Tata Docomo: Rewarding loyalists

The three-film campaign called 'Jeet Ki Ghanti Kabhi Bhi Baj Sakti Hai' is essentially a consumer promotion offer that aims to reward the brand's existing customers.

Earlier this year, Tata Docomo, the unified telecom brand of Tata Teleservices Limited (TTL), was quite visible on the communication circuit, courtesy its 'Keep It Simple, Silly' ad campaign. The campaign, which featured brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor, put forth the value proposition of simplicity by focussing on how Tata Docomo simplifies the telecom experience for consumers. This was followed by the
'No Getting Away'
series of ads that spoke about Tata Docomo's network superiority.

This time around, the brand has come up with three new films, which, sans Kapoor, focus on its consumer promotion offer titled 'Jeet Ki Ghanti Kabhi Bhi Baj Sakti Hai'. It communicates a contest that bears no linkage with purchase, but has at its core the intention to reward the brand's existing CDMA and GSM customers.

"This contest is not packaged with the intent to make customers spend in order to participate in our contest. Rather, the aim is to reward them for their continued affection for the brand and their trust in our network," shares Anjan Patole, chief operating officer, Mumbai Circle, Tata Teleservices Maharashtra, about the main purpose of these films.

K S Chakravarthy (Chax), national creative director, Draftfcb Ulka (the brand's agency of record), confides, "The challenge was to create hard-core promo TVCs, but with the Docomo touch." Chax adds that the interesting thing about these TVCs is that the viewer thinks they are in continuation of the brand's previous 'No Getting Away' series. "You think these films continue that series and in walks a shaadi band!" he enthuses.

Does the campaign work?

Ask Priti Nair, co-founder, Curry-Nation, this question and she is full of adjectives. To her, the campaign is well-handled and clutter-breaking, the casting immaculate, the timing is not over-pitched and is just right, the script is to the point and sharp, and the little detailing shows effort.

The script, Nair feels, clearly communicates what the brand wants to say and the incongruity of the band and the typical marriage music sits well in place. "It was not treated one bit like one would treat a promo," she appreciates. "It has stuck to its current brand thematic communication core by using the Docomo signature and the unexpectedness of the call," says Nair.

The commercials appeal to Ankur Khurana, associate vice-president, planning, Orchard Advertising, both from a creative, as well as a strategic point of view. "The main campaign gets extended into a promo campaign nicely," he specifies. Elaborating, he goes on, "In a highly cluttered market, it is generally tricky to be able to deliver a promo message in a simple and crisp manner and still be able to keep it in the league of the brand. The campaign has been able to do this well."

Khurana goes on to say that Tata Docomo has managed to carve a niche for itself as a brand in a category where most brands look similar.