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<ul><li>Friends Dry Pants' latest ad features Marathi theatre actors and real-life partners - <keyword id="12899952" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anil-Khopkar" source="Orion">Anil Khopkar</keyword> and <keyword id="12899951" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="swaroop-khopkar" source="Orion">Swaroop Khopkar</keyword>.</li><li>The ad is conceptualized and filmed by agency Wavemaker India.</li></ul>Friends Dry Pants - the flagship brand of Nobel Hygiene, specially designed for people suffering from <keyword id="996110" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="incontinence" source="Orion">Incontinence</keyword>, today launched a digital film to spread awareness on how the use of <keyword id="1803065" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="adult-diapers" source="Orion">adult diapers</keyword> can mean ‘urine leakage se azadi mubarak’. The features an adorable elderly couple essayed by Marathi theatre actors and real-life partners - Anil Khopkar and Swaroop Khopkar. <div type="Youtube" id="G-Zt-EKWwVQ" title="Friends Adult Diapers ke saath cricket season ke liye Pad Up!!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/G-Zt-EKWwVQ/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The DVC showcases the cost of incontinence—missing major moments in a match due to the ‘baar baar bathroom jaane ka problem’ and urges users to push stigma and choose dry pants so they don’t miss the little moments that make life worth living. <keyword id="5982986" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kartik-johari" source="Orion">Kartik Johari</keyword>, Vice-President – Marketing &amp; e-commerce, Nobel Hygiene, said, “We have found that consumer truths resonate the most with our audience, and consequently, helps them break the adult diaper taboo at home. Also recently, a primary study we conducted found that it takes anywhere between 9 months and 1.5 years for those facing incontinence to start using adult diapers. For several months, sufferers attempt to 'manage' concerns instead of choosing dry pants because of social stigma. Consequently, we used consumer truths heroed by our female protagonist in this ad showing her as a trendsetter and urging her husband to join the dry pant league! We were helped by the real-life chemistry of Mr and Mrs Khopkar, and we hope to keep making many more such slices of reality for our growing audience.” The age of people with incontinence has decreased to 25- 35 years in the last decade and the number of women is higher in this age bracket primarily because of childbirth. The social stigma continues to create challenges for women and men along with their families who become bound to the same incontinence to help them manage it. Speaking on the campaign, <keyword id="290291" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="karthik-nagarajan" source="Orion">Karthik Nagarajan</keyword>, Chief Content Officer, Wavemaker India said, “With this Friends campaign our attempt was to encourage conversations around the category without feeling awkward or embarrassed and show adult diapers as a part of their existing life that they've embraced fully. By showing an elderly couple enjoy their life while accepting their need for an adult diaper was the key to normalizing the conversation”. This new DVC puts the woman in the spotlight instead of having her play a supporting/background role. The woman is thus seen as the cool early adapter who is goading her husband into choosing aazadi, as well. The video was conceptualized and filmed by agency Wavemaker India. Chief Creative Officer: Karthik Nagarajan Creative Director &amp; Script: Deepak Ramesh Head Wavemaker Films: Aarnav Mukherjee Director: Pratik Rajen Kothari

Friends Adult Diapers launches new commercial on managing urine leakage

<ul><li><keyword id="343" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Friends">Friends</keyword>' latest campaign reminds you that addressing the stigma around diaper usage is simpler than dealing with the consequences of an often fatal, midnight bathroom fall.</li><li>The campaign was made in collaboration with The Womb and designer-adman Deepak Singh. </li></ul><keyword id="3140524" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nobel-Hygiene">Nobel Hygiene</keyword>’s Friends, an adult diaper brand, today launched 'Fear of Falling,' a one-minute video film across its digital platforms. Through this film and the corresponding #BreakTheFall campaign Friends hopes to educate viewers about the risk elders face in atte mpting to use the toilet alone at night. <div type="Youtube" id="Qvm5JbZnmP4" title="#OneInFour" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Qvm5JbZnmP4/mqdefault.jpg"></div> As a category leader, Friends in its two decades of service has focused not just on making the best possible adult diaper for the Indian body but also educating the populace on the often unspoken problem of incontinence. ‘Fear of Falling’ is one such educational attempt focused on the insight that 1 in 4 elders is injured while attempting to use the toilet at night. The film hopes to impress upon families and caregivers that frequent urination need not be lethal and that addressing the stigma around diaper usage is simpler than dealing with the consequences of an often fatal midnight bathroom fall. According to the <keyword id="43588" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Health-Organization">World Health Organization</keyword>'s (WHO) 2007 global report on falls prevention, the prevalence of falls in India, above the age of 60 years, ranges between 14%–53%. A community-based cross-sectional study conducted in Maharashtra in 2016 further found that the majority (44.92%) of falls had occurred early in the morning, followed by 20.90% in the afternoon, 19.34% in the evening, and 14.84% at night. With respect to the location of fall, a whopping 50.75% of falls took place in the bathroom. The study also found that majority of elderly adults view falling to be a normal part of old age, are poorly informed about risk factors and are not aware that even non-injury falls require immediate medical attention. Friend’s hopes to recommend, through this DVC, a simple solution to these risks. The company hopes the campaign will urge viewers to start a conversation around incontinence so that elders do not have to battle frequent urination alone for fear of inconveniencing family members and being perceived as weak. <keyword id="5982986" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kartik-Johari">Kartik Johari</keyword>, Vice-President – Marketing &amp; e-commerce, Nobel Hygiene, said, “It is unfortunate but the truth that our elderly adults face every night. Incontinence is a severe issue that is shrouded in taboos in our country. It needs to be taken head on as it is an unavoidable biological fact that most of us will face at some point or the other as our bodies age. Yet we refuse to accept or extend help. People suffering from it choose to remain silent for fear of social ostracization.” “Our latest campaign “Fear of falling” is dedicated to raising awareness about this unique challenge among all men and women who go through it, thus helping them understand that they are not alone. We have ourselves witnessed a real-time playout of this issue through our customer service calls where we see elderly people and caregivers adopting diaper use after a big fall, when their mobility has already been affected! It is our hope that diaper adoption will precede such events,” he further added. Deepak Singh, Director also commented, "When Nobel Hygiene came to us with the brief of creating this film, we found it to be a very timely and relevant initiative, keeping in mind the magnitude of the problem as stated by the facts and numbers. The idea was to bring out the scenario, that leads to elderly people falling or slipping in the bathroom, in an intriguing way. It's reassuring to know that brands today are taking up some very real but unspoken issues and willing to open up conversations around them. And we are very glad to have played a part in it." By shining a spotlight on the issue, the brand encourages the audience not to shrink away from the subject or bottle up harrowing experiences. Additionally, the campaign will also create solidarity among people suffering from incontinence by letting them know that they are not the only ones in this situation while helping them accept the truth. The campaign was made in collaboration with The Womb and award-winning designer-adman Deepak Singh (founder of Vitamin D).

Friends diapers' latest ad hopes to educate viewers about the risk elders face in attempting to use the toilet alone at night

