MxMIndia

Category: DEBRIEF

  • The commercials are entertaining, and the Indian flavour is brought out nicely. Yes, we will identify with these situations, because, as the cliche goes, we are like that only

    Debrief: McDonald’s Masala Grill: Apun aisaich hai!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Very apt TV campaign from McDonald’s for their Masala Grill burger. The product positioning is: Here’s a burger custom made for the Indian taste. And to bring that out, instead of concentrating on the burger, they have focused on the consumer, which in this case is we desis. The creative hook therefore is how we Indians behave. This makes for a cool creative.

     

    There are various TVCs on air, but the two I like are these: In one, a stingy man desperately tries to bargain with a McDonald’s staffer, and obviously fails to obtain a discount. In another one, a religious chap orders a Masala Grill Chicken, when the wife dutifully reminds him it’s Tuesday (love the sound of a temple gong at this point, hilarious!). Naturally, the order is quickly changed to ‘Veg’.

     

    Good stuff. The commercials are entertaining, and the Indian flavour is brought out nicely. Yes, we will identify with these situations, because, as the cliche goes, we are like that only. I particularly like the slightly irreverent touch to the ads, they are self-deprecatory in nature, they don’t show us Indians in a very good light. Brave of McDonald’s to back this creative, and appreciate the creative team for treading the line carefully.

     

    Personally speaking, I would have used the following situations: People jumping queues, children littering all over the outlet, folks demanding ten tomato ketchup sachets with each burger (nine of which to be smuggled for home use), in fact, I would have shown a chap spitting in a corner. Of course, the McDonald’s suits would have shoved my scripts into the paper shredder, but I could have always posted them on the internet for an Abby award consideration. 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Fun treatment, delivers message effectively.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own.

     

  • While these ads run during the commercial breaks, on the news programmes we find anchors and their guests hectically dissecting a brand-new scam. So, all the hard work done by the ads gets negated moments after exposure.

    Debrief: Congress Party: Ad fest in between Scam fest

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    So, Soniaji has decided the time has come to start selling her party for the next year’s general elections. I think it’s a bit too early, but perhaps Madamji has little faith in her party’s chances this time, and therefore the bugle is blowing hard more than a year ahead. Also, why would she worry about the ad cost… we idiots, the taxpaying junta of India, will foot the bill.

     

    ‘Bharat Nirman’ is the campaign slogan, I watched three ads. One deals with the boom in mobile telephony, another one talks about the spurt in educational institutions. The third one boasts of the Delhi Metro, and plans for other cities. The strategy is both, obvious and correct; it’s best to discuss the key achievements for an incumbent government in its election campaign. Also, the execution is warm and engaging. They have used aam aadmis and aurats of India, and their aam life stories. So all very nice and dandy.

     

    However, there’s a serious problem: While these ads run during the commercial breaks, on the news programmes we find anchors and their guests hectically dissecting a brand-new scam. So, all the hard work done by the ads gets negated moments after exposure. Which then makes me wonder: Shouldn’t at least some of the ads take on the issue of scams and scandals head-on? Instead of ignoring them? Maybe closer to elections, the Congress Party will think about this issue. Especially because the opposition party will definitely launch a frontal attack on UPA’s assorted corruption stories.

     

    All said, in my own humble view, the UPA will get booted out next year. All the ad money down the drain. Our money, to be precise. Grr.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2.5. Obvious strategy. Creative is decent.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own.

     

  • The ad is effective. It's a fantasy most men harbour, to meet this hot chick accidentally and get something going. Yup, the brand's in a good zone out here.

    Debrief: Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk: Messy choc, messy traffic. Works.

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Er, I am not big on people eating anything in a messy way, leave alone a gooey, sugary, milky chocolate. Which is why I am not a fan of CDM Silk advertising. But admittedly, perhaps some consumers are, which is why this brand has chosen the route. So let’s begin the review by assuming the mess works.

     

    The latest ad in the series features two car drivers stuck in a bad traffic jam. They both eat their respective chocolate bars (making a mess, of course), and this leads to the two vibing, as they playfully gesticulate. What happens later, whether they exchange cell numbers, go out for coffee, have a sex romp, get married, etc, is left to our imagination. But from the girl’s expressions, it’s clear our chap just got lucky.

     

    Which is why the ad is effective. It’s a fantasy most men harbour, to meet this hot chick accidentally and get something going. Yup, the brand’s in a good zone out here. Plus, with big cites notorious for deadly traffic snarls, such a situation is quite realistic, though by behaving like creeps in general, Indian men have put women on high alert.

