MxMIndia

Tag: anil thakraney

  • Anil Thakraney remembers the sting he did for Mid-Day on Mumbai's dance bar girls where he danced with them, picked on one girl, showered money on her, and… Well, read on 🙂

    Anil Thakraney: A night at the dance bar

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    No, I am not jumping up and down with joy now that dance bars will return to Mumbai (unless Shri RR Patil finds a way to circumvent the SC order). This is because I am not a dance bar man, chucking hard-earned money in the direction of girls gyrating shabbily to Bollywood item numbers isn’t my idea of a night out. Also, some of you might be wondering why I am discussing this issue on a media and marketing portal. Well, the answer is simple: Dance bars remind me of the coolest sting I have done in my journalistic career, don’t think I have had so much fun at work, and I want to relate the experience for those who might have missed the story which was carried in Mid-Day.

     

    The year was 2005. Patil had ordered the closure of dance bars in the state, his main reasoning was that dance bars are actually pick up joints, that the dancing girls are prostitutes. This got me thinking. Why not suss if the girls are indeed prostituting. Dressed as a filthy rich but sex-starved businessman from Rajasthan (gold chain and all), and accompanied by three photographers pretending to be friends, we hit four of the most happening dance bars in Mumbai on a single night. At each place, I would order beer, enjoy the ‘performance’, shake with the gals (though that’s usually not permitted) and zero in on one. Shower her with lots of cash (billed to Mid-Day, of course), and leave a little note in her hand that contained my cell number. It was clear: If the young lady was indeed a prostitute, she would call for sure. I was a cash-rich dude, after all.

     

    Guess what? Days after, not one dance bar babe bothered to contact me, not one. Mid-Day fronted the sensational findings, much to the annoyance and dismay of RR Patil. The minister, unable to deal with the result, got busy dissing such ‘debauched’ style of journalism, haha. But I had super fun doing the story, which explains why it’s still fresh in the mind. Imagine being paid to dance with pretty girls, flirt with them, shower them with money and invite them for a ‘personal’ meet. Ah, what career can be better than that?

     

    By the way, I must add a few of my pals, and Tarana (then a jock with Radio Mid-Day), made a snide and hurtful remark. That it was possible the four girls didn’t want to sleep with me for all the money in the world. Ouch, ouch, ouch! This is what Patil should have said in his defence, but to expect our rural netas to be witty is like expecting pothole-free roads in monsoons.

     

    PS: Cool ad for a butter brand. Wonderfully captures the joy of cooking, and it’s shot beautifully too. Makes you want to rush to the kitchen and create magic.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Anil Thakraney on how The Times of India report on the tortuous time a lady exec with an artificial limb had at the airport ought to have got the version from the security staff

    Anil Thakraney: Reportage must be free of bias

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    For the benefit of young journalists reading this post, I want to discuss the importance of the play of a story, and I shall illustrate this with a report that the TOI fronted a few days back. This is not to fault the newspaper, undoubtedly they carried the said story with noble intentions, but it’s an interesting example to highlight how the story gets played out is often as important as the story itself. It’s about this lady executive who wears an artificial limb, and the torturous time she had passing through airport security. Here’s the link: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Airport-check-of-artificial-leg-leaves-marketing-executive-in-tears/articleshow/21027950.cms

     

    Now, we have to feel sorry for Suranjana, indeed, our heart goes out to the lady. You suffer from a serious disability, and then you are made to undergo high stress at the airport. Clearly this is not on. However, the problem is this: Because it’s a news report, you expect the story to be objective in nature, after all, this is not an opinion column. The play by the journalist is biased in this case, and the report doesn’t bother to give us an adequate version from the airport security staff. As a result, the reader is left with the impression that the security personnel at airports are heartless, insensitive souls, and this could be far from the truth.

     

    For example, even as I feel sorry for differently abled passengers, and understand their plight and want them to travel in comfort, I have to say this story actually reassures me. Because this means our airport security personnel are going about their work as per the book and minus any emotion. In short, they are doing their job. We live in terrible times, and canny terrorist can and will look for innovative methods to create trouble. And therefore we need kickass security. When you look at the situation from this angle, your view gets changed. And this particular play of the story would also be incorrect, because this too is a subjective opinion, and has no place in a news report.

