Branding · India · 2003
Hutch: Wherever You Go, Our Network Follows
A pug following a boy everywhere explained network coverage without saying the word.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readOgilvy IndiaBranding · Campaigns
- Brand
- Hutch
- Market
- India
- Year
- 2003
- Category
- Branding
- Agency or team
- Ogilvy India
- Channels
- TV, print
The context
Mobile networks competed on coverage, but “wide coverage” was an abstract claim.
Network coverage is abstract.
The move
Ogilvy India’s film showed a pug following a boy around town, with the line “Wherever you go, our network follows.”
How it was executed
- Showed a pug following a boy everywhere.
- Used one simple line.
- Kept the mascot consistent.
A pug following a boy everywhere explained network coverage without saying the word.
What happened Reported facts
The pug became one of Indian advertising’s most loved mascots, and pugs reportedly became more popular as pets. The idea carried into the Vodafone rebrand.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
It made an abstract benefit visible.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Make an abstract benefit visible.
- 02A mascot needs a behaviour, not just a look.
- 03Charm is a competitive advantage.
Indian service brands can visualise abstract benefits.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Hutchison Essar; Ogilvy India. Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Hutch.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
More branding
The Moldy Whopper
To prove it had removed artificial preservatives, Burger King showed its burger rotting.
BrandingBranding · CampaignsFCK: an apology
When KFC ran out of chicken, it apologised with a rearranged logo and a sense of humour.
BrandingBranding · CampaignsDon’t Buy This Jacket
On the biggest shopping day of the year, Patagonia told people not to buy its jacket.
BrandingBranding · Campaigns