MxMIndia

Tag: anil thakraney

  • What a wasted opportunity! The makers of Snickers did two commendable things. And then they went ahead and blew it nice and proper

    Debrief: Snickers: Rekha ki vaat lagaa di!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Oh no! What a wasted opportunity! The makers of Snickers did two commendable things. One, to think of veteran movie star, the ultra reclusive Rekha. And two, to convince the lady to sign up for the first ad of her life. And then they went ahead and blew it nice and proper.

     

    This is the trash they’ve conceived: When a dude gets hungry, he starts carping like an aged heroine. (Sexist? I think so!). So, inside a moving car, when a chap is famished, he transforms into a crabby Rekha. Until he’s fed Snickers, after which he becomes ‘normal’ again. Another guy turns into a cranky Urmila Matondkar, haha!

     

    Now, the idea isn’t bad per se. That, hunger can change your mood drastically, is a promising thought. But the interpretation is quite silly, and it’s not even remotely funny. Also, they have made Rekha look bad, and that’s unforgivable. They should have watched the commercial Havells Fans made with the late Rajesh Khanna. Khanna was projected as the man he was perceived to be; larger than life, living in denial of his faded stardom and full of attitude. Which made the connect with that ad strong. This is what Snickers should have attempted with Rekha. Sadly, they haven’t even tried to capture her popular image of an enigmatic star. In this ad, anyone could have been cast.

     

    Anyway, I am hungry now, but will avoid Snickers. What if I turn into a fiery Mamata Didi? You’ve all had it then.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46BDzyoBSnY[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 0 to 5): 0. Poor rendition of idea. Rekha wasted.

     

  • Here's what I would like to see happen in the New Year

    Anil Thakraney: Badly mangta in 2013 – TV reporters who report, not incite. Freshness in papers. Controversy-free TV measurement. Fewer celebs in ads….

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Here’s what I would like to see happen in the New Year. These are random demands, in no particular order:

     

    1. Innovations and freshness in newspapers and magazines. For their own healthy future, editors need to stop recycling content already put out by the internet and television.

     

    2. Less juvenile chatter by radio jocks, and more music. Also, a limit on ads. Don’t kill the goose that already lays very few golden eggs.

     

    3. A little more objectivity in television debates. Is that too much to ask for? Perhaps it is.

     

    4. And some new voices, please? Quite tired of the same thakela faces, night after night.

     

    5. Less hysteria in the Hindi news channels. A pipe dream, but one lives in hope.

     

    6. No more stories of journos caught demanding money for news. Or canoodling with fixers and agents. Not ever again.

     

    7. TV reporters will report. Not incite mobs. Repeat. Report. Not incite mobs.

     

    8. A strong No 2 at Times Now.

     

    9. Unity amongst ad agencies. No bitching, only constructive meetings.

     

    10. More public service work from creative directors. Anti-rape campaign, anyone?

     

    11. Better creative work in the digital domain. It’s high time this happened.

     

    12. Controversy-free television viewership measurement study.

     

    13. No more hit-and-run journalism. Let’s leave that to Arvind Kejriwal. Hoping for sustained coverage of important stories.

     

    14. Scam-free ad award fests.

     

    15. Self-censorship in the media coverage. No one wants an external monitor.

     

    16. TV soaps will move at a quicker pace. And Bigg Boss will feature at least a few intelligent participants.

     

    17. At least a couple of reasonably good press ads.

     

    18. Fewer number of misleading ads. They give the entire ad world a bad name.

     

    19. Fewer celebrities in ads. More impetus on the idea.

     

    20. To break the monotony of political news, female news anchors to sex up. To get nicely ‘dented and painted’, as that moronic son of Pranabda would put it.

     

    Happy New Year! Cheers!

     

  • The creative director killed that one thing which makes Pidilite advertising shine: Entertainment. And that's nothing to laugh about

    Debrief: Fevikwik: 2012 ends on a low

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Well, sad to report that the last ad I review for the year 2012 didn’t leave me amused at all. Even though all that the protagonists do in the ad is keep laughing out loudly. In fact, that is the central idea in the new Fevikwik commercial.

     

    I watched a couple of TVCs, and in each two brothers are seen guffawing away. And being bumbling fools, they keep breaking things around them. Then they apply Fevikwik, and the mad laughter carries on. The core thought I guess is this: When you have Fevikwik around, there’s no worry over things smashing and crashing. And exaggerated laughter is used to jazz up the idea.

