A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking about the power of regional-first advertising at #FOIL, an event organized by afaqs! representing Talented.Agency. It was an enriching experience to share the stage with like-minded leaders. I discussed several points. These are my thoughts
Embrace Regional Languages:
At Talented, our resident Milk Bikis Team team always converses in Tamil, ensuring authenticity from the very beginning. This practice underscores the importance of ideating and executing in regional languages. While we sometimes feel sympathetic towards others who may not fully grasp this, our extended teams quickly absorb the essence.
Excite Rather Than Fit In:
When an outsider brand enters a new culture, it is crucial to be exciting rather than merely fitting in. For example, during the Palich Palich Pongal campaign for Myntra, our outdoor idea using native light art was so impactful that it had to be taken down to accommodate movie promotion poster at a theatre. We learnt hacking can be exciting!
Balancing Standardisation and Customisation:
When taking national brands into different states, understanding the nuances between standardisation and customisation is key. The Milk Bikis nicknames campaign exemplified this by customising the 'nostalgia' as a brand idea to resonate with the local audience.
Be Anti-universal!
When developing a strategy for regional markets be an 'anti-universal' police. The key indicator of success is whether the strategy is effective exclusively for the targeted market and not applicable elsewhere.
Representation:
A popular Tamil stand-up comedian humorously highlighted the north-south divide with the remark, "A banana leaf meal in Tamil Nadu is not glorified paan to fold and eat." This underscores the importance of taking representation very seriously to ensure true authenticity. While it may not be possible to fully live a culture in short periods, accurate representation can serve as a meaningful proxy for understanding a culture.
Break the South monolith:
South India is not a monolith, period! This colonial misconception needs to be dismantled. Recognising that the southern states boast immense diversity needs attention and limelight. If Cinema has four distinct 'woods' to champion unique linguistic styles and cultural nuances, advertising cannot homogenise.
Region-first approach can elevate the craft of advertising. It is sad we have only scratched the surface and rely on the universalisation of strategy and insight to justify marketing monies. When clients allot regional budgets that are a quarter of the main budget of the brand, it is the biggest red flag! It indicates that the commitment to championing regional markets is lacking, and the journey has barely started.
#advertising #regional #marketing
