, Indian Idol, Bade Ache Lagte Hain, Saas Bina Sasural…..all have been differentiated in their programming and TG rather than Star TV who is typically seen as Saas Bahu champion.

In Print we often say, this publication doesn’t give me result, have we tried enough? Does by doing communication in said publication 4-5 times gives us accurate results, its TG takes a long to associate with you, you may be new to the publication but publication has enough years under his belt and what efforts have we taken to engage with the readers of publication, just mere self admiring ad and expecting it will do wonders, short term view?

MTV has only its two shows catering to youth, Roadies and Splits Villa, they do fantastic job of faking thrill, emotions, all scripted but still youth is mad about the shows, flesh shown is also a key indicator, are we moving to west by content , yes we are!

So in my perspective, Reach is not only the true indicator, content of media vehicle, engagement with audiences is the key!

What clicks!


  • ·         Didn’t you love Dhara’s ad where a kid says “Main ghar chhod ke jaa raha hun” then he couldn’t resist the temptation to eat Jalebi made with Dhara Oil

  • ·         Didn’t you love Cadbury ad when a girl celebrates victory when her boy hits six in cricket ground and she dances in the cricket ground ( I love all Cadbury commercials, super connect)

  • ·         Don’t you like Nescafe’s signature tune …ta..tara..ta..tara…ho shuru har din aise!

  • ·         Lalita ji’s surf ad


There is something that made these ads memorable which is instant connect and relatabilty, celebration, humor, background music!

Fancy jingles, weirdness in communication will help only for shorter period (watch olx ads, serve the purpose of anything can be bought or sold on olx but horrible ads!)

Few characters are so loved that people really visualize them in their daily conversations. Bade  and chote from 9xm, Sudd of hasi ke favaare, Jeevan mein cinema ke faayde,Kamla ka Hamla, Actor calling Actor.

I see so many hoardings on WE highway from Bandra to Goregaon, sometime I wonder a single person must be exposed to thousands of times in brands shouting “ I am the best”

Communication connects when we connect (simple yet not simple)

World’s greatest brands have invested for years to get desired results, and you want everything instantly?? Good things take time and idea is to follow the path, if we measure everything on numbers and conclude our opinions, we will crash in sometime or the other!

Have another blog to write, my point of views only, share yours!

Vikas Sachdeva

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