     

    Must say I am both, terribly disappointed and irritated. Disappointed, because this maha bore ad comes from the house of Pidilite, from whom we have come to expect superlative advertising. And irritated because the creators of this ad, in their excitement to be wacko, overlooked one very significant problem: It’s no fun at all watching two adult men continuously laughing, and laughing hysterically at that. While this approach does make the communication single-minded, the non-stop laughter makes it unbearable. In short, the creative director killed that one thing which makes Pidilite advertising shine: Entertainment. And that’s nothing to laugh about.

     

    Anyway, even as we end the year on a bad note, here’s hoping to see smashing work in the New Year. Work that will make us, the viewers, laugh.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilxRbt1T8s0[/youtube]

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 0 to 5): 1. Not funny. Not funny. Not funny.

     

  • The question on everyone’s mind is this: How will his retirement from ODIs affect the champ’s advertising career?

    Anil Thakraney: The challenge for Brand Sachin

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Okay, so Tendlya has finally decided to hang up his large boots. At least from the limited overs format of the game (though am certain his IPL ‘career’ will rock on, too much moolah at stake to let that one go). However, he still seems keen to play test cricket, though many (including me) believe he ought to have resigned from that too.

     

    Anyway, the question on everyone’s mind is this: How will his retirement from ODIs affect the champ’s advertising career? I think it will get hit big-time. For the simple reason that one-day cricket is where the crowds come in, it also allows a player to play a blazing inning. Advertisers would therefore be keener on this particular format. In any case I seriously doubt if at this old age Sachin will be able do anything spectacular in test cricket. All this therefore means there’s very little chance of bagging endorsement deals from here on. So then what can Sachin do to extend his brand franchise?

     

    Well, if he opts for the commentary box or if he turns into a cricket coach, that wouldn’t interest the advertisers one bit. Brand managers like to put their monies only on active players. This is the reason why ex-cricketers like Dravid, Ganguly and others have disappeared from the ads. Sachin’s role model therefore has to be Amitabh Bachchan. He needs to find a path which will either help him remain in the public eye, or the man is able to directly change lives. Just as Bachchan discovered KBC, Sachin needs to explore opportunities in that space. Or, since he’s already an MP, the newly minted politician can dive right into social work. As an example: The anti-rape campaign, which is on top of the agenda for the nation. That would help build the image of a hero who cares for the aam aadmi. That could also result in certain advertisers getting interested.

     

    The point is: Who’s advising the man these days? The right adviser will help Sachin extend his career for many more years (just like Big B). The wrong adviser will ensure Sachin becomes history as far as endorsement deals go. What is of no doubt here is that we are about to witness a terrific case study in human brand marketing.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Yet another cool ad from Nike. In my books, amongst brands that have managed to captivate the junta’s hearts and minds by selling powerful attitude, Nike ranks tops.

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hEzW1WRFTg[/youtube]
  • Anil Thakraney picks his best and worst ads of 2012 in this special yearend edition of Debrief

    LookBack 2012: Debrief Special: Best and worst ads of the Year

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Okay people, since the year is saying good-bye, like all good media brands, we have to conduct the traditional ceremony. Of picking the gems and the turkeys of the year. So here are the Big Six Awards. Alag chhe, as Salman Khan would say. Please forgive us if we inadvertently missed out on any deserving candidate. In both the categories.

     

     

    The big winners:

     

    1. The Hindu: Powerful and entertaining

    Kickass creative. Students behaving like those idiotic parliamentarians we elect. With Bapu’s favourite bhajan, ‘Vaishnava jana toh’, adding to the irony. Treatment that youngsters would immediately connect with. Because it reflects their deep cynicism with the politics of this nation.
     

    2. Idea: Heart warming

    Idea’s Diwali ads were endearing. They promoted communal harmony, and that’s so badly needed in this fractured country. Superb example of how to lift an otherwise ordinary Diwali discount ad. As a Diwali bonus, they got rid of Small B with this campaign. Good idea that, Sirji!
     

    3. Fevicol Marine: The magic returned

    With this ad, Fevicol revived the magic that had gone missing in their ads in recent times. The boatman TVC was beautifully shot and was highly entertaining. And I loved the Rabindra sangeet background track. Single-minded communication at its best.
     

