HT Media’s campaign announcing the cessation of Fever FM as a marketing tactic has received mixed reactions by industry experts. Some say all’s fair in advertising and marketing while others believe that announcing the demise of a brand as an elaborate marketing ploy is in bad taste and should never be done.
Ramesh Menon, CEO of audio business, HT Media Group, took to Fever FM’s LinkedIn to announce the cease of operations of Fever FM, a radio under the Fever Network. However, Fever FM isn’t actually shutting down. It is preparing for a relaunch and moving to a new digital home.
“Yes, the era of Old Radio is over. Purana radio Ab khatam. And we haven’t just stopped there! We cranked up the volume and gave Fever a bold, new look and a great new sonic identity. Say hello to the revitalized Fever in its refreshed avatar – Happening Hai!,” said Menon in a LinkedIn post announcing the relaunch.
The video campaign used the infamous misleading tactic that worked very well from a publicity point of view. Brands often use this tactic where they showcase one thing and use it to convey something entirely different. The sole purpose of this tactic is to grab as many eyeballs as possible. It’s a form of clickbait.
But the question that has been raised as a result of this campaign is if announcing the demise of a brand is a good marketing strategy.
Branding guru Harish Bijoor said, “Death of a brand (even a feigned one) is a headline. If 100 read the headline, possibly 5 read the body (where the prank) is revealed. Therefore, doing this is a bad strategic move. It’s tempting. But don’t call the demise of your brand. Ever.”
Think of it this way. What is the purpose of a campaign? To grab eyeballs, to turn viral and to get everyone to talk about it. From that stance, it was a success. But another very important aspect of marketing is getting the right message across. Did HT Media succeed in doing that? That has been the debate.
Dr. Sandeep Goyal, managing director at Rediffusion said, “Everything is fair these days – deepfakes to deadly sackings that are only for PR! It is just a question of catching eyeballs. And brands these days don’t fight shy of anything that will become viralised because of its shock value.”
While this is true, chasing virality in no way is wrong. But at what cost?
“This type of gimmick, especially one that goes to the extent of announcing a shutdown and then revealing a rebranding, is a risky double-edged sword,” said N Chandramouli, chief executive officer (CEO) of Mumbai-based brand intelligence and advisory firm TRA Research.
According to Chandramouli, in a dynamic medium like FM radio, where listeners often switch between channels without a fixed preference, such a move can confuse the fence sitters.
“The fluid nature of FM radio makes it challenging for listeners to identify the station they are tuned in at any given time. By executing this gimmick, the brand not only eliminates choices for potential listeners but also fails to establish a clear identity,” he added.
“Unfortunately, despite aiming to create a buzz, the execution of this gimmick is rather tardy and may lead to a significant decline in the brand’s credibility,” he said.
One of the country’s top chief marketing officers said, “A brand is immortal. Its immortality is fed by its success. There are no instances of a great brand killing a business but there are innumerable examples of a great brand being let down by a failed business. Brand dharma is about keeping the brand alive and vital. Not to declare its demise.”
There’s also an innate possibility for some legal repercussions on HT Media’s campaign. As per mandates, a listed company must inform stock exchanges of any part of its business shutting down. This avoids any confusion and anxiousness among investors. If a company fails to do so, it gives grounds for SEBI to take action. While this campaign is an elaborate marketing gimmick, it does imply the cease of operations of Fever FM. It is entirely possible that HT Media did take this into consideration. But, on the offset that it failed to, there might be unforeseen fluctuation in stock prices disfavouring the company.
Prateek Lakra, managing partner, Clergy & Wisemen said, “We have to understand that such an alleged misleading advertisement probably was issued with the consent of the director(s) and it might be a case that investors were not notified about such an advertisement as it’s a miscellaneous matter. Further, if such an alleged advertisement is published to affect the securities of the company then it would be deemed to be an unfair and fraudulent trade practice.”
Advertising and marketing allows for excessive creative liberty. And why shouldn’t it? That’s what makes it interesting. Ad campaigns are bound to create buzz, especially somewhat controversial ones like this. The line between what is seemingly acceptable and unacceptable is incredibly fine and blurry. It’s a lovely grey area where risk is savoured. Operating on the edge of that line results in a campaign that stands out.