Scene in late 1980's/early 1990's :
Mom - Dey, take this 20 rs. Go and get one Promise tooth paste.Keep the balance as pocket money..
Kiddo - Ok amma....(and goes out to "shop" happily making big plans with the "pocket money")
Scene in 2000's :
Mom - (takes the Colgate tooth paste from the supermarket tooth paste stacks)
Kiddo - Mom...Don't take this...Let's buy Pepsodent....I don't need to lie if i use Pepsodent..
Thanks to all the ads which include kids...for this change in the scenario...(I am sure u would have seen the ad which includes 2 kids and the caption "Kids don't need to lie")
"Washing powder Nirma...Washing powder Nirma..."
"I am a Complan boy...I am a Complan girl..."
As i recall,these were the first few ads which included kids in those times...
There were very few "kid celebrities".
But, today...kids are there in almost all the ads for "A-Z" products.
This definitely "influences" them.
I remember my marketing professor once referring to UK ad makers as one of the first to capitalize this strategy of influencing kids through ads to increase the sales of the products.
And the rest of the copy cats took the advantage of this "safe & proved" path!
But the question/point i wondered was,
Did these ads change the scenario
or
Did the change in the scenario compelled the ads to change???
Whatever it is, this "strategy" has hit the nail on the head..
Because grocery decisions are not made by bread winner alone anymore...(youngest) bread eater plays an important role as well!
Now...one final challenge for you... (I tried it and did not succeed)
In the next 10 seconds,recall one ad/brand (for toothbrush/toothpaste/washing powder) which do not include kids...:)
100 points if you get it right:)
Multi national gaints tasted blood long back wit the stunning pack...cathy onliners...and many other things....This remind me the strategy implimented by ITC...they targeted all the small scale vendors who sell their cigrattes "Gold flake" and recommended (forcefully)to give a mint-O instead of the balance 50 paise.Vendors across the country made this a practise.Now who ever smokes thinks they have to use a mint-O after smoking.Both becomes complimentory products!!!...Tats the power of marketing.
ReplyDeleteGopal Pal Podi!
ReplyDeleteNice one! I can recall some ad's which dont have kids in it - Dove, Liril, Fiama Di Willis, Colgate toothpaste (esp the latest one where she asks the guy for a ticket on the train). There are lots of ads for the above product segments that you mention that don't feature children. It so happens that the one's that feature children are more popular and thus retained better by the consumer. There is a lot of discussion going on in the marketing world with regards to banning Advertising to Children in India (like in Canada). Maybe you could have delved a bit deeper into that. Just a suggestion... :) Cheers mate!
ReplyDeleteYaaru de antha professor? Krishna Rao sir? Or Srinivasan sir?? Or was it Geetha Hegde?? How come I dont remember..?? Hmm...and here I thought marketing was one subject I'd paid attention to.Heh! Ratz
ReplyDeleteIf im not wrong all the 'close up' ads dont feature kids, as they are specifically targetted for young adults and man n women who want to be close together without shyness.
ReplyDelete@Amal,Regarding ITC, even before they introduced confectionary to the market there was good many products which were given with cig instead of change. For eg., Supari, Halls and other candies. ITC saw a great potential there to be tapped with their distribution strength so launched Minto, Candyman , Minto fresh and so on. So if you think it was ITC who force fed the junta to eat candies after cig..im sorry you are way of mark. They just utilised the existing practice.
It was a good write up.
@ Amal - agree with u in terms of "power of marketing".
ReplyDelete@ RR - As i mentioned in ur blog, my brain did not work on those lines. Thanks for ur suggestion :)
@ Jaya - Gud one. Proud of u...Yarukumae yosikka mudiyaatha oru product yosichadhukku :) LOL
@ Ratz - Geetha hegde dee...
@ KAnda - Thanks Kanda..
None i recall in few seconds :( Almost 90% of adds here target kids to market their products.
ReplyDelete