POLITICAL ADVERTISINGPOLITICAL ADVERTISING

POLITICAL ADVERTISING

RIGHT FROM THE DAY ONE IN THIS PROFESSION I WAS TAUGHT TO BE AWAY FROM POLITICAL ADVERTISING. THE REASON MY GURU GAVE ME WAS " SHOULD YOU HANDLE POLITICAL ADVERTISING, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN FINANCIAL LOSSES. SHOULD THE PARTY WIN AND TAKE OVER THE GOVERNMENT, THEY WOUL BE TO POWERFUL AND WILL HAVE THE REASONS TO REFUSE TO PAY YOUR BILLS ON ONE PRETEXT OR OTHER. YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF ALMOST HELPLESS BECAUSE HOW DO YOU FIGHT PEOPLE, WHO ARE LAW-MAKERS.

SHOULD THE PARTY LOOSE ELECTIONS, THEY MAY BE BROKE AND POINT BLANK REFUSE ON THE PRETEXT OF LACK OF FUNDS.

THAT'S WHY FOR ALMOST THREE DECADES I KEPT MYSELF ON AN ARMS LENGHT AS FAR AS POLITICAL ADVERTISING WAS CONCERNED.

IT WAS 16TH JULY 2009, YES THE SAME DATE AS OF TODAY. A PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATE OF MINE CAME INTO MY OFFICE AND ANNOUNCED " YOU KNOW, JAMEEL, COME OCTOBER, MAHARASHTRA WILL GO TO ASSEMBLY POLLS ". I SAID " YES. I AM AWARE OF IT ". HE SAID " I HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS THE COUSIN OF GENERAL SECRETARY OF MPCC AND HE IS KEEN ON GETTING THE COMMUNICATIONS BUSINESS FOR THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS AND IS QUITE CONFIDENT THAT HE WOULD GET THE BUSINESS BECAUSE OF HIS CLOUT ".

I REPLIED " WHERE IS THE HITCH? "

HE SAID " HE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT ADVERTISING AND COMMUNICATIONS, NOR DO I AM VERY WELL VERSED WITH IT. YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN JUST MARKETING ADVERTISING SPACE ALL ALONG MY LIFE ".

I ASKED " WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME ? ".

HE SAID " WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE MY PARTENER IN THIS VENTURE ? '.

I SAID " NO, I DO NOT HANDLE POLITICAL ADVERTISING ". 

HE SAID " IN THAT CASE , WILL YOU BE THE FRONT, DO THE PLAN, PRESENT IT ON HIS BEHALF ".

I THOUGHT FOR A WHILE AND REPLIED " OK, FOR THE OLD TIME SAKE, I SHALL DO THAT AS LONG AS YOUR FRIEND PAYS MY FEE ".

I DID GOT THE PLAN TOGETHER AND MET WITH HIS FRIEND WHOSE COUSIN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE MPCC.

I NORMALLY CHARGE MY FEE IN ADVANCE BUT FOR THE OLD TIME SAKE I AGREED TO GIVE THEM A CREDIT OF A MONTH.

THEY TOOK THE PRESENTATION CD FROM MY OFFICE AND WENT AWAY.

AFTER A WEEK MY BUSINESS ASSOCIATE RETURNED AND TOLD ME " OH, HIS COUSIN WAS ZAPPED WITH YOUR STRATEGY OF WINNING THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS AND 

 HAS ASKED US TO MEET THE HEAD OF MEDIA CELL OF MPCC. WILL YOU COME WITH US AND PRESENT THE STRATEGY TO HIM? ".

I WAS HESITANT. BUT ON THEIR PLEADING I AGREED TO GO ALONG WITH THEM.

ON THE APPOINTED DAY WE REACHED HEAD MEDIA CELL'S OFFICE. I TOOK OUT MY LAPTOP AND STARTED EXPLAINING SLIDE AFTER SLIDE.

THE GENTLEMAN TO WHOM I WAS PRESENTING, WAS A VERY SHARP  PERSON , HE DID SEE THE MERIT OF THE STRATEGY BUT AT THE SAME TIME ALSO REALISED THAT THE GUYS SITTING IN FRONT OF HIM WERE WITHOU ANY INFRASTRUCTURE.

AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION HE LOOKED AT ME AND ASKED " WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM ME ? ".

I SHIRKED MY SHOULDERS AND INDICATED TOWARDS OTHER TWO GENTLEMEN AND SAID " THEY SHALL EXPLAI THAT '.

COUSIN OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY TOLD HIM PRETTY RUDELY " WE WANT ADVERTISING BUSINESS FIR THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS ".

HEAD OF MEDIA CELL SAID " WE ARE CALLING FOR PITCHES FROM ADVERTISING AGENCIES, YOU TOO ARE WELCOME TO TRY YOUR LUCK ".

I THOUGHT THAT THE MEETING WAS OVER AND PICKED UP MY LAPTOP AND WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE, AS REACH HIS ROOM'S DOOR, HE SAID " ONE SECOND, I HAVE ANOTHER OFFER FOR YOU " THIS TIME HE WAS DIRECTLY ADDRESSING ME.

