MxMIndia

Tag: DDB Mudra Group

  • Ujjivan is now continuously building the railroads for developing a powerful 360 degrees communication campaign for its launch which will span multimedia efforts

    Ujjivan Fin mandates DDB Mudra for integrated comms

    By A Correspondent

     

    In another decisive move aimed at building a powerful Small Finance Bank Brand, Ujjivan announced that following a highly competitive multi-agency pitch, DDB Mudra Group has won the mandate to be its integrated communications agency to work on the transition to becoming a Small Finance Bank.

     

    Taking full cognizance of the brand and marketing challenges in this competitive space, Ujjivan is now continuously building the railroads for developing a powerful 360 degrees communication campaign for its launch which will span multimedia efforts.

     

    Speaking on this development, Vijay Balakrishnan, Chief Marketing Officer, Ujjivan Financial Services said, “After a very intense and hard fought competitive pitch lasting over two months, which saw India’s finest advertising agencies vying for the account, we are absolutely thrilled to have DDB Mudra on board as our Integrated Communications Partner”.

     

    DDB Mudra’s granular understanding of the category during their pitch and strategy presentations, their innovative approach to category creation combined with a highly committed leadership team and deep understanding of financial inclusion and social values is reassuring. We are confident they will ably partner us to launch the small finance bank.”

     

    “DDB Mudra’s past track record of creating powerful Indian brands from scratch and their powerful Integrated Advertising & Marketing Services offerings coupled with DDB’s global brand building repertoire will help Ujjivan create a distinct and stand out brand identity in the competitive SFB space.” he added.

     

    The account will be managed from the agency’s Bengaluru office and will be spearheaded by Sujay Ghosh, Executive Vice President & Business Partner, DDB Mudra South and East.

     

    Madhukar Kamath

    Madhukar Kamath, Group CEO & MD, DDB Mudra Group remarked, “The Ujjivan Financial Services pitch process was perfect. Not just exciting, but professionally conducted.  The interaction with Mr. Sumit Ghosh and his leadership team were truly insightful and educational.   My colleagues and I, are truly excited.   The partnership will be one to cherish.”

     

    Ranji Cherian, President, DDB Mudra South and East added, “We are extremely privileged to be chosen by Ujjivan Financial Services as their integrated communications partner. To us this is both exciting & challenging. We will leverage all our strengths as a Group to build a dominant position for the brand in the marketplace. We look forward to working closely as a team.”

     

    Ujjivan started operations in Bengaluru in 2005 and serves over 32.79 lakh active customers through 469 branches and 8,258 employees spread across 209 districts and 24 states in India, making it the largest MFI (Micro Finance Institution) in terms of geographical spread.

     

    It also undertakes robust financial literacy program and community development & disaster relief programs for customers in collaboration with Parinaam Foundation which is a non-profit organization.

     

  • The hypermarket chain has not only offered best prices on staples through Wednesday Bazaar, but also inspires people to try new foods through its constantly changing product mix

    Big Bazaar leans on ‘Khane Ka Samay’ to push in-store popularity

    By A Correspondent

     

    With Indian consumers undergoing massive change in their lifestyle and shopping, Big Bazaar has taken the onus of reflecting this beautiful change, which is making the daily lives of people better and more enjoyable, through its wide product range. It also reflects the journey of Big Bazaar beyond just great deals and prices into newer and more evolved ways of beautifying every aspect of the consumer’s life.

     

    The Food category enjoys the largest contribution at Big Bazaar. The hypermarket chain has not only offered best prices on staples through Wednesday Bazaar, but also inspires people to try new foods through its constantly changing product mix.

     

    The brand now wanted to reinforce its leadership stance by propagating its point of view on food. It wanted to romanticize food, its role in people’s lives and highlight its services and product offerings which enable a better life through fresh food and delectable meals.

     

    DDB Mudra West and Big Bazaar attempted to reawaken the Indian kitchen with the campaign ‘Khane Ka Samay’.

