W25084

BRAND TANISHQ: NAVIGATING SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH1

Jaydeep Mukherjee wrote this case solely to provide material for class discussion. The author does not intend to illustrate either
effective or ineffective handling of a managerial situation. The author may have disguised certain names and other identifying
information to protect confidentiality.

This publication may not be transmitted, photocopied, digitized or otherwise reproduced in any form or by any means without the
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Copyright © 2021, Management Development Institute Gurgaon and Ivey Business School Foundation Version: 2021-10-15

In August 2020, Ajoy Chawla, chief executive officer (CEO) of the jewellery division at Titan Company
Ltd. (Titan), was optimistic about the plans for the flagship Tanishq brand. He noted at the time, “If I go by
how things are right now, there’s no reason why we won’t see a good festive season. . . . We will be heavily
present on digital platforms and on social media. We will focus more on one-to-one conversations with
customers.”2 A short three months later, Tanishq was the object of an intense social media trolling3
campaign. Both festive advertisements, the Ekatvam and Diwali campaigns, had to be removed just days
after their release due to overwhelming trolling on social media.

The Ekatvam campaign, launched on October 6, 2020, intended to “celebrate the coming together of people
from different walks of life, local communities and families . . . and celebrate the beauty of oneness” by
depicting an interfaith marriage between a Hindu woman and a Muslim man.4 The campaign was
vehemently criticized and trolled by Hindutva supporters on social media for allegedly promoting “love
jihad”—a derogatory accusation that a Muslim man was converting a Hindu woman by marriage. Some
posts directly threatened violent action against company property and employees. One week after the
launch, Tanishq withdrew the advertisement, claiming that it had “hurt sentiments” and the response
jeopardized the well-being of Tanishq’s employees, partners, and store staff.5

In November, Tanishq launched its Diwali campaign with an advertisement that suggested, among other
things, that the festival be celebrated without the traditional fireworks. Tanishq’s second advertisement
attracted the ire of a group of social media users who argued that the company should refrain from advising
Hindus how to celebrate their festival. Influential politicians supported the protest by tweeting that
companies should focus only on selling their products and refrain from lecturing whether people should
light fireworks while celebrating the Diwali festival. For the second time, Tanishq pulled its advertising,
withdrawing its Diwali advertisement on November 10, 2020.6

Debates continued in mainstream and social media about the creation of these two campaigns and the
associated business decisions, including the decision to pull these advertisements in response to social
media trolling, the speed with which the advertisements were removed, and the reasons offered for
withdrawing them.7 In an interview on November 2, 2020, Chawla stated that several social media users
who liked the Ekatvam advertisement were disappointed after it was withdrawn.8
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Tanishq was known for being progressive with its advertisements.9 Should the company continue to drive
that progressive image with more bold advertisements, irrespective of the recent setbacks, or choose a more
conservative approach to executing the brand’s progressive image? Could the recent backlash be seen as a
catalyst for reassessing and repositioning the Tanishq brand? The decision could have both immediate and
long-term business effects.

THE JEWELLERY INDUSTRY IN INDIA

With more than 300,000 businesses, India’s gems and jewellery sector contributed almost 30 per cent to
the global consumption of jewellery. The industry was export-oriented and labour intensive, employing
over 4.64 million people—a number that was expected to increase to 8.23 million by 2022. The industry
also contributed around 7 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 15 per cent to India’s
total merchandise export.10

An increase in per capita income, as well as the perception of jewellery as a status symbol in India, also
worked to grow the sector. Demand for new designs and varieties in jewellery had increased, and the
branded jewellers were able to cater to the fast-changing demands better than the traditional unorganized
participants in the sector. Predictions were that large retailers and brands of organized companies would
grow by providing consumers with various products and designs and more choices. Online sales, which
were insignificant so far, were expected to account for 1–2 per cent of the fine jewellery segment by fiscal
year (FY) 2021–22.11

Ranjani Krishnaswamy, general manager of marketing of Titan’s jewellery division, acknowledged that the
“industry has been impacted due to the [COVID-19] pandemic,” but he forecast “green shoots of recovery
post the lockdown. . . . Jewellery is beyond an adornment metal; it is a symbol of security,” he said. “Most of
the weddings planned in Q1/Q2 [quarters 1 and 2 of FY 2020–21] have been deferred to Q3/Q4, and we are
expecting the demand to rise. . . . While families will not resort to lavish weddings, they will certainly look at
gold as an embodiment of an auspicious beginning.”12

