MxMIndia

Tag: anil thakraney

  • HTC has come up with some really silly stuff for their new handset called 'Explorer'

    Debrief: HTC: Fingering around

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Quite understandably, desperation has set into the advertising for mobile phones. After all, every single route and trick has been exhausted in this highly cluttered category. HTC has come up with some really silly stuff for their new handset called ‘Explorer’. They have used the ‘finger’ as the creative device.

     

    In the various TVCs, a man’s fingers literally walk and reach the lady he’s trying to patao. In her bedroom, her bath tub, wherever she goes. And yes, since this is advertising, she gets pataoed. In real life, the lady would file charges for stalking. The concept is this: Win her heart by hectically running your fingers on the smart phone.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy3j3jM7FOE[/youtube]

    Not only is the finger idea not original (remember Small B’s ‘ungli cricket’?), the way they’ve used it here is ugly and off-putting. Almost creepy, what with fingers relentlessly chasing a woman around. Worse, the situation of wooing a woman… how new is that? The least they should have done was to make sure the ugly unglis do something new.

     

    Bottom-line: Advertising that’s tired, tasteless, boring and repulsive. I understand some amount of advertising fatigue has set into this product category, but fingering with the creative? That’s so not on.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 0. The middle finger, anyone?

  • Rahul Dravid warns that not thinking about the fan is one of the reasons for the fast-diminishing crowds at Indian stadia. And how this portends very badly for the future of the game. It's TV that is busy slaying the goose that lays the golden eggs

    Anil Thakraney: Treating the fan like shit

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Everyone’s talking about Rahul Dravid’s speech at the Bradman Oration. It is sharp and insightful. And it proves that the man is not just a great batsman, he’s got a thinking brain when it comes to the sport. Jammy makes many pertinent points about the dangers to cricket, but one that caught my attention was on disrespecting the fan. Quite coincidentally, I had alluded to this in an earlier post.

     

    Dravid warns that not thinking about the fan is one of the reasons for the fast-diminishing crowds at Indian stadia. And how this portends very badly for the future of the game. He is right, of course, and I believe it’s TV that is busy slaying the goose that lays the golden eggs. Because the BCCI earns almost all its revenues from television rights, they have paid scant attention to the stadia. The last time I made the mistake of going for a one-day match, it turned out to be such an awful experience, I swore never go back, even if someone paid me a whole lot of money to do so. Stinking, dirty toilets. Crowd mismanagement. Shortage of drinking water. Very uncomfortable seats. It was like the organizers were saying to me: “Who asked you to come here, you idiot? Go home and watch.”

     

    Dravid categorically states that it is no fun for the players either. That it is depressing playing in front of empty stadia. Really hope the BCCI is listening to him and takes urgent measures to sort this out. If they won’t take the rest of us seriously, surely they must pay close attention to what the experienced cricketer has to say. He can’t be wrong.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr4bK63WxXY[/youtube]Here’s the link to Dravid’s speech if you haven’t watched it yet. In addition to his views, the suits must pay attention to his style. Dravid makes very serious points, but he doesn’t bore the audience. Something to learn from here for those who speak at seminars. Boring speakers who never fail to put us to sleep. (One of the main reasons I politely decline invitations to seminars.)

     

    ***

     

    PS: Completely wacko ad from BurgerKing,Russia. It’s over-the-top and bizarre, perhaps an indication of the desperation caused by their declining market share. But you have to say one thing: At least they’ve made the burger the hero!

     

     

     

  • It's very clear by now that, drunk on the TV media's fan-like support, members of the team have become arrogant and Dubya-like in their attitude. The 'my way or the highway' deal. How healthy is that approach for democracy, we all know quite well.

    Anil Thakraney: Cut the Anna crusade

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    It is fashionable to credit the social media for Team Anna’s stupendous run. They have managed to hilao the government big-time, and it is often said their oxygen is the support provided by tweeters and facebookers. I totally disagree.

     

    The real fuel for Anna’s campaign comes from the television media. It is they who, in their childlike enthusiasm, have converted the saint from Ralegaon Siddhi into a god-like cult figure. And quite frankly, I am not surprised. It’s our TV media’s belief that any story that generates ratings must be given liberal play, even if it demolishes every tenet of good journalism. From no angle can you justify the role played by the assorted news channels as crusaders and poster boys for Team Anna. When the social media does that, it becomes understandable. Because the virtual world consists of individuals fed up of corruption… dudes who don’t really comprehend the complexities of the Lokpal bill, and are basically venting steam. That’s fine. But for professional journalists to become recruitment agents for Anna is simply an appalling situation.

