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Specialist’s Viewpoint
From
Sales to Advocacy
And Change, the journey of
‘an Idea’
In Advertising
E
ver wondered what is the single thing that
transformed once upon a time corporate and serious
business of advertising into creative, clever and
crazy advertising industry during the late 1950s of Mad
Men era? From hard sell and repetitive advertising to witty,
artistic and sophisticated ad campaigns, it was the
introduction of an ‘Idea’ into advertising that glamourized
the likes of Doyles, Bernbachs and Ogilvys to re-engineer a
creative breed of advertising professionals who pledged by
the idea as their primary source of fame and fortune. It was
the‘idea’that became eponymous with creative advertising
culture. Both agencies and clients swore by the ‘idea’ to
upscale their sales graph. The tradition still continues strong
in its fifth decade albeit with a difference. Ideas that have
been selling ketchups and automobiles are now increasingly
selling knowledge and advocacy in their latest avatar. From
big corporations like Vodafone who did a campaign to
address domestic violence in Turkey, Unilever’s deodorant
brand, Lynx who raised awareness about male suicides in
London to ITC’s Savlon that promoted hand washing
through chalk sticks in India, every brand is exploiting the
power of ‘idea’ to sound sustainable and resonate with their
consumers’ conscience.
When ‘idea’ took reins over advertising business during
Mad Men era, it practiced narcissism, competition
outsmarting and wit with vengeance. In last few years, the
40
‘idea’ however became more nonchalant and started
designing subtle but strong communications targeting
brands’ commitment towards innovation, sustainability, and
enhanced engagement. The leading beer brand Heineken
since 1970s has been proclaiming itself with wholesome
vanity as world’s number one beer brand. The same brand
in its 2016 campaign urges its target users to ‘dance more,
drink slow’ advocating responsible drinking. A beer brand
advocating less consumption of its product is
unprecedented and a bold move. The same year, Heineken
also launched a campaign Brewtroleum where it created
bio-fuel from the beer waste to power cars in New Zealand
which had won Grand Prix- Outdoor in Cannes. Another
shocking campaign came from REI, a major retailer in the
US who shut its store on one of the busiest shopping days
of the year, telling people instead to get out and enjoy
nature, at the cost of its business!
What is inspiring and channelizing the course of the ‘idea’
from profit to philanthropy centric that is making brands go
more humble, honest, humanitarian and eco-conscious?
1.Persuasion is passé, Empathy is in: There has been a
paradigm shift in audience’s emotional, social and
intellectual quotient which has increased exponentially with
exposure to media, knowledge, processes, and
|December 2017 |