MxMIndia

Tag: anil thakraney

  • Coke's new positioning for the Diwali season is: 'Saath khao, khushiyaan badhao'. Good stuff, and there are many reasons why I like this approach

    Debrief: Coca-Cola: Tremendous insight

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Coke’s new positioning for the Diwali season is: ‘Saath khao, khushiyaan badhao’. I like the consumer insight, it originates from the ancient proverb: The family that eats together stays together. And it’s most valid in the Indian context because we folks believe in the idea of the family as a single unit. Look around you at restaurants… the number of tables occupied by hanste khelte parivaars is likely to be far higher than those occupied by couples and singles.

     

    The TVC features a large family at the dining table. As they bond over food and Coke. It’s a very simple treatment, there are no dialogues, and typical family interactions are captured through expressions. A strict dad who won’t relent to his son’s demands. A granny with an emotional tale to tell. A disinterested kid who later begins to enjoy the family time. And so on. All the things that usually happen at a family table.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP6sPhwmDag[/youtube]

    Good stuff, and there are many reasons why I like this approach. There are no celebrities in the ad, only regular people. The music track is very cool, it adds to the liveliness of a happy family gathering. ‘Saath khao, khushiyaan badhao’ further strengthens Coke’s ‘Open Happiness’ idea, so they haven’t gone away from that. And despite the lack of a storyline, the TVC entertains. I particularly like the last touch. A mobile phone buzzing away in a corner and no one bothers to answer it. This is family time you see, the ‘Airtel zaroori friend’ can wait! Brilliant!

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Cool insight backed by endearing creative

  • A number of people have been proudly putting out ‘I am at Starbucks!’ tweets. And to think it's just a bloody coffee joint, writes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: Starbucks: Power of a brand

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The night before Starbucks opened its gates to India, I was dining with some friends at Trishna (Kala Ghoda). After we finished with our prawns and fish, we decided to drive by Horniman Circle to check if Starbucks was already in operation, and whether it looked as fancy as some media reports had suggested. The outlet was still to be born, but I was stunned to see all the crowds that had collected there, the heavy action that was underway to give the coffee shop the finishing touches. With major light and sound rehearsals, stuff that even Shah Jahan would not have conceived of when the Taj was first thrown open to the public.

     

    And of course, the social media has been going crazy over the event. A number of people have been proudly putting out ‘I am at Starbucks!’ tweets. The maha excited reviews in the media have only just begun. And to think Starbucks is just a bloody coffee joint! Although I am not a coffee drinker, I did try out their stuff once on a visit to New York City. And must say I found the potion to be utterly expensive and totally distasteful. Though the loo was quite clean, so I didn’t really leave the place in a huff.

     

    This tells me two things about us desis: One, that we are still a wannabe nation, nothing much has changed in the last two decades. Then, I spotted a long queue at Linking Road in Bandra, when McDonald’s opened shop in India. And it’s ditto at Horniman Circle today. Two, that we are a brand-starved nation. Clearly, India’s teeming masses want the best of the world, there is heavy demand but poor supply. This is great news for all those multi-brand retail outlets who want to come here. I can already see huge crowds inside and outside Wal-Mart and Tesco. Not to speak of IKEA. Now if only our short-sighted, small-minded politicians would let it all happen.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Very interesting article on whether media companies must list down social media usage guidelines for journalists, even if they happen to be freelancers. My belief is that they should. Because whether we like it or not, tweets and Facebook updates posted by journalists do get associated with their employers by most readers. Even if the journos choose to be in denial of it.

     

    Link: http://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/17/after-an-outburst-on-twitter-the-times-reinforces-its-social-media-guidelines/

     

     

  • Editors and television content chiefs need to introspect on India Against Corruption activists using the media to build their own brand, writes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: The media is being used

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    During the 26/11 carnage, terrorists freely used the electronic media to their advantage, and (hopefully) some hard lessons have been learnt post that incident. Now, it’s the turn of the politicians. It is obvious that the India Against Corruption (IAC) guys are regularly using the media to build their own brand. And once again, editors and particularly the television content chiefs will need to introspect on this.

