MxMIndia

Tag: debrief

  • Nothing wrong with the treatment, and the single-minded communication ensures the promise is delivered smoothly. But here's the problem: This sort of a promise alarms me.

    Debrief: Toyota service: No hurry, take your time!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Cool ad for Toyota  service. The idea is simple: By the time ma’am gets decked up for the noon show, our man will be able to get his Etios all serviced and ready. The commercial intercuts between the lady doing her make-up while cribbing about the car having been sent for service, and service personnel working fast on the car. Promise: Super-fast service.

     

    Nothing wrong with the treatment, it’s slice of life stuff, and the cribbing lady acts quite naturally (all those of you who are married will identify with this situation). In fact, it’s her acting skill that makes sure you don’t get bored on repeat ad exposure, even though it’s an ordinary commercial. And the single-minded communication ensures the promise is delivered smoothly: No more waiting endlessly for your car to be serviced.

     

    So all very well. But here’s the problem, and it’s for the Etios guys to worry about, not their ad agency: This sort of a promise alarms me. Because my experience with care service stations has always been horrid. The staffers are usually careless, they work in a slip-shod manner, most of the complaints filed by the car owner are ‘forgotten’. I don’t want to worry you much, but I have seen these guys damage cars in a hurry to finish their jobs. Which is why the ‘quick service’ promise frightens me.

     

    I would much rather have a car maker tell me the service will be patient, careful, that their staffers will treat my gaadi like their own car. And I don’t mind if they take their own sweet time, I rather have an upset partner than a car that arrives half-done, or worse, dented. For a change, I am questioning the promise, not the creative.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2. Dicey strategy. But creative is okay.

     

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

     

  • Full marks to IndusInd Bank for thinking out of the box. However, the below average execution doesn't do justice to the unusual promise.

    Debrief: IndusInd Bank: Offbeat approach works

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Intriguing offer from IndusInd Bank. Their new ad is based on just one promise: We will offer you the account number you desire. Bollywood’s character actor Sharman Joshi has been hired to do the honours.

     

    Joshi is stuck on the number 30, because he considers it to be his lucky number. The ad tries to make this funny, as Joshi is pleased when his son scores only 30 percent marks in the exams. He desperately tries to fit into a trouser that’s size 30 inches. And so on.

     

    Must say I was a bit flummoxed when I first saw the ad. IndusInd Bank isn’t offering efficient service or higher interest rate or expert advice. They are offering an account number, which is the least of my concerns. Later I gave it a thought and felt they might be doing the right thing. Because all other banks make the expected promises, this bank is appealing only to the superstitious in us. And when you think about it, it makes sense because India is a nation of many superstitions, and ‘lucky number’ tops that list. The fact that so many people pay through their noses to get hold of the ‘right’ number for their vehicle is a clear indication of that. Full marks to IndusInd Bank for thinking out of the box.

     

    However, the below average execution doesn’t do justice to the unusual promise. The treatment is laid-back, the jingle is boring and the humour quotient is low. They could have conceived totally hilarious situations with the crazy obsession people have with numbers, and perhaps many short ads was the answer. And Joshi, instead of adding value, dilutes the overall impact. They didn’t need a celeb at all, the innovative offer is the real star! And that’s the only celeb the ad needed.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Refreshing promise. But execution gets only 30/100. 🙂

     

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

     

  • Many advertisers use celebrities quite mindlessly. Still, shouldn't there be at least some thought given to credibility of the communication? Or, does this builder think the nation is teeming with morons?

    Debrief: Gaur City: Chintu, tusi Noida shift ho gayeji?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    There’s this builder who’s been advertising on the national television network. They are building a residential complex called Gaur City in Greater Noida. Nothing wrong with that, if makers of bras and panties can sell their wares on the cover pages of dailies, why can’t a builder.

     

    The problem is this: The Gaur guys have signed up Mr and Mrs Rishi Kapoor as brand ambassadors. And this happy, lovely couple hawks Gaur City’s apartments in the commercial, giving us their first-hand experience of living out there. Now this sends the brain into an immediate tailspin. Er, haven’t Rishi and Neetu been residents of Bandra for decades? Have they shifted to Greater Noida? When, when, when? Why, why, why? Did they have a tiff with son Ranbir? Is Rishi joining politics? Is Neetu fed up of Slumbai? Questions, questions, questions!

