MxMIndia

Tag: debrief

  • I have two reflex reactions each time Murthy comes on air (which is way too often): One, to smash the TV set. Two, to grab the remote control…

    Debrief: Voltas A/C: Sack this Mr Murthy!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    An extremely boring campaign from Voltas for their aircons. They’ve created this brand mascot called Mr Murthy. He’s been around for some time now. In each ad, the chap talks into camera making a pitch for Voltas. I’ll be very frank out here: I have no bloody idea what the man says, and I am not even interested. And no, that’s not because I am not looking to buy an air conditioner.

     

    The reason is simple: Pathetic, intolerable advertising. It’s all very well to appoint a brand ambassador (and to Voltas’s credit, at least they didn’t sign up the maha tired Shri Amitabh Bachchan). But you have to make sure that the individual is appealing, happening, charming, funny, adorable, memorable… am sure you know the criteria. He can’t be a man who has zero charisma, zero humour (and yet tries to be funny) and zero personality. This ad is bound to crash; as David Ogilvy said a long time ago, no one buys from boring people. And if this isn’t sad enough, Voltas has made this big bore belt out a brand window too! Grr.

     

    I have two reflex reactions each time Murthy comes on air (which is way too often): One, to smash the TV set. Two, to grab the remote control. Thankfully, the Sindhi in me makes me opt for the latter. 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Dunno if the A/C cools, but the ad leaves me heated up.

     

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

     

  • Brilliant! I love it! It's nearly impossible for a thirty-second TV commercial to leave tears in your eyes, and Idea has managed to do exactly that

    Debrief: Idea: Sob, sob!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Some months ago I had reviewed the Idea telephone exchange commercial which featured a son exchanging the phones of his bickering parents. I had mentioned that Idea was onto a tremendous consumer insight, and I can say it’s working wonders for the brand with the second ad too. While I was not very happy with the casting in the husband/wife TVC, must say the new ad is perfectly done.

     

    This one features an ultra busy young executive who has no time to even call his aged parents. The smart dad exchanges the phones of his son and the mother, and sets the stage for an emotionally charged finale. As the son discovers that his mom doesn’t get a single phone call during the day, and he promises to keep in touch every day with his parents.

     

    Brilliant! I love it! It’s nearly impossible for a thirty-second TV commercial to leave tears in your eyes, and Idea has managed to do exactly that. Fabulous casting this time, and a situation which every single Indian family will identify with: Children too busy for their lonely parents. And yes, we Indians are emotional fools, this ad will hit the bulls-eye on our bleeding hearts.

     

    Hats off, Sirji!

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4.5. Superb idea, superb treatment.

     

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

     

     

     

  • A suggestion for the creative team: Guys, raise the pagalpanti level, make it crazier. Madder the treatment, better would be the brand recall. Now that you've chosen the wacko route, go all out, don't stop at silly, childish pranks

    Debrief: Mirinda: Needs more madness!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Am all for pagalpanti. In advertising as well as in real life. We need loads of it, this nation is too damn serious. Which is why I like Mirinda’s tagline: Pagalpanti zaroori hai. And Asin isn’t a bad choice for such a promise, she did a wonderful job with all her pagalpanti in the Aamir Khan flick, Ghajini. It’s another matter of course that the pretty Mallu actress’s career never took off in Bollywood, and I guess that’s only because she doesn’t come from the Bolly ‘family’, but I digress.

     

    It’s a series of nonsense ads. The premise is: ‘Mirinda andar jaati hai aur pagalpanti bahar aati hai’. Slightly erotic, but that’s my dirty mind at work. So in one ad, a girl walks through a security check gate, but a different girl emerges. All thanks to Mirinda. Don’t even try to rationalise this one, it’s pagalpanti after all.

     

    Well, madness is in order for cold drink advertising, so that’s cool. Though I wonder how many viewers would be able to recall the brand name, but that’s for the advertiser to check. And I say that because this sort of stuff can work for just about any fun product. A suggestion for the creative team: Guys, raise the pagalpanti level, make it crazier. Madder the treatment, better would be the brand recall. Now that you’ve chosen the wacko route, go all out, don’t stop at silly, childish pranks.

     

    Also, Asin looks lovely in the ads. It’s a pity her Bollywood career never took off, and here I go again with the unrelated stuff!

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2.5. Good fun. Brand recall needs to be sussed.

     

    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 nothing not to like about this one. It's a surprising solution, the treatment is high-action and the promise is single minded

    Debrief: Tata Sky: The ‘Epic’ ad

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Ah! So after ads masquerading as TV soaps (Godrej, Honda Amaze), it’s now the turn of a TVC to act like a full-length feature film. Tata Sky has released a three-minute-long commercial (first time in India, we are constantly reminded), but chances are very high that after they’ve obtained their quota of some free press (because of the long duration), the advertiser will run short edits.

