MxMIndia

Tag: debrief

  • What a wasted opportunity! The makers of Snickers did two commendable things. And then they went ahead and blew it nice and proper

    Debrief: Snickers: Rekha ki vaat lagaa di!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Oh no! What a wasted opportunity! The makers of Snickers did two commendable things. One, to think of veteran movie star, the ultra reclusive Rekha. And two, to convince the lady to sign up for the first ad of her life. And then they went ahead and blew it nice and proper.

     

    This is the trash they’ve conceived: When a dude gets hungry, he starts carping like an aged heroine. (Sexist? I think so!). So, inside a moving car, when a chap is famished, he transforms into a crabby Rekha. Until he’s fed Snickers, after which he becomes ‘normal’ again. Another guy turns into a cranky Urmila Matondkar, haha!

     

    Now, the idea isn’t bad per se. That, hunger can change your mood drastically, is a promising thought. But the interpretation is quite silly, and it’s not even remotely funny. Also, they have made Rekha look bad, and that’s unforgivable. They should have watched the commercial Havells Fans made with the late Rajesh Khanna. Khanna was projected as the man he was perceived to be; larger than life, living in denial of his faded stardom and full of attitude. Which made the connect with that ad strong. This is what Snickers should have attempted with Rekha. Sadly, they haven’t even tried to capture her popular image of an enigmatic star. In this ad, anyone could have been cast.

     

    Anyway, I am hungry now, but will avoid Snickers. What if I turn into a fiery Mamata Didi? You’ve all had it then.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46BDzyoBSnY[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 0 to 5): 0. Poor rendition of idea. Rekha wasted.

     

  • The creative director killed that one thing which makes Pidilite advertising shine: Entertainment. And that's nothing to laugh about

    Debrief: Fevikwik: 2012 ends on a low

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Well, sad to report that the last ad I review for the year 2012 didn’t leave me amused at all. Even though all that the protagonists do in the ad is keep laughing out loudly. In fact, that is the central idea in the new Fevikwik commercial.

     

    I watched a couple of TVCs, and in each two brothers are seen guffawing away. And being bumbling fools, they keep breaking things around them. Then they apply Fevikwik, and the mad laughter carries on. The core thought I guess is this: When you have Fevikwik around, there’s no worry over things smashing and crashing. And exaggerated laughter is used to jazz up the idea.

     

    Must say I am both, terribly disappointed and irritated. Disappointed, because this maha bore ad comes from the house of Pidilite, from whom we have come to expect superlative advertising. And irritated because the creators of this ad, in their excitement to be wacko, overlooked one very significant problem: It’s no fun at all watching two adult men continuously laughing, and laughing hysterically at that. While this approach does make the communication single-minded, the non-stop laughter makes it unbearable. In short, the creative director killed that one thing which makes Pidilite advertising shine: Entertainment. And that’s nothing to laugh about.

     

    Anyway, even as we end the year on a bad note, here’s hoping to see smashing work in the New Year. Work that will make us, the viewers, laugh.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilxRbt1T8s0[/youtube]

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 0 to 5): 1. Not funny. Not funny. Not funny.

     

  • Anil Thakraney picks his best and worst ads of 2012 in this special yearend edition of Debrief

    LookBack 2012: Debrief Special: Best and worst ads of the Year

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Okay people, since the year is saying good-bye, like all good media brands, we have to conduct the traditional ceremony. Of picking the gems and the turkeys of the year. So here are the Big Six Awards. Alag chhe, as Salman Khan would say. Please forgive us if we inadvertently missed out on any deserving candidate. In both the categories.

     

     

    The big winners:

     

    1. The Hindu: Powerful and entertaining

    Kickass creative. Students behaving like those idiotic parliamentarians we elect. With Bapu’s favourite bhajan, ‘Vaishnava jana toh’, adding to the irony. Treatment that youngsters would immediately connect with. Because it reflects their deep cynicism with the politics of this nation.
     

