Independence Day 2020: Rishta vohi branding nayi in Swadeshi ads and (social) media

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 propagating government campaigns such as Vocal4Local, Aatma Nirbharta and Swadeshi. Homegrown brand such as Parle Agro, Blackberrys, Chaayos, Pepperfry and many more are actively advertising their products to reinforce this narrative in a covid-affected world.

Explaining the chain reaction that this narrative will have on the economy and the morale of the citizens, ad filmmaker Pinaki Bose says, “Turning swadeshi and using homegrown brands will have a big effect on the economy. The amount of money we are churning by selling these brands. When they are manufactured in India, it gives a boost to the labour and other resources. We market it in India, so the entire rotation of money remains within the country.”

Read: An appeal to go Swadeshi to help revive Indian crafts post lockdown

During times when there is an unequivocal emphasis on rebuilding the country on its own grounds and its own resources, advertising needs to promote ideas, too. At the turn of every decade, India has seen brands such as Parle Agro, 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 at this time, both from the government as well as private advertising. With the advent of OTT, people have more choice,” says ad guru and filmmaker Pritish Nandy.

The reach of social media especially during these covid times has made it the most preferred choice of medium among brands and advertisers. A considerable chunk of these campaigns is run on social networking platforms, and embedded between videos and online games. Another factor that has contributed to its popularity is the low media expenditure. “Firstly, television spots cost more than a digital campaign in terms of media expenditure. Secondly, it is all about the target audience (TA) and the brand. If the TA is urban, digital platforms work the best because you are talking to them one-to-one, in their own time and timeline and it is not coming in the middle of their entertainment. You have a continuous presence, unlike a TV spot which comes and goes and you cannot go back to it,” explains Bose.

Read: ‘Brand’ new hope, positivity in the post-Covid-19 era!

While this new wave of advertising advocacy has brought 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 show support and encourage something as local as a home chef. This is the way to go about it,” says ad filmmaker Sudip Bandyopadhyay.

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