     

    In their mad quest for ‘Breaking News’, it isn’t occurring to news channel folks that they are being hired as a convenient ladder. What the IAC team is doing is to create scandals based on half-baked information in order to malign the big-name political leaders. This information isn’t enough to pronounce a person guilty in a court of law, but the idea is to fling some mud and, given the mood of the masses, most of it sticks. People on the streets have already pronounced Robert Vadra and Salman Khurshid guilty as charged, nothing can save these men now. All thanks to the breathless coverage on television.

     

    It is not my case that these people aren’t guilty. But the correct course of action would be to cross-check and verify all allegations before putting them out on air. Indeed, that’s the way journalists are supposed to operate. But in the hunger for sensationalism, and in order to beat the rivals, news channels aren’t bothering with such trivia. They are going on air the moment an accusation is hurled. I find this situation quite unfair. This means anyone can malign anyone he wants based on all sorts of wild allegations. And clearly, that can’t be the way forward.

     

    Much as though one would like the new political party to come to the fore, it can’t be done by smashing basic rules of ethical journalism. If, along the way, the courts dismiss these allegations, who becomes responsible for the individual’s sullied reputation? It won’t just be the accuser, it will be the media that broadcast the ‘story’.

     

    I really think the time has come for TV channels to ponder on this issue, and apply the brakes on such unfair coverage. No one should be allowed to use the media, however noble that individual/organization’s intentions might be.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Haha. An art director has designed a superb typeface, exclusively for doctors. Serves them right, I say. If they are going to write their prescriptions in Greek, they may as well use designer lettering.

     

    Link: http://stocklogos.com/topic/typeface-designed-doctors

     

  • One really has no idea what’s happening out here. It’s okay to be a bit arty sharty in ads, but not at the cost of comprehension

    Debrief: Royal Stag: Nothing royal about this

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Didn’t know Royal Stag whisky is such a huge brand. They have hired the services of two very expensive movie stars for one single commercial. Wow! Thinking of the likely budget for this one makes me want to reach for a Patiala peg. And their claim that this TVC is for Royal Stag ‘mega music’ collection makes me want to dive into a vat full of booze.

     

    The commercial, featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan, is a load of nonsense. The visuals make very little sense, one really has no idea what’s happening out here. It’s okay to be a bit arty sharty in ads, but not at the cost of comprehension. All you see is various shots of the two heroes lost in deep thought, while flashing certain strange expressions, as the voiceover continues non-stop about competing with one’s own self, or some such heavy-duty stuff.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfyE2ENhX1o[/youtube]

    For one, both the heroes are neither royal nor stag. Both are much married, and both go around beating up people in public places. (Maybe those are the sort of dudes Royal Stag targets.) Both are also overused in advertising, so brand recall will be zilch. Therefore am not sure how much the brand gains with all this mega expenditure. I think the least the makers of Royal Stag should have done, having signed up SRK and Saif, is to create thrilling little movie films with them. That would have ensured some entertainment happens and the brand scores some points too.

     

    This looks like a half done ad. The VO says: “Abhi Shah Rukh Banna Baaki Hai.” I think abhi ad banna baaki hai.

     

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

     

  • Salman Khurshid conducted himself so shabbily that as a viewer, one was left wondering if one had erroneously switched into the Bigg Boss mad house

    Anil Thakraney: Mr Khurshid, you screwed up!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Watching Mr and Mrs Salman Khurshid in action at a press conference on Sunday told me how little even an exalted minister is aware of how to hold a successful press meet. He was responding to accusations of forgery and corruption involving an NGO he heads. Recently, a corporate friend told me that some organizations hold workshops on how to deal with the media. This is a good idea, and our politicians must also organize such training programmes for themselves.