    2. Idea: Heart warming

    Idea’s Diwali ads were endearing. They promoted communal harmony, and that’s so badly needed in this fractured country. Superb example of how to lift an otherwise ordinary Diwali discount ad. As a Diwali bonus, they got rid of Small B with this campaign. Good idea that, Sirji!
     

    3. Fevicol Marine: The magic returned

    With this ad, Fevicol revived the magic that had gone missing in their ads in recent times. The boatman TVC was beautifully shot and was highly entertaining. And I loved the Rabindra sangeet background track. Single-minded communication at its best.
     

    4. Surf Excel: The power of idea

    Surf Excel’s ‘Daag achchhe hain’ campaign rolled on merrily. The cricket turf war between kids was very realistically captured. This continuing campaign is a very good case study for all students and professionals in the business. When you have a strong idea, 80% of the battle is already won.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7VyizsCss0[/youtube]
     

    5. Maruti: ‘Kitna deti hai?’ shone again

    I have always been a fan of Maruti’s ‘Kitna deti hai?’ idea. Because it’s totally relevant; Indians tend to be obsessed with mileage. The TVC re-created the thirties, with a firang lady flyer called Amelia Johnson. I simply adore Amelia’s expression when that deadly desi question is fired at her. Superb idea, superb direction.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AyynrjP3EM[/youtube]
     

    6. FOX Movies: Brilliant

    FOX Movies decided to offer cinema dubbed in regional languages for the Thai market, and their ad agency turned it into an idea for subtitles-free communication. Fantastic lateral thinking to highlight what is otherwise a very uninteresting product promise.

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

     

    The big losers:

     

    1. Appy Fizz: Ewwwww!

    Everything went wrong out here. Saif Ali Khan? What was the point of casting a middle aged angry actor for a ‘buddy hang out’ drink? Since the ad was entirely conversation based, wit and sharp humour became the key ingredients. I haven’t heard such silly, juvenile banter amongst junior school kids. Made me squirm.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVoq1ePqx0[/youtube]
     

    2. Mid Day: Maximum City. Minimum TVC.

    ‘My City, My Life’, the slogan, was a promising thought. But the execution sucked big-time. They should have tried to capture the spirit the city’s youngsters possess. Instead they showed them goofing around like headless chicken. This ad told me Mid Day doesn’t really understand Mumbai.

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

    3. Coca-Cola: Zero Freshness

    Yet another commercial based on cricket (yawn!). The TVC featured rural kids playing the game in extremely hot, dusty and inhuman conditions. Suddenly, towards the end of the commercial, Rajya Sabha MP, Shri Sachin Tendulkar, appears in an air-conditioned studio. He ‘opens happiness’ and happily gulps it down. And doesn’t offer a sip to the poor lads. Totally put me off.

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

    4. Nivea Fresh Active: Very annoying

    There are many ads in India (and am sure the whole world) which irritate us. But there will always be a few that piss us off so much, it leads to a rise in blood pressure. Sadly, Nivea managed to achieve that. In the commercial, a group of men yawn very loudly, offensively and repeatedly. And that’s pretty much it.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh5g5z1eaxw[/youtube]
     

    5. Pepsi: Not the game, they should have changed the ad

    Creators of this ad for Pepsi had all the power tools at their disposal: A funky, irreverent brand. Top Indian cricket heroes. The most happening Bollywood star. And a cool idea – Change the game- which packs in potential for super commercials. And yet, they went ahead and botched it all up. Witless, uninteresting dialogues. Forced irreverence, which falls totally flat.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8YeNX6l5ek[/youtube]
     

    6. BlackBerry: Lazy, lazy creative work

    BlackBerry’s ‘Action starts here’ must be the most boring slogan of 2012. And it was back to the usual youngsters with their usual dreams, but with no clue provided to us on how Blackberry makes them come true. And a very tired jingle to round it all off. Very sixties. Yes, the treatment looked that ancient.