     

    The other concern is, such a biased story in a powerful newspaper would put unnecessary pressure on the security staffers, compelling them to be lenient with those who are differently abled. Is that such a good thing? You know the answer to that one. I know that the Indian media is getting increasingly subjective in its reportage, and television anchors do it every single evening, but I do hope the TOI, a paper that I have read and respected from childhood, doesn’t fall prey to this practice.

     

    So then what should ideally have happened? In my opinion, report neutrally. And then run a campaign on how the government can help evolve sensitive security procedures for the differently abled, but without compromising safety.

     

    PS: Brilliant commercial from Land Rover. This is the magic that happens when a talented filmmaker, cinematographer and the agency art director work together to create a sparkling ad. You can watch this one again and again and not get bored.

    [vimeo width=”400″ height=”220″]http://vimeo.com/65104233[/vimeo]

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • In this ad, Wild Stone has pushed the envelope further as our chap wins over young moms, notes Anil Thakraney

    Debrief: Wild Stone: Nailing yummy mummies

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Wild Stone soap continues with the promise all male toiletries brands make: Use our product, get the chicks. Must say I have always found this premise a tad amusing. Many of us men use deos and soaps just to feel fresh, there are more interesting ways to patao ladies. But the marketers don’t care about this, and so the ‘safe’ chick caravan chugs along merrily.

     

    However, in the new commercial, Wild Stone has done two rather ‘interesting’ things. One, they have used an old Hindi film song, which I think is a new one for this category. (Incidentally, filmi classics are in vogue all of a sudden, and the reason for that is paucity of good jingle writers.) Thing is, I wonder what the likes of SD Burman, Naushad and Shankar Jaikishan might feel about their songs being used to sell all sorts of dodgy products. And the worst part is, these ads destroy the original charm of the old favourites. Secondly, Wild Stone has pushed the envelope further, this time our chap wins over young moms. All along it was only babes, then our hero started attracting married women, and that the woman is married was only suggested. Now, it’s open season, every woman is fair game. I guess we’ll soon see aunties and grannies swooning over the dudes.

     

    The ad itself is stupid and poorly shot. Our man plays football with the kids. He doesn’t win the match, but his topless avatar gets the mommies’ glad eye. My worry is this nonsense might actually be working with a certain section of men, which is why it continues. So please carry on, but can you quit hitting on Hindi film classics? Let at least some things in life remain sacred.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0.5 I need to get wildly stoned to appreciate this creative.

     

  • Can our fictional shows match the best of American television and will they be able to raise the bar? No way, writes Anil Thakraney, explaining why.

    Anil Thakraney: Saas-Bahu soaps will never die

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Last week, we discussed why there’s sameness in the desi soaps, why the channels and producers aren’t able to brush off household fights. I also mentioned that things may finally be looking up, what with bada Bollywood stars and directors wanting to take part in television fictional shows, to produce offbeat content. But can their stuff match up to the best of American television, will they be able to raise the bar? No way, and I will explain why.

     

    In the last one year, I have watched some truly stunning TV serials from the US. Spartacus, Homeland, House of Cards, Scandal, Prison Break, just to name a few. The budgets are lavish and therefore the quality of production is extremely high. The soaps out there don’t just match the best of Hollywood, they often surpass it. In terms of stories, direction, editing, stunts, special effects, the works. This is what makes the serials magnetic… as a viewer you don’t feel shortchanged, you know you are being rewarded for the time you spend on the serials. This is where Indian producers will take a bad hit, because they simply won’t have access to that sort of funding. So even if the story is interesting, the production quality will make you cringe. Watch Ekta Kapoor’s Jodha Akbar, for example. It’s got tacky written all over it. The sets and the costumes look comical, the acting is third rate and the serious dialogues make you laugh out loud. Am afraid the same fate awaits Anil Kapoor’s copy of 24.

     

    Monies aside, there’s another grave problem. Almost all the American serials take on the White House, and not in a flattering way. The US Prez gets routinely depicted as a conniving, cheating, diabolical, unfaithful man, and the junta loves the no-holds-barred approach. Try doing this in India, you will get into serious trouble with our insecure politicians. Also, out there, they honestly deal with the issue of terrorism; they don’t shy away from singling out the community whose young men usually take to militancy. This will be impossible in our ‘vote bank’ politics ruled nation. And once you water the content down, you have already killed the excitement. Add to that: No foul language and absolutely no steamy sex, you are taking about utterly boring fare.

