Tag: anil thakraney

  • Debrief: Acer: Hrithik is baffled. So am I.

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Acer’s new TVC starring Hrithik Roshan is a bit confusing for me as a lay viewer. I am not exactly sure whom the ad is targeted at.

     

    The commercial features a film set, the starry hunk is seen throwing a tantrum because he isn’t sure how a camera attached to an Acer laptop can be used to shoot an ad film. The director reassures him in typical filmi style that it can be done. The ad turns out nicely, the voice-over belts out a laundry list of features, and of course, all is well.

     

    Hrithik, because he’s not an over-used celeb, brings in his own natural charm to the ad, so that’s fine. He makes the TVC worthy of one dekho. But aside from that, there are a few question marks. For one, Hrithik’s disbelief that a commercial can be filmed through a laptop generates huge expectations on what’s about to unfold. One expects to witness a tech marvel. But the ad turns out to be pretty run-of-the-mill, so nothing new out here.

     

    Secondly, as an ordinary laptop buyer, I am left with the impression that Acer is meant for cinematographers and movie technicians, and therefore it’s out of my league. This creates dissonance in the head. In fact, the ad scares me away from the brand. If the idea is to communicate that if Acer is good enough for a complicated ad shoot, it’s good enough for me, then that doesn’t come through. Which means the smart-alec treatment isn’t working at all.

     

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

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1.5. Too self-absorbed, risks alienating potential buyers

     

  • Anil Thakraney: Complete Bollywoodization of TV

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The other evening I was wildly switching channels to find something interesting to watch (a usual pastime, haha!). And on every single channel I was attacked by the Bollywood frat. At one place, Bachchan was having a good time with SRK and Katrina Kaif. Elsewhere Salman Khan was busy with his famed pelvic thrusts. On another channel Ajay Devgn (his spelling, not mine) was seen promoting his new flick. Then there was some hot gossip about Deepika Padukone on a Hindi news channel. Not to speak of the ‘ThinkFest’ which had a whole lot of ‘intellectual’ filmi types walk into our living rooms. And I am not even going to discuss all those hundreds of ads that feature our movie stars.

     

    Yup, it’s been happening for a while but now it looks like a complete take-over has happened. Bollywood rules on the idiot box, no matter if it’s an entertainment or a news channel. These guys either use to it make a lot of easy money, or to ‘grace’ the studios to plug their upcoming films. Quite frankly, I am quite fed up of the same faces. Let me also add here that this is a peculiarly Indian phenomenon, nowhere else does it happen in the world.

     

    So then what the hell happened? Where are the television stars? Don’t we have enough homegrown TV talent to keep the audiences enthralled? I think there is. But the poor folks are not being given opportunities to shine, so they have stayed under the shadow of the movie stars. Television chiefs will tell you it’s because the audiences are in awe of the big screen actors. I totally disagree with that. I think the culprits are the TV honchos themselves, they lack the guts to experiment, and they run to cinema biggies to cover their backsides.

     

    Who’s to say Ram Kapoor won’t be fabulous on KBC? How do we know Sakshi Tanwar won’t glam up a reality show? Or maybe even Barkha Dutt as the Bigg Boss host? Don’t laugh, it is quite possible! Thing is, no one even imagines these possibilities. And to think these TV stars will come at a fraction of the cost of movie stars.

     

    I am really hoping to see this change. Don’t want to see the same faces on TV every single night. Don’t.

     

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    PS: This is bad news for Obama. Clint Eastwood has dissed him in a political ad. Eastwood is a hugely respected star in the US (there isn’t one single Bollywood hero who equates that power in India) and his views may hurt Obama. Also, bear in mind that Romney didn’t, at least directly, hire Eastwood’s services, this is what the man seems to really believe. And that’s more bad news for the incumbent Prez.

     

    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH3mK8gHW-8[/youtube]

     

     

     

  • Debrief: The Hindu: Powerful and entertaining

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Total winner from The Hindu. Not only is the creative kickass, I totally agree with the strategic intent.

     

    The setting is a classroom. The professor wants the students to debate the rural development bill. One chap starts making his point, but is soon stopped by other students. Before you know what’s happening, complete chaos breaks out, with the students physically attacking each other. Exactly the sort of stuff that happens in the great Indian parliament. The best part is the ironic music track, Gandhiji’s favourite bhajan: ‘Vaishnava jana toh’. Message: ‘Behave yourself, India. The youth are watching.’

