MxMIndia

Category: ADVERTISING

  • Vikas Mehta reviews on the multiple ads of the medicine aggregators and the multiple benefits promised and over-promised

    Medicines: Quick delivery? Naah!

     

     

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaI have been constantly writing about this year’s IPL being unusual. In many ways. And now when we are reaching the business end of the league, it’s getting obvious that the three most unfancied teams are set to qualify for the playoffs. Paying an ode to the unusual season, this column is also going to be unusual. This time I am taking up one category campaign and talking about it extensively.

     

    In the midst of edutech, fintech, transport aggregators, there is also the medicine aggregators. And some brands like Pharmeasy and Pharmeasy have advertised heavily on IPL. Both have used celebrities. Both have done multiple ads. Both promise multiple benefits. And both, over-promise.

     

    When anyone needs a medicine, usually it’s because there is an urgent need. The delivery needs to be in minutes. But my experience with both the apps show that the usual delivery time is anything between one to four days. Maybe because I am in a small town therefore the medicine logistics is still to be sorted out. But isn’t that an irony. A small town should be able to deliver much faster. Netmeds, I have walked into Reliance Smart stores with prescription, which have a small Netmeds dedicated pharmacy area, and the standard answer is that they will check and call me back. And call back is after a few hours which confirms that the medicine will take another 12-24 hours. Both times that I tried Netmeds, by the time the call came, I had already bought the medicines from an offline pharmacy. And of course the app showed at least two to three days to deliver.

     

    Therefore, when I see the Kareena Kapoor ads which talk about quick delivery, the brand loses all credibility. Ditto with Pharmeasy as they clearly say same day delivery. Maybe they deliver cosmetics and other non-medicine products fast. But then are they just a Swiggy Instamart or Dunzo? They need to be Swiggy Instamart and Dunzo in medicines or else stop making these claims.

     

    The Kareena Kapoor train ads go on to show other benefits like quality or range. Again, I am not sure if one needs to highlight these benefits for medicines. The app claims to sell medicines against prescriptions. So, do we assume that quality of the prescribed medicines is a suspect? Range is more confusing. Yes, generic drugs can be available but how many of us actually know about it or are willing to even order a generic and ignore the doctor’s prescribed brand? I suspect they are pushing more of the cosmetics or supplements or tonics rather than the prescribed medicines.

     

    Pharmeasy with Aamir Khan on the other hand has chosen some relevant benefits. Ordering medical equipment like sugar meter or even organising for home medical tests. These definitely are relevant and benefits that matter to the category. And I quite liked the exaggeration execution of three Khans belabouring each point.

     

    Ultimately, both these brands cannot overcome the lure of discounts. Medicines, by Indian standards are definitely expensive. So double digit discounts work. And the lure of a minimum discount always is music to ears. Specially, when one is on long-term medication for ailments like diabetes, cholesterol, arthritis etc. These medicines are expensive, they are required on a regular basis and most importantly can be ordered in advance, keeping two-three days delivery time in mind. So discounts do play an important role in both the brand communication.

     

    As a marketer, I have always wondered at multi0benefit communication. Does it really help? Do the consumer remember all benefits? The classical theory says that let one benefit be emphasised so that it sticks. And can be owned. My thinking is that well executed multi benefits work if they are relevant. The target consumer picks out the benefit that he needs or that matters to him and that sticks. So, if we take Pharmeasy, someone who needs to buy a medical equipment or needs to do tests will remember the brand. But the irrelevancy of quality or range for medicines, makes me doubtful about Netmeds communication. And discount is almost like a must. It is a category given without which no brand will survive. In fact, discount is like a blind spot. Its presence is almost like a reassurance but its absence will be most glaring. As for speed of delivery, the brands need to either improve their delivery or not talk about it.

     

    Episodical ads, which seem to be like a continuing story narrative, always create interest. And using a celebrity to anchor it is a good idea if the celebrity becomes an integral part of the narrative. The Netmeds ads with Kareena Kapoor reprise her role in Jab We Met. So all the episodes have good empathy. Pharmeasy, on the other hand is not episodical but Aamir lends it a nice ethereal quality which again piques our interest.

     

    As I sign off this week’s column, I am aghast at seeing the new Budweiser ad. But in the spirit of being unusual, let me leave it at that. More about it, next week.

     

     

  • Vikas Mehta turns his weekly spotlight on Dream 11, Cred, Swiggy Instamart, Fogg, the AC ads and the ad we though Mr B had shunned

    A Dream Turning Predictable

     

     

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaThe IPL is becoming predictable now. Mumbai Indians have lost another match, their sixth loss in a row. Sunrisers Hyderabad have won another match, their fourth win in a row. SKY Yadav and Dinesh Karthik continue to score consistently, at a good clip, though one is doing consistently for a losing cause and the other for a winning cause. Y Chahal and T Natarajan continue to take wickets, while J Unadkat and T Mills continue to be carted around.

