Skore logs into female spunk

Conceptualized by McCann, Skore’s new campaign for its new 2.0 range flaunts a gutsy approach with a spunky pair of women

Aanchal Kohli | Mumbai | January 25, 2016

Condom advertising is still one of the taboos in India and the category faces a lot of challenges. While every condom brand is trying to stand ahead of the curve, off late one brand that has been in talks with its aggressive marketing is Skore condoms.  Three years ago, Skore condoms launched for the denizens of a naughty world with a single-minded promise: “There’s a lot to be won.” As we step into a new year, Skore has launched the 2.0 range with a fittingly bolder, better, and naughtier look. And with this range of product, Skore has also launched its new TVC that is currently on air.

The commercial flaunts a gutsy approach, a cheeky tone of voice, and a spunky pair of women. Surprising for what is traditionally perceived as a man’s product. The commercial opens with a woman being frisked at the airport. On being checked, the security person on job who is also a woman finds the packet of Skore new condoms.

“New Skore overturns the conventional notion of ‘bad.’ It disrupts its own conventional, buttoned-down meaning, when looked through the eyes of the consuming youth,” explains Sunil Thoppil, Vice President, McCann, the creative agency on the account.

The campaign

Vishal Vyas

Speaking with BestMediaInfo.com about the commercial, Vishal Vyas, GM (Marketing), TTK-PDL, said, “Skore in new refreshing new avatar is bolder, better and naughtier than ever, and invites its core TG, today’s youth to be bold and fearless as well. The current TVC celebrates this approach”.

Talking further on the new range of the product, he said, “Skore has always brought to the shelf innovative offerings that fulfil consumer requirements. The packaging is sturdier and more secure. The products carry improved and enhanced features and the advertising indulges in impish delight. We, at Skore, will keep striving to bring out innovative offerings in the future. Skore 2.0 is just a baby step towards it.”

The brief given to the agency was to create something around the new thought of Skore which is bolder, better, and naughtier. The campaign will be using a 360 degree approach for this campaign with heavy push on digital. Currently the brand holds a strong position in the commercial segment.

Category Challenges

Condom category poses various challenges to the marketers. The biggest among them is shopper hesitation/embarrassment. Consumer embarrassment makes them less assertive when it comes to buying or talking about condom. It make things complicated for marketer as it leads consumer to buy whatever is thrust upon him from retailers rather than opting for his preferred brand. Some retailers take advantage of this discomfiture to stock only the brands which offer them good margins.

As it is observed and known that advertising in a condom category is a little tricky, Vyas said that it was indeed challenging as the brand has to be really subtle in terms of spreading the message. “We are fighting the challenges that this category has been facing but today the young generation is growing a little cautious about the same. The whole aim is to overcome challenges otherwise which is to be present at the places where the youth hangs out. The biggest challenge that we still face is to get our brand presence right,” he added.

“Other challenge is lack of display and merchandising opportunities for condom brand at retail environment, as most retail outlets are hesitant to display condoms and even when they do, it is normally kept out of sight making it even more difficult for customers to make the purchase,” said Vyas.

Also, self-regulation imposed by some media houses makes it difficult for condom manufacturers to promote or educate customers regarding the product. This coupled with reluctance in visible point-of-purchase display at the retail end severely restricts brand makers from using mass communication tools to promote the category or the brand.

Industry

“This category is divided into two segments social and commercial. In the commercial segment we have a strong foothold. After being launched in 2012, we have managed to gain encouraging response in the last three years. We have acquired almost 10 per cent market share in these years,” said Vyas. “In three years, Skore overaken decade’s old brands like Kohinoor (40 years old) and Kamasutra which is a 30 years old brand.”

Skore claims to have grown by 51% in 2014 while the category was stagnant (0.9%) while it was the fastest growing brand.

The TVC:

Credits:

Client: TTK PDL

Agency: McCann Chennai

Creative Director: Sunil. K. Thoppil

Creative team: Santhosh Daniel, Sandeep C. G

Account Management Team: B. Harish, Anand Pankajakshan

Production House: Nimax Films

Director: Shiraz Bhattacharya

Executive Producer: Thomas Cherian

DOP: Shiraz Bhattacharya

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com