     

    Khurshid conducted himself so shabbily that as a viewer, one was left wondering if one had erroneously switched into the Bigg Boss mad house. Although I don’t participate in these gigs, here are some commonsense tips on how to hold a successful press meet. And how not to make a bungling fool of yourself, as Khurshid certainly did.

     

    One, never, never, never lose your cool, no matter how agitated you are in the head, no matter how serious the charges are. Demonstrating anger in a press conference shows you in a very poor light, the public opinion directly goes against you. Always be in control.

     

    Two, be coherent in your statements, do your homework before you arrive at the meet. You already know the type of questions that will come your way, therefore keep your answers ready and keep them pithy. If you fly off on a tangent (as Khurshid frequently did), it will confuse not just the journalists but the public who will eventually consume the event. And when that happens, the entire purpose of the conference is lost.

     

    Three, do not be rude with journalists, no matter how provocative the questions are, no matter how aggressive their body language is. Definitely no ‘You there, shut up!’ The moment you speak crassly at a press conference, you have already lost the battle. In Khurshid’s case, he has an axe to grind with the India Today group. But behaving politely with their reporters would have scored the man some easy brownie points.

     

    Four, never, never have an entourage of chamchas and groupies stand right behind you. This shows you are not confident, and are using your minions as a crutch. This enhances the perception of guilt. Stand in the line of fire all alone. Particularly so if the accusations are personally targeted at you.

     

    Five, and this is specific to Khurshid (therefore, dear militant feminists, please spare me the knives). Do not invite your missus to sit next to you at a press meet. Even if she happens to be the co-accused. Be a man and deal with the heat on your own. And I say this also because, if your partner happens to be an edgy and a restless soul (which Mrs Khurshid clearly is), she will mess up your show more than it already is.

     

     Anil Thakraney, Editor-at-Large,MxMIndia, is a senior journalist and commentator based in Mumbai. The views here are his own

  • The TVC features a young couple having a blast, as they set off on various weekday holidays. The man manages so many chhuttis by giving those thakela excuses to his rather gullible boss

    Debrief: Mahindra Quanto’s strange positioning

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Mahindra has come up with a rather intriguing positioning for their new compact SUV called Quanto. They have called it the ‘weekend life’ car meant for young couples. Must say I find this very odd. I thought Quanto was the cheapest SUV in the Indian market, and that is its biggest plus point. Also, I believe an SUV in India is essentially favoured by largish families, the hansta khelta parivaar.

     

    The TVC features a young couple having a blast, as they set off on various weekday holidays. The man manages so many chhuttis by giving those thakela excuses to his rather gullible boss: Dog bit ma-in-law, wife is sick, house got robbed, etc. Then there’s a silly, very predictable twist in the end. Of course, the holiday imagery is peppered with shots of Quanto.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wu3yCLR5c2k[/youtube]

    Here’s the problem: I would imagine a young urban couple would seek out a sedan or a loaded hatchback at Quanto’s price point (around Rs 6 lakh). And that’s a sensible option over buying a low-end SUV which is expected to be low on power and features. Because extra room isn’t really their top priority (unless, er, they intend to do naughty stuff inside the car!). Which is why this positioning appears incorrect. Quanto simply had to target the Big Indian Family.

     

    In addition, the creative is un-interesting and the humour forced, and this makes matters worse. But treatment issues can be sorted out in the next commercial. What is problematic is the positioning. It beats all logic.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Confused strategy, weak creative.

     

  • If the entire private sector in India took a united stand that they will not bribe, am certain a whole lot of corruption would get wiped out from this nation. The onus cannot only be on greedy netas and babus

    Anil Thakraney: Criminal corporate world

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Readers of this column will be aware that I am not a fan of the PM. And that’s because the old man’s a silent sufferer rather than a kickass doer. And the latter type is the need of the hour in today’s rapidly degenerating India. However, MMS seems to have found his voice at last, even though it’s too late in the day.