     

    That said, must say it’s an innovative approach. The new tagline is: When you don’t have the time for TV. Very relevant, that. With the social media taking over our lives, fewer people have time for the idiot box, at least in young urban India. The TVC features a dramatic jail break, and the subsequent capture of the prisoners. The guys are trying to escape while an Indo-Pak cricket match is on, wrongly assuming that the jail staffers would be glued to the TV. Of course, our smart officers have decided to record the match on Tata Sky HD. To watch it later in peace.

     

    There’s nothing not to like about this one. It’s a surprising solution, the treatment is high-action and the promise is single minded. All that you’d want from a good ad. Where the commercial loses a few points, is that it doesn’t have a strong repeat exposure value. You will be mesmerised the first time, perhaps even the second time. Once the cat is out of the bag, the ad ceases to entertain. How many times can you watch a bunch of prisoners on the run, with nothing else happening in the commercial? The agency must account for the repeat value factor when they work on the next movie… oops… ad.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Good tagline, single minded communication.

     

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

     

     

     

  • What strikes me as different is that Honda has decided to break the rules of typical sedan advertising. Refreshing to see a sedan ad minus all the usual lifestyle advertising shoo-sha. And it makes strategic sense

    Debrief: Honda Amaze: Takes a detour

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Wow, this seems to be a season of soaps! On Tuesday we examined the new Godrej campaign, which follows the TV serial format. Here’s another one, and thank god it doesn’t feature Amitabh Bachchan in drag. Honda Amaze, the first diesel offering from Honda is here, and their ads too feature a continuing story.

     

    This campaign features the full family. The man’s in-laws are visiting, and this ‘catastrophic’ event triggers many ads, and within each ‘episode’, one particular feature of the car gets highlighted. More leg room, more boot space, super mileage, etc. The entertainment is provided by funny interactions amongst the family members.

     

    Hmm, must say it’s an interesting approach, even if it isn’t brilliant by any stretch of imagination. It’s actually a regular Indian family ad. What strikes me as different is that Honda has decided to break the rules of typical sedan advertising. Instead of selling premium imagery, hip lifestyle, design, aspiration, hot chicks, etc, they’ve gone into the life of a typical middle class family. They are the sort of people you’d find in a realism-based television serial like Balika Vadhu. There’s not even an attempt to make the brand look cool and happening, it’s totally about functionality and performance.

     

    Now, this I appreciate. Refreshing to see a sedan ad minus all the usual lifestyle advertising shoo-sha. And it makes strategic sense. Honda is considered an expensive option in India, their cars are always priced higher than the rival brands. The Amaze is Honda’s first reasonably priced car, but rather than selling price, they’ve gone for the ‘aam aadmi’ advertising approach. So that the entry level sedan buyers don’t shy away from the brand, imagining it to be expensive.

     

    Good thinking. This approach will result in many footfalls in the Honda showroom.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Sensible, no-frills advertising.

     

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

     

     

     

  • Aamir in drag will get the junta interested. I also like the characterisation; the couple used is an up-market one (the kind you'll meet at Cuffe Parade), and this gives the brand a premium image, even when they discuss mundane stuff

    Debrief: Godrej: Good TV soap

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Godrej group has released a product range campaign on television, and just for that novelty, they should be patted on the back. Usually, range ads stick to the print medium, and they are almost always very boring. But Godrej’s TVCs are anything but boring because they feature Aamir Khan in drag, which means full-on masti.

     

    There is a series of ads conceptualised as a continuing soap opera. Khan is researching for a movie role, and he arrives at his pal’s house dressed as a woman. The pal is a little edgy because his missus assumes Khan to be a woman, and he’s worried about the two ‘bonding’. Anyway, fun interactions happen between the trio (just as in a TV serial), and each ‘episode’ deals with a particular Godrej product. Air conditioners, hot plates, mosquito repellents, etc.

     

    I must say this is a very refreshing advertising approach from a conservative group. Aamir in drag will get the junta interested. I also like the characterisation; the couple used is an up-market one (the kind you’ll meet at Cuffe Parade), and this gives the brand a premium image, even when they discuss mundane stuff like eradicating machchars. The dialogues are crafted well, they are a bit funny, and I won’t be surprised if some have been written (re-written) by Aamir bhai. 🙂

     

    So all very fine and dandy. And yet, I shall raise a red flag, the advertiser and the agency should keep a look-out for this as the series continues to play out. The product’s entry into the conversation is just a wee bit forced. I know this is a tricky one, which is why a lot of polishing needs to be done while writing these scripts, so that the brand merges seamlessly with the human interactions. Right now, the product arrives like a minor irritant. In addition, Aamir in drag would naturally vampire the proceedings, all eyes would be on him. All the more reason the product story must shine, or it risks getting lost.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Brave effort, should give the brand a premium ticket.

