JUGAAD Advertising - Beyond Books & Cases

JUGAAD - The way that you always do but never say.

Before we move ahead, just have a look at these wonderful ads. They will be worth your time.

Do you use an RO water purifier?

Do you know that for every 250 ml of water that it cleans, 750 ml is wasted?

THAT’S 75% WASTE!

(Quite a lot)

Do you know what maximum homes in India are doing about it?

This very concept of doing things has a popular and endearing term called

JUGAAD

If you hail from southwest Asia I do not need to explain what JUGAAD is.

For those who are not, JUGAAD when translated to English, is frugality.

However, Jugaad is an emotion. Jugaad is a mindset, it is a way of life

It is creating a system or apparatus that transcends makeshift yet in its design is not made for the job that it’s deployed for.

Jugaad is Innovation Think about it.

Every time you turn that foil on top of cup noodles into a makeshift fork, it is jugaad.

When you use a quarter to unscrew a screw, that is jugaad.

Using that old obsolete laptop as the brain for the home CCTV network is Jugaad.

Using masking tape as sticky notes is Jugaad.

Using a bead beneath your mouse to keep it moving to fool trackers during WFH is Jugaad.

Using a handkerchief and a makeshift bandana, cutting the bottom of worn-out jeans to make shorts, using a toothbrush as a limescale remover, and just so much more that we do every day.

There are literally tonnes of examples that would make you laugh but also inspire your creative side.

Jugaad Marketing & Advertising is a frugal way of doing things that are different from the norm, yet give similar or even better results, usually at a considerably low cost. While most of the time, the cost is the factor that makes marketers go ‘Jugaddu’, however at times, geo-political, social & cultural factors can also force a marketer to adopt ‘Jugaad’ methods to market their product.

For example, In India, advertisements for alcohol & tobacco are banned leaving the jobs of many marketers in peril.

So the ‘Jugaad’ that they set was to shift to Surrogate marketing.

For example, Here is a famous whiskey brand surrogating through soda

Here is a famous beer brand surrogating through a non-alcoholic beverage

If you think you had enough, here is a popular tobacco brand surrogating through a non-tobacco refreshment endorsed by Pierce Brosnan (P.S. - He canceled the agreement after he came to know that it was surrogate advertising)

Here is another alcohol brand, sponsoring famous IPL cricket teams

You get the point!

A great example is “Amul”. With a tagline “The taste of India” as its tagline, it decided to take it from the plate to the minds of an entire nation.

Its strategy is to focus on the biggest news and events of the nation and create meaningful messages in form of animated social media creatives where they intelligently add their brand mascot

Another popular approach to ‘Jugaad’ advertising is AUTO ads

These are cheap, easy, and quick advertising that goes around the city all day and is visible on roads 24x7

From small companies to big honchos, every company in India keeps auto advertising into consideration while planning campaigns.

The examples are infinite and so are the possibilities.

However, the lesson here is that books only have records of events and learnings that have come to pass while creativity enables you with opportunities to create new lessons.

Keep your high horses running, Stay Creative, Stay Jugaadu