Tracked By VARUN VASUDEVAN
Make no mistake about it. The massive outpouring of love, support and idiosyncrasies of 1.2 billion Indians played a big role in pushing Team India across the boundary in the 2011 cricket world cup. So when 1.2 billion people cried tears of joy with Sachin and co on that fateful day, a certain sports-production house was weeping copious tears of happiness*. There was only one thing left to do and they did it exactly a month later, but with a difference! Piqued? Read on...
When NDTV comes out with clippings of terror attacks or other big stories along with a slogan ‘You saw it first on NDTV’, you know that the channel is trying to brand itself as the quickest news provider in the country. No doubt, you would have seen similar advertisements by other media houses – print, TV or radio.
While this self-effusive branding has started to become rather stale, media houses are unable to resist similar slogans when they pull-off some coverage of significance. What media houses fail to understand is that these TV promotions fail to connect on an emotional level with most consumers – it’s too cold and business like. It goes in through one ear and out the other. Popular press consumers are just an extension of the you and me of today – they will shake the achiever’s hand just for the heck of it, caring not a tuppence as long as they have no mention in the achievement.
But finally, when one felt that egoism will continue to ignore this cold reasoning, ESPNSTAR and their agency – Image Communications bucked the trend. See TVC –
There is little doubt about the fact that ESPNSTAR wanted to pat itself on the back and remind its viewers about where they watched the world cup (You saw it here, baby!). But, where this creative and brand exercise stands out is in its consumer (viewer) connect, not perhaps on a direct level like some ‘khelo and jeeto’ contest, but on a more emotional level.
The channel did well to understand that there is a sentiment of ‘this world cup belongs to every Indian’ running deep in India. They just needed to check out the number of ‘I am a proud Indian’ posts on facebook that day.
Every Indian - from a granny to a kid follows some superstition for the greater good of the Indian Cricket Team. When India wins, you hear the usual – ‘Thank god, I did not shift out of my lucky seat’. And generally, when we are watching the match in a group, we make a great fuss over such people, and they feel good about it - leading to a good deal of bonding between the fuss-maker and the superstitious friend.
Every Indian - from a granny to a kid follows some superstition for the greater good of the Indian Cricket Team. When India wins, you hear the usual – ‘Thank god, I did not shift out of my lucky seat’. And generally, when we are watching the match in a group, we make a great fuss over such people, and they feel good about it - leading to a good deal of bonding between the fuss-maker and the superstitious friend.
ESPNSTAR simply tapped into this typical Indian behavior, donning the fuss-maker’s hat, thanking the fan for his role, knowing that he would feel happy about it. What's more, he would even return the wishes and compliment the channel for its coverage, thereby establishing a greater bond between the two entities. Don't we see it everywhere - a mutual admiration society!
This might be game changing as far as 'media-house' branding is concerned.
As for the TVC itself - it has the feel of one of those classic commercials from the 90s.
This might be game changing as far as 'media-house' branding is concerned.
As for the TVC itself - it has the feel of one of those classic commercials from the 90s.
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