     

    The ad film ‘Khane Ka Samay’ is an ode to food. The visuals promote the audience to spread the aroma of food, from the kitchen across the home. It propagates the idea that food gives the tinge of newness to our relationships making food time, family time. The tantalizing food shots take viewers’ taste palates on a ride. The film tells stories of families bonding over a freshly cooked meal, of the older generation experimenting with and appreciating new cuisines, and of recipes that reflect the eclectic mix of cultures. The film highlights that food holds a legacy which passes from one generation to another and is an amalgamation of new and old, acting as a bond between the loved ones.

     

    The film is being showcased at cinema screens across India.

     

    Quoting on the film, Sadashiv Nayak, CEO, Big Bazaar said, “In India, food is culture. It is a collective experience. It’s about sharing and bonding, right from the farms where neighbours, kith & kin join hands in tilling, sowing and harvesting of crops to homes, where it is about love, to temple as offering to God. This film reinforces our belief that serving India is about winning heart share.”

     

    Sonal Dabral, Chairman and CCO, DDB Mudra Group added, “In a world of fast food and fast life, we don’t even have time for the most vital act of eating. We rush through food in our small cubicles. This campaign aims to rekindle our love for food by celebrating every bit of this delightful process, right from choosing ingredients to chopping, grinding, mixing, cooking and savoring every bite. It’s an honest attempt to make people step back from their busy lives, take out some time and enjoy their food with their families.”

     

  • The ad film features the star cast comprising of Sayani Gupta (of Margarita with a Straw fame) and veteran actress Archana Puran Singh

    Big Bazaar wishes ‘Neki Mubaarak’ in new ad campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    On eve of the holy month of Ramzan, Big Bazaar and DDB Mudra West have etched a warm and compassionate campaign ‘Neki Mubaarak’ (Best wishes of goodness), which stays true to the brand’s promise of making India beautiful.

     

    The ad film features the star cast comprising of Sayani Gupta (of Margarita with a Straw fame) and veteran actress Archana Puran Singh.

     

    Sayani Gupta plays the role of a medical practitioner named Heena Qureshi and Archana Puran Singh plays the role of a mid-aged lady from a North Indian family. Set in the background of a small town hospital during Ramzan, the North Indian family seeks urgent medical attention for their young expecting female member. Here, Heena who works at the same hospital, steps up to the occasion and chooses her duty over her need for food, after the day’s long fasting. Witnessing this dedication is the mid-aged lady (played by Archana).

     

    The next day, Heena comes for her rounds in the ward. Appreciating Heena’s gesture from the day before, the mid-aged lady and her family arrange a food spread for Heena and request her to break her fast for the day with them. Heena obliges; while eating, she enquires about the baby’s name and the mid-aged lady expresses, “Heena.” Heena’s dedication towards her duty and the family’s sense of gratitude help them rise over their differences of religion and culture barriers, becoming one.

     

    The ad film pulls a slice from the viewer’s life and celebrates the goodness present in each one of us. This multimedia campaign is being led by the ad film and is being amplified by print, OOH, digital, on-ground and in-store & radio activations.

     

    This campaign comes as an extension to Big Bazaar’s ongoing ‘Shubh Shuruaat’ campaign and attempts to touch it’s consumers with ‘Neki Mubaarak’. The campaign further reinforces the brand’s inclusive nature and amplifies their commitment of celebrating the moments dearest to all the customers.

     

    Quoting on the campaign, Rahul Mathew, Creative Head, DDB Mudra West said, “Festivals are actually a celebration of values, but today many of them have just become celebrations. Big Bazaar wanted to use the occasion of Ramzan to celebrate the values that it stands for. Because it’s these values that’ll truly help in ‘Making India Beautiful”.”

     

    Speaking about the campaign, Sonal Dabral, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group said “Ramzan is a month of doing ‘neki’ and performing good deeds is at the heart of this festival. In keeping with its theme of ‘Making India Beautiful’ Big Bazaar decided to celebrate this spirit of Ramzan through a beautiful story about ‘goodness’. We are excited about this campaign and we hope in its own little way it will promote the spirit of ‘neki’ this Ramzan.”

