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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE NUMBER

1. Introduction 03

2. TV commercials and Advertisements used for Analysis 03

a. TV Commercials 03
b. Advertisements 03

3. The Motivation Process Model 04

a. Advertisements’ analysis based on above model 04

4. The Neo-Freudian Personality groups 05

a. CAD Personality groups 05

5. Personality Traits 06

6. Conclusion 07

7. References 07

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 INTRODUCTION
Surf Excel - Detergent Powder was initially launched in Pakistan in 1948 and then launched in
India in 1959 as a replacement of bar soap. It was initially known as “Surf” and later renamed
as “Surf - Excel” in 1996. Although facing stiff competition from its competitors throughout,
Surf - Excel managed to capture the Indian market successfully with its appropriation of niche.

Surf - Excel is well-known for its revolutionary marketing strategies and promotions which
involved the tagline “Daag Ache Hai”. This made an emotional and rational appeal to
customers.

TV COMMERCIALS AND ADVERTISEMENTS USED FOR

ANALYSIS
• TV Commercials

Fig. 1: ‘Rang Laye Sang’ Fig. 2: ‘Madad Ik Ibadat’

• Advertisements

Fig. 3: Comparison between two different ads (Subliminal Perception)

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 THE MOTIVATION PROCESS MODEL

• Advertisements’ analysis based on above model:

o Unfulfilled needs, wants and Desires:
- To remove smudge from clothes.
- To be socially responsible and accepted by the society.
o Tension:
- There is high possibility of creating a bad impression in society if your
clothes are not neat and clean.
- Getting in awkward situations due stains on cloth.
o Drive:
- To purchase a product which removes stains easily and saves time – Surf
Excel – Quick Wash.
o Personality, Perception, Learning and Attitudes:
- The consumer's behavior at the following phase in the process is impacted
by the consumer's personality when the urge to purchase the product is
aroused.
- The greater part of the buyers whom these advertisements are focused on to,
are Compliant people who wish to be adored and appreciated.
- With keeping Subliminal Perception in mind, "Surf Excel" have
maintained difference in their ads, to update their packaging designs to meet
the competition, and not lose their loyal customers simultaneously.
- Making the effective use of the Basic Elements of Consumer Learning,
Surf Excel have always met the expectation of the consumers.
- Having dirty clothes initiates a drive of cleaning them, implying the basic
need of motivation.

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 -
Getting stained for a good cause is the Cue that advises the customer to be
prepared to get stained and Surf Excel is there to eliminate any of those
tough stains in a fraction of the time taken by different items.
- There are many ways in which consumers can Respond towards the cue
‘getting stained for a good cause’, past influence in the minds of the
consumers have made them buy Surf Excel. Through their ads, surf excel
tries to display visuals and related information of getting stains and heir
quick and easy removal.
- The expert usage of Reinforcement element by Surf Excel is one of the
major steps. Through constant contact with the consumers and creativity,
Surf Excel has come a long way.
- Using the Affective Component of the Tri - Component Attitude Model,
Surf Excel has filled the gap of emotional response by influencing people
emotionally though ads like ‘Rang Laye Sang’ and Madad Ik Ibadat.
o Behavior:
- Buy the product
o Goals or Need Fulfillment:
- To have neat and clean clothes by using just one product- Surf Excel - Quick
Wash.
o Tension Reduction:
- Therefore, being tensed about stains and social embarrassment is reduced.

THE NEO - FREUDIAN PERSONALITY GROUPS

Adding to the existing Freudian Theory, the students of Sigmund Freud came up with another
theory, which is known as the Neo – Freudian Personality Theory. Karen Horney, one of the
students, proposed that the individuals can be classified into three personality groups, namely:

o Compliant: Move towards others

o Aggressive: Move against others
o Detached: Move away from others

• CAD Personality groups:

o Compliant Individual:
Surf Excel uses compliant element in its ad to showcase that the consumers who
purchase surf excel are influenced by two significant factors- they are determined
about clean and stainless cloth and are also socially responsible enough to help
others. Here, Surf Excel through its ad-campaigns ‘Rang Laye Sang (Let colors
bring us together)’ and ‘Madad Ik Ibadat (To help is to worship)’ tries to portray
that if stains make something good happen then stains are good, so as a consumer

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 of Surf Excel, one should stive towards helping others and bridging any differences
thereby. Both ads depict through children that even if your clothes get stained in the
process of helping others, it is a well-accepted and appreciated act by the society.
Therefore, Surf Excel is trying to cater to compliant individuals who move towards
others and wished to be loved, appreciated, and liked by the society.