Leshna Shah, founder and chief creative director of Irasva Ltd., expected the customer demand to move from
heavy jewellery buying at festive times to more minimalistic and everyday wear. She predicted that “as people
spend less on travel and lifestyle expenses, jewellery will surely benefit from a part of this unspent income.”
Jewellery designer Archana Aggarwal felt that shopping for jewellery would become more of a deliberate
process that would involve the use of technology. Abhineet Boochra, the director of Sangeeta Boochra Jaipur
and Silver Centrre, stated, “In India, weddings are a status symbol and hence . . . brides of 2020–21 will invest
and buy more jewellery as compared to other years. . . . Gold and silver being the safest bets to invest in and also
being an appreciating asset which can be quickly liquidated . . . means jewellery will see no downside.”13

Industry experts believed that the industry would recover most of its lost ground during the second half of
FY 2020–21.14 Tanishq was well poised for this recovery and was delivering better financial results from
the third quarter of FY 2020–21. It was, thus, helping Titan, the parent company, improve its overall
financial results (see Exhibit 1).

GROWTH AND EVOLUTION OF TANISHQ BRAND

Tanishq, headquartered in Bengaluru, India, was a division of Titan, which was jointly promoted by the
Tata Group and Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (TIDCO). Titan was a luxury
products company, best known for its watches. It was India’s leading watch manufacturer and the fifth-
largest in the world.15 The Tata Group was a well-established and respected name in the Indian industry.
Page 3 W25084

Founded in 1868 in Mumbai, the group embodied the core values of integrity, responsibility, pioneering,
excellence, and unity.16 TIDCO was a Government of Tamil Nadu enterprise.17

Tanishq was the first India-wide corporate brand in the predominantly unorganized jewellery sector, where
family-run businesses dominated India’s fragmented retail market. The first Tanishq retail showroom was
established in 1996 in Chennai. Starting with gem-studded 18-karat gold jewellery sets, Tanishq soon
introduced 22-karat gold and diamond jewellery. The brand invested heavily in understanding the ethos of the
Indian jewellery market and evolved with changing demands and preferences (see Exhibit 2).

Tanishq brought with it the business ethics and product reliability associated with the Tata brand and
transformed how the jewellery market operated in India. It followed strict guidelines in all its 328 stores
across 200 cities, with consumer trust-building measures like the deployment of KaratMeters to check the
purity of gold.18 With retail sales of over ₹18.60 billion19 in FY 2019–20, Tanishq accounted for more than
80 per cent of Titan’s sales and dominated the jewellery segment in India. Sub-brands included Mia for
working women,20 Rivaah wedding jewellery,21 and a men’s collection called Aveer.22

Tanishq was among the top 100 franchise brands of the world. Its line of laser-cut tube jewellery was
awarded the coveted Red Dot Design Award for its product design. Tanishq also won Brand of the Year at
the 2018–19 World Branding Awards in London.23

TANISHQ’S SOCIAL MEDIA CONTROVERSIES

Tanishq’s bold and progressive advertisements in 2020 were not a new venture. The brand had been
releasing such advertisements for several years, many of which had generated controversy. One prominent
advertisement, launched in October 2013, showed a dusky-complexioned bride getting ready for her
wedding, accompanied by her young daughter. As the bride and groom began taking their vows, the little
girl expressed her desire to participate. While family members tried to shush the child, the groom picked
the child up and carried her through the entire wedding ritual. The campaign, which openly portrayed
remarriage in a society not yet fully comfortable with it, generated a generally positive response on Twitter
and Facebook (see Exhibit 3).24

The Ekatvam Advertisement

The Ekatvam advertisement of October 2020 featured a baby shower offered by a Muslim family for their
Hindu daughter-in-law. In the advertisement, the young woman points out to her mother-in-law that baby
showers are not a tradition in Hindu households, to which the mother-in-law replies, “Isn’t it a tradition for
every home to keep daughters happy?” However, in contrast to the generally positive response of earlier
campaigns, some viewers construed the Ekatvam advertisement as offensive, alleging that it promoted love
jihad. The criticism on social media was severe with the hashtag #BoycottTanishq trending across Twitter
immediately after the advertisement’s release (see Exhibit 4).