<ul><li>Conceputalised by Schbang, <keyword id="9881975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="rio-heavy-flow-pads">RIO Heavy Flow Pads</keyword>' latest advertisement is a perfect analogy of what PCOS is. </li><li>It tries to explain the hormonal ups and down that women with PCOS experience through Raagas. </li><li>It aims to break taboos around PCOS and encourage people to start talking about it. </li></ul>An estimated one in five Indian women suffer from PCOS, yet very little is spoken about this condition. The ups and downs, the hormonal changes, the struggles that these women go -- through be it unbearable pain that comes with PCOS or changing pads every half an hour or trying to switch from diet to diet in the hope of relief -- they deserve to be heard. So this <keyword id="9881976" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="pcos-awareness-month">PCOS Awareness Month</keyword>, RIO Heavy Flow Pads by <keyword id="3140524" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nobel-Hygiene">Nobel Hygiene</keyword> urges everyone to educate themselves and start talking about PCOS. It has launched a campaign #RIOTalksPCOS with a Raaga video that creates awareness about the hormonal ups and downs that a woman with PCOS goes through when she is on her heavy flow period. Due to the lack of education and awareness about PCOS in our country, there are fewer diagnosed with the condition. If not monitored in time, PCOS can have a serious impact on health. The film has been created to push the viewer to listen and empathize with the pain a woman goes through during her menstrual cycle when she suffers from PCOS. It draws a comparison between two completely unexpected themes and imitates the drastic highs and lows of energy that a woman goes through during her periods. The unusual treatment of the film delivers an impactful message. <div type="Youtube" id="ytG69WWPlUI" title="Raaga by RIO" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ytG69WWPlUI/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Commenting on the new campaign, <keyword id="5982986" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kartik-Johari">Kartik Johari</keyword>, Vice-President, Nobel Hygiene, said “RIO’s research has revealed that women with PCOS are perennially worried and are unsure of how their periods will behave. The unpredictability results in them using a multitude of methods to prepare for it with a lot of hits and misses. However, society still expects them to go about their daily routines without drawing attention to their pain or discomfort. With this film, we wanted to throw the spotlight on the very real pain and the impact it has on their energy flow with every twist and turn. This PCOS awareness month hear them. Listen. Period.” "I wonder if 1 in 5 men were suffering from a hidden, debilitating disease that spikes monthly; would there be more awareness about it? Women suffering from PCOS are silently struggling with an issue beyond simple solutions. We do not know what causes PCOS, and even less on how to effectively treat it. All throughout September, RIO will focus on awareness and educating consumers about the various facets of this seemingly impregnable complication". He further added. “Raagas have always had a certain pain and agony communicated through them. Linking that rollercoaster of emotions to what women with PCOS go through, communicated the feeling in a unique way. The video was also shot in a way that amplifies the feeling of imbalance and discomfort through the vertigo effect of the camera treatment, coupled with a tone that brings out the varying moods of the raga. Hopefully, if we say it in a way that’s creative and unique to us, people will take notice to the cause. It’s about time!” said Disha Daswani, Creative Director, Schbang X, further explaining the concept behind the video. RIO will also further amplify the message to drive it home by creating multiple layers of nuanced conversations around the topic on various digital platforms. Via select influencer engagement they will create an open and honest dialogue about PCOS struggles along with showcasing solidarity with women who are going through it.

Rio Pads try to represent hormonal ups and downs that women with PCOS experience through Raagas

<ul><li>Nobel Hygiene's <keyword id="9745546" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="friends-dry-pants">Friends Dry Pants</keyword> aims to throw a spotlight on a subject that is pushed into the shadows as it doesn't see customer acceptance or celebrity support -- frequent urination or weak bladders. </li><li>The campaign focuses on educating people about the problems faced when one goes through incontinence and recommends an easy solution that is within everyone’s reach. </li></ul>Friends Dry Pants - the flagship brand of Nobel Hygiene, specially designed for people suffering from Incontinence, launched its freedom campaign today via a national campaign across television and digital platforms. With Azaadi Mubarak as their campaign tone and brand promise, they aim to destigmatize the category by creating awareness about incontinence (urine leakage) and a weak bladder is the largest cause of depression after weight concerns and childbirth (postpartum). Frequent urination or a weakened bladder are signs of incontinence and affects millions in India yet have never been addressed on a large scale with a direct call to action because it does not attract customer acceptance readily or celebrity support, it is usually pushed into the shadows. The brand aims to throw a spotlight on the issue encouraging the audience to not shy away from the subject or bottle up their harrowing experiences. But instead, take control of the situation! The campaign focuses on educating people about the problems faced when one goes through incontinence and recommends an easy solution that is within everyone’s reach. The campaign will also create solidarity among people suffering from incontinence by letting them know they are not the only ones in this situation while helping them accept the truth. <div type="Youtube" id="MI902It_XJ0" title="#AazadiMubaarak with Friends Adult Dry Pants (60 secs, Hindi)" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MI902It_XJ0/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The stigma related to incontinence and usage of dry pants is deplorable to many. People refrain from discussing and rather prefer quitting jobs, changing cities, confining themselves in their house and not sharing with anyone close to them and it affects millions in India. This also leads to a feeling of being ‘jailed’ in their minds leading to mental stress. Research indicates that affected individuals wear their suffering as a badge of honour, unconsciously choosing to ‘jail’ their family with them and not realising the impact it has on their loved ones and care givers. The company spent many hours researching with people suffering from incontinence. Explaining the research findings <keyword id="5982986" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kartik-Johari">Kartik Johari</keyword>, Vice-President – Marketing &amp; e-commerce, Nobel Hygiene, said, “The 2 most common words in most articulations were “trapped” and “jailed”. People get trapped inside the houses and rationalize their life around this condition. The families become enablers, because of the exalted role of elders, their reluctance to address the problem, and general taboo! Incontinence is a severe issue that is shrouded in taboos in our country. It needs to be taken head on as it is an unavoidable biological fact that most of us will face it at some point or the other as our bodies age. Yet we refuse to accept or extend it help. People suffering from it choose to remain silent for fear of social ostracization. Changing lifestyles have resulted in the onset of incontinence in as young as 45. So, do we stop living our lives at 45 or remain chained to the bathroom? Our communication is rooted in authenticity and we choose to create customer delight by showcasing the truth. Incontinence needs be accepted as a normal bodily condition that can be addressed. Our latest campaign Azaadi Mubarak is dedicated to all men and women who go through it. It will address the issue and create awareness about it while expressing solidarity with them. For us, this is the culmination of physical and mental freedom that the product brings. It should aid people to "step out" of their “mental jails” and celebrate their freedom.” The campaign will be launched on the brand’s digital channels this week and will hit television screens on 15 August 2020 across GEC channels ( Sony, Sony Max, Zee Cinema) , regional channels ( Zee Marathi, Zee Kanadda, Zee Telgu, Zee Gujarati, Sun TV, KTV ETV) along with select news channels ( Zee News , India TV, TV9 and Sandesh News ).

Friends Dry Pants aims to destigmatise talking about urine leakage and weak bladders in its campaign

