Guest Times: Did your message ride the topicality or simply sink into being contextual?

Debarpita Banerjee, VP – Marketing & Communication at NGC and Fox International Channels, says marketers and brand workers do need hooks, but should they settle for joining the back benches of the contextual choir

New Delhi | August 19, 2014

Debarpita Banerjee

Come February each year, I choke on the colour red. And not just on the colour red, but the overflow of balloons, heart signs and the word love. Whether the brand is soft spoken or aggressive, youth centric or for the femme fatale, household goods or tech giants, there is a big hurry to get to the message of love, bonding, gifting and being in an overall cupid-induced state of mind.

Come August, the tricolour takes over. And along with it promptly comes marching well-meaning messages like freedom from dirt, freedom from lack of space, freedom from oily food.  In general, emancipation from all sorts of banal things that aren't really begging for freedom in a day-to-day life

Why do we do this? Is it smart or are we desperate for any hook? Is it really the way to make more meaning out of a message, or lose oneself in an ever growing clutter? When there are copious amounts of brands using the same occasion, does that occasion still have any sheen left to lend to the multitude of borrowers?

There could be an insight and maybe half an answer in a minor technicality of two definitions – 'contextual' and 'topical'.  Here is how 'contextual' is defined mostly: something set in a certain context, relating to, pertaining to.

Now here is how 'topical' is defined: of immediate relevance, interest, or importance owing to its relation to current events.

Apart from the distinct differentiation in the tonality, with one being more passive and other with a more pronounced sense of urgency, I think the word that seems to shift the weight is relevance. There might be the case that many brands set out to ride the topical wave but end up doing at best a contextual job, limited to being just set against a certain backdrop with a superficial alliance but bereft of any sentiment, soul or relevance.

But not all get it wrong. Especially on a one-off case.

I once came across a print ad, just below the news article of the Obama Government's win. “Goodbye Bush” exclaimed Veet, the hair removal cream from the house of Reckitt Benckiser.  It was witty, wicked, about the product's core competency and most importantly, relevant to the ruling sentiment. It seemed to seal the deal and make the most out of the opportunity.

And then there are a few brands that have strategically used it to create a whole brand by itself.  Amul butter's timely and interesting takes on hot topics and its interpretation in the much buttery world are not just hilarious, but now also iconic. There is almost a disappointment if we don't see their rendition of a festival, blockbuster, occasion and scam and just about anything hot at the time.

As marketers and brand workers, we do need hooks. And there have been a few researches that have proved that topical advertising has more of a chance to connect with the consumer, sometimes even prove to be powerful enough to stick. But it might actually pay off to keep that real close watch on the glue of 'relevance'. And if it seems anything less sticky, then I think it is better to let the occasion pass than join in at the back benches of the contextual choir.

(Debarpita Banerjee has spent around 14 years in advertising across agencies like RK Swamy BBDO, Leo Burnett and JWT. For the past few years, she has been heading marketing for National Geographic and Fox International channels, India.)

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