Kids are simply adorable, ask any newly turned parents. Let some years pass by, most of these parents may still say that their kids are adorable, but the truth may be far from what they admit. A child secures many relationships in its formative years, and the ones they establish with brands at an early age are usually long-lasting therefore extremely precious. KIDS MAY SEEM ANNOYING BUT NOT FOR MARKETERS, THEY SIMPLY ADORE THEM To marketers, kids represent a lifetime of opportunities for a brand. Kids are among the most important demographics who on top of having considerable purchasing power, they can also influence their parent’s purchasing decisions. The kids can influence their parents to make purchasing decision on things ranging from entertainment choices like trips, movies and excursions to clothing, foods, drinks and breakfast choices. These factors have forced brands to look at ways to reach out to young population and the advertisings to them have catapulted in the recent decades. Parents globally and in fast paced economies like India are more than willing to buy their kids whatever they demand due to factors like reduced family size especially in metro cities, the rise of dual incomes in the family and couples having fewer kids than they traditionally would have. TAPPING INTO THE PSYCHE The most valuable factor for a brand marketing its products to kids is understanding the psychology behind what ticks the kids. If a child identifies himself/herself and associates with a brand at a young age. He/she is likely to remain a loyal customer for a very long time into adulthood. It is not uncommon for most of us to cherish products we may have consumed during our childhood and the feel good factor surrounding it. As more research and technology is available at our disposal, brands are increasingly utilizing them to analyze and understand kids’ emotional, social and developmental needs. CUTTING THROUGH THE CLUTTER The market is littered with brands and their products targeting kids primarily. It becomes vital for brand managers to cut through the mundane and offer an experience that sets themselves apart. Marketing to kids alone isn’t enough, providing an experience is much more vital. This is where experiential marketing becomes vital. GLAXOSMITHKLINE ENGAGES KIDS WITH A GAME With the recent launch of its Horlicks brand’s new ‘Kesar Badam’ flavour, it took to video games for reaching out to youngsters and engage them with the brand. The experiential campaign included an online game named ‘Chote Sultan Hunt’ followed by a TVC and offline activities. Since, a lot of kids do not like drinking milk with the usual flavours, Horlicks introduced kesar badam flavour to get them drinking milk. The first touch point towards achieving this included the online game that encourages the player to collect as many kesars and badams as possible while running towards its destination. The highest scorers could win prizes that were carefully selected, which included popular gadgets like Xbox 360, iPads etc. On-the-ground activities followed with the game being taken to schools in Gujarat to attract school kids. They could play the game on a large projector screen with motion sensing. Similarly, they also planned on-ground activities in other parts of India to allow kids to experience Horlicks brand through gaming, which is very popular among youngsters. Select City Walk Mall targets Kids this Summer The Select City Walk mall located in the southern part of Delhi is quite popular and frequented by many through most part of the year. However, it would not be surprising to see a drop in footfall during summers when the temperature soars in Delhi. What Saket came up to counter this during the 2014 summer was to target kids by organizing a summer camp for them. The camp lasted two months from May till June when the temperature usually peaks. The camps offered theatre workshops, fun packages at hangout, special art & craft activities, ‘paint your pottery’ competition and workshop on Hindustani and Classical Western Music. As schools usually have two months holidays during this time, it was clever of the brand to entice kids to the mall, which would eventually bring their parents as well as friends that translates to more footfall, more spend on food and shopping. Hence, a clever way to beat the reduced number of visitors during the part of the year when most prefer to stay inside their air conditioned rooms. What’s more? Being kids, they would always remember and cherish the best days of their lives when they could do what they love carefree (having fun with other kids, painting their favourite cartoon characters, playing their favourite music and eating out at their favourite joint at the mall). This not only lasts for just two months but an experience that will keep bringing them back to the mall and relive their best times. These children-oriented experiential experiences not only provide a temporary reach for marketers to children, but tinkers with the psyche of kids in a positive way that is beneficial to any brand for a long term association.