     

    And the same is true for the IPL ads. Most of them are predictable and their repetitiveness is also irritating. Cred has some interesting takes on Nirma’s Deepikaji, Antakshari’s Anu Kapoor as well as Vick’s Action 500 haan bhai haan. I also think the ads are taking off on the concept of hammering in the brand name, in this case Cred bounty, as was the case in the 70s. But for someone watching the IPL almost on a daily basis, the repetitiveness of the ad is grating.

     

    Sadly, the same is seeming to be true for the Dream 11 ads. The concept of one doesn’t dream alone has become too trite. Starting with Rohit Sharma, Pant; now with Ashwin, Hardik and Dhawan joining the bandwagon, the only thing new is to guess who could be that benefactor. It also seems a bit unbelievable that all these stars met these unknown good men. The question that comes to my mind is where are these people now? Did the stars look for them? Did they help them out? Or is it just a figment of imagination? Will we see some follow up ads? Or will this be forgotten after a few days?

     

    Last evening, CSK predictably lost once again. And breaking the predictable trend are series of ads for two brands. One, is Swiggy Instamart. I am not getting into the debate of the righteousness of 10-20 minutes delivery and the risk it involves for the delivery staff, for I think the better debate would be if we need such quick deliveries. But the brand has illustrated the promise of fast delivery without getting into the exactitude of time, brilliantly. Be it the husband who is planning to watch matches with his friends while the wife is away or the husband who has an excuse to eat junk food but the quick arrival of healthy vegetables and fruits thwart the plan. Or indeed the ad where a friend refuses to share a packet of chips with his friend as another packet arrives almost instantaneously.

     

    The second is the series of Fogg ads. Initially, I almost missed them. Interestingly, the brand is targeting men without actually featuring any men in the ad. It’s from the viewpoint of the opposite sex who find certain men very irresistible but balk when they are told that these men do not use any deo. With market penetration of deos in India as low as 15-20%, it’s no wonder that the market leader has taken up the task of increasing penetration as it will benefit the leader. And what better way to do that than by showing that women are not too sure about men who do not use deos. It may well fall into the Dream 11 trap of predictability but currently I am enjoying the women viewpoint.

     

    With summer at its peak, AC advertising is also at its peak. But, I am not finding any distinct piece of communication. Panasonic, Voltas, Blue Star, Godrej, BPL, Kelvinator are repeating the same old benefits of pure air, efficient cooling in high temperature, less electricity consumption. So predictable that my head cannot distinguish one brand from the other.

     

    Did I mention BPL and Kelvinator? Well, these old brands seemed to have resurfaced. I thought they belonged to history. But looks like they still have some signs of life. The question is, who are these brands talking to. The elderly millennial who had seen the brands in their childhood and can indulge in nostalgia? Or the younger millennial, for whom the brand is as good as a new unknown brand? Selling durables is not child’s play as it means investment not only in new technology but also in distribution and after sales service. It will be interesting to watch how this plays out. Kelvinator also has an ad for refrigerators and no, it’s not about the coolest one. Didn’t get it? I guess you are not an older millennial!

     

    Interestingly, while Mr Bachchan claimed to have been unaware of the surrogate nature of the Kamla Pasand ad that he did along with Ranveer Singh and had reportedly returned the advertisers cheque, he continues to appear in its ads in various avtaars. I hope, for his sake that the returned cheque was returned back to him. Or it was a PR gimmick hand in glove with the advertiser? Definitely unpredictable. Unlike the Vimal ad, where predictably a third star, Akshay Kumar, has joined the other two, Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan in London. Will a fourth one join soon? Can you predict who will it be?

     

  • Continuing with his series of reviews of #AdsonIPL, Vikas Mehta checks the ads streamed on OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar

    IPL ads through the lens of Hotstar

     

     

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaI am currently travelling and based at a university campus in Telangana. The access to screen is mostly through mobile and as such have been watching IPL on Disney+ Hotstar. Trust me it is a very different experience. Or should I say unusual.On Star Sports the ad breaks seem to be rushed, many a times in a hurry to squeeze in as many ads as possible, the ads have to be rudely interrupted, as the game has resumed. Indeed, sometimes one gets a feeling that we are watching an ad programme with bits and pieces of cricket thrown in. But Hotstar being a subscription-based service, its dependence on advertising revenue is low. So, there are fewer ads and these are not crammed in. Quite, unusual.

     

    But what set me thinking were the types of ads on Hotstar. I was expecting some very different ads. Aimed at the GenZ. The young, mobile generation. In reality, most of the ads were the same that ran on Star Sports, signalling some combined deal or rate.  And a few exclusive ones that I saw were surprisingly targeting a very different consumer segment than what I imagined.

