M/Six Content+ in partnership with Blush has collaborated with India Gate Foods to celebrate and honour their partners for rising up to the occasion and breaking the gender stereotypes during these hard pandemic times.
Said Ayush Gupta, Business Head KRBL: “Caring for each other, family bonding and rising up to the situation are some of the core brand values of India Gate Foods, which made this association a seamless brand fit to showcase the positive shift of traditional gender roles with everyone in the household a homemaker in the current scenario.”
Added M/Six India Head Saket Sinha: “The initiative strongly ties back to the brand ethos and also seamlessly allows the product to be a part of the story”.
Curated entirely from home, these visuals will be combined with an emotional audio narrative celebrating these wonderful men making this content an ode to all the homemakers, whether male or female.
Committed to making menstrual hygiene products available to all women, Paree is reaching out to women in need and has introduced the initiative #SheFirst because it believes #PadsAreEssential especially during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Talking about the campaign, Sahil Dharia- CEO & Founder, Paree said: “Women are the backbone of our society and the primary caregivers in our families. Yet, she always puts everyone else ahead of her own needs when in fact, she should come first. Our belief that pads are essential for every menstruating woman is driving the dialogue that at a time of crisis, She comes first. As a brand, I want to assure each woman that during Covid-19, we are with you, you can trust us. We are proud to have support from Punjab Police, CII IWN, Rasoi on Wheels and many others. #PadsAreEssential and I pledge #SheFirst.”
Added CII IWN, Chairwoman- Rinki Dhingra: “CII- IWN Delhi chapter is delighted to have collaborated with Paree; whose vision is so panoramic. Women across segments in India have struggled to gain access to the basics, with menstrual hygiene products being the most elusive to them. I am glad that corporations like Paree have stepped in with their foresight and initiative to distribute free sanitary pads to the women workforces who are most in need. CII IWN is committed to take forward and support #SheFirst campaign and we pledge that #PadsAreEssential.”
The campaign is active in cities like Punjab, Delhi and Gurugram through various channels and so far Paree have supplied sanitary napkins to areas across Delhi/ NCR and districts of Punjab.
Adani Group has joined hands with DDB Mudra to salute the frontline warriors with #GoodnessNeverStops. The film pays homage to the workforce at Adani Group for its relentless efforts and unwavering support during the lockdown amid the Covid-19 crisis.
Elaborating on the objective of the campaign, Paresh Chaudhry, Group President – Corporate Brand Custodian, Adani Group said, “This crisis demanded continuous supply of certain essentials so that people can stay indoors safely. Thanks to our ever-reliable workforce, we were able to deliver when it mattered the most. This film is our tribute to our workforce and to all those who are working relentlessly to help bring the country back to normalcy.”
Talking about the concept and execution, Shekhar Pandey, VP – Strategy, DDB Mudra said, “In this unprecedented scenario, there are so many fellow citizens who are putting duty and the country above everything else. This film is our tribute to all such brave hearts who are truly demonstrating the goodness that is inherent in humanity. As we faced various execution-related limitations due to lockdown, we decided to take up the animation route and produced this film totally in-house at our Ahmedabad office.”
ITC Ltd.’s Sunfeast Mom’s Magic recently hosted a virtual musical concert under the aegis of the #StayStrongMoms campaign to pay tribute to mothers, who are keeping their families cheerful and safe during such challenging times.
Elaborating on the initiative, Ali Harris Shere, COO, Biscuits & Cakes, Foods Business Division, ITC Foods said: “At Sunfeast, we believe everything that a mother does for her family is truly magical. These times are a testimony of her inner strength that keeps the wheels of a household running smoothly. To salute and celebrate the spirit of motherhood and tell them that the world needs their magic more than ever; we have dedicated #StayStrongMoms campaign to all the revered mothers. We are extremely grateful to all the artists for magnanimously being a part of this fulfilling initiative.”
Titan has launched a new digital campaign – ‘Make Every Moment Count’ to spread hope and positivity in these times of uncertainty.
Launching a special campaign, Sirish Chandrashekar, Head of Marketing, Titan Watches, said: “Time is relative. Living every moment with meaning and making the most of what one has, are the thoughts flowing through everyone’s mind today. Tomorrow when we are all past this phase the one thing we should take with us are memories. #MakeEveryMomentCount brings that alive with a message of hope and positivity.”
Sharing his thoughts on the campaign, Mahesh Gharat, CCO, Ogilvy Bangalore added: “This is the time to collaborate, make memories, to help, to share. Our teams across client, agency and production house did just that. A brand like Titan leads the way in showing the bright side of things.”