    4. Surf Excel: The power of idea

    Surf Excel’s ‘Daag achchhe hain’ campaign rolled on merrily. The cricket turf war between kids was very realistically captured. This continuing campaign is a very good case study for all students and professionals in the business. When you have a strong idea, 80% of the battle is already won.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7VyizsCss0[/youtube]
     

    5. Maruti: ‘Kitna deti hai?’ shone again

    I have always been a fan of Maruti’s ‘Kitna deti hai?’ idea. Because it’s totally relevant; Indians tend to be obsessed with mileage. The TVC re-created the thirties, with a firang lady flyer called Amelia Johnson. I simply adore Amelia’s expression when that deadly desi question is fired at her. Superb idea, superb direction.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AyynrjP3EM[/youtube]
     

    6. FOX Movies: Brilliant

    FOX Movies decided to offer cinema dubbed in regional languages for the Thai market, and their ad agency turned it into an idea for subtitles-free communication. Fantastic lateral thinking to highlight what is otherwise a very uninteresting product promise.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvG-lYsPAiM[/youtube]

     

    The big losers:

     

    1. Appy Fizz: Ewwwww!

    Everything went wrong out here. Saif Ali Khan? What was the point of casting a middle aged angry actor for a ‘buddy hang out’ drink? Since the ad was entirely conversation based, wit and sharp humour became the key ingredients. I haven’t heard such silly, juvenile banter amongst junior school kids. Made me squirm.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVoq1ePqx0[/youtube]
     

    2. Mid Day: Maximum City. Minimum TVC.

    ‘My City, My Life’, the slogan, was a promising thought. But the execution sucked big-time. They should have tried to capture the spirit the city’s youngsters possess. Instead they showed them goofing around like headless chicken. This ad told me Mid Day doesn’t really understand Mumbai.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_EJUXqpYwk[/youtube]
     

    3. Coca-Cola: Zero Freshness

    Yet another commercial based on cricket (yawn!). The TVC featured rural kids playing the game in extremely hot, dusty and inhuman conditions. Suddenly, towards the end of the commercial, Rajya Sabha MP, Shri Sachin Tendulkar, appears in an air-conditioned studio. He ‘opens happiness’ and happily gulps it down. And doesn’t offer a sip to the poor lads. Totally put me off.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gPcupJrqig[/youtube]
     

    4. Nivea Fresh Active: Very annoying

    There are many ads in India (and am sure the whole world) which irritate us. But there will always be a few that piss us off so much, it leads to a rise in blood pressure. Sadly, Nivea managed to achieve that. In the commercial, a group of men yawn very loudly, offensively and repeatedly. And that’s pretty much it.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh5g5z1eaxw[/youtube]
     

    5. Pepsi: Not the game, they should have changed the ad

    Creators of this ad for Pepsi had all the power tools at their disposal: A funky, irreverent brand. Top Indian cricket heroes. The most happening Bollywood star. And a cool idea – Change the game- which packs in potential for super commercials. And yet, they went ahead and botched it all up. Witless, uninteresting dialogues. Forced irreverence, which falls totally flat.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8YeNX6l5ek[/youtube]
     

    6. BlackBerry: Lazy, lazy creative work

    BlackBerry’s ‘Action starts here’ must be the most boring slogan of 2012. And it was back to the usual youngsters with their usual dreams, but with no clue provided to us on how Blackberry makes them come true. And a very tired jingle to round it all off. Very sixties. Yes, the treatment looked that ancient.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuE2fzL8nXg[/youtube]

     

  • The 'truth serum' approach may work for a laboured seven-course Indian meal, but it doesn't for a fast food item

    Debrief: Domino’s: Pizza hai ya truth serum?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    An interesting promise by Domino’s Cheesy Boloroni Pizza (wow, what a mouthful, the brand name). You can make new discoveries about each other when you consume this cheesy snack together. Now, I understand a pizza is a pizza so they can’t really belt out technical USPs, you do need wacko ideas. But this one is much too corny.

     

    The TVC features a young honeymooning couple in Goa. They are about to step out of the hotel room for some sightseeing when the young lady expresses a desire to consume the cheesy pizza. The taste of which makes this shy gal open up to her brand new hubby, as she freely shares secrets from her past life. No, not that she’s indulged in kinky sex before marriage, only the sweet stuff. These ‘discoveries’ make the chap forget all about Goa, and he wants to hear more from her. In short, the pizza offers ‘rishton ka time’.

