MxMIndia

Category: MARKETING

  • Publicis Media has created a bespoke platform – ‘Team Hero MotoCorp’ (Team HMC) – that will be in charge of the account and will harness talent from across the organization, both for the mainline and new-age mediums

    Publicis Media bags Hero MotoCorp mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp has appointed Publicis Media as its media agency for both traditional and digital media duties.

     

    Publicis Media has created a bespoke platform – ‘Team Hero MotoCorp’ (Team HMC) – that will be in charge of the account and will harness talent from across the organization, both for the mainline and new-age mediums.

     

    Said Gurinder Singh Sandhu, Head of Marketing, Hero MotoCorp: “Publicis Media was selected after a very thorough and competitive pitch process with strong presentations from several agencies. We are excited about this new partnership and the potential of ‘Team HMC’ in helping us drive even stronger consumer connect and grow brand impact.”

     

    Added Tanmay Mohanty, CEO of Zenith India and the executive sponsor on Team HMC: “Hero MotoCorp is one of the most prestigious accounts in terms of both scale and complexity. We are excited to partner Hero MotoCorp in their marketing journey where data and tech will complement the strong strategy, planning, buying and content verticals to further strengthen the Integrated Marketing play. ‘Team HMC’ will mobilise the most apt talent and capabilities from across Publicis Media globally, for this partnership. We look forward to delivering strong business outcomes for them and unlocking new consumer connections across social, digital and traditional mediums.”

     

     

  • It is conceptualised and executed by Viscomm 360 Communications, ICICI Lombard’s creative agency

    ICICI Lombard urges people not to drive down the wrong lane

    By A Correspondent

     

    ICICI Lombard has unveiled a digital campaign highlighting the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol. It conveys this message in a powerful way through the acts and innocent comment of a child as protagonist in the communication. Conceptualised and executed by Viscomm 360 Communications, ICICI Lombard’s creative agency, the video is being promoted across ICICI Lombard’ss social media assets and digital platforms.

     

    Said Sanjeev Mantri, Executive Director, ICICI Lombard: “At ICICI Lombard, we believe it is extremely important to alert consumers on the risks associated with drunk driving, which has historically seen a surge during New Year’s Eve. Our latest campaign, focused on this aspect, harnesses a critical insight about children. They are deeply influenced by our action and way of thinking and in fact mirror our acts in their daily life. Our latest campaign harnesses this insight to convey the ‘Don’t drink and drive’ message in an emotional, yet hard hitting manner. As a brand, we are committed to contributing to the road safety agenda through such campaigns as well as our CSR initiative ‘Ride To Safety’ wherein we have distributed over 75,000 helmets to two-wheeler owning parents and their children riding as pillion riders.”

     

    Added Devashree Desai, Associate Creative Director, Viscomm 360: “Our film attempts to raise awareness on the subject of ‘Drinking and Driving’ in a more subtle yet striking manner. The team took a creative leap from the obvious by reflecting the impact of our actions on the impressionable minds of our children. Our aim was to strike an emotional chord with the TG in a more realistic and holistic manner.”

     

     

  • The festive campaign is titled #CelebrateWithHyatt

    Minimalist launches celebratory campaign for Hyatt

    By A Correspondent

     

    The campaign #CelebrateWithHyatt seeks to give a wholesome Hyatt touch to patrons celebrating their travel with Hyatt properties

     

    Creative agency Minimalist was retained by Hyatt to produce a festive campaign titled #CelebrateWithHyatt.

     

    Said Gaurav Kulshreshtha, Director of Digital from the Hyatt group: “The campaign is a huge milestone in terms of offering a Hyatt experience to all our patrons and travellers who holiday with such style and aplomb. We are very positive and excited about our collaboration with The Minimalist and look forward to a meaningful and impactful creative result.”

