Indepth: The anatomy of boycott culture in India – Part 1
“Gutter Ki Nali Se
Public Ki Gali Se
Raste Pe Aaya Yeh Jhund Hai
Logo Ki Phatgeli
Bajh Mein Hatkeli
Aaya Ye Sero Ka Jhund Hai”
(Lyrics of a song from the Hindi film ‘Jhund’)
The social media landscape today has become a dark underbelly of the cyber world for this amorphous brigade capable of dishing out boycott calls with such bulldog tenacity that makes brands recoil, and do what they’d hate to do – withdraw the campaign that has ‘hurt’ the ‘sentiments’ of some ‘netizens’. More often, brands succumb to such online thuggery, fearing backlash of any kind, including a dent – however small it may be – to the brand image and equity.
In this ephemera called social media, such boycott calls have become potent weapons at the hands of nefarious elements; and the general perception is that anyone ignoring them will be doing so at their own peril.
In fact, we have been witnessing such boycott calls for quite some time now, which has unfortunately only increased in frequency. The latest cases are the ones surrounding Swiggy and BharatMatrimony. In the case of Swiggy, the food tech company had to face netizens’ ire over its Holi campaign asking people not to use eggs on each other during the celebrations. Swiggy had to take down its billboards and the Instagram Reel following a sustained online campaign. Similarly, BharatMatrimony faced flak for what is actually a powerful statement on the harassment and trauma that women face in the name of Holi. Both campaigns were dubbed as being ‘Hindu Phobic’, as netizens told off both the companies “do not tell us how to celebrate Holi”.
How is it affecting the advertising industry in general?
Unfortunately, the boycott gang is going from strength to strength. It showed its power during the Aamir Khan-starrer ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ boycott call, remembers Socxo CMO Ajit Narayan.
“Not that every boycott call has worked, but it is a trend trying to show the power of social media in influencing people to act. And it is no longer just a social media trend. While one could brush these calls aside as inane of nonsensical or politically motivated, this is showing the world how the online and offline worlds are merging. And the influence of social in making people take action,” Narayan opines.
According to him, it is not new to the advertising industry alone. “There have been many calls and many of them have actually pushed takedown of the ads, from Fab India to AU Bank to the ‘No Bindi, no business’ – there are too many of them now. While earlier, this could have been thought of as a harmless way to garner attention to the ads by running them for a short while (lesser media money spent) and then getting it into the boycott dialogues and thereby getting it seen, heard, and talked about, it is now going to unknown territory. Just like the anti-virus software industry is the biggest culprit of the virus itself. It was quite possible that the industry that created the boycott model is to blame for the actual movement,” he adds.
Now it is coming back to bite the very industries that created the model, he further says. ”But that’s only a hypothesis and no one can actually prove it. While major sections of society abhor this as an irritant and a hijack of the neutral Indian point of view, it is growing stronger as we speak. With more brands complying to pull down even at trivia like the two ads on Holi. It is amusing to see the so-called outrage and culture spiel when molestation happens in real life on the streets as was seen with the Japanese tourist recently and there are many such. What is needed is a full shake-up and wake-up call offline, probably a boycott of the boycott gang with court orders might work. But then it requires serious attention as this has the potency of changing the narratives and mindset.”
What is perplexing is that even innocuous campaigns bear the brunt of such campaigns. Where should brands draw the line? Should they play second fiddle to such campaigns at all with a knee-jerk reaction that teeter on the brink of misplaced fear?
Vinod Kunj, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Thought Blurb Communications, has a different take on this. He prefers taking social media with a pinch of salt and staying away from popular Western labels like ‘boycott culture’ and ‘cancel culture’.
“You will notice that for every voice that complains about the ad, there is another voice that supports the ad and the brand. I don’t think Twitter can be considered to be the moral arbiter of society as a whole. In fact, as advertising professionals, we should welcome the discussion. The more people talk about a brand or an ad in particular, the more it lodges in their minds,” he says.