     

    Anyway, what’s done is done. Team Anna is threatening Hunger Strike Part 2, this time from the ‘salubrious’ Mumbai. At least this time around the news channels must respect the principles of journalism and desist from going over-the-top on the coverage. Because it’s very clear by now that, drunk on the TV media’s fan-like support, members of the team have become arrogant and Dubya-like in their attitude. The ‘my way or the highway’ deal. How healthy is that approach for democracy, we all know quite well.

     

    Bottom-line: Let Team Anna fight its own battles. Report the story, like any other story, and no more. There are other interesting ways to get good ratings. Try village horror stories. At least they don’t threaten Indian democracy.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Wieden + Kennedy’s London office has found a charming way to wish you this season. The agency has set up a window outside their office, from where passers-by can take part in the celebrations. Lovely idea.

     

    Link: http://achoirofyou.com/

  • TV debates? Better spend the time watching a reality show. A porn star any day for me over a narcissistic, gassy TV anchor

    Anil Thakraney: The TV gas chamber

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    It’s been a long time since I watched a TV debate. Because I found, much after a lot of torturous viewing, that it’s a huge waste of time. Might as well watch Bigg Boss 5. It’s far more interesting, at least the participants are fresh faces and they look glam too.

     

    Here are some reasons why TV debates suck big time on our news channels.

     

    1. The same dull and sleepy faces. The same spokespersons of various political parties hop from studio to studio each night. Each a big bore, and each clueless about his/her leader’s real agenda. And compelled to support any idiotic dictate from their bosses. If you are glued to your idiot box when people like Abhishek Singhvi, Chandan Mitra and that lady from BJP pontificate each evening, you badly need a life.

     

    2. Because news channel editors and their assistants are too lazy to make an effort to discover new voices, we are stuck with the same ‘experts’ each evening. Suhel Seth, Shobhaa De, Prahlad Kakkar, etc, are now telling us how to decode every news item. From terrorism to FDI in retail to the Kingfisher mess to harassment of women. In such a vast nation, is it so difficult to find new voices? And more importantly, voices of people we can trust and respect?

     

    3. The entire concept is fraudulent. Because the anchors deliberately pick people with extremely polarised views, the debate becomes an exchange of gas. Like a school boys’ discussion. No one ever concedes that the other guy may be making a valid point, even if he/she feels so. That admission will appear to be a sign of ‘surrender’ on a TV debate. So the participants keep yelping at one another rather than talking to one other. I particularly avoid watching debates on theBhopalgas tragedy. Because gassing levels shoot through the chimney on those days.

     

    4. The anchors, who are supposed to be neutral, almost always throw in their two bits, thus adulterating the show by injecting their own agendas and biases into the discussion. This murders the concept of a debate, reducing it to a charade. I have often noticed that the much celebrated, award winning anchors lose their patience with guest speakers whose views they don’t approve of. You call this a debate? I call it nautanki.

     

    Like I said, better spend the time watching a reality show. A porn star any day for me over a narcissistic, gassy TV anchor.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Everyone is appreciating Mr and Mrs Aamir Khan for going public with their surrogate baby. There is even talk of making the couple spokespersons for surrogate parenthood. Well, methinks we are giving the couple too much importance out here.

    Aamirbhai had NO option but to reveal the truth in the media. How else could he have explained the presence of a bachcha in the house, with missus having shown no signs of pregnancy? Trust some people to jump at making virtue out of necessity.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a Mumbai-based columnist and commentator and is a former adman and editor. He is Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own.

     

  • Good, clean commercial from the makers of Nutrine Mahalacto. The main appeal lies in the fact that they have made a very routine announcement appear interesting.

    Debrief: Cute, cool and sweet

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Good, clean commercial from the makers of Nutrine Mahalacto. The candy is now 20 percent bigger in size, and this needed to be communicated in the new TVC. Frankly speaking, it’s a rather boring offer, but to their credit they have managed to make it sound like fun.

     

    Animation has been used to make the Nutrine Mahalacto candy bar come alive as a spunky little character. The candy spots a goblet of milk on the dining table, and using a straw as a pole vault, it dives in. It then gobbles down the milk and becomes bigger in size.

