The term, "surrogate advertising" is very popular with tobacco and alcohol manufacturers in India. The product can be manufactured; it can be sold; and it can be consumed legaly. But the product cannot be advertised. The result, we have major alcoholic beverages companies requesting people in their commercials to drink "club soda" and "drinking water", products which they barely manufacture.
Is such advertising an ethical measure? Does it serve the purpose of keeping the youth away from such vices. In this internet generation, the strategy barely serves the purpose. The posters, hoardings and shop displays still exist. It is probably not right to advertise such "dangerous" products. But neither is the fact that the companies are forced to do it.
Watch the Cobra beer ad below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Cz9YArGz0
Will anyone buy drinking water after watching that?
Sunday 22 February 2009
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