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Murphy’s Law The most important thing one should remember while hosting any event is Murphy’s Law that states, ““If something can go wrong, there’s a chance it will.” There will always be unexpected issues to be addressed. It all depends on the approach while handling the issues that will determine if things are heading in a negative direction or if the audience barely takes notice of it. The risks that could take place should be evaluated. Equipment Failure Failure of equipment is every event planner’s nightmare as it becomes temperamental and breaks down, prior to the show. Setting up of the equipment and testing it a couple of times before the actual use is pertinent. One can conduct a dry run of the presentation at an opportune moment and ensure that the equipment and applications are functioning. This needs to be done for all the arrangements beginning from the venue bookings to the spelling in an event literature. Take personal responsibility even if there is a team to handle different aspects to ensure smooth functioning Equipment Damage THE PROBLEM: Accidents can happen even after meticulous planning and preparation, as technology may create problems. It can range from the equipment being delivered at the wrong place or get damaged during installation of the display. THE FIX: One should ensure that there is a backup for the equipment and there is an emergency kit at their disposal. It is important to remain calm as there is someone who will be willing to rent things that are required at that moment. Typo Mistake THE PROBLEM: There can be instances wherein the event is ready to take off and someone notices that there is a major typo error in the display or marketing materials. Similarly, in case the caterers have not been confirmed or if the client’s company name is spelled incorrectly on a sign boards, it can be a catastrophe. THE FIX: In case it is critical, then head to the printing store to fix the mistake before the event begins. THE VERDICT If the equipment is available at the venue, then check for specifics whether they are available or not. It is essential to have alternative methods of presentation in case there is a breakdown of the equipment. Failure of Plan The cheapest and easiest way is not always the best way. If necessary resources are not set up for a business event, it will end up in a weak and amateur presentation of the company. It is better to partner with a qualified vendor, such as a signage and event branding expert to make the event successful. Plan with the Client THE PROBLEM: It is important that there is a consensus with the client at every step so that one knows his likes and dislikes. THE FIX: One should double check with the client on each and every small detail from the beginning to the final arrangements. It is better to meet personally and not depend on phone calls that can create a misunderstandings. Avoid MC’s THE PROBLEM: It is better to decide whether to employ the services of an MC is advisable or not as it can make the guest inattentive with the onslaught of the speakers and alienate the attendees. THE FIX: It is pertinent to have a mix of speakers and activities in the event. Finalize Settings in Advance THE PROBLEM: Attendees will be annoyed to come for an event where there are last minute arrangements being made and it will look very unprofessional. THE FIX: Timing is crucial throughout the event and so it is sensible to have a `dry run’ if possible. Miscalculation of Guests THE PROBLEM: In case the venue is too small and cannot fit a massive crowd and there are not enough chair to the attendees, it becomes a problem. THE FIX: It is good to have registrations done for all attendees, even in case they are not paying for a ticket so that there are accurate numbers to plan. Do a check on the venue about the extra chairs and the room size in case it is required. One should take the guest speakers and their presentation styles into account while choosing the venue. Set cut-off dates for registration well in advance so that there is sufficient time to change something if required. Booth Over/Understaffed THE PROBLEM: A major problem will be to over or under staff as it becomes difficult to gauge the busy moments. It is better the staff meet the other vendors during the period and call them when necessary. THE FIX: The best way to keep track of staff is to keep a “Check-Out/In” list, along with a list of cell phone numbers. That way you know who is where and how to reach them, if your booth gets busy. THE VERDICT Keep Track of the Event It is good to know what is happening when the event is taking place. One staff member should be dedicated to monitor the different areas of the business event and keep track of the changes and give solutions or notify an event manager to fix it. Plan B Any event planning requires preparation and guarding against any conceivable contingencies. Plan B should be in place in case something goes wrong. It is nice to review a variety of different scenarios and options to deal with any sort of issues. Attendee Failure The most important part of making the event a success is the audience and there should be no confusion about the venue. Unclear