Not enough likes for Myntra's 'Live for likes'


Myntra is asking us to 'live for likes'. But should it? and should we?
I will come to that in a bit, but first the ok enough parts.

Imagery.
The imagery seems alright for a fashion brand (myntra = fashion brand?).
Beautiful young people shot in various circumstances.
The operating insight for the imagery was 'selfies'. Sure the brand world has discovered that insight now.. at least 2 years late.

Error #1. Missed the zeitgeist bus.  

This is a lazy interpretation of a powerful insight. If it is late, it at least should be powerfully executed or reinterpreted in a new way.Why are people taking selfies? How does it relate to their self esteem? How can Myntra inspire consumers through selfies?
ok. so it was just an ártistic device'. But why have divergence in device and tagline.

Error #2. Misunderstanding the function of branding 
I want to talk about the misplaced insight behind 'live for likes'.

My assumption is fashion advertising is aspirational. Well, all advertising is, but fashion more so. Raymond suits make you day dream of being the understated billionaire who is also a sensitive family man. Patek Phillips creates an illusion of formidable lineage for you.

What day dream does Myntra inspire? that a selfie would get 200+ likes?
the poverty of that aspiration is astounding. While it may be true about a certain number of chronically depressed people who shop to feel good about themselves, that is not an aspirational personality.

(well, if you burn cash, you will get awareness. that shouldn't be a measure of how  good your communication is.) 

Error #3.Misunderstanding the TG

So who is this communication aimed at? For whom is this aspirational?
For people who want to feel young (young = social network native). ? ( While it may 'seem' to be a youthful (to the old folks) to talk about likes, there are better ways to convey youthfulness (if that was a brief).)

For people who are only now going online. earning new users.
For people who feel a digital lifestyle is a passport to better life (those who are not digitally active now - the lower middle class middle age.)
Who wants to be a person who 'lives for likes'? Not me. and I have spent thousands with Myntra.


The fundamental error here is taking a user behavior as is, instead of examining the reason for that behavior. Taking a trend (an old one at that) and portraying it as is will do nothing for your brand.(there's no way in hell, this positioning came from a true digital native. It came from a old person who is mystified by this new behavior of online self validation.)
Possible positioning planks could have come from the reasons why a person seeks validation through facebook likes. Or through the persona that people tend to 'like'.
If you must hold a mirror to a user behavior.. that behavior should be a positive behavior that validates user's sense of self. 

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