Tanishq pulled the advertisement only to face criticism from another consumer segment for “‘bowing down’
to the ‘trolls’” (see Exhibit 4).25 Matters were so extreme that the Tanishq’s brand manager received death
threats. Further, he had to delete his LinkedIn account and profile after being verbally assaulted there.26
Tanishq showroom staff in Gujurat received threatening calls, prompting the staff to post an apology note at
the store. One employee, reporting under the condition of anonymity, said that two persons had barged into
the showroom and verbally abused the staff.27 The risks clearly contributed to Tanishq’s decision to withdraw
the advertisement. The brand noted in its announcement that it was “keeping in mind . . . the well-being of
our employees, partners and store staff.”28
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The Ekatvam campaign did receive the support of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the
advertising industry’s self-regulatory voluntary organization. ASCI reviewed the matter after receiving a
complaint and stated, “The panel was unanimous that nothing in the advertisement was indecent or vulgar or
repulsive, which is likely in the light of generally prevailing standards of decency and propriety, to cause
grave and widespread offence. . . . ASCI has no objection to the airing of this advertisement, should the
advertiser choose to do so.”29 Business World reported that “there is a consensus among all allied bodies and
the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter and the Advertising Club also support this.”30

Subsequent mainstream media reports sought the opinions of experts in the field. Commenting on a general
trend toward activism within and against advertising, Shailesh Kapoor, founder and CEO of media
consulting firm Ormax Media Pvt. Ltd., noted, “Over the last few years, the polarisation of political
ideologies in India has been on the rise. The rise of social media has fuelled this polarisation further. . . . In
such an environment, backlash on ads or any form of content or messaging that takes even a mild political
view is a likely scenario today.”31

Ashish Bhasin, chair and CEO of Dentsu International, South Asia, noted the increasing say consumers
have in advertising in the era of social media:

What’s the purpose of advertising? Consumers have to think favourably about the brand and if it’s
not achieving that objective, then of course, you have to be conscious of it and you have to react to
it. But at the same time, it’s a matter of having a balance. If you believe in it, you must stand by it.
On the other hand, if you have made a mistake, you must immediately take the feedback and act on
it. In this instance [referring to the Tanishq advertisement], I personally didn’t find anything wrong,
and was in fact surprised to see that [Tanishq has] withdrawn it.32

In a scathing criticism of several players in the advertising sector who failed to “stand up for anything,”
one journalist was clear that, according to him, Tanishq’s actions amounted to a cowardly business
decision to protect the brand:

Should Tanishq have stood its ground and simply refused to take the [advertisement] down? The
answer is obviously yes, but companies don’t work this way. Managements invariably take the
safest route; their rationale is that it is to “protect” the brand from any “negative” connotations. But
here, the connotations were positive, so their reaction was clearly one of cowardice, not discretion.
In a corporate structure, no one wants to be seen sticking their neck out. The company’s face will
now be rubbed into it.33

As the controversy wore on, the media extended the business interests to consider the political ramifications.
It reported that while withdrawing the ad had been associated with Tata Group, a stakeholder in Titan, the
majority shareholder was, in fact, TIDCO, an industrial arm of the government of the state of Tamil Nadu.
According to the report, TIDCO held 27.88 per cent of Titan while the Tata Group held 25.02 per cent. The
report further noted that the chair of Titan’s board, N. Muruganandam, and two other directors were
appointees of the Tamil Nadu government and officers of the Indian Administrative Service.34 The
inference was that pulling the advertisement favoured Titan’s majority shareholder, who represented the
Government of Tamil Nadu. The Indian state Tamil Nadu was one of many states aligned with the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP), a pro-Hindu nationalist party.
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The Diwali Advertisement

Less than a month later, early in November 2020, Tanishq ran a Diwali advertisement that featured four popular
actresses, each one disclosing how she planned to celebrate the Diwali festival. The first of the four actresses
declared, “I’m hoping to be able to meet my mum after really long. Definitely no firecrackers. I don’t think
anyone should light any firecrackers. Lot of diyas. Lot of laughter hopefully, and lots of positivity.”35

Several levels of government had already shunned fireworks to minimize air pollution and deter public
gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic,36 but several Twitter users still questioned the logic of a brand
offering unsolicited advice to people on celebrating festivals. Others backed Tanishq’s advertisement,
arguing that an environmentally conscious communication had been given an unintentional religious twist
by some people.37 Nonetheless, the religious twist, even if unintentional, drove the controversy and even
attracted Twitter posts from political leaders. The general secretary of the BJP, the Parliament majority,
tweeted, “Why should anyone advice Hindus how to celebrate Our Festivals? Companies must focus on
selling their products, not lecture us to refrain from bursting Crackers. We will light lamps, distribute sweets
and burst green crackers.” Another BJP leader called for a boycott of Tanishq, tweeting, “Who is #tanishq
to advice Hindus as how to celebrate diwali. Keep your advice to yourself.”38

Sayani Gupta, one of the actresses in Tanishq’s advertisement, took to Twitter to respond to the controversy
and the #BoycottTanishq trend. She posted, “Just witnessing how a universal issue of Air Pollution (at a
terrible level right now especially in Delhi and NCR39), getting politicised and bigotted in the name of
religion!! Unbelievable!! What have they done to our country! This is what systemic hate does to people.
#astounded.”40

