Flipkart: Mock debate

In the typical Flipkart way, the latest campaign shows child-adults imitating the panel discussion conducted in news channels, especially by a particular anchor.

Just three months after its last campaign announcing Flipkart's foray into the fashion and lifestyle category, the online brand has launched a new campaign. Featuring its typical 'child-adult' characters, the thematic campaign continues to influence and convert online users into online shoppers. And, the latest campaign does so in an interesting way.

Titled 'India Wants to Know' and conceptualised by Bengaluru-based Happy Creative Services, the recent television commercials (TVCs) feature a child protagonist who bears a marked resemblance to Arnab Goswami, editor in chief and news anchor of Times Now, whose panel discussions on prime time have become famous battlegrounds peppered with his familiar line, 'The nation wants to know'.

The set of four films, which have been produced by Early Man Film, attempt to convince internet users about the convenience of online shopping and also address their fears regarding defects post delivery, price factor and variety of products. The TVCs begin by establishing the show's name, 'Flipkart presents - India wants to know', where the bespectacled anchor pointedly asks panellists why they shop online. After much rambling, he abruptly cuts a panellist's view by saying he thinks Flipkart is the new way to shop.

The campaign was launched online first, something Flipkart has been practising since its last campaign, and appeared on television on Wednesday, September 4.

Ravi Vora, senior vice-president, marketing, Flipkart, insists that the creatives do not resemble a particular channel or a personality. It draws inspiration from the discussion format which one notices in almost all news channels. "The TVCs have been treated in usual Flipkart way, which is witty, humorous and delivers the message in an endearing manner. We wouldn't go out of the way to mimic or copy something. That's not the Flipkart way," he asserts.

The general concerns that people have about online shopping, which have been raised in the TVCs, have mostly come from consumer feedback and data gathered from consumer behaviour on its site, Vora says.

Kartik Iyer, chief executive officer, Happy Creative Services, says the team is excited as it's the first time a reflection of media content has been attempted in advertising in the country.

The TVCs will appear on GECs and niche channels and will be supported through outdoor and print as well.

Launched in 2007, Flipkart has dominated the e-commerce market. Yet, the volume of online shoppers is still considerably less than the number of active online users in the country. This, despite the fact that the online shopping has seen a four-fold growth in the last two years, Vora says. "The number of people buying physical products online is still less than 10 per cent of the total internet population in India," he highlights.

Currently, Flipkart has 10 million registered users and over one million visitors each day. And, more than 80 per cent of online shoppers have either registered or visited Flipkart. While Flipkart began by selling books and media products online, the brand is recording high interest and revenue in personal electronics categories such as mobile handsets, tablets and laptops. Fashion and lifestyle products follow close behind, with books and media coming in the third position.