Blackberrys has launched a digital campaign titled #RiseFromHome. This integrated digital campaign #RiseFromHome motivates individuals to strike a perfect balance between personal and professional life while working from home.
Talking about the campaign, Riyaz Uddin, Brand Head, Blackberrys said: “At Blackberrys, we believe that great work happens when done in a peaceful environment, and with a gratified mindset. With work from home becoming a new normal, we wanted to stitch a campaign that instills positivity in the minds of people. Through this campaign we intend to celebrate, acknowledge and communicate the ‘Keep Rising’ story of the audience who are making the best use of their skills while managing work in the most contented manner.”
Motivating everyone to stay put, Fastrack has announced a social message with a series of three videos featuring youth icon Ananya Panday. With this video series, the brand aims to engage with the Gen-Z’s who are stuck at home with nothing but their own company to enjoy.
Said Ayushman Chiranewala, Marketing Head, Fastrack: “Fastrack being India’s iconic youth fashion brand always approaches things in a fresh and interesting manner. With over a month of lockdown while counting more days, our latest #StayTheFIn campaign aims to motivate consumers to stay put, while utilizing the time at home innovatively. Fastrack invites its audience to make the best out of the current situation by exploring what they wish to do to be sane and quirking it up like always even in this scenario. As part of the larger campaign, the brand attempts to ask its target audience to keep behaving responsibly and keep experimenting and Fastrack celebrates this bold spirit”.
Commenting on the idea, Puneet Kapoor, Regional Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas, added: “Fastrack has always been a nimble-footed brand reflecting modern youth codes and pop-culture codes in quirky ways. There’s a bright side to the current lockdown too and we’re seeing a spurt of creative expressions across social media platforms whether it’s culinary, music, dance or the arts. That exactly is the point of these ads asking people to find their crazy groove and stay the f*ck indoors.”
SugarFree has launched its digital campaign – #StayHomeStayFit that urges people to adopt healthier habits during this quarantine period by doing in-home exercises, inculcating healthier food habits and avoiding the unhealthy calories of sugar by switching to Sugar Free Green. This campaign is being promoted through social media and is being executed in the month of April.
Notes a communique: “The campaign has two legs. The first leg issocial-distancing from sugar where Parineeti Chopra, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor and nutritionist Pooja Makhija are seen encouraging people to distance themselves from consuming sugar by switching to healthier options like SugarFree Green. The second leg is with influencers like Rocky & Mayur, Vipul Goyal, Aadar Malik, Raunaq Rajani, Gaurav Kapoor and many more who have taken the StayHomeStayFit challenge and are trying to get fitter during this lockdown by talking about their fitness journeys and taking suggestions from their audiences for diet tips and workouts through their social media pages.”
Communications agency Avian WE has extended its support to the Covid Action Collaborative , a platform dedicated to combining capabilities and resources to respond effectively to the Covid-19 outbreak. Avian WE will support the collaborative with media advocacy, establishing partnerships and information dissemination among stakeholders including central and state government.has
Said Nitin Mantri, Group CEO of Avian WE: “In this difficult period, the need of the hour is to come together and show solidarity. Individuals and organisations from all sections of society must work together to address the public health crisis. Avian WE is humbled to join hands with over 150 strong individuals and organisations, with a reach of over 2 million people in 11 states and 100 districts to do our part in the Covid-19 pandemic. We are confident that through this collaborative we will make a positive impact in our community.”
Added Shamal Karkal, CEO, Swasti: “I am pleased that Avian WE have joined The Collaborative. Like others who have joined, they bring their strengths towards deepening the collective impact and their expertise in integrated communications can be leveraged by the members of the collaborative.”
Brand Engagement is always relevant and more so during the lockdown. Brands are using different tricks for engaging with consumers. Some of them are relevant and impactful, few original and innovative. I believe if there is nothing to say, being silliest is a better option.
The car manufacturer shares tips on how to take care of the parked car. Banks deliver newspaper in your inbox. Antiseptic cream makes sanitisers. Porn site gives free access to premium content so that you stay at home! Soaps shouting about washing the virus and Apps are updating for smoother operations.
Brand engagement during lockdown is part of the strategic initiative in preparedness for the post-lockdown market. Naturally, every brand wants to be on the top of the consideration-set whenever markets open. So, they need to keep the brand connect alive through brand engagement. It is known that the brands engaging the consumers now are most likely to emerge as the front runner post-coved scene.