     

    All said, it’s a cute, very likeable commercial. But I would urge you not to pull this stunt in real life. Because even as you are enjoying the choc and the moment, a sea of angry cars from behind will blow the crap out of you as soon as the traffic light turns yellow (even earlier). And trust me, there’s nothing silky about that feeling.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Fun, aspirational, delightful situation.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own.

     

  • Many advertisers use celebrities quite mindlessly. Still, shouldn't there be at least some thought given to credibility of the communication? Or, does this builder think the nation is teeming with morons?

    Debrief: Gaur City: Chintu, tusi Noida shift ho gayeji?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    There’s this builder who’s been advertising on the national television network. They are building a residential complex called Gaur City in Greater Noida. Nothing wrong with that, if makers of bras and panties can sell their wares on the cover pages of dailies, why can’t a builder.

     

    The problem is this: The Gaur guys have signed up Mr and Mrs Rishi Kapoor as brand ambassadors. And this happy, lovely couple hawks Gaur City’s apartments in the commercial, giving us their first-hand experience of living out there. Now this sends the brain into an immediate tailspin. Er, haven’t Rishi and Neetu been residents of Bandra for decades? Have they shifted to Greater Noida? When, when, when? Why, why, why? Did they have a tiff with son Ranbir? Is Rishi joining politics? Is Neetu fed up of Slumbai? Questions, questions, questions!

     

    Yes, I am aware many advertisers use celebrities quite mindlessly. Because, in their view, this trick works in the star-obsessed India. Still, shouldn’t there be at least some thought given to credibility of the communication? Or, does this builder think the nation is teeming with morons?

     

    Okay, if you push me really hard, I might just believe that SRK drives his junior assistant’s Santro now and then. Or that Shri Bachchan has been to Gujarat on occasion. But Rishi and Neetu selling us apartment flats for a complex being built in Uttar Pradesh? I am still reeling.

     

    So then what next? Rajnikanth as brand ambassador for Orissa? Why not? I am ready for anything now.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Can I buy Rishi’s Pali Hill flat, now that he’s migrated to Noida?

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own.

     

  • Even an otherwise confident brand like Axe has fallen for the Indian celebrity circus. However, the cool thing they have done is that Ranbir gets beaten by a non-celeb.

    Debrief: Axe Blast: The chick scorecard

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Axe continues with the same old, tried and tested route: Use our deo, and chicks will chase you to the end of the world. This time they’ve roped in Ranbir Kapoor to do the honours. Even an otherwise confident brand like Axe has fallen for the Indian celebrity circus. However, the cool thing they have done in the commercial is that Ranbir gets beaten by a non-celeb.

     

    My feminists pals aren’t going to like this TVC at all (just they loathe all the male deo ads), because the chicks our guys ‘score’ are now being metered. A clicker device is used by the star each time he gets ‘favourable’ female attention, which is plenty of times. Just as our young Casanova is feeling all chuffed, another man shows him his own clicker, which has a much higher score. Well, Ranbir needs to work harder, which means start using Axe Blast.

     

    Not bad. For one, the celeb isn’t the brand user in this case (though subliminally he is), which is refreshing to see in desi advertising. Two, the chick meter is an idea that young chaps will like. Guys do boast about the women they have scored with (the figure is almost always vastly exaggerated), and the device helps put that (fake) number on record, so to speak. Axe can build on this simple little tool in the future.

     

    In short, this ad works. That it will leave feminists pissed off won’t worry Axe too much. This brand isn’t for them, it’s meant for chronic skirt chasers like young Ranbir.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2.5. Same old stuff, but refreshing use of celeb

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Full marks to IndusInd Bank for thinking out of the box. However, the below average execution doesn't do justice to the unusual promise.

    Debrief: IndusInd Bank: Offbeat approach works

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Intriguing offer from IndusInd Bank. Their new ad is based on just one promise: We will offer you the account number you desire. Bollywood’s character actor Sharman Joshi has been hired to do the honours.

     

    Joshi is stuck on the number 30, because he considers it to be his lucky number. The ad tries to make this funny, as Joshi is pleased when his son scores only 30 percent marks in the exams. He desperately tries to fit into a trouser that’s size 30 inches. And so on.

     

    Must say I was a bit flummoxed when I first saw the ad. IndusInd Bank isn’t offering efficient service or higher interest rate or expert advice. They are offering an account number, which is the least of my concerns. Later I gave it a thought and felt they might be doing the right thing. Because all other banks make the expected promises, this bank is appealing only to the superstitious in us. And when you think about it, it makes sense because India is a nation of many superstitions, and ‘lucky number’ tops that list. The fact that so many people pay through their noses to get hold of the ‘right’ number for their vehicle is a clear indication of that. Full marks to IndusInd Bank for thinking out of the box.

