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Surrogate Advertising is a form of advertising which is used to market commodities such as

alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco and narcotic products, which cannot be advertised directly under
applicable Indian laws.
Surrogate Advertising is a form of advertising which is used to promote banned products
like cigarettes and alcohol, in the disguise of another product. This type of advertising uses a
product of a fairly close category, as: club soda, mineral water in case of alcohol, or products
of a completely different category, for example music CD's or playing cards to hammer the
brand name into the heads of consumers.
So that whenever there is mention of that brand, people start associating it with its main
product (the alcohol or cigarette). In India there is a large number of companies doing
surrogate advertising, from Bacardi Blast music CD's, Bagpiper Club Soda to Officers
Choice playing cards.
Reason for banning advertisements of these commodities is because their usage is detrimental
to the health of people. However, since these commodities generate high revenues and a way
had to be found to make the commodities available to general public without directly
advertising and circumventing law, the said concept Surrogate Advertising came into being
and various reputed companies started advertising surrogate products such as audio
cassettes, drinking water, soda, juices, etc., under the same brand name under which they
advertised prohibited products / commodities. Advertising is done through these surrogate
products simply to ingrain name of the brand in the mind of consumers of liquor & cigarette
which would increase sales of commodities and ultimately result in revenue generation to the
companies.
Few examples from tobacco industry of companies engaged in Surrogate Advertising in India
are: Red & White Bravery Awards, Wills Lifestyle Clothing Line, Four Square White
Water Rafting and Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awards.
Few Examples from liquor industry of companies engaged in Surrogate Advertising in India
are: Bagpiper Soda, Cassettes & CDs, Haywards Soda, Royal Challenge Golf Accessories
& Mineral Water, Kingfisher Mineral Water, White Mischief Holidays,

In India extensive surveys resulted in similar findings which showed that liquor ads had
direct influence on Consumers purchase behavior, and no sooner the Cable TV Regulation
Act banned liquor and cigarette advertisements, thus India gradually adopted surrogate
advertisements. Advertisements for liquor and cigarettes have been banned since 1995.
The excessive pressure of the ban forced companies to focus more on brand building and thus
liquor companies started sponsoring and hosting glamorous events, yet many others started
distributing t-shirts, caps, key chains, drinking glasses with the brand name displayed on
these products.
Some commonly seen brands and their advertisements

Bagpiper : The advertisement for bagpiper club soda is shown in place of whisky .

Imperial Blue : Imperial Blue Music CDs with a story line 'Men will be men'.
Royal Stag : It shows Music CD and Mega cricket, with the theme 'Make it Large'
McDowells No.1 : MS Dhoni use to advertise for the surrogate product Soda with the
tagline 'The No.1 Spirit of Leadership'
Haywards 5000 : Soda and packaged drinking water
Royal Challenge : Golf accessories, music CD's and mineral water.
Carlsberg Elephant : Club glasses
Officers choice is advertised by showing that OC is that brand choice of officers
and dynamic people.

With government now enforcing ban on surrogate advertisements, companies are turning to
event sponsorship, event organising, corporate films and more and more innovative IMC
strategies.

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