Reacting to the trolling on social media (see Exhibit 5), Tanishq once again withdrew the advertisement from
its campaign. However, although the brand withdrew the 50-second advertisement from Twitter and
YouTube, the company decided that this time it would keep it on the company’s Instagram page.41

Consumers on Social Media

Research in developed countries indicated that younger demographics—primarily millennials and

Generation Z42—preferred brands that included repressed and under-represented people. Diversity in brand
advertising developed greater trust, brand affinity, and engagement with the brand.43 However, other
research found that in a viral medium, controversial advertising not only failed to improve attitudes and
purchase intentions for the brand but also undermined the norms and prohibitions valued by consumers.44
Research also indicated that people primarily used Twitter to spread information to their social group rather
than discuss controversial issues. Individuals mostly had their preconceived positions on the topic, which
they vented publicly in their posts.45

N. Chandramouli, the CEO of TRA Research, expected that Tanishq’s decision to pull the advertisements
had a dual impact:

One, with their planned advertisement campaign derailed, they would probably have to put out
another campaign. However, if a new campaign is created, it is likely to bring back memories of
the pull-back among customers, who thought the first advertisement was appealing, and chances
are, some of those will put off buying from Tanishq. Also, consumers buy into brands that reflect
their own personality, and it is unlikely there will be an extra purchase at Tanishq by the ultra-
conservative social media trolls, and the Tanishq customers with whom the ad resonated strongly
will also feel disenchanted, and it has a good chance of affecting its sales from both sides.46
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At the peak of the social media controversy, Titan’s shares fell more than 2.5 per cent to close on the
Bombay Stock Exchange at ₹1,213.75 per share on October 15, 2020.47 The biggest single-day sales for the
jewellery industry traditionally came from the Hindu festivals of Dhanteras, which was on November 13th
in 2020, and Diwali, which was on November 14th.48 By November 20, 2020, Titan shares were back on
the increase, selling at ₹1,365.15 per share.49

THE EVOLVING RELIGIOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IN 2020

With more than 1.3 billion people, India was the largest democracy in the world. Hinduism, Buddhism,
Sikhism, and Jainism, four of the world’s major religions, originated in India. The country was also home
to about 180 million Muslims. India was a secular nation with thousands of ethnic groups and 22 official
languages. The Indian constitution explicitly protected religious freedom. Historically, independent India
had a tradition of religious tolerance, albeit with periodic—and sometimes severe— lapses.50

In recent decades, the rising political force was Hindu nationalism, a political ideology that centred Indian
culture and politics on Hindu religious values. The idea was not that India would be a religious state but that
Hinduism would be a way of life that informed the country’s politics. Thus, the Indian national identity was
in contrast to India’s previous national identity as a British colony and before that, as an Islamic dynasty.51

A Pew Research Center study noted that even though an overwhelming majority (more than 80 per cent) of
Indians identified religious tolerance as key to India’s national identity, segregation had deep roots in the
country. India’s major religious groups were sharply divided within neighbourhoods, friendships, and
marriage. About 80 per cent of Indians were Hindu. Among them, two-thirds believed that being truly Indian
required that one be Hindu. Among those who spoke Hindi, the majority thought that being truly Indian
required that one not just be Hindu but also speak Hindi. The findings also indicated that the Hindus who did
favour religious segregation tended to support the BJP, which espoused Hindu nationalist positions.52

Comparing 2011 and 2020 data showed that the percentage of Hindus in the Indian population remained
constant at 79.8 per cent over the decade, while the percentage of Muslims increased slightly from 14.2 per
cent to 14.6 per cent.53

India’s national government and the government of 17 of its states were controlled by the National
Democratic Alliance (NDA), a centre-right and right-wing political alliance led by the BJP (see Exhibit 6).
The NDA won the 2014 general elections on a platform of development, less corruption, improving
infrastructure, and good governance.54 Many observers believed that the ruling party’s electoral successes
after 2014 were largely the result of communal mobilization. The formation of a Hindu nation, known as a
Hindu Rashtra, was central to BJP. Analysts believed that Hindutva politics played a significant hand in the
party’s rise to power.55

Although the party claimed full respect for all citizens’ political and civil rights, its political practice had
demonstrated otherwise. The party’s expression of Hindu nationalism often clashed with the fundamental
elements of Indian democracy, especially as it related to the protection of minority rights.56 Despite a
faltering economy, BJP’s resounding victory in the 2019 general election was seen to be a result of a
sustained policy of polarization that the party followed in its first term.57