     

  • Subhashish & Shivil will report to Sambit Mohanty, Creative Head, DDB Mudra North

    DDB Mudra North promotes Subhashish Datta & Shivil Gupta as ECDs

    By A Correspondent

     

    Subhashish Datta
    Shivil Gupta

    DDB Mudra North announced the elevation of Subhashish Datta & Shivil Gupta to Executive Creative Directors, DDB Mudra North. In their new roles, Subhashish & Shivil will report to Sambit Mohanty, Creative Head, DDB Mudra North and will be based out of agency’s Gurgaon office.

     

    Both Subbu and Shivil have been instrumental in adding to the creative strength of the agency. Their knowledge and experience have helped the agency grow and set new standards of creative output. Together they have successfully worked on key brands like Aircel, Adidas, Wrigleys, Dabur, McVitie’s, Dhara, Carrier etc

     

    Sonal Dabral
    Sambit Mohanty

    Commenting on the elevation, Sonal Dabral, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group said “DDB Mudra North is buzzing with energy and creating work that’s winning the hearts of consumers and award juries alike. It’s a hothouse of talent and it is people like Subbu and Shivil who are making all this possible. Their new role and new responsibility is a well-deserved salute to their talent, their passion and their energy. Here’s wishing the two all the very best.”

     

    Sambit Mohanty, creative head – North, DDB Mudra, said, “DDB Mudra North has grown from strength to strength in the last two years. Subbu & Shivil have been a key part of this unprecedented growth story. Anointing them as ECDs is an affirmation of their capabilities as creative leaders who inspire confidence and respect. I congratulate them and look forward to more magic.”

     

  • Creates an awareness campaign for WaterAid India and the Government of India

    DDB Mudra Group takes a witty route to promote cleanliness of water

    By A Correspondent

     

    In India and across the world, there is still a significant part of the population which is not able to differentiate between dirty and clean water. In rural India, the villagers still bathe themselves and their cattle, wash clothes and utensils in local water bodies. Often they even defecate on the banks of water bodies, thereby polluting fresh water, which is already on the verge of becoming a scarce resource.

     

    Keeping these ‘long- ignored’ factors in mind, The Government of India and WaterAid India along with DDB Mudra Group created two ad films using slice of life situations to drive home the concept of clean water and create awareness around the same.

     

    The first film showcases a typical North Indian rural household while a cricket game is being broadcast on TV. The villagers, glued to television, keep using use the idiom ‘Gayi Bhains Paani Mein’ (Here goes the buffalo into the water) whenever India misses a score in the game. After a while, an elderly man asks his young son to fetch him a glass of drinking water. The son who was listening to the earlier cribs of the men, brings a glass of muddy water. The shocked father reprimands him, but the youngster cleverly ties the situation using the idiom ‘Gayi Bhains Paani Mein’ and patiently explains, that if time and again buffalos and other catttle get into water, it is bound to dirty, eventually resulting in dirty water.

     

    The second TVC shows three friends talking at a roadside dhaba (food joint) in a rural area. One of them is apparently moving to the city, hence the other two tell him jokingly, that they will miss him and will shed tears in his memory. While saying this they keep splashing water on their faces repeatedly to mime tears and waste an entire jug of clean drinking water during their conversation. After a while, one of them casually asks for another jug of drinking water, the waiter gives them three empty glasses. When they question that, the owner of the dhaba who has been watching them all along seizes the opportunity and calmly educates them on the importance of saving clean drinking water.

     

    Both the TVCs have focused on different and relevant points in a simplistic, yet creative manner. The campaign has extensively been promoted on television and radio.

     

    Quoting on the campaign, Neeraj Jain, Chief Executive, Water Aid India said, “Water is a precious resource and India is one of the most water stressed nations in the world. It is important that this precious resource is conserved and local water sources are not polluted. The PSAs that WaterAid India commissioned from DDB Mudra for use by the Government of India put across these messages in a simple but creative manner. I hope that they are effective in inculcating in all of us the necessity for careful management and conservation of our meagre fresh water resources.”

     

    Quoting on the campaign, Sonal Dabral, Chairman and CCO, DDB Mudra Group said, “To work on a campaign for an issue of such critical importance as water conservation was not just exciting but daunting at the same time. We are really happy that by building on some very deep rooted insights about water, we were able to create work that has successfully connected with our audience and made them take a fresh look at this vastly ignored problem.”