     

    And so that’s why I am not very bullish on the Indian GECs. They will experiment, get poor returns, and return to family dramas with a vengeance. Yes, we are stuck with the saas and the bahu, whether we like it or not.

     

    PS: How do you promote a cafe that was once a urinal? Well, you have fun with it. And sit back and watch as your act goes viral, resulting in oodles of free publicity. Smart thinking.

    [vimeo width=”400″ height=”220″]http://vimeo.com/68843232[/vimeo]

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

     

  • Each year one channel or another launches a new serial that comes with the promise of freshness, but by the tenth episode the story regresses into a family natak, rues Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: The Great Desi Soap Factory

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    In a two-part series, I shall examine the key challenges confronting the Hindi GECs, as well as the road map for the future. Today, let’s examine the current scenario.

     

    As I mindlessly surf the channels, I realize that not much has changed in the last decade plus. For years together so many critics and viewers have been carping about it, but it all seems to have fallen on deaf years. Almost all of the Indian television soaps are still stuck with the same old family dramas, the same old kitchen politics. Each year one channel or another launches a new serial that comes with the promise of freshness, it even starts nicely, but by the tenth episode the story regresses into a family natak, laced with plenty of cat fights.

     

    To understand this situation, let’s assume for a minute that the channel chiefs know what they are doing, that they aren’t stupid. The easy explanation is that audiences for television soaps essentially constitute housewives, and that these ladies like to watch gharelu khitpit. Well, this could be true to an extent. But then, housewives in America also like to watch Homeland and Prison Break, and by that logic, surely bored housewives out here would like to consume high octane stories. So to blame the viewer, as in ‘we are only dishing out what she wants’, is unfair. Think about this: The same housewife, when she goes to watch movies, prefers zippy, edgy, offbeat content… family dramas are a thing of the distant past in Bollywood. So why would she not want novelty in her soaps? The real problem is that so far, the Hindi entertainment channels have refused to take chances, they have played safe, and this has led to photocopy content across board. So it’s a problem of lack of courage.

     

    However, in the recent past, winds of change seem to have started blowing. Anil Kapoor is busy doing the desi version of 24. Amitabh Bachchan has begun shooting for a fictional TV show. Anurag Basu wants to create a new TV serial. Ekta Kapoor, the queen of family dramas, has launched the historical Jodha Akbar (though the family squabbles continue here too, not surprising that, Ektaji can’t avoid those!). Soon, other big stars, movie producers and directors will join the party, and that can only be great news for the Hindi GEC audiences.

     

    So can we look forward to an entertainment revolution on TV? Er, not really. Because the change, even if it happens on a large scale, will present its own set of problems and challenges. On Monday, we’ll discuss these, so have patience. When the subject is soaps, even I must be allowed to serialize the article. 🙂

     

    PS: Nice press ad from Apple. Good body copy, something that’s now extinct in India. I like how Apple has distilled its entire philosophy into simple words, so that the aam aadmi can connect with it. Another example why Apple is such a loved brand.

     

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Why and when did news television become so moronically formulaic, and why are they all doing the same thing, asks Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: Need fresh gas on TV

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    All the Indian news channels have turned into clones of each other. It’s a pat formula on primetime: Run a quick snippet on a story with a reporter, this lasts for only a few minutes. Cut to the anchor who takes a clear, biased position on the subject. This follows a marathon session involving a ‘debate’ with many faces (always the same set), and the anchor’s key result area is to create friction and sit back and enjoy the gas blast. And hope for a pay rise.

     

    Why and when did news television become so moronically formulaic? And why are they all doing the same thing? Lack of imagination? Competitive pressures? I suspect it’s both, and also lack of respect for good journalism. I was talking to BBC’s Nick Gowing (for GQ), this is what he said: “Whenever I am invited to participate in a discussion on an Indian news channel, I make it clear that I will not shout at anybody. I think there’s a tendency to jump to a polarized view on air, as opposed to finding a more nuanced middle ground. And I find it interesting how opinionated the presenters can be. I wonder how long that may last. They do certain things which I wouldn’t and can’t do.”