Since 2007, the term love jihad had been increasingly used by BJP to suggest that Muslim men strategically
entrapped Hindu women with romance, married them, and then converted them to Islam. Love jihad was
projected as part of a larger Islamist project, purportedly to reduce Hindus to a minority group in India.58
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Three BJP-ruled states—Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh—had enacted laws in
November 2020 to curb love jihad. The bills criminalized forcible conversions and alluring a Hindu woman
to convert her religion by marriage. An accused faced 3 to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to ₹500,000 if
found guilty. Many other BJP-ruled states had declared their plans to also bring in similar laws.59

The political narrative was designed to appeal to the potential voters and take up issues close to the people,
which the voters could relate to. During the election campaign at Hyderabad in late November 2020, BJP
stalwart and the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, appealed to the Hindu nationalist
sentiment by remarking on the change of city names from Muslim to Hindu names: “When BJP formed the
government in Uttar Pradesh, [we] changed [the name of] Faizabad to Ayodhya. We changed Allahabad to
Prayagraj, . . . the name as per the Puranas [the sacred text of Hindus]. Then why can’t Hyderabad become
Bhagyanagar? Byagyanagar is not a communal name. [It] is a symbol of culture.”60

THE DECISION

On December 1, 2020, Chawla and his team met to decide the Tanishq brand positioning and advertising
plans for 2021. In making their decision, the team needed to consider the heritage of the brand, the
country’s political environment, and the business challenges and priorities. They had multiple
stakeholders to consider: social media users, media houses, consumers, and, most importantly, Titan’s
majority shareholders—the Tata Group and TIDCO, the Tamil Nadu government enterprise. The
governing party of Tamil Nadu was the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK)
regional political party, which had aligned with BJP in 2019 to govern Tamil Nadu. The state had an
election upcoming in 2021 and the two factions of the AIADMK and BJP alliance had declared that they
would fight the election jointly.
Page 8 W25084
EXHIBIT 1: TITAN COMPANY LIMITED—SELECTED FINANCIAL RESULTS

Unaudited financial results for the quarter and six months ended September 30, 2020.
All figures in ₹ billions.

3 months ende d 6 months ende d

2020-09-30 2020-06-30 2019-09-30
Particulars 2020-09-30 2020-06-30 2019-09-30
(Q2) (Q1) (Q2)
Total income 43.89 19.01 44.66 62.90 94.61 201.56
Advertising expenses 0.51 0.16 125.00 67.00 259.00 477.00
Total expenses 41.51 2,236.00 40.37 63.87 85.09 180.51
Profit before exceptional
2.38 −3.35 4.29 −0.97 9.52 21.05
items and tax

Note: Q = quarter; fiscal year end was March 31st.

Source: “Quarterly Results,” Titan, accessed August 25, 2021, https://www.titancompany.in/investors/investor-
relations/quarterly-results.

EXHIBIT 2: TANISHQ BRAND CAMPAIGNS

Tanishq is for the progressive-minded Indian, and that is not an age criterion but mindset criteria.

Deepika Tewari
Associate Vice-President, Marketing, Jewellery Division
Titan Company Limited

Tewari narrated Tanishq’s brand journey as follows:

In the initial years, conventional medium like print was used to target upper-middle-class to lower-upper-
class women [who] appreciated uniqueness, elegance, and class. Later the brand communications
showcased woman of grace, poise, and personal style, promoting Tanishq’s range of diamonds. Adapting
to the changes in the market, Tanishq started rolling out television commercials for every festival, which
became the brand’s unique selling proposition. Around 2012–2013, the company expanded the target
market by promoting smart, safe, and sensible investment in gold.

The Remarriage ad in 2013 has been a turning point in the Tanishq advertising Journey. It started the
conversation around gender bias, gender inequality, and the [LGBTQ] community, which was appreciated
by many for the progressive stand. Titan, after that, tapped into regional emotions celebrating all types of
Indian weddings, projecting Tanishq as a coming-of-age brand that embraced and celebrated the
idiosyncrasy of various cultures in India. Tanishq brand differentiated itself based on its inclusiveness, which
ardently strived to celebrate varied relationships. Tanishq created a national jeweller, which was competing
in the vast unorganized jewellery segment in India. The brand kept the deeply traditional nuances intact
while celebrating the core sentiment that bound Indians.

