MxMIndia

Tag: anil thakraney

  • HR personnel aren’t being held accountable in organizations, and perhaps this is what leads to their laidback behaviour.

    Anil Thakraney: Buck up, lazy HR!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have worked in a few organizations in my career, and across the board if there’s one department I have been left disappointed with, it’s HR. Somehow I never really felt a need for these people. And the failing, I realize, is not of the function itself but the way it seems to be practised, and naturally I speak from my own experiences.

     

    I have always found the HR personnel to be the reactive sort; their presence only gets noticed when there’s a problem. When someone needs to be hired/fired (and that’s essentially paperwork) or when there’s indiscipline in the organization, ranging from regular employee absenteeism to sexual harassment issues. And this aspect too mainly involves lip service and paperwork from HR… all the actions/decisions are usually taken by the line manager or the CEO. And therefore I have always wondered why we need these guys at all.

     

    I think HR personnel aren’t being held accountable in organizations, and perhaps this is what leads to their laidback behaviour. Although I am not an HR guru, here are a few key functions where I think they can become very useful to an organization, if they play a proactive role:

     

    • Keeping a regular, sharp eye on star performers in other organizations, so that they can provide leads to department heads even if the latter haven’t asked for fresh recruits.
    • Bonding with employees from down to top, rather than from top to bottom. So that employees across all levels can confide in them. And by the time the HR team meets the department head, they can share relevant employee information with the managers. Most HR heads I worked with will first meet me, and ask silly questions like: “How’s the morale in your department? Hope all well?”
    • Coming up with useful, scientific and insightful ways in which a department can be structured better to maximize staff resources. Most HR heads have no interest in even going down this path. Either they are too lazy or don’t want to risk upsetting department heads.
    • Drafting innovative and smart employee rewards/motivation schemes. Sending out cold birthday cards is so yesterday. And a cop-out.
    • And of course, formulating kickass employee loyalty schemes and organizing fantastic training programmes. Usually both these chores are left to the line managers to figure out.

     

    [youtube width=”380″ height=”230″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCKgCkubGc0[/youtube]

    Net net: Lots of value additions can be provided by the HR people. But they aren’t. And this can’t be allowed to go on. At some point, organization heads will need to crack the whip. I don’t need a heavily paid HR Vice Prez to meet me once a year and ask me if I am okay. I can do without those homilies, thank you very much.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Ahaha! Totally love this ad. It’s so simple and so funny. Especially the spunky ol’ lady. Too cute.

     

     

     

  • This sort of an over-the-top idea is required for a new website that simply deals in great sales offers. Safe advertising would have killed the brand even before the god of death arrived.

    Debrief: Snapdeal: Deadly idea

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    It takes some guts, especially in a superstitious India, to run ads that feature the god of death as the protagonist. Well, the ‘great deals’ website Snapdeal.com has done exactly that, and no, don’t think the site will expire in a hurry.

     

    Termed ‘Yamdude’ in the campaign, the deadly god goes about having fun with scared dudes and the cool Snapdeal deals. He basically saves lives instead of taking them, being distracted by the product offers. In one ad, a sky diver’s ‘time’ has come, so Mr Yamdude arrives mid-air to get him. But when the chap flashes his discount coupons, the god gives him a chance to live, and instead buys himself goodies with the coupons.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUJc1gyFVb4[/youtube]

    Good, fun advertising. And the wackiness will help get instant brand recall. This sort of an over-the-top idea is required for a new website that simply deals in great sales offers. Safe advertising would have killed the brand even before the god of death arrived. So, a pat on the back for taking the risk.

     

    Seems to have paid off already. Snapdeal.com, because of the cool Yamdude, is being discussed on the social media. Always a good sign for brands targeted at the urban youth.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3.5 Funky idea, entertaining ads.

     

  • While I understand the show needs crazy and edgy contestants to keep the fights going (and therefore the ratings), do all of them have to be loonies?

