It's June, the Pride Month, and brands are ready to paint themselves in rainbow colours and create advertisements centered around the LGBTQ+ community. While it is not uncommon to see brands talking about the rights of the community now, it was not the case always. Also, while it's true that a lot has changed in the country, for the good, when it comes to acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, for many, a discussion about them is still a taboo. And brands acknowledging the rights of the community often have to face criticism and trolling on social media platforms; the most recent one being Starbucks, which had to face the wrath of netizens for its ‘It Starts With Your Name’ campaign.

So, is there a middle path for brands on this road? What could be the best way for companies to talk about the rights of the LGBTQ+ community without hurting the sentiments of their other customers?

The way out 

According to Samit Sinha, Managing Partner, Alchemist Brand Consulting, wokeism is nothing but a progressive, liberal perspective on what constitutes a just society that embraces the diversity of race, religion, gender as well as sexual orientation. 

“I believe that true wokeism, as opposed to pretend wokeism, is not a passing fad, but an unstoppable force that despite stiff resistance from those unable or unwilling to accept change, will ultimately pave the way for the future of human civilization. Brands that are part of the leading wave of these changes will eventually succeed as they will be perceived as pioneers and thought leaders,” said Sinha, mentioning that he loved the Starbucks campaign and saluted their bravery.

Echoing the sentiment, N Chandramouli, CEO of TRA Research, believes that being woke is a state of being, one where the person is continuously conscious, aware and informed on societal prejudices. “A person or brand cannot be woke at times, and not during others. Backlashes, criticism for being woke happen in some cases, but it does not change the wokeness of the brand or person. Brands which include woke in their messaging, must be clear on the possible backlash, and still stand their ground,” he suggests.

Speaking on the readiness of the Indian audiences to accept these campaigns, Shruti Swaroop, diversity inclusion consultant, shares, “If we consider the readiness of the Indian audience to acknowledge the LGBTQ+ community, it's important to recognize that social progress and acceptance of diverse identities is a gradual process, especially in a culturally diverse country like India. Achieving true inclusion may take considerable time and effort.”

Are brands on the right route?

Earlier last year, Dabur also came out with a campaign for its product Fem celebrating same sex love. The campaign was widely trolled for many reasons. Brands are trying to start a conversation around the topic but do they have what it takes to get the right messaging out? 

Nitin Pradhan, Creative Head, DDB Mudra, feels that spreading awareness around issues, whether related to gender, race or LGBTQ themes, needs more sensitivity and understanding than what we, as advertisers and marketers, exhibit. “In most cases, we miss the larger context in which campaigns operate. It’s not really about one campaign and its the response. It requires a deeper level of pre-existing trust and emotional connection between a brand and its core consumers for this kind of messaging to be accepted,” he explains.

“A big brand presumes that the connection exists but the relationship may be quite transactional. The virtual absence of true and unique brand personality and the growing dominance of performance marketing, suddenly followed by an ‘emotional’, PSA-like theme, makes people look at the whole piece with skepticism. No surprise then that it seems like tokenism. We need to ask if the brand has the rite of passage to say this. Does it go with the brand personality? Is there a brand personality? Is there a product or category connection? Why must every brand tick every social issue box in the calendar?”, he explained. 

Meanwhile, people hailing from the community feel that brands hijack the month and make the conversation around it only for marketing purposes and ignore it consistently throughout the year. 

Sinha notes that what people are able to see through is the difference between genuine commitment to a cause or an issue, as opposed to tokenism or lip service to it. “If brands simply jump onto the bandwagon for the fear of being left behind, then they will not only be doing the LGBTQIA community a huge disservice, but also to themselves,” he said.

However, presenting a different point of view here, Chandramouli adds, “I feel that highlighting issues faced by the LGBTQ community by those who are promoting their cause, only adds value and does not hijack the issue. The more people/brands that speak about it, the more awareness there will be.”

Speaking on the same, Nisha Sampath, Brand Consultant, and Founder, of Bright Angles Consulting, said, “The younger generation is smart to identify this and they won’t buy into it, so brands should work around resonating the conversation with the audience. Brands should see them as a different segment of the audience and that way they should connect with them.”She also said that brands should take initiatives more and do something for them instead of just talking about it. She said, “Brands should walk the talk.”

