How “Har ek friend Zaroori hota hai” helped Airtel make its place?
Main Introduction
- 2011 was the year when the telecom industry had many players in India like Airtel, Idea, Vodafone, Aircel, MTS, Virgin, BSNL, Reliance, Tata Docomo and Uninor. Every single telecom player tried to make it’s place. Idea made its place with the campaign starring Abhishek Bachhan, “What an Idea, Sirji!” Vodafone tried to make its place with the campaign where it starred Zoo-Zoos.
- In such intense competition, Airtel thought to make its place with a unique campaign. Airtel’s target was to not just put the branding at the forefront but also target the youth, as only one percent of the population is youth.
- After a five-year time, Airtel India came up with its beloved campaign ‘Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hain’ to showcase a range of new product features, including free international calls while roaming, Airtel-to-Airtel free calls, and data packs.
- The ‘Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hain’ campaign marked Taproot Dentsu’s initial collaboration with Airtel back in 2011. The catchy song and relatability deeply resonated with the youth, Airtel’s primary target audience at the time.
- Agnello Dias, Chief Creative Officer at Taproot Dentsu, shared insights into the decision to revive the popular jingle. “Airtel, as a brand, continuously strives to innovate its communication strategy to engage new consumers. This time, we aimed to find a single, cohesive theme to highlight all the benefits of the brand. We realized that while certain things in life, like data charges and international roaming, aren’t essential, some things, like friendship, are indispensable. This juxtaposition led us back to the theme ‘Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hain’.”
- According to Airtel’s annual report, “FY 2012–2013 saw significant brand advancements. The strategic repositioning of the brand Airtel was accelerated to make it younger, livelier, and better connected. The brand followed a coherent strategy for a younger and fresher brand anchored in the ‘Friendship’ communication territory. In India, various advertisement campaigns, including Har Friend Zaroori, Jo Mera Hai TV Commercial, and others, enhanced the popularity of the brand Airtel further.
- The company completely revamped its internet and social media presence. This initiative helped increase its community size by more than 600% to over 7 million and created one of India’s buzziest and most engaging social media brands. Brand Airtel was ranked No. 1 among the service brands in 2012 by Brand Equity’s Most Trusted Brand Survey.”
- The campaign’s return not only invokes nostalgia but also reinforces Airtel’s commitment to staying relevant and connected with its audience. By leveraging a familiar and beloved theme, Airtel effectively communicates the value and convenience of its new offerings. ‘Har Ek Friend Zaroori Hota Hain’ is proof of the enduring power of a well-crafted campaign and its ability to adapt to new contexts and audiences.
- Today, Airtel stands on the list of the top 30 telecom companies around the world. Do you have any questions? Tell us in the comments!
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