Advertisements are more than what we merely see on our screens, it takes a lot of time, energy and resources to bring it alive. Advertising campaigns not only help brands to reach its target audience but also make consumers aware of the product or services. As a matter of fact, it plays a crucial role in evolving consumer habits, trends and traditions. In our weekly Campaign Decoded series, industry experts highlight the unseen behind a campaign. Ankit Desai, marketing director, Hershey India, talks to BrandWagon Online about the conceptualisation, thought and more about the campaign. (Edited Excerpts)
What was the thought behind the campaign?
The feeling of the festive season sets in weeks before the day of Diwali. What brings this feeling to life are the several components, rituals, festivities and fun that help elevate the festive season. We wanted to partner with consumers in their festive journey and bring alive all these special moments of joy and togetherness.
Having Shraddha Kapoor was a great starting point for us to drive this communication. Consumers are always keen to know how their favourite celebrity celebrates the festival. Through the campaign #ShraddhaWaliDiwali, we were able to create a sense of relatability and intrigue and make Diwali larger than life for our consumers.
We also rolled out our Festive Moments Gift Packs, offering consumers an immersive experience via a QR Code to drive personalisation and create an optimum buying and gifting experience by helping them craft a personalised greeting for their loved ones.
Which agency has conceptualised the ad? Why did you choose it?
Hershey India onboarded creative and production partner Goodfellas Studio to conceptualise and execute the film. It was important for us to onboard a partner that not only has a strong celebrity portfolio but would also do justice in bringing out the right balance between brand and emotions through a strong narrative.
How do you intend to influence consumers with this campaign?
The festive season in India is about celebrations, gifting and emotions. As a premium chocolate gifting brand we wanted to drive favorability for Hershey’s Festive Moments Packs and make the go-to gifting choice this festive season. This range of chocolates has seamlessly become an integral part of Indian households, for elevating everyday occasions or enhancing the joy of festive celebrations. We want consumers to understand that a Hershey’s waali Diwali, is not just about gifting chocolates, rather, it’s about making all moments of togetherness special.
Which are the mediums you have chosen to advertise on and why? What was the budget for this campaign?
Along with platforms that would help drive top-level awareness such as Shraddha Kapoor’s Instagram page and Hershey’s brand pages, we activated a high-impact digital campaign through an audience-first approach by identifying platforms our consumers were most likely to be at during the festive/holiday season. The campaign was activated across META, YouTube, YouTube CTV, Amazon DSP, and a high-impact programmatic blast driving consumers to the Amazon Gift Store.