MxMIndia

Category: ADVERTISING

  • Eenadu's I Venkat is elected new Chairman of ASCI

    I Venkat is new top cop for ad world

    The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the self-regulatory voluntary organization of the advertising industry, has unanimously elected Mr I Venkat, Director, Eenadu, as the Chairman of the Board of ASCI at its board meeting. Mr Venkat has been a member of the Board of Governors for five years and has provided active support to self-regulation in advertising.

    Mr Arvind Sharma, Chairman of India Sub-Continent, – Leo Burnett, was elected Vice-Chairman; and Mr Vikram Sakhuja, CEO-South Asia – Group M Media India, was re-appointed the Honorary Treasurer.

    During 2010-11, the Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) met 12 times and considered 777 complaints against 190 advertisements. Of these, complaints against 104 ads were upheld, while 80 were not upheld and six were considered non-issues. In 84 cases, the ads in which the complaint was upheld were voluntarily withdrawn or modified as per the CCC’s decisions, making for an over 80 percent compliance rate.

    Mr Rajiv Dube, Director-Group Corporate Services ,Aditya Birla Management Corporation Pvt Ltd, and the outgoing Chairman of ASCI, said, It has been a privilege for me to have served as the Chairman of ASCI and I step down from the position with the satisfaction of a progressive year on self-regulation in advertising behind me, for which I would like to thank all who supported strengthening the movement further.

    On his new role, Mr Venkat said, It is my honour to be elected as the Chairman of an organization which has been providing remarkable service to the Indian masses and the ad industry by effectively self-regulating advertising content over the past 26 years. With the support of the ASCI’s Board and the CCC, I will endeavour to further improve the awareness and usage of ASCI. I urge the ad sector, the regulators, civil society activists and above all, the general public to actively seek ASCI’s services and also provide suggestions for its improvement.

     

    The other members of the new Board of Governors:

    Advertisers

    Mr Narendra Ambwani (Agro Tech Foods)

    Mr Rajiv Dube (Aditya Birla Management Corporation)

    Mr Shantanu Khosla (Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care)

    Mr Gopal Vittal (Hindustan Unilever)

     

    Media

    Mr Rajan Anandan (Google India)

    Mr Benoy Roychowdhury (HT Media)

     

    Advertising Agencies 

    Mr Subhash Kamath (BBH Comms India)

    Mr Srinivasan Swamy (RK Swamy BBDO)

     

    Allied Professions

    Mr Dilip Cherian (Perfect Relations)

    Mr Dhananjay Keskar (IBS)

    Mr Pranesh Misra (Brandscapes Consultancy P. Ltd.)

    Mr Partha Rakshit (Partha Rakshit Associates)

     

  • It's single-minded on beauty. It's a surprising solution. But most importantly, the commercial puts jaan into an entirely boring product category

    Debrief: Greenlam: Ati sundar!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Greenlam Laminates is a fun account to work on. The client is quite creative savvy, and this is obvious from the sort of offbeat advertising that happens on this brand. I had the good fortune of working with them during my stint with Lintas,New Delhi, and must say I have a lot of respect for these guys.

     

    Greenlam has released another cool TVC. This one features a gentleman called Shri Saundarya Premi, whose life’s mission is to make this world a more beautiful place. He goes around making sure women get their make-up right, he teaches some rural belles the art of carrying a water pot sensuously, and so on. Finally, when asked what will happen after he’s gone, Shri Premi says the job of beautification will be carried forward by Greenlam Laminates. And that’s when the brand enters the story.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Td9z0g7S2Y[/youtube]

    I like this one. It’s single-minded on beauty. It’s a surprising solution. It’s humorous and entertaining. And the jingle is pretty catchy too. But most importantly, the commercial puts jaan into an entirely boring product category, something that the makers of Greenlam ads have been doing repeatedly.

     

    One really wishes Shri Saundarya Premi pays a visit to dirty Mumbai. We can do with some beautification.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 4. Single-minded and entertaining.

     

  • Pankaj Vassal has been appointed as Vice President (Regional Business Head – West and East) and working closely with him will be Neeti Virmani, Station Head, Mumbai

    Big FM makes two new appointments

    By a Correspondent

     

    Rabe T Iyer

    Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. (RBNL) announced the appointments of two business heads at BIG FM. Pankaj Vassal has been appointed as Vice President (Regional Business Head – West and East) and will report to Rabe T Iyer, Business Head, BIG FM. He will be responsible for business growth and overall P&L for the business vertical. Working closely with him will be Neeti Virmani, Station Head, Mumbai and helping ensure revenue targets are met. The duo as a team are all set to ensure the targets are met and floor is set to usher phase III of the radio revolution.

