While the power of celebrity brand ambassadors is undeniable, with stories around endorsement deals, new personality and brand pairings and even the rise of micro-influencers much in vogue, a new term is being bandied about: faceless marketing.
For instance, Zomato recently used their riders/employees in reels, wearing red hoodies to portray instances relatable to foodies while Google is making reels with their application's user interfaces. This not only keeps the cost to the minimum, but also facilitates quick turnaround times and makes the content look less 'branded' which has more potential to get shared and go viral.
According to Tam AdEx’s most recent celebrity endorsement report for 2023, only 28% of television-advertised content received celebrity endorsements. This was despite having the highest ad volumes per day (in hours) during the October-December 2023 quarter, thanks to the Cricket World Cup tournament held in India, coinciding with the ongoing festive season. And all of this is taking place at a time when brands are looking for new ways of consumer engagement in an increasingly crowded and chaotic market.
“Faceless marketing is an innovative approach that shifts the spotlight from the messenger to the message. Brands get to say their story without relying on the charm of a celebrity, the allure of a model, or the wit of a social media star,” says Sindhu Janardhan, Sr. Creative Director, Interactive Avenues (digital arm of IPG Mediabrands India), adding that today, faceless marketing plays a crucial role in 'always on' content strategies.
Zomato's World Environment Day ad talks about the brand's commitment to 'Planet Earth' by showcasing its green achievements.
Face/OFF
Noting that while traditionally, we've seen a lot of marketing built around personalities, Swati Nathani, Co-Founder, Team Pumpkin, notes there's a shift towards a more brand-centric approach. “Many campaigns we develop focus on creating high-quality content, building strong communities around the brand on social media, and partnering with relevant influencers. These are all elements of faceless marketing, even if a face isn't necessarily attached to every piece of content.”
Saying this is not a new idea, from age-old campaigns like Vodafone's Zoozoos to a more recent Google Pixel's Best Phones Forever, Mrunali Dedhia, Vice President, Chtrboxsays that with the advent of micro-video content on social media, faceless marketing content is now being taken to a whole new level.
Meherzad Contractor, Head of Studios, Hogarth India, says it is an exciting time when authenticity becomes the backbone of engaging visual storytelling. Being backed by the expertise of cutting-edge craft, thus, takes the forefront.
"Especially in extremely dense industries like food and beauty, we strategically empower brands with newer ways of creating high-impact visual content that is both organic and immersive over the use of CGI to bring out the most realistic ways of interpreting taste and texture. In a way, it creates the perfect opportunity to enable clients in building a repertoire of merit, rather than using celebrity-led fame or an approach of visual gimmicks that can potentially be perceived as inauthentic,” says Contractor.
In the past, a celebrity endorsement could almost guarantee a certain level of brand recognition. But with the rise of social media and influencer marketing, that strategy has become quite expensive and can be less targeted.
And then there is the fact that faceless marketing also helps level the playing field, with smaller brands that have smaller budgets being able to use their own inventiveness, messaging, and brand values to push their products instead of just relying on a celebrity face.
While beautycare brands have primarily, and still mostly do, used celebrity ambassadors as the face of the brand, as the industry takes a more pharmaceutical tilt, some brands prefer to concentrate on showcasing only their product offerings, for instance the ad below by Fixderma.
Cost Factor
“Undoubtedly, faceless marketing democratizes brand building in a way. Now, smaller brands can compete on a more even playing field. But faceless marketing's appeal extends far beyond budget limitations. We're seeing even established brands embracing this approach. It allows them to focus on building a deeper connection with their audience based on shared values and a strong brand story, rather than relying solely on a celebrity's persona,” says Nathani.
Kruthika Ravindran, Director, Key Accounts, TheSmallBigIdea, adds that today's Indian consumers are digital natives with a discerning eye. Celebrity endorsements often come across as inauthentic, leaving them unmoved. “While faceless marketing is still evolving in the Indian market, its potential is undeniable. As consumer preferences evolve, we can expect brands to increasingly embrace this approach.”
While faceless marketing offers clear advantages for new brands with limited budgets, it's not just a cost-saving measure. Established brands are also recognizing the power of building a strong brand identity that transcends celebrity association and helps brands build long-term brand equity that fosters customer loyalty.
“Brands have started using their social media channels to create quick, witty, faceless content that not only resonates with their audience but can also be scaled effectively and quickly, given the nature of faceless marketing being less costly and quicker to produce,” says Dedhia.
“Faceless Marketing is a great way for newer brands to start crafting their brand narratives solely based on their story. It is more like a strategic anchor for small brands navigating the turbulent seas of content creation. Not just newer brands, but every brand today deserve and desperately needs this solution in their relentless quest for consumer attention,” concludes Janardhan.