     

    Mind you, Gowing, being a pucca gentleman that he is, presented a nuanced opinion. Am sure secretly he must be appalled at the way we are going about things. So is there any chance that sanity will happen on our news programmes any time soon? I seriously doubt it. This is because the ‘star’ anchors have grabbed the slots, and they will be reluctant to make way for new blood. There’s too much power and pelf being a TV anchor in India, not easy to delegate. So then what is the least they should do within the existing system? The answer is: Always invite fresh faces in the debates. We must get to hear new voices, and this should be easy, India is a vast country bustling with argumentative people. News production teams have to cut their sloth and find ways to inject new energies into the studios. And I use the word sloth because this is what typically happens: ‘Guys, we need to discuss the depreciating rupee, who can we quickly get as an expert?’ ‘Prahlad Kakar is available, should I call him? Also, Shobhaa De is free.’

     

    Point being, if we have to be stuck in a gas chamber each evening, can we at least be subjected to fresh gas?

     

    PS: Haha. So much for all those comments by ‘judges’ on reality shows. I can imagine Lata auditioning for ‘Aye mere watan ke logon’ and receiving this sort of feedback: ‘Energy level thoda kam tha.’ ‘Jyada mushy ho gaya, you need to tone down the emotion’. ‘Rocking performance! Lekin beech mein sur miss ho gaya, aap nervous ho gayeein.’

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Each time the National Population Register commercial comes on air, I want to fling some mud at my television set, writes Anil Thakraney

    Debrief: National Population Register: Hello Early Nineties!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have a bad feeling we are living in the early nineties. Madhuri Dixit is back, so is Anil Kapoor, and so is Sridevi. And the BJP is talking about Ayodhya all over again. Soon we’ll hear Sanjay Manjrekar is back in the Indian team. Not to be left behind, here’s an ad from the glorious past.

     

    If you are a new entrant to advertising, watch the commercial from the National Population Register very carefully. It will give you a good idea of the generally crappy television advertising we used to produce back then. A tired, laid-back, sleepy jingle. Indians from all walks of life doing the same activity, in this case, mud-slinging (though the copyright for that now belongs to Shri Arnab Goswami). And each visual a bloody living, breathing ad cliché. I have to say this must easily be the most annoying advert currently on air, and it’s on air all the time because we taxpaying idiots sponsor this trash. Each time it comes on, I want to fling some mud at my television set.

     

    So if these guys want us to register our names for the census, they should tell us why it’s important for us to do so. The communication trigger should be this and only this: Dude, you don’t sign up, you are screwed, and this is how you get screwed. It’s as simple as that. This is what will result in consumer engagement. Instead, these dolts have gone back into the past to re-create its worst. I’d rather register for the Pakistani or the Bangladeshi census.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Poora paisa mitti mein mil gaya

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • The moment a journalist becomes a PR professional, he/she turns into a pariah in the media world, notes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: PR kiya toh bhi darne ka!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    So I was dining with a few senior journalists on the weekend. The issue of Charudatta Deshpande came up, and somebody mentioned how stressful PR has become due to the intense pressure these professionals face from both, the clients and/or their own bosses. Since I have never worked in PR (in fact, my key result area is to undo all the good work they do, hehe), so I have no first-hand experience of this function. But yes, one can easily imagine life must be very difficult for these guys in the world of cut-throat media, I don’t envy them at all.

     

    Some journalists prefer to move to corporate communications after they’ve done their bit in the media. This could be either because they couldn’t cut it in journalism, or they desire a cool, well paying job before they walk into the sunset. The corporates like to hire journalists because of their ‘expertise’ in communications, and because of the belief that having been a part of the media, they will bring with them powerful ‘connections’. This is where the trouble lies. The moment a journalist becomes a PR professional, he/she turns into a pariah in the media world. (Unless that person is a foxy operator like Ms Niira Radia, but that’s another story.) Therefore these so-called connections are of little or no use. A good editor will characteristically keep PR professionals miles away. And when the corporate communications head isn’t able to bring in ‘favourable’ press, it gets the senior executives very disappointed, even angry.

     

    Then there’s a flip side to it. When the PR person promises interesting, inside information to journalists, in order to get them interested in the organization, he/she ends up playing with fire. Because one can never be sure which information is kosher to share and which needs to be concealed. This tight rope walk can be very stressful, one can never be sure where this very thin line lies.

     

    In short, PR nahin kiya toh trouble. And PR kiya toh bhi trouble. No wonder there’s so much anxiety. I think I’ll stick to journalism even though it doesn’t pay as much as corporate communications. I don’t get invited to glitzy parties, I don’t get the perks, I don’t get to hobnob with the rich and the powerful. Chalta hai. At least I get to sleep like a baby.

