Desi elections in Digital Age

Punjab recorded the highest turnout of voters (77%) during an election year that allowed no blaring speakers, road shows, high decibel advertising campaigns and minimal social media promotions. Even so, a significant number of youth and female voters came out to state their choice.  

What can we infer from this positive response to a dismal lack of the politics of persuasion?  

The great India divide between the think-global; act-local and Bharat segment of the Indian electorate was bridged to an extent by mobile media penetration but (Alas!) the internet does not network them seamlessly. This despite the fact that India has one of the biggest presence on social networking sites. At the last count, it was 38 million active Facebook users, 13 million Twitter, 12 million LinkedIn and 4 million Google + users.   

Political marketing strategists in India have been using internet-based solutions since National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA’s) India Shining campaign in 1990s.  Micro blogging, voice over internet protocol (VOIP) and social media platforms were used extensively during the subsequent elections. But surprisingly, modern technology has not found wide-scale use during the political campaigning in the five states of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Uttar Pardesh.  

We did not see any YouTube videos going viral in Punjab or Uttrakhand. Jassi Khangura, the Congress candidate from Halka Dakha constituency in Punjab although kept a very sticky profile on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/Jassikhanguramla) and had an equally impressive website (http://www.jassikhangura.com/) his poll managers failed to make the most of it during the campaign period.

To some extent the Election Commission’s model code of conduct can be blamed for it. It bars all political parties from putting out outdoor hoardings, posters and banners, or making public proclamations and promises ahead of the polls, a media vacuum that astute poll managers could have easily filled with a clever use of the digital medium. Sadly, this was nowhere in evidence.  

Indeed, when Akhilesh Yadav came out with a full-page print campaign in a leading daily in December inviting his constituents to “voice their thoughts and questions” through email, Facebook or Twitter accounts, one expected that his minions would at least update his account but save for a few videos this more less frequently than expected.      

   

Repetitive forms of campaigning can make politicians net savvy, cynical or desperate, but in Samajvadi Party’s case the use of "guerilla marketing" through Facebook and Twitter was completely lack-lustre. Ditto for Congress Party, while Behen Mayavati’s Bahujan Samaj Party has yet to make its debut on Facebook.   

In neighbouring Punjab, Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) campaign hinged precariously on their success in the 2007 elections and comprised of nothing more than a string of unimaginative, achievement- listing claims, that sounded hollow, to say the least. This time round however, the game plan may not really pay off, as voter profile has changed significantly during the interim.

Individually, both SAD and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) felt comfortable using conventional media to persuade voters to bring them back to power. Each took a 360 degree approach, evident in the use of integrated marketing communication to connect with voter segments, across territories, with very little, if any, use of the social media websites.

In contrast, Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee tried injecting humor to leverage anti-incumbency with a viral campaign, released in both online and offline format, albeit with disastrous consequences. They chose a unique political advertising strategy featuring two male caricatures, Jeeta & Jaggi, to carry forth their messages to the denizens, forgetting that the happy-go-lucky Punjabis are also overly sensitive and take affront easily. They forgot, to their detriment that the stereotypical portrayal may not work in a scenario where Manmohan Singh’s (MMS) suave image has already cut through the boisterous hyperbolic persona of BJP MP from Amritsar, Navjot Singh Sidhu. Reports are that in three days of its debut, MMS’s Facebook profile managed to garner 23,968 followers.  

Voters were quick to take umbrage at the turbaned, lathi-wielding Punjabi mascot who posed dumber-than-dumb questions. The campaign lost steam mid-way and had to be eventually abandoned. Humour sells only when it’s saleable humour. PPCC advertising campaign instead raised a sad spectre that no one appearing willing to buy into. To also lacked an identifiable core strategy and coherence. 

This is an important lesson for the users of digital medium. It’s not just cost-effective, it’s also highly interactive. All offending piece can quickly be taken off the medium. Digital also yield accurate data – more accurate than any other conventional medium – that can be used to engage different segments different and the results of all these efforts are also immediately observable and measurable.

