It’s that day of the year again when half of Bombay comes to a stand-still…. Because the other three-fourths are going mad with devotional frenzy (not to forget, commercial greed, but more on that later).
The day of the immersion of the grotesque Ganpatis that have been adorning street corners and busy intersections for the last week or so. When roads get choc-a-bloc and offficedom for once shuts down at 1 p.m. and people rush home in a bid to beat the traffic jams.
Fervour – I can understand. Free entertainment for the jobless – more so.
But the way marketers jump on to the ganpati bandwagon (literally, considering the huge floats of the idol all over the city) never fails to astonish me. Last week, on a late night drive from the airport, we saw this serpentine line of people waiting in front of a huge pandal decorated with plastic and paper flowers (why? why?) – this at a few minutes past midnight.
My hubsand (the naiver one between us – to coin a phrase) believed that these were ‘devotees’ waiting for a darshan of the lord himself (or his image in plaster of paris, whatever).
And it turned out later that a cellphone company was giving out a free mobile (handset and connection, none less) through a ‘lucky draw’ that night at the pandal.
Oh, the coolest thing this season was ringtone downloads of ganpati-oriented songs…. ‘Ganpati Bappa moraya, sarwanna ek mobile dya.’ – Salutations, O Ganpati, please give everybody a mobile. (The original is ‘Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudcha Varshi Laukar Ya’ – saying goodbye, G, see you next year again)
And the pandal was ‘sponsored’ by ICICI Bank – advertising their ‘lowest interest rates in the market’ for housing loans. (Oh, that made me turn all mushy and devotional at once, but it was just too late in the night).
But I wonder, what do advertisers get out of such mindless sponsorships and advertising?
Why does the concept of social responsibility not occur even to corporates in this country?
No company thought of advising citizens on environmental friendly visarjan (if such a thing is possible) or sponsoring volunteers to control the terrible traffic situation throughout the city today. And displaying their ads prominetly in the process.
Have opportunity, will advertise?
Have seen banners too that talk of Ganpati Mandal awards sponsered by Parle G!!!!
was reading one of your earlier quali articles
As someone who has worked in Market research and now in Advertising –where as part of Account Planning we often conduct consumer researches – I think the problem is a serious one; which we as the research community somehow has not taken it seriously !!! I’ve even had a respondent asking me after the group that she too wants to get into this line and help recruit respondents !!! There is a venue hire person in Bombay who now does Quali groups herself !!! She told me when I was freelancing that she recruits, moderates groups and does reports too !! Have tried it all – changed field agencies – problem does not get solved as most field agencies tend to use the same pool of freelance recruiters.
Some solutions that I have tried and it has helped partially – Try and recruit yourself. Had worked for us when we were doing a study on SEC A1 youths and kids – I mean it is a comparatively easy TG to recruit to !!! Try doing groups in different parts of the city … works for some time till that centre too becomes over researched Interview your own non MR /Advtg savvy family members – helps to get an unbiased perspective
No wonder clients are so damn skeptical about FGDs and MR. Wonder sometimes what the future of Quali research and focus groups is going to be !!
Hi Charkesi – Goodie new site .. Liked the look and feel of this edition of A Time to Reflect 🙂
Cheers
Hey Vignesh ! long time….