In 2011, Tanishq launched a digital contest, christened “My Expression,” eliciting the designs that appeal to
young working women. The contest had above 3,200 entries, [on] which 40,000 online consumers voted. Mia
by Tanishq was launched based on the contest, which attracted women seeking contemporary designs and
office-friendly jewellery. Tanishq continued weaving path-breaking stories and communication for this sub-brand.
Page 9 W25084

EXHIBIT 2 (CONTINUED)

Subsequently, sub-brands like Rivaah targeted the wedding segment, and Mirayah for women under 40s
and Aveer for men’s fashion were launched. Tanishq was firmly embraced as an inclusive and progressive
brand. One specific example [is] the Raksha Bandhan festival, which Tanishq celebrated as not just the
traditional brother–sister bonds, but also [to] include sisterhood. Tanishq also leveraged popular celebrities’
fan following and cult status in the advertising. Movie superstars like Deepika Padukone and Amitabh
Bachchan endorsed the brand.

Digital media was used as the primary discovery platform by Tanishq, which was leveraged for building a halo
around the brand, increasing consideration, and providing accessibility for the consumers. In 2017, the brand
utilized digital influencers to ask people to share their Tanishq story using the hashtag #20YearsOfTanishq.
Social media platforms’ interactivity was harnessed for enhancing consumer engagement, using different
contests and activities spread across its social media platforms.

Source: Adapted by case authors from Brand Saga, “#Brand Saga Strong Women & Memorable Ads: The Tanishq Advertising
Journey,” Social Samosa, September 26, 2019, http://www.socialsamosa.com/2019/09/brand-saga-tanishq-advertising-journey.

EXHIBIT 3: SELECTED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS RESPONDING

TO TANISHQ’S 2013 ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN

– That Tanishq advertisement has worked well, everyone is talking about it.

– Tanishq breaks social norms, celebrates remarriage in new ad, Good on you Tanishq.

– Indian advertising finally coming of age, very progressive.

– So proud to have lived to see a time where caramel skin and remarriage are celebrated unabashedly
by a leading brand.

– The new Tanishq ad is a super step in the right direction. Full marks for saying while selling. Salute.

– A dusky bride with a daughter in an ad? Well done Tanishq Jewellery for breaking stereotypes with
grace & power.

– Dear India, advertising really cannot be your moral compass—sincerely get a grip on where you’re
looking for guidance from.

Jagdeep Kapoor, chair and managing director of Samsika Marketing Consultants, was quoted in an
interview about the campaign as saying, “The brand has broken away from the old and moved towards the
bold. The commercial has definitely made people sit up and talk and in that respect the brand has
succeeded. It does not mean that conventional strategies for brand campaigns are not valid anymore, it
just means that unconventional are valid too. However, was it necessary? That’s a call different sections
will have different views about.”

Source: As quoted in Meenakhi Verma Ambwani, “Tanishq Makes a Point,” Hindu Business Line, October 31, 2013,
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/tanishq-makes-a-point/article23028840.ece.
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EXHIBIT 4: SELECTED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS RESPONDING

TO TANISHQ’S EKATVAM CAMPAIGN

Is this possible that any Muslim family celebrates “Baby shower ceremony”, so what tanishq wants to
pretend... It’s all about to promote “love zehad”
Our festivals are near and they have many options for advertisement but they doing sach a ridiculous
thing.
#BoycottTanishq

—Anjali Singh Chauhan (@AnjaliS27307902), Twitter, October 12, 2020 at 11:30 a.m.,
https://twitter.com/AnjaliS27307902/status/1315676164770291712.

You have broken the hearts of many people tanishq........Not expected this from you........ ⠛⟲
Love Jihad ❌
#BoycottTanishq
@TanishqJewelry

—Poonam Singh (@PoonamS76887000), Twitter, October 12, 2020 at 1:04 p.m.,

https://twitter.com/PoonamS76887000/status/1315699956007669761.

First Red Label then Surf Excel now Tanishq.

This is how these brands whitewash Love Jιhαd these days.

—Mikku (@effucktivehumor), Twitter, October 12, 2020 at 10:57 a.m.,

https://twitter.com/effucktivehumor/status/1315667977405042688.

It’s really sad to watch what kind of country we are turning into. An ad uniting two religions has to be
taken down in the country which used to be called secular since forever.
Ᏽд♀
#tanishq

— Nilesh Chhanga (@ChhangaNilesh), Twitter, October 13, 2020 at 11:24 a.m.,

https://twitter.com/ChhangaNilesh/status/1315855917351497729.

