Abstract
The present research article is an attempt to chronicle and examine the journey of seven decades of Indian advertising, from the era of Indian independence to contemporary India. The Indian advertising journey is divided into three broad phases. While the first phase takes pre- and post-independence years of advertising in India into account, the second phase discusses, in detail, the changing Indian economic, political and social scenario which redefined the women’s and children’s role in Indian advertising. The last phase describes the contemporary era when Indian advertising is gaining global attention and appreciation. Indian advertising has made a long and transformative journey. Beginning as a direct factual presentation of offerings, Indian advertising has changed significantly, employing creative and unconventional methods to present products and services. This research article is first-of-its-kind attempt to chronicle and examine the evolution of the Indian advertising industry since independence.
Introduction
India has come a long way since it gained independence from its British colonizers in 1947. At the time of independence, the world believed that India would not survive for long and result in a failed state (Mazzarella, 2003). However, since then, India has evolved into a vibrant constitutional democracy and has made quick strides in various sectors. The Indian advertising industry is no exception. Starting from a small-scaled enterprise to developing into a full-fledged industry, the Indian advertising sector is the second fastest growing advertising market in Asia after China (Advertising and Marketing Industry in India, 2017).
During the last 70 years, the Indian economy and society have both undergone tremendous changes, which are reflected in Indian advertising as well (Halve & Sarkar, 2011). Beginning as a direct factual presentation of offerings, Indian advertising has changed significantly, employing creative and unconventional methods to present products and services. Furthermore, advertising in India has also played several crucial roles throughout in India’s recent history such as raising awareness of various social taboos and reigniting the spirit of being Indian through promoting self-determination. It has acted as a catalyst for social change and has been employed to capture the hearts and minds of consumers. Indian advertising has made a long and transformative journey. It is a journey from ‘Print’ to ‘Digital’, a journey from the unimaginative to the innovative. It is a journey from ‘Lovely Leela Chitnis of LUX’ to ‘Whisper’s Touch the Pickle’, a journey from ‘Tandurusti ki Raksha Karta Hai Lifebuoy’ to ‘Google Maps’ #LookBeforeYouLeave’. In a true sense, the Indian advertising is a journey from ‘Selling’ to ‘Storytelling’.
In this respect, the present research article is an attempt to chronicle the journey of seven decades of Indian advertising, from the era of Indian independence to contemporary India. The journey is divided into three broad phases: (a) Advertising in India: The Initial Years, (b) The Changing Advertising Landscape and (c) Indian Advertising: Today and Tomorrow, as depicted in Figure 1.
While the first phase takes pre- and post-independence years of advertising in India into account, the second phase discusses, in detail, the changing Indian economic, political and social scenario which redefined the women’s and children’s roles in Indian advertising. The last phase describes the contemporary era when Indian advertising is gaining global attention and appreciation. As justifiably described by advertising veteran Piyush Pandey, it is ‘an era of engaging audiences through great stories, albeit with the use of new technologies’ (Agnihotri & Chetan, 2019; Pandey, 2015).
Advertising in India: The Initial Years (1930–1970)
This phase of the Indian advertising is considered from the year 1930 to the year 1970. From the 1930s to 1947, India was under the influence of British rule and hence same influence is visible in advertising of that period. The same influence continued for some years even after India became an independent country in 1947. Advertising in pre- and post-independence India was heavily influenced by the British and in fact acted as an outpost of British Empire. The advertisements during this period were direct and factual, which lacked creativity and newness (Nair, 2013). It was a time of economic turmoil, shortage and deprivation for young India; a time when companies did not market their products, they rationed them (Sengupta, 1990). The government also focussed on heavy industries rather than consumer goods. India continued with the policy of isolationism, economic protectionism and avoided global trade (Cutler, Erranilli, & Javalgi, 1992) which reduced the desires of Indian consumers to basic sustenance alone and hence advertising was direct and bland.
The market was dominated by imported British brands, and advertisements focussed only on Sahibs and Memsahibs, the upper class of that era. Lipton’s, Lux, Pond’s, Hawkins, Wills Navy Cut and Bata were among the prominently advertised brands which targeted the Indian elite class only. Advertising during this phase was limited to pictures paired with slogans printed in the newspaper. Print and Out of Home (OOH) were the only options available to advertisers until the potential of moving pictures was discovered. With the advent of cinema as a medium, it became the playing ground for many advertisers and the creative community (Sridhar, 2017).