     

    Sambit Mohanty, Creative Head, DDB Mudra North added, “We live in a world where water is taken for granted – more so in rural, semi-urban areas where potable water is wasted and water bodies are used in an unhygienic manner. Our ‘Jal Hai Toh Kal Hai’ campaign aims to sensitize people to treat this precious natural resource with more respect and consideration.”

     

  • At DDB Mudra Group, Rahul will be based out of the agency’s Mumbai office and will be reporting to Rajiv Sabnis

    DDB Mudra appoints Rahul Guha as President – TrackDDB

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rahul Guha

    Adding muscle to the existing senior management, Rahul Guha has been appointed by DDB Mudra Group as the President – TrackDDB.

     

    Rahul has been in the industry for over twenty-four years, and has worked across varied industries from software consultancy, e-business consulting, digital, one-to-one marketing to advertising.

     

    Prior to joining DDB Mudra Group, Rahul was associated with Wunderman International for over five years as India head. Before joining Wunderman, he led Interactive business across WPP, Interpublic & Havas group of agencies.

     

    Rahul has rich experience in strategizing, guiding and successfully implementing digital marketing, interactive marketing, loyalty programs and integrated communication solutions for leading global & local brands. In the past he has been associated with brands like Lacoste, Levi’s, Adidas Originals, Ford, Maruti Suzuki, HSBC, Bharti AXA, Tata AIG, Reckitt Benckiser, Cadbury, GSK Consumer Health, GSK Oral Care, etc.

     

    At DDB Mudra Group, Rahul will be based out of the agency’s Mumbai office and will be reporting to Rajiv Sabnis, Executive Director, DDB Mudra Group and President, DDB Mudra West.

     

    Rajiv Sabnis

    Quoting on Rahul’s appointment Rajiv Sabnis said, “We see immense potential for a data driven agency in an increasingly digitally driven world. Rahul comes on board to lead our growth plans for the data-led digital marketing solutions offered by Track DDB. His past experience on some large MNC/ national brands in IT, banking, insurance and retail are especially critical to our existing client partnerships. Rahul has successfully led Wunderman International recently and iContract earlier, so we have strong reason to believe that he will take Track DDB to a bigger and better place”

     

    Talking about his new appointment Rahul Guha said “I am really happy to join the group and looking forward to enrich the integrated service offering to our existing and new clients. Digital has turned mainstream and it’s a level playing field for every organisation offering services in this domain. I hope, our work will speak for itself.”

     

    Madhukar Kamath, Group CEO & Managing Director DDB Mudra Group, added “The timing is perfect. Rahul is coming on board at just the right juncture. DDB Worldwide has embarked on an ambitious journey to make Track, one of the most respected brands in its portfolio. A specialist data-driven CRM agency for the digital future.”

     

  • He joins DDB Mudra Group after a long stint at Percept where he served as COO, Percept One

    Sanjay Shukla joins DDB MudraMax as Prez – OOH & Experiential

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sanjay Shukla

    To leverage the multi-specialty expertise of the DDB Mudra Group and its senior management, Sanjay Shukla will take over as the President – OOH & Experiential, DDB MudraMax.

     

    Sanjay is a well-known industry veteran with close to two decades of noteworthy experience in all aspects of experiential marketing, entertainment, sports marketing, talent & art, activation and events. In addition to specializing in identification of market opportunities and their conversion to active revenue centres, he has also been instrumental in creating some strong brands across the industry.

     

    He joins DDB Mudra Group after a long stint at Percept where he served as COO, Percept One. Sanjay led the restructuring of the diverse offerings and SBUs at Percept and helped create a single seamless entity, Percept One, that offered greater synergy and operational efficiency.

     

    Madhukar Kamath

    At DDB Mudra Group, Sanjay will be based out of the agency’s Gurgaon office and will be reporting to Madhukar Kamath, Group CEO & Managing Director, DDB Mudra Group. He will partner Aneil Deepak, Head of Ideas, DDB MudraMax in spearheading the agency’s OOH & Experiential agencies.

