The values portrayed in the advertising of milk and milk products in India

The purpose of the study was to learn the values promoted in advertisements by Amul, the marketing federation of the dairy cooperatives of Western India, to explain their success in making infant formula and packaged dairy products acceptable in a traditional society.

A content analysis of Amul's advertisements compiled from consumer magazines, journals and one major daily published during 1986-1987 was made to identify the values. The values were taken from a list compiled by researchers from studies by social scientists in the major social sciences.

As part of the study, Indian journals of pediatrics, the veterinary and dairy sciences were examined because of the enormous influence these professionals have in promoting the products. The industry's views enunciated in these advertisements were compared with the fears expressed by environmentalists that a dairy industry in India overtaxes the country's natural resources and could threaten man's survival on the subcontinent.

The findings of the study were that Amul's ads claimed to aid the customer by promoting his/her health. The dominant values varied from wisdom to status. The relationships depicted were all family, even when the ads talked of sharing fun and food with friends. The subsidiary values were usually convenience, an emphasis on the natural ingredients used in the product, instructions on how to use the products to complement traditional Indian dishes and a detailed description of the technology that went into the packaging to keep the product fresh.

The advertisements in the professional journals studied placed special emphasis on the nutritional value of the products and the economic benefits to the small dairy farmers from marketing the foods. The ads did not mention the fact that traditional Indian cuisine offers the same nutrients, nor were the unintentional consequences to the Indian environment in supporting a dairy industry mentioned.

The study supports conclusions made by researchers who studied the shift to bottle feeding in the Third World at the time of the infant formula controversy that the superior marketing and financial strengths of the commercial firms ensures that only their views on the subject are heard, especially through advertisements placed in the various media.