"The campaign aims to break the myth that security solutions are expensive" - Yogesh Dutta, CP Plus

Surveillance and security are often associated with high-risk establishments like a government or corporate office, hospital or a hotel. Breaking this myth is the new brand campaign, focussed on the B2C segment, from electronic security equipment company CP Plus. Titled 'Uparwala sab dekh raha hai', the campaign plucks a very vernacular insight and cleverly weaves it into day-to-day situations.

Executed by Dentsu Marcom, the 360-degree campaign comprises three TV campaigns, each depicting a situation where a high-definition security camera from the brand acts as a deterrent, foiling untoward situations. In one of the campaigns, a lecherous boy is seen eve-teasing a young girl in a market when the shopkeeper warns him of the CCTV camera which can land him in trouble. In the second one, a domestic help is polishing off 'kheer' instead of feeding the baby she's looking after, before she is made aware of the installed camera, and in the last ad a bunch of bullies in a college are in the midst of ragging juniors when they spot the CP Plus camera and flee. All the ads end with the message that security cameras from CP Plus start at Rs. 1999.

"There are so many vernacular insights integral to our culture. We have been using them in our everyday conversations as part of our lingo, and they seem to fit perfectly for certain brands; almost waiting to be explored and interpreted, 'upar wala sab dekh raha hai' is one such insight. So apt for CCTV cameras! In all the films, the perpetrators would have continued with the wrongdoing, but for the intervention of upar wala (CP Plus)," notes Vishal Mittal, senior creative director, Dentsu Marcom.

"The campaign aims to break the myth that security solutions are expensive - a major deterrent for players like us looking to expand in home and B2C segments. Being a market leader in this segment, we are trying to spread awareness among consumers, establish brand connect and create a segment in the market," says Yogesh B Dutta, COO, Aditya Infotech (parent company of CP Plus).

Security has become top-of-mind recall for everybody, especially with increasing number of nuclear families with working individuals who often have to hire help for dependents (young children or elderly parents).

Amongst a slew of products like CCTV, time and attendance solutions, video door phones, encoders, the campaign highlights CCTV security cameras. The brand offers analogue cameras which can be integrated with digital video recorder to view the feed. A consumer can also buy IP cameras, whose IP address can directly be fed into company's mobile app "gcMOB" and live streaming of the feed can be checked. These feeds can be transferred to a hard disk and memory cards as well.

Once a consumer buys a camera, he can request for an installation through the company's call centre on additional charges.

Dutta informs that in many of their internal surveys conducted in different pockets of the country, consumers have admitted security as being one of the essential requirements, but there was ambiguity when it came to brands providing these solutions.

"There is a big vacuum in the consumer's mind when it comes to security solutions. Even if they decide on getting security solutions, there is no call to action. This is an unorganised market and chances are high that local players dupe consumers in terms of pricing and quality of products," he asserts, adding, "through this campaign, we aim to give the consumer that 'conviction' that they are going for the right product."

The company is targetting two kinds of consumers. Their primary TG is in the age bracket of 30-50 years, who have reached the decision making stage in their profession. The second TG would be the 'influencers' - people who are directly or indirectly influencing the decision of the primary TG. They could be family members, spouse, colleagues or friends.

"The concept of B2B or B2C is becoming passé. It has now become business to people. You have to own the consumer, inform and make him aware, so that once he decides to buy security solutions, he only thinks of us," Dutta adds.

The size of the surveillance market in India is pegged at around Rs. 2, 500 crore and it is continuously evolving and is highly unorganised.

Dutta admits that costing and lack of information about security solutions continue to be two of the biggest challenges in operating in this new segment. Apart from the fact that surveillance can only act as a deterrent and it cannot stop crimes.

CP Plus has been operational in India for the last seven years and has 45 offices across the country. It operates through 6500 partners in the retail space. The company is also planning to have an online footprint via e-commerce players like Flipkart and Snapdeal.

The surveillance market is evolving and is volume based. CP Plus claims to be a market leader in the space and provides solutions to DLF Cyber City, banks (Canara, PNB), Google and Facebook's corporate offices, education institutions (Lovely University, Modern Schools in Delhi), among others.

Metros continue to be CP Plus' focus market in terms of pure numbers, but upcoming infrastructure projects in states like Chattisgarh, Orrisa, Telangana and North East are also making them fast growing markets. The company is currently working to improve its high-definition surveillance solutions and aims to give increased focus on home segment and grow it further.