Sadvertising: Marketing Strategies Or Duping Devices?

An Indian spends about three hours daily on an average watching television. That would calculate to about nine years of our entire life glued to the idiot box. What’s more? Every year, we are subject to about 16,000 commercials aired on TV. These numbers surely are big ones. Television is the easiest way to unwind after a tough day at work. Advertisements have become an inseparable part of this unwinding experience. And when 78% of the households in the country own a television, there is a market for everyone.

A paan masala promising that if consumed, you shall rule the world, or deodorants battling it out over which is the best chick magnet, or innerwear promoted by the best actors in the country giving them unbelievable hidden strength to fight ten goons at a time. I’m sure no toothpaste is dentist-waala toothpaste and there’s no washing machine scientist and each guy will make sure that he does not get caught while using a fairness cream meant to be used by females! Yes, and we are bombarded with this shit over and over every day! And the unfortunate part is we are accepting it! We think that stupid is funny and fall for it! The only reason why certain brands and companies have become synonyms for the products like Colgate or Xerox or LIC is only because of the extensive marketing activities conducted by the companies over the years to enjoy premium status. And every other competitor wants to be there. Consumers are falling prey to illogical efforts, which are shown precisely by stupid ads made by agencies and accepted by companies just to make them look different or better. Well, who wants to be stereotypical?

Nahi, mere toothpaste mae namak nahi hain! Yet I have healthy teeth! Or maybe I’m happy not listening to Deepika Padukone and open an account in another bank. Why can’t these ads be simple and straightforward? That the deo smells nice, buy it! Or, maybe that these clothes are comfortable. Oh! But then who’s going to change loyalties if you don’t make tall claims? I wish it were so simple! It is sad to see how a few campaigns are launched specifically for children and those innocent souls are caught in the webs of that one small freebie. And the adults have to bear the brunt of the costs that comes with it! It is really predatory of companies to conduct such campaigns and assure consumers via false means.

To conclude, it seems like people accept stupid ads the same way they accept stupid  movies and men jumping thirty feet from one building to another and one bamboo taking care of a dozen bad men. There is a thin line between well thought and fiction and exaggeration. So the entire idea should be revamped from the roots itself! So let us pledge that we will be wise and aware as consumers. Making only the right choices for ourselves having full knowledge of what is being sold to us and not get duped by obnoxious commercials. And as sellers, let us pledge to make intelligent ads and fulfill promises that we make in front of millions of viewers. And not fight for higher market share and revenue just because we have a business to run, but more importantly, because our businesses are touching lives of people every day.

So we want more of this!

And none of this!