Twitter is a more reactive platform, which is one reason why it’s more effectively used by Indian politicians. The old joke doing the round of political circles is that Shashi Tharoor’s career ended the day he started tweeting. But of course there can be other more effective ways of using social media - to collect links of events and news stories; air personal opinions; to post video links of pad yatras and door-to-door campaigning; and invite reactions and comments to have a two-way communication with one’s constituents and stay in the reckoning. Other imaginative uses could be gathering e-petitions and endorsers digitally, or for recruiting youth volunteers.

Political advertising came into its own from the days Rajiv Gandhi hired Lintas Bombay to handle the Party’s public image. Thereafter, others took cue and Samajwadi Party came out with a print campaign featuring Amitabh Bachchan, followed by National Democratic Alliance’s ‘India Shining’ campaign by Grey Worldwide that did create a buzz but, did not deliver the goods and NDA lost the 2004 elections. And therein, hangs a tale; a different tale.

Ground rules of political campaigning 

Rule No#1. One size does not fit all. Don’t have ‘one message’ for all voters. Craft different messages for different voter segments.

Rule No#2. Good work doesn’t always lead to good results. Don’t make the mistake of blowing your own trumpet.  The voters are very well-informed these days. They will see through the smokescreen and reject your efforts, outright.

Rule No#3. Start second to finish first. Wait for the challenger campaign to kick-off and study its impact. A psychographic profile of Indian voters should tell you that we harbor a huge trust deficit. If you are in the opposition, you can use that to your advantage. Greater share of voice, without equivalent share of mind and heart does not lead to positive outcomes.

Fixed vs. floating. In your message, try to woo the fence-sitters. They are the game changers. 

Don’t just do it for a lark. Everybody is not Navjot Singh Sidhu or Shekhar Suman. Don’t go overboard with your humour dose. 

Jaggi Jeeta 2012 Campaign of PPCC

Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee has chosen a unique political advertising strategy featuring two male caricatures, Jeeta & Jaggi, to communicate their messages to the citizen voters in the state. The incumbent SAD-BJP alliance has used a far more traditional approach with greater frequency to persuade the voters to bring them back into seat of power. Both parties have gone for a 360 degree approach explained in terms of integrated marketing communication to connect with various segments of voters through various media across several territories.

Lets us scrutinize PPCC’s political advertising strategy using interpretive textual analysis technique to study the effectiveness of the current campaign.

The Happy- go- lucky image of Punjabis has been overplayed time and again which is nothing but a stereotypical portrayal of hardworking people of Punjab. Manmohan Singh’s image & suave behavior and portrayal of Sikhs in Hindi cinema have changed the perception of Punjabis as manifested by boisterous hyperbolic style of Navjot Singh Sidhu.  But the PPCC campaign depicts Sikhs as turban wearing lathi holding guy who asks questions but never answers. This would certainly get a negative response from the citizen voters. Moreover the color of the Sikh caricature resembles that of traditional Akali robe whereas the clean-shaven guy wearing blue & white has no resemblance to an average Punjabi Hindu. There is no female or representation of various age segments such as youth in the message. Humour sells but it is difficult to create saleable humour.  

Indian Packaged Food Industry Need to Focus on Indian Food

Habits do change with time but old habits actually die hard. Just go to any Fast food joints like MacDonald, KFC, Pizza hut and you shall droves of next gen Indians, and on the other hand you shall see families waiting to get a seat for dinner at Indian eateries. Well I do not wish to conclude that when families go out to eat, which are a huge number in Indian metro & mini metros, they tend to prefer multi-cuisine restaurant over a pizza outlet.