<ul><li>RIO was the first brand in India to break the cycle of showing blue blood in TV commercials. </li><li>Globally, the advertising watchdogs of only 2 countries have allowed showing the red. ASCI giving a go-ahead to finally representing period blood in TVCs is hopefully the beginning of a new era and a step in the right direction. </li><li>We spoke to Kartik Johari, Vice-President, Nobel Hygiene and Shweta Purandare, Secretary General, ASCI and Brand Experts to understand what kind of complaints did the two receive from consumers, how challenging was it to break an age-old taboo, what kind of research went behind the ad, what role ASCI as an industry body can play in driving change and what the feminine hygiene industry needs to talk about in their ads. </li></ul>Over the years, most women have grown up wondering why menstrual products represent period blood with a weird, clinical blue liquid and why do women always look so happy in commercials? Many Multinational Corporations (MNCs) have misrepresented periods. They show women forgetting about menstrual pains, (which leave me with no strength to even leave my bed) once they use a sanitary napkin. While for some women it is not as painful, (many can dance, sing, play sports while bleeding as shown in commercials), there are many other women who are dealing with very complicated periods and conditions like PCOD and PCOS. There is no representation or mention of period cramps in the commercials we have grown up watching at all. For someone who has no knowledge of periods, these ads can make them believe that women bleed blue and periods are effortless. Besides seeing period blood on screen, periods in general are still taboo in India, making it an uncomfortable topic for people to discuss. However, brands have the authority to either drive change in our country, start that much-needed conversation or misrepresent periods, misinform teenagers and continue validating stigmatisation of menstruation. Nobel Hygiene’s RIO was the first brand in India that woke up to the challenge of breaking this decades-old patriarchal and misleading practice of using blue liquid in its commercials. Even its product packaging has a hint of red, unlike any other hygiene companies that usually use green or blue to denote they stand for ‘purity’ or ‘cleanliness.’ However, RIO’s advertisement wasn’t very welcomed in the country at first. A few consumers reached out to Advertising Standards Council India (ASCI) to lodge a complaint on the usage of blood shown in the commercial. <div type="Youtube" id="2bgM2Aak-3A" title="Make The Right Choice With RIO Heavy Duty Pads For Heavy Flow | Balloon TVC" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/2bgM2Aak-3A/mqdefault.jpg"></div> “The complaints varied in nature but split into three buckets. One was people were simply shocked to see red blood on TV. Second bucket was ‘I saw this ad with my children. How am I supposed to explain this red blood on TV coming out from a balloon to my kids? Third bucket was women themselves feeling that everyone knows what periods are, why do you want to show it on TV? This one woman said that we don’t even discuss our lingerie size in public, how can you show something so private and intimate on TV,” shared Kartik Johari, Vice-President, Nobel Hygiene. ASCI asked RIO to stop the ad till the jury reached some sort of a decision. After reviewing the ad and getting a pulse of the market, ASCI decided to give the ad a go-ahead with a few minor modifications. Telling us what kind of modifications the brand was asked to make, Johari said, “We had a very understanding judge in the review process. He suggested only two changes. One, if we can tone down the blood in the end of the ad so we applied a monochrome filter towards the end so the impact of the red is minimised. Second, there was a very prominent image where we showed a blood drop which rests on the pad and is absorbed. The image was very striking. So the judge said if you make these changes, you will make the entire communication very palatable to the audience. We were more than happy to oblige because it left the overall message unharmed. It is a 100% step-forward.” RIO also made sure that the campaign was led by women to get their perspective and maintain authenticity. While getting women on-board for feminene hygiene products is quite obvious, it isn’t as obvious as you might think. Men continue to lead boardroom conversations and RIO refrained from making an advertisement from the male gaze. “We took special care to ensure our communication remained as authentic as possible. The entire creative was scripted by a woman, based on real narratives from women, directed and shot by a woman, and is being marketed by women. Additionally, 1000s of women have already applauded our product and messaging; we are proud to have brought this innovation for Indian ladies who receive no respite from Heavy Flow. We are sure that other players in the market are excited by this new paradigm, and we call upon everyone to take advantage of this exciting shift to educate and reconnect with their consumers,” said Johari. However, RIO’s ad doesn’t mention the word ‘period’ in its ad. Johri said it wasn’t a conscious decision to erase the word out. “I think what we did not want to do by saying the word period out loud is to try and build an association with the larger sanitary market that already exists. We wanted to establish ourselves very clearly as a specialist product which is a heavy flow pad for women who suffer from PCOD or menopause. It wasn’t a conscious decision to leave the word out, I didn’t even realise that this might be a contention. We tried to show whatever we had in our script with utmost honesty. A lot of the words which Radhika said were from our research study directly. The minute you say ‘heavy flow,’ women who suffer through that would relate to it,” said Johari. Johari told us that they found a need in the market which they wanted to address. He realised why women with PCOD and menopause needed special pads when he saw his wife struggling. On why they decided to launch their heavy flow product and ad with Apte, Johari said, “What these 20 years of advertising has done is force this very unfair expectation on women’s shoulders as if they don’t have enough responsibilities already. They expect women to be okay, do every other task while menstruating because it happens every month. ‘What is the big deal in it, this is very normal’ is what they said and this is a very wrong perspective and that’s what we were hoping to address with our ad.” Globally, the advertising watchdogs of only two countries have allowed showing the red. Many MNCs still refrain from changing the status quo and leaving their comfort zones. While ASCI doesn’t comment on particular ads, Shweta Purandare, ASCI Secretary General, gave us an insight into what role ASCI as an industry body plays in helping break taboos and how they review ads. Purandare said, “The number of complaints we receive is immaterial. It’s their validity we need to check. We are required to give the advertiser concerned a chance to share their stand, which is reviewed by an independent Consumer Complaints Council. We must keep in mind that things are evolving quickly - we can’t view advertising through the lens we used to 30 years ago." She added, “The younger generation wants the right information. So, whether it’s sanitary napkins or condoms, ASCI has been open and contemporary in its approach. Some people say lingerie ads shouldn’t be printed in newspapers, but it’s a product like any other - you need to show it to be able to sell it. The execution of the advertisement is critical - is it coming across as vulgar, for example? That’s something we take into account. Context is very important too. We also ensure that ads don’t denigrate a gender or look down upon people of colour.” This campaign from RIO marked the beginning of a new era and took a step in the right direction. It will create more conversations, to help bring about a revolution in Female Hygiene in India, where only 50% women have access to female hygiene products and almost 100% approach menarche unprepared. We also spoke to experts to find out how far the ad industry has come in accepting menstruation and breaking the stigmas around it. Ronita Mitra, Founder and Chief Strategist, Brand Eagle Consulting, said, “While the brand may have felt that it is important to show reality as it is and break existing codes of communication in the category, advertising or any form of communication is more impactful when done in an appealing manner, without of course, losing focus on impact of messaging. And messaging impact is not necessarily achieved only when the actual reality is showcased. To achieve messaging impact, it is important to speak to the consumers' intelligence and the consumer is able to process metaphorical communication just as effectively, and does so in a manner that makes the communication more appealing, more memorable and more effective. Metaphorical should not be confused with shying away from the problem - it's just a more intelligent, sophisticated, evolved and therefore more intelligent way of showing the problem. Further, for any brand, TV advertising is not the only form of communication. The route that RIO has taken in the ad, could well have been taken via other elements of the Marketing Plan such as Activation, small group education which allows for discussion, interaction, Q&amp;As. That would have helped the brand to balance appeal with directness in communication.” Srishty Chawla, Founding Partner, One Source said, "I appreciate and support the change to mentality and society RIO is trying to bring about with this commercial. Breaking incorrect perceptions around menstrual blood being dirty is not just crucial, it's an imperative. This ad is a step in the right direction of destigmatising menstruation and period blood, by talking about them and showing blood for what it is - red in colour. Brands need to take a leaf out of this book, and understand that by showing the blue gel for period blood, they're furthering the stigma. I mean, human blood isn't blue. We aren't cold-blooded. It is misleading! As is showing women in white pants, gleefully running around, with a menstrual pad on. That isn't how things work in real life. Periods are not happy. In most cases, they are messy, and painful. And as far as white pants go, I am terrified of even looking at whites during my period days, lest I stain them. I also noticed that Rio omitted the usage of the word ‘period’ in their ad, while it is clear that they are talking about periods. Why not just say it? Use the word. Break the taboo! Even without using those words, just by using red to signify blood, instead of blue to signify god knows what, I believe people will get shaken out of their comfort zones. Colours play a very important role in consumer perception and it is high time women-related communication uses empowering and bold colours! While new-age brands are taking risks and embracing change, in my opinion, larger brands also need to talk openly about, and break the stigma that is, menstruation.” Here is hoping that more companies join RIO, wake up and realise that blood has always been red and normalise talking about menstruation.

Are consumers ready to see period blood in red? RIO's relaunch of ad and ASCI’s nod on it proves they are