     

    Take, for example, the ad for Samsung curd maestro. No, it’s not a new gizmo launched by Samsung but a refrigerator which has a separate compartment to make fresh curd or dahi. The product is not new, it has been around for some time and I do think that it is a great innovation for our country as curd is a part of our staple diet. Curd making usually requires warm temperature and then we love the curd which is thick and set, not the loose wobbly type. So a fridge which actually makes the curd and let it set, is a welcome feature. But, should it be on Hotstar? Shouldn’t it be on Star TV for a better reach? Or is it targeting the working woman, a millennial, as the ad depicts? Or indeed, it could be targeting the working millennial men. After all, they are being exhorted to share the load.

     

    Then I saw the ad for New Samsung Galaxy S phone. A right fit for the people watching IPL on Hotstar. Maybe, Samsung did a corporate deal with Hotstar and is now distributing the time available to various brands. Not just about the right choice but complying with a good deal.

     

    Then there was the Garnier Hair Colour ad. That too seemed a misfit for Hotstar in my mind. Okay, okay. I do get it that the modern, contemporary lifestyle is making many youngsters get white hair very early, but will a larger segment buying hair colour solution not be watching the match on Star Sports? The ad definitely, given its casting is talking to the millennials.

     

    When I look at both, Garnier and Curd Maestro, another plausible theory comes into mind. As said earlier, Hotstar being a subscription channel, could be selling ad inventory at a lower price and that is encouraging brands, who may be using the platform to address a small or niche segment.

     

    In my mind, there are two bigger or fundamental questions. One: Is OTT a distinct channel with its own dedicated base? Even when at home, an event like IPL, is it watched through OTT or DTH/cable? Irrespective of whether it is watched on big or small screen. How many viewers who subscribe to Hotstar also have DTH connection at home? What is the duplication factor?

     

    Two: Is screen viewing becoming a more individual pursuit? GenZ, even though they are at home and have a DTH connection prefer to watch it on their individual small screens (laptops or mobiles) and the millennials watch it on TV, with friends or families? My dipstick evidence shows that with GenZ, watching sports is becoming an individual pursuit but interestingly, while they do watch alone, they are furiously chatting away with each other, exchanging views, developing memes etc. Normal social behaviour, but in a virtual world.

     

    The one ad that I saw on Hotstar and did not see or maybe missed on Star Sports was that for Slice Credit card. Now I had never heard about this brand except, if my memory serves me right, I see them as the new shirt sponsor for Mumbai Indians. Its benefit is to slice the slow and it is for the fast ones. It has an animated/ cartoon execution but it left me in a daze. Maybe I am too slow for it or out of touch with reality but it looked like an ad which may inspire the GenZ. Are credit cards seriously targeting GenZ? But after a product like Cred, whose purpose is to pay my credit card bills and then reward me for doing so, while surreptitiously collecting all my purchase behaviour data, I can imagine not just a product like Spice Credit Card but also its ads. And the only thing usual, or is it unusual, is its association with MI who have very unusually, or is it becoming usual for them, lost a record eight matches in a row.

     

    Two weeks ago, I had written about how the Tata Neu app showed me a message that Big Basket is not delivering to my area, whereas in reality I have been using BB since some time. I am happy to say that the app seemed to have recovered some ground as this morning I got a message that I have received some Neu coins when I shopped through Big Basket app. The Neu family seems to be coming together.

     

  • Reliance and Jiomart have a new series of ads as also a surfeit of fans and AC advertising, notes Vikas Mehta

    Dhan Dhana Dhan v/s Tak Dhina Din

     

     

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaAs my regular readers will recall, last week I had written about the ads seen on the Hotstar app. I am really grateful to one of my readers, Aniruddh Naik, who pointed out that Hotstar now has four different feeds, based on age, population demographics etc which would mean that different viewers would see different ads. So, that sorted out the confusion with my students at the campus where I was based, since not only our ages differed but I had logged in through my base city which was different from where the campus was located and thus we were seeing different ads at the same time.

     

    Now that I am back to watching the general feed on TV, the first thing I saw was that the Reliance group was back and that too with a bang. Not only were the Jio, dhan dhana dhan ads back, but Jiomart had a new series of ads based on tak dhina din. So, what’s the Reliance obsession with musical tunes as lyrics? And the frenzied dances? And Jio with three players per franchise doing the matka and the jhatkas? They have no doubt got a good placement strategy of getting the Jio logo on lead arm of most teams, but the ads are without much substance or content and eminently forgettable. Some semblance of connect has been tried this time with a line which talks about har dil ka connection, but the connection is not about a line. It has to do with the narrative or storytelling. That sadly, is still missing. The Jiomart ad has tried some connect with the use of various phrases which end with tak, but that’s the cue to break off into song and dance, mindlessly. It almost looks like a contest of absurdity between Tak Dhina Din vs Dhan dhana dhan.

