Ten things communication professionals can learn from L’affaire

This is an event that I have been a fan of for three years now, though I have only been to two editions. I felt it was worthy of a column so that communication professionals can get ideas by applying some of the learnings to innovate ideas for your own brands. L’affaire is an annual carnival of sorts that the corporate communications team at Godrej puts together to achieve various objectives. Some of my observations also bring out the objectives and can be extrapolated to your area of work.

1. This event is aspirational – As a pro-bono consultant to this event I reach out to friends and professional connections to invite them. There is a great interest among those who are either hearing of it for the first time or have heard of it before. There is also a good number who reach out on their own requesting for access. This is measure of how the platform has become aspirational in a short span of time.
2. This event exploits the potential of the campus – This is a grand property on a huge property. People living in and around Mumbai get to come and spend time at the Godrej headquarters.
3. This event brings brands together – Godrej has multiple brands in various categories ranging from appliances, security solutions, furniture, food products, hair care among others. This platform enables all these brands to offer experiences to a common audience at one place.
4. This event markets the neighbourhood – Vikhroli is synonymous with Godrej. This annual event ensures that Vikhroli is trending and makes people who would not otherwise have a reason to come to the locality, travel there.
5. This event offers experiences – Ranging from beverage tasting, talks, demonstrations, fashion show and music, the L’affaire Vikhroli has something for everyone. People go back with memories that want to make them return again the following year.
6. This event connects employees from different streams – Employees from manufacturing, marketing, customer service who would not otherwise interact get to hang out and have fun together. It works as a mechanism for employer branding with this key stakeholder.
7. This event creates awareness about swanky apartments – The location around where the event takes place is going to be home to hundreds of families in couple of years. People attending the event get to check out sample apartments and make enquiries for an investment.
8. This event helps showcase other luxury brands – Godrej also invites non-competing brands in cosmetics, automobiles and alcohol to showcase the products this creating a sophisticated environment for the connoisseur of the good life.
9. This event generates buzz – The event creates buzz online and offline with people attending and talking about it and also posting on social networks. The hashtag is trending on Twitter during the event.
10. This event makes money – The event is free for invitees. But by offering a space to showcase their products Godrej has the potential to earn revenues which brands would happily pay because of the audience profile and sound concept.

For those of you who have not heard of this before, I’m glad you are hearing of it now. Make sure you attend the next edition in 2020.

Amith Prabhu

Founder at PRomise Foundation

Amith Prabhu is the Founder of the PRomise Foundation which organises PRAXIS, India’s annual summit of reputation management professionals.

He is also the Founding Dean of the School of Communications & Reputation (SCoRe).

He can be reached at @amithpr on twitter.