Venue THE PROBLEM: Attendees arrive late, at the wrong venue due to the confusion over the time and location of the event. THE FIX: If possible it is nice to include specific details of the venue, date and time of the conference in all correspondence with the attendees including promotional materials, tickets and confirmation and reminder emails. Unexpected Turn of Events Unexpected Bad Weather THE PROBLEM: In case an outdoor event is planned and due to sudden rains and strong winds the hoardings and equipment gets damaged, the whole event will be a disaster. THE FIX: One should have a contingency plan in place to move the event to a secondary indoor venue. Troubleshooting any possible problems ahead of time, will help one calm and ensure that the plans are in place. Take time to think ahead, and deal with situations when something goes wrong. Unexpected Cancellation of Vendor THE PROBLEM: If the vendor or caterer or entertainer or the MC fails to arrive on time or cancels in the last moment, it becomes a problem. THE FIX: The best solution is to have a list of backup vendors and caterers, entertainers who can come immediately in case of a crisis. Staff Member Fall Sick THE PROBLEM: Another common complication that can arise is when the staff member becomes sick prior to the event. Even the absence of one person can create chaos. THE FIX: The best solution to this problem is to make sure that all the booth staff members are adequately trained on everything that is happening within the booth, and all the products are showcased. Guest Speaker Failure THE PROBLEM: Relying on other people means there’s always a possibility that they can let you down. The presenter can pull out at the last minute due to a cold, a broken leg or an accident due to bad weather or a clash of schedule. THE FIX: So always confirm the dates with the guests in advance so that holidays and sick days can be booked. Set clear expectations about where and when the presenters should be available and make sure they agree. Always have a back-up speaker waiting in the wings to step in and save the day. A follow up is required to confirm their attendance. Make a contingency plan as one cannot stop people from getting sick or hurt, so work out what one can do if this does happen. Miscellaneous Keep Calm and Carry On This is the most important tip to remember, and perhaps the most obvious. But it has to be repeated again. Cool heads prevail in any unexpected sort of situation and in case something goes wrong it is better to keep one’s wits at hand. Stay calm, and address the issue unemotionally. One has to bravely face such situations and deal it successfully without any unwanted attention. Honesty is the Best Policy Finally, if something does go wrong during an event, don’t panic and don’t waste energy trying to make elaborate excuses. Simply be honest with the guests, and explain the situation clearly and concisely. The guests will appreciate the honesty even in case of any untoward incident and earn success.
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You hear – you forget, you see – you remember! Considering the very same slant it won’t be wrong to say that experiential form has established a benchmark in the marketing industry. In today’s scenario experiential activities are not just limited to OOH campaigns and installations. Several brands are exploring and investing in innovative and experiential in-store activities, providing in-house brand experience. People memorize and speak about their experiences and if we are able to bring them good ones, they’ll eventually become a believer; a beaker of blessing, helping generate brand loyalty. - See more at: http://everythingexperiential.com/in-store-activities-the-new-experiential-benchmark/#sthash.HjIteTRk.dpuf Puma and Studio.J, Bangalore launched their Motorsport collections, visual merchandise with official licensed products from BMW, Ferrari and Mercedes Benz, aiming to create something out of the box that grabs customer attention at a go. The campaign was executed in a larger than life capacity. 3D interactive installation at the window of the store with a 9 feet speedometer that had LED lights was set up. Acrylic cut 3D letters with an inbuilt motor as well as the Puma Ferrari retail shoes were used in the fringe of the speedometer, as in the logo. The mannequins were dressed with motor sport merchandise. Race track graphics on the floors, Ferrari car in red acrylic and motor sport cat in 3D were arranged with the idea of bringing in the essence of F1 sport live on ground within the store. All these elements together showcased an experiential window, with a giveaway in the form of a memory to the onlookers. Min Chang, President –Asia Pacific at Diversified Agency Services, a division of Omnicom Group said: “It is such a large umbrella. Consumers may not respond to traditional conversation anymore, so you can start with in-store event and activation instead of a TVC; it is more cost effective with social media integration.” A creative and personalized color experience and solution called “Color Cloud” created by Fitch was offered by Asian Paints Color Store: Color Cloud Façade Delhi, India in alliance with Mudra Group, New Delhi. The