Introduction to Surrogate Advertisement

• Advertisements have a strong influence in our life

because, they provide with information and create
awareness about the market.
• But, the advertisements endorsing alcoholic drinks
and cigarettes are scrapped off from media.
• These advertisements were opposed by a big section
of the society for their negative impact on its people.
• Hence the Government had imposed a ban on
advertisements of these products in the media in the
year 2002.
 Contd………………
• However, the liquor & tobacco majors have found an
alternative path of advertising their products.

• They have introduced various other products with the same

brand name like, Bagpiper soda and cassettes & CDs,
Hayward's soda, Gilbey green aqua, Royal Challenge golf
accessories and mineral water, Kingfisher mineral water, Red
& White bravery awards, Wills lifestyle, Four Square white
water rafting etc.

• According to dictionary – ‘Surrogate’ means substitute.

• Since, a heavy advertisement is done through the

abovementioned strategy, the advertisements for such new
products are called "Surrogate Advertisements".
 Purpose of study
• Due to the ban on advertisements of products which are adverse
to health, the major companies of liquor & tobacco are advertising
through which they can keep on reminding their core products. In
doing so, they have introduced various other products with the
same brand name (Brand Extension).
• A heavy advertisement of substitute products is done so that the
customers do not forget their liquor & tobacco brands.

• The only objective of the companies is to compensate the losses

that are arising due to the ban on advertisements of the products
by the Government.

• Whether such advertisements at all help in contributing to brand

recall and can either resemble the original product or can be a
different product altogether by using the established brand name
since, the ban has severely handicapped the direct communication
with the consumers!
 Problem statement
• As a result of the ban of Tobacco/Alcoholic product’s
advertisement in media, their brand recall factor has been
affected tremendously .
• On the other hand, a significant drop in sales volume of these
products has been noticed too due to the ban.
• Since, the manufacturers are not allowed to show their core
products directly to the consumers, they also find themselves in
trouble to actually educate people about the variants of their
products.
• A major portion of population who are actually not addicted to
tobacco/alcohol but, consume occasionally, are in dilemma.
Because, they think consuming these products are also banned,
which is actually not and because of this brand awareness is not
happening.
 Research objective
• A continuous advertisement helps us reminding the products. But,
since, the tobacco/alcohol advertisement in media are completely
banned, to what extent the ‘Surrogate Advertising’ makes people
recall the actual product which is again tobacco/alcohol.

• The tobacco/alcohol manufactures have different product variants

under the same brand name. But, whether at all it is possible to
educate people with all of their variants through Surrogate
Advertising or create brand awareness .
 Research question

• My research questionnaire would be based on –

1. Brand Recall
2. Brand Awareness
3. Brand Equity
4. Brand Resonance Model
 Literature review

• Indian Journal of marketing –

January 2007, Volume – xxxvii,
Surrogate Advertisement