Livpure's ad for a smart AC has a visibly placed logo for Flipkart...

We delve into the partnership.

"Air-conditioner advertising in India has always dabbled in the whimsical and exaggerated," wrote Karthik Srinivasan in a guest post on afaqs! and he’s quite right. In addition to the 'exaggeration', the prefix 'smart' is the new, 'cool'. Be it watches, televisions, mobiles, air-conditioners, washing machines, and even bottled drinking water, brands across categories are insisting on the 'smartness' of their products.

The latest campaign from water purifier brand Livpure, in association with e-commerce platform Flipkart, advertises the brand's latest launch – a 'smart' air-conditioner powered by HEKA technology.

Livpure AC ad - Stay Cool The Smart Way

About the campaign, Sushil Matey, director-marketing, Livpure and CEO, Livpure Smart Homes, shares, "The idea behind the digital film is to showcase the unique smart features of this product to the millennials of today in a manner and style which is fast-paced, relevant and can connect with them instantly. Since our core TG remains millennials who believe in smarter living, Flipkart came across as the right platform for us to launch our ACs."

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The protagonist in the 45-second-long ad film focuses on using ‘smart’ and AI technology equipment in every situation, showcasing the importance of those technologies today.

ALSO READ: What on earth is a smartfan?

Brands, including Ottomate, Samsung, Whirlpool, Xiaomi etc. have, in the past, positioned their products as 'smart'.

Sushil Matey

About the brand entering the new category, Matey tells afaqs!, "We realised that though the AC market is worth six million units and is growing at a CAGR of 10-12 per cent annually, it does not offer millennials a truly smart air-conditioner which uses AI and ML (machine learning) effectively. We felt that the primary consumer's need is energy efficiency without sacrificing comfort."

He adds, "The biggest challenge remains to build brand salience in a limited time and within a reasonable budget. Apart from this, the need to establish trust and innovation is paramount, especially in a high-ticket value category where MNC’s/large domestic players have been operating for years."

The campaign rolled out on Flipkart and is being promoted on the company‘s various social handles.

Flipkart’s in-house team ideated and executed the ad for the newly launched product.

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Interestingly, our curiosity was piqued not by the smartness of the product, but the logos of both Flipkart and Livpure appearing on the top left and right corner of the screen during the film. So, which of the two is the advertiser?

We asked our experts what a brand can do to avoid such confusion:-

Aalap Desai

Aalap Desai, ECD, Dentsu Webchutney, is of the opinion that a hard-working ad like this should mention the particular brand name multiple times to avoid such confusion. He says, “For this ad, the consumer will be searching for the product on Flipkart. The leads generated will not be wasted. So, whatever the consumer remembers, it works for the communication.”

Commenting on the idea and execution of the ad, he feels that it drives the message across. “The insight of us being impressed by the West is very relevant and, in its halo, we forget that we have everything available here. The touch at the end is a smirk addressing this and that’s what will make this ad memorable. If communication can make us question that feeling within us, then it is working, in my opinion,” he states.