     

    Chirag Gander

    Commenting on the campaign, Chirag Gander, Co-Founder and Director, The Minimalist added: “We at the Minimalist are very thrilled with this association with the Hyatt chain of hotels, which is one of the best places endorsed by travel patrons. With modern day travel evolving from mere destination-hopping to creating experiences and making memories, #CelebrateWithHyatt is a very heart-warming campaign to bring out the best of all travel experiences.”

     

     

  • Mullen Lintas has created the first film focused on two North-India markets

    Mullen Lintas unveils hyper-local campaign for Tata Tea Premium

    By A Correspondent

     

    Tata Tea Premium has recently launched region-specific ads created by Mullen Lintas.

     

    Puneet Das, Vice President Marketing, India, Tata Global Beverages talking about the campaign said, “Tata Tea Premium has broken new ground where thoughts, new propositions are concerned. The strategy on Tata Tea Premium is to go hyperlocal and shift the needle from not just celebrating ‘India Pride’ but to also evoking regional pride. While most national brands only talk about ‘connecting at a local level’, we have taken a truly hyperlocal approach across all our marketing mix elements – whether it’s packaging, communication or the choice of communication medium. To complement the regional taste expertise, which has been the DNA of the brand, Tata Tea Premium has launched a new & distinct packaging for key regions (like UP and Delhi) which captures the elements of pride for each region. We have developed a State wise communication based on local/regional-level insight; and used hyper local media choices to effectively target the region.”

     

    Commenting on the latest campaign, Amer Jaleel, Group CCO and Chairman, MullenLowe Lintas Group added: “To pay tribute to the widespread love for Premium, Tata Tea took a slightly different route than what most big brands would have chosen. Instead of doing a one-size-fits-all brand campaign, Premium is going local, identifying the local insights of its markets and paying rich compliments to the character and personality of the locals. This work also cleverly uses the existing strength of Premium, which is understanding regional consumer preferences and curating blends to cater to those preferences. The creative is nuanced to deliver how the people of the region are stereotyped and then gently pries away the layer of that lens and sees the people for who they are. After all a brand that’s loved by people should know them deeply, right? Know both their idiosyncrasies and their most lovable traits. I think while attempting this we have also ended up with one of the most unique hyper-local campaign this country has ever seen, and it’s still early days!”

     

     

  • The campaign seeks to garner the attention of millennials through four targeted ads

    Guesture unveils inaugural ad campaign targeting millennials

    By A Correspondent

     

    Guesture, the Bengaluru-based co-living space provider, has launched its brand campaign aimed at young adults who have difficulty in finding shared accommodation.

     

    Said Pramod Kumar, Director of Guesture: “We understand the issues faced by young adults while finding the right accommodation which is near their place of work is tiring process. This is why we are operating micro markets like Electronic City where the demand for co-living spaces is seeing an upsurge. Our efforts towards providing security and convenience to our residents are our top priority. The advertisements are very relatable and show the real life scenarios young adults go through. They make a lot of adjustments and sacrifice when it comes to accommodation but, now we plan to tackle that by these advertisements. We are constantly working towards simplifying the process by our differentiated offerings.”

     

    Added Mark Lazaro, Chief Innovation Officer, Lazaro Advertising: “The brief in a line was to address the concerns of individuals looking to rent a home in and around Electronic City, Bengaluru. At Lazaro we like to go in-depth and analyze how to further break down complex problems that individuals or organisations are looking to tackle. We conducted many street surveys in Bengaluru to better understand the housing issues Guesture is actively solving in the area. The use of design thinking, with an underlying element of humour, coupled with the insights from the street surveys allowed us to create the campaign series that not only appealed to individuals living in and around the area, capturing the everyday life of individuals and the things that make it easier, but has also started creating an impact nationally.”

     

     

  • The interactive video sticker is similar to video calling feature in smartphones

    VMate collaborates with Sunny Leone for its New Year campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    VMate has collaborated with Sunny Leone for its New Year campaign #SunnyKaNewYearCall. The reward for the top winner would-be one-time ticket to fame and an opportunity to go on a dinner date with Sunny Leone.