 I LOOKED AT HIM, PUZZLED.

HE SAID " HOW ABOUT BEING ON MY SIDE OF THE TABLE? '.

I WAS STILL LOOKING PUZZLED.

 HE EXPLAINED " COME ELECTIONS, WE ALL WILL BE SO BUSY THAT NONE OF US WOULD HAVE TIME TO CONTROL ADVERTING AGENCIES AND ADVERTISING AND BESIDES THAT NONE OF US HAVE THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE IN ADVERTISING AS YOU HAVE ".

I SAW SOME MERIT IN THE OFFER AND REQUESTED HIM TO GIVE ME TWO DAYS TO THINK ABOUT IT.

ON RETURN TO MY OFFICE, I WORKED OUT THE MODEL FOR COMMNICATIONS AUDIT AND MET HIM TWO DAYS LATER.

AT THE END OF MY PRESENTATION, HE SAID " TOMORROW 3 PM YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE CHIEF MINISTER.

I DID NOT KNOW, WHAT HIT HIM.

AFTER THAT DAY I HAD FEW SWEET AND A LOT OF BITTER EXPERIENCES. I SHALL SHARE ALL SWEET AND BITTER EXPERIENCES OF MINE IN POLITICAL ADVERTISING IN MY NEXT PIECE.

THE POWER OF SMALL

ADVERTISING DEVIL...PART III

THE POWER OF SMALL

TODAY, THERE NO LONGER EXISTS A SCENARIO WHERE THERE WOULD BE TWO OR THREE MEGA PLAYERS WHO COULD ARM-TWIST AND GET AWAY WITH MURDER TO STOP SMALL BRANDS FROM SUCCEEDING IN THE MARKET. SMALLER COMPANIES HAVE GROWN IN SIZE AND STATURE, SLOWLY BUT SURELY AND HAVE TAKEN ON THE LARGER COMPANIES WITH ROCK-SOLID BENIFITS IN HAND, LIKE THE LITTLE NIRMA WHO STOPPED SURF ONE MORNING IN THE HOUSEWIFE'S BUCKET WITH VISIBLY WHITER CLOTHES AT A MUCH LESSER PRICE. SMALLER COMPANIES HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY RESPONSIVE TO THE MARKET NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND HAVE DEVELOPED NEWER, BETTER AND MORE AFFORDABLE PRODUCTS TO MEET THE SAME. SO WHILE IBM WAS MAKING SOME LARGE MEGA COMPUTERS, BILL GATES WALKED ONTO EVERY DESK WITH WINDOWS DESKTOP. 

SUDDENLY THE BIGGIES HAVE BEEN TOPPLED OFF THE PEAK WITH THE LITTLE NIBBLING AWAY AT THE CRUMBLY FOUNDATIONS AND REDUCING THEM TO DUST IN ALL BUT A FEW MARKETS, AND WITH IT HAVE PROVED THAT THE RELATION BETWEEN ECONOMIC CONCENTRATION AND THE INTENSITY OF ADVERTISING HAS BITTEN THE DUST.

...TO BE CONTINUED

ADVERTISING DEVIL

THE ADVERTISING DEVIL....PART II

ADVERTISING--AN ANTI-COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY?

IN INTENSELY COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE SUCH AS THE ONE THAT EXISTS TODAY, ONE IS NOT ALIEN TO THE FIERCE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF ADVERTISING ( THE COLA WARS, THE TV BATTLES, THE DETERGENTS WASHING DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC ). 

SOME CLAIM THAT ADVERTISING IS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT LARGE COMPANIES ARE ALMOST MONOPOLISTIC WHEN ONE THINK OF THE ADVANTAGE THEY HAVE. FOR ONE THEY HAVE POWER OF LARGE MONIES THAT ALLOWS THEM THE LUXURY OF SPENDING LARGE AMOUNTS ON ADVERTISING. THIS ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO COME WITH AS MANY VARIENTS AS POSSIBLE, PRE-EMPTING ANY MOVES FROM OTHERS AND SQUASHING SMALLER FIRMS TOTALLY.

THUS ADVERTISING CREATES IMPREGNABLE BARRIERS THAT STOP SMALLER FIRMS FROM ENTERING AN INDUSTRY OR A PRODUCT CATEGORY, RESULTING IN HIGH ECONOMIC CONCENTRATION.

THESE LARGE COMPANIES ENJOY THEIR PROTECTED POSITION AND CHARGE THE CONSUMERS A HIGH PRICE TO RECOVER THEIR COST OF ADVERTISING AND PRODUCT VARIENT LAUNCHES. IN TURN, THIS FETCHES THEM RICH PROFITS. THEREFORE ADVERTISING ACTS AS THE ROADBLOCK TO COMPETITION BY PREVENTING ENTRY OF RIVALS AND PERPETUATING AN UNHEALTHY BALANCE OF POWER.