     

    However, the below average execution doesn’t do justice to the unusual promise. The treatment is laid-back, the jingle is boring and the humour quotient is low. They could have conceived totally hilarious situations with the crazy obsession people have with numbers, and perhaps many short ads was the answer. And Joshi, instead of adding value, dilutes the overall impact. They didn’t need a celeb at all, the innovative offer is the real star! And that’s the only celeb the ad needed.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Refreshing promise. But execution gets only 30/100. 🙂

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Nothing wrong with the treatment, and the single-minded communication ensures the promise is delivered smoothly. But here's the problem: This sort of a promise alarms me.

    Debrief: Toyota service: No hurry, take your time!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Cool ad for Toyota  service. The idea is simple: By the time ma’am gets decked up for the noon show, our man will be able to get his Etios all serviced and ready. The commercial intercuts between the lady doing her make-up while cribbing about the car having been sent for service, and service personnel working fast on the car. Promise: Super-fast service.

     

    Nothing wrong with the treatment, it’s slice of life stuff, and the cribbing lady acts quite naturally (all those of you who are married will identify with this situation). In fact, it’s her acting skill that makes sure you don’t get bored on repeat ad exposure, even though it’s an ordinary commercial. And the single-minded communication ensures the promise is delivered smoothly: No more waiting endlessly for your car to be serviced.

     

    So all very well. But here’s the problem, and it’s for the Etios guys to worry about, not their ad agency: This sort of a promise alarms me. Because my experience with care service stations has always been horrid. The staffers are usually careless, they work in a slip-shod manner, most of the complaints filed by the car owner are ‘forgotten’. I don’t want to worry you much, but I have seen these guys damage cars in a hurry to finish their jobs. Which is why the ‘quick service’ promise frightens me.

     

    I would much rather have a car maker tell me the service will be patient, careful, that their staffers will treat my gaadi like their own car. And I don’t mind if they take their own sweet time, I rather have an upset partner than a car that arrives half-done, or worse, dented. For a change, I am questioning the promise, not the creative.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2. Dicey strategy. But creative is okay.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • The jingle is sweet and the ad is shot nicely. I like it that they haven't shown adult faces, their presence is only suggested. This keeps the focus on the little girl, and that's what makes the ad endearing.

    Debrief: Kotak Mahindra: Catching them young

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Kotak Mahindra Bank has decided to expand its market share. And no, unlike IndusInd Bank they aren’t offering you a lucky number, they have decided to go after your kids. The bank has launched Kotak Junior, a new scheme whereby bachchas can now have their own account.

     

    As you would expect, the commercial is cute. A sweet little girl goes about collecting chillar from her family members by hook or by crook. Once she’s amassed enough, it’s time for the next step: Open a bank account. The jingle is sweet too and the ad is shot nicely. I like it that they haven’t shown adult faces, their presence is only suggested. This keeps the focus on the little girl, and that’s what makes the ad endearing.

     

    However, the TVC leaves some key questions unanswered. I guess Kotak Mahindra is hoping that sufficiently enticed, and under pressure from their kids, parents would visit the local branch with queries. I am not too sure that gamble will work in this case. Since the juniors will only land up with a membership card, with no direct control of the account, the delicious add-ons that Kotak Mahindra would most likely offer the kids need to be indicated in the ad. Today’s kids aren’t simple souls as bachchas from my generation used to be; they are very smart, and without tangible promises, they would not get interested.

     

    And by the way, hope Kotak Mahindra is offering a slightly higher rate of interest to the juniors. Itna toh banta hai, boss!

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2.5 Cute ad. But communication is incomplete.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • It's very unlike typical Indian car ads and the Hyundai guys must hope that the car features highlighted will prompt the buyers to suss out the machine, writes Anil Thakraney

    Debrief: Hyundai i20: The ghost-buster

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Haha, scary ad for Hyundai i20, it will give you the shivers. Our sleepy, exhausted dude is driving by the countryside on a dark, rainy night, when he spots this sexy lady standing by the corner. Naturally, our excited hero wants to offer her a lift. But he suddenly finds her standing next to the car, and then inside it, all quite magically. The terrified chap discovers she was standing by a cemetery, and that the hot babe is a ghost. She commands him to drive, and there’s no option but to listen.

     

    Then comes the twist in the tale, as the tables turn. The ghost is petrified when she notices that our man can get the wipers moving ‘without touching a thing’, the headlights come on ‘by their own’, and she really freaks out when the guy reverses the car ‘without looking in the rear’. This prompts the ghost to vamoose.

     

    I like this one because it’s a surprising solution, it’s very unlike typical Indian car ads. And the Hyundai guys must hope that within the ghost story, the car features highlighted in the ad will prompt the buyers to visit the showroom and suss out the machine. Which indeed is the job of an ad: To get the brand noticed, and to get potential customers interested. I think this twin objective has been achieved nicely.

     

    And the sexy ghost ensures the ad breaks the clutter, and is entertaining to watch on repeat exposure. I am definitely going to check out the i20. And shall recite the Hanuman Chalisa while I do so. 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Surprising solution. Highly entertaining.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Do creative folk have to show reckless driving to demonstrate power and zip in a car, asks Anil Thakraney

    Debrief: Maruti Swift: More reckless driving

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Shots of rash, reckless driving in adverts give me the frights. Most car makers do this (as also movie makers), and then some idiots go ahead and emulate the stunts on the streets, leading to tragic results. Therefore there’s no point really in singling out Maruti Swift for such irresponsible advertising.

     

    In addition, Maruti has named the brand Swift, and therefore it gets very tempting for them to show high speed because the car has to live up to its name. Also, this particular brand targets young India. And so they have to show youngsters speeding, and this is a lethal combination. One recent study has indicated that a majority of the road accidents in Mumbai involve those in the age group of 21 to 30 years (Maruti Swift’s desired segment).

     

    The commercial itself is pretty stupid, nothing to report on that. Basically, lads and ladettes going crazy in their Swift. The question all creative people must ask themselves is this: To demonstrate power and zip in a car, do we literally have to show reckless driving? Isn’t it possible to achieve this by using the power of lateral thinking? I would urge my pals in the ad world as well as their clients to chew on this. Because we must never forget that you can buy a driving licence in India for a few hundred bucks. And then take some lives for free.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Thoughtless stuff.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Each time the National Population Register commercial comes on air, I want to fling some mud at my television set, writes Anil Thakraney

    Debrief: National Population Register: Hello Early Nineties!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have a bad feeling we are living in the early nineties. Madhuri Dixit is back, so is Anil Kapoor, and so is Sridevi. And the BJP is talking about Ayodhya all over again. Soon we’ll hear Sanjay Manjrekar is back in the Indian team. Not to be left behind, here’s an ad from the glorious past.

     

    If you are a new entrant to advertising, watch the commercial from the National Population Register very carefully. It will give you a good idea of the generally crappy television advertising we used to produce back then. A tired, laid-back, sleepy jingle. Indians from all walks of life doing the same activity, in this case, mud-slinging (though the copyright for that now belongs to Shri Arnab Goswami). And each visual a bloody living, breathing ad cliché. I have to say this must easily be the most annoying advert currently on air, and it’s on air all the time because we taxpaying idiots sponsor this trash. Each time it comes on, I want to fling some mud at my television set.

     

    So if these guys want us to register our names for the census, they should tell us why it’s important for us to do so. The communication trigger should be this and only this: Dude, you don’t sign up, you are screwed, and this is how you get screwed. It’s as simple as that. This is what will result in consumer engagement. Instead, these dolts have gone back into the past to re-create its worst. I’d rather register for the Pakistani or the Bangladeshi census.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Poora paisa mitti mein mil gaya

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • With Renault, Anil Kapoor has made a complete fool of himself as even though the idea isn't terribly bad, the rendition is awful, notes Anil Thakraney

    Debrief: Renault Pulse: Pulsating with boredom

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    On Tuesday I reviewed the crappy census ad, and had said that the bad old nineties are back. As if to prove the point, Renault has signed up Anil Kapoor as brand ambassador for their hatchback called Pulse. Before I proceed further, I must share what Shah Rukh said to me in the year 2007. He said Anil Kapoor used to scoff at him for acting in TV commercials, boasting that he (Kapoor) would never do ads. Soon after the success of Slumdog Millionaire, Anil Kapoor was seen selling Mont Blanc pens, which must have made SRK snigger quite loudly. But at least that was a half decent ad. With Renault, the yesteryear actor has made a complete fool of himself.

     

    The idea isn’t terribly bad, but the rendition is awful. Kapoor borrows his son’s Renault Pulse, and this, well, sets his pulse racing. And he suddenly starts behaving like a ‘crazed teenager’, in his office and at his home. Extremely poor interpretation of pulse-racing, they could have had so much fun with it. To make matters worse, the direction sucks, the expressions are forced, and Kapoor ends up looking like a bumbling idiot. And because he ends up looking like that, as a viewer, my mind stays focussed on him, and the brand gets completely lost in the process. I don’t know, at the end of the commercial, what it is about the car that will send my pulse racing. Renault Pulse remains at the level of yet another hatchback in the market. In short, a total flop show.

     

    As for Kapoor, he should practice what he once preached to SRK: Stay away from advertising, more so if this is the kind of creative that sets his pulse racing.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Poor script. Poor direction.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney