Secret Temptation's new campaign encourages women to #OwnYourTemptation

Perfumes and deodorants have always been seen as an allure, a tool to attract the opposite sex. For long, women have been shown as submissive and sex objects in perfume ads. Though there has been a slight progression in deodorant brand campaigns, perfume brands are still banking on the same strategy.

But McNROE’s Secret Temptation deviates from the usual path and comes up with an innovative campaign, “Har komal nazuk nahi hoti.” The brand has digressed from the cliché deodorant campaigns and has set a new standard in the category.

The campaign has been conceptualised by Creativeland Asia’s newly launched creative outfit, Dining Table Creative Services.

Instead of showing women as a sensual and submissive being, it shows them in a new light – strong and independent. Through this campaign, the brand has re-phrased its identity with a new tagline, ‘Own your senses’. The campaign consisting of three films will be released over the next four months.

The video features a woman who applies Secret Temptation and starts working out. There is no sensual sign of attraction involved in it. The campaign walks ahead of gender biases and docile, delicate stereotypes associated with the weaker sex – and features real-life ‘temptations’.

Throwing some light on the campaign’s insight, a spokesperson of Dining Table Creative Services, said, “Our consumer is being taught that temptations are distractions that will take her away from a path that's defined for her by society. But in reality she knows that when she owns her temptations, she has the confidence to take on the world. These are the things that help her define herself.”

Elaborating on the insight, the Dining Table spokesperson said, “The tension arises from the tug of war between the identity ascribed to her and the identity she wants to achieve. That's why, Secret Temptations tells her to be unafraid of being herself. Be unafraid to defy the boundaries set by society. Be unafraid of her temptations.”

Talking about its reformist ideology, Narendra Kumar Daga, MD, McNROE, said, “The audience can smartly differentiate sincere concern from pretence. As a recognised fragrance maker, we feel responsible to express and share our ideologies with the society at large. The latest campaign for Secret Temptation is an effort in this direction.”

“A woman of today is unstoppable when allowed to pursue her desires with conviction. Secret Temptation is the voice of change and the new TVC is aimed to inspire her to own her temptation. As a responsible organisation, the House of McNROE believes in women empowerment and vocalising some concerns and challenges that women have been objectified to in the past,” he added.

Anupama Ramaswamy

But Anupama Ramaswamy, National Creative Director, Dentsu Impact, feels that it might not be a good idea to change a brand’s ideology. She said, “It might make people confused. Till yesterday they are vouching for something else and now they are trying something else. The biggest problem is the name, it’s called temptation and the ad is saying something else. There is a misfit.”

Akashneel Dasgupta

Seconding Ramaswamy’s thought, Akashneel Dasgupta, National Creative Director, ADK Fortune, thinks consumers will not be much bothered with the new brand ideology even if there is slight brand disconnect. “There is definitely a disconnect between the brand and the campaign. It’s talking about temptation on one hand and the campaign is talking about women empowerment. But the viewers and the consumers are not going to dig too much into it,” he said.

Clearing the air, Dining Table has an explanation of bringing forth the new positioning. The creative agency’s spokesperson said, “The play between the word temptation and empowerment is what adds grammar and makes this piece of communication so special. Being able to indulge one’s innermost desire or temptation is the highest form of empowerment in any society.”

The Campaign:

Credits: 

Client: McNROE

Brand: Secret Temptation

Creative Agency: Creativeland Asia’s Dining Table Creative Services

Director: Shirsha Guha Thakurata 

Production House: OINK

Producer: Ramya Rao

DOP: Amol Jadhav

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