A BIG IDEA CALLED... DURGA PUJA!!

RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL, COLOURFUL CARNIVAL... OR A BIG, FAT PLATFORM SHOWCASING MA DURGA's BOOGEY-WOOGEY WITH MA LAKSHMI?! 4Ps B&M's CONSULTING EDITOR MONOJIT LAHIRI PROBES A SPACE WHERE THE SPIRIT OF COMMERCE KEEPS SHREWD COMPANY WITH THE CELEBRATORY SOUNDS OF CONCH SHELLS

The Big Idea has always meant different things to different people. In theory, it has been described as a “surprising solution to a marketing problem expressed in a memorable, verbal or graphic way.” It picks up power, force and momentum due to the chutzpah of its startling perspective that can alter a habit, opinion or a point of view. The big idea can originate from a variety of sources... arts, sports, politics, entertainment, popular culture, today's headlines... but the central point is its ability to communicate a clear and compelling message that enlightens and entertains even as it empowers!

What better example than the Durga Puja?!

Few events have served as a more colourful and powerful commentary on contemporary life and times reflecting popular culture in the public space, than the Pujas. At one level it represents the close bonding of the neighbourhood. At another, a wonderful expression reflecting aspirations through the prism of creative pandal decoration. In keeping with the consumerist times, however, has the Puja today become increasingly corporatised? In this setting, have brand marketers shrewdly started capitalising on religious sentiments to ensnare the Puja shopper?

Ujjal Singha – head honcho of the Kolkata-based ad agency Genesis – is spot-on with his take. “There has never been a bigger idea for mass-connect than the Pujas! It's the one time in the year when all Bengalis coime together in a spirit of joyous bonhomie celebration. The result is a gigantic captive audience, in a happy, feel-good frame of mind... carefree, loaded, adventurous, eager and willing to hit the impulse-purchase button!” says Sinha. He points to this matchless challenge-and-opportunity backdrop for all sharp brand custodians to unleash their big idea tapping into the mood and temper of this event, and turn on the receptive, bindaas audience base. Adds the smart adman, “the difference between this captive audience and others at railway stations, airports, sports stadia or concerts is essentially the state of mind. During those Puja Days, they are in a different zone.” By “different”, Sinha is referring to the fact that people have their guards down.

Executive Director of another Kolkata-based ad agency, Response, Sid Ray, adds his own spin to the table. “In the east, the trigger months kick off from July-Aug because of the oncoming festival season. The durables and FMCG companies pull out the stops to identify every possible avenue to push sales. With Pujas being a hi-throng and hi-spend space, all the tricks in the book are deployed to gain the winning edge over competition,” says Ray. From the consumer's perspective too, this is a freak out time. “Right from the Mahalaya – 10 days before the Pujas – till the immersion, the Puja scene is a thrilling blend of carnival, fashion show and food fest! The most significant factor of today's youngistan-driven Puja is that everybody wants to make a statement! So clothes and fashion leap centre-stage. Add to this a 2487 participation of media channels covering events like fashion shows, pandal decorations, entertainment, starry guests, awards for the best dressed couple etc. and you realise what a huge idea the Puja is!” adds Ray.

Purists and oldies are however shocked and disgusted at this blatant commercialisation of the Pujas. They believe that the fun-filled celebration of good times has been hi-jacked by corporations and brands distorting and monetising the spirit of this sacred occasion. Management consultant Abhinav Khanna begs to differ. “Let's face facts. The age of innocence is over and so are those simple, one-dimensional times. We live in a consumerist and consumption-specific age where any and everything – Pujas included – is consumed! It is also an age of fierce competition. In this setting, the sanctity and basic objective of any major event or happening is likely to be compromised on the altar of commercialisation... and it is here that the big idea will be challenged,” Khanna tells 4Ps B&M.

Khanna is right. Disposable incomes, aspirational levels along with a roaring double-income community has dramatically altered the consumption patterns and profile of the middle class. The simple living, in-denial mode and restraint, while considering a purchase of yester-years, has been slung out. It's consumption frenzy and at no time is this better manifested than the Pujas! Beyond consumer durables, fashion, clothes, new films, plays, music launches, Puja-specific annual publications (with hi-profile authors roped in to pen their special Puja contributions) exotic Puja menus, Puja-special trains... it's a virtual tsunami!

A massive arena. A vast target audience. A large team of players all set to flash their special products and services. Which chosen one can peep into the consumer;s soul and convert needs to wants in a manner that entertains and empowers? Well, don't care about the purists – sell on, and sell well.

A BIG IDEA CALLED... DURGA PUJA!!

HAS BRAND ANNA RE-DEFINED THE BIG IDEA?

