Valentine’s Day is when love purportedly descends upon the earth, transforming it into a world where genuine or dubious couples eagerly await the annual opportunity to demonstrate affection through materialistic displays of attachment. Meanwhile, singles retreat into the shadows, nursing their unrequited desires and cringing at the thought of their solitary status being laid bare. Some resort to sending flowers and cakes to themselves, while others simply shrug it off.
Enter the company that has turned love into a lucrative enterprise, peddling notions of sharing, caring, and love as a consumer commodity. But amidst this commercial frenzy, a voice advocates for inclusivity, arguing that Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be cruel to those without romantic entanglements.
So, armed with the power bestowed upon them by clueless consumers and the boundless creativity of the advertising industry, one brand of the same Love Company decides a daring plan- to effectively make Valentine’s Day disappear and live stream the magically Houdini moment.
A technically impeccable, scientifically endorsed feat for a ship with three selected stupids to cross the dateline on February 14th, 2024, effectively leapfrogging over Valentine’s Day altogether. The brand will live strem its magic at 4 PM. A time strategically chosen for maximum social media engagement. And the magic to happen on the day it promises to make extinct- vanish.
Their communication is flawlessly smooth. The spectacle of a massive monitoring system, jubilant high-fives, and perhaps a tear or two accompanied by suspenseful music. And woven into this is the name “Nambi Narayan,”. All Indians remember such visual and associate them with the ISRO Chandrayaan’s success.
The brand believes that all this will make people turn a blind eye to the overt commodification of love and the lengths to which brands like this one will go in pursuit of profit. While this event may ultimately win multiple awards with impressive viewership metrics, many among us will question the jury’s intelligence that sees merit in such a frivolous venture, exploiting the public’s naivety and innocence under the guise of advertising. ]It’s the epitome of “Saala Business ke liyeh kuch bhi karega“(will do anything for business) – a sentiment that leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of those who value authenticity over commercial gimmickry.
It is worth debating if love needs a designated day or auspicious moment. Love either exists or doesn’t, irrespective of calendar dates and marketing ploys, gift or no gift. Perhaps, instead of lavish displays and extravagant gestures, a more straightforward, more genuine expression of affection would suffice – like sharing a humble Chikki or offering a heartfelt “hawla“- and thus following what a sister brand of the company has been promoting last few Diwali- be Indian buy Indian- support small business.
It reflects sorely on an advertising agency that has always spoken about Indian ethos and culture to have overlooked other significant dates, such as Basant Panchami, Saraswathi Puja, or even the anniversary of the Pulwama attack. They may not make business sense.
The main company must decide where the priorities lie- and what, if any, purpose they have- Do nothing- support Indian entrepreneurs- buy Indian- share chocolates for love, or it is blatantly- Anything for Business.
And as I write this much before the live stream- I think of two possibilities. One, the brand will have a ship crossing the dateline on February 13th at midnight (4 PM in India) – with the audience for whom they want Valentine’s Day to vanish would have already suffered 16 hours of it. Or they will deliver on the brand promise- with a static in-studio livestream of the three stupid people doing nothing and just having the bar. At least they will be faithful to the message, if not to the consumers.
BLOG/012/2024 To connect, send an email, join on Twitter S_kotnala or subscribe to the weekly update.