     

    Said Nisha Pokhriyal, Associate Director, VMate: “VMate’s constant endeavour is to bring exciting campaigns for its users and make their special occasions more special. We are happy to collaborate with Sunny Leone for our New Year campaign. She has a large fan base in India and VMate is giving her fans an opportunity of a lifetime to talk to her as her close friend and also stand a chance to win a dinner date with her. The video sticker introduced for this campaign is a highly customized one with vividness beyond one’s imagination.”

     

     

  • The account was won following a multi-agency pitch

    Gemius Design Studio wins digital & creative mandate for Prag & Co

    By A Correspondent

     

    Marketing and branding agency Gemius Design Studio has bagged the creative digital mandate for women’s innerwear brand Prag & Co. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch.

     

    Said Anushree Pacheriwal, Co-founder, Gemius Design Studio: “We are very excited to have Prag &Co. in our client roster. The brand’s objective is to deliver comfort, support and quality in the lives of women through their wide product range and we see the digital medium as a huge enabler that can help them to achieve this. Keeping in mind business goals and equipped with strategic decisions, we aim towards profitable sales growth and increasing brand value. We are keen to be a part of their growth journey and hope to live up to their expectations.”

     

    Added Priya Santoki, Co-founder, Prag & Co: “Comfort, quality and confidence are at the core of the Prag & Co’s DNA. In this day and age, we believe that our brand’s strategy, marketing and digital efforts need to have a common vision and voice. We were impressed with the comprehensive approach by Gemius Design Studio and feel that this association would be a good fit. We are delighted to choose them as our digital and creative partners.”

     

  • Aims to create meaningful content to inspire audiences to plan their finances for achieving personal goals

    HDFC Life launches Season 2 of ‘Behind the Journey’

    By A Correspondent

     

    HDFC Life has announced the launch of the second season of its digital campaign ‘Behind the Journey’, in partnership with artist and event management major Only Much Louder (OML).

     

    Said Vishal Subharwal, EVP-Ecommerce & Digital Marketing: “With Season 2 of ‘Behind the Journey’, we continue our endeavour of bringing about a shift in the mindset of the audience towards long term savings and investment products offered along with life insurance.  We have partnered with popular role-models who talk about their own financial struggles and how they have achieved financial freedom through grit and discipline. We believe these stories will resonate well with the audience and help them overcome barriers towards goal-based and disciplined investments as a vehicle for achieving financial independence.”

     

    Added Gunjan Arya, CEO, OML: “Social media has created an unrealistic standard for our generation. However great a job someone is doing, they probably still pick and choose what to present online. We are now striving to live a picture perfect life, which of course, does not exist. This is a basic insight that HDFC Life connected with – and so did the fans that came to know the sacrifices and struggles of their favourite artists, who otherwise are associated with glamour and fame. The series highlights the importance financial planning in any career and the lessons therein for all of us. The success of the first season of ‘Behind the Journey’ for HDFC Life gave us the opportunity to showcase bigger artists across domains and disciplines in its sophomore year, and we’re looking forward to taking the association further for fans and consumers alike.”

  • Parineeti launches the #MySareeMyWay campaign for Julahaa

    Julahaa Sarees signs on Parineeti Chopra as brand amb

    By A Correspondent

     

    Julahaa Sarees from Surat has signed on Parineeti Chopra as its brand ambassador. The association also marks the launch of their campaign – #MySareeMyWay that highlights the dynamic nature of Indian sarees establishing that there is no right or wrong way of wearing a saree –just one’s own way.

     

    Speaking about the development, Sudarshan Santosh Budhia, Director & Owner – Julahaa Sarees said:“At Julahaa Sarees, we believe in spotting opportunities and developing a sustainable solution for the same.In the past five years, we have worked passionately to bring ornate sarees in materials such as Art Silk, Georgettes, Linen, Chanderi, Organza and Matka Silk to special occasions, and our efforts have paid off. We have seen the same passion for good work in Parineeti. From Dimple Chaddha in Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl to Bindu Sankaranarayanan in Meri Pyaari Bindu and now Jiwani in Kesari, Parineeti has reinvented herself for every role. Her passion for her art is evident in the range of roles she has chosen for herself. We are very happy to welcome Parineeti aboard as the face of the brand.”