     

     

     

    I was also intrigued by the ads of UPI players or should I call them FinTech companies), Paytm, Amazon Pay and PhonePe. Paytm has used humour to convey a very basic premise of paying directly into someone’s bank account. It’s a category premise and is interesting. But isn’t it a few years late? I mean, if more than five billion transactions were recorded in India through UPI in March this year, is there a need to sell the generic benefit of UPI now? From that perspective, if you see the Amazon Pay ads which highlight how the app can be used to make various payments like rent, bills etc, these are adding value to the brand and showcasing its versatility. PhonePe too is doing the same using Aamir Khan and Alia to highlight two wheeler insurance through the PhonePe ads. Paytm is a more complete fintech player with varied offerings and yet it’s the other two brands which come across as more versatile. Or am I missing a trick here?

     

     

    The new Meesho ads caught my eye too. Just when I was wondering why is Meesho called a social commerce platform and not e-commerce, specially, given the earlier ads during IPL where it promoted basic e-commerce features like photo search and payment on delivery, it is now using the IPL team Gujarat Titans to endorse the brand. From just being a reseller platform, where people signed up and circulated their product catalogues or product information through Whatsapp groups or Instagram, while Meesho facilitated payment and delivery for a commission, the platform is now using its base of two and three tier cities consumers to compete against the e-commerce biggies. And it is using IPL to signal its transformation. It seems four teams, GT, MI, RCB and RR are the online shopping partners for Meesho.

     

     

    The temperatures are rising not only in the country but in the IPL too. What with the two new teams, GT and LSG comfortably placed to qualify for the playoffs and the two most valuable and fancied teams, CSK and MI licking their wounds at the bottom of the table; we are also seeing a surfeit of fan and AC advertising. From Godrej to Panasonic to Voltas to Blue Star to Lloyds to Kelvinator to Onida. From Crompton to Havell. But please do not ask me to differentiate amongst them. From Virat Kohli to Ayushman Khurana. From invertor technology to double inverter technology. From pollution-breaking ions to eco-friendly. From low bills to cooling in high temperatures. All bases have been covered. But no brand has been able to differentiate or even stand out. I guess for me Havell fans will do. I need protection from local warming. And for the CSK & MI fans? I can only wish. Hawa Badlegi….zaroor badlegi.

     

  • Vikas Mehta is delighted to see advertising taglines validated by research in his comment on the Pepsi, Slice and other #AdsOnIPL

    Pepsi, Tata Neu & Jio. Business as unusual?

     

     

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaHow hardwired we have become to sensation. It’s not a rhetorical question but an emphatic statement. This IPL, everyone is talking about CSK and Mumbai Indians. Not because they are doing well but because both these teams, who, between them have won 9 out of 15 trophies, have lost their first four matches. We are not celebrating that a new team Gujarat Titans hasn’t lost a match yet. We are not celebrating that a forgotten hero, Kuldeep Yadav, has risen again to become the leading wicket-taker. We are glossing over the spunk shown by newcomers Anuj Rawat or Abhishek Sharma against the same two teams. It’s business as “unusual”, I say.

     

    And then one comes across the Tata Neu ads. After a nice round of teasers which raised expectations of a great product, I am confused about this Tata Neu Pass. It’s all in the family. What’s Neu Pass? What’s all in the family? Whose family? Tata family? The only thing that made sense to me was the advice to download the app. Which I did. Now mind you, I am a Big Basket consumer. So, I think the app was smart enough to recognise me and my location after I keyed in my mobile number. But then it sent me another message. That it is not yet available at my location. Well, who wants to argue with a Super App.  I, therefore immediately clicked on the Big Basket app, worried, that I may have been ejected from the BB platform. Thankfully, I could order my groceries on BB as usual. I then tried some apparel and when I clicked on a product, I immediately got an email from Tata Cliq saying that it has created an account for me. Err! Why? Can’t I just shop from the app and check out? I did not bother to find out and with the temperature rising outside, I did not want my temperature to rise too.

     

    Temperature of course reminded me about the new Pepsi ad. More Fizz, More refreshing. Formula change? Something new? And then I thought I saw an asterisk at the end of the baseline. I promptly checked the ad on YouTube again and discovered that both Fizz and Refreshing had asterisk and the explanation was that some research done by an independent body in Jaipur and Lucknow determined that Pepsi had more fizz and another research conducted in Mumbai, Jaipur and Lucknow determined that Pepsi was more refreshing. So, I have lived to see the day when taglines have to be validated by research. And we wonder why the advertising model is crumbling.