    Anil Thakraney: The Bigg Boss Diary

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Chances are, if I wasn’t hired to write a blog on media and advertising, I would have given Bigg Boss a quiet miss. Watching fishmarket fights right before dozing off isn’t really my idea of fun. But watch I did, now and then, and now that the show is done and dusted, some observations.

     

    I have to grudgingly admit that the show is a success in India. Viewership ratings have been climbing every season, and the fifth season opened with a very healthy 4.3. It later fell a bit and hovered around 2, but even that’s not bad for a 10.30 PM reality show. Of course, the grand finale must have recorded a much higher figure. Another indicator of its popularity is the media’s huge interest in the show. Hindi news channels kept a faithful coverage going (they went near orgasmic when the final results were announced) and the show has been a hot topic of discussion on Twitter as well. Much as I hate to admit is, Bigg Boss is here to stay.

     

    It was quite clear Salman Khan was calling many shots on the show, and was playing way beyond the designated role of an anchor. I would not be surprised if he had a part to play in the elimination rounds, and this makes me wonder. Is the channel not able to stand up to a top actor? Or, is Sallubhai planning to pick up stake in the network? Contestant Pooja Bedi’s absence at the finale raised many eyebrows. She had been tweeting about Salman and Mahak Chahal’s (another contestant) good ‘friendship’.

     

    Sanjay Dutt does not fit into this format at all. A crashing bore. Hope we won’t have to suffer him in the next season. There’s already enough grief coming from the insane inmates.

     

    While I understand the show needs crazy and edgy contestants to keep the fights going (and therefore the ratings), do all of them have to be loonies? Does it not make sense to invite at least a few intelligent people on the show to provide some balance? That way, in between ugly confrontations, we viewers can be rewarded with a few meaningful conversations. Surely that would boost TRPs a bit. Something for Colors to think about for the next season. Even a mental asylum has doctors and nurses.

     

    I failed to see the need for a porn star if she cannot strip on the show. What’s the use of burning so much money on a contestant who cannot do on a family channel that which she knows best? Also, the very burnt-out Shakti Kapoor was a terrible idea, a disaster. And Swami Agnivesh?? Makes you wonder if someone is thinking clearly on the casting.

     

    Finally, can we please be told how many people voted to keep a contestant in the house? Can we have some numbers please? Can we have some transparency please? So that the frequent charges of rigging can be diluted to a certain extent?

     

    ***

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7av4zOpUSk[/youtube]

    PS: England and Chelsea football captain John Terry has threatened the Indian government with legal action. A photograph of the footballer has been cleared for use on an Indian ciggie brand. Well, hope he does file charges and seek compensation. The government makes too much dosh on excise duty in this product category, and smokers will be happy if some of that goes to a footballer.

     

  • There is no courage out here, only exploitation. Remove the prize money, and no one would want to appear on the show, that’s the hard truth.

    Anil Thakraney: Sach Ka Saamna: A new low in TV programming

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I watched two episodes of Sach Ka Saamna (SKS) Season 2, and I must say in contrast, Bigg Boss feels like a house of angels. SKS is a completely debauched and exploitative format, where the poor and the desperate are encouraged to wash their dirty linen in public. And in return, they could take home a crore of rupees. A few lakhs in the bag is almost a certainty.

     

    Some of the questions put out by the host would make even hardened souls cringe. They range from cheating at workplace to hatred for parents to adultery in marriage. And all this as the contestant’s family sits in the audience. Hottie host Rajeev Khandelwal sweetens the bitter pill by complimenting the buggers for being courageous, and that’s total bullshit. There is no courage out here, only exploitation.

     

    Remove the prize money, and no one would want to appear on the show, that’s the hard truth. So careers get destroyed, families get broken, marriages lie in ruin… but all justified under the garb of ‘speaking the truth’. Wow!