     

    Quoting on Sanjay’s appointment, Madhukar Kamath quoted, “Sanjay’s track record and credentials are impeccable.   I like his enthusiasm and zeal.   He comes in at a time when the OOH and Experiential teams have won some marquee businesses and also delivered some outstanding work over the past two quarters.   I look forward to the exciting times ahead.”

     

    Aneil Deepak

    Aneil Deepak, Head of Ideas, DDB MudraMax added, “Like in cricket, great partnerships center around people with differing skill sets and a common goal. In Sanjay, I see that partner. As a Mudra veteran, I also respect people with long stints.”

     

    Quoting on his appointment, Sanjay Shukla quoted, “I have always admired the work and the growth at DDB MudraMax. The opportunity to partner with Andee and grow the Experiential and OOH businesses exponentially, is a challenge that I am looking forward to’’.

     

  • The TVC captures this new dynamic and demonstrates how LIC’s Endowment Plans offer both savings and security, so one can fulfil their dreams without any worries

    ‘Plans banate raho, zindagi sajate raho’ says LIC in its latest campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Taking a fresh route towards communicating their Endowment Policies to the consumers, LIC along with DDB Mudra Group has created new campaign with the positioning ‘Plans banateraho, zindagisajateraho.’

     

    With this new campaign, the brand intends to showcase its four different products- LIC’s New Endowment Plan, LIC’s JeevanLakshya, LIC’s Limited Premium Endowment Plan and JeevanLabh in a single compelling story, without resorting to the usual narratives of double benefits (Protection and Savings).

     

    Using a young couple as the center of the story, the brand attempts to communicate the deeper understanding of the consumers which the brand is equipped with. The storyline of the TVC has been built around the fact that in today’s progressive society, the partnerships between husband and wife are increasingly equal in nature; where the woman is encouraged and supported to find her own calling by her husband who is instrumental in this shift. The TVC captures this new dynamic and demonstrates how LIC’s Endowment Plans offer both savings and security, so one can fulfil their dreams without any worries.

     

    The TVC begins with the couple, cleaning up post a dinner party. The husband appreciates his wife’s cooking skills and as they pack the leftovers and the dishes, he encourages her to start her own restaurant. Intrigued but puzzled by the proposal, the wife starts reacting with a stereotypical response, but stops mid-sentence as she turns and doesn’t find her husband around. The husband then walks in with a chef’s cap, places it on her head and reassures her that in his presence or unfortunate absence, she shouldn’t have to give up on her dreams. The spot closes with the line ‘Plans banateraho, zindagisajateraho’ to bring out the benefit of LIC’s endowment policies in the most impactful, yet simplistic manner.

     

    Sonal Dabral

    Quoting on the campaign, Sonal Dabral, Chairman and CCO, DDB Mudra Group said, “There are many ‘what-if’ moments in the life of a couple. Hopes and dreams and yet a quiet fear of those dreams remaining unfulfilled. This forms the core of the film brought to life in a simple but nuanced story of a husband dreaming up plans for his wife, the wife’s  fears of losing him and yet the husband’s quiet confidence of realizing those dreams no matter what. Thanks to LIC’s endowment plans. I’m sure our audience will be as engaged with this story as we were while creating it.”

     

  • The TVC captures this new dynamic and demonstrates how LIC's Endowment Plans offer both savings and security, so one can fulfil their dreams without any worries

    ‘Plans banate raho, zindagi sajate raho’ says LIC in its latest campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Taking a fresh route towards communicating their Endowment Policies to the consumers, LIC along with DDB Mudra Group has created new campaign with the positioning ‘Plans banate raho, zindagi sajate raho’.

     

    With this new campaign, the brand intends to showcase its four different products- LIC’s New Endowment Plan, LIC’s Jeevan Lakshya, LIC’s Limited Premium Endowment Plan and Jeevan Labh in a single compelling story, without resorting to the usual narratives of double benefits (Protection and Savings).