BRAND ENGAGEMENT
It was interesting to see Durex playing mindgames in its territory. The brand also suggested an innovative way to help out the audience like using it to cover the finger while pressing buttons in the lift.
On the other level, DOVE went ahead to celebrate the Beauty called Courage. It remains credible as the brand is operating within its pre-Covid coordinates defined by inner beauty.
Consider, ‘TAKE THE LOAD’ by Ariel, and it falls in place. The brand is continuously thinking of engaging consumer in different ways and situations. It is an attractive proposition, but I have a problem with it. The brand still addresses housework as a woman’s load. I will discuss this some other day.
Keeping the conversation going during such a crisis is a sensitive area. Some brands have learnt their lessons the hard way. The strategy and the message must remain incomplete internal and external sync. The brand can not have different visible standards or expectations across geographies, product lines and services, internal or external.
BRAND ENGAGEMENT – A TWO WAY STREET.
The brands must realise that ‘The consumer will treat you exactly the way you treat them during this period of crisis’. Remember, we live in an era of information democracy, and it is driving everyone crazy. Once the message is released in the public domain, you no longer are in control. If you are in the arena to commercially exploit the situation, your life will become miserable, sooner than later. At the same time, it is a beautiful space for brands with real purpose and empathy in engaging the audience.
BRAND ENGAGEMENT – PLAY WITH RELEVANCE.
During the crisis, sometimes it is best to remain silent. The well-informed consumer is aware of the situation. Brands are looking towards contactless delivery, but it still is no time for impact-less irrelevant engagement.
The consumer’s transactional deal is restricted to the brand delivering the best at a reasonable price. Or the brands are playfully engaging the consumer while sending a positive, relevant message of importance. Just like the various brands supported Social Distancing by playing around with their logo’s.
BRAND ENGAGEMENT – BE SIMPLE.
One of the compelling ways beyond talk play and intent is to act the intention. Let sharing of the news surrounding the Brand Act be amplification, instead of trying to send out a video in the social space. However, when brands move beyond transactional arena to show their soft touch treating consumers as part of the extended family, the equation shifts from being purely a stakeholder to an active partner. It required empathy, care, understanding and being sensitive to the ecosystem. The brand needs to understand the covert -overt needs and continuously re-defined expectations. It is a tough and risky territory to walk. The brands that see it as only a commercial leveraging opportunity, they fail to understand the double-edged dimensions and in effect do more wrong than the right to their image.
BRAND ENGAGEMENT – ACCEPTANCE COMES WITH RELEVANCE.
Such situations like coronavirus and the lockdown demands that the brands demonstrate care and empathy. However, there is an un-stated boundary between compassion and pity. The brand operating within the bandwidth of experience and tonality have higher chances to succeed.
Mumbai police use of citizen vigilance for Stay Home campaign makes sense. People relate to it, knowing that ultimately police can do that much only. They emerge as a partner- as a peer.
Nearer home, Surf team remains true to the thought Daag Aache Hai. And extends it with Daag Bhai Ghar par Rahenge. The brand extends engagement by sharing fun activities for home on Instagram.
Now, this was brilliant as it came well in the early phase when people were still thinking about how to manage work. It works for Sony It works as the scope remains restricted to helping the daily wage earners in the film and television industry. But what is the Kalyan Jewellers link?
When EMIRATES tells you to stay home and assures with positivity that we will fly soon, you like the approach and the tonality. They are, in fact, not making any new point.
https://youtu.be/IRoAQ3dmOUw
On the other side, when UBER uses a similar tone to thank you for not using them, it seems forced. It is the result of earlier experience and perception of the brand ethos, culture and expectations.
Vodafone used both their famous hugely loved mascots, the ZOOZOO and the PUG to deliver the message. The Pug communication still has something going for it, but the ZooZoo fails to impress.
ASIAN PAINTS keeps the tone of voice consistent in ‘Jab Ghar Mai Saab Ho Toh Ghar khilkhilata hai’, #stayhonestaysafe. It remains within known brand coordinates using a picture of everyday life. Similarly, TATA SKY talks about ‘Ghar Baite Kuch Seekhe’. It is an example of excellent connect with its known educative and activity-based channels.
BRAND ENGAGEMENT – CAN ALWAYS MOTIVATE.
And when there is nothing -nothing to say and the brand still wants to keep the conversation going. They fall back on positivity to keep people motivated, usually with a dose of singing and celebrities.