The future of gender inclusivity in marketing

The audiences are getting used to the conversation and opening their hearts for it by taking baby steps, however there is still a big chunk of people out there who may not agree.

We asked experts what is the future of woke marketing and gender inclusivity communication in the Indian scenario. 

According to Swaroop, “With continued advocacy, efforts and moving beyond performative gestures, woke marketing has the potential to significantly accelerate the process of achieving Inclusion in India.”

While on the other hand, Chandramouli said, “For us to uphold a society that champions inclusivity and shuns prejudices or oppression, it's imperative that a greater number of brands courageously engage in discourse on matters they hold dear, even if it exposes them to potential criticism.”

Sinha noted that we still have a long way to go. “I think we will begin to see more and more popular mainstream brands attempting to normalise the LGBTQIA community in their marketing campaigns as an effort to champion the cause of diversity and inclusivity.”

Disney Star, the official broadcaster for the ICC World Test Championship Final (WTC), has onboarded 15 sponsors and Disney+ Hotstar has roped in 13 sponsors across categories ahead of the much-awaited tournament that gets underway from June 7th – 11th, 2023.

Star Sports’ sponsors include Bajaj Allianz, LAYER'R SHOT, Pokerbaazi, MRF, Samco Securities, Jindal Panther Steel, Ultratech Cement, DBS Bank, Atomberg Technologies, Maruti Suzuki, Charged By Thums Up, Hero Motocorp, Cadbury Dairy Milk, Livguard Energy Technologies, Allied Blenders and Distilleries. In addition to the 15 sponsors, Star Sports has also onboarded 40 advertisers and over 45+ brands.

Baazi Games has come on board as the co-presenting sponsor and ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund is the co-power sponsor on Disney+ Hotstar. A legion of national and international brands like Bajaj Allianz, Scaler, Policy Bazaar, Paisa Bazaar, Club Mahindra, Coca Cola, HSBC, Maruti Suzuki, Uber, L’Oreal and Castrol have been signed as associate sponsors.

“The increasing curiosity surrounding the ICC World Test Championship Final between two cricket heavyweights is sure to generate excitement in the country. We have collaborated with advertisers from various domains, across Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar to help them achieve their desired business objectives through this marquee event. The response has been overwhelming so far, resulting in the sale of all key features well in advance. We are optimistic about delivering an exhilarating tournament experience to our valued advertisers,” said Ajit Varghese, Head of Network - Ad Sales at Disney Star.

"Excited to announce Atomberg’s broadcast sponsorship of the World Test Championship final. Cricket on television has been an integral part of our media mix over the last 2 years and played a big role in scaling up our reach and awareness metrics, ultimately helping the business grow from 25 cr/month to 100 cr/month. And contrary to popular belief, if you can incorporate cricket intelligently in the media mix, it is not prohibitively expensive," said Arindam Paul, Founding Member and Chief Business Officer - Atomberg Technologies.

’At ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, we are dedicated to empowering investors with our comprehensive range of mutual fund products. Through Disney+ Hotstar, during the upcoming ICC World Test Championship, we recognize the immense opportunity to engage with our target audience via Connected TV and mobile. Our aim is to generate brand awareness and encourage people to invest into mutual funds. Our association with Disney+ Hotstar ensures a seamless fusion of cricket's exhilaration and the potential for financial growth,’’ said Abhijit Shah, Head of Marketing, Digital and Customer Experience, ICICI Prudential AMC.

The ICC World Test Championship Final will commence from June 7- 11th, 2023 and the tournament will be broadcasted live on Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar.

AdGlobal360 (AGL) has won the mandate for managing the PAN-India Hyperlocal Marketing of Maruti Suzuki India Limited.

Maruti Suzuki launched the hyperlocal marketing strategy in 2018 and since then AGL has been handling dealer marketing for North, East, and Central India while the other half was managed by another agency.