     

    Having ditched the thought of having Pepsi and given that fresh mangoes are available in market, I decided to try Slice. The image of Aamsutra with Katrina was still in my mind. But I did a double-take when I saw the new Slice ad with Katrina. It was a taste challenge. And it again quoted some research which said that 73% people voted Slice to be the most thick. Ahem! Is PepsiCo the parent company of Pepsi and Slice using the US Pepsi taste challenge of the 70s as a blueprint for its brands in India? For the uninitiated, Pepsi did some live taste challenges in the US, asking people to rate two unmarked Colas on whose taste is better. Majority favoured Pepsi, though lot of statisticians debunked the research as a sweeter drink will always win on one sip taste challenge. But that’s another story. Will PepsiCo India now launch 7Up too based on some taste research?

     

    Did you notice that there are three Swiggy brands advertising on IPL? Swiggy Instamart, which claims quick grocery delivery, Swiggy match day mania which is about large orders at a discount and then just Swiggy. All the three brands have done a good job in communicating their benefits. Swiggy has a simple though of “Aap kiske saath dekhoge” which is very IPL-centric and have carried that thought into both Instamart as well as match day mania very well. My favourite of course is the Instamart ad of the young kid bawling about her empty cereal box as the father is watching the IPL. Quick delivery saves the day for him and therefore when he is asked at the office “kal match kiske saath dekha” he answers with a satisfied look “Shanti ke saath”. Smart.

     

    I started off about the unusual performances in the IPL. But then I discovered that a most unusual thing has also occurred on the IPL ad scene. If my memory serves me right, it’s the first time since the launch of Jio that no Jio ads have been aired on IPL. Yet. No plethora of stars, no tacky execution, no Bollywood-style jhatkas. Sometimes we should thank our respective Gods for small mercies. Amen to that.

     

     

  • Dream big is also following a classical strategy of thematic and tactical ads, writes Vikas Mehta in his weekly review of ads aired around IPL 2022

    Dhoni abandons his ‘Dream’?!

     

     

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaSo, it’s been a very usual and unusual IPL so far. Usual, because Mumbai Indians (MI) have lost the first two matches. But the MI captain Rohit Sharma felt it was business as usual in his post-match interview. Unusual, as Chennai Super Kings have also lost the first three matches on a trot, albeit after years. Unusual also for CSK as Dhoni, after relinquishing his captaincy seems to have taken it back and is also scoring runs as in his heydays.

     

    And as usual, Dream 11 continues its dream run at IPL. The idea of “Dream Big” has seen many new frontiers. The series of various players like Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Patel reminiscing their struggles but not giving up on their big dream has two new creatives so far. One, with Pant and the other with Sharma. And this time, they pay tribute to some behind the scene people like the groundsman or even a stranger helping Pant at a gurudwara. The thought of one is never alone if one’s big dreams fits seamlessly into the Dream Big theme of Dream 11. Whew! Too many dreams here.

     

    https://youtu.be/3JazfubLOgI

     

    Dream big is also following a classical strategy of thematic and tactical ads. For the uninitiated, when advertising was the be-all and end-all of all communications, brand ads were created for brand equity, may be once a year, extolling the virtues of a brand and its personality. These were called thematic ads. Interspersed through the year were tactical ads which by nature would drive sales. These were by nature about inducements or sale pointers. Personally, I think this was more of a jargon-spitting marketer’s delight, as for the end-consumer. every communication is a message and she or he does not delve into it with a separate compartment of thematic and tactical in her or his mind. The ads with Dhawan, the Pandya brothers, Ashwin and even Pant in a metro asking people to try the Dream 11 seems to be in the genre of the tactical ads of yore.

     

    https://youtu.be/Dn7ixMGB_dM

     

    But one dream seems to be missing from Dream 11. Dhoni has disappeared from all communications and has now appeared for Winzo. Another gaming app. Winzo is not about a fantasy league. It’s about skill and social gaming and I presume it’s clear of any controversy related to “gambling” as Dream 11 is. Maybe that’s why Dhoni moved away from Dream 11. In the ad, Dhoni cheekily starts by saying that he is called gamechanger so he is changing his game from today. Very unusual but typically clever from Dhoni.

     

    Quite unusually, I am seeing Byju’s ads without Shah Rukh Khan. And these are good. Emphasising on understanding the concept rather than memorising for an exam. ‘Samjho seekho jeeto’ encapsulates the idea well. As a parent, these resonate with me more than the Shah Rukh ads which seemed more gimmicky. I also think Shah Rukh’s personality does not gel with that of Byju’s and made the brand more flippant.

     

    There has been a lot of buzz about the new Spotify ads. I like them because they amplify the generation gap between Gen Z and the millennials as also Gen X. While Gen X and the millennials are passionate about politics or shopping offline or any discussion and are more social, GenZ is more reclusive and more digitally social. So, Spotify is their ‘kavach’ or protective armour from these indulgences of the older generations. Unusual, yet simple.

     

    I also think that the Meesho ads capture a similar trait of Gen Z. The features of photo search or free delivery are neither new nor unique but they capture the essence of Gen Z. While millennials or Gen X prefer offline shopping and want to see all options, Gen Z is not only used to online but also wants trendy or happening products. So, these features serve them well.

     

    Does Aamir Khan have a triple role in his next film? The series of Netmed ads make me think so. Or, wait! Was it Pharmeasy? Or 1mg? At least Pankaj Tripathi was not about triple or double role. Not only are the names confusing but so are the generic benefits. From a consumer perspective, when I fall sick, I need medicines, fast. Not in a day or in a few hours, but in minutes. So, except for long-term medications like for diabetes or cholesterol, I am not sure how these medicine aggregators can help. What do the investors and these start-ups know that we don’t?

     

     

    And just when I was about to sign off, I saw two similar ads from PepsiCo company. For Pepsi and for Slice. It seems the company has taken competitive stance as a corporate paradigm. But then what’s the fun if unusual things don’t happen. More on the two ads next week.

     

     

    Vikas Mehta, a senior advertising professional, is now a strategy consultant and educator based in Dehradun. He has a considered, often contrarian view that we enjoy consuming (and contesting) on most things around him: cinema, cricket, advertising, politics and life in general. AdsOnIPL is a series of reviews of the ads aired around IPL programming. The column is in its second season. His views here are personal.

     

     

  • Since there are enough and more new ads around IPL 2021, Vikas Mehta comes up with a bonus add-on to his weekly column

    AdsOnIPL21: Akal Badi ki Ads?

     

    Since there are enough and more new ads around IPL 2021, Vikas Mehta comes up with a bonus add-on to his weekly column

     

    By Vikas Mehta

    Vikas MehtaTrust my Gen Z single sample to ask me a pointed question during the IPL. How do the Indian  cricketers get to shoot ads? Aren’t they in some bubble and get transferred from one bubble to another? We hear them moaning about the mental agony of the bubble, but every few months, they do manage to somehow augment their incomes with new ad campaigns. Bubbles notwithstanding.

    This re-view is dedicated to the new ads during the IPL featuring our cricketers. Past and present.  Last weekend the match between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings was touted as the match between guru and shishya. Dhoni vs Pant. I carried this imaginary rivalry into the ad world while watching the ad for Indigo Paint with Dhoni and then the one with JSW Steel bars (boring, uninvolved, irrelevant category) with neither me nor my Gen Z sample being the intended target. Frankly, the brand decision in both categories, paints and steel bars, is heavily dependent on the middle men and of course our budget, but paints has come a long way and why can’t steel bars hope to go the paint way. Specially when JSW is one of the main sponsors of DC.

    For me, this battle was won by the shishya. The two JSW ads have managed to not only exploit Pant’s personality but have also communicated the brand benefit woven into an involved storyline. The guruji’s ad unfortunately was a damp squib which was content with the typical celebrity formula. Show Dhoni in the ad and the rest will follow. And this in an ad for floor paints. Usually all paint ads are about walls. I think so much more could have been done with Dhoni and floor paint. My Gen Z sample  made another pertinent comment. So many Dhoni ads, he is an old man now (I guess I am vintage for her) shouldn’t the brand make his ads about his experience or his knowledge. Clearly the Gen Z sample is totally influenced by the Gen Z shishya.

    I did re-view Dream 11 last time but as has been the case always, I am now swamped with more fantasy team ads. So, I turned to my Gen Z sample for help. Let it be known that she is an expert on fantasy team contests having participated and won in some EPL contests. For her Dream 11 was the Indian cricket team, My Circle 11 was Dada, MPL was Virat Kohli and Howzatt.com was Yuvraj. Phew! Some clarity.

    MPL though have not used Kohli this time. They have done a literal interpretation of the Hindi proverb “Akal badi ki bhains” (is the brain better or a buffalo! No disrespect to both, please!) and it seems that currently the bhains is winning. I liked the ad because it clearly implies that making your fantasy team is so easy that you do not need to use your brains  to make the team. And it in its own way does take a dig at those short ads for Dream 11 which have Dhoni asking people to use their brains not on buttering your boss or your father but on choosing a fantasy team on Dream 11. Nicely done. My Gen Z sample though did not agree with me. Because she had never heard of the Hindi proverb. You cannot win them all, I say.

    My Circle 11 has roped in Ranveer Kapoor. Maybe Dada did not have enough time with his health issues, so Ranveer is now the co-anchor. And I do think I saw Rahane in one ad too. And me thinks that the ads have been done in a rush. Looked tacky and depended on Ranveer to announce a new promotion. But I do think that in the next few weeks we shall have more ads from My circle 11. I do hope so. Cannot re-view the current ones. What a waste of Ranveer, is the only comment from my Gen Z sample.