     

    Rabe T Iyer, Business Head, BIG FM said: “In our continuing quest to constantly bring more of the “Outside” In, we are happy to have two very talented associates join us in critical positions. Both Vassal and Virmani come with vast experience in driving revenue, operations and execution in different but relevant ecosystems. Their depth and width of business understanding will not only build better ROI, but also build a higher listener affinity for our large network of stations.  I wish them the very best.”

     

    Mr Vassal’s key focus area will be to grow the radio business – expanding the West and East Zones of the network from the revenue point of view. He is said to bring with him close to 15 years of experience. Mr Vassal has worked across organizations like Amway, Motorola, Asian Paints and Essel Packaging wherein he is said to have been instrumental in growing the business and leading improvements in areas such as gross margins and profitability while growing new markets.

     

    Pankaj Vassal said: “I feel incredibly proud and excited to have joined a growing and vibrant organization like RBNL at a time when it is transitioning into a media giant. I respect the vision and culture of the organization, and look forward to taking on new challenges and to contributing towards helping RBNL reach greater heights.”

     

    Working closely with Vassal will be Neeti Virmani, who joins as Station Head for Mumbai, who brings close to 14 years of varied experience across General Management, Marketing and Sales at Mass Consumer focused organizations like Aircel, Pepsi, Airtel, Aptech and STG Ltd. As Station Head, her role will involve – managing overall business and operations of the Mumbai Station while managing the P&L, by driving functions including sales, programming, and marketing. Her key forte is said to include driving growth and share blueprint through market insights and in driving business through large teams.

     

    Neeti Virmani said: “I am delighted to have joined the dynamic RBNL family. The world of multi-media entertainment has fascinated me and I am eager to the take up this challenging role, and learn and contribute to the best of my ability.”

     

  • Zakaria will pay for his cut-paste chori. But it's 'loose change' crime compared to all the malpractices that go on here. Must say journalists in India are truly free!

    Anil Thakraney: Fareed ‘Chindi-chor’ Zakaria

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Fareed Zakaria isn’t the first journalist/columnist caught with his hand in the cookie jar. And he isn’t going to be the last one either. Across the world of journalism, at all levels, folks have been caught ‘cut-pasting’ stuff. It’s either because they believe no one will notice, or they are too lazy/busy to do their own research work. Some offenders lose their jobs, others get away with it. I suspect Zakaria’s career is finished, given his exalted status in international journalism. The mightier you are, the heavier the fall. The man should seriously consider joining Indian politics. Chaps like him are more than welcome.

     

    I actually have a poor opinion of Zakaria as a columnist. I read a few of his articles in Newsweek, in the aftermath of the ‘War on Terror’. And I felt he was regurgitating obvious truths and belting out trite arguments. While that’s not a crime, he did lose at least one reader. Zakaria’s act of stealing content (either himself or through his rookies) from another writer perhaps explains the regurgitation of thought.

     

    Anyway, Fareed Zakaria is history, and he totally deserves it. However, let me add here that slyly stealing text from a fellow journalist is much like picking a lower middle class pocket, or chindi chori, as it’s called in Mumbai. It’s petty theft when you compare it with the nefarious deeds of some of our much awarded and respected journos during Radiagate. That was no petty theft. That was about selling your soul, and being dishonest with your profession and your country. And yet, nothing happened, no one was punished. Most of these journos continue with their routine work, convinced they did no wrong. Even the smugness is intact!

     

    Zakaria will pay for his cut-paste chori. But it’s ‘loose change’ crime compared to all the malpractices that go on here. Must say journalists in India are truly free!

     

    Hope you had a peaceful Independence Day. Jai Hind!

     

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    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK10B0Jgb8o[/youtube]

    PS: Kellogg’s isn’t really renowned for brilliant advertising. Much of their work is safe and formulaic. But this commercial created for Team USA, during the recently concluded Olympic Games, is powerful. It’s a super idea and Kellogg’s can make it their core strategy, for use across the world. Can work for any field of activity.

     

  • The agency is opening offices in Chicago and New York to start with and will expand to other cities at a later date

    Bang in the Middle launches in US

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reversing the trend of global agencies launching in India, the newly formed independent agency Bang in the Middle announced the launch of its operations in the US. The agency is opening offices in Chicago and New York to start with and will expand to other cities at a later date.