     

    Not an award-winner by any stretch of imagination. It’s a simple story, but it’s been cutely told, the animation is cool too and most importantly: the kids will enjoy it. They are the target audience for the brand, and so that’s all that matters. To me, the main appeal lies in the fact that they have made a very routine announcement appear interesting.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3. Good animation.

  • The publishers of the Deccan Herald are either being very brave. Or very foolish. Either way, let's wish them luck. They'll need loads of it.

    Anil Thakraney: Deccan Herald’s Mission Impossible

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Having learnt to live a life in India where just about anything is possible, nothing ever unnerves me. But I must say I woke up on Sunday morning to rather shocking news, it totally rattled me. No, not that Anna Sahib is going on another fast (that’s no news, really), but that Bangalore’s Deccan Herald has launched a Delhi edition. To be honest, I am still reeling from this totally sensational khabar.

     

    Here are few reasons why the Deccan Herald simply CANNOT be undertaking this suicidal mission: One, newspapers are closing down all over the world. And India, because of its massive reading population and a continuous flow of new readers, will survive this danger for some more years. But closures will happen, it’s only a matter of time. In fact, quite ironically, Deccan Herald’s foray into Delhi comes close on the heels of Mid Day’s closure out there. Given that, prudence lies in beefing up strong editions and putting all the resources into your main markets, so that the demise can be postponed as much as possible. One would imagine that the proprietors of the Deccan Herald would go all out to spruce up their Bangalore edition. And what do they do? They go to Delhi! Wow!

     

    Next. Delhi is a very crowded newspaper market, and it’s pretty much dominated by the very deep pocket wallahs, the TOI and the HT. It took the Times many years and lots of moolah before it could manage to eat into HT’s market share. And there are other cash rich players too. In this fish market scenario bravely trots in the low profile southern Deccan Herald, hoping to make a dent in the market. And from what I know, owners of the DH aren’t exactly loaded like the owners of the TOI and the HT, so they will always struggle to get noticed.

     

    And finally, what sort of freshness can the DH bring to an alien territory? The name ‘Deccan’ itself cues south of India. Why would a Dilliwallah be interested in finding out from a southie what’s going on in his backyard. And where he must wine and dine. Makes no editorial sense at all.

     

    Well, all I can say is that the publishers of the Deccan Herald are either being very brave. Or very foolish. Either way, let’s wish them luck. They’ll need loads of it.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Some of the more enterprising ex-O&M guys organised an agency reunion in Mumbai last week. To catch up and mark David Ogilvy’s 100th centenary. Was fantastic meeting the old boys and gals, it felt like homecoming. I must say this: no reunion brings me as much joy as the one with the Ogilvy gang. Not school, not college, not other organization reunions. Must be Sir Ogilvy’s magical touch. Can’t think of another reason.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a Mumbai-based columnist and commentator and is a former adman and editor. He is Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own.

  • In his fantasy, the mantri overlooked one critical ground reality: Leave alone the fact that it's impossible to pre-screen millions of posts, the Indian Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to free speech.

    Anil Thakraney: Sibal in Blunderland

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I think Shri Kapil Sibal lives in a world of fantasy. Much like Alice in Wonderland.

     

    If you recall, the portly mantri made a sensational ‘discovery’ not too long ago. He claimed there was NO loss to the country in the 2G spectrum scam, and the figure being bandied about was in the media’s wild imagination. Yeah right, Alice.

     

    And now he’s back with another dreamy idea: To gag the internet. I guess the loyal minister had a wondrous vision the previous night in his journey to Wonderland. Where he imagined millions of Indians collectively sucking up to Sonia G and family, even as scams raged in her backyard. I like Kapilji’s idea of Wonderful India. Except that it in reality it isn’t Wonderful India. It’s Incredible India. Where politicians loot and plunder the nation freely, and lord over the junta on the basis of the good ol’ ‘Divide & Rule’ policy.

     

    In his fantasy, the mantri overlooked one critical ground reality: Leave alone the fact that it’s impossible to pre-screen millions of posts, the Indian Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to free speech. And when that right is misused, the courts decide on the fate of the alleged abuser. If we follow this principle when it comes to the traditional media, why must the digital media practise censorship?

     

    It’s simple, really: You defame someone, promote communal hatred or indulge in any writing/creation that’s illegal, you face a court trial and if convicted, you get punished. A tweet or a Facebook update can as easily be retrieved as a newspaper article or a television bite. In fact, Mr Suhel Seth is currently battling a lawsuit because of some allegedly defamatory tweets on ITC. So there you are.

