Technology company Zoho has launched a new advertising campaign titled ‘It Takes Time’, focused on the time and effort involved in building lasting businesses. The campaign outlines Zoho’s journey over three decades and its approach to sustainable growth.
The campaign message, ‘To build anything that truly lasts, it takes time’, reflects Zoho’s strategy of steady development over quick expansion. It aims to communicate the company’s decision to prioritise long-term goals over short-term gains.
“The general ethos of technology companies has always been to move fast and break things. But we asked, how do you stay the course and build business software for the long term? At Zoho, we chose an unconventional path by taking our time to validate our convictions and building a suite of world-class products. None of this could have happened overnight—it has been a journey of patience and perseverance, and one that required staying true to our beliefs, through all the highs and lows. This campaign is a reflection of our approach towards sustainable growth,” said Praval Singh, VP Marketing and Customer Experience, Zoho.
The campaign was developed in partnership with advertising agency Bombay Locale. It includes a video and website, and will be rolled out across multiple formats including out-of-home, print, radio and digital.
The campaign uses the banyan tree as its central motif, drawing a comparison between the slow growth of the tree and Zoho’s own development over 30 years. The banyan tree is also present on Zoho’s Estancia campus in Chennai.
The video, narrated by Neelesh Misra, uses three references to communicate its message: Varanasi to represent cultural continuity, the Brihadeeswara temple to signify long-term craftsmanship, and the telephone and internet to illustrate technological change.
The campaign points to time as a core element in Zoho’s operations. The company has invested in its own technology stack and R&D over the years. It has taken decisions such as remaining bootstrapped, opening offices in rural areas, and developing an internal training programme as an alternative to traditional university education.
Zoho states that it values people and skills as part of its capital. It reports that more than 170 employees have been with the company for over 20 years, and over 1,900 for more than 10 years. The campaign concludes by stating, ‘And we are just getting started,’ indicating its continued focus on long-term planning.
