This is what makes Ambi Parameswaran's recent book, For God's Sake, interesting. Though it is written in a non-serious and friendly way, the book provokes marketers and advertising creators to look at religion with a fresh pair of eyes and see what opportunities it provides for brands to connect with consumers. He argues that weddings, festivals, pujas, pilgrimages, prayers and music are integral rituals. They are symbols of religion, and thus provide opportunities for brands to connect with people and grow their business. All that is needed is to recognise their role and ride on them.
At the most obvious level, brands can capitalise on these rituals by offering special packages - whether wedding trousseaus or gifts, festival packs or pilgrimage offers. This is something many brands have done, tactically, in the past. In fact, Asian Paints began its journey to iconicity with its "Celebrate with Asian Paints" campaign, in which it strategically built associations with festivals through television, outdoor advertising and even promotional materials such as calendars in the 1990s. Many images did have a clear religious feel to them, but the brand used diverse images across religions for both festivals and weddings - so it remained secular in its overall outlook. Weddings and festivals have been big contexts for many brands, but the driver has often been an attempt to ride the "spending" season by enveloping the messaging with the occasion.
However, greater opportunities exist. Today, pujas have moved from inside the home to the streets. Festivals have become occasions for social gathering and for community celebrations. This provides brands with activation zones to engage with consumers. It could be made possible by simple association through sponsorships and announcing prizes for the best celebration or decoration: Asian Paints set up the Sharad Shamman in what was then Calcutta in 1985 to celebrate the creative excellence of that city's people during Durga Puja, and to forge bonds with the locals. Or brands could get consumers to do things relevant to the brand promise and thus heighten the brand experience: Lifebouy's "Roti" and Vodafone's "Ear muffs" campaigns at last year's Kumbh Mela are good examples of brand activity that engaged consumers directly and benefited from a cascade effect in digital media. The "Ear muffs" campaign had stronger religious overtones; it included bhajans. The Lifebouy activation, on the other hand, built on an activity the brand did a few years ago in Punjab. Outside gurudwaras, people were encouraged to wash with the soap and thus become "purer" before entering the place of worship. Navratri and Tuesdays are all-vegetarian days for some Hindus. Some people don't even eat onions and garlic during Navratri. A vegetarian-only festival run by an otherwise multicuisine restaurant can help the brand demonstrate that it respects local sentiment, thereby enhancing its equity.
However, unpeeling religious rituals to understand the deeper meaning and significance can open up other interesting and stronger opportunities for branding through symbolism. In his book, Mr Parameswaran talks about the disappearing bindi in the 1990s in Indian advertising. As creative advertising started depicting the modern woman, and moved her out of saris and into trousers, the bindi also gave way. On the other hand, it's interesting to note how ICICI Prudential used the sindoor in its launch advertising in the early 2000s to signify protection. The red mark continues to exist in the logo today. The connection wouldn't be made today, but when it was used, it was powerful symbolism: the application of sindoor by a man on the woman's head is a pledge of protection for life. ICICI Prudential usurped the value of protection by using the symbol. The question to ask in such a brand-building exercise is whether there is a need to remind consumers about the interpretation. Even later, with its "Jeete Raho" campaign, ICICI Prudential subliminally owned other symbols of protection.
Similarly, fragrant incense sticks (agarbattis) are used in temples. Agarbatti smoke is supposed to carry messages in prayers to the gods; its fragrance is supposed to help the devotee achieve meditation. This opens up an opportunity for brands to incorporate such fragrances and tap into the richer dimensions of aromatherapy to drive connections with a religious group.
Pilgrimages are auspicious for all devotees. While they are meant to bring a person closer to the divine, they are also occasions for bonding - within families and with strangers. They could provide great context for brands based on values of togetherness and bonding, and thus have an added, subliminal, religious flavour that raises the connections to a higher level.
With globalisation and a supposedly more confident younger audience, there is always a growing concern that religion is on a decline. As Mr Parameswaran again points out in his book, this is far from the truth in India. Observe the queues outside any famous temple and you can see people of all shapes and sizes. Recent studies have shown that there is a return to religion among younger people and this provides an opportunity for brands to bring back the meaning and symbolism of many rituals.
Of course, any journey into religion by a brand has to be undertaken with sensitivity. Just as with other elements of popular culture such as fiction, movies and serials, marketing also needs to ride the wave of religion in a way that appeals to audiences without polarising them. However, shying away from it is ignoring a strong marker of culture, and missing opportunities. A multinational spokesperson once said: "We don't segment our consumer by religion." Mr Parameswaran says, in his book, that those are famous last words. Something worth thinking about.
The writer is vice-chairman of Ogilvy and Mather, India. These views are personal.
madhukar.sabnavis@ogilvy.com