DEMISE OF THE DEVIL

The inevitable has happened. A legendary icon and a maverick brand ambasidor was put to rest. The devil was Dead!

I still can't digest the fact that Onida has decided to drop their devil campaign. If there is anybody they owe for their current position and sales, it is him. In ninties, when Onida introduced him, it took the competitors and marketeers by surprise. Isn't it foolish to play with "envy"- a negative emotion??But the devil quickly proved himself. He appealed to the darker and sinister side in everybody. Whatever the leading brands are doing today like Britannia bourbon with their "indulge your dark side" campaign, Onida did years ago. "Neighbors envy, owner's pride" - For me it is the ultimate tagline!

Personally for me, The devil gave nightmares. Literally!I was 5 or 6 years old when i saw the "devil" campaign, and he quickly hijacked my imagination. He was a constant subject of my nightmares. Every night before i go to sleep, i used to pray that i wouldn't dream of him. Alas, in vain! Strangely, the dreams were not random. It was like a serial, he used to start where he left off in the previous dream. I used to jump behind my mother everytime the devil showed up on the TV. So, i could say that i have a special association with him in my mind.

But practically speaking, the reason given by Onida was fair enough. Tv was not a source of envy anymore. It has become a common household product. The emotion "envy" was not relevent in today's times. So i was ready to bid farewell to The devil, with a heavy heart.

But what bugs me is the replacement. "Tumko dekha to yeah design aayaa??" What the smuck does that mean?? Onida says that the tagline represents the intention of the company ( i am deliberately avoiding the standard marketing jargon like "Value proposition") - an innovation keeping in mind needs of the consumer. I may be too biased because of my emotional connect with the Devil, but i think that their new advertisement campaigning is pure bullshit!! I don't know who are their target market, but i am not impressed!!

But enough marketing gyaaan. In conclusion, Devil's workshop expresses its deepest sympathy to the Devil and affirms that he may be dead in the marketing campaign, but he will be very much present in the content of this blog and the intentions of its author!