     

    Using a young couple as the center of the story, the brand attempts to communicate the deeper understanding of the consumers which the brand is equipped with. The storyline of the TVC has been built around the fact that in today’s progressive society, the partnerships between husband and wife are increasingly equal in nature; where the woman is encouraged and supported to find her own calling by her husband who is instrumental in this shift. The TVC captures this new dynamic and demonstrates how LIC’s Endowment Plans offer both savings and security, so one can fulfil their dreams without any worries.

     

    Sonal Dabral

    Quoting on the campaign, Sonal Dabral, Chairman and CCO, DDB Mudra Group said, “There are many ‘what-if’ moments in the life of a couple. Hopes and dreams and yet a quiet fear of those dreams remaining unfulfilled. This forms the core of the film brought to life in a simple but nuanced story of a husband dreaming up plans for his wife, the wife’s  fears of losing him and yet the husband’s quiet confidence of realizing those dreams no matter what. Thanks to LIC’s endowment plans. I’m sure our audience will be as engaged with this story as we were while creating it.”

     

  • The campaign is being primarily led by a one minute long TVC film, supported by print, radio and digital activations

    Aegon Life launches 360-degree marketing campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Aegon Life Insurance has partnered with DDB Mudra Group to launch a new integrated campaign that focuses on simplicity and ease of buying its products.

     

    Contrary to other life insurance ads, this multimedia campaign is completely bereft of the usual play of safety, security, emotions and a better future for the insured and their dependents. Instead, it focuses on the efficacy of jargon-free communication, simple processes and easy accessibility. Aegon Life will give best in class customer service experience to its customers at every interaction point.

     

    Shamik Banerjee

    Shamik Banerjee, Chief Marketing Officer at Aegon Life Insurance, says, “With this unconventional take on insurance, we are confident to change the communication paradigm. This campaign stands out from the usual speak of life insurance brands and will bring a renewed vitality to the insurance advertising space.”

     

    The campaign is being primarily led by a one minute long TVC film, supported by print, radio and digital activations. The ad film showcases multi-dimensional visual perspective using minimal elements for bringing out ‘Simplicity’ as the core of the Aegon Life’s ideology.

     

    Sonal Dabral, Chairman and CCO, DDB Mudra Group said, “It’s not just the current life insurance processes that are complex, the advertising too in this category is cluttered and fuzzy. For a brand that promises to simplify everything associated with buying life insurance, it was important that Aegon Life’s communication too was simple and yet had a sense of scale to it. I am truly happy that we have been able to achieve just that with this campaign. I am sure the audience will enjoy it and engage with it as much as we did while creating it.”

     

  • The film has been released in seven languages including Hindi all across India

    DDB Mudra North creates campaign to promote Aircel’s latest offering

    By A Correspondent

     

    DDB Mudra North and Aircel have created a clutter- breaking, catchy ad campaign to promote Aircel’s latest offering- Free Basic Internet.

     

    With the new campaign, Aircel intends to share more internet accessibility with users, enabling them to access their favourite applications such as WhatsApp and Facebook besides other daily use applications.

     

    With an intent to inform the users this offering, DDB Mudra North crafted ‘See You Online Ba!’, a fun-toned ad campaign which portrays a world where people no longer need to meet physically or ‘offline’ since everyone is ‘online’. A complete 360 degree pan-India campaign led by television, digital media and on-ground visibility, ‘See You Online Ba!’ captures a montage of people from all walks of life using internet.

     

    The film has been released in seven languages including Hindi all across India.

     

    Anupam Vasudev, Chief Marketing Officer, Aircel, said, “Even though we see a burgeoning population of mobile internet users in India, there’s still a large number of Indians who haven’t yet experienced the world of internet on mobile. With the boom in online avenues today that make lives easier for millions of people, we, at Aircel, saw a clear need for pushing the envelope on making the internet available for all, thereby fueling mobile internet adoption. Aircel’s initiative of offering free basic internet is a natural extension of this intent, and we’re truly delighted to have the creative powerhouse DDB Mudra translate our message into a simplistic and meaningful ad campaign. We’re sure that the sticky ad campaign will appeal to many Indians and help us say louder, ‘See you online Ba!’ ”.