A careful investigation of Indian packaged food retail actually throws up quite a range of products from frozen peas, cut veggies, paronthas to ready to eat mixes. But unlike other food products that survive on major regional brands we yet to have a widely distributed food chain that offers semi boiled pulses, ready- to- cook & ready- to- eat range of pulses & veggies. You could enjoy canned ready to eat curries from Markfed in Punjab but you got to search for an outlet selling it. Frozen peas are widely available but not become a brand.

All marketing strategists agree that unless a food brand identifies closely with one product it would be impossible to build a category brand. Macdonald is a burger brand, pizza hut is obviously a pizza retail outlet therefore market is available for peas & chopped veggies brand.  The perishable nature of veggies no longer remains a technology challenge as varieties of technologies are available. We yet to have a brand that identifies closely with a particular food like boiled pulses or diced cut veggies.

Major bottleneck in creation of a food brand is lack of distribution muscle with regional medium & small players. Media has several regional options to target consumers in most of local markets in India. It is time we have boiled pulses available t bread & eggs counters so that consumers could benefit. 

Classical Political Marketing by Mayawati in UP

By raking up the issue of reorganization of UP Mayawati has created a flutter in the otherwise lukewarm political scene in the state. Wait for her next move with your bated breath. I suspect this is not her final move to set poll agenda for elections in the state.

Only an astute political marketing expert could think of such an effective tactic to control the public mind during elections. If Mayawati has thought up this move on her own she deserves total adulation & congratulation from a humble student of political marketing.  And I am holding her breath for her next move.  Moreover no party would be able to stop her victory march in Lucknow.

Political parties in India do not generally hire professional marketing experts in preference over in house pundits. Globally the situation is entirely different, as no political parties would risk not hiring an expert to run the war room during campaigning. Marketing thrives on new ideas and the war room managers must continually plan, create & launch new communications to influence voters during electioneering.

Mayawati has chosen to ignore Rahul’s agenda and went on to create her own one. This is very smart marketing move. One more such step would be enough to cement her grip on power in UP. Rahul and other opponents of Mayawati must get back to the drawing board and design new marketing programs to give a favorable direction to their campaign.

On the other hand elections in Punjab look like a damp squib already. Same old leaders, with often repeated speeches based on jaded agenda are communication redundant stuff that has no meaning for the citizen voters. Incumbent party is hell bent on proving their ‘SEWA’ whereas challenger is buys releasing tasteless adverts in print media.  Citizens are bored due to absence of ‘newness’ in the campaign. Election advertising in Punjab feels like another episode of Ekta Kapoor’s sari-serial.  Such a situation is good omen for the incumbent party as people do not come out to vote them out in large numbers. Congress in Punjab needs to learn from Mayawati or hire the same political marketing expert if they want to return to power in state. 

Election Advertising in Punjab: Same wine in same bottle!

Political parties have revved up their election juggernaut once again in preparation for the early 2012 assembly elections in Punjab, India. Print media has always been the mainstay of election publicity and has once again seemed to occupy the centre- stage once more. Parties new election managers have searched for previously used tactics with a hope to get new success. You cannot succeed a second time with the last time’s howsoever successful strategy.  Advertising is a reflection of socio-psychological profile of the citizens.

Once again we are forced to turn pages containing challenger’s party’s rally adverts showing huge gatherings as a sign of strength. Most often readers do not have to stray much to notice a blaring headlines about failure of the same rally. The incumbent party is busy painting the pages with their achievements. But an average marketer would be enough to convince us that old wines in old bottle do not work in marketing. Then why these parties do not pay any heed?

Marketing is about turning a new leaf in otherwise dull scenario. Marketing is about ‘new’. Even Mercedes is forced to reinvent itself every now and then to stay relevant. How could a political party hope to persuade citizens to vote for it if it has old leaders, old promises and old style of electioneering? Congress party in Punjab is smug with confidence of coming into power riding on the current ‘unpopular’ image of SAD/BJP combine. You have pundits pontificating about the reality of change in every election citing historical trend analysis of Punjabi voter. Have the congress forgotten that Haryana has got a Congress government back into power not long ago?

