Consumer climate post-9/11: FCB study

In the wake of the horrific September 11 attacks, Foote Cone & Belding (FCB) conducted a study across the US to assess the implications of the tragedy, to understand shifts in consumer attitude towards consumption and brand communication. A year on, the agency has released some findings of the study, made available here through its Indian partner, FCB-Ulka Advertising.

The purpose of the study is to help marketers and advertisers sort through the dilemma of communicating with consumers in an uncertain environment, especially one engendered by tragedies of mass destruction that mar the national psyche. The study aims to address issues such as how marketers can build strong brand relationships in times of distress, and the sensitivity with which brands should conduct themselves. It must be added that the findings are essentially US-centric - although there are gleanings that can apply to Indian consumers as well.

One of the findings of the study is that post-9/11, Americans exhibited strong ‘coping behaviour'. "To cope they sought comfort in the familiar - family, friends and relationship," notes the study. "And everything that is truly American - especially apple pie!!! This sentiment towards the familiar was never absent but the focus of all activities became an expression of nationalistic feeling."

This, however, need not be wholly true of India, for two reasons. One, despite the rise in the number of nuclear households, seeking comfort in family and friends still comes fairly naturally to Indians, and the ‘family' is still central to our lives. Two, ‘coping behaviour' on a national scale is not something India is familiar with. "Indians are a lot more used to seeing misery, which has hardened us a lot," points out Richa Arora, vice-president - strategic planning, FCB-Ulka. "So coping with pain is a more personal experience for us. Also, we do not see national disasters as national disasters." For instance, in terms of proportion, the Gujarat riots was a national disaster, but many Indians still see it as a localized problem. "We are very blasé about these things," says Arora.

However, one aspect of the 9/11 study which somewhat applies to Indians as well is the ‘relying on the self and the institution'. The study shows that "while on one hand the reliance on self - ‘because somebody else may not take care of this for me' - rose, so did a renewed faith in institutions like the military, government, community groups, marriage and traditional brands. Seeking comfort and security in collective strength and a proven ability to endure."

When it comes to India, more often than not, ‘relying on the self' has been the case, given the low confidence the citizenry vests in institutions (barring a select few). However, the public has also been known to rally behind institutions such as the government and the military during times of external aggression. "During the Kargil War, the Government and the military had the unstinted support of the people," Arora points out. The same applied to the Chinese aggression, the Indo-Pak wars and the more recent attack on the Indian Parliament, with calls of ‘surgical strikes' ringing from all quarters. "We can gather that when there is a threat from outside, faith in institutions rises," says Arora.

While these findings are more general, there are specifics pertaining to brand communication and brand relationships. For instance, the study reveals that there are strong don'ts when it comes to the brand message and its tonality. "Some things are clear no-nos," the study warns. "Irreverent humour, cynicism, violence, opportunism and being seen as making a show of patriotism (‘too wrapped in American flag' as opposed to living its values)." The study cites the example of an ad for Jeep that used World War II memorabilia to connect with 9/11 events. The study claims that "Consumers rebuffed the ad, calling it a ‘cheap shot'."

In the Indian context, perhaps irreverent humour, cynicism and violence isn't that big an issue vis-à-vis advertising. But opportunism and ‘making a show of patriotism' certainly are. At times, Indian advertising has been prone to blatantly espouse patriotism - often of the off-the-shelf ‘designer' variety. "The whole thing is that brands should not come across as too nationalistic and soppy," says Arora. "Consumers see through any attempt that looks gimmicky."

Coming to the kind of advertising that would work, the study says, "Strength combined with empathy, tradition, dependability, nostalgia and family/community togetherness would go down well with people at such times." The study also notes that messages based on "reality sans make-up, reflecting slice-of-life moments, positive images and no celebrities (the girl-next-door will be a better bet) are some of the dos to keep in mind." In this context, the study adds that established and familiar brands "have a natural advantage as they offer a haven of stability".

However, the most telling insight for marketers could be "the need to ‘walk the talk'. With consumers working hard and making personal sacrifices, the same is expected of companies with every action coming under scrutiny," the study reads. To draw a loose analogy, in the case of say, an earthquake or a train accident (God forbid either!), were a cellular operator to provide the public with half-a-dozen call-in lines for information, it would go further than an ad expressing anguish or solidarity or patriotism or whatever.

"I think the findings of the study show that brands cannot fool consumers," Arora sums up. "This stands true all the time, irrespective of a changed context." © 2002 agencyfaqs!