     

     

  • Avik Chattopadhyay lists his five favourite Smart Brands which cock a snook at the wannabes‘

    Reverse Snobbery Works & How!

     

    By Avik Chattopadhyay

     

    I have a friend in Paris, the tony, fancy part of Paris. He has a four-bedroom apartment in an ornate late 19th century building. Antique furniture, impressionist paintings, a pair of Mings and a Steinway among other collectibles. And he drives a Smart ForTwo! That’s a 2.6 metre two-seater car costing around Rs.5.0 lakhs that just about manages to hold him, his wife and a couple of shopping bags inside. “That’s all you own?” “Oui. That’s good enough. Easy to park. Easy to use. Easy on the environment. Easy on…” “Okay, okay, get the idea. Making a statement, aren’t you? You could afford an exotic Alfa Romeo but wish to make a certain statement with the Smart.” “Voila! You get it. I stay in the heart of Paris in my own apartment. And I use the Smart!”

     

    Reverse snobbery.

    That’s what it is. Plain and simple.

    Cocking a snook at the ‘wannabees’ who are desperate to flaunt their BMWs and LVs, paying their EMIs through their noses.

    This is the “rebel” brand. One that questions straight-jacketed conventions and the holy cows. One that challenges the age-old traditions as irrelevant and ostentatious.

     

    It works. It sure does work.

    And quite a few brands have built their raison d’etre on this very platform of standing up and smirking at the typical symbols of status and exclusivity. I have picked my favourite 5, apart from the Smart, that have proven beyond doubt that reverse snobbery is a viable and sustainable space to occupy, both as a philosophy and as a business proposition.

     

    Casio.

    Specifically the G-shock range that has truly transformed the digital plastic cased and strapped watch into a near icon! It goes off the shelves in no time in any part of the world, appealing across age groups. In any premium watch retailer you will see it displayed alongside far more “premium” brands like Tissot, Armani and cK. It is a rage amongst the gen-Z for its sheer larger than life physical manifestation and built in “cool” features that the premium brands do not offer. Swatch did play the same role very effectively till some time back but its absence from the smartwatch segment has seen it slip in the eyes of the beholder. Titan also missed a beat or two with Fastrack in taking it up the image ladder.

     

    Old Monk.

    Never could imagine a benign Benedictine padre to be a spirited confidante of millions of homes in India! And also travel across the world bringing both joy and solace to the Indian diaspora. My alma mater has something called OMAXI, the Old Monk Association of XLRI with a ‘chief’ ceremoniously elected and crowned every year! One really committed group I must admit. That glass bottle with the caramel brown liquid has given a beating to some of the biggest global spirits in terms of loyalty, advocacy and also relevance. When your customers release ads on your 60th anniversary you sure know the prayers are on your side!

     

    Football.

    Yes, the beautiful game came back with a bang with the English Premier League getting into our bloodstream through ESPN a decade and a half back. In a nation obsessed with cricket [still so] and sports like golf and Formula 1 catering to the “elite”, Sir Alex Ferguson came with a sledgehammer and rearranged the living room a wee bit. Football got a bigger footprint beyond its traditional following in Bengal, Kerala, Goa and Punjab. Rich kids went around chilling in Manchester United and Chelsea t-shirts. Then came the wave…La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Champions League and more. It was cool to discuss Mourinho’s follies in the toniest of parties in Delhi and Mumbai. The game of the masses finally saw a fashionable following in the “class”.

     

    Bata.          