     

    PS: The TOI has introduced an app called ‘ALIVE’, which helps you download photos and share them with your pals. All very nice. But when they used ‘ALIVE’ on this particular image, it gave me the shivers. The positioning of ‘ALIVE’ makes you think poor Ishrat Jahan is still around. Gasp!

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Tata Steel's former Head of Communications killed himself without leaving a suicide note, therefore no one can be certain of the real reason behind his death, notes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: Deshpande: The truth died with him

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Let me state upfront that whatever we journalists/columnists write on Charudatta Deshpande’s suicide is speculative in nature, and I don’t do speculation, not even in the stockmarket, leave alone journalism. This is because Tata Steel’s former Head of Communications killed himself without leaving a suicide note, therefore no one can be certain of the real reason behind his death.

     

    What is instead being bandied around is, yes, speculation. There are theories floating about the alleged leak of confidential information about the company to a trade press journal, and the subsequent persecution of Deshpande by his colleagues at Tata. There are allegations of phone tapping, the executive being ‘bullied’ into signing bonds/ documents, etc. All hearsay stuff. The Tata group has launched an internal enquiry, so we’ll have to wait for the findings. Though if the enquiry is being conducted by the group itself, one has to wonder how objective it shall be. An independent enquiry would have been befitting.

     

    That said, let’s assume for a moment that Deshpande was indeed being harassed, and that indeed was the reason behind the suicide. One thing bothers me about this situation: Deshpande was a tough journalist before he shifted to corporate communications. His former colleague at The Indian Post, Salil Tripathi, has this to say about the man (courtesy: Mint): “We knew Charu was a tough man, a reporter who had covered crime, politics, and business, and was not one to get intimidated easily. Those of us who knew him-for years or months-knew that beneath his calmness, there was a cool mind which figured out what was going on.” For someone of such a background and temperament to wilt under organizational pressure does sound a bit strange to me. And for a person who’s been a professional journalist to not leave behind a revealing note? Had age and PR mellowed the man? Like I said, we don’t know and we’ll never know.

     

    I have only one clear opinion in this matter: Politics and power play happens in the corporate world all the time, and it can sometimes get very dirty. If you are at the receiving end of it, you have just two choices: Deal with it. Or hand in your resignation letter. And if the organization has crossed the line of politics and has begun illegally tormenting you, then blow the whistle. File a police complaint. Or call a press conference. But self-murder? Ermm, that doesn’t make any sense to me in this case. And the sad truth is, Deshpande’s death will always remain a mystery. Alas.

     

    PS: Speaking of suicide at workplace, Misery Bear’s predicament reminds me of my own terrible days in the ad agency client servicing department. No, my phone wasn’t tapped nor was I being forced to sign dodgy documents. I was simply unable to suck up to the clients. And yes, the nearest watering hole proved to be a life saver. 🙂

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Media companies must never forget one hard truth: If your staffer behaves shoddily, it directly damages your brand's name, writes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: Are reporters adequately trained?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    If you happen to know this dude called Narayan Pargaien, please tell him never to come face to face with me. If he does, I am going to sit on top of his shoulders and make him give me a ‘lift’ when Mumbai’s streets get flooded with gutter water. In case you haven’t heard, not only did this News Express reporter do something totally disgusting in flood ravaged Uttarakhand, he has brought global disrepute to the entire Indian media, the world press is busy sniggering at us. (The firangs love, love, love stories like this from Incredible India.) Here’s the link to his shameful deed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMq7KPgynU0

     

    This incident reminds me of another equally sickening one I personally witnessed in Nagapattinam, in the after-math of the tsunami. A TV reporter found a very old woman wailing by the beach, she had lost her entire family. Our chap started filming her, and began demanding she wail harder so that it looks ‘good’ on television. He even encouraged the unfortunate lady to beat her own chest. Even better television!

     

    I hope the rest of the Indian television reporters conduct themselves better on the field, but such incidents are a reminder of the woefully poor quality of training that happens in the media companies. We like to call ourselves ‘The Vibrant Indian Media’, but do all these channels/portals/newspapers bother to educate their reporters before letting them loose? I seriously doubt it. Pargaien has been sacked, but is that the solution? This is like punishing the traffic havaldar who got caught for accepting a fifty buck bribe, and hoping that the problem is solved.

