Marketing the 'Surrogate" way

Watching an IPL match, a marketeer in the making is intrigued with the question of promoting Royal Challenge, a liquor brand by associating with music cds in advertisements and keeping it as the sponsor of an entire IPL team. Why is there the need to disguise it ? 

"Surrogacy", a word that still raises eyebrows in our society. But marketing does change the way one looks at things, doesn't it! Surrogate advertising is advertising which embeds a brand or product message inside an advertisement which is ostensibly for another brand or product. The prime reason for this is to circumvent a ban on direct advertisements of particular products. All of these activities technically do not violate the ban on direct advertising, but they still get consumers familiar with the company's branding

Advertisement for products like alcohol which are injurious to heath are prohibited by law in several countries as well as in India and hence these companies have to come lip with several other products that might have the same brand name and indirectly remind people of the whisky or beer bottles of the same brand. Common examples include Hayward's and Kingfisher beer brands, McDowell’s No. 01 Whisky which is often seen to promote their brand with the help of surrogate advertising.

Generally, we always watch the advertisement of such product, but these products are not shown directly. The different things like Soda, Mineral Water, Music CD, Mega Cricket team clubs, Friends clubs are shown in advertisement. Many people know about the liquor products, but they can't understand where to purchase such Music CDs 'are available or where is that Mega Cricket Club, because actually many a time such products never marketed. These advertisements call the attention of viewers towards the liquor products.

Following are a few of the surrogate advertisements which are used by manufacturers of whisky and liquor products in India.

1. Bagpiper: It is a famous brand of whisky. In advertisement actually Bagpiper Club Soda is

shown at the place of whisky.

2. Royal Stag: It is well known as 'RS'. Instead of advertising whisky, manufacturer had shown

Music CD and Mega Cricket in the advertisement with theme "Make it Large". But people never try to purchase these products. They always know that Royal Stag means whisky.

3. McDowell's No.l Platinum: This whisky brand is advertised with surrogate product Soda. Indian Cricket

Team skipper MS Dhoni' tells that, "The No. 1 Spirit of Leadership". Through soda company is advertising their whisky products.

4. Royal Challenge: Some cricketers are shown in this advertisement, at the same time music is played. At the end of advertisement brand name 'Royal Challenge' is displayed in bold letters with very small 'Music CDs'. It was also advertised with the help of mineral water.

Customers and manufacturers are not interested in surrogate products, because we can’t see such products in a number as compared to whisky. Shortly, we can say, these advertisements are complying with legal aspects and advertising the correct product.So, Surrogate advertisements are successful strategy for marketing of whisky,liquor products. 

Despite knowing the real intention behind the advertising, we still look at the direct advertising of the product as a taboo.                                            

Triggers a nerve, doesn't it !!