Ad professionals must use unique and recognisable models to make sure their commercials stand out
As India braces itself for another blistering summer, I am reminded of a
time long ago - over 25 years ago — when a company based in Ahmedabad
would feverishly prepare itself for the peak season. It was marketing a
famous brand of soft drink concentrate back then, called Rasna, that
many middle class Indians grew up and slurped on.
Although I had nothing to do with those commercials, which were
path-breaking, I was one of the several Mudra employees who basked in
the glory of our Ahmedabad office’s creative. Crucial to the success of
these commercials was a cute, cuddly girl who eyeballed the camera and
said “I love you Rasna”!
The entire India wholeheartedly accepted the adorable little girl and
I’m sure many parents wanted their children to be like her. Here is one
of the many ads that featured this much-loved child in the late 1980s
and 1990s. She had become Rasna’s brand property and was always
mentioned when research was done on the brand.
Fair or Lovely or both?
Another brand that I have always admired (though never used) is Fair
& Lovely. It has often caught the attention of activists and young
girls who wish to appear fairer than they actually are.
It has been a bestseller for Hindustan Unilever, irrespective of what
the detractors of the brand have to say, as the advertising has always
appealed to middle-class women. One of the constants of Fair &
Lovely advertising in recent times has been Yami Gautam.
She also featured in a recent Bollywood film. While that may or may not
have helped the brand, there is no denying the fact that this model is a
constant feature in the brand’s advertising and will surely be recalled
by consumers.
The Airtel girl
Not too long ago, Airtel launched a high decibel campaign for its 4G
offering, with a series of commercials. They were on different themes
and had multiple creative executions, all of which featured a model who
beamed at us from TV screens, newspapers and hoardings all over India.
The model, Sasha Chettri, talks to a variety of people on the features
of 4G and its speed; she travels all around the countryside, goes to
villages in bullock carts, holidays in the Himalayas and claims that 4G
works extremely well, wherever you go. While one can quibble about the
veracity of the claims, there is no doubt that the girl’s image is
strongly associated with Airtel 4G.
It was in this context, therefore, that I was a bit bemused when I saw
this commercial for Quick Heal, an anti-virus solutions brand, featuring
Sasha Chettri! In the ad, she tells a group of youngsters about the
various types of viruses their smartphones are vulnerable to. More
intriguingly, the setting and the script of the commercial is very
similar to that of Airtel.
I have always maintained that our advertising creative executives don’t
seem to watch enough of other Indian advertising, which explains the
similarity between advertising and scripts across categories, to say
nothing about the choice of models.
Keep your eyes open
The reality is that most advertising professionals seem to have a very
poor view of other ads produced in India. Hence, they consider it
beneath their dignity to watch advertisements created by others. This
places a greater responsibility on clients to ensure that their own
advertising stands out and is easily differentiated.
One of the easiest ways to not get lost in the crowd is to use a unique
and recognisable model, just as Fair & Lovely, Airtel and Rasna have
done. While it is difficult to ensure that models are not used in
multiple categories, it is certainly within your power to look for
models who are not overused, and try to appropriate them for your own
brand.
Yes, small things can make a big difference, if only you put in the hard yards. Are you ready?
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