At the speed of yellow

The new ad campaign for DHL seeks to reinforce its expertise in handling international deliveries.

In its latest global advertising campaign, international express services provider DHL seeks to reinforce its position as the leading express carrier and exemplify its expertise in handling international deliveries. Developed by 180 Amsterdam, a Netherlands-based advertising agency, the campaign includes both print and electronic advertisements. Touting DHL as the international specialist in express shipping which delivers at the ‘speed of yellow’, the campaign centres at the guiding principle of the company — to attach utmost importance to the customers’ needs and meet their requirements at any cost.

The television commercial (TVC) highlights the express carrier’s role as background support provider for every business, big or small. Utilising the brand colour — yellow — to establish that DHL serves at the speed of light, the TVC takes the viewers into a journey across the globe and even outer space.

The TVC begins with a DHL van leaving a pick-up point and turning into a bright yellow light that shoots through the air and reaches various international locations, even far-flung regions like the Arctic. The light is seen travelling at breakneck speed and, on reflection, reveals DHL’s pick-up vehicles reaching its customers. The TVC also shows the trademark courier van being exchanged for an ice scooter in the Arctic zone and for a bicycle when making way through crowded Mumbai roads, thus adding some local flavour and portraying DHL as a truly global brand.

Shot in Paris, New York, Shanghai, Alaska and Mumbai, the TVC highlights the large number of destinations covered by the carrier. In the process it also shows how DHL makes key events across the world possible — from creating a car in Paris, to delivering a circuit board in space, to helping a film maker in the North Pole and assisting scientists in Mumbai to successfully create a robot. With No matter where you are… Just call my name; I’ll be there in a hurry... playing in the background to the remixed soundtrack of Ain’t no Mountain High Enough (which was first used in DHL’s commercials in 1991), the deftly shot commercial keeps up with the company’s tag line of ‘Excellence. Simply delivered’.

The print advertisements, a total of four, come with punch lines like ‘A contract is signed in London. By 10.30 AM the next day, it touches down in Wall Street’ or ‘A dress is stitched in Hong Kong. The next night it’s applauded in Paris’ and show how DHL aids business, work and life across global destinations.

DHL claims its latest ad campaign is its biggest. How big is it? Chandrashekar Pitre, senior director, marketing, DHL Express, South Asia, rattles off the numbers. The campaign is slated to run across 42 key markets. It will be translated into 25 local languages, screened in 280 TV channels and printed in over 360 magazines and newspapers. The soundtrack will be played on 200 radio stations and can be downloaded from iTunes. The campaign already has a strong online presence with over 2.16 billion impressions across the world wide web. However, Pitre declined to comment on the ad spend.

Talking about the latest campaign, Pitre says, “As the pioneers in express shipping, we are dedicated to help businesses grow. The bright yellow light in the TVC is metaphorical. It represents the people, the network and most importantly the ‘can-do’ attitude of DHL Express that work together to make a difference to its customers.” To complement this advertising effort, DHL has recently launched a certified international specialist (CIS) programme to ensure better training for its employees worldwide. Designed by DHL, it is estimated that by October 2011, all 100,000 DHL Express employees globally will have graduated from the CIS foundation programme.

That apart, an addition of three Boeing 777 freighters has also been made to its network to accelerate transit times along key growing trade routes between the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.

DHL is hopeful of the TVC leaving a mark in the Indian market as well. The campaign, which was launched globally in May 2011, hit the subcontinent on September 26.

On DHL’s India operations, Pitre says, “The Indian logistics sector is on a high trajectory and the demand for world-class logistics and warehousing facilities has grown.” According to a Frost and Sullivan report, the sector reported revenues of about $82.10 billion in 2010, witnessing a growth of about 9.2 per cent over the previous year, driven primarily by strong growth of key manufacturing industry sectors. Globalisation of manufacturing systems coupled with advancements in technology are compelling companies in the segment to highlight speed, efficiency and strong customer service in their communication to gain consumer confidence.

“We will continue to focus on key industries like pharmaceuticals, temperature-controlled logistics and fashion and textile,” says Pitre. DHL has also developed logistics solutions to meet the growing needs of India’s fashion industry. “We are the official trade facilitator for designers like Nachiket Barve, Swapnil Shinde and Little Shilpa at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter 2011 and will demonstrate our expertise in this industry as well,” he adds.