     

    “We have been clear from the start that we won’t be a single country operation. This is the next step in our evolution and we aren’t going to stop here. We are exploring some more opportunities in Asia and Europe, and we hope to expand into those markets. It’s time to demonstrate a brand new way of doing business, and what a better moment than India’s Independence Day to announce this,” said Prathap Suthan, Managing Partner, Bang in the Middle.

     

    To facilitate the US entry, Bang in the Middle has brought on board Ms Saira Mohan as the president, Bang in the Middle, US. Ms Mohan is a well-known international supermodel with extensive advertising and marketing experience, especially in the world of global fashion, luxury and design.

     

    “I am excited to partner this incredibly talented team in India and open up the opportunities in US for brands from India and open up Indian markets for brands in US,” said Ms Mohan. “I have been in the world of branding and design for over a decade and I intend to fully bring that experience on table for all our current and potential clients” she added.

     

    Bang in the Middle, US will help the growing ambitions of many mainstream brands who are not owned by MNCs, but want to expand their ambit and enter India. Bang in the Middle will also help its clients like iYogi and Veen Waters to establish their brand in US. It is currently in conversation with a few brands in US, and some leading communication and professionals to bring them on board. Through its unique suite of offering that span design, branding and digital marketing, this is Bang in the Middle’s first international foray into establishing itself as a mainstream global creative media company.

     

    “We currently have a very eclectic bunch of clients who require our services in more markets than just US. We have launched campaigns in US, Europe and Middle East already for our clients, and are about to launch some more for our brands. In today’s hyperconnected world, you need to be present in everywhere where opportunity is, and for us USA is a vast opportunity” said Naresh Gupta, Bang in the Middle.

     

    Bang in the Middle currently works with iYogi, Veen Waters, Hawktrack from Knoxx Global, Dulux Paints, Vimal, and BigFlix among others.

     

  • Aegis Group plc ("Aegis") announced that it has acquired Communicate 2, a performance marketing and search agency inIndia. MxM spoke to Ashish Bhasin, Chairman India & CEO South East Asia, Aegis Media on his views…

    ‘By 2015, we want to be the top 3 player in every single sphere we operate in’

    What led you to shortlist Communicate2 as the partner of choice?

    Communicate2 is one of the largest and oldest firms in the area of search & performance marketing in India. Vivek Bhargava, as you’d know, is considered to be the guru of search inIndia. He is also one of the guys to be Google-certified and has been in this business since 1997 – a time when the internet and search was in its absolute infancy. In our view, nobody else managed the quality and scale of the business that he has built up, and therefore he was a preferred partner of choice.

     

    The other important reason for choosing Communicate2 was chemistry – Aegis Media has a certain vision and value outlook which is very close to our heart and Communicate2 seemed to have gelled very well with those attributes. There was a lot of comfort on both sides. So these were some of the key reasons for us to choose Communicate2.

     

    Will you be laying enhanced emphasis on Search with the current acquisition…

    The focus is on search because it is one of the fastest growing parts of our business. Clearly, Communiacte2 is the biggest player in the space and now with iProspect and Communicate2 together, we are straight away the number one player of search in India. So that’s how it is placed as of now.

     

    How long has it been since you have been pursuing Communicate2? Did you scan the market for other potential candidates?

    We were working with them about 4-5 years ago, but nothing more came out of that deal. This recent move has been in the works for a few months. Also, we did scan the market as anybody else would and we did have a few names that we shortlisted and we narrowed down to Communicate2.

     

    The deal seems heavy on the investments front. Would you share with us the monetary plans you engaged in towards snapping the agency?

    An agency that is the oldest and has a workforce of more than 130 people is not going to sell out cheap. I cannot disclose the amounts behind the deal, but I can say that it has been fairly priced.

     

    The market has been abuzz with news of big communication houses buying out specialist digital agencies in the recent past. What would you infer of this trend that everybody is taking a liking to?

    I cannot comment about others, but there is a clear strategy that Aegis Media believes in and that is by 2015, we want to be the top three player in every single sphere that we operate in – be it out-of-home, search or digital. As part of our strategy to be in the top 3, the best way of getting there was by partnering with Communicate2 because their expertise, their client base and their search professionals coupled with the iProspect tools and knowledge would be an unbeatable combination.

