In the run up to the Lok Sabha elections in 2004, the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government's 'India Shining' campaign was omnipresent in the media. Riding high on the BJP's good performance in Assembly elections, Vajpayee had advanced the polls by a whopping eight months. He was confident that his government enjoyed high popularity.
On the other hand, the Congress was in a disadvantageous position. It was only just recovering from a defeat in state elections. Its finances had dwindled and it just did not look like a formidable challenger.
However, in May 2004, the grand old party had pulled off a stunner of a victory. The Vajpayee regime was left shocked and the outcome came as a surprise to the Congress.
Eminent advertising personality Jayshree M. Sundar's book Don't Forget 2004: Advertising Secrets Of An Impossible Election Victory is a thrilling account of the making of the Congress' publicity campaign for the elections, which was hinged on the slogans 'Aam Aadmi Ko Kya Mila' and 'Congress Ka Haath Aam Aadmi Ke Saath'. The slogans are now well recognised as having captured the disillusionment among the people who did not identify with the BJP's confidence oozing 'India Shining' pitch.
An excerpt from the book:
FEBRUARY 7, TEATIME
WE ARE BACK at 10 Janpath for a meeting, mainly to discuss the budget. Today, Mrs Gandhi is not presiding over this meeting. Voraji, Ramesh, Rahul and a few others from their side and our team are present. The budget we have presented is a minuscule fraction of what the main competitor is spending —whether you go by the official figure of Rs 80 crore or the unofficial figure of Rs 300 crore.
What we proposed is cut down to less than half in this meeting! There is a deep sense of helplessness in the agency team. How are so many phases of the campaign and all the plans to be translated into action with a minuscule budget? Major debates begin around the table. We keep insisting and reiterating that this is a bare-bones budget, and could they please find the funds to translate the approved strategy into reality. Apparently, it is not possible. Now begins a heart-breaking process. Can we cut the first Phase? Should we do away with the urban campaign? Should we reduce the number of advertisements of the vision campaign from five to three? Everyone in the room is giving suggestions, butchering the plan slowly but surely.
Voices are getting animated and passions are running high. I’m trying my best to control my temper, which seems to be slowly raising its head. So far, I am succeeding but just about. If we cut and chop and change, the proposed strategy will not hold good. This is the worst nightmare of any agency. That too, at a time when all the work is approved and it has taken us a month to get to this place! Looks like in one fell swoop it’s all going to crumble. There is only one result of an activity such as this watered down, less impactful plan: Sure failure. As I watch, I see a decision veering towards cutting off Phase 1 of the campaign, Aam aadmi ko kya mila? I brace myself to take on the fight. Under no circumstances am I going to allow this to happen. According to me, this is the most powerful entry point to counter the wave of India Shining. Without it, we are almost benign. Without shouting, I raise my voice to a pitch that makes everyone sit up and takes notice. I am usually not the type that talks non-stop. So, everyone gives me a moment and listens. I look them straight in the eye and say firmly that this part of the campaign is going to give the slogan teeth. It is the most potent. The question being raised, Aam aadmi ko kya mila is the headline thought, leading to the sign-off: Congress ka haath aam aadmi ke saath.
The public would have a catchphrase to counter all the catchphrases created by the BJP. And we cannot afford to drop this Phase of the campaign at all. In my mind, this part of the campaign has been created to counter phrases with massive currency like ‘feel good factor’ and ‘India Shining’.... And to give them the platform to take the fight ahead in Advertising, PR, roadshows and rallies. India Shining (Lekin) Aam aadmi ko kya mila? (India is shining but what did the common man get?) This is the connection that we want Indians to make. Those Indians in the unserved markets, as I said earlier. In my mind, this phrase will be the much-needed talking point. Rahul looks at his team. He says, ‘I think she has a point on Phase 1. We should keep it.’ The meeting is inconclusive. Lots of heated debate and passionate questions. Nothing firm. We are fighting hard to keep the plan intact. But the budget is still less than half. Voraji says, ‘Let me revert with a final figure tomorrow’. Now, this is leading to a major problem. Without agreements on the spends, I am reluctant to take a letter from them and there is no sign of their preparing it either.
FEBRUARY 8
We are told the budget is up by another couple of crores. At best, it is just half the amount we have proposed. This would mean the following: Cutting newspapers and magazines and TV ads by half. Cutting campaigns down from 4 ads to 2 ads. Everything truncated. Watered down. Should we drop a phase? We believe the only Phase that can be dropped is Phase 2: Congress achievements. I wonder how to convince them. How can you be heard with no money? What are we doing?
It’s all very disappointing. Next day, there is a scheduled meeting with Priyanka. The radio scripts are ready. She had taken a keen interest in wanting to hear them and had brainstormed ideas in our previous meeting. At this meeting, after hearing the creative she asks if we have started work. What is the progress? Will we see the ads soon? When are they releasing? I tell her there nothing has started. As we are in a quandary of cutting ads and phases. She is very clear. She has a quiet aggression about her. She looks at us and her team members. She says, ‘It’s all or nothing’ She repeats. ‘All or nothing’ A voice speaks up. I realise it’s mine. I say equally firmly. ‘It’s all or nothing.’ Now that’s a huge risk. But I know this was a bare minimum and the output would be very weak if we cut and chopped and chipped and made a mish-mash plan. Later we will get blamed for poor performance of an invisible campaign. She says, ‘Leave it with me. We will give you the Go/No Go decision tomorrow morning.’ No Go? No Go? Everyone is quiet. ‘Fine,’ we say. My team agrees with me fully. They endorse my stand. The hours that follow are excruciatingly tense. I tell everyone to suspend work for this client. To chill and go home early. Arvind calls. I relate the saga to him. He figures I am upset. He reiterates: ‘You have my 100 per cent support’.
FEBRUARY 9, 10 AM
We get a call from them. And lo and behold, simply put: The Budget has been fully approved. Not one paisa cut. I wonder what had transpired from when we left. Some major moving and shaking must have taken place. Anyway, it has finally happened. ‘Start straight away.’ ‘Where’s the letter,’ I say?
FEBRUARY 10
By now my mother has arrived from Mumbai. So has my sister from the USA. They have hardly seen me in all this time. We are out for dinner. Need to spend some time with the family too. My phone beeps. The family looks at me in frustration as I bend my head to check the message. It’s Ali from the AICC headquarters. He writes just one line. Letter received. I finally break into a huge smile. My family wonders what just happened. I call Ali. I want to know all the details. He says Voraji was baffled about this obsession on our part about the formal letter.
