Patanjali‘s I-day ad good mktg but focus on quality vital: Pros

Taking the Swadeshi crusade to the next level, Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali is carpet bombing radio and television spots with advertisement equating its rivals to The East India Company.

CNBC-TV18’s Shereen Bhan asks experts Milind Sarwate, Former CFO, Marico and Prahlad Kakkar, Brand Consultant if consumers will buy into the Patanjali Swadeshi pitch.

Sarwate believes to come out with the ad on Independence Day was a great idea, which will click with many people because it says that they are desi. However, Patanjali will have to keep up quality and walk the talk. "People will not buy any product just because it is desi," he said.

Kakkar too agrees that consumers won’t compromise on quality. "There is a huge momentum towards natural products which even preceeded Patanjali," ad-man Kakkar said, adding that there is a common perception that Ayurvedic products even if they do not do good, they are not harmful either. "Baba Ramdev seems to be cashing in on commerce and spiritualism."But he maintained that Patanjali's products will have to deliver on quality, and the value-for-money quotient before they can beat MNC rivals. "Ultimately it is all about quality and one will have to wait and see what kind of loyality Patanjali products get," according to Kakkar.