    The Yuvraj led Howzatt.com ads sounded familiar. Trust Gen Z sample to come to my rescue. She gently reminded me that the promotion was similar to My Circle 11 ads of beating the teams chosen by Dada, Watson, Rashid etc to win more money. Guess somebody has got me in plumb. Howzatt?

    And before I sign off I thought I saw another fantasy team ad for a new brand which was being endorsed by K Rahul. My head is now totally spinning with so many fantasy team ads, all around cricket. All using cricketers, ex and present. But my Gen Z sample had the last word, better than watching phone ads or ecommerce ads or those perpetually smiling Dhoni ads.

  • Starting a new weekly series of reviews by Vikas Mehta, of ads that air around the IPL 2021, on television and OTT/mobile platforms

    Review of AdsOnIPL21: Week 1

    IPL 2021's Television Broadcast Sponsors
    IPL 2021’s Television Broadcast Sponsors. Image from Star Sports Twitter handle

     

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaWhen the IPL season is on, my evenings are booked. For two events. The match and the new commercials that accompany every new season. Actually, when I was asked to re-view them, I did a double-take as I would be re-viewing them anyways right through the season.

     

    But first some disclaimers. For those who do not agree with my re-view, I am not the target audience, as hardly any ad is targeted at 50-plus Tier 2 city resident! But those who agree with it must give the credit to my Gen Z daughter (my advisor for such re-views) as many ads nowadays seem to be targeted to them.

     

    Ok, forget the second disclaimer for this re-view. The new series of Dream 11 ads. I think they are actually targeted at the nostalgic millennium generation and even 50-plus like me. To me, Dream 11 has always captured the essence of gully cricket. And so does this new series. It’s about the fun of working in a team. And what has really worked for me is how this time all the star cricketers have seamlessly blend in as gully cricketers. The cricketers are so natural and so unstarry. And such skilled performances. Usually, the cricket stars cannot spare much time for such shoots, so they come across as uncomfortable or unprepared. But here, Messrs Dhawan, Dhoni, Sharma, Pandya appear so natural and part of the script. Plus, the choice of the background songs: nostalgic and so apt. I can review these ads just for the songs.

     

    And then you watch the same people, Messrs, Sharma, Hardik etc in the ad for Jio Fiber and you hope that this one should not be re-viewed. But I suspect many more such avatars with more stars will be reviewed before the season is over. I have always felt that Jio is a great product which has thrived inspite of its advertising. And, yes, my total sample size one, of Gen Z, also washes its hands off this ad.

     

    Now this is a new one. I had never heard of this brand before Upstock, no, Upstork, no, no… Upstox… no, yes, my Gen Z sample says yes. So, is this ad targeted to them? Irrespective, it’s a cliched one. So difficult, so easy routine (must be very difficult to do such ads). But I did like the escalator one. Three decades ago, when I first one to Heathrow, I faced a similar dilemma, albeit on a horizontal walkway. I did get my Gen Z audience giggling when she heard my travail. But the ad??

     

    The last IPL had ads from a new brand, Cred and they were noticed and created waves (Upstox, are you listening?) They used film stars whom Gen Z has hardly heard about and it reminded me of a term that I always associated with porn. Self-flagellation. I mean why would Messrs Bappi Lahiri, Anil Kapoor or Madhuri Dixit enjoy being portrayed as caricatures of themselves? But the brand was noticed. As was the message. Forget all song and dance, just remember a good product. Much was written about the ads and soon the brand and its purpose were well-recalled. Also, they did a nice tie-up of actually showcasing people who received 100% cashback on credit card bill by using Cred, across the matches. Jargon-speak: it was believable testimonials (another disclaimer: I did try Cred and paid a whopping bill through them… but guess I am destined only for GPay Rs 3-Rs 5 cashback). So, I deduced that the Cred strategy (sounds important) is free publicity and going viral (tip: going viral can never be strategy).

     

    I therefore did a double-take when I saw an ad with the cool Mr Rahul Dravid becoming the Monster Man. But what is the message? Our product is as unbelievable as Mr Dravid’s anger? And when I opened the local Hindi daily on Saturday morning (reminder: I live in a Tier-2 town in the Hindi belt), it had an article on Mr Dravid losing his cool. Guess viral as a strategy does work.

     

    If you liked this re-view, do share and like the article so that the editor allows me to do another review next week.

     

    Vikas Mehta is a former marketing communications professional who has worked in India and abroad on many local and MNC brands. Currently, based in Dehradoon, he has his own consultancy and is also associated with some B-schools. His views here are personal

  • Strengthens leadership in India

    Havas CX announces key appointments

    By Our Staff

     

    Havas CX, the specialised customer experience unit of Havas Creative Group India, has bolstered its leadership team with key appointments.