     

    The show’s TRPs for season 2 are quite poor. But that could be because this time it’s being aired on the channel Life Ok, Star One’s new avatar. More people will discover the channel and the pathetic show, so with time the ratings will go up. Who on the earth would want to miss out on such depraved programming? It appeals to the ultimate sadist in all of us.

     

    No, I am not being moralistic out here. And I am aware that desperate for viewership, channel heads would push the envelope on programming. But how can anyone justify blatant exploitation? I would be okay if they only featured loaded celebrities on the show. Richie-rich people who want us to enter their bedrooms only because they enjoy the trespass. But feeding on people’s poverty cannot be condoned at all. Hope Sach Ka Saamna dies a miserable death. Sooner the better.

     

    * * *

     

    PS: Must read for all creative people. Great tips on how to energize inspiration and battle creative blocks.

     

    Link: http://m.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/jan/02/top-artists-creative-inspiration?cat=culture&type=article

     

    Former editor and ad man Anil Thakraney is editor-at-large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own

     

  • SRK and Pepsodent – not working, G. Ra.One was more happening!

    Debrief: Pepsodent G: WTF, G??

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Pepsodent G takes care of your gums. Fair enough. But what does Shahrukh Khan have to do with this promise? Unless it’s about Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gum, which is not the case out here, hehe.

     

    The commercial features King Khan as a Sikh army officer. And it involves an exchange between him and his little son, on how the brand reaches the root of a toothache, and sorts our gum problems. Or some such thing. The only slightly cute thing about the TVC is that father and son address each other as ‘Pappu G’ and ‘Pappa G’. A take off on Pepsodent G. In fact, I think someone in the ad agency got the ‘G’ brainwave, and got so excited, he/she wrote a whole script on it, just to somehow make it work.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XNovcMh7w0[/youtube]

    Total waste of money, G. What’s the point of hiring the super expensive Khan when all he has to do is become the brand window for Pepsodent G? Where’s the idea? Where’s the entertainment? Caught up in the weak G ‘masti’, the writer hasn’t even tried to inject some life into the dialogue. The result: a maha boring ad. Despite Shahrukh doing all he can to pep things up a bit.

     

    Not working, G. Back to the drawing board, G. Make the star pay for his fat fees, G.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 1. Lifeless script. Shahrukh Khan’s Ra.One was more happening. 

     

     

  • The ad effortlessly communicate that Google Chrome can make you prosper in your line of activity.

    Debrief: Google Chrome: Real marries virtual

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Excellent advert from Google Chrome. Taking their global idea forward, which is ‘The web is what you make of it’, they have Indianized the concept quite wonderfully. It’s about explaining to a layman how easy it is to expand your business by creating your own website.

     

    The TVC features an artist from Tanjore (Tamil Nadu). His miniature paintings aren’t selling much, and the man looks pretty disillusioned. He then creates a website for his work, and soon his fame spreads far and wide and he turns into a flourishing entrepreneur.

     

    But the magic lies in the execution of the commercial, it’s a combination of the real and the virtual, and it’s difficult to describe it. Watch the TVC.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZYIBQqRodA[/youtube]

    Now here’s a commercial where everything comes right. The idea, the direction, the editing, the setting, the casting, the music score… all come together literally like a work of art, and effortlessly communicate that Google Chrome can make you prosper in your line of activity. It’s actually a very basic thought, but the fabulous execution takes it to another level.

     

    Also, it must be said, this is a risky storyboard. Things could easily have gone horribly wrong with a mediocre treatment. Full marks to Google Chrome and their ad agency for taking that risk. It’s paid off.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 4. Art and science come together seamlessly to create magic.

     

  • On the first working day of the year, Anil Thakraney presents the 20 things he desires from the Indian media and adworld.

    Media & Adland Wishlist 2012

     

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Indian media, in general, has got a number of things right. It puts serious pressure on the ruling government and sometimes the judiciary, so that the right things happen, and they happen fast. This crusading spirit is important in a slow- moving, chaotic nation like ours, so kudos on that front.