<ul><li><keyword id="12344584" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gendernext" source="Orion">GenderNext</keyword> report maps gender depictions through an inclusive process involving advertisers, agencies, commentators, gender experts, policymakers and consumers.</li><li>The study finds that advertising needs to catch up with women, proposes the SEA Framework to give clear direction to marketers to help them navigate the complexities of gender depiction.</li></ul>To help brands and advertising agencies shape gender narratives in a positive way, The Advertising Standards Council of India (<keyword id="169284" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ASCI" source="Orion">ASCI</keyword>) and <keyword id="884938" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Futurebrands" source="Orion">Futurebrands</keyword>, have unveiled the GenderNext study – a comprehensive actionable insight study on the representation of women in advertising. s. GenderNext covers patterns of portrayals across multiple categories, such as personal care, fashion, beauty, home and hearth, gadgets and wheels, money and education. The study also touches upon how advertising portrays women versus how they see themselves and want to be seen. According to <keyword id="12344585" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lipika-kumaran" source="Orion">Lipika Kumaran</keyword>, the lead author of GenderNext, the study reveals that while there are some positive moves, mainstream advertising still heavily borrows from an inventory of overused, and sometimes harmful stereotypical tropes. A detailed study of over six hundred advertisements revealed several problematic tropes- such as sensualising the act of eating by women, showing women as spenders in financial advertising, women running around the house while others lounge around, male gaze acceptance in beauty ads, showing women as lower down in tech-hierarchy in gadget ads, male celebrities challenging and instructing women, among others. A detailed list of such depictions across categories are captured in Annexure A. Women interviewed across different life stages and town classes pointed out that it is not them but others in their sphere who lag behind them, and they are the ones in need of empowerment. They feel that advertising can be their ally in this journey. The study found that for young unmarried women, common stereotypes used in advertising such as women joyfully undertaking the drudgery of work was not aspirational at all. Typical women’s day ads that show women emerge victorious after significant struggle were not considered particularly empowering. Women are tired of ads showing young women being bestowed with freedoms only after putting up a fight. The study proposes a category agnostic framework “The SEA (Self-esteemed - Empowered – Allied) Framework” that aims to guide stakeholders in imagining as well as evaluating portrayals of women in their advertising by building empathy and aiding evaluation. The study also proposes a 3S screener for scripts/storyboards, casting, styling to identify stereotype red flags. The screener looks at aspects of a) Subordination b) Service and c) Standardisation (. More details of the SEA framework and 3S screener can be found in Annexure B. <keyword id="212022" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Subhash-Kamath" source="Orion">Subhash Kamath</keyword>, Chairman, ASCI said: “GenderNext acts as a guide for stakeholders – brand owners, marketers, advertising professionals – to aid the creation of more progressive depictions of women in advertising. The deep insights on women, and what they feel about advertising is a fantastic input into advertising creation, and we hope that brands and advertisers will be motivated by the findings to depict women in more progressive ways. We also intend to set up a task force to evaluate advertising guidelines on harmful stereotypes.” Santosh Desai, MD, Futurebrands Consulting said “As an influential form of popular culture, advertising has historically been a significant source for the propagation of gender stereotypes. While things are changing, what this study, initiated by ASCI and carried out by Futurebrands uncovers, is that gender continues to be represented in a skewed and discriminatory manner. Some obvious ways of stereotypes are less visible, but there are many other ways, both subtle and not-so- subtle, in which gender portrayals continue to be skewed. The GenderNext study has identified some common patterns of discrimination and has also created a framework that enables marketers to identify and eliminate such undesirable representations.” <keyword id="771216" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manisha-kapoor" source="Orion">Manisha Kapoor</keyword>, Secretary-General, ASCI said, “The report is only the first of the many initiatives ASCI will put together in this space. This is a continuing conversation.” The study was sponsored by Rio Pads, who were the principal sponsor; Co-sponsors included Vivel, Eureka Forbes Ltd., Kellogg’s, Colgate-Palmolive, Diageo India, Mondelez India Foods Pvt. Ltd. and Procter &amp; Gamble Home Products Pvt. Ltd.; while Kotak Silk and Mahindra &amp; Mahindra Ltd were on board as Associate sponsors. Kartik Johari, VP of Marketing &amp; Commerce, Nobel Hygiene Pvt Ltd (makers of Rio pads) said, “We are privileged to participate in this seminal study on our culture’s perspective on femininity and womanhood. Advertising has the responsibility to take the lead on cultural conversations and to affect change. With this study, we hope to really create a guideline for lasting change which advertisers can use to authentically represent women across communication, and hopefully with it, start a national conversation around equality and humanity.” For this study, the primary research involved ad clinics with 160 respondents and 20 focus group discussions across 10 centres, in addition to tapping into Futurebrand’s proprietary study Bharat Darshan. More than 300 people were spoken to via social media. All stakeholders such as national and regional advertisers, agency and creative heads. Agender domain experts, policy makers and advocacy groups were consulted as part of the study enquiry.

ASCI and Futurebrands launch a new report to help brands and advertising agencies shape gender narratives in a positive way

<ul><li><keyword id="169284" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ASCI">ASCI</keyword>, along with <keyword id="884938" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Futurebrands">Futurebrands</keyword>, will soon launch a report to provide actionable insights that can shape the <keyword id="10997222" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="gender-narratives">gender narratives</keyword> in advertising positively.</li><li>The study is the first of several initiatives ASCI will undertake in 2021 as part of a year-long focus on gender.</li><li>The report, to release in September 2021, is expected to be important in understanding the depictions of women in advertising. </li></ul>The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), in association with Futurebrands, is launching a deep, immersive dive into <keyword id="10997221" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="gender-depiction">gender depiction</keyword> in Indian advertising. GenderNext aims to provide actionable insights that can shape the gender narratives in advertising positively. The study is the first of several initiatives ASCI will undertake in 2021 as part of a year-long focus on gender. Subhash Kamath, Chairman, ASCI, said: “As a self-regulatory body, ASCI wants advertisers to embrace more responsible advertising. The idea is to not just limit ourselves to being a complaints management body but also to help advertisers navigate through complex issues and contribute to the creation of positive advertising. ASCI will support brands and advertisers to “get it right” in various ways, and this is one such initiative”. The report, to release in September 2021, is expected to be a seminal piece of work in understanding the depictions of women in advertising. It uses several starting points of inquiry. To begin with, there will be a semiotics and cultural decode of Indian advertising over time, across categories and regions. In addition, advertisers, creative voices, policymakers, gender experts will be met for their inputs. Ad clinics will be conducted across 10 centres with consumers for their views and feedback on gender depiction in advertising. The study will draw an understanding of the larger cultural shifts in India through Bharat Darshan, a proprietary study done by Futurebrands over a decade, and across more than 200 towns. GenderNext is a first-of-its-kind study and expected to be of significant value to advertisers and creative agencies, as well as academia, policymakers and advocacy bodies. The study will cover multiple categories: personal, fashion and beauty care; hearth, home and health; gadgets and wheels; and money and education Its major objectives are: ●To unravel gender narratives in advertising through a collaborative journey ●To evolve and enrich gender understanding in the context of cultural change ●To provide insights to navigate and embrace positive narratives for women in advertising content <keyword id="771216" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manisha-Kapoor">Manisha Kapoor</keyword>, Secretary General of ASCI, said: “The portrayal of women in advertising has been the subject of much debate. The gender narrative has been evolving and changing but it is not a simple, linear change. GenderNext will help advertisers navigate these narratives, which can sometimes even be seemingly in conflict with each other. The idea is to provoke conversations, and generate actionable insights that advertisers can tap into for progressive, culturally relevant and aspirational gender portrayals. Besides GenderNext, we will also be partnering with like-minded organisations with similar objectives to make a difference to the gender narrative.” The study has attracted much interest amongst advertisers, who are backing it with their own insights as well as funding. The landmark study has received support from the likes of Nobel Hygiene, ITC-Vivel, Kellogg, Colgate, Diageo, Eureka Forbes and Mondelez, and ASCI hopes more of its members will become a part of it. <keyword id="115728" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Santosh-Desai">Santosh Desai</keyword>, MD &amp; CEO, Futurebrands, said: “We are excited to be part of a study that will track the changing gender narrative in advertising and help advertisers with insights to craft their strategies better. The study – a synthesis of primary consumer feedback, opinions of a wide range of stakeholders and commentators, and a wider reading of cultural changes – will build on the extensive cultural tracking work Futurebrands has been engaged in over the past decade.” According to Kartik Johari, VP - Marketing and Commerce, Nobel Hygiene, the principal sponsor of the study, “As a company where our brands resolutely speak the consumer truth, through this unique partnership with ASCI, we are keen to understand how popular culture has, and will continue to shape, our perception of gender. We hope this research forms not only a map of their minds, but a casting net on the minds that will shape tomorrow.” The study will go beyond individual category movements to bring brands in tune with the larger shifts they must be cognisant of. This exercise hopes to spark new conversations amongst advertisers, creators, policy makers, academia and is expected to be a seminal reference study on the depiction of gender in advertising.