remarkable lighting installation invited patrons to step on a color bar, which then fills the cloud and the entire store with the particular color. Both the cloud and facade were connected to an inner controller and motion sensor that changed its color when pressed or stepped on it. The customer interaction along with a live experience of what color could do to their homes was offered without even having them to buy a pinch of paint. Guests used RFID “color cards” to collect their ideas with a takeaway of home color magazine. A full range of Asian Paints collection was also displayed; customers could choose the desired combination and visualize their ideas in front of them in just a step. Mumbai based Design Deck associated with SVG, a home furnishing fabric manufacturer where a 49 sq m stand was built to promote and showcase their collection of products along with branding of their retail brand ‘Karma’. Three of their collection lines – Royal, Natural Eco-Friendly and Abstract were displayed with a creative experiential touch. Special catalogue books were accessible to the visitors along with the provision of trying hands on within the stand for product screening. The stand was fabricated and designed to attract consumers and build a connection with its clientele. Another name in this experiential list is Ishana Experience Centre, an ‘experiential’ retail destination at the T3 departure terminal, IGI International Airport, New Delhi Providing services like ayurvedic sessions, astrology, palm reading, music performances and live dances, mehendi application, live craft demonstration along with express spa treatment. Healthy snacks were served keeping in mind the theme. Indian music were also played by live musicians as well folk dances were performed. Free consultation with doctors regarding health was also available. Indian sweet and spices were also given to customers that they could take home. Focusing on the fact, Dhruv Kalra, Marketing Director at Vibgyor Brand Services said: “Advertising is limited in scope. Brands are looking for experiences that can create a lasting impact on their consumers and activations are helping them do just that.” Creative and innovative structures; adding to them an experiential touch is what a brand needs. In recent years, marketers from every sector, from clothes to cars and movies to housing have been aiming to make their brand presence substantial in consumers’ lives. “Clients are hungry for innovative ideas and engagement, if you can show value in your approach or an idea; they are willing to take that on.” Says Min Chang, President –Asia Pacific at DAS. Experiential activities of all sorts let people participate, touch and feel; visualize, remember and take back memories. So it will not be a bad move to start investing in an in-store experience, as connecting with people will pay dividends in the long run.
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Glorifying the existence of trucks in the country and bringing them to life, Tata invested in India’s first ever truck racing championship- ‘T1 Truck Racing Championship’. Unlike other general heavy vehicles, these trucks were worth a glance! Fleet of trucks competing on the tracks of Buddh International Circuit, caught the attention of many. The event agency behind the initiative, The Innuendo Communications (T.I.C) won gold in the ‘Best signature event category at EEMAX Awards.’ It is rightly said that being different is what makes you an outstanding player in your domain and Tata did it right… The Concept: The concept of truck racing is very novel to India. Its popularity among the general category is quite less. Developing from its roots in United States, truck racing has slowly gained popularity across the world. Speaking of which, the ‘Tata Prima T1 Truck Racing Championship’ was a model put to thoughts in December 2012, with Tata Motors deciding to take their Prima range of trucks to the tracks. In alliance with the British Truck Racing Association (BTRA), the series was designed and brought to execution. Tata made 22 specific modifications on the trucks that were used, including tweaks to the fuel tank, propeller shaft guards, brake cooling system, racing seats, etc. The trucks were modified in a way to meet the regulations set down for racing, based on the BTRA guidelines. Showcasing its technical prowess and wanting to bring a change in the outlook of trucks among youngsters, Tata made a commendable attempt. Tata has taken a step for itself to grow within the realm and has set a platform for other heavy vehicles brands to contemplate on the idea of truck racing in India. Tata’s requirements: Tata Motors’s desire to stay ahead in the game and ensure their position as an innovative brand that foresees the future of the country came true. “The company wanted to inspire the succeeding generations to take up Truck driving as an inspirational profession as well as wanted to address the scarcity of young skilled truck drivers in India. They wanted to create aspiration towards trucking as a profession amongst the second generation owners and drivers. To achieve this they required to narrow down the deficit of professional drivers along with showcasing their technical