This time, the brand is evangelizing " save the trees " idea.
Watch the tvc here : Idea
Idea cellular should be commented for its consistency in their positioning. It is very easy for the brand managers to become bored at harping on same theme again and again. This can prompt some managers to change for the sake of changing thus undoing the entire work done so far. In that way, it is good to see Idea cellular milking the maximum out of its big idea.
Coming to the campaign, as usual the campaigns are catchy, humorous and has a message which is miles away from where the brand stands.
According to reports, the brand is planning a 360 degree campaign to take the concept to the masses.
I have been closely watching the unfolding of Idea's branding strategies for a while . The brand had wisely taken a strategy which acted as an effective clutter breaker. No one misses the campaign but after a while no one remembers it too . Although the campaigns talks about various issues, I felt a sort of disconnect somewhere. If we look at similar consistent campaigns like Fevicol or Gillette, there is a strong string which connects their campaigns together. That connecting string is missing in the Idea cellular campaigns.
This is my hypothesis about the brand's campaign :
Even though the brand uses the same set of brand elements like the taglines in all their campaigns, normal audience often discounts the idea as utopian or imaginative. Unlike Fevicol, Idea mixes hyperbole with real issue which makes the viewer "dismiss " the idea of the campaign. I have never seen anyone discussing the concept proposed by Idea campaigns.
In Fevicol, there is only hyperbole without any mixing of real issues and audience "discuss" the exaggeration and does not dismiss .
Having said that, in telcom market, the purpose of advertisement is largely creating brand salience. Idea cellular has become a master in creating brand salience and the campaigns serve this purpose very well.
Coming to the campaign, as usual the campaigns are catchy, humorous and has a message which is miles away from where the brand stands.
According to reports, the brand is planning a 360 degree campaign to take the concept to the masses.
I have been closely watching the unfolding of Idea's branding strategies for a while . The brand had wisely taken a strategy which acted as an effective clutter breaker. No one misses the campaign but after a while no one remembers it too . Although the campaigns talks about various issues, I felt a sort of disconnect somewhere. If we look at similar consistent campaigns like Fevicol or Gillette, there is a strong string which connects their campaigns together. That connecting string is missing in the Idea cellular campaigns.
This is my hypothesis about the brand's campaign :
Even though the brand uses the same set of brand elements like the taglines in all their campaigns, normal audience often discounts the idea as utopian or imaginative. Unlike Fevicol, Idea mixes hyperbole with real issue which makes the viewer "dismiss " the idea of the campaign. I have never seen anyone discussing the concept proposed by Idea campaigns.
In Fevicol, there is only hyperbole without any mixing of real issues and audience "discuss" the exaggeration and does not dismiss .
Having said that, in telcom market, the purpose of advertisement is largely creating brand salience. Idea cellular has become a master in creating brand salience and the campaigns serve this purpose very well.
The campaign doesn't sink in. Though saving tree and all is a good thought with the right amount of pathos shown in the ads, it doesn't compliment with the services Idea provides. An idea user myself, I find it difficult to believe that using Idea I can get these services. The GPRS doesnt work for more than 20 days a month (even if it works it's hardly good). The customer care is down for 12 hours of the 24 hours they are supposed to be working (atleast in Karnataka) and many other problems. Instead of showing WHAT can be achieved, they should have provisions for providing these services too. else like the TOI campaigns, these are just scams aimed at getting awards at some competition and gaining good publicity for the brand and the ad agency.
ReplyDeleteAs far as achieveing brand salience is concerned, the telecom brands will always have problems in convincing the customers to be loyal. No ervice provider is good in itself and the VAS of all are equally pathetic.
Nice advertisement from Idea. Idea is also consistent in giving cause or message more importance rather than enchasing Abhishek's fan following.
ReplyDeleteYou sure come up with some serious incite don't you.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work.
Sir,
ReplyDeleteI dont agree with your view that there is a disconnect in the Idea campaign and that it was never a discussion point. As Pradeep Srivastava, CMO, Idea had mentioned when he had come down to our college, their idea is to project themselves as a social champion. That is definitely a differentiated brand image compared to the naughty Virgin, the youth achiever Uninor, the power of together Docomo etc.
On the discussion point front, the Walk n Talk campaign was connecting with the health conscious youth of the day. And on the latest campaign, Idea was one of the first proponents of banking solutions using mobiles as a credit card and is just waiting for the RBI approval. So it might really be a strategy to align with the future of the telecom sector.
I believe Idea has not been able to get the positioning part correct so far.
ReplyDeleteThough the ads are shot nicely, the tag line 'What an idea sirjee" is just a clever rehash of its old theme 'an idea can change your life" that is quite ambiguous when a customer is looking for a specific brand promise. While , Airtel talked about wider reach, vodafone better connectivity and Reliance harped on talk time through its Bol India Bol campaign Idea's atempt has just been confined to hyperbole without translating into brand connectivity.
Moreover, the ads are promoting mobile services i.e. wlak while talk for fitness or use mobiles for education or the latest example of replacing mobile for papers. The role of Idea cellular has not been established in the series.
This is a classic case of good ads, bad advertising!
I get where they are going with this, but I'm not real sold on the idea being a big seller. Thanks for the post though.
ReplyDeleteI like the campaign,it is promoting the environmental awareness.But I guess the campaign doesn't relate the product endorsing,but lets see how effective it is..
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteHope to see more updates here.
Good information and Thanks for sharing
ReplyDelete