Marketing Nuggets — Rakhi for Rakhi
Here is “Rakhi for Rakhi” for you, irony used to the hilt.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-kEvklSgEH/?igsh=MWlqZm94aGR1d29lMQ%3D%3D
This advertisement starts with her in her drama style, making you believe her sad story of being “alone”. She is talking about her journey in which she switched from one avatar to the next, which is like really drawing out from her life and telling us that she doesn’t consider herself accomplished even after that. Her need to be part of something now after all these struggles, she with her classic drama reemphasizes. That too quite effective. plays the sympathy card. This in addition to suddenly acquiring a good girl act, in contrary to her usual dynamite self, the audience would always be looking for something out of the way to come your way. Because that is what Rakhi is. On a walk on a random street, rush into a veggie store and make comments on bhaingan and bananas randomly.
How she associates with a brand like Instamart and that too for their campaign for Rakhi. Intrigue is aroused in full swing. Putting Rakhi in a festivities-based product is very unlikely. Her name being what it is did give them a chance to the script to be creative and make it witty. Quite a good well thought move I would say.
Rakhi didn’t act herself, the drama was a little subdued I felt, and makes you wonder as if something is in store as a surprise, as it was as well. The intrigue element was introduced that way.
Senti, Intrigue, and Persuasive — all elements for a good product sell.
There is an inclusive angle…as the thought of Rakhi can be a sister,
Unexpected and very effective.
Let’s structurally analyze the advertisement.
First coming to the initial impression of the ad, you see Rakhi Sawant, who is in the ad makes it intriguing as to what could it be. So you caught on to it already, with her antics and her presence, you linger on, although there is no clarity on the product being sold, nor its benefits, and intriguingly not even mention of it till the very end. But still, we are hanging on. Rakhi hasn’t done much of video advertisements, which also adds to the mysticism to be hanging on to know, Why was Rakhi included in a product promotion. In her signature style, we expect her to explode, but we see another avatar, which actually makes us believe that “she might have something important to tell”, so let’s hang on and find out. In a rerun of this, there would always be a chuckle factor and intrigue would still remain. That is the best part of this advertisement. It can be watched more than one time.
Target audience is correctly targetted, as She is famous across ages for her weirdness. I am sure no one hates her, all are always curious as to what she is up next. Later we realise it is a product that is appealing to a wide range of audiences, so usage of her in it is well justified and TA is aptly targetted.
It uses persuasive marketing technique, in which the purpose of the advert would be to convince the audience that what is being sold is one of the essential also since it has Rakhi signature product for the occasion of Rakhi, making it all the more special. Otherwise, to buy a Rakhi in this season you just need to walk to the corner. She does convince you with her senti statements of being alone and wanting to be with you, in this festival season. Since you know it is not true, still you would want to get sucked into this convincing and buy something as small as that using the instant ordering application which is always handy in most of the population now. We anyways are in the habit of turning to these applications to buy small buys (1 or 2 products at a time).
The message and tone of the advert is to be humorous and emotional. Rakhi being there just did strike the right chords on these. She by her persona is known for humor and explosive interactions. So you are already prepped by her image to think something out of the blue would come and we linger to see the whole advert. Then the product is revealed. Either the creators of this advert were visionaries to thought that they could save the product reveal to the end, and the audience would definitely last long till end. What confidence in their product, the swiggy marketing team! Kudos! You did make some of us too repeat and watch it, to imbibe more of her weirdness.
Visuals were also different, as having Rakhi in it, we expected something very flashy. But here she is in a most dainty suit and with glamorous but no loud makeup. Which itself tries to set the mood of it from the beginning, she is here to tell you something serious, and not her usual stuff.
The call to Action is effectively conveyed by her and also Branding activity was intact. when the product was introduced, it was given its space.
Unique selling proposition (USP), I ain’t sure of this aspect, as it didn’t come out quite effectively as per me. It was trying to sell by the intrigue factor, and a product being Rakhi(the person) made, wouldn't do much to my festivities.
The use of persuasion techniques is quite convincing, after her emotional story of why you should associate with her in this season. As she is all alone. Abhala nari technique is used here in a humorous way.
Cultural relevance, Rakhi advertising for Rakhi, how is it culturally appropriate? I think that is what they are trying to use. The inappropriateness won.
Memorability of the advert, ofcourse because of some punches which she takes up on herself, her situation, and the intelligent copywriting which used her name with the name of to the festivity in concurrence.
Effectiveness: to evaluate this some analysis could be done after some days of the ad going live and see if there is a lookout t for that particular product on the app in this case.
Ethical considerations, this is an advert created for the Rakhi season and so kept to the sentiments of the brother-sister love and aptly executed by Rakhi, adding her element of goofiness in that too.
Competitor comparison: Catching up in close toes, a trendy advertisement is released by the competitor Team Zepto, with the inclusion of dialogue between the bro-sis duo as rap music. Quite nice and they included the traditional way of gifting each other when you don’t want to know what to buy — A money voucher. The only segment where they can position themselves. Intelligent plug-in I would say. Instead of somehow including Rakhi in the whole mix, what they sell, they are selling ads. More sellable as gifting in that season is very important, as Rakhi is too.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-havvaS5M5/?igsh=cmFoaWgzMmxzNWQ4
Now Blinkit another competitor, just included some offers for the festival season, https://blinkit.com/cln/rakhi-specials/clid/66afb3a388e3c00022809497/834
Interestingly…. the marketing bucks paid up already, so flaunting it on social media handles, Instamart and Zepto also have some noise created in them. Blinkit has no mention of it at all. As the festival days are near maybe they will all catch up.
Rakhi in this avatar was new and refreshing! The unexpectancy of Rakhi being in such a advertisement makes it a rockstar.
Now since a very unlikely star is featured in this season of Rakhi. What can be the other stars who can be featured were discussed in a post by Bhavisha for brands like Blinkit — Deepika for Deepavali.
