MxMIndia

Tag: anil thakraney

  • Most people find it galling to hear about Yuvi's chemotherapy sessions on the news channels, and watch this particular commercial during the break. In the light of such a strong backlash, I think the advertiser must pull the ad.

    Anil Thakraney: Why Birla must pull the Yuvi ad

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have always appreciated Birla Sun Life’s campaign, the one which has cricket players speaking out about their insecurities, much like we ordinary mortals do. The ads look real and they find the mark. It’s quite scary to watch celebs worry about their future. Because this means we aam aadmis and aurats should be really alarmed over what lies ahead, given our meager resources.

     

    However, things have changed a bit with the new Yuvraj Singh commercial in which the player worries about his career in the context of the cancer scare. Many have called the ad opportunistic and insensitive. I agree with that view point. But I have a slightly different take, and I mentioned that when I reviewed this particular TVC for mxmindia. Which is that if Yuvi does not have an issue with the use of his tragedy for commercial reasons, that should be fine. I mean, if the man at the center of the whole issue is cool, then so should we be.

     

    Having said that, it’s abundantly clear that many people don’t agree with my view. I have read and heard many negative reactions on Birla Sun Life’s ad. Most people feel it is deeply insensitive and off-putting, and find it galling to hear about Yuvi’s chemotherapy sessions on the news channels, and watch this particular commercial during the break. In the light of such a strong backlash, I think the advertiser must pull the ad. Because while it’s good to be an aggressive, cunning brand manager, one has to know where to get off. Being perceived as insensitive is too much of a risk to take for an insurance company. Or for any brand for that matter.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl1ujzRidmU[/youtube]

    Here’s a suggestion for Birla: Drop the ad immediately. And wait. Sooner or later, Mr Fighter will recover and he will be back on the cricket field. It is THEN that the advertiser and their ad agency should swing into action. And create an ad where Yuvi speaks of his ill health, the fears he experienced, and the subsequent joy and relief on recovery. No one will object to that. We all like happy endings.

     

    Net net: Drop the ad, dear Birla Sun Life. It’s not worth it.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Funny and dark at the same time. This video is an example of how Facebook has strained the relationship between parents and their deviant teenage children. This guy’s reaction is rather extreme… still, a must-watch for today’s parents.

     

  • Creative directors need to hire tech cats and then work ALONG with them for each brand

    Anil Thakraney: Left & right brains must marry

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The other day I was having a drink with a friend, an old world agency creative director. He’s one of those many old chaps who’ve been seriously challenged by the onslaught of the new media, and are at their wit’s end on how to deal with this ‘menace’. You see, not only are many clients now demanding to see creatives for the digital space AHEAD of the TV storyboards, they are putting pressure on the creative directors to make sure the videos go viral.

     

    I quite empathize with my old fogie pal’s predicament. Trained only in making television commercials, he’s finding it very difficult to learn new tricks. And what creative directors like him are doing is to hire net savvy kids and unleash them onto the clients. With the hope that the bachchas will take care of the digital work, while uncles, like my friend, can continue to focus on the old media.

     

    Personally, I don’t think this approach is going to pay dividends in the near future… in fact, it’s already showing signs of collapse. Digital marketing and advertising outfits are mushrooming by the day, and they are threatening to walk away with the digital business from clients. Clearly, this is revenue loss for the traditional ad agencies, and cannot be allowed to go on.

     

    I think ad agency creatives must begin operating the way movie studios work on sci-fi films, where massive technical effects are required. The movie director and the techies form a core team and each feeds off the other to produce scintillating cinema. The director makes sure the story keeps the connect with the audiences, and the tech specialists keep innovating till both are satisfied with the end result. Check out Steven Spielberg’s amazing work on the film Warhorse. The movie zaps you with special effects but the emotion runs through in every scene.

     

    In short, creative directors are digging their own graves if they leave the ‘headache’ of social media to youngsters in their office. They need to hire tech cats and then work ALONG with them for each brand, to make this work. Yup, the left and the right brains have to marry and produce goods that will meet the new media challenge.

     

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    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n-9-6ULjHY[/youtube]

    PS: British Airways has released a new commercial to commemorate its sponsorship of the forthcoming Olympic Games. It involves a race between luggage bags headed for various destinations. And the ad has been executed like the TV coverage of a sports match. Funny and smart. And I must add this: Many travellers on BA complain about lost luggage. Well, now we know why. The bags lose their way in all the hurry! 🙂

     

  • I think Chevrolet is doing the right thing. It makes sense to create an umbrella corporate campaign that rides on raw emotions

    Debrief: Chevrolet’s emotional route connects

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Chevrolet is back with another tear jerker for its corporate campaign, ‘Sang Rishte Chalen’. This one features an emotional relationship between a father and son.

