Festivity is in the air. While Kolkata is gearing up for its biggest festival — Durga Puja, Delhi and south India are counting the days to Dussehra and Diwali. The harvest festivals in south India are also something that the people of the region look forward to.
The cheer and festivity that sets in during festival time is unbelievable and can be compared to only what the West witnesses during Christmas. According to surveys done by research firms, companies too take advantage of the festive fervour making planned efforts in campaigns aimed at this season and the enhanced customer spend expected. Take for instance organisations in lifestyle categories like plasma TVs, LCDs, laptops and other high-end items. Their sales and ad spend grow anything between 40 to 50 per cent during the festive season. Jewellery is another category that sees escalated sales and campaigns by big brands — each vying with the other for a share in the consumer’s purse.
Naturally, this is an occasion when the economy sees a spurt. In fact, a month before the Pujas the billboards in and around Kolkata and other big metros like Delhi, are splashed with colourful advertisements. And it is not just the biggies like Woodland shoes, Rolex watches or Mercedes Benz who go all out to advertise. Even the not-so-much-in-the-big-league want to make their presence felt. And that is the beauty of the festive season in India. This spurt in commercialism during the festive season started way back in the ’60s. It was at that time that businessmen saw an opportunity to mint money. As Saumya Chattopadhyay, Head, Strategic Planning, Rediffusion Y&R, says companies found and still find it the perfect time to connect with the consumer. They just give their big ideas a free run. Kolkata is awash with advertisements like that of a new Bengali channel — Mahuya, which has come up with an innovative way to connect to the regional audience with the punch line — Ki Khobor? As Chattopadhyay says, “Companies see in the festive season a perfect time to advertise their products.” Take, for instance, Canon India, the country’s largest digital imaging company. Two years ago, the company launched its widest range of products including digital cameras, digital video camcorders, printers, digital copiers, software applications, cable id printers, card printers during this festive season. There were many print and television advertisements before what can be called Canon’s biggest product launch in India.
Echoes advertising professional Shayan Chatterjee, “Around crores are spent during this time by companies in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.” What is interesting is that companies are tweaking their communication strategies to woo customers. Usually, lifestyle companies offer massive discounts. For instance, Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd, comes up with advertisements offering freebies and discounts with every purchase. Its advertisements also talk of finance opportunities to customers at zero per cent interest. Even automobile companies are not to be left behind. They too, want to take advantage of the economic resurgence. Naturally, they also offer discounts to woo customers. And what better way to do so than to be seen in most print and electronic media?
Festive advertising in Kolkata, however, has a distinct feature. As Chatterjee explains, the brands that are showcased in Kolkata are mostly regional and are of middle stature. “You can see a proliferation of ads of companies in the small range like spice companies and shoe brands to even gutka companies,” says Chatterjee. Even Chattopadhyay agrees that it is the local companies in Kolkata who are eager to make the connect with the consumer during this time. “Companies are very conscious of every rupee spent and they want the maximum mileage in return. Hence, they project an image that will cut ice with a majority of pandal hoppers,” says Chattopadhyay. Mobile companies are examples where operators like Uninor project an image of the emotional connect that they enjoy with Bengal. Thanks to the festival of cheer and good life corporate presence increases manifold during Puja. And that indeed spells good news for India’s economy!
The author is a well- known industry watcher