Strange things have started happening in corporate corridors across the world. A new wave of philanthropy has become the high point of discussion amongst business tycoons, billionaires and industry stalwarts. Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, two of the world’s richest men who have given away almost half their fortunes, brought their philanthropic initiative “Giving Pledge” to India.
Corporate India’s largest donations ($3.5 billion) of personal wealth have added new dimensions to business. It is strange that the passion for charity — philanthropy — which at one point was considered a very personal pursuit and was generally kept outside the purview of businesses is being used as a tool for corporate and brand communication.
We are progressively witnessing the blurring of borderlines between business es and charity; acts of giving and earning are giving birth to new concepts of business. “We see no dichotomy in encouraging entrepreneurs to build great companies while also thinking about the manner in which the good fortune that comes with successful business endeavours can be shared with the society that contributed to their success…” said Warren Buffett.
If the business model starts changing, change will be visible in communication too. Brands and companies like Hindustan Unilever, Coca-Cola, General Mills India, Kellogg India, Nestle India, Mars International India, PepsiCo and Cadbury are pledging to change their food advertising to children.
Management gurus of today are penning new principles of transactions. The old marketing jargon of warfare, battle for mind share, strategy for guerrilla PR and advertising have lost their sheen. Truth, transparency, simplicity and trusteeship are the new building blocks of business. New Age marketing gurus say products and services focused on “the needs and well being” of people can earn good profits; such initiatives can never go out of business. Such businesses regenerate resources, create assets and build better societies of wealth, health, harmony and happiness.
Echoes of these thoughts have been seen in ads for quite a while. How quietly the devil has transformed into a saint! The neighbour’s envy is gone. The Devil of Onida has relinquished it and proclaims Sach ke siwa kuchh nahi kahunga. The dirt-obsessed housewife no longer wonders Uski sari meri sari se safed kaise? Today she has reconciled her decade old battle with dirt. She is happy if her Surf saves two buckets of water.
The language of advertising has changed. The story of two leaves and a bud has lost its flavour in tea ads. Much beyond the story of the taste it brews is a story of transformation — of a more awakened society that establishes a stronger emotional connect with consumers. More significant is that all these commercials are crying hoarse to be fresh, original, innovative and different from their predecessors — because times have changed and so have consumers. What has precipitated these changes, what has caused the shift in consumer
perception?
One big change agent is a paradigm shift in connectivity. In the last 10 years we have witnessed the evolution of the Internet from information to ideas to things. Connectivity has given us a ubiquity and also boundless accessibility. Nothing is hidden; nothing can be hidden from the eye of the all knowing consumer. Brands are bracing themselves to tackle this new reality. The changed paradigm reinforces the importance of being honest in all our activities including business. Consumers are asking not just how efficient the brands are but how good are the companies behind them? There is a dawn of a new realisation that business at the end of the day is a service. And communication is not just words to be read and heard; it is to be experienced.
Twenty years ago when TATA Steel created a corporate campaign, “We also make steel”, it came under lot of criticism internally not just because TATA’s old machinery and defunct technology left much to be desired and improved in terms of upgradation and modernisation but because TATA believes corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy should find expression not in words but in actions. Some untold stories work harder. L.N. Mittal, the global steel giant, was overwhelmed by its impact when he had visited Jamshedpur a few years ago, “For the breed that talks about CSR and talks about the role of corporate India, a visit to Jamshedpur is a must. Go there and see the amount of money they pump into keeping the town going; see the smiling faces of workers in a region known for industrial unrest; see the standard of living in a city that is almost isolated from the mess in the rest of the country.”
The power of philanthropy and CSR are being acknowledged by big brands across the board. We have seen interesting powerful ideas creating a buzz across India with their powerful brand recall. Save trees, save tigers, are ideas that are changing life. In tomorrow’s clutter and cacophony innovative and eloquent campaigns will have their pride of place but wordless campaigns via initiatives like CSR and philanthropy will probably make the final difference. Heard melodies are sweet but those that are unheard yet experienced are even sweeter.
The writer is VP, Consumer Insight & HFD (Human Futures Development), McCann Erickson India. He can be reached at kishore. chakraborti@mccann.com