     

    Superb! Many birds get killed with one single stone. The Hindu comes across as a paper that cares for India’s future, which by extension means it’s not a flippant daily. This sits well with The Hindu’s serious image. Two, the brand would like Young India to buy into it if the newspaper desires a future for itself. This sort of treatment youngsters will immediately connect with. Because it reflects their deep cynicism with the politics of this nation. Most importantly, the TVC is highly entertaining, you can watch it again and again and smile and cringe over the pathetic state of the nation.

     

    Full marks!

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqQxrPRK7VA[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 5. Outstanding work

     

  • Anil Thakraney: 1984’s real tragedy

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I was too young in 1984 to fully comprehend the injustice that happened in this country after PM Indira Gandhi was gunned down. I have just two distinct memories. One, that Mrs Gandhi died on the eve of my birthday, thus sending my party plans for a toss (unforgivable, I say!). I sat at home and sulked all day. Two, that good ol’ DD took its sweet time to announce Mrs G’s death. The puppet channel was obviously waiting for a nod from the Congress netas.

     

    The massive anti-Sikh riots that followed will always be the biggest blot on this nation’s history. Makes our heads hang in shame. The bigger tragedy, of course, is that the criminals were not prosecuted, in fact, they weren’t even caught. Just like the Gujarat riots of 2002, it’s hard to believe that the State had no direct role to play in the carnage. And DD did in 1984 what it does best: Be the mouthpiece of the government.

     

    It’s appalling to watch so many Sikhs demanding justice even 28 years later! Long after many of the family members of the victims, and the culprits, are dead and gone. What can be more embarrassing for a nation? Which then brings me to the point: The saddest thing about 1984 is that there was no private news channel at the time. Because of which, unlike in the case of the Gujarat riots, most of the rioting wasn’t caught on film. And this helped the goons escape very easily.

     

    Many of us have issues with the way our news channels go about their business, and I regularly pick holes in their modus operandi. Sure, a lot of improvement needs to be made in their functioning. But 1984 is a poignant reminder of the very important role they play in this fractured nation. I am quite certain that had there been private television at the time, a number of the Sikh killers would be behind bars today, even if the government of the day had come to their aid.

     

    Just for the memories and the wrongs of 1984, just this one time, I am happy to overlook all their foibles. Am glad that our often hysterical, rabble-rousing and judgmental news channels are busy in this nation. The aam janata badly needs them. Perhaps they are their only hope for justice.

     

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    PS: Air New Zealand has taken in-flight entertainment to a new level. They’ve totally sexed up the boring air safety announcement video. And it’s a smart promotional move by the makers of the upcoming flick, The Hobbit, which is all about elves, gnomes and dwarfs. Good one! Over to our very thakela Air India.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qUKwF076Q0[/youtube]

     

     

  • Anil Thakraney: Sandy goes social

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Sandy did sound like a scorned woman, and she did bring the US East Coast to a halt. Thankfully, her fury was short lived, and cities and towns in the region are already back to near normalcy. However, thanks to her popularity on the social media, for that one day, we were all New Yorkers and New Jerseywallahs, as the world came together on Twitter and FB to bond with those affected by Sandy. The social media also helped local residents stay in touch with their near and dear ones across the world. I personally know of a few Indians who stayed connected with their NRI family members on Twitter. And that’s such a wonderful thing.

     

    Compare this with what usually happens. I often tear my hair out over the posts many people put out. Utter rubbish goes on in the social media, and I have come precariously close to disconnecting my account. This is what I call social media abuse. People continuously posting drivel about what they are thinking, where they are lounging, the song on their lips, the dinner menu and the usual quotes from those dead and long gone. I often feel this abuse will one day be the death of this hot new medium. And I hope folks understand this before it’s too late. Because, as Sandy showed, the social media can play a very important role in a crisis.

     

    Just imagine the likely scenario if Twitter and FB were around during the 9/11 attacks. Or if they were as popular as they are now, when 26/11 happened in Mumbai. The furious networking would probably have helped locate the victims faster, and this could have helped save some lives. Not to speak of the emotional succour the social media offers when a person is facing trouble. You will experience its awesome power when (god forbid!) the next ‘shock & awe’ campaign breaks out.

     

    I sincerely hope people realize the importance of the social media and quit screwing this space. No one wants to know what you plan to eat for dinner. Repeat, no one. And if your ‘friends’ are showing some interest, it’s either because they have a hidden agenda or they simply want to indulge you. The sooner you get this, the better.

     

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    PS: Hee hee hee. I love this idea. LG, for their ‘lifelike’ monitors, conducted an experiment inside an elevator with hilarious results. What an outstanding product demonstration, it makes an otherwise cold product come alive. However, I would slip in a word of caution: If someone suffered a heart attack in the process, no one would be laughing at this stunt. And it could bring the brand a great deal of misery.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeXMxuNNlE8[/youtube]

     

     

  • Debrief: eBay: Yawn Bay

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Maha thakela campaign from eBay. Both the communication strategy and the creative suck. There is a series of TVCs on air, essentially selling best deals and safe shopping. Isn’t that an obvious strategy for an online marketing portal? Flipkart and others have already been making the same promise. So there’s nothing new here.

     

    Given that the strategy is weak, it’s now left to the execution to save the show. And this one’s a disaster. Basically the ads consist of boring discussions between the believers and the cynics. Someone wants the latest phone but wants the price to drop. Another one isn’t sure if it’s a good idea to purchase shoes online. And you can easily predict the rest.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iwtMFwfhBk[/youtube]

    This is really boring stuff. The conversations are dull and unengaging, the treatment is the same old problem/solution approach, and it’s spelt out literally. With no creative spark, these ads, I’m afraid, have zero chance of being noticed. Especially given the pre-Diwali clutter on television. Flipkart has the ditto same approach, but that one single creative leap, of kids behaving like adults, helps them smash the clutter through cute advertising. eBay hasn’t taken any leap, so their ads will wither away.

     

    To be fair to the ad agency, I strongly suspect the ultra safe-playing client is at fault here. Neither have they come up with a refreshing brief, nor have they allowed their agency to experiment. Net result? Well, check the rating.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Poor strategy. Poor creative.

     

  • Anil Thakraney: How to make Diwali count

    By Anil Thakraney


    Diwali is upon us and a whole lot of advertisers must be gearing up to make the most of India’s biggest festival. And for the next fortnight the media will be flooded with Diwali special ads and offers. All very fine, but there’s a small problem: Most advertisers and their agencies create the usual, predictable ads, very few try to either explore the cultural facets of the fest or dig into the various joys it brings to people’s lives.

     

    Yesterday I reviewed the Tanishq Diwali ad in the Debrief section, where I felt that the advertiser had wonderfully synergized the festive mood with their own product. And this set me thinking. What must advertisers do to ensure they don’t end up with those stupid, generic ‘Happy Diwali’ ads? And headlines that scream the usual discounts and freebies? Is there some sort of a road map for making the most of this festival? Quite obviously there can’t be because this is a creative activity, so one gets limited only by one’s own imagination.

     

    However, here are some things to look out for, and these are only a few pointers, there’s a lot more that can be done.

     

    No advertiser ever attempts to use the key message of Diwali: The victory of good over evil. Are they worried about treading too close to religion? They don’t need to be, this can be handled in a religion-neutral way, because it’s the universal truth. I can visualize interesting work with this particular route.

     

    Diwali is that time of the year when desi family members travel miles to be together. (This is the reason why airlines jack up their rates big-time.) And this leads to a lot of bonding/secrets sharing/new discoveries within the family. While Bollywood does exploit this, it’s rare to find it in advertising.

     

    Some people gamble on Diwali night, it’s a cultural thingy. Again, this never finds place in our ads. Wonder why, when such engaging situations can be created using this as a backdrop.

     

    Most people wear brand new clothes on the big night. Funnily, I have rarely witnessed anyone using this theme, not even fashion and accessory brands!

     

    I can go on but I guess you get the drift. There’s no point releasing ads that look like clones of each other, no brand really benefits in the process. Diwali is a festival of many cultural hues, and it’s a great opportunity to associate one’s brand with them for effective advertising.

     

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    PS: Like many other James Bond fans, I too am eagerly awaiting the release of Skyfall, the latest in the Bond series. But we must look out for it for another reason: The movie has pushed the envelope on product placement, many big brands find their place in the film. Would be interesting to watch how they tackle this, because Bollywood invariably screws up product placement. Here’s more in The Guardian:

     

    Link: http://m.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2012/oct/23/skyfall-marketing-james-bond?cat=film&type=article

     

  • Debrief: Tanishq: Charming!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Excellent Diwali ad by Tanishq. Indeed, this is the way to align your brand with a festival. A lesson for all advertisers who might be busy creating their own Diwali specials.

     

    The commercial features a young couple, getting dressed to celebrate Diwali. The man says his pal has bought a Tanishq jewellery set for his own wife, and he asks his missus to pen a sweet message on the gift pack on the friend’s behalf. The lady seems to like the jewellery, but regrets that they can’t afford such expensive stuff. A very engaging interaction happens between the two, and it’s finally revealed that the man has actually bought the gift for his partner. Because, as he says, Diwali comes just once a year.

     

    Superlative work. A very, very slice-of-life situation, this sort of a discussion might be happening inside many Indian middle class households. The need to cut costs to save up for the rent, the EMIs and other spiralling expenses. Therefore empathy to this ad becomes strong. Also, the dialogue is simple but very life-like, very natural… full marks to the writer. And the TVC ends on an emotional high, the way it should happen in a festival ad. The surprised lady’s joyful expression is to die for.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aJ20jkZqS0[/youtube]

    Now compare this one to the rubbish TVC Tanishq put out last year with Mr and Mrs Bachchan Sr. Will remind you once again to throw the celebs out. And use real people in your ads.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Grounded in realism, high on empathy.

     

     

  • Anil Thakraney: Dirty corporate politics

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    We will never really know the exact reason behind CEO Vikram Pandit’s abrupt departure from Citigroup. And that’s because there are always two sides to a story. Most of the media reports, however, indicate that Pandit was a victim of organizational politics, that it was unholy play by his boss that led to Pandit’s sacking. And this, despite the officer’s good performance. Apparently, Citigroup’s Chairman, Michael O’Neill, had been planning Pandit’s exit for a very long time.

     

    If indeed that is the case, Pandit becomes just another name in a very long list of senior execs who were shown the door as a direct result of dirty office politics and back-stabbing. Unfortunately, this happens quite commonly in organizations, so you can imagine how many bright minds have fallen by the wayside because they couldn’t play the game, or chose not to participate in it.

     

    I must add here that the No 1 reason I preferred to be a freelance operator was to escape the clutches of politics. I make less money than I would in a full-time job, I get no annual/sick/casual leave, and I have long forgotten what ‘Perks’ means (I am now convinced it’s just a chocolate brand). In addition, I often have to chase payments harder than I chase stories. And yet, I am at complete peace, all the negatives get nullified because I no longer have to put up with shitty corporate power games.

     

    Popular belief is that some amount of politics does get played in all organizations, that it’s an inevitable fact of life. Everyone wants to get ahead fast, everyone wants to retain control, so messing with another group/individual becomes par for the course. This may be true. And yet, I do believe this is a cultural issue. If the man/woman at the top encourages a culture of ethics, mutual respect and integrity, and comes down heavily on back-stabbers, it is possible to build a clean organization. In fact, I am certain there must be many such across the world. That’s why I believe it’s purely a matter of good leadership. And am afraid, if the media reports are accurate, Citigroup has projected a very sad image of itself.

     

    Surely there’s more happiness in achieving goals on one’s own merit, and not by trampling on others? Or am I living in fool’s paradise?

     

    ***

     

    PS: Haha. I like this ad. Not just because it features the international Hollywood heartthrob George Clooney, but also because the ad is a totally surprising solution coming from a bank. Guess it will take our desi banks like Vijaya Bank and Shamrao Vithal Bank a zillion years to discover such a ‘treasure’. 🙂

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl8Dh1Yp3aY[/youtube]

     

     

  • Anil Thakraney: Bhatti was a comic genius

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Long before Indian TV audiences got saddled with the motormouth Navjot Singh Sidhu, another truly funny Sardar had the nation enthralled. Long before the likes of Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal began protesting against corruption, that hilarious man, with his wicked satire, was busy giving netas and babus a great deal of tension on his popular television show.

     

    Jaspal Bhatti’s ‘Flop Show’ was a national show-stealer on Doordarshan in the early nineties. He was like a breath of fresh air in DD’s mostly dreary programming. What is amazing about the serial is that it enjoyed a relatively short run, but many people still remember it quite vividly. Such was the comedy magic Bhatti possessed. We loved the mad Sardar not just because he dealt with incidents of corruption we encounter in our daily lives, but also because his style was never over the top (unlike Sidhu). Bhatti, even while being totally funny, performed like a common man, his troubles felt like our troubles, we could easily relate to him. I must add here that Priya Tendulkar’s Rajani enjoyed the same fan following for pretty much the same reasons, but Bhatti’s unique comedy style enhanced the overall entertainment value, the entire family would eagerly look forward to his Flop Show.

     

    The funny man went on to do more TV shows later in his life, he even acted in and produced feature films. But sadly, as times changed, Bhatti evaporated from public memory. As private entertainment channels took control, and the focus shifted to loud, slapstick comedy. And Bhatti got left behind in the new scenario, which is a pity, really. His ideas, his stories and his acting could have got a huge play if the channels and the producers were alive to the man’s powerful, understated comic timing.

     

    Rest in peace, Mr Bhatti. We are still busy fighting against corruption (that will never change!), but the laughter is gone. It’s time for the heavens to guffaw a bit.

     

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    PS: Remember Conrad Black? The disgraced media baron who was sent to jail after being convicted on charges of financial fraud? Well, he’s out from jail, and is now getting ready to promote his book. Here’s his recent interview with the BBC. Don’t miss the arrogance, the bluster and the I-can-do-no-wrong attitude. Black even calls the interviewer a fool. Guess if you’ve once lived the life of power, fame and riches, it becomes very, very difficult to descend to earth.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBI35DMHjy4[/youtube]
  • Debrief: Ford Figo: So then what’s changed?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Change is a wonderful thing, says Ford Figo’s new TVC. That’s fine. I presume they want us to change from our Marutis and our Hyundais to Ford Figo. That would be the obvious marketing objective for this new entrant in the hatchback market. However, the execution leaves you muddled.

     

    The TVC features a young couple in a car, they’ve just finished their weekly shopping expedition. The wifey happens to be a crabby sort (poor man!) and keeps complaining about all sorts of things. Mainly that post-marriage, her hubby refuses to change his deviant ways. That he’s forever stuck either at work or with his male buddies. As the carping goes on, a phone call arrives confirming a candle-light dinner for the two. Which the chap has arranged, so he’s not such a cad after all. And in between all the carping, we are dished out hurried shots of the car’s exteriors and interiors.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntqcYZctX3Y[/youtube]

    As I said, I am confused. Media reports say Figo has undergone some cosmetic changes. But what are these changes exactly? That never gets discussed. So that part of the communication is entirely lost. Next: There is no direct context established to the wife’s constant nagging. As a result, we get busy trying to understand her problems, and the Figo story gets buried, we don’t recall a single thing about the brand. The cribber totally vampires the car. And finally, the juxtaposition of the change in the man to the change in the car is extremely tenuous, and therefore the situation looks out of sync. Net net: One is left scratching one’s head.

     

    Figo is a good car at its price point. It definitely deserves better than this. If there’s one change required, it’s the ad itself.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Totally confused communication

     

     

  • Anil Thakraney: Mallya’s image is working against him

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    All that’s gone wrong with Kingfisher Airlines has been discussed enough in the media (I too have posted on this in the past), so there’s nothing more to add. One can only grab a Kingfisher beer, sit back, and quietly watch the airline go down the tube. Clearly, there’s no scope for a turnaround, so utterly horrid is Dr Mallya’s business model.

     

    However, I think the reason why there is so much public anger against Kingfisher is not just because the innocent employees remain unpaid, not just because the wife of an unpaid staffer killed herself, it’s because of Vijay Mallya’s own flamboyant image. All those yachts, the lavish parties, the wild IPL celebrations, the frantic air kissing… it’s all come back to haunt the man. And these images are being beamed right next to the images of protesting employees on the news channels. That his equally high-life living son has been posting floozy tweets is adding to Mallya’s already overflowing mug of woes.

     

    The colourful imagery is projecting the man to be deeply insensitive to his starving employees (even if that’s not the case), and that, for any organisation chief’s image, is akin to corporate hara-kiri. The Indian junta will never accept the idea of a man having a good time while his ‘family’ suffers. This goes against the grain of Indian culture. And in the absence of public sympathy, whatever little hope Mallya has of a government-led bailout begins to fade. What is truly incredible is that in the face of such a mega challenge, he continues to be bombastic!

     

    The least Vijay Mallya must do now is to come down to earth (like his aircraft), roll up his sleeves, meet up with his angry employees and personally clean up the mess. If that means filing for bankruptcy, then so be it. Time for arrogance and ego is up. It’s time to do some dirty work and take hard decisions. And if he does this even now, some of Mallya’s dying reputation may yet get salvaged.

     

    And oh, while the booze tycoon is at it, he must ensure his air-head son stays off Twitter for a few decades.

     

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    PS: Wonderful interactive video from Old Spice. You can use the keyboard to decide which instrument you want the musician to play, and how he must play it. It’s gone totally viral, 18 lakh hits at last count. And do note that the brand isn’t directly selling anything. This clearly is the future of viral marketing.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ15vCGuvH0[/youtube]