Ravindra Zutshi: Use of celebrities is not always justified

On advertising as a strategic management tool

Most advertising is integrally linked with, and is a reflection of, a company’s management approach and strategy. And this synergy is largely derived from the greater involvement of top management with the company’s marketing and communication initiatives.

On current trends in advertising

The indiscriminate use of celebrities by many brands is somewhat disturbing. Using a celebrity is effective if the core values of the brand and those of the celebrity are in sync. I know that most marketers are looking for quick recall piggybacking on the celebrity. But I feel the campaign will work only if the inherent synergies are tapped fully and leveraged and the execution of the campaign is good.

A good trend is the use of humour in advertising. Advertising that leaves a smile on a viewer’s face tends to be remembered well.

I have also noticed that the production values in ads have gone up considerably. Sometimes, the scale of the advertisement itself evokes interest among viewers.

On Samsung’s advertising mantra

We believe in advertisements that touch an emotional chord with the customer.

For instance, our Team Samsung campaign around cricketers endorsing the Samsung brand really worked very well. It managed to touch an emotional chord with all Indians, who wanted the Indian team to defeat Pakistan and win the Samsung Cup in 2004. Since then, even though we have moved away from cricket to communication that is more oriented towards the product’s own unique selling propositions, our advertising still continues to have some emotional quotient attached to it.

Again, the message in any advertisement needs to be simple. It should focus on one clear message for easier comprehension and retention.

On diverse media platforms

Beyond the use of traditional media, I think a 360-degree approach is very much required for making any communication fully effective. The advertising campaign that we carried out for our Bordeaux Art LCD series truly worked and made us a leader in the Indian market because it not only had strong advertising but also very innovative outdoors and in-shop displays. The Internet is also a very useful medium for reaching out to the tech-savvy, next-gen audience.

My favourite ads

I would give top marks to the Vodafone campaign for the simplicity of treatment, clarity of message and creativity.

In terms of the use of celebrities, I think the charisma and appeal of Hrithik Roshan has been leveraged very well in the ongoing Cinthol advertisement. In fact, the entire Godrej Life Banade campaign is also good.