ASCI to launch a report to provide actionable insights to shape positive depiction of women in advertising

<ul><li>TV production has been curtailed and the networks can’t go out on programming pitches without their pilots for news shows. There is a limited newspaper printing and distribution, OOH has also become irrelevant in absence of traffic. </li><li>On the other hand, OTT is seeing an uptick in viewership, content consumption, and consumer engagement. So will this force advertisers to re-evaluate their ad spends and marketing strategy? </li><li>We speak to OTT players and digital experts to find out if the current lockdown could lead to a gain for the digital streaming industry. </li></ul>As Maxwell Maltz’s research suggests, 21 days are enough to mold someone’s behaviour and form a habit. And from buying groceries to ordering a paracetamol, the lockdown has forced the entire nation to avail digital services. It has opened up an opportunity for Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms to rise to the situation and curate a seamless streaming experience for their consumers as they are quarantined 24x7. To meet this increasing demand and reduce internet congestion, OTT players moved from HD (1080p &amp; 720p) bitrate to SD (480p) last week until April 14. Apart from that, they are constantly renewing their homepage, trying to curate a wide content palette for their consumers and have launched advertising campaigns to create a buzz around their bundles. According to Neilsen, OTT streaming is set to spike by 60% as consumers continue to stay put. And this shift of viewers in OTT has sprung up an amazing opportunity for advertisers to reallocate ad spends to reach their target audiences and fulfill campaign goals. SpotX, a global video ad serving platform, revealed that increased OTT viewing has resulted in a 16% increase in OTT video ad inventory. Over the last 7-10 days, MX Player has witnessed a 7X increase in time spent and engagement across genres. Its Daily Active Users (DAUs) have increased by over 40%. MX Player’s Head of Revenue, Viraj Jit Singh's quarantine time hasn’t been smooth at all; he has been swamped with work and client calls. Singh said, “Over the last week, we have been flooded with inquiries from clients and agencies on opportunities to advertise on our platform. While speaking with key decision makers across Brand and Advertising agencies, there has been a conscious effort to increase traction and evaluate OTT as a preferred platform to advertise on over the next 8 weeks. Budgets are being reallocated from Outdoors, Radio, Print and even TV as and when there is a drop in fresh content on channels soon.” This increase in time-spent on MX Player is driven by both, old and new users. This change is true for all cities, towns and non-metros. A large pool of its users are between 18-24 years, which is a bait for clients. The streaming platform has seen old clients returning and is also attracting new ones. “Brands have quickly understood this (change in viewership pattern), and we have seen multiple first-time advertisers from across client categories on our platform. Additionally, there are certain brands/categories that have increased their current budgets as well,” said Singh. For Viacom18’s <keyword id="3113913" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="VOOT">VOOT</keyword>, the story isn’t much different, too. In the last 7-9 days, it has seen over a 20% rise in the average daily sessions that each user spends. The users are also frequenting the app at least five times a day and spending 60 to 70 minutes. The streaming giant has seen this growth in Maharashtra (25%), NCR (20%), and Uttar Pradesh (30%); which mirrored the sequence of lock down regions. On the back of these strong data points, Akash Banerji, Business Head – VOOT, Advertising Video Platform (AVoD) says OTT is the platform to be for advertisers amidst the lockdown. Banerji said, “If there is a platform where advertisers can find their audiences today and reach out to them at scale and on a consistent basis, OTT video platforms are the only option available in the country. Everything else right now has pretty much no use because advertisers spending money on e-commerce platforms or display platforms have no value. People sitting at home, they have taken to OTT videos literally like a fish takes the water. It is the only place where the audiences are coming at scale and spending enough time. Having said that, we might see some upside for a short-time basis, but I truly pray that this scenario changes radically.” Referring to App Annie’s latest release, Ali Hussein, CEO, <keyword id="2480506" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Eros-Now">Eros Now</keyword> says the platform has seen upto 80% increase in daily traffic whilst other platforms have seen about 20% hike. Its daily subscriptions have also gone up by 200% in the last two weeks, as it has turned free for the next two months. While Eros Now is a subscription-driven platform, drawing from his past experience of working with YouTube and Viacom18, Hussein said, “I think this is an interesting time that certain segments of brands that are otherwise using certain physical forms of advertising, especially outdoor and print, will look at ways of identifying the admission online because a lot of the consumption of infotainment, education and entertainment has moved to online forums. So this social distancing has kind of caused a potential change in consumer behaviour, which I believe at some level will become permanent over a certain period of time. This is the natural progression in terms of where the universe is headed. So I think a lot of brands will also look at altering the larger strategies in terms of what is the consumer cohort they want a message to and what's the right kind of platform, how to even use content as a means for messaging and communication.” As an advertiser himself, who recently supervised an ad campaign during the outbreak of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> for its brand Rio, Kartik Johari, VP - Marketing &amp; Commerce at Nobel Hygiene saw the performance of their advertisement going down as the situation worsened. He said that there is a need for brands to evolve with the situation and digital will definitely take prominence. However, he said blogs are likely to perform better than OTT. To sail through these rough waters, he advises to be in touch with a brand's media partners every day. Sharing the reason why, Johari said, “Blogs are underrated. People do like to consume quality information and now that people are trapped at home, that's the need of the hour. If you can write entertaining content for them, I think there is a large consumer base which can consume all of it. Traditionally, if I were to divert money on OTT and digital, I think the company has refrained from doing that because a lot of new <keyword id="8983502" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-viewership">OTT viewership</keyword> also comes during commute, which has taken a hit; day-time OTT and in-home OTT usage has gone up so yeah, it's a mixed bag. So, you have to keep talking with all your agencies as well as your media partners every day. Keep a check on how the situation is evolving everyday.” The viewership on OTT platforms is further bound to increase as the nationwide lockdown will continue until April 15.

OTT players see an uptick in viewership but are advertisers going where the eyeballs are?