Its a matter of view . It is about Love not Jihad. #Opinion #tanishq @TanishqJewelry
@nehaltyagi08 https://t.co/y5Nb1ozsIP

— Shivam jain (@Shivamj97113360), Twitter, October 12, 2020, as quoted in Namit Singh Sengar,
“Advertising Bodies AAAAI and ASCI Back Tanishq,” Economic Times: Brand Equity, October 14, 2020,
https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/advertising/troll-naka-tanishq-ad-faces-the-ire-of-
social-media/78636108.
Page 11 W25084

EXHIBIT 4 (CONTINUED)

Am I the only one who doesn’t understand the hype around #tanishq ad? It’s a simple ad showing unity
and we should be celebrating it.
Just because there are some religious fanatics doesn’t mean you antagonize the entire population.
SMH

— Pooja. (@vilegenius), Twitter, October 12, 2020 at 11:02 a.m.,

https://twitter.com/vilegenius/status/1315669073901088769.

Clearly women on twitter have far more spine in dealing with trolls than @TataCompanies
@TanishqJewelry. You couldn’t take the heat for even a day and caved into the hate mob. As for the
bigots, they can never defeat what India really stands for- plurality and diversity

— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi), Twitter, October 13, 2020 at 2:25 a.m.,

https://twitter.com/Nidhi/status/1315901422727131136.

This is really sad! How can a brand as strong as Tanishq from the House of Tata’s chicken out based on
trolls? In fact the trolls were helping you get more visibility for your ad. #Tanishq #Advertising.

— Raj Nayak (@rajcheerfull), Twitter, October 12, 2020 @ 11:12 p.m.,

https://twitter.com/rajcheerfull/status/1315852848140218368.

Source: As quoted in Namit Singh Sengar, “Advertising Bodies AAAAI and ASCI Back Tanishq,” Economic Times: Brand
Equity, October 14, 2020, https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/advertising/troll-naka-tanishq-ad-faces-
the-ire-of-social-media/78636108; and Remya Nair and Revathi Krishnan, “Tatas Got Panned for Tanishq Ad. But This State
Govt Is the Largest Shareholder in Titan,” The Print, October 27, 2020, https://theprint.in/economy/tatas-got-panned-for-
tanishq-ad-but-this-state-govt-is-the-largest-shareholder-in-titan/531324.
Page 12 W25084

EXHIBIT 5: SELECTED SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS RESPONDING

TO TISHAQ’S DIWALI CAMPAIGN

This Diwali, let’s kill tradition, Hindu culture and promote consumerism.
Because photoshopped secular models with fake smiles and VFX bodies loaded with regressive Gold
jewellery will lead us to Ekatvam - the Vedic philosophy of oneness.

—Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri), Twitter, November 8, 2020 @8:04 a.m.,

https://twitter.com/vivekagnihotri/status/1325423870568931335.

I don’t know why people think that their festivals/religion are being attacked by an advertisement that is
just trying to give a social message to not burn crackers. What’s wrong in this? I don’t understand. We all
know that we our earth is going through a climate change.

—Shrey (@ShreyMakwana1), Twitter, November 9, 2020 @ 9:13 p.m.,

https://twitter.com/ShreyMakwana1/status/1325622607492739072.

There is something wrong with a section of people in India.

All #tanishq care about is indian people and diversity. By telling not to burn firecrackers, its only aim is
prevent air pollution but no people will bring everything to religion.

— Shravani Jena श्रावण◌ी जेना ੫◌ାବଣୀ େଜନା (@shravanijenaa), Twitter, November 8, 2020 @ 8:37 p.m.,
https://twitter.com/shravanijenaa/status/1325613530670796800.

#tanishq
What’s the point of adding concept of firecrackers over the advertisement of jewels?

—Sakshi Singh (@thedab_hand), Twitter, November 9, 2020 @ 11:17 a.m.,

https://twitter.com/thedab_hand/status/1325834994703495169.

Message to #Tanishq
Stop Giving Gyaan During My Festivals.
My Festivals are not your Social Awareness Campaign.
—
वीण च◌ौह◌ान ॔ 40k (@YamrajFromHell), Twitter, November 9, 2020 @ 9:37 a.m.,
https://twitter.com/YamrajFromHell/status/1325809758901686273.

Sources: As quoted in Scroll Staff, “Tanishq Withdraws Ad on Cracker-Free Diwali after Calls for Boycott on Twitter,” Scroll.in,
November 9, 2020, https://scroll.in/latest/978110/tanishq-withdraws-ad-on-cracker-free-diwali-after-calls-for-boycott-on-
twitter; and India TV Trending Desk, “Boycott Tanishq Trends on Twitter Again for No-Firecracker Diwali Ad, Brand Partially
Withdraws It,” India TV, November 10, 2020, https://www.indiatvnews.com/trending/news-boycott-tanishq-trends-twitter-
again-for-no-firecracker-diwali-ad-brand-partially-withdraws-backlash-663691.
Page 13 W25084

