Beyond the Ad: Unpacking MakeMyTrip's Game of Framing

Introduction: 

The front page of the Ahmedabad Times yesterday carried a rather peculiar advertisement from Make My Trip - a popular website that specializes in travel facilitation. I’m pretty sure you have already seen it, but just in case you have not, here’s what it looked like:

The ad read, 

“AN OPEN INVITATION TO PAKISTANI FANS” and then went on to say:

“If Pakistan loses by: 

• 10 wickets or 200 runs, get 50% off. Use code: BoysPlayedWell. 
• 6 wickets or 100 runs, get 30% off. Use code: EkShaheenHaar. 
• 3 wickets or 50 runs, get 10% off. Use code: NoMaukaMauka,"

After this, there were some branding statements. In the end, they sign it with a traditional “yours truly”.  

The advertisement was definitely creative, playful and utilized the historical context quite well. But then, it did possess the ability to be misconstrued and that’s exactly what happened. The twitterverse (should I be calling it X verse now?) exploded with so many people calling it out as ‘cringe’, ‘horrible’, ‘disgusting’ and ‘communal’. Some people went ahead and called for the boycott of the brand. Homestay and Villas (the other brand mentioned) tried to distance itself from the ad. This morning, the ad also got media attention. Many papers including the Express and Hindustan times talked about it. Several celebrities tweeted about it, some favoring and applauding the creative effort with others calling it out as distasteful. Several of my friends, and marketing faculty in other schools also wrote about it on their individual handles. 

While there is not much to be gained from debating over this issue, I was hoping to make this a learning experience for you all and try and talk about some of the theory behind it. Specifically, I wanted to discuss the idea of ‘framing’. So let's just talk about this really interesting effect that we've all experienced at one point in time or the other. 

Framing in consumer behavior

In consumer behavior, the way information is presented (aka framed) can significantly influence a consumer's decision. This has the ability to steer people away from making objective decisions. 

The classical example that we get to talk about in B School a lot these days is that of the Economist magazine’s pricing. Here's how the example goes:

The Economist offered three subscription options:

• Online subscription only - $59
• Print subscription only - $125
• Print and online subscription combined - $125

At first glance, the middle option (print only for $125) seems to make no sense. Why would anyone choose just the print subscription when they could get both print and online for the same price?

However, when researchers tested these options, they found that the middle option (print only) acted as a decoy that made the third option (print and online combined) look much more attractive. However, the attractiveness is primarily on account of the comparison. 

 Very few people chose the middle option, but its mere presence increased the number of people who chose the third option. Such options are also referred to as 'decoys' (for obvious reasons). 

To validate the effect of the decoy, the researchers then removed the middle option and presented only the online subscription and the combined print and online subscription to a different group. In this case, many more people chose the more affordable online-only option.

The inclusion of the seemingly illogical middle option effectively "framed" the third option as being of great value, hence driving more people to opt for it. (you can read more about the experiment here.

To learn about how IKEA uses framing, have a look here.

The Economist example is a clear demonstration of how framing, through the introduction of a decoy, can shift consumer preferences and encourage them to choose a more expensive option. It underscores the importance of understanding cognitive biases that can influence us. 

Extending it further

Remember that game someone once played with you? Asking you how a line could be made smaller? Remember how they drew a larger line next to the original line to make that happen? This is pretty much the same idea.  Our human brains are wired in such a way that we see value through comparison. 

When faced with multiple options, we often rely on relative differences rather than absolute values to make judgments. This is why the presence of a decoy, as seen in the Economist example, can dramatically shift our perceptions and decisions. Such framing techniques tap into our brain's natural tendency to compare and evaluate in relation to surrounding stimuli.

The MakeMyTrip ad uses framing in a different way, but the underlying principle — influencing perception through presentation — is consistent. To put it subtly, they simply removed the smaller line, and asked “how big should the larger line be?” and tie it to discounts on their offerings. Thinking about the ad in this manner would help us understand the twin perspectives with greater clarity. 

Different possibilities

Now.. There is the bigger question. Could they have done it differently? I think yes! They could have used the same framing concept but could have implemented it slightly differently. For instance, how might it have sounded if make my trip said: "For the love of the game, and the love of travel! Regardless of the match outcome, let's celebrate together."

If the match is decided by:

• 10 wickets or 200 runs, everyone gets 40% off. Use code: CricketFeverHigh
• 6 wickets or 100 runs, everyone gets 25% off. Use code: CricketPassion
• 3 wickets or 50 runs, everyone gets 10% off. Use code: GameSpiritAlive

Because in cricket, it's not just about winning, it's about the love for the game. Safe travels and thrilling matches to all!”

This could have been more inclusive, enjoyable and most importantly, valued the true spirit of sportsmanship. In these polarizing times, it is possibly only sports and games that blur the artificial boundaries set by man. Marketers should not try to draw new lines that seek to exclude. 

What do you think about this? Let me know!