Table 1 presents a summary of pre- and post-independence years of advertising in India. While a year-wise discussion on print campaigns of select brands is included in Table 1, respective advertisements are illustrated in the Appendix.
Advertising in India: The Initial Years
It is evident from Table 1 that Indian advertisements in the initial, post-independence years were mostly influenced by British culture and targeted at the elite class of Indians only. These advertisements are characterized by direct product depiction, unoriginality, cluttered ad copies, large visuals and poor readability. Advertising back then primarily focussed on communicating product features with the intent of direct selling at its core. Media formats such as print, outdoor displays and cinema were the only options available to an advertiser. Since then, various aspects of advertising in India have evolved alongside the changing socio-economic environment of India, post-independence but before market liberalization. The subsequent section discusses these changes.
The Changing Advertising Landscape (1970–1995)
This phase of the Indian advertising is considered from the year 1970 to the year 1995. It was the pre-reform period when Indian economy was a closed one. During this period, the Indian advertising got rid of British influence and focus of the advertisers shifted towards Indianization of marketing communication to lure masses. Advertising in India underwent several changes in the post-independence era. Cinema as a medium came in vogue, and it quickly created path for the next big thing in advertising, that is, Television (TV) (Sridhar, 2017). The arrival of TV in India considerably changed Indian advertising. Apart from developments in advertising media, the methodologies for creating advertisements also evolved in that it became a more rational and scientific process, while also showing some signs of creative and original thinking (Halve & Sarkar, 2011). Additionally, new advertising methodologies and media facilitated the introduction of modern technology and new product demonstration through creative visualization. Gradually, advertising was advancing into more of a relationship-building endeavour with the customer, rather than a one-time solicitation. To fulfil these client-facing roles, newly minted MBA graduates were hired by advertising agencies.
The explosion of TV and its increasing popularity in India contributed to radical changes in the Indian lifestyle. It brought refrigerators, washing machines, noodles, mopeds/scooters and condoms to Indian homes. It was an era which also witnessed more women joining the workforce, which in turn changed the role of women and children in the household by empowering them to make purchasing decisions (Mazzarella, 2003). And, consequently, advertisements reflected the same through its Print, Radio, Out of Home (OOH) and TV campaigns. Furthermore, it would not be an exaggeration to say that this era also saw the ‘Bollywoodization’ of the Indian advertising industry. Britannia, Nirma, Pan Parag and Garden Vareli, all well-known brands in India, are few such names which used famous Bollywood celebrities to endorse their products.
Table 2 presents a chronological summary of advertisements released during the changing advertising landscape in India post-independence. The advertising campaigns of select brands are discussed in the table, and a video link hosted on YouTube of each of the respective advertisement is also provided for illustrative purpose.
Table 2 takes a random sample of some prominent commercials during the post-independence era. It can be noted that the majority of these commercials portray women and/or children which indicates the change in the target demographic in India during this time. Advertisers frequently depicted children and women to sell a variety of products, namely soap, detergent powder and cooking oil. The advertisements were characterized by direct product depiction and mention and the use of catchy jingles and accompanying music; however, most importantly, they represented a strategic shift from Western influence and ideals to Indian-centric stories and themes. With the introduction and increased penetration of TV sets into Indian households, brands and advertisers utilized the potential of this new advertising medium to the fullest. The next section discusses how liberalization of the Indian economy radically transformed the advertising industry in India.
The Changing Advertising Landscape
Indian Advertising: Today and Tomorrow (1995–Till Date)
This phase of the Indian advertising is considered from the year 1995 to till date. Implementation of several economic reforms flooded Indian market with various foreign brands. The globalization of the Indian economy resulted in spanking new malls, lower duties, rapid changes in lifestyle and rampant consumption (Mazzarella, 2003). With customers having more choice than ever before and increasing consumerism, advertising in India underwent another step change. The emergence of new media such as satellite TV, the internet and mobile platforms made advertising more professional and entertaining. The presence of International advertising agencies in India brought in the required professionalism, creativity and technical excellence in the Indian advertising. It has resulted in global recognition and appreciation for Indian advertisements.