<ul><li>After the global pandemic, <keyword id="49089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> and health seem to have become important factors for consumers.</li><li>According to Capgemini’s recent report, consumers engage more readily with brands and retailers that they perceive to be sustainable and genuinely committed to green practices.</li><li>The report found that 48% of consumers share an emotional connection with products or organizations that demonstrate eco-friendly qualities.</li><li>As we move forward this year and health concerns and sustainability continue influencing consumer decisions, we speak to brands, research and design agencies about how brands can integrate sustainability into their core values and move beyond mere lip-service.</li></ul>It might be a new year but the world continues to grapple with familiar challenges and threats: we are on the verge of entering the third wave of COVID-19, the country’s capital, New Delhi is currently facing alarmingly high levels of indoor air pollution and Uttarakhand's forest fires emitted nearly 0.2 megatonnes of carbon in the past one month, a record since 2003 (CAMS report). So 2022 will clearly be a busy year for brands as consumers get more serious about climate change and expect brands to increase their focus on living sustainably in harmony with nature. While businesses exist to make money, Manish Chowdhary, Co-CEO, Body Cupid Pvt Limited says that there are two ways to do that. He explained, “One is sustainable, by keeping other living and non-living things in mind. The other one is inspired by greed. So no matter how small a brand’s effort may be, it has to be aligned with sustainability if the brand wants to continue in the long run. Brands exist for consumers and it is important that we listen to what they want.” From driving workforce diversity to taking a stand on climate change, there’s a definite change that has taken place in consumer expectations. In the last few years, sustainability has become one of the biggest decision-making factors for consumers, and more so after the pandemic. They have realised that mother earth has suffered enough. In this digital world, consumers are demanding more transparency and are quick to call out greenwashing. They are expecting to see concrete actions. And as Chowdhary said, it has become imperative for brands to listen to what consumers want because they exist to serve consumers. Today’s consumers are not only pivoting towards more sustainable products but are also willing to pay a premium for them. Gen Z and Millennials lead all other age groups in this respect. When shopping for groceries, 72% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennials say they are willing to pay more for organic foods and in fact, did so the last time they were grocery shopping, compared to 56% of Boomers, found Capgemini. Its recent report said that 80% of consumers want to contribute to the fight to save the planet for future generations. And it is not just a phase. 70% of consumers agreed that post-pandemic, they will be more careful in terms of maintaining and protecting their personal health. Covid has only reminded us that there is a long way to go on sustainability. On how the pandemic has altered consumer behaviour, Lulu Raghavan, Managing Director, Landor and Fitch said, “The pandemic has fundamentally shifted consumer behaviour. An IBM study shows that 93% of consumers have changed their views on sustainability after the pandemic. This is totally understandable. The horrid virus which came out of nowhere has ravaged lives, ruined livelihoods. The only silver lining is that it has woken us up to the paramount importance of our own health and wellbeing and that of our Mother Earth. Sustainability is now a definitive transformative force that will upend existing industries and create new ones. If digital transformation was the buzzword in corporate boardrooms, ECG will take centre stage in the coming decade.” But what exactly is a sustainable brand? Ashwini Deshpande, Co-Founder and Director, Elephant Design defines it as, “A brand that values ethical sourcing and supply chains, is inclusive, and follows environment-friendly processes and materials while staying viable for its stakeholders is qualified to be labelled as a sustainable brand.” Kartik Johari, VP, Marketing &amp; Commerce, Nobel Hygiene believes that in the coming months, people will start to question what is sustainable and what is not along with how we can continue to reduce our carbon footprint across all aspects of our lives. He said, “Consumers at the end of it are people and they expect what is good. The ‘brand promise’ is essential to them. Now, alongside they are also making space for the environment due to excellent work by activists and journalists around the world. You will remember, for example, that riveting photo of a straw stuck in a turtle's nose. How many millions of turtles have we lost to this? Yet it took just that one photo to break through the global psyche. Now straws are the Number One environmental enemy. But this does not mean the onus should be entirely on people to choose better! Companies have to improve their offering. And that is correct for consumers to expect. Moreover, important to note, there are some 50 or 60 companies in the world, which are responsible for majority of emissions. Strong regulations on them can solve what collectively 500 million people may have to do. But who’s going to bell the cat? As Mr Musk rightly has been saying that, give the solar industry the same amount of subsidies, for a year, that you give to oil and gas, and see the amount of transformative change it brings! The onus cannot be on that one little end consumer and their war to save their environment.” During the pandemic, brands like WOW Skin Science, Diageo and Dettol launched eco-friendly packaging to test the waters, indicating that more brands in India have started reevaluating their packaging strategy to put the environment first. Big FMCG companies such as Marico, HUL, Nestle India, Future Consumer, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-co, Parle Agro also announced in 2020 that they will move to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 helping towards a sustainable future. Joining the bandwagon, the Indian Government has also started its efforts towards reducing our country’s carbon footprint. Currently, India is the world’s third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after the US and China. According to an Assocham and PwC report, landfills are brimming with so much urban waste that by 2050, India is reportedly going to need a landfill that's the size of its capital, New Delhi. And consumers aren’t ignoring these horrifying numbers anymore. Elysha Young, Trends Manager, Mintel APAC said, "India’s Prime Minister has pledged it will reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, backed by aggressive 2030 targets. By laying the groundwork in the form of policies, India is signaling that it is open and willing to support innovation around sustainability, and indeed that carbon-emitting industries will no longer be tolerated. This presents an opportunity for global companies looking to tap into India's vast population but also issues a challenge to foreign and domestic companies to ensure they are cutting emissions throughout their value chain. It's in India's self-interest to stem global warming, with the nation of 1.3 billion people being one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The nature of the short-term targets means that action will need to be taken immediately, which will see a strong focus on renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, as well as the batteries needed to store such energy. Companies would do well to look at the emissions within their own value chains and determine where cuts can be made. Communicating these to consumers will help them to make choices that align with the national strategy; the opportunity exists to ensure consumers feel like they're also doing their bit." In 2022, brands that snooze will definitely lose More and more consumers are becoming aware of their choices and realising that whether it is a worn-out piece of mask they decide to throw or a sanitary napkin or even as simple as a plain t-shirt, never really goes ‘away.’ It all ends up in a landfill. Human activities are clearly harming the global environment and brands have no choice but to migrate to sustainable solutions and work towards building a circular economy. So, in 2022, if brands don’t switch, they lose consumers, investors, and all stakeholders. Chowdhary said, “At the industry level, there is nothing without sustainability. The consumers of today are conscious and aware. They know the choices they are making. So if companies &amp; brands do not opt for sustainable practices, eventually the smart consumers are going to make a switch. We can only expect the awareness to grow and actions to increase, especially with the challenges that our planet is facing today.” Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide sees sustainability as one of the big topics in 2022 – right from fashion, green products, green living to electric vehicles, every category will be touched by sustainability filter. She said, “If the brands have already not made sustainability part of their commitment in any form yet, it’s high time they join the eco-wakening movement. Consumers are already looking for some form of reassurance or the other from brands in terms of conscious behaviour, as consumers are at different stages of adoption – it is a mix of curious, concerned, and advocates. At the very least, they are looking to not feel guilty about consuming the brand. Conscious living, mindful living, Green living, purposeful living are all the buzz words in communications today. For brands it is inevitable to have sustainability as a larger goal.” It is not just the environment and consumers who benefit from eco-friendly practices, businesses with low carbon footprints are more likely to have a better brand image and can easily woo consumers. Deep Bajaj, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Sirona Hygiene said, “Companies are realizing that being conscious of their environmental impact can benefit them in every manner possible. Consumers desire sustainability owing to the ailing earth. Companies that work to become more environmentally responsible, not only contribute to a better future, but also establish a progressive brand image, happier employees, and a loyal client base. Consumers are real people who are affected by real environmental issues on a daily basis. They are aware that it is no longer limited to textbooks and that industrial activities have a direct impact on their daily lives. As a result, what goes into the making of a product and what goes inside it is extremely important to them. Other than environmental consciousness, they expect transparency from brands.” While brands in India have already started taking baby steps towards converting their business into a sustainable choice for consumers, we will get to witness more demonstrable actions in 2022. And those who fail to prioritise mother earth, will have to face consumers’ wrath. Deshpande said, “The emerging consumer base of millennials &amp; Gen Z is not a forgiving lot when it comes to ethics or ecology being compromised by a brand. But others are not quite as aware and may base their decision only on factors like price or convenience above sustainability. There is no choice. It is a survival mandate for a brand to become sustainable. Otherwise, we will see every resource being depleted in the next few decades.” Kantar BrandZ data shows that brands with weak purpose grow 70% but brands with strong purpose grow 175%. At the same time, India is still a price-sensitive country and consumers stick to the convenience of buying what you are used to. So, on how brands can move beyond mere lip-service and greenwashing this year, Raghvan suggested, “Use innovation to develop products developed against that purpose. Embrace design thinking across the board. Embed a new mindset deeply in the culture and transform from within. Communicate and evangelise with consumers." In 2022, experts are confident that brands will embrace sustainability that will benefit people, planet and profit.

Is 2022 the year when Indian brands will get more serious about sustainability?