    		 [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuE2fzL8nXg[/youtube]

     

  • The 'truth serum' approach may work for a laboured seven-course Indian meal, but it doesn't for a fast food item

    Debrief: Domino’s: Pizza hai ya truth serum?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    An interesting promise by Domino’s Cheesy Boloroni Pizza (wow, what a mouthful, the brand name). You can make new discoveries about each other when you consume this cheesy snack together. Now, I understand a pizza is a pizza so they can’t really belt out technical USPs, you do need wacko ideas. But this one is much too corny.

     

    The TVC features a young honeymooning couple in Goa. They are about to step out of the hotel room for some sightseeing when the young lady expresses a desire to consume the cheesy pizza. The taste of which makes this shy gal open up to her brand new hubby, as she freely shares secrets from her past life. No, not that she’s indulged in kinky sex before marriage, only the sweet stuff. These ‘discoveries’ make the chap forget all about Goa, and he wants to hear more from her. In short, the pizza offers ‘rishton ka time’.

     

    All very fine and dandy, but there’s a crisis of credibility out here. It’s a cool idea but for an entirely incorrect product. Pizza is a fast food item, it’s what you order when you are pressed for time or are too pooped to enter the kitchen. It’s hardly a meal over which a couple would spend quality time with each other. Therefore this approach makes you laugh out loud rather than look forward to new ‘discoveries’ in your own partner. The ‘truth serum’ approach may work for a laboured seven-course Indian meal, but it doesn’t for a fast food item. Also, a newly married couple ordering pizza on their honeymoon? That too in Goa? This tells me they are either broke or are headed for trouble.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmn16YwK1Rk[/youtube]

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Good idea for the wrong product

     

  • I have noticed many advertisers forget that entertainment should be at the heart of television advertising, especially when the strategy is weak. And 'trendify'??? It sounds like a slogan Nokia's board members would coin

    Debrief: Nokia Lumia 510: The boring kiss

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Nokia, once upon a time the market leader, has been bajaaoed big-time in the handsets market by Apple and Samsung. Given the falling market share, one would have thought that the Nokia guys will not only unleash a slew of imaginative products, they would also back them with fabulous advertising. Well, going by Nokia Lumia 510’s TVC, that doesn’t seem to be happening.

     

    The ad features couples ‘kissing’ each other with their outstretched palms. Nokia calls it ‘to trendify’ kissing. There are several problems with this commercial. Strategically, it’s neither saying anything new (social media interactions have been done to death in advertising), nor does the communication address anything specific about the Nokia Lumia 510 in terms of tech. So it’s a total flop on that front.

     

    To make matters worse, the creative device sucks. Palms ‘kissing’ does not make for a visually appealing theme, in fact, it’s off-putting. There was no need to indulge in such a silly gimmick; they may as well have used air kissing as the creative idea, at least that looks aesthetically superior. I have noticed many advertisers forget that entertainment should be at the heart of television advertising, especially when the strategy is weak. And ‘trendify’??? It sounds like a slogan Nokia’s board members would coin. One expects better from creative people.

     

    I haven’t tried the Lumia 510, so I can’t comment on the product. But must say this sort of hopeless advertising discourages me from even sussing it out, leave alone wanting to purchase it. Nokia needs to get its act together very fast.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEdT3VHxV8U[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Unimaginative and uncool

     

  • I like Tata Docomo's 'incomplete stories' idea. It has the potential to be a long-term campaign, with possibilities of riveting creative work

    Debrief: Tata Docomo: Incomplete stories. Complete ads

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I like Tata Docomo’s ‘incomplete stories’ idea. It has the potential to be a long-term campaign, with possibilities of riveting creative work. There are a number of commercials on air, each one offering a particular solution. If there’s one little grouse I have, it’s that the ads aren’t consistently good, they need to correct this.

     

    The latest one features a man applying lipstick in front of a mirror. This very unusual situation naturally captivates the attention. Is he gay? Has he lost his marbles? Is he pushing the envelope on metro-sexuality? As questions arise in the mind, we discover he’s a clown getting decked up for his next act. Good one. And the good thing is you won’t get bored even on repeat exposure. This idea also gives Tata Docomo ads a unique character in a highly cluttered mobile phone segment.