     

    However, there are a number of things that are not so right with our media, especially the mass media, and here’s hoping we get to see some course correction in the coming years. Here’s my Top Ten wish list.

     

    1. Radiagate was a wakeup call for all journalists. When access to the rich and powerful gets too close, one needs to quickly draw a line and back off. Some didn’t, and are lucky to still have their jobs. The scandal brought immense disrepute to the profession, and credibility will be hard to restore completely. Here’s hoping in the future the Indian media remains free of any such nonsense. We can’t afford it.

     

    2. The Broadcast Editors’ Association put out a 10-point code of conduct for news channels on how they should cover the Bachchan baby birth. And the very private family event passed off very privately without the channels breathing down their necks. What one would like to see in the coming year is that this practice becomes standard operating procedure during private celeb moments, and there is no need for codes any more. This would also delight Shri Katju.

     

    3. While it did change to a certain extent as the year closed, most editors behaved like Anna Hazare’s cheerleaders all through the year 2011. This is not just unfair, it’s against the fundamental principles of journalism. Here’s looking forward to less bias and more balance in the year 2012.

     

    4. It’s very clear that our media houses have aligned themselves with various political parties, and their respective biases keep becoming apparent even to the layman. This must change for sure, starting from 2012. Media without objectivity is like Rakhi Sawant without silicone. No one wants that.

     

    5. No more paid news. Repeat after me children… no more paid news. Repeat after me children… no more paid news.

     

    6. Here’s hoping all those TV anchors who indulge in hysteria and drama are promptly transported to the Bigg Boss house in the coming year. And are not allowed to enter newsrooms again. The junta wants news and views. Not nautanki.

     

    7. No more front half-pagers in the coming year. Where advertisers demand that the front page be vertically slashed. A fatwa needs to be declared against proprietors who agree to this criminal practice.

     

    8. Would like to see some kickass innovations in the print media this year. Both, newspapers and magazines. The digital media threatens big-time, it’s like a wolf at the door, and our old-world editors continue to pretend nothing’s happening, as they dish out the same tired stuff. I am also hoping editors who refuse to re-invent are shown the door before 2012 closes.

     

    9. Really wish that in the year 2012 the maha excitable radio jocks shut the eff up and play the effing music. Even if all the radio stations play the same ten songs at the same time.

     

    10. All the girls in the TV newsrooms need to glam up. I noticed the nails are becoming brightly coloured these days, but I want to see more. I mean, if I am stuck with the likes of Abhishek Singhvi, Chandan Mitra and Mani Shankar Ayer discussing the same tosh night after night, I need some joy to come from somewhere.

     

    Ad World 2012

    The Indian ad world, though it gives many awards to itself, hasn’t really set the world on fire. Okay, so we do score the odd international award now and then, but clearly we have a long way to go. Aside from that, our ad guys will face many serious challenges in the coming years, and quite frankly, I am not sure the industry leaders are ready as yet. I still get a sense of complacency and self-satisfaction when I meet agency bigwigs.

     

    Here are ten changes I would like to see in 2012.

    1. Once and for all, ad agencies must set aside their rivalries and egos, and must come together to work out a fee structure. It’s obvious the agencies are underpaid by their clients, and this puts serious pressure on their resources. This is also a common complaint I hear from agency heads. Well, grumbling won’t solve the problem. Start the New Year with many beers, and figure a way out!

     

    2. I think hot shops are back with a bang in the ad world, and in the coming year they will put real pressure on the large networks. Aggie and Padhi are just one example, but I predict more people will quit large agencies and set up their own boutiques. Since their rates will be lower, many clients will be tempted to defect from the traditional agencies. And I think this is a good development as it will result in superior work overall.

     

    3. Experts in TV media continue to head ad agencies, and I am hoping at least a few agencies will smash this system and promote young creative chaps skilled in the new media. Because old-world creative directors generally don’t understand the digital space, and they need to make way for the young geeks. Sooner the better.

     

    4. Simultaneously, I wish in the year 2012, youngsters in the ad agencies get off the internet (and that includes Facebook) and spend some time in the villages and small towns. There is a dire need for agency staffers to be well rounded in their skills. This is not Singapore. This is India, and a whole lot of people are still looking to buy their first colour TV.

     

    5. I wish ad agencies would bring back the lost pride into their strategic planning function. The number one reason many suits quit the business to join the world of marketing is the lack of brand planning within ad agencies. Ad agencies have become creative sweatshops, and this leaves no work for managers but to be good executors. Starting 2012, I am hoping this changes, because it’s bleeding the ad world of its talent.

     

    6. Dear Creative Director, please, please, please do at least ONE nice press ad in the year 2012. I beg of you. People still read newspapers in this nation. Puleeeeaze!

     

    7. I know the media buying function is now completely divorced from advertising. And it is my belief that this has badly affected media innovations. I recall those days when the three of us – the account executive, the media planner and the creative director – would lunch together and crack ad ideas. I hope at least once in the year 2012, Balki, Lynn and their client servicing person share a drink and discuss brands.

     

    8. No fake ads in 2012. Repeat after me, children. No fake ads in 2012. Repeat after me, children. No fake ads in 2012. Repeat after me, children.

     

    9. No noisy TV commercials in 2012. People don’t buy from shriekers. Repeat after me, children. No noisy commercials in 2012. People don’t buy from shriekers. Repeat after me, children.

     

    10. I am hoping at least one brand will show all of us how to exploit viral magic on the internet in 2012. At least one brand will become the Kolaveri of 2012.

     

    Cheers!

     

    Anil Thakraney has worn various hats in advertising and as a journalist for around 25 years. He is editor-at-large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own.

    Visual: Rafiq

     

  • For Mumbai, which is not a politically active city unlike Delhi, Team Anna needed to think out of the box to get the crowds in.

    Anil Thakraney: The trick Anna missed

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    So, Anna Hazare’s Mumbai campaign suffered a serious setback. Only a few thousand ‘fans’ landed up, though expectations were of lakhs of people joining in. In fact, I was so mortally petrified of the projected traffic chaos, I made sure I did not plan any travel in the city… I stayed hidden under my bed like a coward for the period of the planned agitation.

     

    Quite clearly there are many reasons why the dharna flopped, and I won’t go into them out here, that’s for columnists in the mass media to worry about. But I must say this: For Mumbai, which is not a politically active city unlikeDelhi, Team Anna needed to think out of the box to get the crowds in. For one, they needed to hire a professional event management company, which would have organized entertainment and refreshments for the attendant junta. People are already fatigued of the Lokpal issue, and there have to be add-ons if Mumbaikars are tempted to give up their routine lives and spend three whole days at the MMRDA grounds. I am quite sure some event companies would have slashed their fees for the noble cause.

     

    Two, and no I am NOT kidding about this, Team Anna ought to have done a promo tie-up with Bollywood, without making a song and dance of it. For example, Don 2 released around the time of Anna’s Mumbai chapter. Could they not have tied up with Farhan Akhtar and Shahrukh Khan? What’s the worst that would have happened? SRK asking people to watch his flick, that’s about it. He does that everywhere, anyways. But in return, his presence would not only have pulled massive crowds in, it would have got Parliament on the edge. And the media would have shown much more interest in the event, even the Page 3 journos would have landed up.

     

    I am sure some of you might think I am trivializing a serious issue out here. Well,

    I am not. Because it’s quite clear to me that poor old Anna Hazare does not have the money or the means or the charisma to send Mumbai into a tizzy. He needed help. He needed to be clever. Because after the Mumbai flop show, even the Anna loyalists are having second thoughts about a solid Lokpal bill. And many fans across the nation seem to be losing faith in him.

     

    It would be a terrible loss for the country if Anna sahib were to fade away into oblivion. It’s time to think different.

     

    * * *

     

    PS: Since I am always cribbing and carping about the Indian media, I have decided to be nice in my last post of the year. For the entire year 2011, news channels behaved liked hysterical cheerleaders for Anna Hazare, thereby throwing all professionalism out of their studios. But as the year closed, I noticed a sense of calm and fair play across the board. The debates were more balanced and nuanced. Even Arnab Goswami was unbiased!

     

    Let’s hope we get to watch more of this in 2012. Happy New Year!

     

  • The problem here is the treatment, not so much the concept. They could have made stunning commercials on future events. Instead, they have indulged in a wild, immensely off-putting shor sharaba waali party sharty, and in all the din the brand gets lost somewhere.

    Debrief: Can’t see the wood for the ply

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Completely stupid ad from the house of Greenply. While it isn’t a bad idea to feature improbable situations from the future, and thus imply that the only thing constant will be the long-lasting Greenply plywood, the method they have used is really bad, and that’s putting it mildly.

     

    The setting is a New Year party, where some crazies sing and dance and predict outlandish things about the future. That the rupee will get you 45 dollars, the Kashmir problem will be solved, man will get pregnant, cars will run on water, etc. And that while we may not be around to see all that happen, the chair made from Greenply will still be there to witness all of it.

     

    Always hoyenga.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l23PT-GuKSY[/youtube]

    Well, to be honest, I can’t believe it’s the same Greenply that gave us that delightful ad where a Tamilian gent is reborn as a little Sardarji. The problem here is the treatment, not so much the concept. They could have made stunning commercials on future events, almost like little sci-fi films. Maybe with stories woven around them. Instead, they have indulged in a wild, immensely off-putting shor sharaba waali party sharty, and in all the din the brand gets lost somewhere. And yes, the jingle really sucks.

     

    Pata nahin future mein kya hoyenga. Par yeh ad nahin chalenga.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 1. Simply put, a really bad New Year party.

     

  • Is pulling off misleading ads enough?

    Anil Thakraney: Rap on the knuckles that leaves no mark

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    According to a report published on this website, the ASCI has very recently upheld complaints against as many as 17 ads. Here’s the link to the full story:

    http://www.mxmindia.com/2011/12/ascis-consumer-complaints-council-upholds-complaints-against-17-out-of-25-ads/

    Considering this figure pertains to ads that ran during just a two month period (July and August 2011), one has to say it is a rather large number. This indicates that Indian ads are on overdrive when it comes to either making tall claims or offending the consumers. Now, while I can understand brands being pulled up for ‘offensive’ material and their ads being knocked out, we must question if that punishment is enough for misleading ads.

     

    Of the 17 culprits, the majority are ads that carry exaggerated/false claims, thus misleading the buyer. Car ads that boast of incredible mileage. Companies that offer ‘freebies’ to consumers. Ads that diss rival brands by putting out unscientific research studies. Tutorial classes that make dodgy claims of ‘best faculty’ and ‘most successful’ students. Detergent brands that claim to remove all sorts of stains without an authentic study to support them.

     

    Here’s the problem: Substantial damage is done by these misleading ads by the time they get yanked off the media. A number of students would have enrolled in such dubious coaching classes. Many car buyers would have bought the brand, suckered by false mileage figures. And a number of housewives would have purchased the detergent powder, only to discover that the stains never disappeared. Which is why some advertisers will continue with this wrong practice as there’s no deterrent or punishment beyond the ad being killed.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-_rf2jVxxY[/youtube]

    My own belief is this, purely on grounds of ethics: Industry leaders must come together and impose monetary penalties on adverts making false claims. So that there is some fear put into the minds of mischievous brand managers. And funds collected from these punishments can be donated to charitable causes.

     

    I know this is an industry portal, and we must speak for the industry. Still, efforts need to be made so that under no circumstances does the end consumer get taken for a ride. Because we must never forget that we all exist because of her and him.