advancements through performance excellence in Motor segment”, said Gaurav Dhall, Managing Director, T.I.C. The unique platform of T1 prima Truck racing efficiently met Tata’s objectives. The Innuendo Communications POA aka Plan of Action: Based on the clients’ objectives, T.I.C did extensive planning for 3 years and came up with Tata Motors T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship. “People were used to of seeing HCVs utilized for long distance haulage of super-heavy loads at sedate speeds. However with this event, we made them see these trucks in a new Avatar: that of Hardcore 370 bhp, 1550 Nm road-racing machines!” explained Mr. Dhall. The event managed to transform the identity of trucks from sloggers to hardcore racing machines. “We partnered with the top international (FIA and British Truck Racing Association) and Indian (FMSCI, MMSC, Buddh International Circuit) Motorsports bodies and racing personalities (Narain Karthikeyan, Vicky Chandok), F1 track with International Truck Racing drivers to ensure credibility for India’s first- ever Truck Racing Championship .” Three months of aggressive 360 degrees pan-India BTL and ATL promotions and over one million man hours built the grand event. Some noticeable aspects of the event: The event saw 14 top international drivers from the European truck racing circuit. More than 5,000 on ground personnel, 800 volunteers and 250 track engineers were deployed at the venue. To list a few crowd engaging activities that became a part of the racing championship were: A fashion show inspired by Truck Panel art, Art trucks designed by renowned designer Manish Arora, Performances by percussion artist Sivamani and singer Mika, truck stunts and much more. Tata’s feedback: “All details were planned very meticulously. The agency, our T1 event partner, was imperative to the project. Having been involved in the project right from conceptualization until execution, they have delivered on all grounds and on time which is most critical in such activities. T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship, 23rd March 2014 was just the beginning to a new era of sporting in India. We hope to create magic yet again next year with the agency as our event partner.” Charu Gulati – TATA Motors. Despite exploring and investing in a concept that undoubtedly is different and fresh in India, the event gathered over 20,000 stadium spectators and 40 million TV viewers. The sport that was brought to existence abroad in 1980s was finally flagged off in India.
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Innovations and clutter-breakers are the need of the hour in an environment which is thick with hundreds of brands screaming ‘look at me’. Conventional forms do not always make an impactful impression. Marketers are always scouting for unique opportunities to grab eyeballs. EE identifies some creative instances of brand communication where experiential is used as a medium by brands to influence the consumers. KELLOGG’S AND MERU CABS Kellogg’s in partnership with Meru Cabs launched an experiential campaign which was run through cab advertising. This activation targeted audience who start their journey early morning during 5AM to 9AM. The campaign focused on the message – ‘Importance of having breakfast everyday’ and induce Kellogg’s into the daily lives of the people. The customers were given a box which consisted of a Kellogg’s Muesli packet (new variant) along with 100 ml milk carton. Chauffeurs were trained to make the passengers comfortable and provided customers with sanitizers and scissors. HUAWEI-AIRTEL AND EASY CABS Huawei in partnership with Bharti Airtel provided free 3G internet services via Wi-Fi to commuters using radio taxi service EasyCabs in Delhi-NCR. The Wi-Fi offer was available from 28 June to 27 September 2013 in 100 Easycabs. Huawei had installed its E355 Wi-Fi data card combined with Airtel 3G internet services in the select cabs. Users were able to access the web on devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets and gaming devices during their commute. Huawei wanted commuters to utilize their valued time and make the most out of their journey by enjoying faster emailing, surfing, gaming and movies. SHOPPERS STOP AND EASY CABS Shoppers Stop partnered with En Route Media for its in-cab interactive TV network Flo. They launched a campaign that presented a special discount offer exclusively for EasyCabs passengers watching Flo. They designed a captivating digital ad which had an audio visual, touch screen interface that allowed passengers to interact with Shoppers Stop during their cab journey. Shoppers Stop used an interactive advertisement that asked passengers “When was the last time you treated yourself?”; interested passengers were redirected to a page specially created to give out SMS codes that they could use to avail the exclusive discount. BOARDWALK EMPIRE AND UBER To promote the premiere of the third season of “Boardwalk Empire”, HBO partnered with Uber in New York. They let a fleet of a dozen of 1920s Rolls-Royces and Cadillacs, 1928 Packards and Hupmobile cars which spent two days transporting people to their destination in Manhattan, New York. To get a ride in the vintage