Amazon captures joy of reading for Kindle launch in India

Amazon India has launched a new campaign introducing the Kindle through a three-minute film that depicts a young man’s journey across the country to get to a far-flung village.

The video witholds the man's destination and the reason for his journey until the end, which keeps one watching while his journey illuminates a series of product benefits. The payoff when he finally arrives is worth the wait.

The narrative showcases how the Kindle Paperwhite delivers the ultimate reading experiences, said Manish Kalra, director of integrated marketing with Amazon India. “You can carry thousands of your favourite books with you wherever you go, read with one hand, in bright sunlight or at night with no eye strain and you don’t have to worry about charging.”

Kalra said he is excited by the response so far, including likes and shares across all social-media platforms. Indeed, comments on Twitter and Facebook reflect mostly positive views on the film.

Even Bollywood celebrities had a kind word or two for the new campaign. “I just had to share this ad," said actress Neha Dhupia. "Read, learn, educate and share the emotion.” Director Farah Khan said the new ad is “kindling" her love for reading. Well-known tennis player Sania Mirza also took to Twitter to show her appreciation for the ad. “I’ve always loved reading on my tours and this new Kindle ad just increases that love,” she said. As far as we could determine, these were not paid endorsements.

Kalra declined to comment on the media plan ad spend.

According to Rajdeepak Das, CCO of Leo Burnett, the agency behind the campaign, the overall objective was to show that the Kindle is the best device for reading.

The film was shot in Sri Lanka and the soundtrack is by Swanand Kirkire. “Reading and storytelling are two sides of the same coin, and we needed to communicate in a human manner, in a manner that touches the heart and resonates with every avid reader,” Das added.

Amazon has big plans for the Indian market. In July, CEO Jeff Bezos announced plans to spend $2 billion to grow the e-commerce company’s business in India. The firm’s plans are already taking shape. It is currently in talks to sell packaged food and beverages and is readying its next marketing push to promote its apparel business, which launched six months ago.

On November 4, Amazon India launched a Twitter handle, a Facebook page and a YouTube channel for the Kindle.