The boycott culture is on the rise, driven by factors such as the growing use of social media, the heightened emphasis on corporate social responsibility, and the increasing polarization of political and social issues, points out iCubesWire Founder-CEO Sahil Chopra.
According to him, today’s consumers expect companies to align with their values and beliefs, and failure to do so can result in significant business loss.
“Brands must be considerate with their advertising and stay on top of changing consumer attitudes to succeed. Brands must prioritize ethical practices to build a loyal customer base. If not, they risk experiencing the aftermath of losing customers who do not align with their values,” Chopra adds.
Boycott culture is prevalent in emotionally and culturally driven situations, points out Ramya Ramachandran, Founder-CEO, Whoppl. “When you are in the creative field, it is essential to be mindful of triggering sentiments and tapping into emotions while avoiding offense. Everyone today is so aware and woke of happenings, showcasing something irrelevant will arouse netizens to react in a certain way. Also understanding your consumers is key to avoiding backlash in today's socially conscious world,” she adds.
Industry reaction
What should be the industry’s reaction to such boycott calls? How can ad agencies ensure that the brand’s messaging aligns with the values and beliefs of the target audience, while still being creative and innovative in the approach?
Vinod Kunj terms the campaign against Swiggy as ‘manufactured outrage’. The said campaign, according to him, conveyed a progressive message.
“Protests are not new in our industry. People have always found some ads offensive. The only difference is that social media has made the voices louder. What matters is whether the message is offensive or not. In this case, my personal opinion is that Swiggy is asking people not to throw eggs at people during Holi. That is a progressive message and should be applauded. Whoever is protesting hasn’t quite understood its meaning. Seeing it as an affront to the festival of Holi sounds like manufactured outrage. I think advertisers and marketers will react the way I would. Calmly and with level-headed reasoning,” says Kunj.
“There should be reactions. Yes, plural. Since this is a social media phenomenon, with unknown variables. Not just one approach. But all approaches should be tried, including a hard ban on boycott calls. If everything offends people, then we as people will stop seeing anything apart from the idealistic version of Amar Chitra Katha. And live in make-believe,” says Ajit Narayan.
A brand is built on its interaction with its consumers, points out Sunitha Natarajan, Director – Digital Strategy, Social Panga. “Its story interlaces the end consumer’s response to its products and services. So, I believe there must be space for healthy conversation around their operations, especially what they advertise. Brands need to be on social media, now more than ever, to get the pulse of their end consumers, their opinions and feedback. The wants and needs of the audience are evolving rapidly. By keeping up with their worldview, advertisers can ensure more nuance in the way they market their products, while also being open to feedback. Once they receive feedback, either positive or negative, they have the space to take a stand and communicate their views. I believe branding is a two-way street in this regard.”
 Sunitha Natarajan, Director - Digital Strategy, Social Panga |
Ramya Ramachandran feels that creating effective advertising campaigns requires a clear understanding of the target audience and a solid rationale for every creative decision. “Whether using humour or other strategies, it is important to remain consistent and justify each approach. In India’s culturally diverse landscape, it’s vital to respect the distinct sentiments of different cultures, especially during topical occasions. Despite these challenges, there is still room for creativity and innovation in advertising that does not offend or hurt anyone’s emotions. Protecting these boundaries is a must,” she asserts.
What is needed is a calculated and nuanced approach from the industry stakeholders.
When creating messaging for their clients, advertising agencies must carefully balance creativity and sensitivity, says Sahil Chopra.
“By closely listening to their target audience, conducting thorough market research, and promptly addressing any negative feedback, they can ensure that their messaging connects with customers and contributes to establishing a robust and enduring brand reputation. It is essential to pay close attention to the feedback and concerns expressed by customers and stakeholders and to address them with due consideration. Ignoring or rejecting these concerns could damage the brand's reputation and a decline in revenue. Driving continuous conversations with customers can help ad agencies gain insight into what is most important to their target audience and determine the most effective means of communication,” Chopra adds.
(Tomorrow: Part 2 of the report will dwell on how brands can manage negative publicity and backlash from consumers.)
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