Not much is there in public domain about the increasing role of advertising techniques in the political world, or how they can influence public opinion to make parties win or lose electoral battles. In this realm, Jayshree M Sundar’s Don’t Forget 2004: Advertising Secrets of an Impossible Election Victory is a significant contribution and therefore, very useful.
Eighteen years back it was the beginning of the coming together of politics and advertising. Much water has flown since then, and the role of the latter has grown manifold, with rising outreach budgets, and Sundar’s presentation will remain a case study for experts and students of both politics and advertising.
She gives a candid account of the role of the combined strength of a professional advertising company and a political party that had been out of power for almost a decade and was out of reckoning when the BJP-led NDA government had opted to go for early general polls.
I, as a political reporter, can vividly recall how the Congress was a weak challenger in the public perception in the backdrop of the ruling BJP’s powerful ‘India Shining’ campaign, and how it managed to turn the tables on its main opponent, led by none other than Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who enjoyed popularity beyond his party and party members, when the Lok Sabha results were announced. The Congress emerged as the single largest party.
Sundar’s racy and lucid story of the role of Leo Burnett’s Delhi branch in building up the Congress’ image across the country is a useful addition to a political process that involved the introduction of advertising as an enhancer. That is precisely why it is a sheer treat to the readers.
The book offers precious insights about the top political leadership of the Congress party including that of the Gandhis––Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka. The book, therefore, would go a long way as a significant source of authentic information for future researchers. Many of the traits and qualities of leaders come out, though the writer has not made any conscious or deliberate effort to include them in her narrative that primarily and essentially focuses on the professional work of the agency to drill the Congress’ message into the electorate’s subconscious subtly.
At the same time, Sundar has explored many of the popular myths about the Congress leaders and that
of the party. “Politicians will keep you waiting forever. The point is they are on time for all meetings. Every time. It’s we who are always almost late. Not very, 10 minutes for sure,” she reveals and goes on to add, “Payments will be dicey and shady. Surprisingly not.”
Being a professional, her assertion that “advertising works” is a well-made point for all those who continue to dismiss it as a wasteful expenditure in politics. Nothing more than her own words could justify the importance of the book. She writes, “Living and working on one of the greatest case studies in India and not telling the story would be a disservice to the profession that is the most exciting, creative, frustrating, strategic, fun––in other words, the best.” While the contents of the book and writing style are superb, one wishes the book could have been better published as its photographs lack quality.
Don’t Forget 2004: Advertising Secrets of an Impossible Election Victory
By: Jayshree M Sundar
Publisher: Vitasta Publishing
Pages: 296
Price: Rs 400