Unbranded Diwali: Somber mood prevails this festive season
With consumers slashing their festive budgets and slowdown pushing brands to tighten purse strings for ad spends, this Diwali is not as radiant as it should be
The slight winter chill, smell of fresh paint, radiating lamps and shopping extravaganza – all of this reminds us of the illuminating festival of Diwali. However, this Diwali is not as radiant as it should be.
With growth targets and profits slashed due to depreciating Rupee and slowdown, there has been a cut in the ad spends. Experts suggest that the ad budget for print, television and radio during the festive months have seen a cut of almost 50 per cent this year. Sectors such as electronics, consumer durables, banking, telecom, automobile and FMCG have spent less on brand promotions.
A survey by ASSOCHAM reveals that the middle and lower class families have slashed their festive budgets by over 40 per cent this Diwali season as they are struggling with soaring inflation and lesser job opportunities. Major sectors are witnessing product launches on a small scale and lesser advertising campaigns due to tighter purse strings this festive season.
But what has happened to the creative bombs this Diwali? Why couldn’t they explode?
Has it ‘e’gnited’?
All the phuljharis and the patakas were waiting to be clicked from Canon but sadly the brand has not launched any ad on TV this Diwali. Canon decided to place its bet on BTL activities this year because customer experience matters the most to them.
Nokia Lumia has rolled out a new campaign celebrating the festival of lights with Priyanka Chopra and is offering a new Lumia in exchange of an old phone. The campaign talks about the art of listening and how Nokia heard the voices of consumers wanting a better phone. The ad becomes glamorous due to Priyanka Chopra and gives out the message clearly with the grandeur of Diwali.
Dell kicked-off the new ‘Celebrate Dell Se’ campaign for the festive season with the ‘Hint a Gift’ television commercial for its Inspiron series to inspire youth to ‘Do Kuch Bhi’ to get a Dell Inspiron. But why would one go overboard on buying a laptop, especially when they are available in every range. Letting the neighbours know about a new car makes sense, but not necessarily a laptop.
However, our homegrown brand Micromax has pulled off a staggering move by signing one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, Hollywood superstar Hugh Jackman as its brand ambassador. It might have cost a bomb, but this move truly reflects the fearless persona of the brand and is considered as a very calculated move.
Sweet or sour?
Early rains, inflation and health-conscious consumers have already affected the beverage industry and the beverage giant, Coca-Cola is running last year’s campaign of ‘Do Diye’ inspiring people to share happiness with the messaging ‘Khushiyan Baatnein Se Hee Badhti Hain. Coca-Cola Pilao. Khushiyan Badhao’. Though we are sure that the brand must be having some strategy behind this move, we were all waiting to cheer some more positive stories from Coke this year.
Cadbury Celebrations came up with ‘Moments of Love – Diwali ad’ this year. They asked people how they would celebrate Diwali with their loved ones and this music video features the contest winners who came up with the best messages. It shows several families celebrating this happy festival with loved ones and is supported with a soothing song. However, the brand’s last year’s campaign on ‘Iss Diwali aap kise khush karenge?’ was far more engaging and emotional. The insight of spreading happiness to mere strangers by little acts of joy was a much larger idea which should have been leveraged this year as well. Hope to celebrate Diwali with Cadbury in a better way next year.
Did it sparkle?
Though experts may suggest that the jewellery segment has also been hit badly by the slowdown, but at least for Tanishq this may not hold true. The chemistry between a serious wife and a cool husband has been portrayed in an efficient manner through the brand’s latest campaign. It will surely bring smiles to many this Diwali because the execution is very neat and relatable.
The wedding season is also approaching and jewellery brands are targeting the consumers through their latest offerings and promotions. Tanishq broke the stereotypes and showed remarriage and a dusky bride in its wedding TVC, representing progressive thinking. It celebrates forgetting the past and starting a new life. Though some may argue that the Femina ad inspired Tanishq but Tanishq is believed to be braver because the former is an elite brand targeting a relatively higher strata but the latter is mass.
Azva, the bridal jewellery collection from World Gold Council, has launched an ad capturing the magic between a couple and how they make their own set of vows to solemnise the start of their relationship for a lifetime. The ad has been shot well but tries too hard to convey the message.
It’s a disappointment for consumers not to see some of the best ads from their favourite brands this Diwali. It was time to dress up ads with the most innovative ideas, it was an occasion to let hundreds throng to your stores, it was an opportunity to light up your brand with the right fuel. But sadly, it is Diwali underutilised.
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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.
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ShareSwapan 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.
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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.
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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."
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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."
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