The Diwali

Effect
Creating culturally relevant advertising
that builds brand equity and delivers
immediate activation

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© TNS 2015
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Welcome
Diwali promises to be a time of
intensive sales promotion activity in
India. Advertisers will vie for the
gifting budgets of both individuals
and organisations as the festival
of lights provides a prime
opportunity to capitalise on heavy
trade volumes.
Immediate returns are expected from
investment in communications and
promotion, but the pressure is also
on as brands compete to raise their
brand equity in a period notorious
for cluttered holiday advertising.
We recently examined a number of high profile 2014 Diwali ads to determine the attributes of
success for brands investing in promotional activity during this lucrative sales period.
In this report, we employed three leading TNS metrics to establish the success of these Diwali ads:
g Short-term index: This index establishes how motivated people feel to act having watched the
ads. It is based on all Diwali ads measured in the study and uses TNS AdEval methodology.
g Long-term index: This index establishes the long-term brand building potential of an ad through
an ‘affective memory potential’ (AMP) score covering the three dimensions of ’novelty’, ‘affective
impact’ and ’relevance’. This judges whether the campaign will be noticed and brand associations
assimilated into long term memory.
g NeedScope: Our proprietary toolkit for understanding emotions in marketing is a psychological
framework, revealing the emotional territory that the campaign occupies; and uncovering the
drivers of irresistibility in brands.
Our in-depth study has uncovered the three key insights that help define Diwali success when it
comes to holiday campaign investment.
If you are interested in learning more about anything you read here, please do get in touch.
Best wishes,
Nitin Nishandar Chhavi Bhargava
Regional Managing Director, Managing Director
Brand & Communication, TNS India
TNS in Asia Pacific Chhavi.Bhargava@tnsglobal.com
nitin.nishandar@tnsglobal.com +91 124 4488800
+65 6597 7387
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 1 Brand building
versus activation
Good advertising can secure immediate audience
engagement and provide positive benchmark
metrics, but in their efforts to secure the rupees
of shoppers during this key holiday period, some
brands sacrifice brand building in favour of
activation. Those that only focus on short-term
results can do themselves a disservice.

The Diwali Effect 4

Brand building versus activation

LG NeedScope positioning
The NeedScope profile reveals a lack of distinction as the ad
hovers in the ‘no-man’s land’ centre of the map, confirming that
the audience found it lacked a clear emotional direction due to its
unoriginal content. The montage of a young family using the
various LG products during Diwali lacked both a compelling
storyline and stirring visuals, failing to move the audience
on an emotional level. Whilst it was tactically effective at
communicating product information, it neglected the
longer-term brand-building opportunity.

Case Study: LG
LG promotes a wide product range in this tactical TVC with snippets of
information conveyed about each new product as the camera jumps from
situation to situation throughout the home – cooking a meal in a LG
microwave, fetching a drink from an LG fridge at a party, taking photos
during the celebrations, ending with fireworks on the family’s balcony.
The ad over-indexes on short-term impact - the highest ranked ad of all
reviewed - but brand building suffered as it significantly under-indexed on
long-term impact metrics.

The Diwali Effect 5

Brand building versus activation

Case Study: Snapdeal

It is possible for holiday ads to successfully promote immediate sales and
simultaneously nurture longer-term brand equity. In this short ad from online
shopping portal Snapdeal, the veteran Bollywood actor and favourite babuji
(Indian father figure) gives Diwali blessings to viewers. He moves from a
traditional setting to a not-so-traditional location - a graffitied street - whilst
discussing the availability and access to original products on Snapdeal. It is
straightforward in its dramatic structure led by the talking-head speaking
directly to the audience, but nevertheless is engaging and scores highly for
the ‘novelty’ and ‘relevance’ AMP metrics.
Novelty was generated through quirky twists of phrase and setting, whilst
‘relevance’ came via the promise of original products. Snapdeal’s tactical
approach dynamically aligned it with the practical needs of its audience -
discounts - and over-indexed on short-term engagement measures. But it
also captured the audience in a way that elevated long-term measures. In
comparison to LG, this ad provides the better return on advertising spend.

The Diwali Effect 6

Brand building versus activation

Short and long term scores of Snapdeal ad

The efficient use of the Diwali theme coupled with the celebrity casting
created lasting brand memories and helped the ad establish short term
and long term impact.