     

    Yes, I am aware many advertisers use celebrities quite mindlessly. Because, in their view, this trick works in the star-obsessed India. Still, shouldn’t there be at least some thought given to credibility of the communication? Or, does this builder think the nation is teeming with morons?

     

    Okay, if you push me really hard, I might just believe that SRK drives his junior assistant’s Santro now and then. Or that Shri Bachchan has been to Gujarat on occasion. But Rishi and Neetu selling us apartment flats for a complex being built in Uttar Pradesh? I am still reeling.

     

    So then what next? Rajnikanth as brand ambassador for Orissa? Why not? I am ready for anything now.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Can I buy Rishi’s Pali Hill flat, now that he’s migrated to Noida?

     

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

     

  • The ad is effective. It's a fantasy most men harbour, to meet this hot chick accidentally and get something going. Yup, the brand's in a good zone out here.

    Debrief: Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk: Messy choc, messy traffic. Works.

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Er, I am not big on people eating anything in a messy way, leave alone a gooey, sugary, milky chocolate. Which is why I am not a fan of CDM Silk advertising. But admittedly, perhaps some consumers are, which is why this brand has chosen the route. So let’s begin the review by assuming the mess works.

     

    The latest ad in the series features two car drivers stuck in a bad traffic jam. They both eat their respective chocolate bars (making a mess, of course), and this leads to the two vibing, as they playfully gesticulate. What happens later, whether they exchange cell numbers, go out for coffee, have a sex romp, get married, etc, is left to our imagination. But from the girl’s expressions, it’s clear our chap just got lucky.

     

    Which is why the ad is effective. It’s a fantasy most men harbour, to meet this hot chick accidentally and get something going. Yup, the brand’s in a good zone out here. Plus, with big cites notorious for deadly traffic snarls, such a situation is quite realistic, though by behaving like creeps in general, Indian men have put women on high alert.

     

    All said, it’s a cute, very likeable commercial. But I would urge you not to pull this stunt in real life. Because even as you are enjoying the choc and the moment, a sea of angry cars from behind will blow the crap out of you as soon as the traffic light turns yellow (even earlier). And trust me, there’s nothing silky about that feeling.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Fun, aspirational, delightful situation.

     

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

     

  • While these ads run during the commercial breaks, on the news programmes we find anchors and their guests hectically dissecting a brand-new scam. So, all the hard work done by the ads gets negated moments after exposure.

    Debrief: Congress Party: Ad fest in between Scam fest

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    So, Soniaji has decided the time has come to start selling her party for the next year’s general elections. I think it’s a bit too early, but perhaps Madamji has little faith in her party’s chances this time, and therefore the bugle is blowing hard more than a year ahead. Also, why would she worry about the ad cost… we idiots, the taxpaying junta of India, will foot the bill.

     

    ‘Bharat Nirman’ is the campaign slogan, I watched three ads. One deals with the boom in mobile telephony, another one talks about the spurt in educational institutions. The third one boasts of the Delhi Metro, and plans for other cities. The strategy is both, obvious and correct; it’s best to discuss the key achievements for an incumbent government in its election campaign. Also, the execution is warm and engaging. They have used aam aadmis and aurats of India, and their aam life stories. So all very nice and dandy.

     

    However, there’s a serious problem: While these ads run during the commercial breaks, on the news programmes we find anchors and their guests hectically dissecting a brand-new scam. So, all the hard work done by the ads gets negated moments after exposure. Which then makes me wonder: Shouldn’t at least some of the ads take on the issue of scams and scandals head-on? Instead of ignoring them? Maybe closer to elections, the Congress Party will think about this issue. Especially because the opposition party will definitely launch a frontal attack on UPA’s assorted corruption stories.

     

    All said, in my own humble view, the UPA will get booted out next year. All the ad money down the drain. Our money, to be precise. Grr.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2.5. Obvious strategy. Creative is decent.

     

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

     

  • Chori? Perhaps. Still, you have to admit the director of the Aircel ad has done a good job, one can't take that away from him/her.