    The good old fuddy-duddy school shoe brand is back with a bang! After decades of meandering around directionless, they have finally hit the purple patch. Excellent product portfolio, much improved product quality and most importantly, a new customer base that sees it cool enough to wear and flaunt. The shopping experience has also been taken a few notches higher with a strong online push. The renewed self-confidence is demonstrated by the introduction of an entry-level fast-fashion brand like FootIn. The brand co-existing with the likes of Hush Puppies, Caterpillar, Scholl and Weinbrenner has actually paid off immensely for its own image makeover.

     

    The Scooter.

    Its no longer “sissy” to be seen moving around on a scooter anymore. You need not pass off yours as your sister’s before your friends or colleagues. The scooter is cool. Its more responsible. Its more flexible. Its more than a motorcycle. The relaunch of the Chetak by Bajaj tells you that the guys at Akurdi have realised their mistake of vacating this space to competition. The Honda Activa is the largest selling two-wheeler in India. It’s a scooter! The category today offers you a range to choose from based on your personality type – family man = Jupiter, fashionable = Fascino, speed freak = Ntorq, cruiser = Burgman and so on. The scooter looks as aspirational and adorable as any motorcycle. And the fact that it continues to cater to both men and women with consummate ease is what attracts the ‘metrosexual’ to it in droves.

     

    These are my top 5 picks of brands that thrive on reverse snobbery.

    Just wish the Tata Nano were also on this list.

    Had all the ingredients of being a global icon.

    Alas, that is one big lost opportunity…another story…another day…

     

  • Why have the desh-bhakti ads feature only Independence and Republic Day, Why not for the whole year? ask Avik Chattopadhyay

    The Festival of Freedom

     

    By Avik Chattopadhyay

     

    We are a land of festivals. There is a phrase in Bengali that goes like “12 months, 13 festivals”.  Just the Bengali ones, mind you. If one were to add up all the festivals across all faiths and occasions, we would end up with probably 10 times that. We just love celebrations, of all types, shapes and sizes. And most brands around us surround us with their specific pieces of communication for each festival. Wishing us health, prosperity, happiness and most of all, spending money.

     

    Two such festivals fall end-January and mid-August.

    The “feeling nationalist” festivals.

    Tomorrow is one.

    When as a nation we shall see a surge of nationalism and being Indian.

     

    Over the last one week many of us would have bought the national flag.

    Ones for our car dashboards. Ones for pasting on our windows.

    Ones for placing on our work-desks. Ones for our verandahs and rooftops.

     

    We will wear traditional clothes and gather at parks and community centres to hoist the national flag, sing the national anthem, exchange pleasantries, hear out a few speeches, and then carry a little box of a samosa and a laddu back to our world of WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram, passing judgments, drawing conclusions, pouring vitriol and acting holier than thou.

     

    Brands also have this seasonal booth of national pride.

    We actually have multiple “freedom sales” going on.

    Amazon simply calls it the “Freedom Sale”.

    Flipkart says “it’s all about your freedom…”

    Snapdeal promises it is #AzadiKeFayde.

    While Spar encourages you to “Celebrate India. Strength of Many. Power of One.”

    How utterly ridiculous can the entire thing be!?

    First, you misuse the sanctity of an occasion like the Independence Day to push out a commercial activity. And then you wrap cheeky communication around it that makes you think you look smart! What about my freedom does Flipkart really deliver? And what “fayde” [benefits] of freedom does Snapdeal promise me? The Spar one actually goes one step further by saying things that are totally inane. The marketing heads behind these exercises need some brain scanning.

     

    Then we have lots of brands espousing national pride and the spirit of unity on television. Liberty Shoes. Benetton. Manyavar. Times of India. Lava. And so on. There are some truly ridiculous ones that you can watch on YouTube in collections called “Independence Day Ads” part 1, 2, 3 and so on. I found one by Oyo featuring actors Manoj Bajpayee and Raveena Tandon totally demented. And there is one by PayTM that claims that a cashless India will be corruption free, even if you may give people in kind. The mind boggles. Then there are quite a few that are forcing you to be misty-eyed. But then there are ones by Ambuja and Bajaj that strike the right chord.