When you overstretch and try being arty like HUL. It snaps because of a hyper stretch. It fails to evoke similar emotions.
However, when Mahindra says,- Some wheels will keep moving, you relate to it. And the treatment makes you feel so much better.
BRAND ENGAGEMENT- AUDIENCE AWAIT ACTION.
Though travel is a bad word during the lockdown, I was looking forward to engaging relevant and sharply focussed communication from Samsonite. It had reoriented its coordinates when they made the earlier communications including the one during Kerala floods. It will be a waste of a marketing opportunity if Samsonite does not subtly engage the audience in this crisis.
……………………
BRAND ENGAGEMENT- LIGHTER MOMENTS.
On the side, the crisis also made room for some absurd but thoroughly enjoyable videos. The one that is my favourites features Shekhar Gupta and @HoeZaay. He tries explaining the concept of tomorrow in a Swami Nityanand style. Shekhar Gupta may not need new audiences – but this viral must have worked for him.
Voltbek Home Appliances has launched its latest digital video film – “#IAmEnough”. Launched on the occasion of Mother’s Day, the campaign is a tribute to mothers who make invaluable sacrifices and embrace multiple roles in order to raise their children, especially during this period of lockdown.
Remarking on the campaign, Jayant Balan, CEO, Voltas Beko, said: “At Voltas Beko, we pride ourselves on being the ‘partners of everyday happiness’, especially for mothers across India, as we understand their requirements for convenience and efficiency. On this occasion of Mother’s Day, we have once again partnered with one of India’s biggest mom communities to identify and celebrate the unparalleled commitments by mothers and urging all of them to believe in the simple self-affirmation, #IAmEnough.”
Added Prasenjit Basu, Marketing Head, Voltas Beko: “While Mother’s Day is celebrated every year, it is very unique this year, considering how mothers are nourishing their families during this period of lockdown. Single mothers across the country are working without a break, way more than most others – in progressing their career, and in taking care of their homes and families. For the conceptualization of this film, we partnered with a community of mothers to understand their unstated requirements. We hope this acts as a thought-starter and sensitizes the society as well.”
Talking about the digital DVC, Parul Ohri – Chief Editor, Momspresso, said: “This is a film which will strike a chord with every mother who has ever second guessed herself or been judged by the world – and which one of us hasn’t! Just like in our film, sometimes it takes your child doing something simple, yet so remarkable, for the belief to hit you in a rush, “Yes, I am enough!” A belief that becomes even more critical at this time of lockdown, when mums need to see that their children are just happy being with them, secure in their love and enjoying the unique time they have got together.”
GSK Consumer Healthcare’s antacid brand Eno has launched a digital campaign that went live in two phases. Phase 1 was centered around occasions like working from home and reduced physical activity with two digital films titled ‘Stay @ Home: Food Cravings’ and ‘Stay @ Home: Food Experiments’ that highlight the change in eating habits and food experiments at home being witnessed in todays time, which could potentially result in acidity.
Said Naveed Ahmed, Area Marketing Director-Wellness, GSK Consumer Healthcare: “Taking into consideration the emerging consumer trends of frequent snacking and reduced physical acitivity – driven by people being confined to their homes, our latest campaign enables people to indulge in their food cravings and experiments without having to worry about acidity. We have consciously choosen a humourous approach, inline with the brand personalibty of Eno, to build a connect with our audience and communicate our message effectively.”
Said Ayush Gupta, Business Head KRBL: “Caring for each other, family bonding and rising up to the situation are some of the core brand values of India Gate Foods, which made this association a seamless brand fit to showcase the positive shift of traditional gender roles with everyone in the household a homemaker in the current scenario.”
Curated entirely from home, these visuals will be combined with an emotional audio narrative celebrating these wonderful men making this content an ode to all the homemakers, whether male or female.
Committed to making menstrual hygiene products available to all women, Paree is reaching out to women in need and has introduced the initiative #SheFirst because it believes #PadsAreEssential especially during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
SugarFree has launched its digital campaign – #StayHomeStayFit that urges people to adopt healthier habits during this quarantine period by doing in-home exercises, inculcating healthier food habits and avoiding the unhealthy calories of sugar by switching to Sugar Free Green. This campaign is being promoted through social media and is being executed in the month of April.
Brand Engagement is always relevant and more so during the lockdown. Brands are using different tricks for engaging with consumers. Some of them are relevant and impactful, few original and innovative. I believe if there is nothing to say, being silliest is a better option.