     

    All very fine and dandy, but there’s a crisis of credibility out here. It’s a cool idea but for an entirely incorrect product. Pizza is a fast food item, it’s what you order when you are pressed for time or are too pooped to enter the kitchen. It’s hardly a meal over which a couple would spend quality time with each other. Therefore this approach makes you laugh out loud rather than look forward to new ‘discoveries’ in your own partner. The ‘truth serum’ approach may work for a laboured seven-course Indian meal, but it doesn’t for a fast food item. Also, a newly married couple ordering pizza on their honeymoon? That too in Goa? This tells me they are either broke or are headed for trouble.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmn16YwK1Rk[/youtube]

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Good idea for the wrong product

     

  • So if the battle of 2014 is going to be fought between these two brands, simple marketing logic tells us who's the favourite one to win

    Anil Thakraney: Brand Modi versus Brand Rahul

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Human beings are brands too. The same principles of product quality, marketing effort, positioning and consumer image apply. Which is why we must evaluate them in terms of pure marketing logic. Today, let’s take up the case of Brand Gandhi Junior and Brand Narendra Modi.

     

    Brand Modi is a powerful brand, and we already know that. Consumers are crystal clear on the positioning, and the brand consistently delivers what it promises. Brand Modi primarily appeals to the emotion, and backs that up with rational logic. The ‘Hindu Fighter’ image appeals to the majority in the state of Gujarat. And for the fence-sitters, it’s the ‘development’ platform that works. In that sense, Brand Modi is perceived to be a complete brand. Therefore even if the rest of India does not favour the primary image of this brand, the saleability increases on account of the secondary promise. This dual positioning will be of immense value for Brand Modi in 2014. What makes this brand even stronger is its charismatic personality, which is supported by aggressive marketing and promotion. Consumers like to be associated with the brand, and this further strengthens saliency.

     

    In short, a clear market positioning, consistent delivery, powerful brand values and a huge consumer connect. Clear winner.

     

    The case of Brand Rahul is the exact opposite. There is no perceptible brand positioning, therefore the consumer is unclear on what it stands for. What makes things worse is that the house from which this brand emanates, its USP, has lost saliency over the years. In addition, Brand Rahul seldom gets promoted in the market place, therefore consumers are kept in the dark on its efficacy. And no one puts money on an ‘enigmatic’ brand, unless it’s a top-end perfume. In addition, on the few occasions Brand Rahul has been made visible in the market, its performance has been a disaster. Therefore, the brand connotes negative values.

     

    In short, vague brand imagery, lack of product performance and poor marketing effort. Clear loser.

     

    So if the battle of 2014 is going to be fought between these two brands, simple marketing logic tells us who’s the favourite one to win. Unless, of course, Brand Rahul does a complete turnaround in the coming period, and I doubt that’s going to happen. It’s a hopeless brand.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Incredible stuff. It’s impossible to believe these are illustrations, not photographs. Now this is art I truly adore. Hope to find such talent in India… imagine the millions of rupees advertisers can save by avoiding over-paid photographers.

     

    Link: http://www.creativebloq.com/illustration/realistic-pencil-drawings-11121172

     

  • Why is it that we journalists don't bother to do rigorous, sustained follow-ups on such important stories, why do we quickly move on to the next one? (The Gujarat election result has already hijacked the Delhi incident.)

    Anil Thakraney: Amnesiac Indian media

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    How many of you remember the rape and brutal murder of the Dalit girl in Khairlanji? Am sure some of you do. How many of you are aware of the current status of that criminal case? Perhaps very few of you. And how many of you can recall the victim’s name? I would hazard a guess and say probably none of you. And this is just one example of how, as a nation, we quickly forget about such big tragedies. Sadly, the same fate awaits the poor girl who got viciously attacked inside the Delhi bus. And who’s to blame for this? The memory loss suffering desi media, of course.

     

    So then why is it that we journalists don’t bother to do rigorous, sustained follow-ups on such important stories, why do we quickly move on to the next one? (The Gujarat election result has already hijacked the Delhi incident.) The reason for that is the training our editors give us from a very young age. Right from the start it’s ingrained in us to always be topical, to always dig into the latest, hottest news, to always churn out fresh content. So that you remain one-up on the rivals. It’s also assumed that the public tires out from repeated coverage of the same story. I have personally witnessed editors striking down stories because they were too ‘old’.

