Surf Excel India lets you fulfill a child’s wish and the Tata Nano goes for a great PR spin

 5th December 2012    Good and Bad PR 

Some of the most interesting PR action is happening online, but this is yet to cross over to mainstream media which still devotes space to traditional ad campaigns rather than the brave new world of digital PR and integrated campaigns. Let’s look at two interesting multi-stakeholder PR campaigns this week.

Fullfill a child’s wish with Surf Excel India
 

Surf Excel’s "Fullfill a Wish" campaign is an idea with potential to go viral. The detergent giant is running an interesting online campaign to help people reach out to children in need.

With this app, anyone can reach out to listed NGOs with a gift of a tiffin box, a set of shoes or crayons or a hockey kit:

 

Small gifts that can mean the world to a child. This campaign is being run in collaboration with India Guide star (which has a database of over 160 NGOs’ for the Surf Excel  India Campaign , so that  people interested in giving can find an NGO nearby. The cmpaign is also being run in collaboration with the International Justice Mission, a Human Rights Organisation.

It’s always tricky to tie-in a CSR effort with a mass consumer brand. Does the PR around the brand and campaign idea reflect the brand values of Surf Excel India and its family and child focus? In this case, yes, and it looks like Surf Excel has been careful not to overplay the story, keeping it confined to social media. Not only has Surf Excel India created an App which helps people interested in giving directly connect with children who may need a helping hand, but has also helped NGOs that are tied in to the campaign gain credibility and a national platform for themselves. Neatly done.

A wacky contest with wackier foodies Rocky and Mayur, helps Tata Nano, the word’s cheapest car gain mileage
 

Not that the Tata Nano needs any introduction. But, an interesting tie in, for the world’s cheapest car, with India’s leading travelling food writers Rocky and Mayur and their TV show, Highway on My Plate. Highway on My Plate is well known for the easy personalities of the two travelling hosts in search of the best highway food and the end of show with a “food quote “ about the visited place, with some, erm, questionable poetry. Tata Nano, has now launched this contest , where writing the winning “ Food Quote”, can win you a quick spin in the Tata Nano with the ever affable Rocky and Mayur.

 

Shark in Diu anyone?

Have you seen any great or even bad PR?

Contact Paarul Chand by emailing paarul@prmoment.in or tweet @PRmomentIndia throughout the week and we’ll happily credit you for your trouble.