MxMIndia

Tag: Cadbury Gems

  • The creative team had the right idea. And yet, there was something missing, the ads failed to shine. After a few exposures, boredom set in

    Debrief: Cadbury Gems: Weak animation

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Correct IPL strategy by Cadbury Gems. Within the core umbrella positioning of ‘Raho Umarless’, they ran a series of commercials during the just concluded tournament, where the gems were animated to behave like cricketers and spectators.

     

    The creative team had the right idea. They married the various colours Cadbury Gems come in with the colours of jerseys the different IPL teams wore. This was a cool idea, because it helped tie the brand with the games seamlessly. Also, the treatment, as you’d expect from candy advertising, was the usual fun and masti, so all that’s fine.

     

    And yet, there was something missing, the ads failed to shine. After a few exposures, boredom set in. Compare this animation effort with Voda’s hilarious Zoozoos and Zumis, the difference was like chalk and cheese. So then what went wrong? I suspect the problem was in the execution. Since the ‘characters’ remained at the level of Cadbury Gems, they lacked visual appeal. I am not an art director or an animation artist so I don’t have pat answers. Still, here’s a thought: Could some of the gems have been created to resemble cricketers, and made to behave the way Dhoni, Gayle, Bhajji, Sreesanth, etc, might behave? This would have helped bring in lots of laughs, and would have helped the gems look a bit cuter. As a bonus, Cadbury Gems would have got star power in the ads without having to pay these guys a penny.

     

    In fact, they could have fed on the latest IPL scandal, and added a few bookie gems.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2. Strategy perfect but the creative lacks spark.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views of the writer are his own.

     

  • There's a basic problem with this creative treatment: It's kiddish. Cadbury has failed to replicate the magic they create with their chocolates

    Debrief: Cadbury Gems: Not really a gem

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    After ‘upgrading’ their chocolate brands to adults, Cadbury is trying out the same trick with the totally kiddie Cadbury Gems. And I must say this is a very brave move. While one can understand and accept the fact that adults do indulge in chocolates, uncles and aunties gorging on Gems is pushing things a bit.

     

    The strategy is that Cadbury Gems brings out the inner bachcha in you. And that the brand makes you behave in a childish manner in adult situations. ‘Raho Umarless’ is the creative interpretation. I watched two commercials. In one, an oldish aunty sitting on a park bench notices a Cadbury Gem. She can’t resist it and sets off a volcanic eruption of candies. In another ad, a man spots an artifact inside a museum. It’s created out of Cadbury Gems. He plucks one candy out, and this action dislodges the entire structure and the creation is destroyed.

     

    There’s a basic problem with this creative treatment: It’s kiddish. Cadbury has failed to replicate the magic they create with their chocolates. For the latter, one is shown adult situations in which adults behave like adults. This creates empathy, and the brand wins. In the case of Cadbury Gems, adults behaving like silly kids will draw zero empathy from adults, there is no emotional connect. At best, the kids, who are the core consumers of Cadbury Gems, will love these commercials, and laugh their little heads off watching adults make fools of themselves.

     

    In other words, all that Cadbury has done is to reach out to the bachchas once again, this time showing adults in slapstick situations. And because of this, despite the ads being entertaining, they will score no points with the adult market. In any case, I think it’s a bad idea trying to promote a hardcore kiddie candy to adults. It’s not going to work.

     

    [youtube width=”325″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ink9lAkrcxY[/youtube] [youtube width=”325″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjV91ZRqu-o[/youtube]


    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2. Dicey strategy. Flawed creative.