Shocking Promotions

The third P or Promotion in Marketing is communicating about the company’s products and services to the customers. But promotions are getting to be a huge challenge. In the over saturated market place there is often fatigue and a sense of déjà vu. The customers are tired and in many cases repulsed by “in the face product promotions”.

Marketers are leaving no stone unturned to garner eye balls. United Colors of Benetton can be taken as an example of a company that shocks for shocking sake. Their advertising campaigns are deliberately provocative and tend to generate lot of noise, furore and finally get banned.

But they serve the purpose - United Colors of Benetton gets talked about and gets free publicity. So the shock value and shock effort works! Modern day companies are resorting to any tool in the trade that will guarantee eye balls.

So if there is a controversy it is par for the course. As a case in point I have picked up the following advertisement that is by far much gentler than many other advertisements that can shock a reader out of his deep slumber.

So what is controversial about this advertisement? The reader might be asking himself. This advertisement is a stereotype dripping of Saccharine. It appearsinnocuous but has deep hidden messages to deliver. Observe the hands.

Small white hands (read as white AngloSaxon child donors) helping the adult black people of the world. It is one raceagainst the other and about white race supremacy. And what isbeing given is not food items, wheat or rice. They are M & Ms or Cadbury gems.

So the affluent western donors want to dole out FMCG products and the poor African and under developed countries citizens have to be grateful for the alms! It this analysis a figment of my imagination?Not at all UnitedColors ofBenetton wants to make the readers react and talk. More talk would result in more buzz and more buzz would make the products of United Colors of Benettonfly off the retailers’ shelves.

Indians were shocked when it was widely reported that Amazon (Canada) offered doormats featuring the image of the Indian flag on its website. After the resultant furore Amazon did offer its regrets and withdrew the offending products but the damage was done. It was akin to bolting the stable door after the horse had run away.

Amazon can’t wash off its responsibility so easily. Yes the product was listed on Amazon site and Amazon does not produce the product. It only offers the listing service. But as the product is on the Amazon website, the contents become Amazon’s responsibility.

Before the controversy of the doormats with the Indian flag died out a new controversy emerged. There is a new listing on Amazon.com now that features beach sandals or Hawaii chappals with the face of Mahatma Gandhi.

The Gandhi flip flops on Amazon.com cost $16.99, which translates to around Rs 1,190. The brand claims that their “graphic flip flop sandal designs are professionally printed... and will look great and make someone smile…” This is imagination running wild. Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most recognized figures in the world. How does wearing Gandhi’s Hawaii chappals make one smile? What sort of perverted creativity is this?

Recently a shocking trend has been noticed. Religious symbols, religious figures and pictures of gods and goddesses have been used to promote products. Sometimes it could be an innocent mistake.

One former Indian cricket captain signed his name on the brand of shoe that he was endorsing. As the name of the captain is also the name of a holy person it created a furore and the caption had to tender a public apology.

Similarly Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) had objected to an advertisement of Cricket star Harbhajan Singh that featured him showing off hair on his head. Sikh Religion does not permit Sikh men showing their hair even at the time of eating. Later Harbhajan Singh apologized to the SGPC.

A fashion show in Delhi shocked the visitors when they witnessed a model wearing a dress that has the image of the then Prime Minister of India Dr. Man Mohan Singh.

International designer Lisa Burke had to scrap her swimwear line for Australia Fashion Week after protests by Hindu groups of her use of images of the goddesses on bikinis. She apologized and halted the production of the bikini line.A statement issued by the designer's company of Lisa Burke claimed that usage of the goddess's image was "an attempt to celebrate different cultures".

Italian designer Roberto Cavalli similarly had to hastily withdraw his spa line after the eruption of the Hindu sentiment the world over. His usage of images of Lord Ram, Vishnu and Goddess Saraswati on intimate wear for women was the reason for the outrage. French shoe brand Minnelli withdrew their shoes with religious images after protests.

Heidi Klum used Kali as a Halloween outfit, and popular brand Guess sparked protests with tank tops that sported Lord Ganesha images and the words "Handsome elephant!”

Danish cartoonists who drew cartoons that made fun a major religion had to face death threats and the sale of Danish products suffered in many countries as the citizens boycotted Danish products. Marketers have to remember that they are not operating in vacuum.

They are part of the bigger scheme of things and they need to understand that religion and nationality are very personal and tends to whip up emotions. A small spark is enough to ignite the cauldron. Indian newspapers have understood this aspect and tread very cautiously when dealing with sensitive issues.

Irani cafes in Hyderabad have become very smart. One Irani café very boldly says “Do not discuss religion, politics and horse racing here”. All three topics lead to time consuming discussions and to heart burn. An eatery wants his clientele to eat and exit. Customers who sit and talk for hours together are a drain on resources and could cause trouble too!