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We spoke to Sameer Satpathy, chief executive, personal care products business, ITC, about his recent TVC-led marketing push for Fiama shower gels.
The new ad campaign by Fiama shower gels and gel bars, positions the product as one that generates copious amounts of lather with a little help from a loofah, and one that works as an instant mood-lifter for the hassled young woman after a trying day.
The campaign, led by two TVCs, is titled 'Dil Ko De Lift'.
When asked about the TG, he says, "Urban development and technology are blurring the lines between consumers in Tier I and Tier II cities."
Talking about the ads, Satpathy says, "The 'Fiama woman' effortlessly multi-tasks. Amidst all the responsibilities that she shoulders and the everyday rush of activities that need her attention, this young urban Fiama woman cherishes her me-time, especially during a bath. The campaign presents a blend of Fiama's functional and emotional promise."
The whole bath-as-escape-from-reality idea is not a new one; after all, that's the very premise Liril's famous waterfall fantasy (which first hit TV screens in the late 1970s) is based on.
We notice that both the scenarios shown in the ads are 'end-of-day showers', as opposed to 'morning showers'. Perhaps, the insight at play here is - soap is the preferred option in the morning when women are in a rush to leave home for the day, whereas the 'shower gel-cum-loofah' routine is an indulgence reserved for the evening, when there's time on hand.
"ITC prides itself for its deep understanding of Indian consumers. Intensive consumer interactions, and qualitative and quantitative consumer research is critical in identifying a distinct brand proposition in a cluttered environment of personal wash," says Satpathy.
Industry Speak
Pooja Gosain, senior creative director - design, DigitasLBi, India, a digital agency from the house of Publicis.Sapient, feels the insight is good, but to restrict the product for end-of-day showers where there is more time for indulgence alone is a strong space. "It should ideally appeal to women who are professionals, as well as housewives. There are numerous other scenarios that can be explored here to appeal to a wider set of women," she says.
Anisha Motwani, founder and managing partner, Storm The Norm Ventures, an innovation consulting firm, says, "The TVCs do convey the message that a great bath does more than just cleansing; it lifts your mood and makes you look at the brighter side of things. This is clear in the ad films. In the first ad, the mother says, "Mera beta banega ek din hero", while in the other, the visibly annoyed woman who, after a shower with the shower gel, says, "Kal ko mujhko star kahega". Here, we can take the analogy of Tata Tea, whose tagline 'Jaago Re' meant getting refreshed. But, the brand amplified it to 'Corruption Ke Khilaf Jago'. Fiama, here, has taken the 'refreshing' feeling from a physical state to a very emotional state."
According to Motwani, most personal care products today stress on a kind of a 'grooming category code' such as using a fairness cream will make you more confident or the use of a certain deodorant will equip you to take up challenges. In these ads, too, the 'grooming' angle is used -- the shower gel instils confidence - "Kal ko mujhko star kahega". However, the execution seems to be a bit stretched. The communication would have been complete even without introducing that thought."