Jan 03, 2006 03:29 PM
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(Updated Jan 03, 2006 03:29 PM)
Matters of heart are always a sensitive issue and more so when it deals with things like life and death. The thought of something untoward happening to your near and dear ones can be very troubling. This brings me to the predicament of the marketing guys who work for life insurance companies. For they have to market a product/service, which comes into picture, only when something unsavory happens to your loved ones. Now to go and convince someone to buy a thing like that is very challenging, you cant tell them that look ‘ tomorrow if he dies or something, we are there to take care of your financial needs, so take insurance’, he would be bashed up to pulp in no time. It is this quandary, which has forced the ad makers to come up with subtle and better ways to speak out to their consumers and convince them to buy the service.
The early days of life insurance ads were dominated by crude and callous marketing. This was due to the monopoly of LIC, which knew that even if it did not advertise people would still buy the policy. The early ads of LIC harped of ‘ zindagi ke baad ka saathi’; this was a marketing strategy, which was insensitive to the feelings of the masses. Promoting a service on the basis of something untoward happening was not a smart move. Also what was required was a healing touch, a personal friendly tone to the ads. The ads almost gave a feeling of ‘get sensitive and better buy an insurance’, something which was bound to peeve the consumers.
Change is set into motion with the advent of private competition and the consumer getting savvy. A marketing strategy, which was soothing, and something, which appealed to the sensitivity of the consumers was needed. Hence we saw ads, which had a personal touch, a more caring and affectionate tone and imagery, and a message, which was endearing to the heart. The whole look and feel of the insurance ads was going through a paradigm shift. We had ads, which talked of being carefree, self dependent and free of financial hassles when you get old, retire or when something untoward happens which could otherwise have debilitating effects on your family.
We had ICICI Prudential extolling how an insurance policy now would mean you retire only from work and not from life and your happiness. Om Kotak Mahindra promising aatmanirbhar (self dependent), surakshith (safe), azaad (free) life even in old age. There was LIC, which asked you to secure the relations of your life with a policy. Met Life harping how it takes care of both the planned and the unplanned expenses. HDFC Life Insurance promising you a life of self respect and independence by taking care of the needs of the children and the old ensuring a happy and content life for you in your youth.
Storyboard for the SBI ads takes an emotional route to connect with the audiences. We have an ageing husband gifting a diamond ring to his wife saying it is Valentine’s Day and lovers gift something to each other. She protests to which he says Arre heere ko kya pata tumhari umar and the ad ends with SBI Life... ...insurance ke life long pensions. Taki pyaar ke beech paison ki kami na aaye.. In the other ad we have two elderly sisters traveling by train to meet their younger brother for his birthday. They have a good time and enjoy themselves as amused co passengers look by. When the journey ends they ring the doorbell of a house, to which an old man comes out to see no one but a pack of sweets with a candle lit on it. The ladies then come out of their hiding and sing Happy Birthday Chhotu. The ad ends with SBI Life Insurance. Taaki rishton ke beech kabhi dooriyaan na aaye.
Heart warming story narration is an art and if an ad maker is able to do it he/she has succeeded in establishing a connect for his client with the audiences. More so for a product which has a lot to do with the emotional aspect of it, notions like freedom, self respect, relationships, ability to enjoy life to the fullest are all things which are very close to us. That’s precisely the things which the SBI ad talks about, the ad shows how the elderly are still young at heart and how they pursue those small desires and moments of their lives without being bogged down by age or financial constraints. We are all wary about our old age when we wont be able to take care of ourselves, when we would be dependent. The ad shows that with a service like SBI you don’t have to fret about that. It shows how the old people are having a nice time and the other thing is that they are not shown dependent on anyone; they are doing their things on their own.
Imagery and message of the ad is spot on. The ad gives the feel of a service, which is close to you and one, which is willing to take care of your needs when you are old. In some sense it establishes SBI as a close friend one on whom you can trust when you are on the descent so to speak of, when you could be vulnerable to lead your life not the way you want to but the way others want you to live. And if a brand promotes itself as a friend, a caretaker, a dependable loyal chum then it comes close to your mind. More often then not you feel like trusting someone who shows itself to be trust worthy and that’s precisely the case with SBI also.
A subtle departure for the way SBI positions its Life Insurance from its competitors is discernable. Most of the others talk of insurance more with perspective to the family members. It talks about the security and safety or our near and dear ones and they kind of recognize the satisfaction a man gets from being a pillar of strength and support for his family, when he fulfils his promise to be the shoulder on which his family can lean. In this process somewhere the individual, the man himself and his happiness and desires are taking a back seat. While in the SBI ad the focus is very much on the individual person as such, and not people around us. That’s a welcome departure because no matter how much we love our close ones we still want some space for ourselves, we do want to have the freedom to live our life the way we want sometimes. SBI promises just that and much more.
Questions
Which is the best insurance ad according to you and why?
Have you noticed the shift in focus of the financial companies vis-à-vis emotions and self-reliability?
Do you like ads which talk of the mind or the ones that talk to the heart and why?
Do you think off late there has been an overkill of ads with emotional undercurrent? Is it good for the brands to toe the line or should they try something new to grab attention?