     

    The way this nation is going downhill in many respects, I am beginning to feel there is an urgent change required in the ideology of ‘new, new news’. Editors need to reboot their strategies, they must encourage their reporters and deskies to keep a regular track of significant stories, right till the point they reach their logical end. Perhaps restructuring of the newsroom is required, so that one set of journos cover the topical stuff, and the others cover continuing stories. After all, readers and viewers have never said they don’t wish to consume ‘old’ news, the ‘latest news’ approach has become a default operating programme inside newsrooms.

     

    And sustained coverage will keep the pressure points alive. No criminal will ever rest in assurance with ‘mamla thode din ke baad thanda ho jaayega’. It’s time for some doggedness in the newsrooms. Let’s get stuck into these slime balls, and let go only after justice is served. We owe this to the nation.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Last week, the popular US TV comedy show, Saturday Night Live, took a break from their regular jokes, and opened with a touching tribute to the dead kids of Newtown school. It features the New York City Children’s Chorus singing “Silent Night.” Good thinking.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XGFiE536gg[/youtube]

     

  • I have noticed many advertisers forget that entertainment should be at the heart of television advertising, especially when the strategy is weak. And 'trendify'??? It sounds like a slogan Nokia's board members would coin

    Debrief: Nokia Lumia 510: The boring kiss

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Nokia, once upon a time the market leader, has been bajaaoed big-time in the handsets market by Apple and Samsung. Given the falling market share, one would have thought that the Nokia guys will not only unleash a slew of imaginative products, they would also back them with fabulous advertising. Well, going by Nokia Lumia 510’s TVC, that doesn’t seem to be happening.

     

    The ad features couples ‘kissing’ each other with their outstretched palms. Nokia calls it ‘to trendify’ kissing. There are several problems with this commercial. Strategically, it’s neither saying anything new (social media interactions have been done to death in advertising), nor does the communication address anything specific about the Nokia Lumia 510 in terms of tech. So it’s a total flop on that front.

     

    To make matters worse, the creative device sucks. Palms ‘kissing’ does not make for a visually appealing theme, in fact, it’s off-putting. There was no need to indulge in such a silly gimmick; they may as well have used air kissing as the creative idea, at least that looks aesthetically superior. I have noticed many advertisers forget that entertainment should be at the heart of television advertising, especially when the strategy is weak. And ‘trendify’??? It sounds like a slogan Nokia’s board members would coin. One expects better from creative people.

     

    I haven’t tried the Lumia 510, so I can’t comment on the product. But must say this sort of hopeless advertising discourages me from even sussing it out, leave alone wanting to purchase it. Nokia needs to get its act together very fast.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEdT3VHxV8U[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Unimaginative and uncool

     

  • This is what usually happens after crimes of rape. Another juicy story will grab the imagination, the trial of the accused will go on for years, and the nation will move on. The debates will re-start when the next attack happens. In short, a whole lot of sound, but of little value

    Anil Thakraney: Feeding frenzy over rape

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    And so, another horrific rape has happened in Delhi. And the media has gone into an overdrive, as the channels try to outdo each other on the frenzy scale. Panelists are shouting, anchors are hollering, and this has led to parliamentarians taking a break from FDI and quotas, and diving into the rape debate. BJP leader Sushma Swaraj has asked for death penalty for the rapists, completely ignoring the fact that India is reluctant to hang convicted terrorists. And of course, the activists can’t be left far behind. Morchas are being planned on the streets. Even Arvind Kejriwal decided to forget corruption for a day, and he’s joined in the act. All very well. But you know what? Nothing will come out of all this shor sharaba.

     

    One, because after the dust has settled, the media will forget all about this incident. This is what usually happens after crimes of rape. Another juicy story will grab the imagination, the trial of the accused will go on for years, and the nation will move on. The debates will re-start when the next attack happens. In short, a whole lot of sound, but of little value.

     

    Secondly, the main reason why rapes continue is the medieval mindset of the average Indian male. As long as we live in a patriarchal society, where the male head of the house sets the agenda, this crime will simply carry on. And for the hard-core buggers, even the possibility of life imprisonment won’t be a deterrent. It could take centuries for this mindset to change, we cannot allow rapes to go on. Our scientists, doctors and creative people need to figure out a way around this problem, we need lateral solutions. In South Africa, a medical technician has developed a product called RAPEX. It’s shaped like a tube and is embedded with barbs. The woman inserts it like a tampon, and any man who tries to rape her gets his organ stuck into these barbs. We need innovative ideas like this.

