This March 10 could possibly be recorded as the driest Holi in the recorded history.
What governments, NGOs and schools could not do, Coronavirus did easily.
It once again proved that the human subconscious mind works on the first directive of survival. The moment it became apparent that the enemy is unknown and contagious; it can attack from anyone; fear took over.
HOLI THAT WAS NOT TO BE.
The collective celebrations in societies like Holi Milan, rain dances and organised Holi parties were the first victims. The cheap pichkari and colours coming from China were missing from the market. Even if the colours and pichkari of Indian makes were available, the buyers were limited.
People started questioning the need for family friends gathering or visiting friends and relatives for Holi celebrations. Most decided to remain confined to their private spaces for god reasons.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he will not be participating in any Holi celebrations. The health minister appealed for not using Chinese products. Significant events were cancelled. Talk of postponing events like IPL and Olympics was all over the media. All this further accentuated the Corona Virus fear.
The masks and sanitisers disappeared from the market. Whatever was left was killed by the reports of rising cases in media did the rest.
SOMETHINGS DID NOT CHANGE.
The digital messages and playing fastest finger first in forwarding the forward continued. I loved the message boards by Indian Express. One could have used these Indian Express branded messages as festive wishes. It is different that none of them landed on my timeline- but the idea was excellent.
THE BRANDS CONTINUED WITH THEIR FILMI HOLI
The brands and influencers rightly did not see the reason to curtail their activities to connect with audiences. Anyway, the festival dampeners started too late, and by that the time the brands were most probably ready with their intervention and did not have many options.
THE 2020 HOLI ADS
The Facebook film is an emotional potpourri. But, the brand uses and possibilities are well-demonstrated in the film. It is an engaging story. Well done.
Livpure leveraged the still relevant water-saving message. Here, the children talk about water-saving by not using water-balloons. The production qualities are questionable. However, the message is right on the dot.
FBB, on the other hand, tried tackling the expected but unacceptable part of celebrations; zor zabardasti in Holi.
MP CEMENT went overboard in trying to establish durability with colours. The long film has good lyrics, but the message and brand integration are forced.
MAX went too functional layering it with ‘Holi Hai rango waali’. Well, it does nothing. A waste of time and energies. Even Fanta with its absurd reasons to avoid the festivities were a letdown.
AUDIENCE INTERPRETATION CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED
The video entertainers on various digital platforms continued with their festival messages. In a few of them, there was an attempt to add the un-necessarily communal religious angle.
Social media debate on what was right and what was layered continued. One realised that what the audience sees or interprets could be very different from the brand or communicators intent. What one controls is just the message and the media.
People have seen this communication as stereotypic communities, their reactions and expectations! Hindi and Muslim polarisation. Maybe the intent was right, but the resultant forced interpretation by many is colouring it differently.
BEST HOLI ADS
In my last blog, I commented on the SURF advertisement as an example of reiterating communal tensions. However, I still find it one of the best Holi advertisements.
Another one that is full of colour but still lays the brand promise of binding the nation is the 2013 IPL film; Koi Nahi Bachega.
And I must mention the spirit of Holi and a silent brand integration is well done in the Parachute ad. It would have been best if the last slate with the oil bottle was subtle.
Sanjeev Kotnala is a senior marketer, brand strategist and educator. He writes on MxMIndia on Wednesdays. First published in mxmindia.com