     

    I have three observations to make on all the advertising that is specially prepared for occasions like Independence Day [or even Republic Day].

     

    Why not for the whole year?

    The values of freedom and being part of a nation cannot be restricted to only 2 weeks of a year, like any other festival. They need to be communicated through the year, in all languages, to reinforce the true meaning of being an Indian, in its inclusiveness, openness, progressiveness and the responsibility that lies in each of us to preserve, nurture and propagate these values. Only then can the message register and resonate. Otherwise we will continue to have one week of cacophony and then slip into yet another festival.

     

    Why always feel good and not feel disturbed?

    Every piece of communication wants to tug at your heart, create a lump in your throat and leave you misty-eyed. Like a television soap. Freedom entrusts us with the responsibility of not just sharing the good stories but also highlighting the issues of concern. The nation need not be sung to sleep but also woken up rudely with uncomfortable truths staring us in the face. Communication needs to provoke the recipient into thought, debate and positive action. Brands can take up a cause that is close to their heart and wake people up, beyond shares on social media.

     

    Why not encourage people to give instead of buy?

    Do not make people buy. Instead, teach them to give. To a cause. To specific sections of society. To the underprivileged. To the exploited. To the deserving. We Indians are terrible philanthropists, bordering on being downright inconsiderate and selfish. Let all the e-commerce platforms encourage their members to move beyond the donation boxes in the places of worship onto the streets where millions of our brothers and sisters could benefit from our little contributions.

     

    Wish brands accord the occasion its due respect and stop treating every national holiday a shopping spree. Also try to resist the temptation of melodrama in your communication as that quite ridicules the sacrifices of our forefathers for the cause. As Netaji had said, “Freedom is not given. It is taken.” Jai Hind!

     

     

  • In a new column series, Avik Chattopadhyay presents the Good, Bad and the Ridiculous in World Cup ads

    The ICC World Cup of Brands 2019

     

    By Avik Chattopadhyay

     

    Cricket is possibly the only thing that binds India on this date. A few others like the National Anthem, the Constitution and the Flag are going through their phases of revisionism and identity-crisis. Bollywood has never been a unifier! If you feel offended, ask the movie-goer in Chennai and Cochin for the right perspective.

    So, when the ICC One-Day Cricket World Cup happens, every brand wants to ride the bandwagon. Either directly as ICC sponsors and partners or with the media vehicle Star Sports. In either case, paying top money for primetime. We were pitted against England as the favourites to win the cup, so eyeballs would be guaranteed till the 12th of July.

    The biggest sponsors of this world cup were Kohli and Dhoni.

    Kohli was on air for Uber, Shyam Steel, Google Duo and Nuvoco Vista.

    MSD for Dream 11, SRMB Steel, Orient LED, MasterCard and Bharat Matrimony.

    Pardon me if I have missed out any more.

    Through the tournament I just hoped some guy with a sense of humour would announce, “This match is brought to you by Nissan, Oppo, Coca-Cola, MRF, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni.” But that moment never came.

    Instead, India stopped at the semis.

    And so did most of the eyeballs.

    Now that the nation is at relative peace and debating only about ICC rules and New Zealand being short-circuited [almost patronisingly], here is a good time to look at how the brands on the b[r]andwagon fared. My assessment basically from the multitude of products and services that spent oodles of money on television over the 48 matches…into 3 sets of the good, the bad and the ridiculous. They are in no ranking order, hence the alphabetical order.

     

    The Good 5

     

    Coca-Cola – adorable communication featuring Paresh Rawal and Ranbeer Kapoor. Simple story, brilliantly told. Though one might argue the open invitation to gulp down gallons of aerated sugar water, the sheer quality of the campaign pardons the sin. “Chaar saal dete hain world cup waale…” should go on to become an iconic quip over time.