Deployed throughout Maruti Suzuki’s vast network of dealerships in multiple locations across the country, this hyperlocal marketing strategy has proved to be extremely effective in helping the OEM strengthen its digital presence, capturing the high purchase intent ‘near me’ searches, streamlining dealer lead management as well as customer journeys, and much more.

Sharing his opinion of this partnership, Shashank Srivastava, Sr. Executive Officer, Marketing & Sales, commented, “The contribution of hyperlocal marketing to our business is significant and digital leads from this program account for nearly 30% of our car sales. AdGlobal360’s are specialists in this and we are looking at a partnership that will collectively help us grow manifold. We look forward to their expertise in managing a program of this scale and delivering effectively on our expectations.”

Speaking on the win, Rakesh Yadav, CEO-AdGlobal360, said, “This is more than a win for us, since we were already managing half of Hyperlocal Marketing for MSIL. This is a validation of our expertise and the value we bring to our partners, MSIL and the Dealers. It is our promise that with our continuous investments in understanding Indian Consumers through our Sei-katsu-sha philosophy, we will keep getting better and deliver better outcomes.”

Adani Wilmar Limited (AWL) has unveiled a new TV commercial for its King's Kachi Ghani pure mustard oil. The objective of this TVC is to emphasize the exceptional pungency and purity of the product, highlighting its distinct flavour. By doing so, the company aims to reinforce the brand's position as the preferred choice for consumers who appreciate genuine taste and quality.

The captivating TV commercial showcases the story of a charismatic and respected individual, symbolizing a heroic figure, who is deeply moved by the product's pungency ("Jaanch") and purity. The video playfully captures the deep connection between food, family, and the immense satisfaction derived from using the finest mustard oil in traditional Indian cooking.

Sanjay Adesara, Head of Marketing, Adani Wilmar Ltd, commented on the latest TVC launch campaign, stating that “Kachi Ghani, also known as "Sarson ka Tel", is an indigenous oil to India, being extensively consumed in the northern and eastern regions of the country. Due to its inherent properties and colour, mustard oil can be easily mixed with other oils, a practice that is widespread throughout the nation. Unfortunately, this leads to the sale of adulterated products by local players at significantly discounted prices. Adani Wilmar, committed to fostering a healthy and prosperous nation, aims to counter these local adulterated brands by offering quality products at affordable prices through its King's range.

The King's Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil TV commercial celebrates the authentic flavors of India and reinforces the product's core attributes of pungency and purity, enhancing the taste and elevating the culinary experience of every Indian dish prepared. We understand the importance of preserving age-old flavours, and our product serves as an appealing choice to discourage consumers from opting for adulterated, unbranded oils, promoting the use of quality and genuine ingredients in every Indian household."

exchange4media Group is coming back with the Delhi edition of its flagship property - Pitch CMO Summit. The upcoming edition of the conference will be held on the 14th of June  2023 from 10 am onwards at The Leela Ambience, Gurugram. The conference is Co-Powered By Times Network while Zoom is the Co-Gold Partner, Kantar and Radio City are the Associate Partners. The Co-partner for the summit is Teads while Spotify is the Celebratory Partner. Lemma is the lounge Partner for the summit.

Pitch CMO Summit 2023 - Delhi Edition brings India's most reputed brands and their top management to interact and share insights on their game-changing success stories under one roof.

The theme of this edition of the conference is ‘Reimagining Purpose In A Tech-Enabled World’.

Brand purpose is the reason for a company's existence as it has the power to establish an emotional connection with its customers, leading to increased brand loyalty, advocacy, and profitability. While price, product, and customer experience are key attributes in consumer consideration, a well-defined purpose can be the critical differentiator while making the final purchase decision. With the rapid advancement of technology, digitization has become essential for businesses to stay competitive in today's digital age. It has become crucial for companies to seamlessly assimilate and blend in their brand purpose with evolving technology, particularly in their 360-degree marketing initiatives. At the Pitch CMO Summit 2023 – Delhi Edition, we look at how brands are ‘Reimagining Purpose In A Tech-enabled world’.

The line-up and agenda of the Pitch CMO Summit Mumbai are power-packed. Stay tuned as we reveal speaker details soon!