     

    ***

    PS: What do you do when match day falls on Valentine’s Day? How can football fans pass on messages of love to their partners? Well, Puma shows the way.

     

  • The challenge 'Aapke paas nahin hai kya?' makes the owner of the phone feel superior, and this trick should appeal to kids who are forever looking to outwit their seniors, to go one-up on them.

    Debrief: The one-upmanship trick

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    It’s raining smart phones in the market. And they need smart ads to get noticed. Well, Samsung has found a Smart Alec way to achieve that for its new brand, Galaxy Y.

     

    The phone, as you can imagine, is targetted at the tech-savvy youth. And the core idea is that the smart phone helps the kids ‘fix’ their seniors/elders. In one ad, a suit stops his luxury car and asks some youngsters for directions to a place. But he makes the fatal mistake of addressing them as ‘kids’, and this energizes one of the spunky girls to show some attitude with her hot new phone. As she challenges the ‘uncle’ with: Aapke paas nahin hai kya? Similarly in the other ad, an angsty boss gets put in his place by a junior who plays around with his funky Galaxy.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXTlU2kLjyg[/youtube]
    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMUSdYSa3Qs[/youtube]

    Not a bad idea. The challenge ‘Aapke paas nahin hai kya?’ makes the owner of the phone feel superior, and this trick should appeal to kids who are forever looking to outwit their seniors, to go one-up on them. In that sense the insight is relevant and the idea campaignable. Should work.

     

    However, where the commercials falter a bit is in the execution. The treatment lacks finesse, it looks sophomoric. And the humour could have been stronger, they need wittier situations. Nothing that can’t be fixed.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2.5. Good thought, but needs stylish play.

  • While I can understand the producers wanting to promote Don 2 – even planting those cheap 3D glasses inside newspapers is okay to a point – Shahrukh must understand that his continuous presence in the media is going to hurt his charisma in the long run. How much of the star can we take?

    Anil Thakraney: Doesn’t SRK get it?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Oh no! Don 2 (it actually should be Don 3, because the earlier Don was a rip-off of the original Bachchan film) is all set to hit the cinemas and we will have to sit back and ‘enjoy’ Shahrukh Khan’s nautanki, as he shuttles from one TV studio to another, desperately hawking the flick. He just did ditto for Ra.One and pakaoed the hell out of everyone. The popular Twitter joke at the time was: The only thing left for SRK to do is to insert breaks during the film’s screening, so that he can plug it!

     

    Did the media hero’s 360-degree effort for Ra.One save the film? Despite all those tall claims on initial collections (which would have happened even if Khan didn’t do the studio rounds… his name anyway gets lots of folks interested), the film was dissed by all and sundry and reportedly lost some money. So what is the use of all this mad self marketing?

     

    Now, while I can understand the producers wanting to promote the film – even planting those cheap 3D glasses inside newspapers is okay to a point – Shahrukh must understand that his continuous presence in the media is going to hurt his charisma in the long run. How much of the star can we take? In fact, I gave Ra.One a quiet miss because the last thing I wanted after his full-on blast in the media was more Shahrukh Khan. Sure, the content-starved TV channels will welcome him with open arms. Because it gives them a chance to talk about all issues unconnected with the film, including SRK’s opinions on how to end communalism in this nation, and how to send a man to Uranus (okay, I made the last one up). But what good does all that fluff talk do for the film’s fortunes?

     

    Dear SRK and all the other stars: Guys, spend all this moolah and energy on creating sparkling content. Two, zealously protect the mystique around your own image. And three, leave the TV studios to the netas and to Mr Suhel Seth.

     

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    PS: I sincerely hope Anna’s Jan Lokpal bill gets passed in toto by the government. Not because I believe it will end corruption, but because I don’t want Team Anna doing their number from Mumbai. The traffic is already a mess out here, and we just can’t handle another frenzied public spectacle.