SAD election team is confident of their expertise in voter turnout & management. There is a general feeling that a close knit team of SAD would be able to defeat a disparate team of opposition in election management. Nothing is far from truth. Punjab, likewise global society, has undergone tremendous change. New youthful voters have different expectations from the political parties that have more to do with economic issues as against emotive considerations of the older voters.

Social media would play a critical role in elections in Punjab. And the party which has better online campaign would be able to garner urban support in large numbers. Newspapers do not have same impact as the battle would shift to strategic use of FM radio etc. Therefore a new approach is required that suits new media rather than depending on traditional media and tactics.  Elections in Punjab are going to be a rather boring affair for the masses  as the situation stands today unless the political parties consult political marketing experts to help them be the first past the poll.

Steve Jobs

Whenever I was in trouble in last couple of years, I would listen to Steve rather than pray to God.

I did not know much about the person till I happen to watch the video of his address at Stanford graduation ceremony on Ted.  That particular video left me dumb founded about his ability to articulate his philosophy in a manner that perhaps only a Nobel laureate in literature could do. ‘How to live before you die’ is a seminal statement that proves Jobs’ powerful intellect and persona.

I have shared that video with many students & teachers at various business schools with the sole aim of propagating the views of Jobs about life, loss and living. There are many business leaders who have earned billions by investing in commercial activity but none comes close to the value creation demonstrated by Steve.

Steve’s charismatic strength lies in his ability to differentiate a great value from ordinary. He was a true innovator & pioneer ever to walk on this earth. His understanding of human mind was greater than the research produced by large organizations struggling to fathom the working of human mind. He understood what people desire and he gave it to us.

Steve Jobs is a great marketing guru and we need to understand him better. 

We look before & after

India is home to 15 percent of humanity living on a proportionately smaller piece of land area. An average Indian has only ….of land as compared with the world average of $. The only other country having the population size of India but in possession of 3 times of land is China. Therefore comparing India with China is purely natural & logical.

India takes pride in its democratic set up although this set up has failed to deliver basic sustenance to vast sections of society. People like Anna hazare find many faults with it despite their lack of education & serious analysis. China seems to be ahead of India in almost every sphere including economic, social & political. India despite its economic growth has been unable to showcase any other achievements.

Our population fuelled by zealous exhortations by RSS to majority community has grown to a monstrous level. It has resulted in major structural problems including lower visible impact of economic growth on majority of citizens.  Lack of opportunities in domestic area propels the locals to migrate to greener pastures within India and outside. It creates significant challenges for them and the people living in the areas they migrate to. Unless we check the population on the lines of China there would be no respite for us from diverting resources meant for building India as a super power in 21^st century to feeding the ever growing numbers in Hindi speaking states in India.

People like Anna Hazare think that corruption in India can be handled with enactment of a law against it. Hazare’s belief is like looking for love in an arranged marriage which is also founded on the idea that when people start spending time together they would be forced to like each other, or they must like each other.

Corruption certainly retards economic progress of a nation & it most certainly destroys a level playing field for each citizen. Democracy is predicated on a principle of equality therefore equality before law remains the cornerstone of a robust democracy. How could we be an equal country when LK Advani gets to sit in parliament despite his advocacy for upholding of his ‘Aastha’ that led to demolition of Babari Mosque? No ‘Aastha’ could be given importance over law of the land. An unequal society would always be corrupt despite laws against, because it is founded on discriminatory ideologies.

India is a strange place where cacophony for resurrection of ‘old values’ reverberates more loudly than the desire for a new more meaningful modern future. India is great place for smart swamis who escaped the rigour of education and hard labour by joining some religious organization where they spent time talking to similar people and discussing some old books. They never underwent the hard grind of earning a livelihood and taking responsibility for contributing to economic development of India. But India seems to prefer smart swamis over hard working honest guys.