cars people had to just download the company’s Android or iPhone app to schedule a free spin, the timings were between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m and to keep the cars’ workload manageable, rides were limited to the borough of Manhattan, from Canal Street to 57th Street. HEINEKEN AND STAR CABS Heineken in partnership with Star Cabs is currently offering customers in London a chance to get a free taxi ride. On the first Saturday of every month, a fleet of Heineken-branded cabs will transport customers across the capital. Customers have to download the new Star Cabs app and use it to buy a Heineken at one of the 30 ‘destination bars’ located in Brixton, Clapham, Shoreditch, Angel, Camden, Notting Hill and Balham. They then are able to request a Star Cab and share the request on social media, before being alerted by SMS if they have won the taxi trip. NEWCASTLE BEER AND TAXI MAGIC “DON’T BE A WANKER. TAKE A BLOODY CAB” Newcastle Beer which was introducing a new brew, Newcastle Cabbie Black Ale, decided to promote the product in partnership with Taxi Magic. They offered Los Angeles bar-goers a free ride to their home in authentic British black cabs, on one condition—that they advertise the new brew through a roof-mounted megaphone for the duration of the ride or ‘get kicked to the curb’, the passengers were given a script. They proudly claimed, ‘Cabvertising’ racked up 67 noise complaints in its night of mischief. - See more at:
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Indian Literature Festivals have been the hub for great authors, their readers, extensive media coverage and advertisers. With the influx of writers, people and eminent figures, corporate sectors have increasingly shown interest in these festivals. Let’s look at some of the most prominent literary festivals in the country. Jaipur Literary Festival One of the biggest literary festivals in the world is the Zee Jaipur Literature festival. As an eminent festival of national and international repute, it is open to all. An array of activities such as readings, talks, debates, performances, children’s workshops and interactive activities are organized and supervised at this event. The annual event is held at The Diggi Palace Hotel and is a cluster of literary talent from around the world to address a huge audience encompassing intelligentsia, celebrities, policy makers and enthusiasts. The event is hosted by Teamwork Events and now the festival has become so popular that UK has planned a one day event in London. This year’s festival that was held from January 17th to 21st had a line-up of authors and speakers numbering to 240, with debates and discussions lasting five days. The topics ranged from fiction to biography, history to music and catered to all age groups. Nicholas Shakespeare, Jonathan Franzen, Richard Holmes, Kabir Bedi, Ray Monk, Jhumpha Lahiri, Joseph O’Neill, Shobhaa De, AN Wilson, Javeed Akthar, Salman Khurshid, Geoff Dyer, were some prominent authors at the venue. The sponsors for the event were Zee, Google, Vodafone, Ford, Dove, Kingfisher, Coca Cola. This year’s festival included Geetu Hinduja [Contemporary Folk, Pop & Soft Rock], Vidya Shah [Indian Classical], Rajasthani Folk Musicians, Sonam Kalra [Sufi & Gospel], Sumitra Kamad [Folk Music]. Hyderabad Literary Festival Hyderabad Literary Festival (HLF) is an annual event that honors creativity in all forms. The Festival started back in 2010 and it attracts over hundreds of Indian and International artists, writers, publishers and scholars each year. It is a multilingual event that focuses on writing in Indian languages. This year’s festival happened on 24th-25th January and the inauguration was done by Chandana Khan, Hon. Chairman of Hyderabad Literary Festival and I.A.S., Andhra Pradesh Tourism. There were workshops on Haiku & creative writing, book fair, special events for college and school students. This year’s festival had a line-up of prominent authors and speakers like Anand Gandhi, Mahesh Dattani, H.E Feilim McLaughlin, Mridula Garg. The Partners for the event were Ireland Literature Exchange, Alliance Française, National Arts Council, Oxford University Press, CitiBank, Roli Books, State Bank of Hyderabad, University of Hyderabad, Harper Collins etc. Kolkata Literary Meet Kolkata Literary Meet (KLM) is an annual literature event, the third edition was held this year at Taj Bengal from 25 to 30 January. KLM had tied-up with brands such as SREI, Google, Exide, NDTV and Tata Steel. The event included literary stalwarts such as Ramchandra Guha, Jhumpa Lahiri, Javed Akhtar, Adrian Levy, Shabana Azmi, Peter Godwin, Ian Jack, Aditi Mangaldas, David Godwin, Siddiqi and Sadaf Saaz. Speakers included national and internationally reputed literary geniuses. Favourites like Sharmila Tagore and Vikram Seth were back and the event was hosted by Naseeruddin Shah, Gloria Steinem and Mark Tully. The event was organized and executed by Gameplan. The first two editions saw writers like Valerio Manfredi, Vikram Seth, Amitav Ghosh, Pico Iyer, Alessandro Baricco and including Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate winner. Lit For Life The Hindu’s Lit for Life 2014 was held in Chennai on January 