78
72 Norm
59
55 56
Norm

See Talk Novelty Affective Relevance

Short term Long term

The Diwali Effect 7

 2 The role of emotions
and values
Advertising during the holiday season has different rules to the rest of the
year as brands must be respectful of the special considerations unique to
Indian festival. Despite it being a poignant time of year, brands must also
be careful not to rely too heavily on emotions to carry their ad without
showcasing anything new.

Indian audiences are more demanding of their TV commercials during

festivals like Diwali, as attention is not only more divided because
people are busier, but the cultural collective conscious is more precisely
focused around seasonal ideas, like prosperity and positivity. In a 2014
TNS UK Christmas advertising study, brands faced similar challenges to
entertain seasonal audiences whilst achieving advertising objectives and
maintaining holiday spirit

The Diwali Effect 8

The role of emotions and values

Case Study: Cadbury

In this ad a forlorn soldier is playing cards on Diwali eve with his
military unit when his family surprises him. Whilst it scored highly
for the third AMP metric (affective impact) because of its ‘family’
messaging, it was average for ‘relevance’ and ‘novelty’ due to its
familiar approach, which did not highlight anything new about the
brand. Overall, over-reliance on emotion and lack of novelty has
limited the long term potential of the ad.

The Diwali Effect 9

The role of emotions and values

Case Study: Coca-Cola

When a brand does not properly acknowledge the significance or The ad challenges both Diwali traditions and etiquette and comes off as
connotations of Diwali, it can quickly result in a negative impact. Brands must disrespectful, rather than the aim of being casual and fun. This is a significant
carefully balance the core festival values with their own. This ad depicts an contributor to its low relevance score and flat affective impact.
aunt and uncle paying a surprise visit to their nephew and his wife, the latter
of whom they relieve of formal hosting duties by bringing a bottle of
Coca-Cola.

The Diwali Effect 10

The role of emotions and values

Short and long term responses

to Havells and Titan ads
Both ads perform below average due to
the negative or sarcastic emotions which
are at odds with the spirit of Diwali.

Case Study: Havells Case Study: Titan 65% 70%

Upholding festival values also extends to advertising
tonality. This ad suffers due to its negative, sarcastic
take on gifting by depicting a formerly disgruntled
customer who gifts his energy provider customer
service representative a box of LED lights. He explains The subtle tensions portrayed are incongruent with
that the lights have saved him money and jeeringly
suggests that the energy company use them too.
The storyline is innovative, but the ad scored lowest
overall, and on each individual AMP metric because
the protagonist gives his gift in ridicule, a sentiment
that does not align with the values of Diwali - hope
and positivity. Viewers rejected the value system that
the ad endorses, and it fails because the ad does not
‘understand’.
Likewise, this ad begins with a young, affluent
couple who feel distanced from each other. As a way
of requesting more of her husband’s time she gives
him the metaphorical gift of time - a wristwatch.
31% 35%
traditional Diwali sentiments, such as happiness,
feeling and belonging. While the Titan ad scored
close to norms on both short-term and long-term
measures, it could have been even more successful
if the festive sentiments had been integrated more Short term Norms
strongly into the narrative. Short: 73%
Long term Long: 36%

The Diwali Effect 11

 3 Authenticity is key
Although understanding what to avoid is useful, for key sales
periods like Diwali, the ‘what to do’ is absolutely crucial. Ads that
authentically integrate the Diwali theme and values performed
better on long-term brand building. The challenge is to determine
how to faithfully incorporate those festival themes and values with
the brand’s assets and values, especially when they seem disparate.

Despite the route to integration being more obvious for brands like
Cadbury and Coca-Cola, that naturally reside in the same friendly
territory as Diwali, having a similar emotive positioning to the
holiday is no guarantee of a successful outcome. As already
identified, neither executed their creative well and both
under-indexed. In fact the Coca-Cola ad’s NeedScope profile
revealed a more assertive’ profile in contrast to the brand’s normal
‘friendly’ and ‘carefree’ positioning, a space that Diwali also
naturally embraces.

