When a box becomes a billboard: How brands in India are engaging their audiences with on-box advertising
October 14, 2023 | By Samarth Kammari, Marketing Manager
Hundreds of thousands of Amazon customers across India received a pleasant surprise when their delivery boxes arrived in June with messages and contests from well-known brands. In 2023, Amazon Ads launched its on-box ads solution in India, which allows businesses to reach audiences through innovative branding on delivery boxes. Launching on-box advertising in India is an exciting next step for the program, which is also available in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, and Australia.
Asian Paints, a paint and decor company in India, worked with Amazon Ads on the first on-box advertising campaign in the country. This campaign involved transforming Amazon’s delivery boxes into unique branded packaging with an experiential component to engage customers.
Asian Paints engaged their audiences for their exterior paint, Ultima Protek
The packaging featured an exterior paint from Asian Paints, Ultima Protek, alongside its brand ambassador, actor Ranbir Kapoor. With a topcoat warranty of 10 years, the exterior paint protects walls from harsh conditions and promises to keep exteriors looking vibrant. Three sides of the box featured harsh weather elements of Dhoop, Dhool, and Baarish. The fourth side carried a sketch of a house, which customers could color in or draw on to express their creativity. Customers were also invited to share their sketches on social media with the hashtag #LaminateYourDream to get a chance to have the exterior of their house painted and to win Amazon vouchers.1
“As an engaging and gratifying experience for consumers, we’ve created innovative boxes that are doorways to winning big for their homes,” said Amit Syngle, Managing Director and CEO of Asian Paints. “We’re thrilled for our customers, as this not only offers them something uniquely appealing, but also solidifies our relationship with them in an innovative way.”
Canara HSBC Life Insurance also teamed up with Amazon Ads to promote the iSelect Guaranteed Future plan, their latest savings and insurance plan. The brand used this space to enhance awareness and effectively communicate the benefits of the plan. A unique QR code was placed on the box that eligible customers could scan to reach the Canara HSBC Life Insurance online buying platform and purchase the specific plan. With delivery of the branded boxes directly to customers’ doorsteps, Canara HSBC Life Insurance aimed to reach and connect with relevant audiences. The campaign focused on key metropolitan cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chennai.
Canara HSBC Life Insurance used on box ads to promote their latest savings-cum-insurance plan, the iSelect Guaranteed Future Plan
“We are thrilled to work with Amazon Ads for this innovative advertising campaign,” said Rishi Mathur, chief digital and strategy officer at Canara HSBC Life Insurance 2. “On-box advertising is on point in helping us reach out in a unique and impactful way to our audience and showcase our iSelect Guaranteed Future plan, as well as further amplifying our digital presence across segments. The collaboration aligns perfectly with our goal of leveraging new opportunities to engage with our potential customers. We are confident this collaboration will drive product awareness and prompt customers to explore our digital offerings.”
This expansion of the Amazon Ads on-box advertising represents new opportunities for brands in India to engage with customers.
“At Amazon Ads, we’re always seeking to delight our customers. We’re excited to collaborate with Asian Paints and Canara HSBC Life Insurance to kick-start on-box advertising campaigns in India,” said Vijay Iyer, director at Amazon Ads India. “Our custom ad opportunities provide brands and advertisers with a bespoke way to help drive brand awareness and consideration and engage with customers in a memorable way. I can’t wait to bring more of these one-of-a-kind experiences to our Amazon customers.”
On-box ads allow brands to deliver one-to-one, relevant marketing at scale. Through this strategy, Amazon Ads is helping advertisers truly think outside the box.