PERSONALITY TRAITS

Innovators: Surf Excel has been at the forefront of innovation by launching new products to
cater to different market needs. Both the ads portray one message - that Surf Excel can easily
remove tough stains. Be the food stains or synthetic colours; Surf Excel will clean it. The
consumers will be motivated by the Functional factor of this product, i.e., its effectiveness in
removing stains.

Social character: Inner-directed consumers prefer products that highlight the product features
and strike an emotional/personal connection. Such individuals do not depend upon external
opinion but taken purchase decisions independently. In this ad, the product may appeal to
people who respect communal harmony and believe in helping others.

Dogmatism: The ad does not feature any celebrity or extravagant background scene. So this
product will appeal to consumers with low dogmatism, for whom the functional aspect is more
important than the status

OSL: Surf Excel has depicted children getting dirty for a good cause in the above
advertisements, which is an unusual experience, and it is an intricate circumstance for the
parent to wash the stained garments, yet at the same time, the mother is glad to permit the child
to get dirt and soil and uses Surf Excel to wash those extreme stains, accordingly, tolerating to
confront the complicated circumstances. These advertisements appeal to customers to utilize
their products, and it is aimed towards consumers with a high OSL.

Variety-Novelty seeking: Consumers frequently swap brands in this area. Because switching
goods is inexpensive, consumers may be enticed to try new ones out of excitement or
monotony. Surf Excel also caters to the variety-seeking clients who value innovativeness
through their advertisements. In their advertisements, they demonstrate to customers that the
same solution (Surf Excel) can solve various problems (stains and dirt).

Need For Cognition (NFC): Cognition is a term, which has 'deep thinking' integrated in its
roots, and Surf Excel has made an outstanding use of it in their advertisements. Like talking
about ‘Rang Laye Sang' ad, in which a young boy is afraid to come out of his home, because
his clothes may get stained, and as per his attire, it seems that he belongs to the Muslim religion.
Keeping the current situation of India in mind, there are many people who take patriotism to
their heart, and somewhat stereotype the Muslim religion as an antagonist of the country. But
we get to see a young girl coming to his defence, and taking all the colour attacks on herself,
so that the boy remains clean, and work his way out of that colony safely. So, Surf Excel has
tackled the 'stereotyping' culture in this ad, making many people think whether this brand

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stands up for more than just a cloth-cleaning agent, hence the "Need for Cognition" purpose is
nicely served here.

Visualizers vs. Verbalizers: Surf Excel's advertisements are mainly concentrated on visual
explanations of product characteristics rather than spoken explanations. They have a variety of
ads that appeal to customers, such as a girl taking up all the colors in Holi to drop her Muslim
friend at the mosque and the three kids helping the old man to sell the snacks without bothering
about their new clothes getting stained with oil and dirt.

CONCLUSION

Surf Excel has always been very innovative when it comes to their promotional strategies. They
have always used series of ads which are impactful and effective. Their ads try to influence
consumers both through functional benefits and in emotional ways. Surf Excel tend to use kids
and mothers to showcase ultimate wash which can remove tough stains. The recent ad
campaigns used by surf excel emotionally appeal to its consumer that "stains are good if they
make something good happen." The characters shown in ad depicts positive influence on the
consumers to buy the product by using strong and impactful taglines such as ‘Daag Achche
Hain’, ‘Madad Ik Ibadat’ etc.

Therefore, consumers of Surf Excel are directed towards buying a detergent which allows them
to wash their clothes and remove any sort of tough stains by using just one product easily and
quickly.

REFERENCES
1. Surf Excel, “Surf Excel Holi 2019 | This Holi, let colours bring us together!”, available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zq7mN8oi8ds (Last accessed 26th August 2021)
2. Surf Excel, “Surf Excel Ramazan 2016 | #madadekibadat”, available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5_XH1ikNsw (Last accessed 26th August 2021)
3. Neo – Freudian Personality Theory, “Neo-Freudians: Adler, Erikson, Jung, and Horney”,
available at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wsu-sandbox/chapter/neo-freudians-adler-
erikson-jung-and-horney/ (Last accessed: 31st August 2021)

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