One more shade of Grey

Pratima H

INDIA: Yes, ‘digital’ is the new ‘green’. It has overpowered many marketing glasses and has also changed the way we look at grass on that neighbour’s side. It is everywhere – and a pet prefix used almost to the point of appearing too lazy. You can attach it with ‘analytics’, glue it around ‘consumer’, stick it upon ‘conversations’, and wrap it around ‘activation – and it carries anything, literally anything, easily.

That also brings the predicament of making the word and its essence turn into a dry cliché, getting frazzled every passing day. Not many really understand its power precisely and a few others are still caught between the black sheep-white sheep debate.

What is ‘digital’ anyway exactly, like really really – at the core of it? Why is everyone being towed away behind this new Piper without getting the tune right?

Here’s someone who irons out these areas and many appended doubts around execution, effectiveness, conflict with creativity and conventional advertising, the right dose of provocation and privacy, and the ‘do we really need it’ question about Big Data.

Dheeraj Sinha is not only the Chief Strategy Officer, South & South East Asia at Grey, but his name plate is also gilded with many other colours reiterating his epic balance between creativity and effectiveness.

Like being a three times winner of the prestigious Atticus Awards, which is WPP’s award for best published thinking. Like having won several effectiveness awards, including the Jay Chiat Planning Award by the 4A’s, the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Award and the Yahoo Big Idea Chair, at APAC EFFIES, at EFFIES in India (Five years in a row to top that).

In his current role, he leads the strategic planning function for Grey (WPP Group) in India, South & South East Asia but a quick look at the rear view mirror shows the vast expanse he has travelled working in advertising for over 15 years across McCann Erickson, Euro RSCG, Bates and now Grey.

He is also the author of a highly acclaimed book ‘Consumer India – Inside the Indian Mind and Wallet’ (a recommended read at the Wharton School’s course on marketing in emerging economies), and has worked on brands and businesses across markets and categories including Sensodyne, Maxis, Maybank, Reliance Mobile, Colgate, MasterCard, LG, DBS Bank, Tata AIA, TVS, Virgin Mobile, Max Bupa, Fiat, Reckitt Benckiser, Emirates, Dabur, Park Avenue, Ashok Leyland, Marico and CavinKare.

In a quick chat following his riveting talk at C-Change that was themed on Digital forces, we stonk him with many doubts and many ‘why-s' in an attempt to get a better grip of the changing hues of advertising. Want a quick prescription for color-blindness? Hear him out:

Let us ask you something unabashedly – why is ‘digital’ not the new hammer which is making every part of branding or marketing look like a tempting nail?

There can be at times a feeling of too much hype around it. Yes, everyone talks about it but still there is a sense of adolescence about it. Very few have actually cracked it, and when I say that I am talking of both marketers and businesses. It is the nature of the beast – it will get bigger and will keep changing. For a marketer, there is some sense of control over the marketing plan but how do you bring the same level of control in a social-media plan? So, it’s definitely not like TV. And that’s why you have to let go at times. It is more about a change in attitude, and for being open to more transparency, and embracing new freedom; compared to what marketers and businesses have been used to at a general level. We have to nail those wrong ways that we have been used to first. Digital is not a magic wand, it will need effort and a lot of mindset change, which is definitely not an easy one to make but still critical to pursue.

That way it can also be more risky as we have see with the Ford Figo online fiasco and Starbucks Twitter campaign’s controversy recently? Is it then worth all the danger?

The question is not about it being worth it or not. It is about the risk of not doing anything at all. Can you choose not to have to do anything with 400 million people in India? How long can you stay away as a brand? You can’t. It all depends on how well you influence your way. Specially, when consumers are far ahead on the digital curve than businesses. Learn ways to leverage this new scenario.

Does it have to be irreverent and tongue-in-cheek all the time? Why do most brands that we see on digital mediums have a cowboyish approach to this medium?

It does not always have to be so provocative. But mass media has so much done and seen already that there has to be something new that can float above it. You have to generate conversations and that is perhaps why virals etc sound provocatively-inclined. Look at the Gillette’s recent viral though. It is serious and yet profound and interesting. Polarisation of people is a fast way to create weight on digital grounds. There is no denying that provocative-elements work faster and are easy to apply but that doesn’t mean it is the only way. Brands have to evolve and discover more and they will do that in due course of time.

You have travelled deftly from that era of advertising to this era. You have been on the jury for Asian Marketing Effectiveness Awards, APAC Effies and the Global Youth Marketing Forum. You gave such an entertaining glimpse of some covert nuances of Indian Consumer at C-Change. Why is ‘Creative-Effectiveness’ still not an oxymoron, specially in this new world?

In the digital world, response is a vital piece for conversation-generation and hence that brings in an effectiveness sense. The two elements are more joined at the hip in digital medium, in a relative sense.

What about Frankensteins who may lurk? Privacy and other issues?

Just ask two basic questions. Is it ethical? Is it really required? Our job is to tell interesting narratives. There has to be a line within which that happens. The line has to put somewhere by yourself in this case.

Data is a precursor to being digitally-poised. Is too much data not good data? Is data from the ocean of Big Data always potable?

When data becomes effective, and creates conversations and is creative, it becomes relevant. Big Data is allowing people to understand consumers in new ways and, often, in better ways. It does not have to turn creepy though. You have to make sure you do not end up spooking your customers. Too much and unnecessary data can be irrelevant and pointless. Brands have to be careful about Big Data.

What about intramural aspects of the digital force for any advertising agency? Can we expect one more silo growing between digital and conventional functions?

At our group, we have a good alignment which is visible in campaigns like Volkswagen, Gillette. Strategy, processes etc are changing. It is all about managing the transition and blending challenges well.

So digital is not the ‘tail’ of campaigns or brand-building anymore?

No. In fact, in many places, the big idea is coming from the digital side and not traditional sources. We work as a team and we walk the same line and the idea matters.

Why do you call ‘Grey’ as ‘famously-effective’ these days?

The idea is to build fame and gravity for our brands, with results. It travels from building buzz, shareability and nurturing great ideas with a comprehensive stroke.