Amazon goes desi with #AurDikhao campaign

The global e-commerce giant, in its new campaign, highlights its wide range of product offerings through a very colloquial advert 'Aur Dikhao'.

The only thing Indians love second to a good bargain is variety, when it comes to shopping. Reflecting the same is Amazon's new campaign 'Aur Dikhao'. With an aim to a make a dent in the stronghold of the Flipkarts and Snapdeals of the world, the global e-commerce giant has rolled out a rather desi campaign titled 'Aur Dikhao' (show me more), playing the variety card. Drawing from a basic insight of Indian consumers' love for variety, the film features everyday life circumstances in a humorous manner where consumers can't get enough of options available to them.

Executed by Orchard Advertising (Leo Burnett), the ad features situations like husband wooing his wife by asking her to pick a Karva Chauth gift from Amazon app, a family unable to choose between photographers at a tourist spot, a Gujarati family on a flight offering snacks to everyone, a young Sikh boy mimicking the dancing styles of different Bollywood actors and a young mother trying to pacify her baby by swiping across various products on Amazon app.

The message is simple - one cannot have enough options to choose from, hence 'aur dikhao'.

The objective behind the campaign is to create a strong impact in the minds of consumers and build Amazon's position in the market as having the largest product portfolio.

Manish Kalra, director - integrated marketing, Amazon India, explains that research points out that consumers are looking for more and more selection of products when it comes to online shopping as compared to offline model and a convenience of ordering from home is an added advantage. These are the two triggers for e-commerce platforms in the country.

"The objective behind the campaign is to penetrate deeper in Tier II and III cities where the campaign will do well. This is an attempt to take a global brand like Amazon to masses," he says.

Amazon, which entered the Indian market in June 2013, claims to offer a wide choice over 22 million products across hundreds of categories currently. It is targetting consumers between 18 to 45 years of age, who have internet access.

Kalra informs afaqs! that its advertising is currently focussed on digital and television, and that they are looking at print and outdoor as an amplification medium.

RajDeepak Das, chief creative officer, Leo Burnett, says that the campaign idea is derived from a 'simple human insight' commonly witnessed in hundreds of local clothing shops in India where consumers often use the term 'Aur Dikhao', in a bid to get more variety from the shopkeeper.

"'Bhaiya, aur dikhao naa,' is the most common lingo we hear from women when they go for shopping at local stores, and this campaign takes its inspiration from this colloquial line," he notes.

The campaign has been shot with real characters in real locations located all over Mumbai. Director Shimit Amin, of 'Chak De India' fame, has directed the film, while Bollywood music composer Ram Sampath created the catchy soundtrack that brings alive the diversity of Indian sounds. The lyrics have been penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya.

The film is being dubbed in various regional languages and promoted heavily on digital.

Since its launch in June 2013, Amazon's marketplace houses thousands of small and medium-sized businesses in categories such as books, electronics, smartphones and accessories, baby products, health and personal care products to home and kitchen products, gourmet foods, sports goods, video games, movies and DVDs to fashion products, including designer wear and more. The platform competes with homegrown players like Flipkart and Snapdeal.

Bang on?

According to Sabuj Sengupta, ECD, Hakuhodo Percept, while visually the campaign comes across as regular montage ad, it's the insight that shines through.

"Options transgresses generations, we all love many options for everything. It's a great insight which will connect well with everyone," he notes.

Sengupta believes that instead of a montage, executing a single story around the 'Aur Dikhao' insight would have made a far greater impact.

Echoing similar sentiments, Divya Uttam, director - strategy, Razorfish, finds the insight of the Indian shopper's mind bang on and arresting. "The insight 'Aur Dikhao' is core to Indian buying behavior and the TG will surely connect with it and even laugh at their own experiences," she chuckles.

Appreciating the impressive nature of the ad and the catchy jingle, Uttam believes that the longer digital version scores over the 30-sec edit.

Will the ad drive traffic for Amazon India, then? Uttam believes that the app is subtly shown and the key message of the ad rests on the options the site provides, which are not exactly the pain point of Indian consumers when it comes to online shopping.

The only thing she would change in the campaign is the cricket situation which seems out of context and does not lend anything to the story.