     

    He recently said that the anti-graft laws must include the private sector, and on this point I whole-heartedly support him. Whether this is the usual loose talk or whether it will actually happen is another story. Because this has been said before too, so it’s nothing new. However, two things are totally true. One, that post the economic boom, desi private sector CEOs sign cheques containing mind-blowing sums of figures, the financial muscle of India Inc is really, really strong today. And this makes it a minefield of corruption. Two, that there cannot be a demand chain in the world of bribery minus the supply chain. For every ghoos taker, there is a ready and willing ghoos giver, the seducer, and I am afraid the corporate world in India has been performing this role with much élan. Which is why crony capitalism has become rampant in this nation.

     

    While I am small fry and I am not from the corporate world, and while I have done many misdeeds in my life, I can tell you with a great deal of pride that I have not bribed a single government servant in the last two decades. And I have still survived, my work has still gone on. Extrapolate this to a larger scale, and one will discover this is possible to do for everyone else too. If the entire private sector in India took a united stand that they will not bribe, am certain a whole lot of corruption would get wiped out from this nation. The onus cannot only be on greedy netas and babus.

     

    So it’s all very well for social activists to hold andolans and target politicians and their sons-in-law. But nothing will change till the men in black get their integrity together. The prevention of corruption law must be redefined to ensure a long jail term for bribe-offering criminal suits.

     

    **

     

    PS: Here’s a cool way to make prospective employers get interested in reading your resume. And grant you an interview opportunity. Don’t know if this crazy method landed this dude a job with Google, but I would suggest you pull this stunt in India at your own peril. We folks sorely lack a sense of humour, and take life very seriously.

     

    Link: http://googlepleasehire.me/

     

  • People being made to frolic in water to cue freshness has been done to death ever since Ms Karen Lunel went under a waterfall for Liril centuries ago. So there's literally no freshness out here

    Debrief: Cinthol: Not awesome, it’s tiresome

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    After dude, rock star, chillax, etc, the next big cliché in the urban world is ‘awesome’. Everyone flings the word around for all sorts of things, and feels cool (another cliché!) about it. Which is why I knew it was a matter of time before an advertiser latched on to it.

     

    ‘Alive is Awesome’ is the new tagline for Cinthol. And the brand hopes to net Young India with it. The TVC is basically lads and ladettes having a blast holidaying on beautiful foreign locales. They play around with different forms of water bodies (not Mumbai gutters), as the jingle belts out awesomeness in the background.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzpcIvJ77g0[/youtube]

    Doesn’t work, to put it simply. People being made to frolic in water to cue freshness has been done to death ever since Ms Karen Lunel went under a waterfall for Liril centuries ago. So there’s literally no freshness out here. Also, the word ‘awesome’ is likely to be understood only in the urban areas, so this limits Cinthol’s appeal. Doesn’t make sense to me, I thought this is a mass soap brand. Unless Godrej has decided to make Cinthol super premium, but the same old boring packaging doesn’t suggest so.

     

    However, I do envy the models, the production crew and the ad agency personnel who got a free ride to such exotic destinations. Awesome! This is what makes advertising life fun, fun, fun. Now if only all this merriment had happened over a half-decent TV commercial.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Zero freshness.

     

  • People, go ahead and use Bachchan in your ads if you must. But please use him well. This man is a living legend. Let's not kill that hard-earned title.

    Anil Thakraney: Brand Big B: Over-used and over-abused

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    At the outset, let me make it clear that I am dead against the use of celebs in advertising. It is more often than not the last refuge of brand managers who either aren’t confident of their product, or are doubtful of their marketing skills. Celebs are usually a crutch used by idea-less marketers.

     

    Having said that, it is equally true that celebrities, especially movie stars and cricketers, are a rage in Indian advertising, so it’s a marketing reality we have to live with. And amongst these worthies, Amitabh Bachchan has been a hot ad favourite since the year 2000, when KBC totally changed his fortunes. The number of contracts he signs may have gone down a bit in more recent years, but according to some reports, he still pockets Rs 30 to 40 crores per annum on endorsement deals, and that’s no laughing matter. It’s a lot more than he earns in them movies, and he bags the deals even if his flicks tank at the box office, which they often do.

     

    The reason why Bachchan continues to delight brand managers, despite turning 70 today (happy birthday!), is his perceived persona. His appeal cuts across age, social, economic and geographical barriers. Few Indian celebrities can boast of this. Big B is perceived by the masses as a credible, loyal, lively, kind, good-hearted, gentle old man. (This image, in large part, is courtesy KBC.) And brand managers dearly hope that a part of this imagery rubs off on their own brands. What they forget, of course, is that if the man endorses too many brands (which he does), his association with a particular brand gets vastly diminished.

     

    One other thing: Certain brand managers use Bachchan after some deal of thought has been given to the brand connect. Others use him thoughtlessly, leading to hilarious and senseless advertising. I’ll give you a few examples. Big B works for Binani Cement because of the association of longevity and strength. Parker Pens, because you expect a refined man of his age to use a pen, and be selective about the brand. Dabur, because their products usually talk good health, and Bachchan, even at 70, seems to be going strong.

     

    However, his endorsement of many other brands makes you cringe or giggle. Gujarat Tourism. What connection does Bachchan have with that state? Was Narendra Modi thinking when he hired his services? Navratna Hair Oil. The world and his grandfather believe we are dealing with a lovely wig out here. Maruti Versa. The Bachchans won’t even gift such a low-end, down market vehicle to the Pratiksha gardener. And the way Bachchan is made to belt out telephone numbers for Just Dial, you want to bury yourself in the ground.

     

    People, go ahead and use Bachchan in your ads if you must. But please use him well. This man is a living legend. Let’s not kill that hard-earned title.

     

  • One thing the channel, Colors, will struggle with is this: Having moved the show to the 9pm slot, they will have to walk the ugliness line very carefully, and be ready to censor out a whole lot of goodies. Else, they will come under the scanner of the morality brigade

    Anil Thakraney: Bigg Boss: Same chhe!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Readers will recall I was not very approving of the idea of making the Bigg Boss house clean and healthy. Media reports had suggested that the channel, the producer and Shri Salman Khan had decided that the sixth edition would be controversy-free and would cater to family viewing.  Well, it’s been only two episodes (at the time of writing this) and I can already tell you that all the cleanliness talk was a lot of hot air. The stage is all set for ugly face-offs.

     

    This is clearly indicated in the casting itself. Same old struggling television actors who would look for cheap publicity to revive their fading careers. A recently divorced couple… naturally there will be angst between them. A controversy-seeking cartoonist. A mad hatter hair stylist. The motor-mouth Sidhu. A raunchy item girl desperate for instant exposure (pun intended). And therefore what you can expect very, very soon is some really ugly exchanges, a lot of dirty dancing, blazing fireworks and many beeps. Exactly what Bigg Boss has been famous for in all the previous editions. So then where’s the promised hygiene?

     

    Well, either the channel chickened out at the last minute, or the pre-publicity promise was a ploy to quietly slip the show into the prime time slot. Whatever be the reason, Bigg Boss 6 is the same old, same old fare. And that, if you ask me, is a wise decision, and I said so in my earlier post as well. Without the garam masala, this particular format just won’t work. Bigg Boss is targeted at the low-brow audiences, who look for machhi-market fights. And the current lot appears very keen and able to deliver on that front.

     

    One thing the channel, Colors, will struggle with is this: Having moved the show to the 9pm slot, they will have to walk the ugliness line very carefully, and be ready to censor out a whole lot of goodies. Else, they will come under the scanner of the morality brigade very quickly, and risk being booted out of prime time. That indeed is the problem with Bigg Boss; Karo toh maro, nahin karo toh bhi maro!

     

    ***

     

    PS: Haha. Wicked and edgy commercial from Virgin Mobile. Love their attitude. Because it helps an ordinary promise becomes super fun. This is the way to encash an irreverent brand personality.

     

    [vimeo width=”400″ height=”220″]http://vimeo.com/48355303[/vimeo]

  • The ad is much too contrived, and it fails to connect. The big pay-off, that of changing lives, gets completely lost in all the info and the din that's squeezed into 30 seconds

    Debrief: Visa Debit: Plays the ‘Swades’ card

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Visa would like big city customers to splurge on cool stuff by using their card. However, in their new drive to take the card to the interiors of India, they have changed the strategy. Visa wants the gaonwallahs to use their debit card to do some hard social work. Hello, why must they? Why can’t the rural folk have some fun too? Is social work only their responsibility?

     

    Anyway, the commercial features a bleeding heart who learns about Visa Debit, subscribes to it, and buys some equipment by using the card. This is the raw material for a bicycle generator he wants to invent. Which he uses to light up his dark village.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHv1sNOBG30[/youtube]

    The ad is much too contrived, and it fails to connect. For one, public service is being pushed by every other brand these days, so this route has lost all credibility. And when it comes from a multinational credit card company, alarm bells go off in the head. Also, the treatment is really sad. While the ad attempts to re-create the magic of Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Swades’, it falls flat because there’s zero emotion in the TVC. The big pay-off, that of changing lives, gets completely lost in all the info and the din that’s squeezed into 30 seconds.

     

    Visa should stick to the ‘splurge with our card’ route. Even a country bumpkin aspires to get hold of the latest gadget.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Tired idea. Poor execution.

     

  • The nation's large political parties should be made to name their PM hopefuls in advance, and they need to be compelled to debate in front of India's janata

    Anil Thakraney: Badly needed: Prime Ministerial debates

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    If we can freely copy ideas on television programming from the West, why not do ditto with the US Presidential debates? The Obama/Romney show was not just a hugely watched TV spectacle. It gave American citizens a very good idea of what these gentlemen stand for on various important issues. This helps them make informed decisions when they go to cast their votes. There is a view that politicians play to the gallery during such debates. That may be true, but we still get to read their minds.

     

    After all these years of his being India’s PM, I still have no fricking clue on what Manmohan Singh really stands for and what exactly goes on in his head. The nation’s large political parties should be made to name their PM hopefuls in advance, and they need to be compelled to debate in front of India’s janata. For example, I would love to watch a debate between Manmohan Singh and LK Advani. Also, Narendra Modi and young Rahul Gandhi. The nation needs to be made aware of their stand on important issues concerning the country. Like economic growth, terrorism, poverty alleviation, farmer suicides, communal conflicts, Kashmir, infrastructure development and so on. I am aware that a vast majority of Indians cast their votes for reasons not related to merit but still, we would at least get to know our bada netas a little better. If these people will decide the destiny of a billion plus people, we need to know their agendas for sure.

     

    Yes, the chicken-hearted desi netas will not agree to participate in such debates, because they will get exposed. And one single TV channel on its own won’t be able to persuade them. Which is why I think this needs to be a collective effort, a collaborative campaign. The various Indian media companies should, for once, set aside their rivalries, come together, and make this happen. They must put enormous pressure on the politicians to take part in such television debates. The media owes this to India and its future.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Do you blog on the latest gadgets in the market to win freebies and junkets? Well, be very careful. You could end up being turned into a slave by the sponsor. In a way I am happy about this story (hit the link below). Bloggers who don’t reveal they are being rewarded for their ‘opinions’ must be made to face the music.

     

    Link: http://m.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/sep/03/samsung-tech-bloggers?cat=technology&type=article