Is there a conflict brewing in your mind?: Published articles/agencyfaqs 2

Article in agencyfaqs, Aug 17, 06

Is there a conflict brewing in your mind?
Pass it on to the nearest new product manager!

WHILE EPICS, BOOKS, MOVIES AND SERIALS AND PRODUCT IDEAS HAVE TAPPED INTO HUMAN CONFLICTS, HAS ADVERTISING USED THIS RICH AREA ENOUGH?

Every human being is rife with conflicts. And so is all great communication. From the Mahabharat, the Ramayan, the Bhagavad Gita, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Othello to Sholay, Devdaas and Tom and Jerry. Not to mention Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Tu Tu Main Main and Desperate Housewives.

Richly insightful serials like Full House deal with everyday family conflicts – growing up and looking after. Picket Fences picks community conflicts, Chicago Hope picks professional conflicts – ethical issues, personality clashes, professional-personal balances and more. The hit TV comedy show Home Improvement starring Tim Allen, centers around wanting to appear macho and being a family man at the same time The conflicts in this serial are many--from dealing with the softer, more sensitive male, Al (Tim’s assistant) to the division of labor with Tim’s spunky wife Jill, in running a home and raising kids. By seeing ourselves in their world, we learn to laugh at ourselves—and so resolve our own confusions like wanting to appear more macho, or dealing with smart-alec kids, or wanting the perfect marriage or bringing up imperfect children.

Conflicts imply a negative scenario and arise when we ignore needs that are essential to our well-being: our own needs, others’ needs or the group’s needs. Or from: how we define or use power, our values and our emotions.

But when managed effectively, conflicts become catalysts for growth and innovation; force new ways of thinking, and trigger the mind to generate new ideas.

HOW BRAND USE CONFLICTS

In the area of mobile telephony, Orange discovered “the more technology isolates people, the more they want to communicate in groups”. And used this to its advantage by being the first to introduce Group talk and messaging.

Time and again, fashion brands have had to resolve the conflict between individualization and social conformity. Fashion satisfies man's desire for novelty, for differentiation, for individuality, and still, at the same time, it makes for social adaptation and uniformity of action.

Luxury brands present a very interesting paradox. To quote: “it looks as if awareness feeds dreams-- but purchase makes dreams come true and therefore contributes to destroy it. This is the essence of the paradoxical nature of the marketing of luxury goods. The best-managed companies learn how to turn the paradox to their advantage. They position themselves at the intersection of two segments.”
Chupa Chups, the world’s leading lollipop, has very successfully explored the contradiction in the lollipop eating experience. “The eating experience is one which feels incredibly private – it is involving, playful and lasts a long time. At the same time the stick makes this experience one which is always displayed publicly. Introversion meets extroversion.”
There are any number of other examples where Health meets Indulgence, Nature meets Science, or Tradition meets Modernity.

INDIA: THRIVING ON CONTRADICTIONS

With its enormous economic and social disparities, and ability to absorb new influences without displacing the old, India is a cauldron of endless possibilities to dip into for new communication ideas. Something the Indian diaspora has drawn from with much success – be it films like Bend it like Beckam and East is East, or the prize-winning successes of Indian writers in English.

Examples like panneer pizza and aloo tikki burgers have been cited to death, but perhaps the best example is what RmKV a saree store in Chennai did. The ‘pavadai’ (long skirt) did not have the usual traditional floral patterns, but scenes from the universally loved fairy tale Cinderella. By resolving a conflict (how to make my child dress traditionally when her environment is shaping her style to be so Western) – a successful new product idea was born, an instant hit with both parents and little girls alike. The next year it was Snow White.


IN EVERY CONFLICT LIES AN IDEA!

I want to look good for my client meeting, but have no time to go to the parlor: handy, ready-to-use home facials kits.
I want to make up with my girlfriend, but don’t know how to break the ice: humorous greeting cards.
I want to be able to spend any time, but don't want to carry cash around: debit card, traveller cheques
I want sex, but I don’t want to have a baby: contraceptives
I want motherhood, but I don’t want to leave my job: crèches
I want to use a cream, but I don’t want to feel I’m using cosmetics: turmeric cream
I want to make money but I’m scared of the stock market: mutual funds
I want to save money, yet I want to spend: monthly income savings plans
I want to indulge my child, but I don’t want to spoil him: educational toys
I want to keep in touch, but don’t feel like talking – or wasting a phone
call: SMS messages
I want to be a family man but don’t want to step down on my macho-ness: family adventure car
I want an AC but I don’t want to indulge: power saving compressor
I want to eat chocolates but mummy doesn’t allow: milk chocolate
I want to use instant food mixes but I don’t want to feel I’m taking the lazy way out: instant cake mixes that still require you to beat eggs and shortening together, rather than “just add water”.
I want my husband to help in the kitchen but don’t really want to give up my territory: sunday cooking by dads.
I love thick rich tomato sauce but hate “hitting on the back of the bottle” to make it come out: a bottle with a large cap, designed to stand only upside down.
I want to drink Cola, but don't want calories with it: Diet Cola
I want to hear about rig veda, but hate the drony voice in which they explain it: Times Music

WHILE EPICS, BOOKS, MOVIES AND SERIALS AND PRODUCT IDEAS HAVE TAPPED INTO CONFLICTS, HAS ADVERTISING USED THIS RICH AREA ENOUGH?

So, when sitting down to write a piece of advertising, how can we use this rich world of conflicts to explore interesting possibilities?
The exploration needs to go down two axes: Relationships and Areas of conflict.
Each person’s conflict could be with: Himself/herself; His/her immediate family – spouse/parent/sibling; His/her immediate society – colleagues, friends, relatives; His/her larger society – the residential community, the social or political ethos; or the world/environment at large.
The second axis is the areas of conflict. Our conflicts could be around:
Money, Technology/Information, Time, Space, Health, Energy, Beauty, Sexuality/Love/Romance, Lifestyle/Fashion, Religion, Entertainment…

Who knows, you may land up with new unexplored advertising ideas… like pulse-calming watches, or perhaps adrenalin-arousing nail varnish; or cars that take you closer to nirvana, or walking shoes that are an answer to crowded car parks. Or maybe technologically advanced bubble-gum to improve a child's school grades…or separate bathrooms to improve a marriage!

Just look for a conflict to negotiate your way through - and feel that light bulb go on over your head and you might find a new way into your consumers heart.