     

    Basically, the man’s logic is so steeped in unreality, even little Alice would be confounded. What must worry us even more is that this nation is ruled by such fantastic ministers.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Great work from Coke. Very touching. Keep a handkerchief on standby.

  • Indian parents in general do not bother to teach good manners to their kids, and this is amply demonstrated by the little ones at public places.

    Debrief: Thank you for the lesson

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Tata AIG Life Insurance has released a new TVC to hawk their children’s ‘Gyankosh’ insurance plan, and I totally like this one. Instead of promising that our children’s future will be safe with Tata AIG Life, and that they’ll grow up to become doctors and engineers, the focus is on inculcating the right values in the kids.

     

    The commercial features a young family at the dining table. When the servant arrives to serve food to the kid, the dad demands that he must say thank you to the house help. The spoilt lad refuses, but the dad puts his foot down. Finally, after much prodding, the kid says thanks to the servant and learns a lesson he’ll hopefully never forget in his life. The VO explains that parents must focus on the right upbringing of their children and Tata AIG Life will worry about their future.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9Hc7JcNLuc[/youtube]

    Good one. Very refreshing and unexpected communication. And very relevant for our times. Because Indian parents in general do not bother to teach good manners to their kids, and this is amply demonstrated by the little ones at public places.

     

    In addition the message emphasises the company’s core brand values. I also like the thoughtful execution… specially the part where the mother does not interfere when the dad is teaching his son a lesson. Wonder if all moms would do that in desi households.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 4. Also works nicely as a public service advert.

  • The 'on-hold' status of FDI in multi-brand retail sends the message that India is a country of uncertain climate and even shakier governance.

    Hard Knocks: Crossed signals over FDI

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I often wonder why international corporates even want to invest in a messy country like India. Why do they wish to take on all the headaches of operating inside such a chaotic nation. The answer, I suppose, is the market saturation in their own lands, and a raging desire to capitalize on the booming spending populace of this third world nation. Which makes the suits risk an entry into this snake pit.

     

    Well, all I can say is that these companies are either gutsy or desperate or both. If I was an international investor, I would quietly park my money in China. Or even Vietnam and Indonesia. And fly over India. Look at all the tamasha that just happened over the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail. And now it’s been put on ‘hold’… an euphemistic way of saying that the government chickened out of the deal. Here are the three messages we just sent to the global businessmen:

     

    1> The Indian PM is lamer than a lame duck. He has the vision, but lacks the ability, wherewithal and support to push new projects through. That, not just his rivals and allies, even his own party men can upset his plans at any time.

    2> Even if the FDI in retail bill gets passed, which is now a very remote possibility (even Baba Ram Dev doesn’t like it!), it’s left to the various states to accept or reject it. So you could be present in Delhi and Mumbai but missing in Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai. And when the state government changes, there’s no surety the new government won’t kick you out of the city. So there’s never any hope of stability.

    3> Goons of various political parties are always ready for some action on the streets. So to pacify a particular vote bank segment, there’s always a chance that they will strike your super expensive store. Shattered glass panes, damaged wares and bruised business could be just a stone’s throw away.

     

    Yes, India is a hot destination for dhandha. But only for the steely, hardy, brave risk-takers.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Quite liked the rich tributes various TV channels paid to Devsaab immediately on the news of his death. The best package was put out by Times Now (pretty much non-stop coverage) and Aaj Tak (the only channel that told us some untold Dev Anand tales). The only disappointment came from NDTV. On a day like that, when the whole nation was humming Dev’s classics, they ran an hour-long, maha-boring prime time show on parliament adjournments. From the sublime to the ridiculous.

  • The humour is weak and the novelty value of a rusk biscuit, the 'crunchy and juicy' promise, gets lost somewhere in, well, outer space.

    Debrief: Rusky business

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Britannia claims their new biscuit called Britannia Rusk is crunchy and juicy. And it’s difficult to find such a taste anywhere in the world. And so, the creative takes you out of the world. Into a spaceship.

     

    In the TVC, a young astronaut takes a tea break and munches on Britannia Rusk. Suddenly, literally out of the blue, his entire family arrives to share the biscuits. Mom, dad, granny, even the kaamwaali bai. The message: Britannia Rusk brings the family together with its sensational taste.

     

    While I like the unusual setting of a spaceship, which will help the commercial get noticed, there are two factors that weaken the communication. Even as family bonding is demonstrated, the novelty value of a rusk biscuit, the ‘crunchy and juicy’ promise, gets lost somewhere in, well, outer space. Since rusk is a relatively new breed of biscuits out here, the initial advertising ought to have focused on product attributes rather than lifestyle. Secondly, the humour is weak. The maid’s appearance will bring a little smile, but that’s about it.