     

    Quoting on the campaign, Sonal Dabral, Chairman and CCO, DDB Mudra Group said, “Free basic Internet by Aircel is a game changing offer. In its truest sense, it’s the democratization of the internet making the power of the net available to all. An incredible service like this needed an idea that did justice to its scale and importance. I’m really happy and excited that working closely with the marketing team at Aircel we were able to crack just that idea with “See you online Ba!”. The film is highly engaging and the slogan not just catchy and easy on the tongue but is sharply strategic too.”

     

    Quoting on the campaign, Sambit Mohanty, Creative Head, DDB Mudra North said, “Free Basic Internet from Aircel is a first-of-its-kind offering that makes the power of the net available to every citizen and empowers the common man. Our creative idea ‘See you online-ba’ imagines a world where people no longer need to meet physically or ‘offline’ since everyone is ‘online’. With its fun jingle and tongue-in-cheek moments, I’m sure this campaign will be a memorable one.”

     

  • DDB Mudra group Chairman & CCO Sonal Dabral and Partha Sinha, MD, Publicis Worldwide discuss the creative quotient of this year’s Diwali ads

    No Dhamaka Advertising this Diwali?

     

    It’s that time of the year when marketers maximise their sales. Well, they also happen at other festive occasions like Pongal, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri and Christmas, but it’s Diwali where large parts of the country that marketers converge to announce sales and special offers. Naturally, these are accompanied with high voltage advertising and attempts to woo customers. But does Diwali bring out the best creative juices in the ad fraternity? Pradyuman Maheshwari engaged Sonal Dabral, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group and Partha Sinha, Managing Director, Publicis Worldwide in a conversation to discuss this and more.

     

    Would it be correct to say that every year, Diwali sees the best of creativity coming out of Indian advertising agencies?

    Sonal Dabral: Diwali, like any other big festival, is the right platform for great creativity to happen. Whether it happens or not, is the case in point. Like this year, the output hasn’t been as creative as it has been in the previous years.

     

    Partha Sinha: I agree with Sonal, but it’s not only this year. Compared to the average creative standard of the industry, the standard around Diwali actually drops. We talk about multiple dimensions and multiple ways of looking at things, but when it comes to Diwali, it becomes very linear. I don’t know whether it’s a problem with agencies or clients, Diwali [results in a] sea of sameness. I’ve recently tweeted that if you take out the two words ‘Iss Diwali’ or ‘This Diwali’, the industry’s revenues will come down by 20 per cent. Diwali advertising is extremely formula.

     

    Dabral: Because of the emotions attached to Diwali, this is the best time to give out stories that engage, entertain move people. Instead, as Partho also said, all we see is noise and noise. Diwali is not just about crackers and sound; the noise actually starts to happen on television itself.

     

    Or in the newspapers, where you have jackets upon jackets upon jackets. But do you think the sea of sameness that you mentioned is also there in the west around Christmas and New Year?

    Sinha: I disagree there. There is lot of boiler-plate advertising during Christmas and New Year in the West, but a lot of brands come up with fantastic work at this time of the year. Even if you go way, way back, the reason Santa Claus wears red clothes started with a Coca-Cola promo. We’ve had great Diwali ads, but they are few and far between compared to the West because every year, during Christmas, there are at least one or two pieces which are out of this world.

     

    Would you say the reason creativity dips is because the emphasis is more on sales and making people consume more?

    Dabral: Yes, definitely. So much of buying happens that marketers see this as a time to maximise their revenue. With e-commerce companies coming in, it’s becoming a game of ‘how big my logo is’, and how loud can I be. My agency, DDB Mudra, did the Big Bazaar commercial where we talked about fire crackers which create smoke and sound and asked, why not create sound with paper crackers this year? That’s the commercial that went out, and was loved by people. You can have creative solutions which connect with people.

     

    We spoke about emotions earlier. Many Diwali commercials are meant to be tearjerkers. Is there a definite intent to produce these kinds of commercials?

    Sinha: There was a time when every Diwali ad had a mother and a son or daughter who lives far away, and then there is Skype and some laddus exchanged. That was the formula for Diwali advertising. Brand after brand is telling this 30-second story which is soaked in saccharine and nostalgia. There seems to be no search for a new narrative, even though emotions are myriad.

