This time the Olympic games were sensational in many ways. India won record number of medals, Gold in Javelin throw was a big and pleasant surprise, Men’s Hockey reclaimed some ground after 4 decades, Women’s Hockey amazed everyone, badminton, wrestling and boxing added to our laurels and PV Sindhu sent legal notices to 20 plus companies for using her images and name in disguise of congratulatory posts and messages. Among the brands are major public and private sector banks, white goods manufacturers, and fast-moving consumer goods corporations. Sindhu has filed claims of Rs 5 crore from each of the brands!
This is not the first time somebody has raised objections for being used without consent in moment marketing but this time a handful of large brands have been sent legal notices for ‘crossing the line’. Interestingly, in the same Olympics just a few days before Sindhu won her medal, weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu’s wish to have pizza was encashed by Dominos’ pledge of free pizzas for life to Chanu. However, she was quickly compensated for the use of her name and a separate digital activation contract was negotiated with the weightlifter.
It is intriguing to note that the same Baseline Ventures in 2018, sent notices to food delivery firm Swiggy and Freecharge, for celebrating Indian test cricketer Prithvi Shaw’s debut century.
Moment marketing is very tempting. It reaches and connects with the audience faster than you think as it rides the wave which is already high in the eyes of your TG. You spend no money on endorsement, your media vehicles cost almost nothing, your brand gets noticed and there is always a possibility of it going viral. Most of the marketers consider moment marketing smart and it’s truly so, until, in a hurry to catch the moment, we lose the balance and stumble upon the wrong side. If we tread the path well, thoughtfully and responsibly like Amul, which has grown over decades, earning a stature and respect for…