Advertisers have realized that for an advertisement to create a meaningful impact in today’s marketplace, it should have an Indian soul at its core; however it should have an overall international feel (Arathoon, 1996). This has prompted advertising agencies to shift their focus towards storytelling and use of branded video content, as knitting a meaningful and creative story around the product/brand leads to greater consumer engagement and loyalty (Fang, 2015). The future of Indian advertising lies in engaging the audience through inspirational and entertaining stories, conveyed effectively through the use of new technologies.
Table 3 summarizes the present scenario of advertising in India. The advertising campaigns of select brands are discussed in the table and a video link hosted on YouTube of each of the advertisement is also provided for illustrative purpose.
Indian Advertising: Today and Tomorrow
As it is evident from the Table 3, modern-day advertising has moved from its traditional role of ‘Selling’ to ‘Storytelling’, which resulted in its global recognition and appreciation (Sridhar, 2017). The advertisements are characterized by subtle or no product depiction, high creativity, apt casts, impressive background music and lyrics and, of course, flawless cinematography (Chaudhuri, 2014). Today’s advertisers are focussing on weaving a creative, emotional story around a brand’s offering, instead of directly communicating product features and pushing sales. This goes for even non-traditional consumer product categories such as adhesives, paints and ply where Indian advertisers have successfully built beautiful stories around the product, directly and deeply connecting with their customers.
Implications of the Study
An attempt is made through this study to look at the advancement of the Indian advertising since pre- and post-independence era. This research has several meaningful implications and insights not only for academicians but advertising practitioners as well. It provides a comprehensive understanding of how advertising in India evolved in the past 70 years which is a valuable resource for academia. It is expected that the students of advertising management will also be greatly benefited by understanding the Indian advertising journey. This study also strengthened the well-established belief that political-legal, economic, socio-cultural, technological and demographic factors play a critical role in designing and execution of marketing communications.
This study shows that Indian advertising evolved with the gradual changes in society and how advertising in India was a true reflection of societal changes throughout these years. In order to be effective and successful, advertising practitioners should keenly observe social dynamics. This research article also suggests how advertising dimensions changed with the changing societal norms and customs. It tells that how advertisements which were earlier more factual and direct are now more towards storytelling instead of direct selling. The article also gives insights to practitioners on how new media forms are useful to tell a beautifully crafted story around the product and brands.
Concluding Remarks
This research article attempts to chronicle and examine the evolution of the Indian advertising industry since independence. With a humble beginning under the British rule and influence, Indian advertisements have changed considerably with the changing political, economic and social scenario throughout these years. Most of the pre- and post-independence advertisements targeted the British people, the royal families and the upper strata of the society only. The newborn Indian middle class received advertisers’ attention much later, with the changing socio-cultural dynamics of young independent India (Nair, 2013). This change was not immediate, rather an ongoing process. As the needs and desires of Indians changed, newer products came up to cater the varying needs and desires and, thus, advertising also evolved to supplement the same.
From ‘Print’ to ‘Digital Video Content’, from ‘Direct Selling’ to ‘Persuasive Storytelling’, the Indian advertising journey has been fascinating and captivating so far. The future lies in audience engagement through fabulous stories, narrated using modern technologies. In the words of advertising guru Piyush Pandey, ‘The future is bright. However, if the story is not great or if the story is not human, no technology will save you. Not today. Not any time in future’.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Appendix
Lipton’s Tea (1931)
Pond’s Cream (1947)
LUX Toilet Soap (1947)
Godrej Turkish Bath Soap (1950)
Brylcreem (1955)
Pond’s Dreamflower Talc (1958)
Cadbury’s Bourn-Vita (1960)
Eno Fruit Salt (1960)
Lifebuoy Soap (1962)
Philips Radio (1963)
Wills Navy Cut (1965)
Murphy Radio (1966)
Hawkins Pressure Cooker (1966)
Nescafe Coffee (1966)
Cinthol Soap (1967)
Bata Goldip Shoes (1968)