Brands today are adopting social media in new ways for their marketing strategies so they can reach people in innovative and impactful ways. Some marketing efforts are most successful when they go beyond traditional advertising and focus on social or other issues that allow them to connect with the audience on a deeper level. This paper analyzes the social media campaigns of Samaara Premium Tea, Procter and Gamble, and India Gate, looking at how each brand tries to implement social media for brand building differently.
Samaara Premium Tea – Kadak Soch Campaign
Samaara Premium Tea’s “Cadak Soch” campaign was a 50-second video that attempted to advocate for the equal distribution of household chores. The campaign sought to spark discourse on a relevant social issue rather than discuss the product separately, which is what the advertisement focused on.
Campaign Strategies:
• Campaign focused on the message:
The advertisement never intended to directly promote the product by selling it.
• Topic close to the audience:
Gender equality, especially in families, is a topic that resonates with people and therefore helps in connecting with the audience better.
• Minimalism:
Due to the short duration of the video, engaging with the campaign became effortless, which made it easier for the advertisement to go viral.
This case outlines how the efforts to underpin a brand with a socially meaningful cause has the potential to engage an audience and foster conversation.
Procter and Gamble – PandG Shiksha Campaign
Procter and Gamble’s PandG Shiksha campaign sought to market the company by portraying its education initiatives as benevolent and useful by depicting a 75 year old man attending an elementary school with children. The purpose of this campaign was to publicize the company’s efforts on philanthropy and advocacy of education in India as part of its CSR activities.
Campaign Strategies:
• CSR focus:
Education is a primary concern for the children of India and needless to say, Procter and Gamble alongside its Global Give Back Day campaign sponsors and supports non profit organizations that focus on providing education to children.
• Emotional connection:
The Wasteland: “Sharma Shooting All Children,” study anecdote of jumping senior citizen attending schooling elementary resonated well with viewers.
• No direct product promotion:
The advertisement focused not so much on what Proctor and Gamble wished to sell as did on portraying the company’s contribution to the society.
Through the integral use of narratives and non-profit advocacy, this campaign reinforced a positive image of Procter and Gamble as being a brand that cares about bringing CSR to practice and enabling real change.
India Gate – India Dega Ashirvad Campaign
On the other hand, India Gate, an emerging brand of rice, started an initiative called, “India Dega Ashirwad” which aimed at reducing the wastage of rice during fasting customary blessings. The core underlying ideology behind the initiative was to encourage people to donate rice during ceremonial rituals in order to make a guilt free effort to help people in need.
Campaign Strategies:
• Judgement Free Product Recall:
The campaign India Gate refrained from condemning traditional customs and rituals that make it extremely difficult for some individuals to actively participate in order to combat overused India Gate rice.
• Internet Campaign:
Viewers were prompted to donate, which led them to a website – www. indiadegaaashirvaad. com, aiming to increase ease of site of donation.
• Social Branding:
They were focused more towards fighting a social problem than creating a brand message and marketing while respecting traditional practices.
Underlined by an emotionally detached social initiative the strategy of India Gate’s campaign worked because it helped the brand stand strong beside the viewers to whom the change was being inflicted upon.
Key Takeaways and Outcomes
• Social activity responsive campaigns trigger interaction:
Samaara Tea, PandG, and India Gate have emphenized that social problem campaigns are probably the only kind of marketing to permit any attempts of user engagement.
• Integrate social issues:
Social issues can be integrated into campaigns by brands and marketers as it will help in increasing the perception of the brand, improving consumer loyalty, and ultimately benefits the brand.
• Focus on reputation instead of revenue:
These brands focused on trying to produce the most influence possible, proving that campaigns which focus on important issues are far more effective than simple advertisements meant to sell products.
Conclusion
What makes these campaigns successful is their ability to engage the audience on a deeper level by addressing relevant social issues or by providing real value. Social storytelling, addressing the elephant in the room, and real engagement makes it easier for brands to amplify conversations around the brand which aids in driving higher brand equity. Instead of relying solely on product promotion, addressing real issues through social media campaigns will help build deeper relationships with consumers and have a more significant impact.
