Moment marketing: A free ride that could turn costly

The social media and digital advertising technique is a double-edged sword, as brands are learning with Olympic badminton champion PV Sindhu reportedly suing them each for Rs 5 crore. Let's try to understand how 'moment marketing' can put brands in the wrong spot.

What is moment marketing?

It's a promotional technique brands use in the social media and digital advertising era. They insert themselves into trending moments, which are already generating a lot of conversation, to gain some traction for themselves. Business and brand strategy specialist Harish Bijoor calls it "catching on to the tails of a trend to try to piggyback a free ride because the brands don't have to pay" the celebrity or the person of the moment. It can sometimes wrongly seem like the celebrity endorses the product.

Also read: How social media can help Olympic winners get endorsements in cricket-crazy nation

What's an example of it?

When badminton champion PV Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals this week, several brands ran ads on social media channels with her pictures and name along with their logo and branding to congratulate her. She is reportedly suing the brands for Rs 5 crore each.

How is it different from what Amul does?

Bijoor calls what Amul does as topical advertising, which is picking up a topic of current importance and giving it a twist with its own brand language of butter, taste etc, without directly using the celebrity's name.

What does the celebrity have to lose? Isn't it good for them if people talk about them?

While it's great for the celebrities to be talked about, some of them would like to monetise the opportunity. If a brand is going to use their pictures and names to grab eyeballs, it is only fair that they expect to be compensated for it.

What are its pitfalls?

As the brands that capitalised on Sindhu's moment have discovered, she may sue them for a big sum. Bijoor says it is a good wake-up call for brands. "If the celebrity endorses a particular brand, and a rival brand in the same category uses the person's moment for marketing, the brands they endorse will prompt the endorser to stand up to the brands, which are misusing them on a free basis."

Besides, it could backfire and make the brand sound, look and feel hollow. "The consumer is not naive and understands what the brand is doing. The brands don't necessarily get any advantage either. They get awareness. But this doesn't build interest or desire for the brand into the consumer," says Bijoor.

Also read: Craze for global brands fading; Indians want 'Made in India'

Also read: Thrasio model: The new mantra in the Indian startup ecosystem