     

    In the TVC, the ‘puttar’ is all grown up and he’s busy packing to start a new life in another town. The father hovers over him, wondering if the son has forgotten to pack important stuff. The interaction between the two indicates an uncomfortable relationship. The dad fondly stares at an old family picture, in which his son is a little kid, and that brings back memories. Finally the son departs, but carries the same picture with him in his Chevrolet Beat. And yes, there’s a lot of rona dhona in the ad.

     

    I think Chevrolet is doing the right thing. While the brand ads can be more functional, it makes sense to create an umbrella corporate campaign that rides on raw emotions. This would help in building a bond with desi car buyers since we Indians are suckers for emotions.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vFklija8XQ[/youtube]

    Must also add that the commercial is shot nicely, emotions flow easily in the treatment, it isn’t forced. And the strained father/son relationship is only hinted at, and not shouted out, which makes the film work even better. That one shot of the father trying to hug his son and the latter choosing to touch the dad’s feet is a gem.

     

    Good work all round.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3.5 Warm play of human emotions.

  • Opportunitylost. Penguin wasted. Methinks some super cool ads can be created around feeling alive in life

    Debrief: 7UP: A downer

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Well, summer’s still to arrive but the cold drinks marketers are already in action mode. 7UP has a new commercial on air, and this one features brand ambassador Sharman Joshi and a penguin.

     

    The idea is about always feeling ‘UP’ in life (Not to be confused with Uttar Pradesh!). And this idea tenuously ties in with the brand name. Always up, never down, so to speak. Joshi inspires a penguin to dance along with him, and their ‘jugalbandi’ is pretty much all that the ad has to offer. And it all leaves you cold and confused in the end. Let me explain.

     

    I think they should have single-mindedly stuck to the penguin as the core idea. It’s cute, cuddly and cool. Stories could have been written around 7UP and the penguin.

     

    There was no need for the Bollywood actor; he takes away from the commercial.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrWiN4qTSwo[/youtube]

    Two, their dance is totally unexciting and the very ordinary jingle doesn’t help matters. Poor execution of the ‘feeling UP’ idea. Three, for some strange reason, another unrelated brand, Nimbooz, has been shoved into the commercial and this causes dissonance. Where was the need for that?

     

    Opportunitylost. Penguin wasted. Methinks some super cool ads can be created around feeling alive in life, and not letting bad things come in the way. In fact, last year’s ‘Gussa Hatao, Chill Machao’ ad had more jaan to it. They may as well have continued with it.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 1. Leaves you frozen.

  • Yup, he is a doer (Manmohan Singh is a pure theorist) and India Inc needs such a man at the helm

    Anil Thakraney: India Inc needs Narendrabhai

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    If there’s one CM most industrialists adore, it’s Narendra Modi. Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani have been pretty vocal in their appreciation of Mota Bhai. Can’t fault them. Modi, being a Gujarati, has dhanda engraved in his genes; he understands business more than any other desi politician. In any case, he stands out big time amongst the chief ministers because the rest are either corrupt (we all know of them, don’t we?) or angsty (Bengal) or inefficient (most of them except perhaps Nitish Kumar).

     

    And so, Gujaratis flourishing in terms of industrial growth, there has been a lot of development in that state since Modi took charge. This is an undeniable fact. Which is why I am quite sure the corporate world would want Modi to run the entire country in the near future.

     

    Projects will get cleared faster, infrastructure will get a serious boost and most importantly, whether you like Modi or not, he is not known to be a corrupt man. At least, so far there’s been no evidence to the contrary. He would most likely kick people like Raja and Kalmadi out of the cabinet the moment there’s a whiff of chori.

     

    Yup, he is a doer (Manmohan Singh is a pure theorist) and India Inc needs such a man at the helm. As a case in point, I don’t see projects like FDI in multi-brand retail being so easily knocked off the radar under Modi’s regime.

     

    However, there’s a big impediment to Modi’s progress beyondGujarat: his massive ego. Okay, so the SIT commissioned by the Supreme Court has exonerated him of direct involvement in the post-Godhra riots, but that still doesn’t change the fact that the violence happened under his watch. That, hundreds of people got killed right under his nose. Just for that, Modi must unconditionally accept his failure and apologize. And move on. That done, who knows, people may move on as well and he could get that black mark erased from his otherwise healthy resume. And look to moving toDelhiwith a larger mandate.

     

    I really thinkIndia’s industrialists, for their own good, must meet Mota Bhai over chai and dhoklas, and educate him on the importance of ego management.

     

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    PS: Blast from the past! Can you even imagine such an ad being allowed to run in 2012. Kahaan gaye woh din? 🙂

  • When a reputed journalist writes a book, you can be assured of authenticity of material, and particularly so in Meenal's case, I have known her to be a journalist of high integrity

    Anil Thakraney: Death in Mumbai, an excellent first effort

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Just finished reading Meenal Baghel’s ‘Death in Mumbai’. And must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Apart from the fascinating subject itself… the sensational murder of television executive Neeraj Grover and the subsequent nefarious deeds by the killer and his partner, model/actress Maria Susairaj… what interested me is that the author is a journalist and former colleague.

     

    When a reputed journalist writes a book, you can be assured of authenticity of material, and particularly so in Meenal’s case, I have known her to be a journalist of high integrity.

     

    I must say the writing is sharp and the style captivating. You simply cannot put the book down. What the author has been able to do very effectively is to bring out the motivations and compulsions of the three participants in the sordid drama. After reading the book, one has a clearer idea of what drove the three to that extremely lethal point, from where there was no possibility of return to innocence.

     

    And Meenal’s done her research, she’s done the leg work, she’s journeyed into their past and studied their behavioural patterns over a period of time.

     

    The section I most enjoyed reading is where the author paints a colourful picture of the very showy and the very wannabe Oshiwara area of Mumbai. The desperation to make it into the showbiz, and the sexual price many young people have to pay in the process. The most hilarious chapter is on the TV queen Ekta Kapoor and her mother, some recounts of the two leave you in splits, the tragedy notwithstanding.

     

    All in all, a great first effort from Meenal. The only disappointment (for me) was not being able to get a clear point of view from the main accused, the navy officer Emile Jerome. Since he was the man who executed the heinous crime, his voice is key to the story. I suppose the author would have found access to the man extremely difficult, and therefore one can’t really blame her.

     

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    PS: Must read: Facebook has announced a $5 billion initial public offering. And here’s what Mark Zuckerberg says to investors. His long message gives you an idea of how razor sharp and cunning the man is when it comes to capitalizing on human interaction in the virtual world.

     

    Link: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2012/02/zuck-letter/

     

     

  • The ad becomes off-beat and entertaining as the commercial talks about aam sellers. Plus, it indirectly cues that Maaza = Real mango, without hammering it down our throats.

    Debrief: Maaza: Refreshing take

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Mango drink Maaza has a brand new positioning: ‘Bin mausam aam’. But instead of focusing on mango lovers, they have featured mango hawkers in the advert. And that’s actually quite clever, because it injects freshness into the communication.

     

    In the TVC, three mango sellers wonder what to do with their lives since the mango season is over. Desperate to earn a livelihood, the ‘aam aadmis’ try out new career options. One becomes a soothsayer, another tries his hand at dentistry and the third one becomes a car mechanic. Naturally, being untrained, they fail miserably in their new roles. Then, a smart lad introduces them to the ‘Bin mausam aam’ called Maaza. And so they begin selling that.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UizD1CD2oBM[/youtube]

    The twist in the tale works. One, because the ad indirectly cues that Maaza = Real mango, without hammering it down our throats. And two, because the commercial talks about aam sellers, the ad becomes off-beat and entertaining. And one must appreciate the client for not insisting on Maaza sipping shots in every frame. This idea would have been impossible to execute with such a demand.

     

    If there’s one negative, it’s that the idea only works in a long format, because it’s an indirect route. I don’t see them being able to pull this off with a fifteen-second edit.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3. Novel approach pays off.

  • The cricket body has conveniently cloaked its workings in dark secrecy, and this has led to many dubious deeds.

    Anil Thakraney: A Sahara lesson for BCCI

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Though they may eventually resolve their dispute, and Sahara could again partner the BCCI in some form, it must be said one feels happy that the former decided to pull the plug on constant moolah supply to the cricket board. And the Sahara group has also opted out of the IPL. The world’s richest (and most arrogant) cricketing body can do with some hard jolts like these.

     

    In fact, I do believe sponsors and advertisers are the ONLY entities with the power to clean up cricket in India, so that the sport doesn’t wither away and lose its mass appeal. They must list down harsh terms and conditions on the BCCI before they put the money down. And this includes demand for complete transparency in the way the BCCI functions. The cricket body has conveniently cloaked its workings in dark secrecy, and this has led to many dubious deeds. Including financial scandals, unethical business practices, badly planned tour itineraries and a myopic vision of the future of Indian cricket. Humiliating defeats of the team in the recent past is sure to affect viewership of both, international tournaments and the great IPL. This means ad rates must be slashed as well.

     

    The big problem is that the BCCI appears to be accountable to no one. And quite characteristically, they are completely allergic to being put under the purview of the RTI Act. Which means there is no way to clean up this dodgy organization. Unless of course the advertisers gang up against them, and put some serious pressure. The autocratic style of operating Indian cricket cannot be allowed to go on. This is very important for the future of cricket in this country.

     

    Hopefully, Sahara’s bombshell will serve as a wake-up call for everyone else.

     

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    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGMOhOYvcw4[/youtube]

    PS: An ad tailor-made for the commercial break. Chrysler released this stunning patriotic commercial during the Super Bowl half-time, featuring the Hollywood superstar, Clint Eastwood. I can feel the blood rising miles away in Mumbai, imagine the impact on Americans. Super stuff.

     

  • I like the strategy. But the commercials try hard to be funny; they are executed quite shoddily and end up becoming a bit irritating.

    Debrief: Thomas Cook: Forced humour

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    ‘Travel Smooth’ is Thomas Cook’s latest punch line. And the promise in their new campaign is that they will ensure we don’t face embarrassing situations when we travel abroad. That Thomas Cook is an expert travel agent and we can feel safe when we do business with them.

     

    I watched three ads; each caters to a specific traveller’s need. One involves a conservative desi family booked into a very shady hotel, courtesy an unreliable agent. Likewise, other ads deal with problems on foreign currency and sight-seeing. It’s a negative campaign, an attempt to get a positive spin-off by rubbishing the competition.

     

    I like the strategy. Rather than use the tried and tested route of boasting about Thomas Cook’s great work, better to make fun of the rivals. This ensures refreshing advertising, so that’s fine. However, in the execution of that intent, the advertiser loses the way.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAhfCt4GKdM[/youtube]
    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp1kql2V9ZY[/youtube]

    The commercials try hard to be funny; they are executed quite shoddily and end up becoming a bit irritating. While the hotel one is marginally better, the currency and the bus tour ads leave you totally cold.

     

    Maybe the writers of this campaign haven’t travelled much. I can put out a laundry list of hilarious events that unfold because of poor planning. Enjoy an international holiday, guys. And then come back and write the storyboards.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2. Good strategy not backed by creative.

     

  • The coming years will see massive newspaper wars because the category is on the decline curve. And each brand will have to be very smart and proactive to survive.

    Anil Thakraney: So then what must The Hindu do?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Times is on a rapid expansion drive. They’ve recently launched multiple editions in Kerala, including in small towns. This is quite understandable. Newspapers are in a slow death mode in large towns, and it makes sense to penetrate as many towns as possible to delay the inevitable demise of the newspaper as we know it.

     

    And this portends a serious challenge for incumbent brands. How can they protect their turf? How can they retain their readers in the face of stiff competition? It’s not going to be an easy task. The Times, which is a powerful challenger, has many strengths – the group has deep pockets, tremendous marketing fire power and the newspaper is wholesome; a healthy mix of serious news and entertainment. If the local brands remain lazy and complacent, they will struggle hard, that’s for sure. Deccan Herald learnt this lesson the hard way in Bangalore.

     

    Let’s take the current battle raging between The Hindu and The Times in Chennai as an example. The ad war between the two has already been discussed, and I mentioned in the Debrief section of this portal that I quite like The Hindu’s spirited fight back. But in terms of the content itself, what can the newspaper do to stay alive and relevant? This is a tough one; but allow me to put forward two critical points: The Hindu must NOT dump its image of an ultra serious brand. This is the newspaper’s core strength, it has been so for many decades, and it must be protected.

     

    If they attempt to emulate Times’s please-all mix, they will become a me-too brand and quickly lose the battle. Sticking to their core values will ensure they don’t disillusion their loyal readers. However, at the same time, they have to win over the hearts and minds of younger readers. Already, there is pressure from the internet, so this is going to be a huge problem. The Times is, anyway, particularly strong in its youth appeal. The trick here is not to dumb down the content and dive into a full on filmi and party coverage.

     

    The youth of India aren’t dumb. Yes, they enjoy entertainment coverage, but they also have their own serious issues to worry about, which include education and career opportunities. And this is what The Hindu must tap into very aggressively.

     

    The Express tries to do that but they haven’t achieved much success, and that’s because they are pretty clinical in their approach, and don’t make enough song and dance. The style of presentation and the marketing of youth-related stuff is critical. Features on career prospects don’t have to be boring; they can be made to rock. And marketed in such a way that the youth of Chennai perceives The Hindu to be a newspaper that understands their needs and concerns.

