Tuesday, January 8, 2013

When hero's fall, should brands walk tall?

The ongoing Insurance TVC with Yuvraj Singh has unleashed quite some questions on that should be drawn by agencies... 4Ps B&M’s Consulting Editor Monojit Lahiri attempts to referee this emotional issue

“Jab tak balla chaltha hai, thaat hain. Jab balla nahin chalega tho...” a pause accompanied by an expression of bewilderment, helplessness, and resignation on the (seemingly confident) World Cup hero’s face continues to haunt and leave a chilling, poignant impact on zillions of fans and viewers of this TVC. Where does the ad end ... and stark reality begin? Is the line between reel and real suddenly blurring? Many Yuvi fans and TVC watchers are quick to point out that this ad has been “suitably pruned and frequency upped” to strategically cash-in, full-on, on the present state of the cancer-stricken sports star. This has led to some debate in the public domain with some flagging the TVC as an insensitive act representing commercialism, with the demand/request that the growth of this kind of brand positioning could be discouraged. The advocates of this TVC however wonder what the fuss is all about! They are of the opinion that instead of getting all emotional and sentimental, a little objectivity and maturity trying to understand the brand’s point of view would help. They insist that the so-called offending TVC is only initiating, involving and reminding viewers to be prepared for the worst at all times and the very fact that the protagonist – a cool dude and hi-flyer – is going through a rough patch, out of the blue, only makes the point stronger. The message sent out is brief, direct and sharp for everyone: Life can be uncertain. Hence life insurance. More so for a majority of Indians who remain uninsured purely due to sloth.

Which point of view works? Which doesn’t? Soma Chakravarty, Senior PR Manager at India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) leads the pack with all cylinders firing. She accuses the advertiser of being shockingly insensitive and cynical. “Where is the heart and human feelings? I am amazed at their take on the very concept of communication; gives the profession a bad name!” says Soma. Judhajit Sengupta, VP of the Kolkata-based Megaminds Communications, agrees and adds his bit: “To begin with, the intent is suspect and so is the timing! Don’t these guys remember or respect basic commandments of responsible communication ...that we are first human beings, then consumers? As a communication practitioner I am appalled at the lack of corporate conscience and defense of an ad that hurts any right thinking person’s sensibilities. How low can one stoop to conquer?” Is this the general viewpoint?


Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
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