EXHIBIT 6: THE RULING PARTY IN STATES OF INDIA AFTER BJP ELECTED

TO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT IN 2014

Ruling Party in the State Government Share of National

Population in
State 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2011 Census (%)
Andhra Pradesh Other Other Other Other Other 4.1
Arunachal Pradesh BJP BJP BJP BJP BJP 0.1
Assam BJP BJP BJP BJP BJP 2.6
Bihar BJP BJP BJP BJP BJP 8.6
Chhattisgarh BJP BJP BJP INC INC 2.1
Goa BJP BJP BJP BJP BJP 0.1
Gujrat BJP BJP BJP BJP BJP 5.0
Haryana BJP BJP BJP BJP BJP 2.1
Himachal Pradesh INC INC BJP BJP BJP 0.6
Jharkhand BJP BJP BJP BJP Other 2.7
Karnataka INC INC INC Other BJP 5.0
Kerala Other Other Other Other Other 2.8
Madhya Pradesh BJP BJP BJP BJP BJP 6.0
Maharashtra BJP BJP BJP BJP Other 9.3
Manipur INC BJP BJP BJP BJP 0.2
Meghalaya INC INC Other Other Other 0.3
Mizoram INC INC INC Other Other 0.1
Nagaland Other Other Other Other Other 0.2
Orissa Other Other Other Other Other 3.5
Punjab Other INC INC INC INC 2.3
Rajasthan BJP BJP BJP INC INC 5.7
Sikkim Other Other Other Other Other 0.1
Tamilnadu Other Other Other Other Other 6.0
Telengana Other Other Other Other Other 2.9
Tripura Other Other BJP BJP BJP 0.3
Uttarakhand Other BJP BJP BJP BJP 0.8
Uttar Pradesh Other BJP BJP BJP BJP 16.5
West Bengal Other Other Other Other Other 7.5

Note: BJP= Bharatiya Janata Party, INC = Indian National Congress, Others = Neither BJP nor INC.
Source: Created by the case author based on available data from “Election Results—Full Statistical Reports,” Election
Commission of India, accessed September 28, 2021, https://eci.gov.in/statistical-report/statistical-reports/.
Page 14 W25084

ENDNOTES
1
This case has been written on the basis of published sources only. Consequently, the interpretation and perspectives
presented in this case are not necessarily those of Titan Company Ltd. or any of its employees.
2
Samarpita Banerjee, “Tanishq Has Brought in around Rs 100 Crore Sales through Video Calls in the Last 2 Months,” Business
Insider, August 27, 2020, https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/article/tanishq-has-brought-in-around-rs-100-
crore-sales-through-video-calls-in-the-last-2-months/articleshow/77767849.cms.
3
The term “trolling” generally refers to someone using an online platform to make intentionally provocative or hurtful
statements, or posts to or about another user or group.
4
Tanishq (@TanishqJewelry), “The idea behind the Ekatvam campaign,” Twitter, October 13, 2020, 11:11 a.m.,
https://twitter.com/TanishqJewelry/status/1316033929791467520?s=20.
5
Yuthika Bhargava, “Tanishq Withdraws Advertisement on Inter-Faith Marriage Following Social Media Criticism,” Hindu,
October 13, 2020, https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tanishq-withdraws-advertisement-on-inter-faith-marriage-
following-social-media-criticism/article32841428.ece.
6
Avik Das, “Tanishq Pulls Down Latest Festive Ad after Social Media Controversy,” Times of India, November 11, 2020,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/79174672.cms.
7
Nandana James, “Tanishq Advertisement Controversy: Should Brands React to Trolling?,” Hindu Business Line, October
14, 2020, https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/should-brands-react-to-trolling/article32850436.ece.
8
Sugandha Indulkar, “Be Innovative, Digitise, Reach Out: Ajoy Chawla, CEO, Titan Jewellery,” Economic Times: Brand Equity,
November 2, 2020, https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/marketing/be-innovative-digitise-reach-out-ajoy-
chawla-ceo-titan-jewellery/78992385.
9
HT Correspondent, “Tanishq Drops Ad after Online Trolling,” Hindustan Times, October 14, 2020,
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/tanishq-drops-ad-after-online-trolling/story-tWaPU97mi79lWfl3XjZ85O.html.
10
“Gems and Jewellery Industry in India,” India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), October 14, 2020,
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11
“Gems and Jewellery Industry in India.”
12
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13
Shukla, “A Shining Future.”
14
Shukla, “A Shining Future.”
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17
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18
The KaratMeter, introduced by Titan, used x-rays to give an exact reading of the purity of gold.
19
₹ = Indian rupee; US$1 = average of ₹74.10 in 2020.
20
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24
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25
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26
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31
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32
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Page 15 W25084

34
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