     

    As I said, it’s going to be a tough one. And I used The Hindu only as an example. The coming years will see massive newspaper wars because the category is on the decline curve. And each brand will have to be very smart and proactive to survive. Interesting times await!

     

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    PS: I am not a huge fan of authors who parade themselves at Litfests. And an even lesser fan of authors who tweet. I have always believed writers must remain enigmatic and should be known only through their books. That, the mystery enhances a writer’s appeal. Here’s an interesting article from The New York Times, it  explains the authors’ obsession with Twitter.

     

    Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/books/review/why-authors-tweet.html?_r=2&smid=tw-nytimes&pagewanted=all

     

     

  • If the businessmen aren't going to learn anything from the nation's biggest, mind-numbing financial scam, they never will

    Anil Thakraney: Time for clean up the 2G scam

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Supreme Court’s judgment on the 2G spectrum scandal is horrendous news for the telecom industry, the entire corporate world and the end consumer. The court has cancelled the 122 spectrum licenses issued in 2008 by the great A Raja, the then telecom minister. Fresh auctions will be held later in the year, and new allotments made.

     

    This means the cost of the licenses will shoot up, and the additional expenses will be passed on to the subscribers. What impact this will have on the telecom boom, you can easily imagine. Not just that. This judgment finally confirms the massive corruption involved in the 2G scam, and this is going to damage the overall business sentiment in the country. Foreign investors are going to think many, many times before parking their funds in this maha corrupt nation. Where, first you are expected to bribe to get licenses, and then one day you could be back to square one, your business model sent for a toss. Basically, it’s a lose-all situation.

     

    However, one hopes this huge scandal and its fall-out will serve as a starting point for a massive clean-up operation. Quite obviously, blatant corrupt practices such as these cannot be allowed to go on. If a huge shake up doesn’t take place this time, we will see this happen again and again. To begin with, Shri Chidambaram, who was the finance minister when Raja tore into the cookie jar, must accept moral responsibility and quit. And if he doesn’t, the mantri ought to be immediately sacked. Even if he was in the dark on the then telecom minister’s nefarious activities, he must be held accountable. Because at the very least, Chidu fiddled while Rome burnt. This is important. It’s not enough that Raja is in jail, the big heads must roll.

     

    And secondly, corporates in the telecom sector must take equal blame for this mess. Because if they had refused to bribe Raja, this scale of corruption wouldn’t have happened. The scam should be a lesson for all suits that they must play an equal part if the nation has to be rid of graft. In any shady deal, at least two shady partners have to be involved.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw9ZeXB2uKs[/youtube]

    So even as the telecom industry gets busy and studies the exact impact of the SC’s judgment, it’s time for all corporates to wake up and smell the coffee. And swear to run a clean ship from now on. If the businessmen aren’t going to learn anything from the nation’s biggest, mind-numbing financial scam, they never will.

     

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    PS: TV serials based on vampires have been a rage in the US in recent times. Audi has capitalized on their popularity, and has released a hilarious commercial. Damn cool!

     

  • The idea worked earlier, and it works now. The only question is this: Is it completely ethical for the marketer to ride on a player's rather serious illness?

    Debrief: Birla Sun Life: Topicality enhances efficacy

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Last year, Birla Sun Life ran a TV campaign where some cricketers expressed their career insecurities. I recall reviewing that work, and had quite liked it. Mainly because of the message extension: If loaded cricketers can worry about their future, we middle class wallahs should be alarmed. This was also the first campaign in India where celebs spoke like ordinary citizens. Some people will recall Yuvraj Singh’s famous words: “Jab tak balla chal raha hai, thaath hai. Jab balla nahin chalega toh….”

     

    Well, Birla Sun Life is back with Yuvi. And this time the idea works even better because soon after the World Cup win, our hunky batsman was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour. This meant he was left out of the team. (Though the up-side is that Yuvi must be secretly thankful for not being a part of the team that’s been badly humiliated in recent times.) In the commercial, the cricketer once again expresses apprehensions over an uncertain future and the need for insurance. And he also alludes to his sickness.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtJ8qM-o3J4[/youtube]

    Well, the idea worked earlier, and it works now. The only question is this: Is it completely ethical for the marketer to ride on a player’s rather serious illness? And, is it correct for the player to play along with this idea? Is it the case of being opportunistic? To be honest, there are no easy answers to this one. I would only say that Birla Sun Life has played a clever card out here. And since Yuvi didn’t mind the marketing ploy, that should be fine, I guess.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3. Clever use of human tragedy.