BBDO/Proximity Study: Applying social movements to campaigns

It is a fundamental human desire to be a part of something bigger than oneself. This insight drives great movements from social, political and religious to cultural. Based on this thought, communications agency BBDO/Proximity, in association with the Omnicom Group, has launched 'How your brand can incite a movement: A study on the power and dynamics of social movements and the implications it has on brands'. Andy Wilson, chairperson, Asia Planning Council, BBDO/Proximity was present in Delhi yesterday to discuss how marketers can use the study to build brands by applying social movements to campaigns.

He went on to explain how all the movements can be reduced into three distinct phases -motivation, agitation and explosion. Marketers can learn how slogans used for movements capture the action and are not "some fancy words".

Just the way every movement is backed by a strong idea, brands should do the same by talking about the main values and not just the core competencies, features and benefits of their products. Wilson substantiated this argument by quoting Steve Jobs, co-founder and chief executive officer, Apple, who once said, "Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo."

Another point raised in the study was how brands should attach themselves with noble purposes to connect with their target groups.

Recently, coffee company Starbucks observed that young Americans were reluctant to vote. Starbucks started a campaign which encouraged young Americans to come to its outlets after voting and get a free cup of coffee. A huge number of people not only turned up for a cuppa, but purchased muffins as well - adding to the sales of the company.

Giving an example from India, Wilson talked about the Gillette Mach3 Shave India Movement, where 2,000 men shaved their faces in public, using the new Gillette Mach3 razor.

The movement, ideated by BBDO India and held on December 14 in Mumbai's Chitrakoot Grounds, was conceptualised on the basis of a survey conducted across the cities of Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Patna by Gillette, in association with The Nielsen Company. About 1,000 men and women in the age group of 15-45 years, belonging to SEC AB, were interviewed to gauge their preference for the clean-shaven look.

The survey revealed that 86 per cent men and 90 per cent women prefer the clean-shaven look, clearly indicating the preference over the stubble look. The 'Shavathon' got more than 7,00,000 hits on Google.

Another interesting example of brands and movements meeting is what Aviva Life Insurance did on National Education Day in 2009. The insurance player invited all citizens of Delhi to join hands on November 11 to build a giant wall made entirely of books. The five day donation drive from November 11-15 resulted in the collection of 1.3 lakh books, which were distributed to underprivileged children.

This year, BBDO India plans to take this initiative to other cities as well.

All the cited examples placed the brands in the hands of the customer. According to Wilson, marketers must focus on creating impactful acts and not just ads.