What's with the short ad film format?

Of late, the short ad film formats by bigger and smaller brands have had all my attention. Of course, it could not be a mere coincidence that the story telling in a particular format starts appealing to creative minds alike and at the same time.

So I started watching more of these ad films to draw a pattern if any and understand if there is demographics which is playing a driving force here.

Note: Before you go ahead and read the complete article, this has been written specifically wrt. The Indian diaspora.

By this month end, the total number of internet users in India will reach 462mn, out of which 371mn will be attributed to mobile internet users. Also these mobile internet users are becoming more data hungry which reflects in the rise of share of mobile internet spend in the average monthly bill from 54% in 2014 to 64% in 2015.

Adding to it, the India beyond the Top 8 metros which lies in Tier II and Tier III cities have seen a surge in the consumption of mobile video content. It is estimated that mobile video traffic will increase at 83% CAGR between 2015 and 2020. Video content will account for nearly 50% of total mobile data consumption by 2017.

The cheap smartphones in price sensitive market in India, free Wi-Fi/internet access in many areas and the data hungry consumers seem to help each other’s cause and create a perfect ecosystem for the video content to be an instant hit at this juncture.

(Source for the data: DazeInfo)

So, yes! Not a mere coincidence!

While I tried understanding the ecosystem in detail, I was intrigued to understand if there are behavioral pattern too which make certain brands vouch for this short ad film format. Among many ads I saw, here are few which really impressed me.

1. Paperboat: the tagline says drinks and memories and so do their ads convey the same emotion. No wonder we love walking down the memory lane but one needs to see its series of ads to understand how they have associated memories with a particular flavor of drink. (memories)
2. Kissan Tomato Sauce: This is one of the most loved brand and consumed in almost every household in India. But as the competition grows fierce and the positioning remains no more distinct, the brands need to work hard to stay at the top of the human brain. This ad hits us hard and makes us realize of the times we live in and how a small act can bring us all together. (self-awareness, cognition)
3. Nescafe: of late this brand has been known for its ads breaking stereotypes, social stigma and is in sync with the reformation wave India is undergoing. And dreamers as we are, any brand that makes us feel powerful and pushes us to achieve our dreams can fall no short of being loved by one and all. (aspirations, dreams)
4. Tanishq (branded jewelry): There is no denying the fact that the world has drifted towards a consumerist approach but to convince somebody to buy gold while the prices were soaring and the overall market was(is) sluggish. What you do? You get into the lives of people and celebrate with them their little joys. And that is what this Tanishq did with all the elegance. (celebration)
5. Last but not the least a foreign brand (British Airways in this case) succumbing to the same strategy makes me think that how powerful is it to narrate a story to the end consumer about them. This brand has consistently touched the relationships’ spectrum be it mother-children, husband-wife but this time it went ahead and projected the Indian warmth thereby catering to broader range of audience and establishing connect. (taking pride in our existence, self-respect)

While the aforesaid factors have set the ball rolling for the brands to invest in this story telling format (and answer what part of the story), it is important to understand why these brands want to do so.

1. Values: As we grow more aware of ourselves, our societies and our value system; we want to be associated with the brands that capture those essence and instead of asking us to change merge with us (the consumers) seamlessly. Brands then have no option but to tell a tale that is close to the end consumer.
2. Brand Association: We are big time brand conscious people but at the same time we are socially responsible too. At the cusp of global warming, climate change, market risks, etc. the brands want to project themselves as responsible too. They want to ensure that customer lays its trust with the brand and do not deny associating with it. A happy customer is equal to happy brand!
3. Customer Lifetime Value: Brands are no more selling products alone. They have moved on from there to adopting customer-centric approach to the concept called Customer Lifetime Value. And this is more than simple ROI calculation. What they are looking for is long lasting relationship with the customer so that they can understand where to invest for growth. This requires to make customer very much a part of their journey.
4. Multi Target: Lastly, I believe the concept of identifying the TG (especially for consumer brands) is no more valid. Lines are blurring, consumption patterns are changing and while the brands sell their product, they need to look at the various aspects of the problem-product and the market. So these ad formats help these brands in keeping the essence of the product at place and target various segments at the same time.

No wonder short ad film format (the story telling) helps brands capture the attention of the consumer well and impinge a story rather than a product in their minds. Thereby leveraging the brand recall and brand recognition. Because now your story and not your product defines your brand. Smart move indeed!

And yes, we undoubtedly love listening stories about ourselves!