The Diwali Effect 12

Authenticity is key

Coca-Cola Needscope positioning

The ‘friendly’ and ‘carefree’ positioning were already the core of Coca-Cola values, but
in this ad the brand stretched in the opposite direction and reached the ‘assertive’ area
- far removed from its heartland and that of Diwali.

Heartland of Diwali and brand

roots of Coca-Cola The Coca-Cola Diwali ad roots

Need

The Diwali Effect 13

Authenticity is key

Case Study: Sony

Authentic holiday ad integration goes beyond emotive positioning, with the best ads
embracing the ideas of the festival and using them as a starting point for communications
development. When Diwali festivities were used conceptually in ad design, results were
better - ads that embraced the festival theme holistically tested better than those that only
used the obvious trappings of Diwali in a superficial way. The ad from Sony is a beautiful
and mesmerising piece of footage complimented by a emotive soundtrack. The ad features
children playing with Diwali sparklers to showcase Sony’s TriluminousTM LED television
display technology and is a good example of how ads can use the holiday theme to
highlight product features and benefits in order to reap the greatest advantage.

Sony NeedScope positioning Heartland of Diwali Sony brand roots

73% Sony’s brand roots position it on the ‘assertive’ side of
the Needscope framework but its Diwali ad has shifted
the brand further towards the centre. This brand stretch
allows it to align with Diwali as the ad has migrated the
brand positioning towards the holiday area. However, as
42% with the successfully ads analysed in the 2014 TNS study,
Revealed: The Chinese New Year ads delivering double
prosperity, Sony was careful to not migrate too far from its
Short term recognised brand territory. By using the shimmer of Diwali
Long term sparklers as a visual metaphor for the technology, Sony
inextricably links the Diwali theme to the ad execution.
Norms
Short: 73%
Long:36%
Need

The Diwali Effect 14

Success during Diwali
The Diwali Effect study has shown that the
best ads take advantage of both activation and
brand-building opportunities, thoroughly understand
their audience’s ideals in relation to the holiday, and
crucially, do not over-sentimentalise nor dismiss
holiday values and traditions. It can be challenging
for brands whose roots naturally lie in the ‘assertive’
territory to successfully integrate Diwali themes and
simultaneously remaining true to their brand values.

The best commercials holistically integrate

the holiday into the communication using the
festival’s symbolism, principles and metaphors
whilst exemplifying the brand in a way that is
authentic as well as faithful to the holiday.

The Diwali Effect 15

About the author About TNS
Shailendra Gupta TNS advises clients on specific growth strategies
Vice President, TNS
around new market entry, innovation, brand
shailendra.gupta@tnsglobal.com
switching and stakeholder management, based
+91 124 4488800
on long-established expertise and market-leading
solutions. With a presence in over 80 countries,
TNS has more conversations with the world’s
consumers than anyone else and understands
individual human behaviours and attitudes across
Shailendra is responsible for supporting the Brand & Communication area of expertise in the TNS Delhi every cultural, economic and political region of
office, driving best practice through training and coaching, as well as working directly with key clients. the world.
Shailendra has 15 years of rich corporate experience across all sectors and aspects of consumer research,
including cutting-edge methodology. He is often quoted in industry publications on his views on Digital TNS is part of Kantar, one of the world’s largest
and Mobile and his research studies have been published in Indian magazines. insight, information and consultancy groups.

Please visit www.tnsglobal.com for more

About the study information.

TNS India conducted this study to reveal the secrets of creating effective TV advertising during Diwali. It
is based on responses of Indian men and women, between the ages of 15 - 45 years across SEC A to C, You may also be interested in:
with a sample size of 725.
Revealed: Chinese New Year ads delivering
We conducted face-to-face interviews with the respondents and collected their responses via tablets. double prosperity
Fieldwork for the survey was conducted after Diwali from November 3 to 7, 2014, covering five Click here to read more
regions: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur and Lucknow. We tested nine ads in each market, one each
from the following brands: Amazon, Cadbury, Coca-Cola, Havells, Kurkure, LG, Snapdeal, Sony and 2014 – A vintage year of Christmas advertising?
Titan. The target audience for a given ad may differ from the respondent base specified in this study. Click here to read more

This study does not take specific ad strategies into account. All ads were evaluated on both short
and long-term measures. For example, ads that were created to achieve short-term results have been
evaluated on their long term potential as well.

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© TNS 2015 16