question hour. Advertising needs an overhaul

Advertising needs an overhaul

I was reading that Indian advertising is getting very exclusive. It excludes more and includes less. Is that correct?

Mumbai

Revathi, advertising needs to break stereotypes, for a start. Advertising needs to stop taking the easy route out. Advertising cliches, created over decades of use and abuse alike, may need to be shed.

Advertising must focus on celebrating diversity rather than using diversity as a tedium-breaker. Advertising needs to start evolving a new visual and aural language that shows inclusion as a standard mindset at large. Advertising needs to accept that diversity is not the exception, it is the norm.

Let’s take colour. We need models of every colour palate possible from across the country. And believe it or not, a skin colour palette (if put together) can make people sit up and say that Indians are all not that one fair and anaemic colour our advertising tells us India is all about. Our skin colour palette can rival an Asian Paints shade-card!

I don't think one brand can attempt this. A whole tribe of advertising and marketing people need to take this up as a movement to get it going. Indian advertising sure does need an overhaul in terms of getting the inclusive lingo moving.

Has Quantico helped Priyanka Chopra re-invent herself?

New Delhi

Anuradha, absolutely! This is a bit of re-invention, for sure. Priyanka has entered American bedrooms and drawing rooms with Quantico . That’s as intrusive a presence as it gets. How she settles in with the American mind, mood, and psyche is for one to see as the TRPs of the show builds, climbs and establishes itself.

Priyanka in India is a different kettle of pomfret. In India celebrity status builds with cinema and deteriorates into television today. There was a time in the old days during the time of Buniyaad and Mahabharath when television led, but not anymore.

There is too much of clutter and the English GEC segment is but a niche. A niche of the humongous Hindi GEC category for sure. In Indian television, to become a celebrity one needs to be in Hindi, for a start.

Amitabh Bachchan got into trouble for speaking on a brand he used to endorse in the past. So, when someone is a brand ambassador, do they lose their right of comment?

Hyderabad

Syed, yes and no. You put the question quite categorically.

When a brand ambassador signs the dotted line to endorse a brand, they tend to sign on the theme that the brand can do no wrong. In many ways brand endorsers first endorse the product and vest it with their complete credibility, and then endorse the brand to the outside world of consumers.

Celebrities, therefore, need to wear the brand hat forever. There is no taking it off. At times there is no taking it off even after the tenure of the contract, as some contracts make the celebrity sign a no-compete clause as well. I think Amitabh Bachchan took off the hat for a bit to air it all about, and it hit the fan which was in any case spinning at a mad speed altogether. As did Aamir. As have other actors unwittingly in the past.

Harish Bijoor is a brand strategy expert and CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. Mail your queries to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in

COMMENT NOW