     

    But the ad I enjoy most is the one for Tata Docomo’s Unlimited 3G Data. This one features an obviously depraved man leching at a girl inside the elevator. The girl, of course, looks pretty unnerved, and when the lift conks out, she panics. But we later discover the lech is actually a frightened chicken, as he desperately tries to bash the elevator door open. I have watched this ad plenty of times, and it never ceases to be funny. However, please allow me to be a little bitchy here, am in that sort of a mood. Methinks the lecherous dude discovers the babe is a transvestite, haha! Okay, okay, dear feminists, please take it easy, am only kidding!

     

    Jokes apart, it’s a good campaign. Lambi race wali.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QAfnUH1g1Y[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Very campaignable idea. Needs consistency.

     

  • This is more like regular candy advertising, and if children overdose on Hajmola, is that such a good thing from the point of view of health?

    Debrief: Hajmola: Devgn hazam nahin hua!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Hajmola is just another of the many, many brands that cannot do without riding on a celeb’s shoulders. Oh well, such is ad life in India! But one good thing they have done this time is to cast an unusual celeb. That at least promises to bring some novelty to the ad. Macho star Ajay Devgn (his spelling, not mine) has been signed up to do the honours.

     

    However, the manner in which they have used him is all wrong, clearly someone wasn’t thinking out here. It’s a wedding set, with all the accompanying noise and action. Yet another take-off from ‘Hum Aapke Hain Kaun’. Devgn is seen playing the harmonium (aren’t movie stars paid to dance at weddings?), and he suddenly spots a kid carrying a Hajmola bottle. Our hero chases him all over the place, and this nonsense goes on.

     

    I have two problems. One, Hajmola is a digestive, and this factor seems to have been totally downplayed in this communication. This is more like regular candy advertising, and if children overdose on Hajmola, is that such a good thing from the point of view of health? Needs to be checked out. Secondly, the brand hasn’t bothered to build on Devgn’s popular public persona of a tough guy with balls. Instead, he’s been made to play a bumbling bumpkin out here. So then why use him at all? They may as well have signed up Paresh Rawal or any of the other movie comedians, who would have come at a much lower cost.

     

    In short, the casting is poor and the treatment very boring. Even when I put myself in the shoes of the sort of people who would consume Hajmola.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko4OqIRZ8W4[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Devgn wasted in a forgettable ad.

     

  • I would urge their ad agency to push the insanity envelope even harder. And the team should enjoy all the fun while it lasts. It's not every day that creative people land up with such hot 'deals'

    Debrief: Groupon: Craziness pays off

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I like all the madness in the new Groupon commercials. The online portal needed such sharp clutter breakers in order to get noticed.

     

    The positioning is that Groupon offers a wide array of deals. This is not an exciting proposition, but the creative treatment gives it the much needed punch. The idea is that Groupon offers really crazy deals, and this makes the TVCs quite humorous. One ad talks about karate lessons. A granny is shown peppering a couple of thieves with killer karate chops. In another one that hawks an unlimited buffet lunch, a pot-bellied man sets off chaos inside the restaurant as his under pressure belly button (of the shirt) takes off like a bullet. And there are more such rollicking ads.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9BYxUIwMqg[/youtube]
    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwfmzuR3rBQ[/youtube]
    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Correct strategy. Fun ads.

    Good one. In the television medium that’s booming with ads, a new entrant has to create a splash immediately. Especially if the ad budgets are limited and there’s no scope for a long-term brand building idea. And once it’s decided to go with the humour route, the idea should be to go all out. More the ads get bizarre, better will be the noticeability. And Groupon ads meet that expectation. They are entertaining and will lead to quick brand recall.

     

    In fact, I would urge their ad agency to push the insanity envelope even harder. And the team should enjoy all the fun while it lasts. It’s not every day that creative people land up with such hot ‘deals’.