     

    Dream 11 – in the 5 WhatsApp groups I am part of, there were at least a dozen individuals hooked on to this site. Old and middle aged people, mind you, leading otherwise responsible family and corporate lives, indulging in betting! Obviously, the communication, simple and compelling enough, made the most of the occasion. MSD kept well here…no byes and drops.

     

    Google Search – while the Google Duo communication was quite flaky, the one by Search was bang on! Again, like Dream 11, made the most of the occasion.

     

    Swiggy – they had started off during the IPL, but the excellent campaign continued through the world cup. The brilliant tie-ins with various cricketing situations through the commentary brought a smile on millions’ faces I am sure. They had quite a few stories on air but my favourite one is the “Batsmen are taking a risk here…” featuring the two old friends ordering quesadilla and lasagne!

     

    Uber – very tactical and topical but well communicated and that is why it is in my list of the Good 5. Virat played well, on all types of pitches, in all conditions. Disarming and to the point. Only I could not understand playing the ad on the final. But that is for another day and under another subject…

     

    The Bad 5 – these are brands that spent a lot of money on advertising that did not work, according to me, for various reasons, specific to each.

     

    Fogg – we know that “Fagg chal raha hai” but why? There was no new story…nothing on the occasion of the world cup. They are smart communicators, hence I was sure disappointed when they spent a lot of money rehashing their IPL messaging. And I just wish we stop playing up the anti-Pakistan bit any more. What is innocent fun at one time can become laboured if stretched beyond relevance.

     

    Kamla Pasand – this one really shook me up by the scruff of my neck. The dream of 130 crore people! Give me a break please. I expect such talk in Parliament, not for a sport catering to the middle class and above. And all that flag waving? Nope, does not work. Being a ‘pan masala’ does not help things. Do not try to be Amul or Tata Tea. To communicate like them you need to switch businesses.

     

    MasterCard – okay, so you got a couple new stories to tell, but do you need two celebrities to drive home your message? Also, too many messages I thought, with none clearly registering [in my mind at least, in spite of being a MasterCard user]. Visa did a much better job with a single story being driven home.

     

    Oppo – you are the sponsor of the Indian team and the ICC and this is all that you do…bring a pretty girl close to a prettier bird?! Did you think that just your name appearing on shirts, grounds and backdrops would do the job? Nope, according to me. That was just your name that millions saw across the cricket playing world, not your brand. Lost a big chance of doing something truly relevant and memorable.

     

    Pepsi – I know, I know…they were not on television but so what…they did spend a lot of money trying to out-do Coke. They thought they did this super clever “digital” campaign forcing the grand old lady Charulata Patel do weird poses with her fingers. You think that’s swag? Take a good swig!

     

    The Ridiculous 5 – these are the jewels that I have not figured out why they were there in the first place! I am sure they still do not have the answer themselves.

     

    Apollo Tyres – just because MRF is there? Huh? You think that is reason enough? “Ambush marketing” in the age of AI and ML!! Sad. Please think up a better reason. It’s a nice, feel-good ad, but totally wasted on this platform. Therefore, money well wasted.

     

    Bharat Matrimony – we know young immature couples do propose at the cricket ground or in flights taking them to one, but you really want to talk about all this just because MSD is your brand ambassador? This is no way to “maximise” presence and squeeze the last bit from your lemon. Lemon!

     

    Nissan – you are one of the world’s most respected brands and this is what you do? Make an SUV reverse into the crease, create an android hand and smash a metallic ball? Seriously? Katayama-san would commit hara-kiri on this!

     

    Orient LED – I was a kid once so let’s get this straight – kids do not study during summer vacations and when a world cup is on…any world cup. Period. So, stop the preaching on whether the LED light flickers or not. That’s when exams come up. Okay?

     

    Shyam Steel – every time I saw yet one more ad of the most loving couple in the cricketing world, I cried. For I wanted it to end as soon as it started and the only way out was to look away or quickly check WhatsApp messages. Need I say more?

     

    Avik Chattopadhyay is a senior brand and business strategist based in Gurugram. This is the first in a new series of columns he will write for MxMIndia.