     

    In an acquisition it is very important that you have to see how the acquisition fits with the plans of your company. So the task of integration becomes key, which is why the quality and type of people and the chemistry become important. So companies that are blindly going out and buying companies will fall flat on their face, but those who are able to acquire and integrate companies and have a great bond with the partners will be successful in the long run.

     

    Globally, digital contributes more than 35 per cent for Aegis Media. What is it that you anticipate from the Indian market post the acquisition of Communicate2?

    We are looking at being the clear No 1. Globally, iProspect is the world’s largest search network, and in India we now become No 1 with this venture. But we want to be No 1 by a long distance. We want to be double the size of the No 2 guy in a few years.

     

    What are the immediate changes that will be seen on ground?

    There is a new office that we are in the process of doing up in Mumbai; their staff will be moving into that new place soon. Likewise the Delhi team too would be amalgamated in our office. With this the entire Aegis Media clients will have benefits from Communicate2 and vice-versa.

     

    As for people, Vivek will be the MD of the new venture. He already has a management team. Of course, as growth happens we will keep recruiting more people. All other aspects remain the same.

     

    The announcement comes just weeks after Dentsu acquired a stake in Aegis Media. Has this deal been inspired from that takeover…

    These things do not happen overnight; it has been ongoing much before that. The two are not related.

     

    Future plans from Aegis Media…

    As I said, we will be the top 3 player in every space that we operate in. In some instances we will do that organically, in others we will do that inorganically – provided we get a good partner. We are not on the lookout as of now but if any new opportunity does come up we will not be turning a blind eye to that.

     

  • Communicate 2, a performance marketing and search agency inIndia, has been acquired by Aegis Group plc ("Aegis"). MxM spoke to Vivek Bhargava, Managing Director Communicate 2 about the acquistion…

    ‘It was a meeting of the best minds of the world’

    The buzz was that you were being hounded by most big communication players in the market for a takeover and now you’ve finally given in to Aegis Media. How would you describe the takeover journey?

    We had the opportunity to talk to every single large player and we found that the way the market is growing, there is going to be a lot of technology components required in it and iProspect globally has the best technology in the world. Also, we are a very dominant agency as far as search and performance marketing is concerned inIndiawhile iProspect was the world’s largest search company, so it was a meeting of the best minds of the world. The digital market inIndiahas matured to the level where clients are looking for the best in the world and we felt that with the expertise that iProspect had to offer, it was a perfect solution to offer to our partners. And we endeavour to take decisions for our partners as much as it helps us.

     

    What is your view on big communication players showing sudden interest in digital in India?

    Digital marketing inIndiahas now arrived. More promoters and senior management people now believe that digital is a very critical part of their marketing endeavour. So they are spending a lot of time around the medium. About 3-4 years ago we were talking about digital being the future and today digital is now considered as present. Earlier digital used to attract a small budget from marketers, but now they position it as their first priority and question whether they need conventional media or not.Mobilehas given digital three times the reach of television. So I believe digital is going to be the dominant medium in the future.

     

    What is the value that you’d be leveraging from this partnership?

    Globally if you see, there are clients like GM, Nokia, Philips and others who have operations in 60-70 countries and they are aligned with Aegis Media. I see tremendous opportunities there. As for us, we are a 140-people agency which makes us the largest digital agency in the country. So with the clients we have and with the kind of team we have in the enterprise sector, I see it as a perfect marriage of the two. I see tremendous value in the venture.

     

    How have clients responded to this move of yours?

    I had spoken to clients even before this venture and they seemed pretty positive about it. Also there is no change as such in the team and talent, so there was a comfort level there. Generally they are happy with the merger.

     

    Do you see the gap between digital and advertising being bridged?

    If you ask me the demarcation between digital and conventional media will probably go away. This is going to be an advertising agency and digital is going to be an integral part of the advertising medium, probably the largest. Demarcation is something that we have created for ourselves but it is about giving out advertising solutions.

     

  • The shortlists for Emvies 2012 to be held on September 3 have been announced. Mindshare leads with 27 of the shortlists, followed by Maxus (19), Pinnacle (15) and Lodestar UM (13).

    Mindshare leads in Emvies 2012 shortlist

    By A Correspondent

     

    The twelfth edition of the Emvies could well see media agency major Mindshare walk away with the numero uno slot. The agency has managed 27 from the 126 shortlists announced, followed by 19 from Maxus. Pinnacle has 15 entries and Lodestar UM has 13.

     

    This year, organiser Ad Club Bombay has introduced the following new categories/changes at the Emvies: Media Client of the Year, Best Ongoing Media Campaign & Young Emvie of the Year has been introduced as three new categories.  Display and Video has been added as additional sub-categories under Best Media Innovation – Digital.