    Debrief: Aircel: Charming. But is it original?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Sweet Aircel commercial. Very endearingly directed. For the first time I have liked Dhoni in a commercial, he looks happy being in it. The Indian cricket captain usually looks maha bored in the ads, as bored as he looks at the pressers these days, as he turns into a mannequin when asked questions on the IPL mess.

     

    But the most important reason I like the ad is the performance by the little autograph hunter. Very cute, very real, and his expressions and body language are stunningly perfect. This situation feels like it’s happening in real time. Full marks to the director, this commercial looks simple but it mustn’t have been easy to shoot. So, good show.

     

    However, a veteran ad man points out that the commercial is a copy of Coke’s classic ‘Mean Joe Green’ commercial from 1979. I am linking both the commercials below, you can decide if the Aircel creative team got inspired or not. Yes, the ads do have the similar plot, the treatment is similar too. Chori? Perhaps. Still, you have to admit the director of the Aircel ad has done a good job, one can’t take that away from him/her.

     

    Aircel
    		 Coke

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3.5 – If the ad is original. 1 – If it’s ‘inspired’.

     

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

     

  • It is a realistic situation (this is what Sreesanth must be going through right now), and the cop speaking in Haryanvi dialect is too funny.

    Debrief | Quikr.com: ‘Spot’ on!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I totally approve of Quikr.com’s advertising. This is because they use disruption very effectively to break the clutter, and that’s the ideal ad strategy for a young brand that does not have deep pockets. You need to knock hard to get noticed. In addition, Quikr.com does something even better: they run topical ads. Again, a smart thing to do, this gets the ads discussed.

     

    The latest TVC deals with the spot-fixing scandal in the IPL. A cop advises cricketers not to sell their souls for money, and to instead sell their used items via Quikr.com. Fridge, TV, A/C, etc. The camera pulls back, and we discover a man standing next to him (a prisoner), fidgeting with the towel. The cop accuses the chap of spot-fixing, and then starts torturing him.

     

    Haha. Good fun, I likes. It is a realistic situation (this is what Sreesanth must be going through right now), and the cop speaking in Haryanvi dialect is too funny. That too is authentic, because the bowler has been arrested by the Delhi cops. Notice that the ad would have cost peanuts to produce, but the impact is immediate. Always a sign of intelligent advertising.

     

    If there’s one little problem with the ad, it’s that I feel they should have cast a Sreesanth lookalike. And made him weep exactly the way our man did after Bhajji gave him that crashing back-hand flip. That would have been so very cool.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3.5 Topicality works. It’s funny too.

     

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

     

  • 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.

     

  • The idea of touch screen machines is neat, since they help you physically bond with the person from the other nation. It demonstrates the similarity of people from both sides, leaves you with that hearty feeling: 'Oye, yeh toh hamare jaise log hain!'

    Debrief: Coke: Hindi Paki Bhai Bhai

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    After TOI’s Aman Ki Asha campaign, here comes an idea from Coca Cola to help bridge the divide between India and Pakistan, a divide which only seems to be growing deeper each year.

     

    Coca-Cola calls it ‘Small World Machines’. Vending machines have been installed in malls at New Delhi and Lahore. And through these 3D touch screen machines, people from the two nations are able to virtually join hands. And naturally, since this is an ad venture (which rules out poisonous elements like Hafiz Syed), janata from both nations is elated to meet and greet.

     

    Well, all one can do is appreciate such efforts, and hope that they make a difference. It’s quite obvious by now that the netas from either side can’t lick this problem, so whatever little enterprise is shown by the private sector is welcome. The idea of touch screen machines is neat, since they help you physically bond with the person from the other nation. It demonstrates the similarity of people from both sides, leaves you with that hearty feeling: ‘Oye, yeh toh hamare jaise log hain!’. Also, it goes nicely with Coke’s ‘Open Happiness’ theme. Do take a look at the number of views this video has already garnered, this idea seems to be working.

     

    Hope to see more of these vending machines installed in many cities across the two nations. And if I spot Dawood bhai on the other side, I may not join hands with him, but it will give me an opportunity to show the finger. 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Cool, innovative public service concept.