     

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

     

  • Anil Thakraney presents his views on the latest ads

    Debrief: Fastrack: Irreverence works

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Highly provocative ads from Fastrack. What I like about this brand is that it’s been consistently irreverent in its advertising, they haven’t shied away from controversy, rather, they very clearly court it. The new TV campaign has pushed things further by attacking social taboos.

     

    There are a few commercials on air, I have watched two. One features a lesbian couple coming out of the closet (quite literally). Another one deals with a chap flirting with his girlfriend’s mom. Both situations highly unacceptable in a conservative (at least on the surface!) nation like India. And therein lies the power of the campaign. Because their parents would reject such stuff, the urban youngsters (whom Fastrack targets), will love these ads. Kids today want to ‘move on’ (the brand’s tagline), they want to experiment, to be who they are. In fact, I would say ‘Move on’ is now an intrinsic part of regular vocabulary in Young India. I also like the funky soundtrack, goes well with the taboo situations.

     

    In short, here’s a watch and accessories brand that sells only attitude, they don’t talk technology or aesthetics. Correct approach, and with its consistency, Fastrack has managed to carve out a nice little niche for itself. I am already waiting for next year’s instalment. The creative team should keep an eye on National Geographic’s hot hot  programme called ‘Taboo’. Interesting stories get featured in it. Like a middle class couple who scavenge garbage for dinner, a woman who’s turned her mate into a dog… lots of exciting material to choose from. 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3.5 Great attitude. Cool execution.

     

  • The zoozoos are still cute, but the situations can do with more laughs. The new crop of TVCs bring a little smile to your face, but they aren't hilarious

    Debrief: Vodafone: Zoozoos don’t make you LOL

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The IPL is here and so are the zoozoos. I think Vodafone is doing absolutely the right thing. By not overdoing these creatures, they’ve ensured the idea remains fresh. And unleashing them during the IPL makes a lot of sense, given the ‘full family’ audience this chaddi cricket attracts.

     

    The new season arrives with a slew of new ads. And this time they’ve come up with a new addition: Midget zoozoos, so to speak. In one TVC, the midgets transport an opera singer right to a fan’s doorstep. This sells music on the phone. Another ad features them indulging in celebrity gossip. Yes, it’s the same strategy; Zoozoo antics tied to a specific Vodafone offering. This route has worked for the advertiser in the past, no reason why it won’t work again.

     

    However, there’s a problem this time: In the ads I have watched so far, I found the humour quotient to be low. Of course, the zoozoos are still cute, but the situations can do with more laughs. The new crop of TVCs bring a little smile to your face, but they aren’t hilarious. I’ll give you an example: I still recall one of the earlier ads, where a family of zoozoos is seen howling and shrieking as they rush out of a room. We later discover one zoozoo has applied a face mask, and this drives them crazy. This ad promoted beauty alerts. It was just too good, I still laugh when I think of that situation. That’s the kind of fun Vodafone needs to revive if they want the zoozoos to pack in the same impact.

     

    A tip for the creatives: Write these ads from inside a pub, and not from your office.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Still cute, but humour needs to be upped

     

  • Good work. In terms of both, the strategy and the creative. Well, the ad agency has delivered. Now it's up to the Goibibo team to meet their deadly promise

    Debrief: Goibibo: Good use of metaphor

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Sharp work from the Goibibo guys, and quite literally too! The strategic thrust is to diss the rivals and gain brownie points in the process.

     

    The setting is an operation theatre. A ‘patient’ is on the bed with multiple knives stuck into his back. When the surgeon arrives, our patient complains about being stabbed in the back by his regular travel agent/portal, that too on several occasions. On account of cancelled airline bookings, being offered horrible hotel rooms, etc. The cool surgeon, instead of operating on the poor fellow, digs the knives back into him, and recommends Goibibo.

     

    This wild approach will help the brand get a good recall when people plan their travel. One, because most people will have had all sorts of bad experiences on their journeys. And will report stories of the ‘missing in action’ travel agent when things went wrong. Therefore viewers will immediately empathise with this creative. As a new brand, Goibibo needed a platform like this to take off. I also like the use of ‘being stabbed in the back’ metaphor as the central idea. It gives the ads visual drama and helps build a long-term memory hook. And it makes the ads entertaining to watch.