     

    Dabral: Diwali brings families together, so emotions are considerable part of this festival. But the thing is that the people start to take it easy. Again, as Partho said, we are not trying to find a variety of insights, a variety of different stories around Diwali. It’s one kind of emotions being played around.

     

    Do you see a shift towards digital because the kind of audiences you are possibly targeting, are also out there on social media and various digital platforms?

    Sinha: What you are seeing on digital is a sad replica of television and print. They still use those marigold garlands and a little bit of starburst, and the 30-second things are becoming seven minutes long. That’s all. There is no attempt to get into a new narrative or even connect with people over social media in a different manner. Tell me one piece of communication or digital activity that has gone viral this Diwali? Perhaps only Gujarat Ambuja’s Khali. Point is, there is no dramatically new narrative even on social media.

     

    Both of you are masters of the craft. Why would you say we’ve only seen mediocre work during the biggest festival in the country? Why is there no outstanding work?

    Sinha: I think one of the key reasons is too much pressure on clients to reach their Diwai sales target numbers. If you take a little bit of risk, you don’t know whether you’ll meet your sales numbers. So you tend to hedge your bets when your stakes are high, and Diwali stakes are increasingly becoming so. The last two Diwalis haven’t been good, so people are hoping for a better one this time. But they won’t take a chance to connect with audiences in a different way. Whether it’s e-com advertisements or four jackets on a newspaper, it’s all just about discounts: Come buy now, that’s it.

     

    Dabral: I keep reiterating that Big Bazaar also had to watch its sales, but took a conscious decision to find different insights, different narratives to talk about the brand rather than just look out for sales.

     

    And do the multiple jackets in the newspaper work?

    Sinha: There is a running TV joke about this. That the only thing that can survive three jackets in Mumbai weather, is a newspaper. So whether it’s three jackets or two, in advertising and communication, everything should be there for a reason. If there is an idea behind using those three jackets, then it’s fine. But if the idea is simply to state that I’ve got more money and therefore I’m a bigger brand and you should buy from me, then it’s absolutely wrong and foolish. But that’s what is happening. Actually the three-jacket thing is really a marketing success — for the newspaper, that is.

     

    But they are obviously here to stay. Media professionals and agencies are still buying [this space] and advertisers still see some return on these investments…

    Sinha: I’m sure they do. But if you measure everything with the [yardstick of] money — the amount of visibility, or the amount of recall — then you’ll only come up with tried-and-tested things. Nobody is measuring returns on ideas. [In the West] everybody does Christmas advertising, but then somebody does something which is dramatically different. Then they get disproportionate impact on their brand and sales. If you go to the West, nine out of 10 ads look exactly the same during Christmas. It’s all about 30 per cent and 20 per cent off, and buying one to get two free. Increasingly, I think it will change; we will have landmark Diwali ads.

     

    Dabral: There is also a question of budgets. How much time and money are you ready to put into a certain piece of advertising? People have to step back and start to find newer, better insights and to see whether by doing these short-term, loud, ‘sale’ kind of ads, is you are building your brand. Or are you getting lost amid so much of noise, as is already happening

     

    Sinha: That’s a good point. The brand has to answer that question. Do you see Diwali as a tactic to get in there and get out quickly because people are in a spending mode? Or do I see Diwali as an opportunity because people are in a different frame of mind – they are happier, and [therefore able] to connect with things — that I use this opportunity to build a stronger affinity for my brand and turn it into successful sales? Many times, the answer to this question will determine what kind of communication will happen. One more thing. To cite a classic example, people believe to push a blunt nail into the wall requires a really large hammer. That’s what they are trying to do, rather than make the nail sharper. If you make the nail sharper, that is, with really good communication, you’ll need a smaller hammer.

     

    Thanks Sonal and Partha, and a Happy Diwali to you!

    Happy Diwali! And may we have really good advertising.

     

    A shorter version of this appeared in dna of brands on November 9, 2015. Catch the chat with Sonal Dabral and Partha Sinha that was aired on BrandStand on November 7 at https://goo.gl/FpuuqaÂ