Mum’s the word: Ad and marketing agencies wary of talking about the poll-related work

It looks like a self-imposed gag order. Multiple advertising industry insiders Storyboard18 met said that agencies are not willing to talk about the poll campaigns for 2024.

The Election Commission of India has announced that elections would take place from April 19 in seven phases until June 1.

Agencies empanelled by parties like the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress are checking themselves for various reasons, including contract-related clauses. Fear of social media and real-world fallouts due to party affiliations are also on their minds.

Insiders also told Storyboard18 that employees working on poll-related briefs, campaigns and narratives have been advised to not speak to anyone, not even their spouses. The hush order could prove to be a challenge for the ad community which must always flash its wins and work.

It’s quite a predicament, says one ad agency head who wished not to be named. “On the one hand, you want to talk about the work because it is an election-related campaign, on the other hand, it would be tricky if you do,” he said.

Another specialised agency lead explained they are not vying for global ad awards like Cannes Lions. Political campaigns are a different game. “We do not want publicity,” they said, adding, “The primary incentives for political campaigns are the billings and the blessings.”

“Agencies want to be a part of the winning party’s campaign. They just want to be associated with the ruling party, no matter in what capacity and no matter how big or small the account is,” said the founder of an independent creative agency working with government clients over the years. They did not wish to be named.

Another ad agency executive said that marketing and ad firms also have to remain neutral since their professional associations could change in another season. Some firms also might have a little more liberty to share the work and talk about their associations, he added, but they also know it’s best to fly under the radar while elections are ongoing, and speak out about contributions only after it ends. That’s if you are on the winning side.

One ad agency head told Storyboard18 that while everyone wants a piece of BJP’s mammoth ad pie, the Congress couldn’t find many takers. “At the risk of sounding both premature and bold, I would say no one wants to be on the wrong side,” said a creative director of an ad agency based out of Mumbai. He quipped that the BJP doesn’t need advertising and advertising doesn’t want Congress. Besides, the marketing might of the BJP is unmatched.

BJP’s formidable internal marketing, advertising and reputation management machinery drive all its campaigns. Several advertising and specialist marketing agencies have also been onboarded by the party, which is ramping up its 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign.

Among the leading agencies are McCann Worldgroup and Scarecrow M&C Saatchi. More than a dozen advertising agencies pitched to secure parts of the BJP account for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The party has also brought on board meme marketing agencies to create shareable content on trending subjects, amplifying the party’s digital footprint and engaging with voters across various online platforms.

A recent BJP digital video that targets opposition leaders went viral. The film featuring look-alikes of opposition leaders was created by Varahe Analytics as reported by Storyboard18. Digital media has been a primary tool, playing a key role in the party’s campaign initiatives over the years.

On the media side, homegrown media investments firm Madison Media has managed to retain BJP’s media planning and buying mandate for 2024 Elections.

Meanwhile, IPG Mediabrands, the Indian media and marketing arm of the American advertising firm Interpublic Group, has won the media planning and buying mandate for the Indian National Congress for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The account will be handled by BPN, a division of Initiative Media, which is part of IPG Mediabrands.

Mum’s the word: Ad and marketing agencies wary of talking about the poll-related work

Ad and marketing agencies are not willing to openly talk about political campaigns for 2024. Reasons range from contract-related clauses to party orders to fear of social media backlash and impact on employees.

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