     

    The Emvies were introduced by the Advertising Club Bombay to honour measurable and significant contributions in the field of media. This year, the event will be held in Mumbai on Monday, September 3, 2012 while the second round of judging will happen on August 23 to 25.

     

     

  • Asia's leading fantasy football game kicks off new BPL Season with US$25,000 in cash prizes

    ESPN Star searches for Asia’s ultimate football manager!

    By A Correspondent

     

    ESPN STAR Sports kicks off the 2012-13 Barclays Premier League season in search of Asia’s ultimate ESPNSTAR.com Football Manager. Following the phenomenal success of last season which saw 46 per cent increase in unique players across Asia, ESPN STAR Sports will be giving football fans the chance to win a share of US$25,000 in cash prizes playing this seasons’ ESPNSTAR.com Football Manager.

     

    The grand prize winner, who accumulates the most number of points in the season, will walk away with US$10,000. A monthly prize of US $1,000 for the player that scores the most number of points is also up for grabs.

     

    This year Football Manager participants will get the opportunity to compete against resident ESPN STAR Sports football experts and presenters. Participants will find themselves pitting their skills against familiar names such as former Liver pool player Steve McMahon, and football experts such as Andrew Leci, Doug Chalmers, Jamie Reeves, Paul Parker and Paul Masefield. Participants will also be able to challenge ESPN STAR Sports’ Sports Center presenters Steve Dawson, Christy Simson, Jason de la Pena and Colette Wong.

     

    In addition, participants will now also be able to bring their passion to the next level, as ESPNSTAR.com Football Manager has been optimised for mobile and tablet devices, allowing participants to manage their teams whenever and wherever they choose.

     

     

  • Rest in peace, Prabuddha. I totally enjoyed the teas and the smokes. And the delightful talk on nude women. Wish we had a chance to do another round

    Anil Thakraney: Prabuddha: Photographer with soul

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I did a detailed interview with Prabuddha Das Gupta in 1999. This was for The Brief, the ad mag I used to edit at the time. We met at his minimalistic, but very stylish home inDelhi. I recall we had a wonderful exchange, mainly because we hit it off. This doesn’t often happen during interviews, and when it does, you can be assured of a candid and meaningful conversation.

     

    Prabuddha was not in a very happy mood that day, and that’s putting it mildly. He was out on bail, and was irritated over the possibility of another round of police action. The Maharashtra government had got him arrested for the very controversial Tuff shoes campaign, which he had shot. (Younger readers can surf the net to learn more about the sordid drama over that campaign.)

     

    Prabuddha Dasgupta (pic: PrabuddhaDasgupta.com)

    The photographer directed his fury at the IAPA, who, he felt, did not stand by him at the time. He said: “When you are dealing with images with creativity, you’re always dealing with something that’s controversial, you’re always trying to push the envelope. I have no respect for an organization which doesn’t support that.” But all the legal mess clearly hadn’t bogged the photographer down. When I asked if he’d do a Tuff Shoes all over again, without blinking an eyelid he exclaimed, “Oh yeah!”. That was Prabuddha for you. Fearless. A word that best describes the individuality he brought to his craft.

     

    One reason why the entire ad world remembers him fondly is that Prabuddha put his soul in every picture he shot, be it for artistic or commercial photography. This quality is rare to find in Indian advertising photographers, most of who treat photography as an assignment that needs to be done and dusted. According to Prabuddha: “If you are not bringing something of your own to the image, then the image equals another image, which in turn equals the third image, and so on. For a photographer, what is critical is not just to have the ability to deliver a competent image, but the ability to deliver something that’s uniquely his or her own. You are not being paid so much money only for your technical ability to press the shutter six times.”

     

    And this is why his death is a huge blow to the ad world. The industry has lost a photographer who brought his own sensibility to the picture. He conceived, he imagined, he created. And only then did he press the button.

     

    And, me being me, I needled the man on his book, ‘Women’, in which he had captured scintillating nude images. Didn’t he, while shooting, feel the urge to cross the line? I still remember Prabuddha smiling, as he took in a deep drag from his Wills Filter. “No, I didn’t cross the line. If I want to sleep with someone, I don’t have to go through the whole process to do it. But yes, I have to admit the temptation was there. I am a man, after all, with a woman unclothed in front of me.”

