'Moment marketing should be done while staying into ethical realms'

Moment marketing -- a buzzword dominating the marketing circles for the past few years found itself under a critical spotlight once again a few days ago as Baseline Ventures decided to sue about 15 brands for using Olympian PV Sindhu’s image on their posts, which were designed to ‘celebrate’ her second Olympics medal. The marketing world found itself in a weird conundrum, what went wrong and what could be the right way to celebrate such moments of pride, glory, or sometimes embarrassment. And how could moment marketing be done while staying into the ethical realms -- not hijacking an ambassador or event’s goodwill for their own selfish pursuits. To find the answers, exchange4media.com interacted with some of the leading names in the marketing world to create a Moment Marketing Rulebook, that could be referred to before jumping on the wagon of trending events on social media.

Marketing v/s Celebrating

Once again getting back to PV Sindhu’s case, many argued that brands were simply congratulating her on an amazing feat and were not actually advertising themselves -- then how could it be wrong. But the industry experts opine that anything that a brand puts out on social media is an ad because the fulcrum of having a social media presence for a brand lies in the need of building brand awareness or drive sales.

22feet Tribal Worldwide President Preetham Venkky says, “To give a very basic definition, ads are a medium for promotional/marketing purposes. You either use them to achieve a brand KPI (build brand awareness and reputation) or business KPI (get users to download apps or make purchases). And that’s exactly what any brand’s social media profile aims to achieve. It might not be business KPI always but even building brand saliency is a motive. So, everything you see on a brand’s pages is, in fact, an ad. Even if you name it as content, it is serving the marketing function!”

ASCI Secretary General Manisha Kapoor further elaborates, “The ASCI code defines an advertisement as "a paid-for communication, addressed to the public or a section of it, the purpose of which is to promote, directly or indirectly, the sale or use of goods and services to whom it is addressed. Any communication which in the normal course may or may not be recognized as advertisement by the general public, but is paid for or owned or authorized by the Advertiser or their Advertising Agency would be included in the definition". This definition will be used to determine if a specific post may or may not be considered as an advertisement. On a brand's own channel, it is likely that all posts are advertisements, as they speak for the brand.``

Infectious Advertising Head of Digital Rashid Ahmed further explains, “A branded social media page posting material may be considered to be advertising, since all content appearing on the page’s timeline may be viewed in conjunction with the brand itself. So, if a brand posts imagery and/or content that’s directly relatable to an individual, it may be viewed as being used for an exploitive purpose ie., for gain. That gain could simply be a positive association for the brand. However, if a brand shares publicly available sources (e.g. sharing a news post), that may just be fair use of public content.”

To Moment Market or Not

It makes you seen, it makes you feel relevant, and it helps you connect with the audience in a relatable fashion; but it is very important to understand that every moment is not your brand’s to be seized to market. The industry opines that it is very important for a brand to be discerning about their choices of moments they could bank on.

Venkky highlights, “Brands really need to ask themselves if moment marketing delivers any KPIs for them, be it brand or business. I feel non-data backed follies continue for a long time and it’s therefore very important for brands to run their individual research and find out if these posts are actually delivering some results for them or not.”

He continues, “Next, brands need to ask themselves if a particular moment is resonating with their brand values & purpose and if it will connect with their core target audience. The best example one could refer to is Zomato’s Independence Day Post.”

"not accepting orders anymore"

- India, 15th Aug 1947 ??

— zomato (@zomato) August 14, 2021

As per dentsumcgarrybowen India Managing Partner Indrajeet Mookerjee there is a thin line between genuinely riding on a trend, and being opportunistic and using it for sales of our own brand. “It’s not idealistic to piggyback or be opportunistic in the marketing world. However, if the brand hasn’t used any untoward remarks or copyrighted images and the intent has been good, it could work wonders for the brand. And if the brand is not making a direct sales pitch through its marketing creatives, it could actually have a positive influence.”

Havas Creative President Manas Lahiri adds, “(Moment Marketing) is not the only tool for engagement. There are other basics that need to be addressed first. Don’t generalise the role of moment marketing. If it’s not suiting your brand objectives, stay away. Will it create engagement and have a positive reaction to your brand, think and then jump in.”

The Dos and Don’ts of Moment Marketing

Moment marketing is a time-sensitive matter and that’s why it’s often prone to miss the mark or get on the wrong side of the curb. That’s why it is important for any agency and brands to have some rules of thumb handy to help them navigate it. 

Kapoor says, “Moment marketing is important for brands as they engage with consumers when an issue is topical. However, moment marketing campaigns don't usually undergo the rigour and scrutiny that other campaigns go through. This makes it prone to errors of judgement, and calls may be taken by inexperienced people without thinking through the implications. Hence, I think each organization must have its list of dos and don'ts for such campaigns so that they don't harm the brand's standing or infringe upon rights of consumers or others.” 

Here are some of the dos and don’ts of moment marketing as suggested by the industry;

ASCI Secretary-General Manisha Kapoor

 Some of the things that I would suggest brands look at are; 

1. To be sensitive about the situation/ incident. Since such events could be simultaneously developing, there could be new facets that get uncovered later.
2. Do ensure that you are responsible, respectful and mindful of the interest and reputation of the parties involved. Ensure that your brand is not taking undue advantage of the reputation of others.
3. Don't lose sight of what your brand fundamentally stands for. Not every moment needs to be leveraged blindly. Judicious use of the right messaging for the right moments creates impact, else it just creates clutter.
4. Don't be in such a tearing hurry to post, such that the fundamental checks and balances within the organization go for a toss. Senior and experienced resources need to apply their mind before releasing such ads. 

dentsumcgarrybowen India Managing Partner Indrajeet Mookerjee

1. Be real, abstain from sounding fake and being opportunistic.
2. Be true to the brand’s positioning and image.
3. Consider the legal and ethical implications before jumping the gun.
4. Understand the difference between Moment Marketing and Ambush Marketing 

Infectious Advertising Head of Digital Rashid Ahmed

1. Some of the best use of moment marketing may be the use of generic topics of current situations or events. A brand needn’t directly mention participants or even an activity, as long as the thematic essence of the situation is adequately drawn.
2. Brands should not use an individual’s name or likeness without explicit permission. Nor should they make references that are directly attributable to individuals’ (or group’s) achievements. Copyrights could come into effect right at the moment of performance.
3. Brands could look at sharing news content or create moment-relevant content which sparks the broader public conscience and imagination.

 22feet Tribal Worldwide President Preetham Venkky

1. Brands should only pick up moments that match their brand purpose and values. It should also have a cultural connection with the key target audience. All these three boxes are to be ticked. 
2. Always be cheeky and creative about your content. There should be a twist that makes it relatable to the moment or attract the attention of your target audience. 
3. Do not be direct about it. Do not write a copy that willingly or unwillingly might end up making someone who is not your brand ambassador look as if they are endorsing your brand.
4. Do not blindly jump on every trend. Be very discerning and cautious about the topics you pick. 

Social Beat Co-founder Vikas Chawla

1. Stay True to your Brand's core.
2. Be quick and decisive.
3. Don't infringe any trademark and IP
4. Try to stay original within the realms of the trend.

Havas Creative President Manas Lahiri

1. Create content that creates conversations about your brand’s POV and not the occasion.
2. It should be creative cut-through and make it fluid.
3. Be consistent but don’t have a fear of losing out.