Brands don’t need to run for cover for every troll

The company known for Cadbury Chocolates engaged the star to urge consumers to support small businesses affected during the pandemic. The company’s ‘Not Just a Cadbury Aid’ initiative is ‘This Diwali you #KiseKhushKarenge?’ is part of. The campaign builds on last year’s narrative along the same lines. Mondelez enlisted SRK as the de facto brand ambassador for small, local stores.

Apparently, in the backbone show, brands are supporting India’s favorite star in spite of the trolls. Television commercials by edtech firm Byju’s and surrogate ads for pan masala brand Vimal, both featuring Shah Rukh, are being featured during cricket matches. Vimal’s print also has full page advertisements.

Interestingly, Dabur India on Saturday also released an unusually bold advertisement for Karva Chauth, the Hindu festival celebrated by women to pray for the longevity of their husbands. An advertisement for the bleach cream brand Fame, released online, shows a same-sex couple celebrating Karva Chauth. Hindu right-wing trolls, including a BJP minister, swung into action almost immediately. Unfortunately, Dabur succumbed to the criticism and withdrew the ad. Like Tanishq last year and Fabindia a few days back.

Gender and religious inclusivity seem to be sensitive topics in today’s polarized environment. This is not a good path for brands wanting to tell different stories or uncover an alternate narrative.

The undeniable fact is that trolling is the new occupational threat to brands. “Being a keyboard warrior has become very easy for almost anyone. Samit Sinha, Managing Partner, Alchemist Brand Consulting said, “Sometimes, it is just a member of the outspoken few who choose to commit a crime and at other times it is driven by vested interests.

As a result, for brands, the dilemma of ignoring or succumbing to condemnation is real and unprecedented. In most cases, until now, the latter has been true. Lloyd Mathias, business strategist and HP Inc.’s East Asia Marketing head, said brands don’t bring ‘Wok’ ads with a view to pulling back. Pullbacks are an unintended consequence. He added that mature brands will not deliberately create controversy just to gain visibility.

In fact, companies are striving to make a positive contribution to society in areas they believe will be beneficial to positioning their brands as well as their audiences, he said. “Given their height and reach, brands have become a key element in shaping culture and forming opinion. Therefore, it is important for them to proactively do the right thing, although this may have short-term implications for their business,” he said.

Any green shoots of resilience among brands under pressure are welcome.

“Brand owners are also beginning to realize that if they succumb to every troll, they will eventually be in a state of marketing paralysis and resort to toothless communication based on the lowest common denominator,” Sinha said.

It could be argued that Dabur’s digital film was promoting beauty stereotypes through its fairness bleach, yet it made a sincere attempt to reflect changes in society and the growing awareness of LGBTQ rights. Social change doesn’t happen overnight and the Fame ad was at least a conversation starter, although it was withdrawn.

“Brands that bring out progressive advertising with noble intentions sometimes get caught in the crossfire in an increasingly polarized world,” Mathias said. They cater to diverse sectors and what seems like an appropriate stance to some may seem biased and biased to another, adding, “I think brands should be more circumspect, but somehow they Don’t hold back from doing the right thing,” he said.

Sinha said that though brands may not please everyone, companies also have to discharge their responsibilities towards the safety of their employees, especially if the attacks turn vicious or violent.

He said it may be easy to sit on the sidelines and comment on how or whether a brand should or should not respond to such attacks on social media, but the choice for brand owners is often not that simple.

Shuchi Bansal Mint Media, Marketing and Advertising Editor. The simple post will look at pre-assing issues related to all three. Or just fun stuff.