At a time when in-programme advertising and product placements are getting unbearable (shudder shudder), I saw an ‘ad’ on the tv serial Sanjivani (India’s answer to ER) that made me stop and smile. In the scene, a character playing a senior doctor explains to a child’s parents about the ORS (Oral Rehydration System) of WHO. The scene was woven into the day’s episode and the message was very clear and arresting. (I now remember reading somewhere that this ad was also to be run on the other popular medico serial Astitva on Zee TV)
Apparently, last year on the same day, ORS ads were run as part of the popular tv serial KSBKBT (and if you don’t know what means, can we meet up please? Would be such a pleasure). An Integrated Marketing and Research Services poll of 298 women showed 71 per cent recalled the ad. And repeated in the serial just following it.
I again quote from the HT report, Samit Sinha, of Alchemy Brand Consulting, finds the kind of recall in KSBKBT phenomenal, but not surprising: “The future will see a convergence of advertising and entertainment and the ad message will come without it screaming at you.â€
Impressive, but scary…. While it is great for an ORS kind of product, imagine the possibilities…. Subliminal advertising and persuasion at its best worst…. Imagine watching an ad and not even realising that you are watching an ad…. AND being influenced by it…
Incidentally, there has always been a debate about the power of subliminal persuasion…. Since the initial days of Packard’s The Hidden Persuaders (1957)….. Does it really work or not? What do you think?