     

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

     

  • The commercials are entertaining, and the Indian flavour is brought out nicely. Yes, we will identify with these situations, because, as the cliche goes, we are like that only

    Debrief: McDonald’s Masala Grill: Apun aisaich hai!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Very apt TV campaign from McDonald’s for their Masala Grill burger. The product positioning is: Here’s a burger custom made for the Indian taste. And to bring that out, instead of concentrating on the burger, they have focused on the consumer, which in this case is we desis. The creative hook therefore is how we Indians behave. This makes for a cool creative.

     

    There are various TVCs on air, but the two I like are these: In one, a stingy man desperately tries to bargain with a McDonald’s staffer, and obviously fails to obtain a discount. In another one, a religious chap orders a Masala Grill Chicken, when the wife dutifully reminds him it’s Tuesday (love the sound of a temple gong at this point, hilarious!). Naturally, the order is quickly changed to ‘Veg’.

     

    Good stuff. The commercials are entertaining, and the Indian flavour is brought out nicely. Yes, we will identify with these situations, because, as the cliche goes, we are like that only. I particularly like the slightly irreverent touch to the ads, they are self-deprecatory in nature, they don’t show us Indians in a very good light. Brave of McDonald’s to back this creative, and appreciate the creative team for treading the line carefully.

     

    Personally speaking, I would have used the following situations: People jumping queues, children littering all over the outlet, folks demanding ten tomato ketchup sachets with each burger (nine of which to be smuggled for home use), in fact, I would have shown a chap spitting in a corner. Of course, the McDonald’s suits would have shoved my scripts into the paper shredder, but I could have always posted them on the internet for an Abby award consideration. 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Fun treatment, delivers message effectively.

     

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

     

  • It doesn't feel like an ad, this could be a scene from a Bollywood film or a television serial. Very subtle, very soft, and therein lies the commercial's power

    Debrief: Tanishq: Director’s film

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Very pleasing slice-of-life commercial from Tanishq. And what makes it truly refreshing is that the ad deals with the brother/sister relationship, something we don’t usually get to watch in advertising (unless it’s Raksha Bandhan time).

     

    The TVC is set in a bedroom which the siblings share. This subliminally cues middle class family, perfect for this brand which offers jewellery at an affordable price. The sister is about to get married, and the younger bro has bought her a gift from his first salary. It’s Tanishq, of course. This follows a warm, playful exchange between the two, difficult to describe, it’s best watched. Suffice to say the film has a fantastic emotional connect.

     

    It’s actually a simple script (must have been tough storyboarding it), and the onus therefore is totally on the director. And must say he/she has delivered big-time. It doesn’t feel like an ad, this could be a scene from a Bollywood film or a television serial. Very subtle, very soft, and therein lies the commercial’s power. This feels like a real conversation captured from the ‘shaadiwala’ house next door, and the interaction between the siblings is delightful. A less competent director would have treated the situation in-your-face, and the emotion would have tanked.

     

    I like the way the Tanishq team has built the brand. They never shout low price, but you always know you can afford their stuff. And the packaging is full-on desi emotion. Perfect!

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Warm, soft, real.

     

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

     

  • The real strength of this campaign, apart from the sharp focus, lies in the casting and the dialogues. Superb choice of models, they look the sort of folks who would get mighty angsty over one rupee

    Debrief: Airtel: Wonderful casting

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Good fun TV campaign from Airtel. Totally single-minded and very entertaining. It’s a simple little promise: Videos on the mobile for just one buck. What I like about the ads (I have watched three, all very cool) is that they concentrate only on the one rupee per video offer, and yet keep the laughs going.

     

    In one ad, a cab driver doesn’t have one rupee change. Our dude, the passenger, won’t let the buck go, and demands that the cabbie give him the money. The smart cabbie plays a song on his mobile, which he has got hold of from Airtel for just, yes, one rupee. The other two commercials are equally funny. A tapori with his one rupee coin stuck inside a weighing machine. And a control freak mom with her one rupee ‘shagun’.

     

    The real strength of this campaign, apart from the sharp focus, lies in the casting and the dialogues. Superb choice of models, they look the sort of folks who would get mighty angsty over one rupee. This is a good lesson for all creative people, on how careful casting can lift a commercial big-time. The copywriter has done a good job too, these are conversations from real life. In fact, I know such maha stingy people, plenty of them, trust my rotten luck!

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3.5 Fun communication for a mundane promise.

     

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