Advertising is one of the most common means by which companies communicate with their customers, current and potential. It is generally referred to as any paid, non-personal (not directed to a single individual), sponsored message conveyed through the media. When we are talking about brands through advertising communication, it is mostly to enhance or reinforce the image of the brand in the minds of consumers and eventually shore up its sales.

Recently an advertisement of a renowned Pakistani brand, National Foods, caught my attention and compelled me to write this piece. National Foods is a very well known company and its products marketed mainly under the National brand name are preferred by many people in Pakistan and overseas. Its products are distributed in over 35 countries. Apart from standard ground spices the company markets recipe spices (under the Rivaaj brand name) as well as pickles, jams, jellies, and desserts.

The basic concept of the advertisement in question revolves around the celebration of Eid when the Pakistani cuisine makes its way across the border and reaches Delhi. The food is obviously cooked with National Foods ‘recipe masala’, and carries with it a nationalistic spirit along with National’s brand identity.

The storyline of the ad is very natural and is laced with emotional cues that are usually an important element of effective advertising. The background musical accompaniment is truly oriental as it is a song that has nice composition and lyrics, and has been rendered by none other than the musical maestro Amjad Fareed Sabri Qawwal. The lyrics “aaj yeh konsa mehman ayaa” are infectious and ring true with the video. The plot brings back memories of old, when the linguistic traditions of the subcontinent were also quite strong. The tradition of Qawwali harks back to the days of Mughal Delhi!

Camera work, location and props give the ad a semblance of originality, and the entire shoot has been handled with finesse and precision.  In addition to the script and music, casting has also been excellent and the acting is very natural. The one major flaw, which may have been deliberately overlooked or accepted in the garb of creative license, is where the woman, who is the main character in the story carries food in a simple “tiffin carrier” all the way to Delhi! Other than that, the advertisement is an excellent piece of work, and a true reflection of the artistic side of advertising.

The first quarterly report of National Foods published in the Business Recorder recently, gives evidence of a sales jump which is because of both seasonal demand and the successful advertising campaign of the brand.

Last but not the least I would like to add that good advertising can create and enhance brand value, and also trigger the behavioral change it is designed to bring about. However, the end objective of an advertiser in terms of meeting sales targets also depends of the other elements of the marketing mix delivering on the promise that good advertising conveys with grace, élan and utmost conviction.