<ul><li>2020 turned the marketing world upside down. All businesses had to adapt and relook at their strategies. </li><li>More traditional brands moved online and increased their investments in digital marketing. </li><li>As we end our series, in today’s feature, we speak to new-age brands to find out how the pandemic impacted their perspectives towards marketing and a few trends that they expect to see this year. </li></ul>The ongoing pandemic has revolutionised how businesses function in the entire world. While COVID-19 pushed Indian brands to move online, it also made them relook at the tone of their marketing campaigns. As consumers tried to adjust to the new normal and heightened stress levels due to an uncertain future, advertising became more conversational and empathetic in 2020. Brands reminded their consumers and even their competitors that we are all in this together. According to Zeno, when a brand is perceived to have a strong Purpose, consumers were four times more likely to purchase from the brand and 95% of surveyed Indian consumers were likely to continue to support brands in the event that they were to make a misstep or receive public criticism. The pandemic has given the brandverse some time to pause, reflect, rework their strategies and they even kept aside competition to prioritise consumer interest. Consumers have started appreciating <keyword id="10689248" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="empathetic-advertising">empathetic advertising</keyword> instead of adversarial advertising, especially in stressed situations like extended WFH, threat of Covid and living away from their family members and friends. Apart from that, there was more conversation on AI, MI and XR. There will be more focus on videos, influencer marketing and hybrid events. With a new-found appreciation for life and altered perspectives towards marketing, we reached out to new-age brands to understand how did COVID-19 change their marketing approach and what are some of the trends that they expect to see in 2021. Here is what they said: Mayur Hola, Head of Global Brand, <keyword id="7036155" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO-Hotels-Homes">OYO Hotels &amp; Homes</keyword>: <div type="image" title="Mayur Hola, Head of Global Brand, OYO Hotels &amp;amp; Homes" msid="80636771" hostid="261"></div> I thought I’d do some research for this one and read pieces posted by global consulting firms, A&amp;M publications, gurus, digital agencies et all. They were all super and gave guidance on personalisation, look-alike cohorts, selling on social, VR, chat bots, influencer marketing, programmatic, omnichannel, SEO, mailers, PNs, video content and so many other helpful things. But. We’re doing all this already. So is doubling down on what’s already working the new trend? I thought that was called common sense. Here’s the one trend I see in 2021. Delivering on your promise. Brands will speak 1:1 with their consumers more than ever and look to deliver what is asked of them. Because false promises and random unconnected purpose is being seen through and called out. Doing right by your consumers. There’s your purpose. Now put out some awesome creatives based on that. Rahul Deorah, Vice President- Marketing at Urban Company: <div type="image" title="Rahul Deo urban clap" msid="80636860" hostid="261"></div> Marketing has always been about understanding how a consumer reacts to certain triggers and how brands can use that to influence them. The year 2020 made us all think on our feet. Everyone had to go back to the drawing board to think of how to communicate the “safety” of purchasing or availing their products and services. However, in 2021, the trend I foresee emerging is deeper investment in the core consumer offering and, with consumer media habits changing, a declining trend in the absolute investments by brands to reach customers, with deeper efficiencies in the media mix. Naresh Krishnaswamy, Growth &amp; Marketing Head, Cure.fit: <div type="image" title="naresh-krishnaswamy-curefit" msid="80636918" hostid="261"></div> We have seen massive upheavals last year in terms of marketing with consumer focus shifting primarily to digital channels owing to the pandemic. While such changes and shifts in trends happen each year, last year in particular saw a faster pace of change in marketing strategies and execution, opening up a great vistas for innovation and experimentation. Going into 2021, I expect the trends from 2020 to still continue. This coming year might mark a comeback for some companies who may up their marketing strategies in accordance with lessons learned from 2020. To solidify their positions in the market, brands need to focus on the development of a deeper level of trust with their customers. People will continue to place a higher premium on trust and transparency and companies need to be able to communicate efficiently with their customer base. Moreover, with some pandemic-related restrictions still in place, virtual events and platforms will continue well into the coming months. While there is some amount of burn out from online events, there is also scope for further innovation. Marketers will have to be prepared for technological advancements. Emerging technologies, automation, AI/ML, augmented reality, etc. can heighten the immersiveness of such experiences and create space for more one-on-one interaction with audiences. More marketers should shift their focus on creating more enhanced consumer experiences online while we wait to physically get back to our previous lives. Kartik Johari, Vice President, Nobel Hygiene: <div type="image" title="Kartik johari nobel" msid="80636931" hostid="261"></div> Consumer Trends: Consumer spending will moderately rise, but economic woes will start weighing down on people. So far, we have survived the lockdown and the macroeconomic situation by burning our accumulated wealth and health. Sooner or later, there is bound to be a deep impact on our collective national psyche, of worsening unemployment, of a worsening economy, healthcare, etc. Additionally, areas such as healthcare and personal care have taken an irrevocable step forward. We will see more growth on this front. People will focus on their physical health and will reorganize their time around it. There will be new problems to face, with a growing threat from medicine-resistant bacteria, growing now due to a heightened consumption of hand-sanitisers. Value-based spending and ecologically sensitive spending is here to stay. People will henceforth buy/support brands with a similar ethos (true or not, is immaterial). Similarly, brands' efforts towards minimizing their carbon footprint will be appreciated by consumers. Market Trends: Hygiene and FMCG will trend upwards, while other indicators will remain muted. Even IF the vaccine is successful, our market dynamics have not improved overnight. We are still an agrarian economy, without adequate public infrastructure on healthcare and education. We will require massive government spending to boost our market performance. Markets will remain in a state of limbo as they are now, wildly volatile and without impetus. We are now going into the 13th year without a market correction; at some point, this is bound to catch up. Online Trends: Video content all the way, and a permanent boost to eCommerce. People have become comfortable consuming content and making transactions online, including using E-Wallets. However, apart from the obvious, only time will tell which long-term trends will sustain. There will be a boost in services that can help effectively target individuals in this new crowded realm, and some that can help them make sense of the breadth of content and services available. Teaching and Training will have permanently moved online, and the sector will continue to grow tremendously, and will also help other sectors to aid in ancillary teaching services in person. Dunzo's brand team: <div type="image" title="dunzo mascots" msid="80636941" hostid="261"></div> One of the most important takeaways from 2020 for all content lovers has been the stories that uplift and inspire them. In a changing world, stories of the human spirit and the impact we as individuals and brands can have in our world, resonate most with users and customers. Going forward, we hope to keep that positive trend going with more stories from our community, touching on important human issues, and delivering some hope and delight with every post. Another trend we foresee is the continuation of moment marketing and putting our brand's unique spin on a viral sensation. It's always like an inside joke that is shared by a large audience, with no need for explanations or context. Finally, as we focus on quality over quantity, we plan to dive deeper into some of Dunzo's impact and inner workings through mediums such as podcasts and blogs. Using a combination of all three trends, we hope to expand our audience as well drive stronger engagement and shareability of content.

