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-Rajmeet Ghai
Surrogate means replacement. Surrogate advertising is adopted by companies whose
products were banned and now “surrogate” or substitute the brand name with
another product. Their intention is to make sure the customers of the banned
product don’t forget it. This process is also termed as “brand extension”.
Examples
-
Smirnoff cassettes and CD’s
-
Kingfisher mineral water
Here, the company can not just promote new products (CD’s , mineral water), but
at the same time also attach the original brand.
Surrogate advertising should not be allowed. Tobacco and liquor banners make use
of this phenomenon extensively and try to lure the public. The whole point of
banning the product was not the banner but the harm it causes to public and
viewers. Hence placing it under the same banner for a different product makes
no sense.
The banners should concentrate more on the consequences of the products (like
tobacco etc) rather than promoting them for a different product.
Most of the surrogate advertisements are even supported because of the revenue
it brings to the different levels of hierarchy in the country.
Even though surrogate advertisements should be banned, there many other sources
and mediums using which the public is lured. Most of the television serials are
an example of this.
If the surrogate advertisements are used for liquor and cigarettes, they should
ensure that the public is also aware of the consequences if they are consumed.
If a person has a strong will power, there is nothing that can compel him to do
something wrong.
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