Tata Capital: Striking the right note

Financial services company Tata Capital has launched a campaign that aims to inspire children and inculcate the right values in them.

Tata Capital, the financial services arm of the Tata Group, has launched a social campaign titled 'DoRight' that aims to inculcate the right values in children.

The company has launched a television commercial that showcases the musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy leading a children's choir group. The lyrics of the song, written by noted lyricist Gulzar, tell that 'children are the future and it is very essential for them to learn what is right and wrong.' At the end, the TVC urges people to visit the website
www.doright.in
that features videos of several kids recorded by their parents, on 'What they think are the right values'.

The website contains Quiz and Blog sections, along with a 'Pledges' section that urges people and children to take a pledge to do what is right.

The 30-second version of the film is running on various genres of channels, including Sony TV, HBO, Discovery, ABP News, Max, Zee News, Suvarna, Pogo, Cartoon Network, TV9, 9XM, UTV Movies, UTV Action, Animal Planet and others.

The company has kept a strong focus towards online and social media for the campaign as it believes that digital is the medium where it can engage, discuss and interact with the people. It has got more than 58,000 Likes on its Facebook page.

Speaking about the campaign, Veetika Deoras, head, brand marketing and corporate communication, Tata Capital, says, "Through the initiative, we urge adults - parents or non parents - to lead by example through right actions, thus teaching the right values to our children, who are our tomorrow. Children are sometimes left to fend for themselves in terms of discovering and developing their value systems. With this initiative, we hope to raise valid questions in the minds of adults and make them understand the need for imbibing the right values in our/others' children."

She adds that Tata Capital is a young brand that began operations in 2007 and since its inception, the promise of the brand has been 'We only do what's right for you' or 'Karein Wahi Jo Aapke liye Sahi'. All its communication and actions are driven by this singular thought.

The film is a combined effort of musical trio Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa; Gulzar; and classical music player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. Speaking about choosing the music stalwarts for the TVC, Deoras says, "The reason behind requesting their participation was to make the initiative superior in rendition, make it larger, bigger and unique. Never before have these artistes come together over a single song."

The TVC has been created by Leo Burnett while Digital Law & Kenneth and Indigo Consulting are managing the digital end of the campaign.

Tata Capital has spent Rs 6-7 crore for the campaign through which it aims to create awareness for its brand and seek an opportunity to engage with people.

Speaking about the marketing challenge faced by the brand, Deoras says, "As a new brand, in a market with multiple players (some of whom have been along for many decades), the challenge for the brand is to stand out and get noticed positively and consistently."

The brand believes that the success of the campaign will also be measured by the number of people the initiative manages to touch and interact with.

Tata Capital operates in more than 100 branches across the country. Its range of offerings includes consumer finance, advisory services, commercial finance, infrastructure finance, securities, investment banking, private equity advisory, credit cards and travel & forex services.

Facing the music

afaqs! spoke to experts in TV and the digital medium for their reactions to the campaign.

Ferzad Variyava, former ECD, Publicis Ambience, says, "It's certainly an interesting ad. The makers have brought in the musical muscle of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and they've actually pulled off a lovely tune with the backdrop of the composers conducting a choir of children. I did have some confusion on the connect with the brand in the end but overall it did take me by surprise."

However, Variyava believes that the brand will have an uphill battle getting the children to view the ad.

Rajiv Dingra, CEO, WatConsult, says, "It is an interesting campaign. But for a brand like Tata Capital to capture the imagination of people on the digital medium is not easy. Financial services is more of a concept and not a product with a touch and feel so the current trend for the campaigns for this genre is to promote honesty, truth and positivity. Most brands in this genre are using this route."

He further adds that it is a safe campaign to run but the impact on the brand and business metrics will not be much. It is not a path breaking campaign and the digital exercise is a mere extension of the TVC. He further adds that for a financial service company like Tata Capital, it is necessary to create content on the digital platform and interact with the consumers first as a large number of its target audience is present on this platform.