Ads tell a special story

A slew of brands are going for more realistic representation of differently-abled people in their commercials. We take a closer look at the changing thought process.

At first glance, a recent ad for a popular fast-food joint seems like a run-of-the-mill 30-second story showcasing friendship, except that it isn’t. The TVC shows two friends sitting at the eatery, indulging in friendly banter — the catch is one of them is mute. Another commercial for Google, that came out in May earlier this year, showcased Jhansi-based Amit Tiwari’s story, who underwent surgery to cure his decade-old blindness. Earlier, in an ad for a coffee brand, we saw a stammering stand-up comic. That ad proved to be one of the brand’s most highly recalled commercials. As the examples keep coming in, one notices that these ads have a markedly different approach than Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that would represent this minor section of the population and carry a clear message. It is only now that mainstream brands appear to be making an effort to endear themselves to this section of the population.

The ad for fast-food brand KFC that shows a mute friend has received over six lakh views on YouTube within just a few days of its launch. The brain behind it, Ajay Gahlaut, executive creative director, Ogilvy & Mather, says, “We were just looking to tell a story, which wasn’t explored previously. We wanted to make a statement without being preachy. As a society, we are increasingly getting ride of caste, colour, creed, gender and sexuality. This ad is a step in that direction.” For the brand, however, the ad is an extension of what they have been doing since 2008 — employing differently-abled people for their outlets. Lluis Ruiz Ribot, chief marketing officer, KFC, says, “This isn’t a new theme for us. However, this is the first time we integrated this concept in our TVC to bring alive the concept of ‘unlikely friendship’. We wanted to inspire people to have a different take on it, by championing diversity in friendship.”

Amer Jaleel, chairman and chief creative officer at Mullen Lintas agrees with Ajay’s point. He says, “As a society we are much more self-aware than we were, say, only a couple of decades ago. This thought-process has thankfully crept into our attitudes as well. Every brand projects a personality; and if it showcases a sensitive nature, it works positively for the brand.”

While such stories do tend to evoke empathy, if the intentions are to simply garner sympathy, the idea could misfire, says Vinil Mathew who made the stammering stand-up comic ad for Nescafé. He says, “People tend to gravitate towards stories of the underdog. So as long as it is represented genuinely, the strategy works for the brand. However, there’s a thin line between evoking empathy among viewers and mocking people who are actually speech-impaired. You need to create an ad which doesn’t emotionally manipulative the viewers. We didn’t want to harp on his disability. If brands decide to do it to garner sympathy, audiences will be able to notice that. There’s no point in milking empathy from audiences simply because it is the flavour of the season.”

The ads may have a high-recall value, but what impact does it really have on the popular psyche Amer says that in a country where ad jingles are a part of our daily conversation, it does manage to make an impact. He says, “The ads in India are emotional, humane and entertaining. This is exactly why these campaigns will help empathise with the differently-abled.”

Often while dealing with such subjects, it is hard to steer clear from stereotypes, points out Jeeja Ghosh Nag, head of advocacy and disability studies at the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy. She says, “You shouldn’t portray a person with disability in an ad just for the sake of it. Not everything needs to be an inspiration story. People with disabilities are a part of society but there is always a sense of being the other, in most representations. It is that stereotype which ultimately needs to be broken. An ideal ad would be if there is a group of people and the person with disability is just another part of that group rather than being the entire focus of the advertisement. The KFC ad is a step in the right direction, but there is a long way to go.”