I have always been fascinated by human nature and psychology. Gratitude, kindness, mercy are some character traits I have always been attracted to.
Online, I am more inclined to read stories or view pictures which reflect the goodness of humanity. Stories and videos of grit, triumph over odds have always moved me and maybe motivated me.
I thought people like me who follow humanity over anything were very few. But I was wrong. Off-late there has been a surge in advertisements which strike an emotional cord with some of us, if not most. The marketer in me immediately began to notice how these ads helped in the brand positioning. I have taken the recent three ads and have anaylzed them from my perspective.
When people say Google, we always think about the advancements in technology. The youngsters see it as a necessity in today's world. But what is Google? A basic search engine which provides you an array of sites that already exist on the web. An online encyclopedia/directory all in the click of a buttton.
If I was to explain Google to my grandmother, I'd say it's a directory linking to other directories of information. Something like Yellow pages. But that is before I saw the ad.
Now it's more than a directory. Now it shows that it permeates all facets of human life and can drive emotions, desires for real.
My granny now, knows the internet, uses it to skype too with some help. So for her Google is out of the world technology that only her grand children show off about. But when I showed her the ad and explained it, she instantly asked me if I could find her long lost third cousin. I did'nt have the heart to tell her, in the real world Google sometimes doesn't have all the answers. But the ad definitely says so.
- HUL - Project Sunlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWTVCkvQzY8
I was still hungover from Google's ad which was trying to connect with its users by the 'Empathy' route. Then I come across Project Sunlight. I was cynical at first because Sunlight is the name of a lesser known detergent from HUL. People know only Surf in this country and undoubtedly HUL's Surf is the market leader. However, the short film doesn't explicitly cite any of its products.
Apart from the 'Unilever Project Sunlight' there are no other references of it anywhere in the short film. But subconsciously, when they talk about technologies, medicines, products of the future, I think HUL.
So what is HUL going to do? Are they trying to show that they are more environment friendly? Are they trying to position themselves as more than a FMCG manufacturer? Are they going to be the one stop shop for all human needs in the future? Somehow, I'm not convinced that the film is just a harmless CSR activity that protects the environment for future generations.
- Vodafone - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdQtLzkt1b4
This is a true Network amalgamation with Facebook. You see the ad, and you know that's how today's world is. You connect with the ad, the person, the status messages, the pics. If not you, well someone you know. Vodafone has always made humorous ads, cute ads in the past. This recent one seems to say I know you need an outlet to vent all the good and bad that's happening in your life on Facebook. Well, just use our network to do it faster.
All these ads seem to say, "We Care". They want consumers to believe that it's more than the Top line that matters to them. But if these ads, get them those numbers, who is complaining?
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