The terms
‘Above the line (ATL)’ and ‘Below the line (BTL)’ came into being when way back
in 1954 when Proctor and Gamble started using various payment rates to its
advertising agency based on what its target audience reach was.
‘Above The Line’ (ATL) advertising is an advertising where mass media is
used to promote brands to reach out to the target consumers which includes
radio and television advertising, conventional media as we knows it, internet
as well as print. Here, the communication is targeted to a thick spread of
audience, and is not specific to individual consumers. ATL advertising attempts
to reach out to the mass as consumer audience. In 2012, Parachute decided to
own the most significant positioning platform “World’s Best Hair.” The campaign
featured the celebrity endorser Deepika Padukone which was on air in most of
the channels. The campaign involved
digital in a big way and was based on a research finding that consumers
of Parachute Advansed Hair Oil had better hair than the non-users. It was not
just the research but the positioning platform which was totally strong and
influential. By taking the ownership of “World’s Best Hair” and backing it up
with a research, Parachute Advansed moved a step up in terms of positioning.
The brand put itself into a strong position and compelled the competitors to do
something powerful to compete with it. As for the consumers are concerned, the
campaign not only bolstered their choice of using Parachute hair oil for hair
protection but also induced non-users to try out the product.
‘Below the line’ (BTL) advertising is mostly about one-to-one
communication and involves the allocation of pamphlets, stickers,
brochures, promotions, handbills placed at point of sale, on the roads through
placards and banners. Product samplings and demos at places like market places
or malls or residential complexes are also a part of it. For example, moving
hoardings or road shows with the advertisement of the product, and vehicles
with promotional staff interacting with people substantiating the product and
distributing literature on the product. Less conventional methods are used of
advertising being very distinct channels of advertising unlike ATL. It also
contains telemarketing PR, sales promotions targeted at particular potential
customer and direct mail promotional campaigns.Since internet penetration is
low, Parachute got tied up with magazines, attached bottle of Parachute
Advansed Coconut Oil and a pre-addressed envelope sent with every copy with
message, ‘try this and if you like it, recommend it to a friend by posting back
envelope to us.’ Friend would later receive a letter, an oil bottle and two
envelopes.
However,
digital media in today’s world has more or less broken the limits of ATL versus
BTL. Digital communication has the potential to address both at the same time.
Interestingly, there is a new phrase called Through the Line, or TTL, which
assimilates activities of both ATL and BTL. The concept of line is sinking
gradually with agencies increasingly using the Integrated Communication
approach. And to recapitulate all this, O&M’s Piyush Pandey can be quoted
who rightly exclaims that “It is not a question of mass media versus below the
line or above-the-line anymore. It is an era of mass media plus the line.”