     

    Good work. In terms of both, the strategy and the creative. Well, the ad agency has delivered. Now it’s up to the Goibibo team to meet their deadly promise. They let the travellers down, and Goibibo will have to be ready to face frontal knife attacks. J

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3.5 Edgy creative backed by sound strategy

     

  • A pat on the back to Blue Star for taking this dangerous route. Quite clearly, they have chosen clutter-breaking as the primary communication task, and the ad delivers on that score. The madcap work will get the brand noticed

    Debrief: Blue Star: Cool approach

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Haha. A cute ad from the Blue Star air conditioners guys… in fact, the crazy treatment tells me that advertising for this product category is getting precariously close to that of candy adverts.

     

    The idea is this: Keeps the boss cool. At home and at office. The message is delivered through jazz music. So the male boss acts like he’s maha agitated, and so does the lady at home. Their anger resonates to the beat of the tense music. Once the Blue Star a/c is switched on, both immediately cool down, and their body language matches with the now pleasant musical strains.

     

    A pat on the back to Blue Star for taking this dangerous route. Quite clearly, they have chosen clutter-breaking as the primary communication task, and the ad delivers on that score. The madcap work will get the brand noticed. It’s also treated well, there’s entertainment in-built within the idea, without the need for any spoken words. So that’s fine. But that still doesn’t change the fact that an a/c will set you back by thousands of rupees, and a consumer will surely want to know a lot more about the brand. Guess the Blue Star team is leaving that task to the showroom salesman.

     

    Net net: It’s a dicey strategy and can easily backfire. However, one must give the advertiser credit for taking that chance. Especially if they have nothing unique to boast about the product itself, and I suspect they don’t.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Risky ad but it does smash the clutter.

     

  • The creators overlooked one very important aspect of light-hearted, quirky, cold drink advertising: The ad should leave a little smile on your face. If that doesn't happen, there's no question of feeling 'up'

    Debrief | 7UP: Not feeling up!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    7UP is back this summer with the same positioning: ‘I feel up’. But the commercial I watched did anything but. Because there’s a clear problem with the ad, and we’ll come to that shortly.

     

    So this young girl is accosted on a street by a Kathakali performer. He offers her a 7UP, switches on his portable deck, and starts grooving. Not to classical music, but to a mix of desi pop, dandiya, salsa and god knows what else. This scene naturally gathers a crowd around them, and for some strange reason, our girl feels ‘up’.

     

    Didn’t work for me, though. For one, the commercial tries very hard to be different in order to attract your attention. And that often puts you off as a viewer. The effort must never show, this should be a natural process. Two, 7UP’s earlier TVC with actor Sharman Joshi and a penguin was at least a little lively and peppy. This one leaves you cold (and that’s no thanks to the cold drink). Where the new commercial fails, is that while trying to be ‘different’, the creators overlooked one very important aspect of light-hearted, quirky, cold drink advertising: The ad should leave a little smile on your face. If that doesn’t happen, there’s no question of feeling ‘up’.

     

    A side-note: I would be shocked if, on a street corner, a strange looking character tapped me on my shoulder and offered me a free drink. And if I was a girl, I would flee. And then quickly Tweet/FB my experience. Now THAT would make me feel ‘up’. 🙂

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfGlPwyN1_4[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1.5 Tries too hard to entertain. Fails.

     

  • This is a full on art director’s commercial, very refreshing to see this come from India. And the folk song track provides the perfect canvas. Basically, it all comes together wonderfully

    Debrief: MP Tourism: Stunning Holi ad

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Excellent commercial from MP Tourism. This is perhaps the best Holi ad of all time. It’s a very simple idea: As visitors get hit by Holi gulal and coloured water, the material takes the form of important state tourism destinations. Such as the Kanha wildlife, the Sanchi Stupa, the Khajuraho artworks, etc.

     

    And therefore the fate of the ad lies totally in the magic that one can create with the execution. Must say it’s quite beautifully done. The special effects look very cool, and the treatment is arresting. This is a full on art director’s commercial, very refreshing to see this come from India. And the folk song track provides the perfect canvas. Basically, it all comes together wonderfully, and all the colour splash would add to the allure for a traveller, especially the firangis.

     

    I am not a fan of Holi, haven’t played it in many years. But this ad makes me want to take part. And yes, all the interesting tourist destinations are brought out naturally, without ramming them down our throats, and this makes you want to pay MP a visit. Plus it all ties in naturally with the Big Brand promise: ‘Incredible India’. What more can one possibly ask from a tourism ad?

     

    Good work.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LttnTnz8TXI[/youtube]

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Another super MP Tourism ad.