A desi ad: Do we need it?
Sir John Hegarty loved IPL ads that were Indian. This begs the question: what is Indian and is Indian exclusively desi?

The reach of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is vast. In 2018, it had a combined reach of 769 million viewers with Hotstar contributing 202 million. The final match between Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad last month garnered 55.6 million impressions. Twenty-two per cent of the IPL viewership came from the regional language broadcasts. Star India promised to go “deeply local” this IPL, launching multiple regional language channels to tap into the viewership from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal.
The IPL, now in its 11th year, presents a unique platform to advertisers; it garners a loyal viewership across demographics. Brands ranging from FMCG and automobile to paints and adhesives; all jump on the IPL bandwagon cashing in on the annual sporting extravaganza. They all craft a special IPL ad speaking the language the nation is speaking -- cricket. These are India’s equivalent of the SuperBowl ads.Ad world legend Sir John Hegarty watched these ads and had an interesting observation to share. He said the ads that stood out were the ones that gave him a taste of India. He could count only a handful of ads that truly inspired him and stayed true to the Indian context. This begged the question: what’s Indian and is Indian exclusively ‘desi’?
Indianness is fairly varied and textured. It's as diverse, in fact, as India herself. But what really connects our audience to the message is authenticity.
An idea or an execution that lacks authenticity will miss the mark, points out Russell Barrett, CCO, BBH India. The Indianness factor aside, Barrett says, what he looks to achieve with his ads is communication that is authentic to the audience the brand taps into.“When an ad fails to be honest and authentic, it could potentially alienate people,” he says.
Even though the IPL is a media event that gives brands a massive opportunity to speak to various strata of society, "a smart brand will still sharply speak to its core audience," Barrett says. "A really good idea might even use the context of the IPL for a more entertaining and memorable campaign, but you can't forget who your audience is," he adds.
It is all about striking a delicate balance with a clutter-breaking but not niche enough communication that could alienate viewers.
Kainaz Karmakar and Harshad Rajadhyaksha, both CCOs at Ogilvy India (West), say, “Cricket runs in the pulse of the country, irrespective of the socio-economic standing of the cities. So when an agency is briefed on an IPL campaign, the task is exciting and daunting. Your idea and execution has to not just be on the brief but also breakthrough to be noticed. Your humour or emotion cannot be so niche that it excludes anyone watching the match.”
Raj Gupta, CEO of Lowe Lintas, believes it is the emotion that is Indian. The IPL ad by Lowe Lintas for Swiggy that encapsulates the promise of no-minimum order with a viewer’s desire to sneak in a quick gulab jamun during the ad break has been loved and shared this IPL season.
Ads are also limited by the purchasing power and where it is concentrated in India. Gupta says that while some ads may use an urban setting, the values and sentiments of the ads, like in those of the Surf Excel or the Tanishq ads, cut across urban and rural. “To appeal to non-metro and non-urban India, you don’t have to look rural anymore,” he believes.
Karmakar and Rajadhyaksha are the creative minds behind the Aamir Khan ad for the latest Vivo phone, which is another favourite this IPL season.
What’s not to love about Aamir Khan, a cat, and a dog all in the same fame promoting an unlikely product -- a phone! With a few tweaks, this ad could work in any part of the world. They believe that ads don’t have to be ‘Indian’ or ‘desi’.
“Ads just have to be great. Let’s not forget emerging metros are also watching streaming channels and shopping online and with each passing year, the gap between cities is narrowing,” they say.
Indeed, the gap is narrowing and the aspirations are getting bigger and bigger. Amazon India tapped into that sentiment of small-town India last IPL and this year too.
Amazon India is the one-stop shop that makes everything accessible to the Chonkpur Cheetahs who have big dreams to play in the Indian Premier League. It has all the flavours of small-town India right down to the well-thought-out names and character attributes for each player in the team.
But does this really work for people watching the ad from small-town India?, wonders Prathap Suthan, CCO Bang In The Middle. He feels that this ad may appeal to a different class of people who may already have access to the things Chonkpur Cheetahs are still looking for. And that the small-town viewers may instead have aspirations to be the Aamir Khan in the Vivo ads.
In the end, there is just one thing that matters, and that’s not whether an ad was Indian or not. In the wise words of Karmakar and Rajadhyaksha, “If you have created an IPL campaign that has been remembered, recalled and sold your client’s product, then you have done your job very well. You can treat yourself to a nice meal.”
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp