MxMIndia

Category: DEBRIEF

  • Philips' new commercial for their bulbs is a good example of how to mess up communication by trying to achieve a dhobi list of things.

    Debrief: Philips: Not very bright

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Philips has released a new commercial for their bulbs. And it’s a good example of how to mess up communication by trying to achieve a dhobi list of things.

     

    The commercial is a cross between a corporate A/V and a brand advertisement. While on the one hand Philips wants to tell us that their bulbs are 20 per cent brighter than the other brands, they also want to tell us it is a ‘Desh Ka Bulb’. And these two messages clash, like in a bad road accident. To complicate life further, they have used yet another consumer insight! In India, people name their children after light, as in Roshni, Suraj, Prakash, etc. So this needs to be established as well. And as if all this wasn’t enough, there are many situations featured in the ad, some serious, some trying to be funny. So in end, you are left with nothing.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTd8dfCnyVQ[/youtube]

    Complete waste of money. For one, there’s no need to tell us India uses Philips bulbs. It’s a very low involvement, low value product category, there’s no way this will induce brand recall at the retail outlet. A bulb is a bulb; all we want is that the damn thing works. However, Philips does have a tangible offer to make. That their bulbs are 20 percent brighter. THIS is what the entire communication ought to have been based on. This is what will induce brand recall. And I can see super, witty commercials being created with this one promise.

     

    And it’s all been short-circuited by a greedy brand manager. Sad.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 0. Bulb fuse ho gaya!

     

  • Godrej Security Solutions continues with the humour approach, and that, when done well, always works for a serious product category

    Debrief: Godrej Security: Good use of humour

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Godrej Security Solutions has released a new TVC. And I must say it’s quite hilarious.

     

    An elderly couple is dozing in their bed. The lady hears a strange sound, and asks her hubby to investigate. He does, and discovers that some thieves are trying to break open the safe. Instead of panicking and calling the cops, he quietly goes back to sleep. And so does the missus. No worries. There’s no way the chors will break open their safe vault.

     

    I like this ad. Because Godrej Security Solutions continues with the humour approach, and that, when done well, always works for a serious product category. Better to make the consumer smile rather than make him suffer a heart attack. Also, this particular TVC is single-minded and simple, which is its strength. I am a fan of advertising that is witty & simple, and in my book, the best ideas are those which don’t demand a huge ad budget. Godrej’s ad scores high on all three parameters. Even on repeat exposure, you will find this commercial entertaining.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kTwTObrKrw[/youtube]

    Perhaps the execution could have been a trifle better, perhaps the expressions of the protagonists could have been sharper, but that’s a very small blemish. The ad shines, and it makes you want to invest in Godrej.

     

    Good one.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3.5 Simple and effective.

     

  • The idea is rooted in Indian culture; many desi youngsters would kill for a break in them movies, and this makes the communication rock

    Debrief: Cadbury Shots: Good shot!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Cadbury has launched another little choc bomb called Shots. And keeping in line with their mother positioning of ‘Kuchh meetha ho jaaye’, this one says: Mann mein ladoo phoota.

     

    The commercial is great fun, and that’s the way it should be for a low-cost candy. It features Bollywood director Anurag Kashyap seated inside a restaurant. He’s screaming over the phone at his casting director who isn’t able to locate the faces Kashyap wants for his new flick. As luck would turn out, the girls he describes are seated at the adjoining table. And of course, the end result is ladoos (Shots) phooting all around.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzndy0hWa1c[/youtube]

    Good stuff. The idea is rooted in Indian culture; many desi youngsters would kill for a break in them movies, and this makes the communication rock. Mann mein ladoo phoota is again a very colloquial, oft-used phrase, and this will establish immediate connect. The treatment is very cute, you would want to see this ad again. And the best part is that the brand doesn’t get lost in all this drama, it plays an intrinsic part in the situation.

     

    I have just one little doubt: While Anurag Kashyap does appear a lot inside Page 3 pages these days, how many people in India can actually recognize him? And Cadbury Shots is a mass brand. In which case, there was no need really to pay big bucks to a celebrity, a regular bloke would have been good enough. The power totally lies in the idea in this TVC.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3.5. Entertaining with good brand connect.

     

     

  • Rajasthan Tourism has come up with a cool idea for its new ad. And it's the traditional 'Ghoomo' dance. This is a good thought. But…

    Debrief: Rajasthan Tourism: Bahut ghuma diya!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Rajasthan Tourism folks have come up with a cool idea for their new ad. And it’s the traditional ‘Ghoomo’ dance. This is a good thought. Always best to dig deep into your local culture for tourism ads. So that’s fine.

     

    The TV commercial features a whole lot of locals doing the ‘ghoomo’ number. The camera focuses on a single spinning dancer, as the images and people change. Quite naturally, the background track is Rajasthani folk music. In the backdrop of the dancer are shots of fast moving locales and symbols of Rajasthan… the desert, the colours, the elephants, the rustic settings, etc. And all this ties in very well with the slogan: Ghoom ghoom ke dekho maaro pyaaro Rajasthan.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfSluToqMWg[/youtube]

    So, yes, it’s all working correctly here. There is the local flavour and there are the festivities. However, there’s a fundamental problem with the treatment, and this directly hurts the communication. What they seem to have overlooked is actually a basic lesson in television advertising: When you have close up shots of human beings against a backdrop, the eye naturally stays focused on the human being. Especially when it comes to fast moving imagery. That’s the way our mind and eye function, it’s a basic human trait.

     

    As a result, the scenery in the backdrop, the stuff that would attract us to Rajasthan in the first place, gets lost. And that, obviously, is not a desirable thingy for any tourism ad.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2.5 Good idea, let down a bit by the treatment.

     

  • Complete madness carries on in desi candy advertising. The latest uproarious comedy has been churned out by the makers of Center Fruit

    Debrief: Center Fruit: Full-on masti

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    And so, complete madness carries on in desi candy advertising. The latest uproarious comedy has been churned out by the makers of Center Fruit. The promise is totally wild: The desire for Center Fruit will make your tongue rock and roll in the mouth. Creating a bizarre sound effect. ‘Laplapana’ is the word they’ve coined for this action, and am certain it’s not from the dictionary.

     

    The TVC is set at a tourist spot. A firangi couple is harassed by the local guides (as it often happens in India), as these jokers pitch their services. One smart dude comes along, impresses the firangs with his ‘laplapana’ trick, and wins the business. The commercial is insane, it’s difficult to even describe it, best you hit the link below! As an aside, I wonder how the creative team presented this idea to the client. The meeting itself must have been wild.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RncqBF5NjDs[/youtube]

    Well, what can one say, there’s absolutely no logic at play out here. All I can say is, this sort of outlandish advertising is perfect for a time pass candy. It will evoke some chuckles and (hopefully) some recall at the retail outlet. That’s all one can do in this category.

     

    PS: I do hope this offensive ‘laplapana’ sound doesn’t catch on, and some deranged buggers don’t do it in my presence. They’ll get some serious tongue lashing from moi! 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3. Insane stuff, and it works.

     

  • I am all for some wild action in this low-involvement product category. We usually leave the choice of the plywood to the carpenter, and a disruptive ad is needed to break the end-consumer apathy

    Debrief: Centuryply: Beastly tale!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The makers of Centuryply have decided that boring is pointless in the plywood category. It’s time for some fun. And to do the honours, they have hired the services of… not a celebrity… a gorilla!

     

    The TVC features a man being chased all over his house by a very angry gorilla. The chap finally hides inside a cupboard, and the frustrated gorilla isn’t able to smash it. We soon discover the beast is actually his wifey, who’s livid that the cad has forgotten all about their marriage anniversary.

     

    Well, I am all for some wild action in this low-involvement product category. We usually leave the choice of the plywood to the carpenter, and a disruptive ad is needed to break the end-consumer apathy. Also, even if the Centuryply guys don’t admit to it, Greenply’s zany ads must have inspired them. The latter has shown the way for the rest.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATOwSep_B0k[/youtube]

    However, the problem with this execution is that the gorilla, while it demonstrates physical toughness, takes away from the anti-termite narrative. While this does get mentioned in the voice-over, all the sound and fury in the TVC drowns it out. I think for plywood, threat of termites is an important story. And since Greenply hasn’t taken this positioning overtly, Centuryply could have made it their own, albeit without diluting the madness.

     

    So while the intent is correct, the positioning needs to get more focused.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2.5. Entertaining, but needs strategic direction.

     

  • How does a vibrating chip relate to the Polo and the Vento? I really hope the cars don't vibrate while being driven, that would be quite alarming!

    Debrief: Volkswagen’s senseless ‘innovation’

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Volkswagen celebrated 9/11 with ‘shock and awe’. No, they didn’t drive their zippy cars into buildings, they did something even more spectacular: Stick a vibrator on the last page of certain newspapers, as the message read: ‘Feel the shiver of excitement?’. If this provided some, ahem, excitement to the female readers, that was short-lived; the gizmo was a cheap chip that vibrated the entire newspaper… this is Volkswagen’s method of showing us that they are an innovative company.

     

    Well, Volkswagen has fooled around with newspapers with their wild ideas on previous occasions too, so this was nothing new. Clearly, their strategy, much like that desperate cartoonist called Trivedi, is to get attention at all costs (and for Volkswagen, the cost of these tricks must be phenomenal). So, yes, the idea worked, people hotly discussed the vibrator in the social media.

     

    However, I would urge Volkswagen to try and put out ideas that connect with their cars. How does a vibrating chip relate to the Polo and the Vento? I really hope the cars don’t vibrate while being driven, that would be quite alarming! So this is trickery for the sake of trickery. And that’s not very smart thinking.

     

    Also, must tell you, I had to purchase the TOI from the street vendor after I heard about the vibrating newspaper. And this is because my own copy arrived all soggy and wet (9/11 was a very rainy morn in Mumbai), water had seeped into the contraption and it had gone kaput! Again, hope that sort of stuff doesn’t happen to Volkswagen’s gaadis in the monsoons, hehe.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Silly, costly, irrelevant ‘innovation’.

     

  • The new commercial is sunny, bright, happy, and it features Yuvi making his comeback statement, as he talks about moving on from suffering to victory.

    Debrief | Birla Sun Life: Good timing, but…

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Yuvi is back in action, and Birla Sun Life decided it’s time for another TVC. I totally back this move. Readers might recall that earlier this year, I had suggested that Birla must pull the ad they were running at the time. The one which many people felt was insensitive and exploitative, as it appeared to be feeding on the cricketer’s misery. This is what I wrote at the time: ‘Here’s a suggestion for Birla: Drop the ad immediately. And wait. Sooner or later, Mr Fighter will recover and he will be back on the cricket field. It is THEN that the advertiser and its ad agency should swing into action. And create an ad where Yuvi speaks of his ill health, the fears he experienced, and the subsequent joy and relief on recovery. No one will object to that. We all like happy endings.’

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1sDQOUHAEU[/youtube]

    Well, it’s clear these guys listened to me. J. The new commercial is sunny, bright, happy, and it features Yuvi making his comeback statement, as he bonds with children. And he talks about moving on from suffering to victory. This is obviously correct. The TVC celebrates rather than exploits, packs in insecurity, hope and success… the key ingredients for an insurance company’s ad. So all that’s great.

     

    I have just one complaint, and it’s to do with the execution. The commercial ought to have been powerful, emotive and should have left the viewer with that flags-flying feel. This would also have made the ad entertaining to watch. Currently, it’s kinda boring, you wouldn’t want to watch the ad a second time, even if you are the cricketer’s diehard fan. And yes, Yuvi’s continuous drone doesn’t help matters much.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2.5. Good idea, average execution.

     

  • It would be harsh to term this as irresponsible advertising. But Mahindra’s ad comes pretty close. Surely there are more pleasant, attractive ways to demonstrate legacy

    Debrief: Mahindra Scooters: Lethal execution!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    This one is a good example of how a sensible strategy can get damaged by a thoughtless creative.

     

    Mahindra doesn’t seem to have much to say about their scooters per se, and that’s fine. All that can be boasted about in this category has been overdone already. Which is why they want to reassure potential customers that their scooters carry the Mahindra legacy of making powerful machines. And to communicate that the same expertise goes into manufacturing scooters.

     

    In the TVC, a chap is seen riding his Mahindra scooter on a country road. Suddenly, and to his great horror, in the rear view mirror he spots huge, menacing, Mahindra SUVs zooming in dangerously close to him. But when he turns his head to check, he spots nothing. This is Mahindra’s way of selling legacy.

     

    I have a problem with this treatment, and no, am not being an angsty, party-pooping uncle, usually I’m all for edgy work. SUV drivers threatening a two-wheeler rider on country roads is a common occurrence in India, and it’s a highly dangerous situation, one that often ends in calamity. Which is why this particular treatment leaves you with a bad feeling. Also, an alarmed scooter rider turning his head to look back, while moving at top speed, is not something you want to see. This is what is called reckless riding. All in all, it’s an execution that makes you fearful rather than informed.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IOGxYQ8-sE[/youtube]

    I think it would be harsh to term this as irresponsible advertising. But Mahindra’s ad comes pretty close to it. Surely there are more pleasant, attractive ways to demonstrate legacy.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Treatment cues danger rather than reassurance

     

  • For Reliance Communications' latest commercial on 'unlimited plans' featuring Bollywood girl Anushka Sharma and her boyfriend, they have toned things down

    Debrief: Reliance Communications: At last they get it right

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Ok, so it looks like Reliance took my advice for their mobile phone ads; or at least they took all the dissing in social media very seriously. For their latest commercial on ‘unlimited plans’ featuring Bollywood girl Anushka Sharma and her boyfriend, they have toned things down.

     

    Regular readers will recall that in my review for the Reliance 3G Tab commercial, I had expressed anger over the treatment of the ad. Ms Sharma was seen freely insulting her boyfriend and making him feel like a total loser. My concern was the impact of such loutish behaviour on the brand’s image. To me, spunky is cool, offensive is not.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhx0W35XOMk[/youtube]

    Well, in the new ad, the team seems to have done course correction. The boyfriend (who uses a rival brand) can’t believe Ms Sharma lands up with such a low bill, he thinks she’s using the phone as a showpiece. So he takes up the challenge and abuses the lady’s phone. He makes many STD calls, sends out many text messages and generally has fun with the applications. But the bill remains the same, much to Ms Sharma’s amusement. And so gets introduced the Reliance plan.

     

    Now this is fine. The girl goes one-up on her man, but isn’t abusive or crass. She wins but without being a bitch. This makes for a pleasant ad, and it still delivers the message effectively. This is the way to carry forward this campaign. Hope Reliance has left all the nastiness behind.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Better approach, fun treatment

     

  • Extremely disappointed with this effort. It’s a straightforward, boring, problem/solution ad, with none of the famous Havells magic

    Debrief: Havells Wires: Lacks spark

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Havells is back with a new commercial, this time for their wires. This brand usually does offbeat work and has set the benchmark for advertising on electrical products, so one looks out for their ads with great expectation.

     

    The commercial features Bollywood comedian Ranvir Shorey. Clad in a ganji and pyjama, he is seen meditating. He smells something fishy, and spends the rest of the commercial time sniffing around in his house. Till our man discovers that an ‘ordinary’ wire is burning because of excess load. Enter Havells. Problem solved.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXdzR_VEjFw[/youtube]

    Extremely disappointed with this effort. It’s a straightforward, boring, problem/solution ad, with none of the famous Havells magic. In fact, it’s so bad, even on the first exposure when you don’t really know what’s happening, you get busy yawning. I suspect the client and the agency knew they are putting out a weak creative, and therefore relied on Shorey to pep things up with his usual filmi antics. Well, poor Shorey, how much ever he might be brilliant at comedy, there’s nothing he can do when the script sucks.

     

    Poor show. The wires may or may not be burning, but I smell a creative burn-out here.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Message delivered. By boring you to death.

     

  • People being made to frolic in water to cue freshness has been done to death ever since Ms Karen Lunel went under a waterfall for Liril centuries ago. So there's literally no freshness out here

    Debrief: Cinthol: Not awesome, it’s tiresome

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    After dude, rock star, chillax, etc, the next big cliché in the urban world is ‘awesome’. Everyone flings the word around for all sorts of things, and feels cool (another cliché!) about it. Which is why I knew it was a matter of time before an advertiser latched on to it.

     

    ‘Alive is Awesome’ is the new tagline for Cinthol. And the brand hopes to net Young India with it. The TVC is basically lads and ladettes having a blast holidaying on beautiful foreign locales. They play around with different forms of water bodies (not Mumbai gutters), as the jingle belts out awesomeness in the background.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzpcIvJ77g0[/youtube]

    Doesn’t work, to put it simply. People being made to frolic in water to cue freshness has been done to death ever since Ms Karen Lunel went under a waterfall for Liril centuries ago. So there’s literally no freshness out here. Also, the word ‘awesome’ is likely to be understood only in the urban areas, so this limits Cinthol’s appeal. Doesn’t make sense to me, I thought this is a mass soap brand. Unless Godrej has decided to make Cinthol super premium, but the same old boring packaging doesn’t suggest so.

     

    However, I do envy the models, the production crew and the ad agency personnel who got a free ride to such exotic destinations. Awesome! This is what makes advertising life fun, fun, fun. Now if only all this merriment had happened over a half-decent TV commercial.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Zero freshness.