     

    Most Indian media barons are reeling because of cash crunch, we are all aware of that, but they simply have to find a way to invest in training so that their reporters and cameramen conduct themselves with dignity while covering a story. Despite the mad rush for ratings and scoops, there have to be specific dos and don’ts outlined with a clear warning: Follow them or get out. Each media company must never forget one hard truth: If your staffer behaves shoddily, it directly damages your brand’s name, since he/she is representing you to the public. Therefore ignore training at your own peril.

     

    PS: This outdoor campaign from IBM scored big at Cannes this year. Richly deserved, I say. Such a simple but powerful idea. While Balki envies work done for Gujarat Tourism, this is the sort of work that makes me feel jealous.

     

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • It's very unlike typical Indian car ads and the Hyundai guys must hope that the car features highlighted will prompt the buyers to suss out the machine, writes Anil Thakraney

    Debrief: Hyundai i20: The ghost-buster

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Haha, scary ad for Hyundai i20, it will give you the shivers. Our sleepy, exhausted dude is driving by the countryside on a dark, rainy night, when he spots this sexy lady standing by the corner. Naturally, our excited hero wants to offer her a lift. But he suddenly finds her standing next to the car, and then inside it, all quite magically. The terrified chap discovers she was standing by a cemetery, and that the hot babe is a ghost. She commands him to drive, and there’s no option but to listen.

     

    Then comes the twist in the tale, as the tables turn. The ghost is petrified when she notices that our man can get the wipers moving ‘without touching a thing’, the headlights come on ‘by their own’, and she really freaks out when the guy reverses the car ‘without looking in the rear’. This prompts the ghost to vamoose.

     

    I like this one because it’s a surprising solution, it’s very unlike typical Indian car ads. And the Hyundai guys must hope that within the ghost story, the car features highlighted in the ad will prompt the buyers to visit the showroom and suss out the machine. Which indeed is the job of an ad: To get the brand noticed, and to get potential customers interested. I think this twin objective has been achieved nicely.

     

    And the sexy ghost ensures the ad breaks the clutter, and is entertaining to watch on repeat exposure. I am definitely going to check out the i20. And shall recite the Hanuman Chalisa while I do so. 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Surprising solution. Highly entertaining.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney

     

  • Corruption in telecom spectrum allocation, coal mining allocation etc doesn't kill anyone, not directly at least. But corrupt RTOs literally gift people the licence to kill, writes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: Media must go after the RTOs

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    And, yet again, over the weekend, two licensed drivers, in panic, ‘forgot’ the difference between the brake and the accelerator. And two more innocent lives abruptly ended on the streets of Mumbai. This has been happening in the past, and will continue to happen again and again. Why so? Because the RTOs give away driving licences as if they were distributing Cadbury Éclairs to children inside a mall. In exchange for some ‘goodwill’, of course.

     

    Now, we all know that almost all the public sector organizations in India run on corruption money. The regular scams that get reported will tell you that. So there’s no reason why the driving licence issuing authorities would want to be left behind. The problem is this: Corruption in telecom spectrum allocation, in coal mining allocation, in arms purchase, in the Commonwealth Games, etc, doesn’t kill anyone, not directly at least. But corrupt RTOs literally gift people the licence to kill, this is akin to culpable homicide. This does not happen in any civilized nation in the world, it’s easy to get laid on the first date in London and New York, but you have to work really hard to get hold of the driving licence.

     

    Which is why I have always wondered why the Indian media hasn’t taken this up in a big way. I have personally alerted a couple of newspaper editors in the last few years, but they seem to have ignored this problem. What is urgently needed is a 360-degree journalistic campaign on the (mal)functioning of the RTOs in India. Starting with massive, nationwide sting operations to expose these buggers. And then going after the big fish with hammers and shovels. Followed by continuous checks, right till the time these guys get their act together, till the processes are cleaned up. And till the time obtaining a driving licence becomes as tough in India as it is in the US and the European nations.

     

    I must also add that I find it odd when the first thing the traffic cops check is if the killer driver was drunk. That should be the second step. They should instead first check if the person is capable of driving at all. And they’ll discover the real culprits are chilling in their own backyard.

     

    PS: Absolutely brilliant car ad. It’s not a new commercial, but it’s worth watching again and again. Not a single shot of the car, and the point of cars being made for human beings beautifully made. It’s another matter, of course, that in India cars often kill human beings.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own. He can be reached via Twitter at @anilthakraney