Do glitzy election campaigns work with voters in India, specially when the credentials of a government are being seriously questioned by the actions of its leading figures and ministers? Brand-expert Harish Bijoor joined IBNLive readers for an interaction on the issue.
Q. At the time of India shining there was still lot of optimism in the country. Today, with so much pessimism is the Self Drum beat of congress a right move? Asked by: premkumargutty
A. I do believe that any "drum-beat" that is hollow is wrong. If there is substance, you can and must advertise. Viewers and consumers disconnect themselves from hollow-shout.Therefore one must watch out for this!
Q. Is not advertisement legalized lying? Are we live in colonial times? Why congress failed to recognize people are smart enough to assess the govt. thanks to internet world? Asked by: mohan
A. Mohan, The people of any country are very-very smart. Advertising is fine when what is being said is totally correct and factual. When there is even an iota of a lie in it, it does not work. I agree! twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Do you think that a perceived failure of a election slogan lies is more to do with the content of the slogan rather than the slogan based ad-campaign concept itself? Asked by: Oliver
A. Oliver, I do believe life at large is about truths. Everyone is seeking out the truth, rather than seeking out a lie. Advertising must therefore focus on the truth, rather than buffeting up a hollow lie or a set of lies for that matter. When you advertise the truth, people resonate with the advertising. When you advertise with a lie, people love the tone, tenor, decibel and story, but get put off by the content that is a lie at large. Slogans don't really matter. Content does. And good content with a good slogan? A great combination! twitter @harishbijoor
Q. I doubt if such campaigns have any value as the credibility of this government has been completely eroded with scams and in their media glitz they do not address this issue? But the TINA factor would surely help the UPA and the credit would be assigned to this campaign. Am I right in my assumption? Asked by: AKS
A. AKS, I do believe the nation has alternatives for sure. We need to choose them right though. These alternatives must be offered by political party formations before the elections rather than after the election process is done with. That will help all of us make a clear choice that is clean, and not leveraged and horse-traded upon by political parties post the mandate. twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Dear Sir, although congress has undergone scams and corruption allegations they have performed silently as the economy showed restraint during recession and also an average growth rate achieved when compared to other countries in the world? Asked by: Raaj
A. Raaj, I agree. I do believe it is totally unfair to write off the UPA-II rule as a total write-off. It has had its high-points for sure. twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Do you not believe that credibility of govt. is erode due to only negative campaign by media to get their TAP ? No alternative to congress till today since Congress is bad but other all parties are scattered or worst? Asked by: Deepak Desai
A. Raaj, I do believe media has a role to play in creating positive or negative impressions. But let us remember that the voter in India is a very savvy voter. He/she is not too easily swayed. Apart from media, there are multiple factors that voters use to decide on that ultimate vote they will cast. twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Will UPA's 'Bharat Nirman' meet the NDA's 'India Shining' fate? Asked by: fatima
A. Fatima, Depends. A campaign that packs reality as it is at the ground level works. A campaign that packs fiction into a lovely creative, just to sway the masses does not. The 'India Shining' campaign did not work as it was a piece of fiction rolled out on mass media. The voter at the grass-root level knew reality as it was staring into his/her face. Therefore, he/she knew first time round that the campaign was a big lie. And he did not vote a party that lied so blatantly. He did not have water in his taps, but he saw visuals of water gushing out of fountains in front of IT and ITES offices in Bangalore! The UPA government needs to be careful on this count of credibility when it comes to 'Bharat Nirman'. The voter lives in the "real world" and not in the Utopia promoted in advertising that is slick and glib.This must be remembered. twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Does 'Bharat Nirman' affect congress the way it hurt BJP on India Shining? Asked by: Sudhakar
A. Sudhakar, Depends on how the 'Bharat Nirman' campaign will roll itself out with its new creatives in the months preceding the elections. If there is a connect to reality, it will work. If not, it will fall on its face, like "India Shining" did! twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Do glitzy election campaigns work with voters in India, specially when the credentials of a government are being seriously questioned by the actions of its leading figures and ministers? Asked by: Urmi
A. Urmi, You are right. Glitzy campaigns do not necessarily work. Glitzy campaigns work when you are selling soap and shampoo, but not when you are selling the work of a government. Let us remember that the voter at the grass-roots level is not like anything that you see in a typical glitzy piece of advertising. There is visual, vocal and sociological disconnect with most prototypes used in glitzy ads. India is real and advertising is unreal. That is a problem to correct in communication pieces of this kind that attempt to sell the work of a government.Touche! twitter @harishbijoor
Q. I was a child while India shining was shown,and I fail to understand what the UPA are showing now with this 'Bharat Nirman' because it looks much away from reality . Being a student and in an IIT now, the ads are far from reality, I mean 99.9% of the IITians still crave for US given the research facilities and big bucks they can make over there, Manish Tewari says that they are also trying to show that there are problems as well, but on the contrary , the ads seem to show that India is perhaps the best place to live. Scary it is. So hollow. What a sham! Asked by: Avinash
A. Avinash, In Kannada there is a 'gaadhe'(saying) "Tubida Koda Tullukolla"! It simply means that a pot that is full will not chatter or gurgle. The viewer is going to ask the same question. When you look around and see reality, and you see a disconnect in the advertising version, you will switch off on the advertiser. twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Why does Govt. think that media can change perceptions? Cant it get out and work towards development instead of creating visual presentations Asked by: Harsha GS
A. Harsha, Media can change perceptions, but the government needs to understand that these perceptions change slowly and when backed with claims that are integrity oriented. twitter @harishbijoor
Q. 'Bharat Nirman' to start with does look an understated campaign compared to India Shinning campaign which had lot of glitz and hype.Do you think political campaigns need to be more subtle than rhetoric to achieve their impact? Asked by: aks s
A. Absolutely correct! Political campaigns need to shun the glitz and remain basic. As basic as the lowest common denominator voter at large. If not, there will be visual, aural and sociological disconnect. twitter @harishbijoor
Q. If Congress able to put reality of achievements and touch to common rural citizens, will they succeed through this ad? Asked by: [email protected]
A. I do not believe they succeed with this piece of communication. They have miles to go before they sleep! twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Why ain't there is any accountability fixation system where government could be asked to explain why it spent such a huge amount of money on such glitzy campaigns when people are dying of hunger? Asked by: Ishank Sagar
A. Ishank! Good question! Priorities, I guess! twitter @harishbijoor
Q. Narsimha Rao, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati - ads have worked for none of them. Because none was substantiated with actions. Do you think UPA is going to have same fate? Asked by: Satya Prakash Shukla
A. Satya, I am afraid so! The "aam aadmi" campaign of the Congress however played and delivered a different role and mandate. twitter @harishbijoor
Q. India Shining campaign.. received.. negative response from the Media.. Unlike 'Bharat Nirman' now.. Setting aside the political reasons aside.. How far the media efforts to rescue this government's image will be successful? Asked by: CSG
A. I am afraid a simple campaign such as this has a very minimal role to play in this resuscitation process. twitter @harishbijoor
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