Shaadi.com: Conditions Apply

As dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, TrulyMadly and Woo gain popularity in India, are traditional matrimonial sites feeling the heat? Shaadi.com is unperturbed. But it is donning a new look anyway. The portal's new TVC, '*My Conditions Apply', talks about marrying on one's own terms. The ad has been conceptualised by JWT India.

Shaadi.com is not the first in the category to encourage youngsters to make their own choices. Recently, Bharat Matrimony launched a digital campaign appeasing youngsters who have to put up with society's unwelcome interest in their marriage. The answer, of course, was to find the right partner on Bharat Matrimony's mobile app.

Shaadi.com's ad features women from different walks of life and a narration in the background discusses the terms they live by. Commenting on the creative thought, Tina Sachdev, VP, creative director, JWT India, says, "For girls we were speaking to, marriage is more about the quality of the relationship rather than a need to follow tradition. It's a life decision she wants to have a say in. In most cases, women are supported by their parents. She isn't really a rebel, but the progressive girl next door. Hence, the idea evolved to 'My Conditions Apply'. It is a fresh territory for this category, and I think we've arrived at a visually potent execution which ties up the whole film and mirrors the girl's world."

It is notable that the brand also has a new logo, that follows a colour scheme of pink and blue instead of red, and the red dot has been replaced with a heart in the middle. The brand seems to be turning more youth-centric, be it in its communication, logo or the personalities (Chetan Bhagat and Kanan Gill) being featured in its ads.

Aditya Save, chief marketing officer, Shaadi.com, believes that people use dating and matrimony portals at very different stages in life. "While people use dating apps with an exploratory approach, they come to us when they are ready for a long-term commitment. In that sense, these two categories do not compete with one another," he says.

When asked if the new ad may alienate men or parents who are also a part of the TG, Save says, "People react to the ethos of the communication and look beyond the obvious visual elements. Not wanting to lose oneself in a relationship is a universal theme and will be relatable to most people."

70 per cent of the portal's users have created their own profiles, Save informs, while only 30 per cent are created by parents. "Most parents would want such a partner for their children. In fact, many moms that I have interacted with picture their daughter-in-law like this," he says, referring to the women featured in the ad.

The campaign was launched on September 21 with television and digital as primary mediums. With a user base of 35 million, the brand claims that its TG is not specific to demography, but revolves around the psychological state of looking for someone to spend their life with. The company spends Rs. 30-50 crore on marketing and promotions, annually.

Progressive Much?

Mitali Srivastava, director and managing partner, Utopeia Communicationz, is quite impressed with the ad. She says, "I like the soft visual treatment to the ad instead of the usual hard-sell on marriage and the problems pertaining to the search of a life partner. One often hears about 'arranged love marriages' in India. Therefore, it seems that the execution is not just a creative liberty, but has been treated this way keeping the audience in mind."

She believes that the brand has hit the bull's-eye by talking to women through this ad, as it's harder to convince a woman these days than to convince a man. "The brand has a progressive stand on Indian consumers and their approach to marriage. The dynamics of marriages are changing very fast in India, and men and women evaluate a life partner based on various parameters that their parents often don't understand," she notes.

She points out that the ad has touched upon various aspects of a new bride's life. "These things could seem small to a lot of people, but not getting accepted is a huge concern for women. So, the little asterisk that can make or break a deal during a purchase might not be the key message for a brand, but for the consumer it is important," she adds.

Brand marketing consultant Virat Mehta says, "'MyConditions Apply' certainly appeals to the psyche of young, successful women. One can think of it like a dating app, and therefore only modern thinking men will apply and be chosen."

"However, my only concern is that, in today's environment in India, it will not be appealing to the conservative families," he adds.