Advertisements Acting as Immunity Boasters for Brands during Pandemic ( Published in Contemporary Vibes)
Corona virus has changed the social fabric of our society where living a life with the social distancingand mask is the new normal. Pre Covid, regular travels, meetings, gatherings, parties, shopping, all seemed normal until the world got wrapped in the clutches of Covid-19. This pandemic not only endangered our lives but also restricted our way of living. Though Corona crises has dwindled the economy of the world but the brands are turning every table to reach out to their niche customers. After Fair and Lovely announcement on the changingits name to Glow and Lovely, matrimonial sites likeShadi.com dropping fair option, brands are making every effort to woe their consumers and flow with the nationality wave and to be in support of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
During pre Covid, companies were in the full swing to influence their consumer through various promotional techniques, launch of new products,promoting offers and discount during festive season. Brands use to focus on issues like woman empowerment, racism and equality, etc. and suddenly post Covid immunity; health and hygiene are the buzz word for all the brands. Brands have taken a paradigm shift in their marketing strategies since the COVID-19 has hit the world. From focussing on USPs, discount offers, festivity sales, the focus has entirely shifted to the by-product of Corona criseslike hygiene, immunity, safety, cleanliness, etc. as per the self-care guidelines and recommendations from the issued by the Ministry of AYUSH. As per IRDAI, the insurance companies in India was told in the beginning phases of the pandemic itself, to introduce products covering COVID-19 treatment and offer normalized COVID health insurance plans accordingly.
Health drinks
Every brand is focusing on health issues like hygiene and immunity. Yakult in their recent ad campaign staring Shilpa Shetty focuses on immunity building through increasing positive bacteria in your body. Even the brand like Horlicks has added the boasters like Zinc, Vitamin C and Vitamin D in their recent ad campaign to connect to its consumers and add a feature of immunity in their recent ad campaigns.
Health Products
Mother diary has launched haldi milk at Rs 25 so as to enhance the immunity of the consumers. The company is promoting the new variant on digital platforms using #Rishtonkiimmunity hashtag. It is also running radio ads. Not to be left in the race,Amul, The Taste of India has also launched immunity boasting products like Haldi, Tusi and ginger milk to woe and attracts its consumers. Even Dabur, a brand known for its Ayurvedic products have also introduced many immunity boasting products like Tulsi drops, Chawanprash and Glucose-D to enhance the sale of its products during Covid. As a package to safeguard them from this infection, the firm has also created Immunity Booster kit which includes products such as Chyawanprash, GiloyGhanvati, Giloy Churna, Stresscom, Imudab Syrup, Honey, Honitus and Honitus hot sip.
Personal Hygiene:
Brands dealing with personal hygiene like Dettol, Savlon, Amway and others have also running the campaigns based on the issues like cleanliness and personal hygiene. Like recent ad campaign of Dettolfocuses on washing hands continuously and maintaining social distance, reiterating its commitment towards promoting good health and hygiene in the society, Brilloca, makers of India’s iconic bath ware solutions brand, Hindware, has introduced the first-of-its-kind campaign, titled – ‘Saaf Raho, Safe Raho’
Fast Food Chain:
The game doesn’t end here. Even the eating joints like KFC has edited it slogan popular slogan ‘Its Finger licking Good’ for a while, due to the instructions by public authorities to everyone to not touch their nose, eyes, or mouth with unclean hands as a precaution against Coronavirus.
Burger King’s in its latest move against the pandemic has also tried something on experimental basis i.e. allowing its customers to have their orders printed on a mask. It’s to ensure that they don’t speak to BK staff members behind the counter, or at a drive-in.
Other Brands:
Latest in the line is clothing and textile playerDonear Industries. The Mumbai-based company, in collaboration with Swiss firm HeiQ, is launching the range of anti-viral fabrics under the brand Neo Tech that kills covid-19 virus within 30-minutes.
Duroflex also launched anti viral mattress. The mattress protector is again based on similar concept of Swiss technology, which can kill 99.99% virus and bacteria within minutes. Don’t be shocked.
In another recent campaign by Ola for promoting Auto rickshaw services, they depict the safety and hygiene measures taken by the company for the safe travel. The campaign highlights that it can easily and safely used by the people to communicate as the offices have reopened.
Therefore, as we all know that economy of our country depends on the well being of our brands economic status and whatever be the situation the brands know how to evolve with the existing situations. Therefore, the recent changes in the company’s campaign highlighting their support for the country during his pandemic and their Corporate Social Responsibility will certainly revive the economy of our country. In addition what makes Indian companies more sure is economy building is the feeling of making India ‘Aatmanirbhar’.