     

    Arunima Singh
    Arunima Singh

    Arunima Singh has been appointed Vice President – Customer Success and Ashtad Gandhi has been roped in as Associate Vice President – Data & Analytics. Both will report to Prashant Tekwani, Managing Partner, Havas CX India.

     

    Rana Barua
    Rana Barua

    Said Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India: “Havas CX India has witnessed exponential growth in less than 2 years through massive business wins across Mumbai and New Delhi. In addition, it has successfully built resonance in the industry through its annual report X Index. We understand that brands that get CX right will be the ones that stay relevant in the future, and therefore, our aim now is to scale up Havas CX to the next level and further expand both its expertise and our teams.”

     

    Prashant Tekwani
    Prashant Tekwani

    Added Tekwani: “Over the past few years, we have partnered with brands to create business solutions with data and technology playing an integral role. As Arunima and Ashtad come on board, we’re embarking on the next phase of our rapid growth. The experience and expertise that both bring to the table will help us strengthen our offering further and empower us with the necessary tools to provide strong, strategic counsel to our clients.”

     

  • To strengthen online and offline presence

    Sociapa bags digital and creative mandate for French Essence

    By Our Staff

     

    Sociapa, digital marketing advertising agency Noida and Delhi NCR, has won the digital and creative mandate for French Essence, a brand by Spectra Care.

     

    Dheeraj Raj
    Dheeraj Raj

    Said founder of Sociapa, Dheeraj Raj: “We are ecstatic to have been given this opportunity by French Essence. This is yet another step for Sociapa towards achieving its goal. We are certain that we will be successful in making the brand reach its target groups through effective communication and campaigns. Sociapa is the company that you can trust to help you promote your brand to the next level. We create real brand experiences that include and inspire audiences in every touch point using a full spectrum of creative skills with a cost-effective approach. With a passionate team, we strive to up the game by offering the best strategies including Brand Communication and Campaigns for the brands.”

     

    Added Dr Nidhi Gupta, Director, Spectra Care on the association: “Sociapa is a very competitive firm with a portfolio of many ongoing projects. With the changing dynamics it is extremely crucial for a brand to keep up and hence we believe Sociapa will do justice to our Vision of taking French Essence forward, as we aim to make significant contributions towards strengthening our Online and Offline Presence.”

     

  • The agency will handle media strategy and buying rights

    Carat India wins Croma mandate

    By Our Staff

     

    Carat has bagged the media mandate for Croma, the retail chain for consumer electronics and durables. As per the mandate, Carat India will oversee the brand’s media planning and buying rights (Traditional + Digital).

     

    Anita Kotwani
    Anita Kotwani

    Commenting on the win, Anita Kotwani, CEO, Carat India said: “We are backed by a consumer understanding proprietary framework, Designing for People (DFP), which is strong & always relevant. It is inspired by design thinking which enables us to help brands with an in-depth understanding of their consumers. Our single-source consumer-connected system is the key differentiator in the Indian market. It has the ability to drive full-funnel client outcomes. Our ability to stay ahead of the curve in the tools and tech space by showcasing a unified holistic view of the consumers has been a key tenet that helped us clinch the business.”

     

    Shibashish Roy
    Shibashish Roy

    Added Shibashish Roy, Chief Business Officer (eCommerce & Marketing), Croma – Infiniti Retail: “We are expanding our presence in India by strengthening our omnichannel proposition with digital initiatives and aggressive store expansion plans. We look forward to working with Carat India as our media planning partner to further build on the Croma brand.”

     

    The account size is not known.

     

  • To pursue interests outside the advertising industry

    Narayan Devanathan too moves on from Dentsu India

    By Our Staff

     

    Narayan Devanathan
    Narayan Devanathan

    Narayan Devanathan will be moving on from the role of Chief Client Officer (CCO) at Dentsu India, ending his 11-year-long stint with the network. He joins a long list of senior Dentsu folk who have left the group in the last year-odd.

     

    Commenting on Devanathan’s decision, Peter Hujiboom, Interim CEO, Dentsu India said: “Narayan’s leadership has played an instrumental role in successfully aligning Dentsu India with the company’s global ambitions of becoming the most integrated advertising network in the world. His relentless commitment towards providing the finest solutions to our clients is commendable and I wish him all the best on his new endeavour.”

     

    Added Devanathan: “My association with Dentsu goes way beyond the varied roles that I have held within the network. Dentsu has been a life-shaping experience for me and the decision to take this big leap to pursue my interests outside the advertising industry was a tough one but something I am keenly looking forward to. The network is a rich powerhouse of expertise; the enormity of exposure it offers is way beyond many milestones. As I look back, I am filled with gratitude to have been closely working with many of the best talents and industry leaders within the network.”