11 to 13 and in Delhi on February 8. The event witnessed animated discussions, book signings, drama and music. The event saw well-known authors like Dr. Abraham Verghese, Amandeep Sandhu Samantha Shannon, Ashwin Sanghi, Naomi Wolf, Jim Crace, Rana Dasgupta, Shovon Choudhary, Ira Trivedi, Sam Miller, and Manu Joseph. Gulzar, the national award winner recited his poems and was surrounded by a huge crowd in the event. Its first edition was held in Chennai in 2011 that had poets Arvind Krishna Mehrotra and Jeet Thayil, authors Devdutt Pattanaik Jerry Pinto, Nilanjana Roy, Ashok Ferrey, Gopal Krishna Gandhi, and fashion designer and author Wendell Rodricks attend it. Lucknow Literary Festival The second edition of the annual Lucknow Literary Festival was held on the 1st and 2nd February 2014. The 1st edition of the festival was held from 23rd to 24th March, 2013. It was a big success and widely appreciated by everyone. The festival is an effort to bring forth the ‘lutf’ of languages – Hindi, Urdu, Awadhi & English on a common platform. This year’s special award ‘Pride of Lucknow’ was presented to 7 people; Padma Shri Raj Bisaria, Shri Bekal Utsahi, Gopal Das Neeraj Vinod Mehta, Malikzada Manzoor Ahmed, Padma Shri Runa Banerjee, Jayant Krishna. The Literary festival main motive is to invoke the creative spirit of the city and bring together the authors and scholars from all over the country. This year’s festival included cultural events like Dastangoi on Kabir, Sufi Qawwali, Mushaira and Live Concert by Faridkot band. Well-known people like Naseeruddin Shah, Dolly Thakore, Padma Shri Bekal Utsahi, Amaresh Mishra, Veena Talwar Oldenburg, Padma Shri Gulzar Dehlvi were some of the participants of the festival.
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OOH advertisements including billboards and interactive campaigns may have seen their best days already and with the onset of digital age, primarily social media – the interest in OOH billboards has declined as more brands have shifted their focus to digital. Other than the rise of digital space, the economic downturn that hit India and elsewhere post 2008 has also contributed to the overall decline of OOH activities. This doesn’t mean that OOH campaigns are no longer relevant and the consumer impact has diminished. It just means that now advertisers have to make their outdoor campaigns even more interactive and experiential than ever before. Some of the world’s most creative experiential campaigns have shown that outdoor activities can be very powerful. As the marketers realize that the future of advertising doesn’t rely solely on digital but a mix of traditional and new medium – referred to as tradigital (traditional + digital). If advertisers can create an offline experience that is worth talking and sharing about, people can’t help but talk about it to their friends and family, and the advertiser’s goal is met. Let’s take a look at some of the world’s most creative OOH experiential activities followed by examples from the indian space. This OOH campaign comes from France for a calcium rich mineral water brand called Contrex. The campaign included placing a set of pink exercise cycles equally spaced next to each other, at a public place where people gather and take a stroll – surrounded by french architectures. Contrex’s mineral water bottles were placed just below these exercise cycles. As soon as the curious onlookers, primarily women sit on these cycles and try it, a neon light starts to light up on the floor, just below the front tyre of these cycles and the light would travel further from these machines as the women continue to keep pedaling. When more women join, the lights travel all the way to the architecture in front them, at a distance and a neon male stripper appears and music begins to play. As they keep pedaling, the stripper dances to the tune and starts stripping. At the end, a message is displayed how easily they have burnt 2,000 calories. The women then get off the bikes and drink Contrex’s mineral water. This particular type of risque campaign may not strike chords with the Indian audience but such ingenious offline ideas help a brand capture people’s attention more than anything else. APPLE MACBOOK AIR SWING – BUS STOP SHELTER This ingenious experiential advertising idea comes from Apple brand for its MacBook Air, where it places a swing instead of the usual bench you find at bus stop shelters. What could stimulate best than an experience that reminds you of your childhood, especially as most women can relate to swings. CYCLE BRAND INCENSE BUS SHELTER CAMPAIGN It is an experiential promotional campaign by the Indian incense brand Cycle brand Agarbatti. Six bus shelters and one hoarding were converted into mini pandals (structures usually built for placing Hindu idols) branded with the brand’s posters and a cut-out of the Hindu god Ganesha. The shelter would have incense being lit from 8am till 9pm everyday, so the people could experience the fragrance of the brand’s incenses and an audio of Aarti (devotional songs) would be played along. If that was not enough, the shelters were bluetooth enabled and anybody could use their phone to download lord Ganesha-themed ringtones, wallpapers etc.