     

    All said, the TVC will arouse a little curiosity but may not be effective beyond that.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2. The strategy needs a rethink.

  • Are reality shows over-hyped in the desi entertainment channels? Are they worth all the effort and the expenditure? Is too much expectation being loaded on them?

    Thakraney: Sony after KBC. Reality shows must face the music

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I really don’t know what Sony’s revenue model was for the recently concluded KBC. As in, did the channel actually make money on advertising and sponsorships after deducting the massive costs? Which include phenomenal sums going to the host Big B, not to speak of all the prize monies (Mr Sushil Kumar alone walked away with five crore rupees). Maybe they did make a little profit on the show, maybe they did not. But here’s what has happened immediately post the show: On the ratings chart, the channel slipped to No 3 from its position of No 2.

     

    Now, traditional programming logic suggests that expensive reality shows and blockbuster cinema films play the role of a magnet, of getting a channel some stickiness with the viewers. Having come onto the platform, viewers would taste the regular fare on the channel and hopefully stay on. Well, KBC doesn’t seem to have delivered on that promise. After enjoying the show, clearly many viewers defected to the other channels. This naturally raises a doubt in the mind: Are reality shows over-hyped in the desi entertainment channels? Are they worth all the effort and the expenditure? Is too much expectation being loaded on them?

     

    There are no easy answers to this one. But one thing is clear: You can tempt patrons into a restaurant by offering an outstanding dessert, but they will only return if the food is delicious. You can’t build loyalty through window dressing. The idea should be to first build a powerful back-end… which is to create super regular programming. And then run a huge reality show, so that viewers like what they taste when it comes to the ‘bread and butter’ shows.

     

    In this context, one has to wonder if Sony put the cart before the horse. Star Plus’s consistent No 1 position should provide a way forward for other channels: Which is to first do the basics rights. And then dial Mr Bachchan’s number.

    ***

    PS: LOL! Watch this ad for Snickers. A good example of how to (literally) use research methods in advertising, AND make it work very nicely!

  • The so-called old-world creative directors, who have been weaned on TV commercials, will continue to thrive because TV isn't about to die in a hurry in this country. But when it comes to using the digital media for their clients, these TV heroes are zeroes.

    Anil Thakraney: Adland blues – where the ‘uncles’ don’t understand digital & ‘dudes’ don’t know Real India

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    One subject that keeps popping up when I meet senior creative directors from the ad world is the challenge posed by new media. And it’s a bit of a worry for everyone because India, unlike developed nations, is placed on a very interesting media matrix.

     

    On the one hand, we have the so-called old-world creative directors (most of them also chairmen of agencies) who have been weaned on TV commercials. Their entire focus and creativity is concentrated on the tube, they can only think TV (not even print!). And they will continue to thrive for many more years because unlike in the western nations, TV isn’t about to die in a hurry in this country. However, these TV hero ‘uncles’ are zeroes when it comes to using the digital media for their clients, and that’s obviously a big weakness. Their understanding of the opportunities offered by the social media space, for example, is very poor. In fact, both Balki and Piyush haven’t even registered for either Twitter or Facebook, that should give you an idea of their disinterest.

     

    Which is why they rely on the ‘young geeks’ in their offices to figure out the use of the digital media for their clients. The twenty-somethings who live their lives purely in the virtual world. The problem with these nerds, on the other hand, is that they don’t understand the traditional media at all. In fact, drowned in their comps/pads/mobiles 24X7, these techno-wizards are disconnected from reality. Therefore incapable of coming up with ideas that are born out of the nation’s culture and beliefs.

     

    For a Kolaveri sort of viral magic to happen for brands, this twain shall have to meet. Either the senior CDs make sure they spend energies to understand and bond with the digital space. Or, they ensure the bachchas in their agencies spend at least half their waking hours getting to know Real India. There is no third way out.

     

    This chasm is no good for the health of the brands they handle.

     

    ***

     

    PS: A review of Suhel Seth’s book has got the author all worked up. And the feisty man has been busy dissing the article writer, calling him a ‘loser’, ‘unemployed economist’, ‘a lowdown’, etc. Apparently, Seth later deleted the sweet tweets. Here’s the link to the said review. Must-read stuff.

     

     

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