Swadeshi ads and (social) media: Rishta vohi branding nayi
After advertising changed its discourse to suit the ‘stay at home’ and ‘social distancing’ advocacy in the first few months of the pandemic, it is now focusing on campaigns such as Vocal4local and Swadeshi. Homegrown brands such as Parle Agro, Blackberrys, Chaayos, Pepperfry and many more are reinforcing this narrative in a Covid-affected world.
Explaining the chain reaction the narrative will have on the economy and the morale of citizens, ad filmmaker Pinaki Bose says, “Using homegrown brands will have a big effect on the economy. When they are manufactured in India, it gives a boost to labour. We market it in India, so the rotation of money remains in here.”
At the turn of every decade, India has seen brands such as Nirma, Bajaj, Tata Tea bring to fore everyday Indian life. “At this time, importance should be given to promote both products and ideas. There should be confidence building, both from the government as well as private advertising,” says ad guru and filmmaker Pritish Nandy.
And the reach of social media has made it the most preferred medium among brands and advertisers. A considerable chunk of these campaigns is run on social networking platforms, and embedded between videos and online games. “A television spot costs more than a digital campaign. Secondly, it is all about target audience (TA). If the TA is urban, digital platforms work best as you are talking to them in their own time and timeline. You have a continuous presence, unlike a
TV spot which comes and goes,” explains Bose.
While this new wave of advertising has put the focus on indigenous brands, the actual fruits can only be reaped if more people get behind it. “This narrative will take time to show effect. It is important for people to support and encourage something as local as a home chef. This is the way to go about it,” says ad filmmaker Sudip Bandyopadhyay.