Marketing: Trends to watch out for in 2021

<ul><li>Marketing has always been about understanding how a consumer reacts to certain triggers and how brands can use that to influence them.</li><li>After the year 2020 turned the marketing world upside down, brands and businesses of all sizes had to reimagine their communication strategies and evolve with the rapidly changing times.</li><li>Brands started offering a helping hand to consumers by leveraging their social media presence to either amplify citizens’ SoS for ICU beds or to spread awareness around vaccination registration.</li><li>In 2021, the focus shifted primarily to digital channels owing to the pandemic.</li><li>As we enter a new year with a lot of hope and optimism for the future, we speak to a few brands to discuss how the pandemic impacted their marketing activities and what the future holds for marketing.</li></ul>After months of multiple nationwide lockdowns in 2020 and living and working in isolation, the Indian <keyword id="11095746" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="marketing-ecosystem" source="Orion">marketing ecosystem</keyword> started preparing for a new future. Brands decided to pause, reflect, rework their strategies and most importantly, prioritise consumer interest. They focused on creating more enhanced consumer experiences online as we all waited to physically get back to our ‘normal’ lives. A few brands decided to reach out to people who were crying for help and many brands swallowed their pride, kept aside fierce rivalry and started uplifting their competitors in social media posts instead -- even burger and cola wars stopped. Consumers started yearning for stories that uplift and inspire them to keep going in the otherwise gloomy times. There was a new-found appreciation for empathetic advertising and nostalgia marketing in the brandverse, which continued in 2021. Brands delivered some hope and delight with every post and advertisement. They also started speaking one-on-one with their consumers across social media channels more than ever and delivered on what is asked of them because GenZ and Millennials are quick to call out unconnected brand purposes. Brands also moved along with the great digital migration of consumers and expanded their digital presence. They also factored in the massive economic upheavals due to the pandemic and offered value-based deals. They engaged with consumers on smart devices and interfaces across the home, expanded their media mix to include virtual reality, video conferencing platforms and video gaming platforms. This year’s Ipsos and Tetra Pak report found that the personal, economic and environmental fragility experienced during the global pandemic has created a shift from more passive concern to active caretaking -- driven by the desire to protect ourselves, our communities and the security of the planet. People are being more proactive in making the right purchases – for their own wellbeing and for the environment around them. This includes dietary choices and recycling more and reducing waste. As a result, we have seen more eco-friendly product and packaging launches this year. The concern for the environment will only grow stronger and brands will be expected to align themselves with a larger purpose. With a new-found appreciation for life and altered perspectives towards marketing, we reached out to Indian brands from different sectors to find out what are some of the trends that they expect to see in 2022. Here is what they said: Pankaj Sharma, Director – Consumer Products Division, L’Oréal India: Indian beauty consumers have become more discerning as they move between online + offline buying and experiencing paradigms. And in this journey, eCommerce will continue to play a big role in driving beauty in India. It has created more opportunities for consumer experience and demand fulfillment. The initiatives like live streaming, e-BAs, Video-Content on DIY have enabled new touchpoints. This has allowed more specific media and activation plans for each region, depending on the festive peaks. For example, at L’Oréal India, we used Insta-Festive as one of our umbrella themes and could do insta-diwali, insta-pujo, insta-karwa, insta-onam as activation points to engage with consumers on e-commerce and digital with the power of data. Apart from targeting festive occasions, we are moving towards occasion-led purchases, celebrating personal milestones of life. Hence beauty brands are sending out relevant brand communications throughout the year, with the same rigor, as one would have done during the festive season before. The festive season, however, still sees an uptick in purchases and offers a variety of formats to give consumers what they’re seeking. Raunika Malhotra, President - Marketing &amp; Corporate Communications, Lodha: In the coming year, I see stakeholder marketing becoming increasingly relevant. It essentially means working towards creating value for all stakeholders that include customers, employees, vendors, communities, natural capital, cities, etc. The other trend that we will witness is the increased use of analytics and data scientists in marketing communication and performance. Lastly, the pandemic has made people more conscious of the community and the environment at large. They are looking to engage with brands with shared values of doing good for the society and the planet. Abhishek Shahabadi, Vice President &amp; Portfolio Head, Scotch and Premium Whites Diageo India: There’s been good momentum on Diageo India brands in 2021, despite operational challenges due to pandemic led restrictions. This is attributed to the growing trend of ‘at-home drinking’. The off-trade salience increased to 88% compared to 73% in the pre-pandemic phase, as individuals were constrained to more intimate drinking occasions at home. We see at-home drinking as a strong trend coupled with the growth of outdoor experiences in 2022 as the market opens. Keeping this in mind, Diageo India continues to strengthen its in-home play through off-trade and digital along with influencer engagement to embrace ways to make at-home drinking experiences more enjoyable. Arnab Roy, Vice President, Marketing, Coca-Cola India &amp; Southwest Asia: While this year has tested the thinking and resilience of brands worldwide, going forward, we hope that the pandemic continues to regress and we get the real magic back into our lives. As people step out of their homes more often, they will be looking out for more real activities like watching blockbusters at multiplexes, visiting their favourite food “gullies” and travelling more frequently with their loved ones. Post COVID we are also seeing a trend where people are more experimentative and open to new genres of music, food, sports and entertainment. It is thus imperative for brands to deliver integrated experiences at a global scale with the agility, speed and data-driven insights that are required to win locally. Ramesh Kalyanaraman, Executive Director – Kalyan Jewellers: Gold has always been a preferred consumption item for Indians and in the post COVID-19 era, it has also emerged as one of the safer and more lucrative long-term assets. The dynamic market scenario and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led to renewed interest from younger consumers who bought into the idea of gold jewellery, for the first time. Today’s young consumers or millennials consider jewellery as a fashion statement and a style symbol that will go with their sensibilities and help them showcase their true self. Because of this, it has become increasingly critical for jewellery companies to keep up with newer trends and address the changing sensibilities and consumer preferences in this ever-evolving business environment. To address the ongoing digital transformation in India’s jewellery industry, we are focusing on creating a holistic ecosystem, strengthening our omnichannel strategy and making the ‘phygital’ model more seamless. Over the past few years, we have been making consistent investments in developing and leveraging technology to offer convenient solutions to customers for purchasing jewellery or investing in gold. As a result of this, we were well-positioned to adapt to this digital transformation and ventured into newer product categories such as Digital Gold as well as explored newer avenues to reach our customers by introducing services such as Gold Ownership Certificate and LIVE Video Shopping facility, which allowed customers to browse through and purchase jewellery at the comfort of their homes. One of the biggest trends that have emerged out of the nationwide lockdown is an enormous increase in the screen time spent by Indians across digital platforms. In line with this, brands have aligned their marketing budgets towards digital, social media &amp; OTT, especially for including new content. Following this, we have introduced temporary changes to our media mix with a more digital-centric approach, which is a key to making the most during this quarter. With 2022 around the corner, we aim to continue moving forward on this growth trajectory and register consistent growth while widening our consumer base. Kartik Johari, Vice President - Marketing &amp; Commerce, Nobel Hygiene: 2022 will be the golden year for great marketeers, as content will reign supreme. We are drowning in a glut of content, be it 10 sec Reels, to full-blown documentaries. Consumers on the other hand are oscillating between anxiety, fright and boredom. The challenge is up to us, to create content that can engage, reassure, add value and be honest. It is so important to keep a track of how many people the content reaches, who engages, and what they say. We have never had so much data on our interactions and it is time we start using data better! It should be an interesting year for strong brand teams. Ketan Kulkarni, Chief Commercial Officer, Blue Dart: The world has acclimatized to the ‘new normal’ and what seemed to be the most challenging obstacle of 2020, has now enabled us to prepare for any unprecedented events that could cause business disruptions in the future. A major factor in actualizing this is agility driven by technology and automation. The role of logistics has been highlighted over the last two years given our industry’s essential service status and this has only been possible because of the technology-based solutions adopted by resilient players. 2022 will definitely see an enhancement in the ‘Technology-led transformation’ that we are witnessing today. Digitalization across the supply chain from first mile to last mile is the future of the industry; technology enabling near-autonomous facilities, robotics, drone-delivery systems, and 3D/additive manufacturing are going to be adopted very quickly. The reason is, in the event of another unprecedented crisis, organizations would want to ensure ‘business-as-usual’ to cause minimal business disruptions. The underlying theme of 2022 would revolve around creating business models that will survive in a ‘less-contact’ society. Amrinder Singh, Director, Bonn Group of Industries: It's been a fantastic year of change and recovery for both consumers and businesses. Consumers prioritised their safety while dealing with illness, job loss, lack of available products and services. Anticipating change and adapting for future challenges accordingly can help enterprises see around corners and plan effectively for the post-pandemic consumer. Businesses are riding on the pandemic-accelerated digital transformation wave and the trend is likely to continue. Around 80% of companies are allocating resources to improving their e-commerce and shopping platforms. This includes a full 60% investment in their digital direct-to-customer (DTC) channels. The digital shift also includes transforming internal capabilities and creating efficiencies with the help of technology. The future of retail will be omnichannel shopping or phygital retail. New technologies will continue to transform the retail sector with rapid change and innovation. Retail consumers will expect frictionless and tech-enabled experiences. As retailers and manufacturers embrace a direct-to-consumer model through e-commerce, traditional marketing channels will continue to blur. Satish NS, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Haier Appliances India: Today, hyper-personalization is inevitable for brands to get closer to their consumers. More than ever before, brands need to work on identifying and nurturing relevant cohorts for the business and reach out to them with tailored content that strikes an instant connection between the brand and its consumers. Since digital gives us the liberty to phenomenally reduce the distance between a brand and its customers, it’s important to create critical touchpoints along the consumer journey that will enable a more immersive brand experience with a 360-degree approach. Moreover, leveraging creative strategies on digital to deliver business impact will continue to become even more important in the coming years. Next year, we will also see an uptick in brands that will be experimenting big with performance marketing tools to help drive better ROI for the business. Manish Bandlish, Managing Director, Mother Dairy Fruit &amp; Vegetable Pvt. Ltd: The year 2021 was yet again a dynamic year however, the revival has been remarkable for us at Mother Dairy. Preparedness coupled with collaboration, resilience and agility played a vital role in the pandemic stressed quarter of this year, to ensure wellbeing of each and every employee as well as business continuity in order to serve our consumers. The year saw new products, markets and experiences, both for the business as well as the consumers. Despite the happenings, this year saw consistent supplies as varied channels such as e-commerce continued big-time. In addition, the consumption trend of consumers which began witnessing a change last year are persistent this year as well with in-home consumption and preference for packaged foods going strong.

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