Amazon seeks to recast narrative with Kindle ad
Amazon launches first ad campaign introducing the e-reader to Indian masses through a three-minute film
New Delhi: More than a year after launching Kindle in India, Amazon.com Inc. has launched its first advertising campaign introducing the e-reader to Indian masses through a three-minute film of a young man travelling with his Kindle Paperwhite.
The film depicts the journey of an avid reader who goes through different emotions as he reads a story on his Kindle while sitting in a plane, a train, a rickety bus and then in a boat to reach a tiny hamlet, only to read a story to a bunch of excited kids, reliving the emotions.
The ad that celebrates readers across social and economic barriers has been well-received by online audiences, crossing over 5.3 million views on Amazon’s official Youtube channel in just seven days.
Amazon’s advertising in India till now has been largely focused on increasing awareness about its platform; this is its first advertisement focusing on one of its flagship products.
“It is going to get more and more human for you," said Raj Deepak Das, chief creative officer at advertising agency Leo Burnett India, which created the campaign.
“As a country, we are a country of readers. We love to read but we do not have a concept of e-reading. The idea is how to bring e-reading to become part of the culture," Das added.
Amazon is likely to come up with more advertising campaigns around Kindle. The company also launched a Twitter handle, a YouTube channel and a Facebook page titled Amazon Kindle India on 4 November.
According to media buyer estimates, the e-commerce marketplace has budgeted ₹ 85-100 crore for this year.
An estimated ₹ 40-45 crore was spent on Amazon’s first television commercial during IPL-7, for which it was an on-air associate sponsor.
About ₹ 20 crore was spread across ad campaigns such as Kindle Paperwhite, the festive season ads that started with Diwali and many more campaigns that are expected in the coming months.
The company did not comment on its advertising budget.
“The narrative showcases how our Kindle Paperwhite reader delivers the ultimate reading experience. You can carry thousands of your favourite books with you wherever you go, read with one hand, read in bright sunlight or at night with no eye strain and you don’t have to worry about charging, as the battery lasts for days," Manish Kalra, director of integrated marketing at Amazon India.
Amazon in the US is largely seen doing print and digital advertisements; however, in India, it is seen spending massively on television ads, too. The latest Kindle Paperwhite ad is substantially longer than a normal television commercial.
Besides, in other markets, Amazon Kindle advertisements are largely driven by technical specifications. India is among the few markets where the company has chosen to take a more human approach.
In July, Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos had promised the company would invest as much as $2 billion in India over the next few years.
It’s important for Amazon to establish a large business in India after having lost out to Alibaba in China, which overtook the US last year to become the largest e-commerce market in the world.
According Ambika Srivastava, managing partner of Strategic Mediaworks, a media buying agency, “India is a very important market for them (Amazon) and it is critical for them to succeed here...they cannot afford to compromise on effective communication."
The film was shot in Sri Lanka by director Ram Madhvani and the background score was sung by Swanand Kirkire.
Vidhi Choudhary contributed to this story.
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