DARE - Because Entrepreneurs Do

When brands fight it out amongst themselves, the fight is all about capturing market share and toppling competition. And when they do it on TV, it is all about grabbing eyeballs by making the cheekiest of ads and taking potshots at the competitor.

The sub-continent has had ads that have unleashed witty and funny, and at other times drab, commercials to hit back at each other. During the 1996-97 Wills Cricket World Cup there was the memorable Pepsi versus Coca-Cola campaign, when Pepsi hit back at Coke, the official sponsors of the tournament, by sporting the tagline, Pepsi: Nothing official about it. Suggestive yet not blatant or at least not legally improper. Since then there have been detergents, shampoos, chocolate based milk drinks, bikes, DTH and even the airline industry! (Kingfisher versus Jet Airways) Even recently the chocolates category too adopted this strategy as Nestle's Munch made a poor imitation of Cadbury's Dairy Milk.

However, a shocker of a campaign was unleashed a week back (February 25, 2010) by Hindustan Unilever' (HUL) Rin locking horns with Procter & Gamble's (P&G) Tide Naturals. Forget pixelating the competitor's brand name or pack shot or using beeps, Rin took on Tide Naturals by not only clearly showing it but also poking fun at it's competitor' tagline and ending the commercial with a super that says, 'Issued in the interest of Rin users.'

In a matter of few days it sparked off debates amongst industry experts as well as consumers themselves who are often accused of not noticing ads on TV. Not only did the brand get instant visibility and created a buzz, but also got the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) knocking at it's door, seeking answers for violating norms. Said that, the Kolkata High Court has now passed an interim order, restraining HUL from airing the  Rin commercial, terming it "disparaging." 

However, what the brand has surely gained out of this debacle and repeated bombarding of its commercial, is a lot of publicity and awareness (even if it's out of shock and awe) out of a stubborn lot of consumers. Some may remember Rin for its parody, while some may find the brand's attempt rude, while others might end up recalling Tide heavily out of the ad too! After all everything is fair in love and war and it surely is a breath of fresh air to chance upon some disruptive advertising on the idiot box...