Brands slice the message, straddle multiple media for customer buy-in

Advertisers speak in many voices across many platforms to get the message across, as consumers seamlessly flit between offline and online worlds

How does online food aggregator Swiggy speak to potential customers outside the metros, or let them know about the slew of discounts on its app? Use an advertising tool that is more than a century old: pamphlets inserted into the mailbox. Smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi, which built its fan following through ecommerce platforms, is on every billboard on every highway in several cities, announcing its recent market share wins. And brands that were born before the digital era, for example Parachute from Marico and Indulekha from HUL, are aggressively supporting causes or sharing memes on social media.

With the fragmented existence that