....TO BE CONTINUED

THE ADVERTISING DEVIL

THE ADVERTISING DEVIL
-IS IT REALLY EVIL?

COMPETITION IS THE KEY FORCE FOR GROWTH IN ANY ECONOMY.IT IS AN ALL-PERVASIVE FACT OF BUSINESS LIFE, EVEN IF IT IS DIFFICULT OR SOMETIMES IMPOSSIBLE TO MEASURE. AND YET, MANY GOLIATH OF THE INDUSTRY HAVE FALLEN TO SMALLER DAVIDS, JUST BECAUSE THEY FAILED TO RECOGNIZE COMPETITION OR TOOK IT TOO EASY. IN THE AGE OF ADVERTISING WHERE COMPANIES, BIG OR SMALL, RESORT TO ADVERTISING FOR ACHIEVING THEIR TARGETS AND STAYING AHEAD OF COMPETITION, LET'S RAISE A KEY QUESTION ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ADVERTISING ON COMPETITION: IS ADVERTISING COMPETITIVE OR ANTI COMPETITION?

GOOD BUSINESS PEOPLE HAVE NO DIFFICULTY IN IDENTIFYING WHAT THEY CONSIDER COMPETITION. AFTER ALL THEY ARE KEEN OBSERVERS OF ALL THAT IMPACTS THEIR SALES OR BOTTOM LINE. BE IT THE NEW PACKAGING IN THEIR CATEGORY, THE APPEALING ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN, OR THE ' IN NEWS ' NAME IN THEIR CATEGORY; BE IT THE NEW ENTRANT WHO LAUNCHES WITH A BANG OR AN EXISTING COMPETITOR WHO SUDDENLY RE-INCARNATES TO EXPAND HIS MARKET SHARE; NOTHING ESCAPES THE NOTICE OF THE ASTUTE BUSINESS PERSON. HOWEVER IMAGINE THEIR THEIR CONSTERNATION WHEN SOMEBODY GETS UP TO TELL THEM THESE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES ARE NOT COMPETITION. THESE ARE JUST WAYS AND MEANS FOR SOME COMPANY TRYING TO GRAB CONSUMER ATTENTION OR TO DIFFRENTIATE ITS PRODUCTS FROM OTHERS OR ITS ATTEMPT TO GAIN MARKET IDENTITY AND MUCH COVETED CUSTOMER LOYALTY OR JUST ITS WAY TO GRAB EYE BALLS BY DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN MEDIA.

WHAT THESE BUSINESS MAVERICKS SOMETIMES FAIL TO GRASP IS THAT THE ESSENCE OF COMPETITION IS RIVALRY. THE KIND OF RIVALRY THAT PUSHES COMPANIES TO IMPROVE THEIR PRODUCTS; TO LOOK FOR BETTER AND MORE ECONOMICAL WAYS TO PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE THESE. COMPANIES THAT UNDERSTAND THESE CUES, PUSH THEMSELVES TO RE-THINK OR RE-VISIT THEIR OWN BRAND TO OFFER THE BENIFIT OF A NEW PRODUCT OR A BETTER PRODUCT TO THE CONSUMER, WHO IS FOREVER IN SEARCH OF A BETTER ' DEAL '. AND THOSE WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THESE NEEDS LOSE OUT TO THEIR MORE IMAGINATIVE AND EFFICIENT RIVALS.

.....TO BE CONTINUED

" THE EARLIEST MAGAZINE "

" MAGAZINES, UNDER THE BROADER GENERIC TERM OF ' PERIODICALS 'HAVE ALSO BEEN WITH US FOR HUNDRED OF YEARS. THE FRENCH ' JOURNAL DES SAVANTS ' COMMENCED PUBLICATION IN 1665,AND ITS SUCCESSOR PUBLICATION IS STILL BEING PRINTED TODAY.

' EARLIER MAGAZINES '

" ORIGIN OF NEWSPAPERS"

WE KNOW THAT NEWSPAPERS ARE BASICALLY JOURNALS RELATING TO MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST. IN THIS CONTEXT, IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT COLUMBIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA ATTRIBUTES THE ORIGIN OF THE NEWSPAPER TO JULIUS CAESAR, AND THAT THE EARLIEST RECORDED EFFORT TO INFORM PUBLIC ON CURRENT EVENTS WAS THE ROMAN ' ACTA DIURNA ' WHICH WAS POSTED DAILY IN PUBLIC PLACES. CHINA'S OLDEST NEWSPAPER BEGAN IN THE EIGHT CENTURY, AND IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY , MANUSCRIPT NEWS SHEETS WERE ISSUED IN MAJOR CITIES THROUGHOUT GERMANY. IN 1556, THE VENETIAN GOVERNMENT POSTED THE ' NOTIZIE SCRITTE ' FOR WHICH READERS PAID A SMALL FEE OR ' GAZETTA '; IT BECAME SO POPULAR IT WAS FINALLY PRINTED IN QUANTITY.