     

    Rest in peace, Prabuddha. I totally enjoyed the teas and the smokes. And the delightful talk on nude women. Wish we had a chance to do another round.

     

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    PS: Sadly, the film and ad world has lost another great craftsman: Ashok Mehta. While I did not get an opportunity to interact much with the ace cinematographer, I did work with him on a TV commercial for Taj Mahal Tea. And if there’s one single impression I carried back of the man, it’s this: Mehta was always smiling; he was unflustered and totally chilled out even when things were going wrong, and the director was tearing his hair out. Ashok Mehta was the ‘King of Cool’. Anyone who worked with him will readily agree with this description. RIP.

     

  • Fareed Zakaria's credibility has taken a body blow following this incident. Why would I trust his writing ever again? How can I be sure he hasn't played another mischief? What good is a journo minus credibility?

    Anil Thakraney: The credibility letdown

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Must say I am quite surprised to hear that the suspension imposed on Mr Cut Paste by his bosses at Time mag and CNN has been lifted quite swiftly. I was of the opinion that Fareed Zakaria would have to pay a heavy price. Clearly, I was wrong.

     

    This is the exact statement issued by Time, as per media reports: “We have completed a thorough review of each of Fareed Zakaria’s columns for Time and we are entirely satisfied that the language in question in his recent column was an unintentional error and an isolated incident for which he has apologized. We look forward to having Fareed’s thoughtful and important voice back in the magazine with his next column in the issue that comes out on September 7.”

     

    Now, while one wants to applaud Time and CNN for being large-hearted, I am a bit worried about the ramifications of the quick forgiveness. Younger columnists and journalists will get the wrong idea. Because, the message is this: ‘Okay, you made one mistake, but otherwise you have been good at your job. So we’ll let you get away with this dishonest act.’ As a writer, my reading is that it’s okay to do the odd chori. In that sense, I believe Zakaria’s example sets a bad precedent. He directly (or indirectly) lifted passages from another journalist, that is a fact, and he has admitted to it. And Zakaria ought to have been made to face the music for this misdemeanour. Especially because he’s a veteran in the profession.

     

    There’s another thing: Zakaria’s credibility has taken a body blow following this incident. Why would I trust his writing ever again? How can I be sure he hasn’t played another mischief? Given that, there had to be a cooling-off period ordered on Zakaria for at least one year, if not more. So his readers are assured that, one, the man has been adequately punished. And two, he has had sufficient time to introspect on his misdeed.

     

    All I can say is, Fareed Zakaria is one helluva lucky guy.

     

    ***

     

    PS: I have always wondered why the placards that protesters carry during various andolans are so dull. Well, here’s a link that tells you it need not be the case, that placards can be fun. Hope to see some wit and humour during desi protests. Perhaps ad agencies can pitch in with some thoughts. If we must watch the likes of Anna and Ramdev fasting, may as well have some entertainment going on the sidelines. 🙂

     

    Link: http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2010/11/01/the-best-protest-march-ever/gallery/image/

     

  • When the slogan is weak, it’s all left to the interpretation, which has to dazzle, else the ad is sunk.

    Debrief: Lazy creative work, BlackBerry

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    BlackBerry is out with a brand new campaign. The message this time is ‘Action starts here’. I don’t much care for this slogan, it’s too generic and boring. Just about any product can use it, including televisions, cars, deodorants and condoms. Now, when the slogan is weak, it’s all left to the interpretation, which has to dazzle, else the ad is sunk.

     

    After watching the TVC, I was left confused. So I watched it again, and was left even more confused. The treatment is the same old – an array of youngsters doing their individual number. One girl wants to turn the world green, another wants to lose some weight. One dude wants to patao a blushing chick, another wants to be a rock star (wow, how original is that!). And so on and so forth. Finally, the voiceover arrives and grandly declares: Whatever be your action, it starts here.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuE2fzL8nXg[/youtube]

    Totally ridiculous stuff. How exactly does BlackBerry help these guys achieve their objectives, is a mystery. How did the girl change the world? By chatting on BBM? And how did someone lose weight? By reading Shashi Tharoor’s tweets on her slim BlackBerry? Like I said, I am confused. And the treatment is so very sixties. A whole lot of shiny, happy people, with a tired jingle playing in the background.

     

    Dear BlackBerry: I want to remove corruption from this country. How do I do that? By sending a text message to Anna? By asking my pals on Facebook to congregate at Ram Leela maidan? Why can’t I do all this from my Nokia? How will you help me differently? Please do explain!

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 0. Same old, same old stuff.