UNFOLDING A RIVETTING TALE OF AN UNLIKELY HERO WHO TAUGHT OUR MARKETING GURUS A THING OR TWO ABOUT THE ART, SCIENCE AND POWER OF THE BIG IDEA. 4Ps B&M's CONSULTING EDITOR MONOJIT LAHIRI ATTEMPTS A CLOSE-UP OF THIS AMAZING MAN AND HIS IDEA THAT HAS TAKEN THE NATION BY STORM

“A surprising solution to a marketing problem ex-pressed in memorable verbal and/or graphic imagery” is how the Big Idea has been defined and understood. Management and communication gurus however have been quick to spot the learning from Anna Hazare's astonishing example of how a Big Idea can sweep the nation and mesmerise all right thinking people – especially the Indian diaspora – across the globe.

Interestingly, could anyone have ever imagined in his/her wildest dreams (even a year ago) that the next popular leader, who would storm popular imagination, would be far from a young enthusiastic, fresh faced, inspirational leader contemptuously flinging aside the cob-web-ridden ideologies representing the old guard to lead us to a dazzling, glittering, new technology-enabled future, but a largely unknown khadi clad 73 year old with a benign look going by the unlikely name of Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare? Hardly (if glib analysis were to be believed) a likely candidate for the ambassadorship of Brand India, Incredible India, India Shining?!!

Vijay Govindarajan (Prof. At Tuck School of Business at Darmouth College) believes that it is dangerous to embrace stereotypes or ride on cliches. “Companies, communities and countries can be inspired and empowered by the Big Idea. What better example than Kennedy's Man on the Moon or Gandhiji's non violence? Anna's common trait with the 'Father of the Nation appears to be his path breaking leadership skills which has pulled out middle class India from the cosy confines at their homes to hit the street and make it a true People movement,” says Govindarajan. He believes that it scores big on three points, “Re-enforcing the notion that democracy is alive, well and kicking' that the biggest enemy to economic growith is corruption; and that social justice is critical to a sustained 300m up.”

Leo Burnett's head honcho Arvind Sharma brings his own take to the table. He believes all great brands are great because they serve a human purpose and iconic communicators are those who connect the brand-values powerfully with the select target group. “Anna's Big Idea is not corruption – because that's nothing new. It's the amendments to Lokpal Bill – a strategic device to address this dreaded disease. Giving shape to a solution away from an amorphous context, in a tone & tenor everybody understands. No wonder his Big Idea is getting such big response,” says Sharma.

Bharat Dabolkar disagrees. The theatre-actor ad-man explains that Anna's movement has nothing to do with either branding or the Big Idea. “Come on, both corruption and Lokpal Bill have been around for over four decades; so what? It is Anna's persona – simple, direct, uncomplicated sans glamour or personal vested interest, powered with passion and conviction from the heart that has fired popular imagination. It is not an image created or manufactured by a PR agency, but one that responded spontaneously to the most overriding concern of the day, in an identifiable way, cutting across all strata of society. That's all,” Dabolkar tells 4Ps B&M.

The last words come from renowned ad guru and Chief Consultant, Planman Marcom, Alyque Padamsee. “It's clearly the biggest idea since Gandhiji's movement relating to India's Independence! Anna Hazare has single-handedly converted cocktail party chatter as well as seminar and symposium jabber into an explosive deliverable by merely articulating a USP that was waiting to catch fire: Corruption,” Padamsee tells 4Ps B&M. In fact, let's also not underestimate the power of

television in providing hard close-ups of a reality show that was real! “The defining image of a 73 years old man fearlessly praying at Rajghat (evoking image of Mahatma himself) was brilliant, timely and emotive enough to touch a zillion hearts. Also, his magically reclaiming the pride and passion of the Gandhi topi – commonly perceived as corrupt posturing of politicians – and making it a dynamic statement of truth, is brand building at its best,” adds Padamsee.

Padamsee could well have a point. Behind the charged sentiment of an entire nation and groundswell of an astounding nature, hawk-eyed media strategists supported by solid intelligent, loyal and disciplined back-room boys, were at play. Be it Abhinandan Sekhri (a 35 yeas old former TV professional) or Shazia Ilmi (former Star News anchor) or any of the crack team of 25 youngsters from Delhi who handled the entire mammoth Ramlila show with clockwork precision, it was focussed teamwork in action, with a one point agenda: Project Anna Hazare as the New Mahatma! Team Anna's brilliant connect with eyeballs, the stuningly well-timed news breaks, sound bytes and press conferences could hardly be termed as a coincidence by media-watchers.

So is Brand Anna truly re-difining the Big Idea, as the marketing and cummunication fraternity insist – or is it merely a case of right person, right time, right place, right message with right tone of voice to a totally hundred percent ready, receptive, captive and right audience?

Over to you, dear readers..

HAS BRAND ANNA RE-DEFINED THE BIG IDEA?