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As long as our planet will have women, the cosmetic companies will follow. These brands can be very tenacious when it comes to reaching out to their target audience – women, perhaps more persistent than men. The cosmetics industry in India is currently estimated to be around $950 million, which is likely to become threefold by 2020. It is growing at an accelerated rate of 15-20 percent each year. The country’s FMCG industry has witnessed a foray of global cosmetic brands in the last decade, which has also resulted in a healthy competition. It is no surprise to see cosmetic campaigns running round the year in most malls that serve as activation points. Physical activations by cosmetic companies are quite common and visible these days, but, most of the global brands have also taken their touch points online, taking experiential online. To some of those women who do not prefer getting makeovers or touch-ups at public activation booths, which cosmetic brands usually set up in malls and other public arenas, online is an alternative place to experience the brand and its offerings. Let’s look at some of the global brands in India and how they provide experiential interaction to potential customers. Lakme The cosmetic brand Lakme was the first to launch India’s virtual makeover application called ‘Lakmé Reinvent Studio. The application is meant for women who can upload their photo on the application’s online page – http://www.lakmeindia.com/Studio then they can create a new look for themselves using Lakme’s extensive range of products and colours. The application covers everything from face, eyes, lips to nails. It is also smart enough to suggest products and shades. Once done, the user can email the new reinvented themselves back to their email id. It is an interesting way to engage women, especially those who are shy to try a product virtually before they buy it. Loreal Paris The well-known brand has a dedicated site on cosmetics and fashion, covering interesting categories such as news, fashion, stars, makeup, hairstyle and Cannes. The most important of them all is the ‘makeup’ section that further has four sections, namely – makeup tips, makeup trends, red carpet makeup and makeup tutorials. The most interesting of them all is makeup tips section, which features photos of popular celebrities followed by tips on how to get their look. Mabelline New York Yet another popular brand that has created online touch points to engage consumers. On its website, it has created a section called ‘How To’, which features 3 sub-sections – ‘Beauty Tips’, ‘Step-by-Step’ and ‘Tutorial Videos’. The Step-by-Step section shows photos of different women wearing latest makeup looks, linked to detailed pages that show how to get a particular look. The ‘Tutorial Videos’ section has a collection of tutorial videos on topics ranging from nails, eyelashes, lipsticks and more. One can spend hours engaging with the site learning. Mabelline has another dedicated site called ‘InstaGLAM’ that has all the tips and tutorials but in a more blog/article based format. It even features ‘Blogger Reviews’ that collates articles and reviews that people write on various fashion blogs in the country. In a similar approach as Lakme has, Oriflame has its own virtual makeover site aptly named ‘Virtual Make-up Studio, which lets one upload a photo and discover new looks and colours with Oriflame products. Oriflame Oriflame also created an interactive site called ‘Dreamboards’ for its target audience. The aim is to promote dreams of women. It encourages women to go to http://dreamboards.oriflame.com/#en and browse through thousands of pictures to create a dreamboard, save it and share it with friends on social media. The idea is to allow visualization one’s dreams and goals, put them in a photo format, print and then put them near you, so one gets always reminded of their dreams, encouraging them to achieve it.
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