The conference will be followed by the award felicitation ceremony of The Pitch Marketing 30 under 30 list - an initiative from the exchange4media group to identify and shine a spotlight on the most promising young marketers and the crème de la crème among young game-changers under the age of 30.

For more details, please check out the microsite:

https://e4mevents.com/pitch-cmo-summit-delhi-2023/

To attend the summit, register here (https://e4mevents.com/pitch-cmo-summit-delhi-2023/register)

For any queries regarding RSVP, get in touch with

nitin .dhadwal@exchange4media.com or kapil.ramudamu@exchange4media.com

Tyre manufacturer CEAT has announced former Australian cricketer and renowned commentator, Matthew Hayden, as its new brand ambassador. As part of this association, CEAT has launched an engaging four-part talk show series titled "CEAT Timeout," featuring Hayden as the host in conversation with Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar.  

The "CEAT Timeout" series showcases the insightful and engaging conversations between Hayden and Gavaskar, covering various aspects of cricket, including their personal experiences, opinions on the current state of the game, and predictions for the upcoming World Test Championship. 

Lakshmi Narayanan B, Chief Marketing Officer, CEAT Limited said, “We are excited about this partnership with Matthew Hayden, a true icon in the world of cricket. The “CEAT Timeout” series is an engaging talk show that is packed with expert analysis, predictions and interesting strategies of our cricketers for the upcoming World Test Championship. Matthew Hayden’s passion for the sport and his ability to connect with fans make him the perfect choice to host these series. We believe that this collaboration will not only strengthen our brand's association with cricket but also provide our audience with unique and entertaining content.” 

The talk show series serves as a precursor to the highly anticipated World Test Championship finals, contested by India and Australia, beginning June 7, 2023. The first two episodes of "CEAT Timeout with Matthew Hayden and Sunil Gavaskar " have been released and can be viewed at the following links on CEAT’s Youtube channel. 

The remaining two episodes are scheduled for release today, June 6, 2023 ensuring that cricket enthusiasts have plenty of engaging content to enjoy before the World Test Championship kicks off.

For both, the players and the fans, the India jersey is imbued with meaning, stature and a tempestuous mixture of emotions. It's a labyrinth of overwhelming sentiments, that span from madness to respect and from love to rage. So complex is this gamut of feelings, they are almost impossible to describe. That’s the thread the agency pulled at. While it may be impossible to describe all that one feels for the India jersey, once you’ve donned it, it makes you feel just one thing – impossible is nothing. 

Sunil Gupta, Senior Director, Brand adidas India, said, “We are thrilled to have worked with Fundamental on this campaign. At adidas, we put our athletes and consumers at the heart of everything we do. Through this campaign, we aim to bring alive the emotions that both players and fans feel after wearing this jersey. Our goal is to democratise the jersey culture by giving every cricket fan a chance to “Own Your Stripes.” 

Pallavi Chakravarti, Founder & CCO, Fundamental, said, “This was a thrilling campaign to make. After all, few things are bigger in stature than introducing the new adidas India cricket kit to the country. There is not one Indian out there to which this campaign will not speak - so we just had to make sure we hit the right note.” 

Mounting the campaign was quite an undertaking with a unique set of limitations. The players were available for a very short time and in very controlled environments. To extract the right emotion from them and still leave time to get all the expansive static and digital pieces right for this 360 campaign proved to be a task that needed surgical precision from a production standpoint. When it came to shooting with fans, the team had to be very careful about where and when they shot and how much they exposed the jersey, as ensuring the jersey design didn’t leak was paramount. 

Sachin Kotre - the director and Lensflare Films - the production house, deployed multiple crews which fanned around the city shooting as much as possible, so that the team had enough material to play around with on the edit table. The sitar–inspired track tops off a film that captures the very essence of what the team jersey means to the players, to the fans and indeed the country. 

For the partnership announcer released a short while ago, produced by Airvision Films, Fundamental dipped into the well of the team’s incredible, unexpected and often unbelievable moments of success over the years. Almost all of which were considered unattainable but India went ahead and pulled them off anyway. Truly espousing the belief of – impossible is nothing.