     

    And this is the sort of stuff the media should encourage and promote. Screaming and shouting on prime time TV is of no use in this matter. By the way, I write this piece on the evening of Tuesday. And have consumed a higher dose of BP tablets to deal with Arnab’s rage on rape.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Speaking of rape, here’s an ad gone all wrong. Virgin Mobile is known for quirky work, but sometimes creative people can cross the thin line. A US ad has tried to make fun of rape. Even the otherwise edgy Sir Richard Branson was compelled to apologise following outrage in the social media.

     

  • I like Tata Docomo's 'incomplete stories' idea. It has the potential to be a long-term campaign, with possibilities of riveting creative work

    Debrief: Tata Docomo: Incomplete stories. Complete ads

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I like Tata Docomo’s ‘incomplete stories’ idea. It has the potential to be a long-term campaign, with possibilities of riveting creative work. There are a number of commercials on air, each one offering a particular solution. If there’s one little grouse I have, it’s that the ads aren’t consistently good, they need to correct this.

     

    The latest one features a man applying lipstick in front of a mirror. This very unusual situation naturally captivates the attention. Is he gay? Has he lost his marbles? Is he pushing the envelope on metro-sexuality? As questions arise in the mind, we discover he’s a clown getting decked up for his next act. Good one. And the good thing is you won’t get bored even on repeat exposure. This idea also gives Tata Docomo ads a unique character in a highly cluttered mobile phone segment.

     

    But the ad I enjoy most is the one for Tata Docomo’s Unlimited 3G Data. This one features an obviously depraved man leching at a girl inside the elevator. The girl, of course, looks pretty unnerved, and when the lift conks out, she panics. But we later discover the lech is actually a frightened chicken, as he desperately tries to bash the elevator door open. I have watched this ad plenty of times, and it never ceases to be funny. However, please allow me to be a little bitchy here, am in that sort of a mood. Methinks the lecherous dude discovers the babe is a transvestite, haha! Okay, okay, dear feminists, please take it easy, am only kidding!

     

    Jokes apart, it’s a good campaign. Lambi race wali.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QAfnUH1g1Y[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Very campaignable idea. Needs consistency.

     

  • Why don’t TV channels in the US come together and launch a high-decibel, sustained campaign against the open retail of guns in the marketplace? Why not use the power of the media to make this happen?

    Anil Thakraney: Media campaign on gun control

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Before I come to the point, I have to say I was appalled by the images of some US TV anchors interviewing kids who’d survived the gun massacre. This is completely not on. These bachchas had just been emotionally scarred for life, and they ought to have been left alone with their parents. This tells you even in the developed world there’s huge scope for improvement in the media. Had such a thing happened in India, we would have skewered our anchors/reporters.

     

    Anyway, onto the topic for today: Gun control in the US. I won’t go into the political details on this issue, everyone knows the story inside out. It’s very clear that the US netas won’t allow gun control in their nation because of populist reasons, and therefore shootings of the innocent will simply go on. Very sadly, it’s become a bi-monthly feature these days. (By the way, the Islamic terrorists must be laughing their guts out… their ‘hard work’ is being dutifully done by a few deranged US citizens.).

     

    Now, one appreciable thing our TV stations do now and then is to launch public interest campaigns for justice or for social/legal change. These campaigns are often urban-centric in nature (remember Justice For Jessica Lal?), and they are usually effective, or at least some of them are. This gave me an idea: Why don’t TV channels in the US come together and launch a high-decibel, sustained campaign against the open retail of guns in the marketplace? They are well aware the political parties won’t take any action on their own, therefore why not use the power of the media to make this happen? In any case the American public is divided on this burning issue, and therefore interference from the media becomes vital.

     

    And frankly speaking, I see no other way out of this bloody mess. Because left under the rotting carpet, these dirty rats will now and then kill innocent people. And all that the US Presidents will do is weep on national television, spew out a little sympathy, and then maintain status quo. We have a lot to learn from the firang media, but this is one leaf they should borrow from our chapter.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Here’s a list of tech ads of 2012 that went viral. Samsung scores the highest points, and that’s bad news for Apple. Anyway, do watch these. Will give you a good idea of the sort of videos that get most watched on the internet.

    Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/07/most-viral-tech-ads-2012_n_2258613.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003#slide=1854942