     

  • Completely boring and a tired piece of work. A trainee copywriter would do better than this at a hurried copy test

    Debrief: IDEA: Honey, it isn’t funny

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    After the recent good campaign on Indian festivals, here comes a complete shocker from IDEA. The new TVC wants to communicate that the whole nation uses IDEA. The promise itself is highly yawny, wonder if there’s any brand left in this nation that doesn’t use the ‘Desh ka favourite’ platform. To make matters worse, the execution is so poor, you actually miss Small B, and that’s saying a LOT!

     

    The idea IDEA has used is a highly irritating, totally juvenile ringtone that belts out ‘Honey Bunny’ trash when the phone goes off. And as you can predict, this nonsense happens all over the country. As usual, the Kashmiris, the Bengalis, the Southies, the Sardars, etc, all make a comeback. As they go ‘Honey Bunny’ in their respective accents.

     

    Completely boring and a tired piece of work. A trainee copywriter would do better than this at a hurried copy test. What is even more appalling is that it comes from a team that usually does good work. Well, let’s just say they had an off day, it can happen to the best of us. Folks, immediately kill this ad, have some beers, and go straight back to the drawing board.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aaPMBXKQLI[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Zero entertainment. Full-on irritation. Section 66A applicable.

     

  • I do feel the ad would have really sparkled if the conversation had been a little wittier. Not over the top, just a dash of subtle humour would have added a little more entertainment value to the TVC

    Debrief: Tanishq solitaires: Correct tone and manner

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Interesting approach from Tanishq for their solitaires collection. It’s a dinner conversation between middle aged partners inside a fancy restaurant, and this sort of an intimate conversation based ad is hard to come across in India, we usually prefer noisy advertising. This route immediately makes the commercial attractive to watch.

     

    The couple is celebrating their tenth anniversary. From their body language, it’s easy to notice some degree of the expected boredom of togetherness has set in. (Conversations can dry up to an extent after a decade with the same person, it’s normal.) The usual middle aged banter goes on, discussion on work, life, etc, till the man surprises his missus with a Tanishq solitaire ring. And naturally a few smiles follow.

     

    Good one, mainly because the treatment is refreshing. Also the direction is very good. The body language, the maturity of emotion, the setting, the casting, it’s all done well. Upper class folks would connect with this one, and they would be the target audience of a thing that costs over a lakh of rupees. So over all, a good show.

     

    However, I do feel the ad would have really sparkled if the conversation had been a little wittier. Not over the top, just a dash of subtle humour would have added a little more entertainment value to the TVC. After all, one has to enjoy repeat exposures. But I guess people seem to like this one a lot, the YouTube version has already scored over one lakh hits, and that’s not very common with Indian ads. Nopes, can’t argue with numbers, therefore high marks for this one.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTNLNbG4ELs[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3.5 Engaging communication. Good direction.  

     

     

  • After the huge mistake of being projected as the poor man's vehicle, the commercial now positions the Nano as a fun car for the trendy youth

    Debrief: Tata Nano: In the right direction

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    At last, the lost little Nano seems to be finding its way. It’s taken the Tata guys a few years to realise an important truth, but as they say, better late than never. In the past they made the huge mistake of projecting the Nano as the poor man’s vehicle. This strategy was never going to work, because it scares the aam aadmi away. A car is the single most visible possession of an individual, and its image rubs off directly onto the owner.

     

    Course correction seems to have been done in the latest commercial. Nano is now being positioned as a fun drive-out for the trendy urban youth. In fact, they make it a point to tell us the protagonist is an engineer, so there must be something special about Nano’s performance. Mr Engineer is seen exploring the countryside, helping damsels in distress, playing tour guide to foreigners, etc. And he ends up on a beach with his friends.

     

    This is not the sort of creative that would send award juries into a tizzy, but it does manage to dilute the Nano’s ‘poor car’ image. In fact, they need more such ads. The TVC also brings out all the usual car benefits: toughness, mileage, manoeuvrability, etc. So all the boxes can be checked.

     

    But it’s the change of strategic focus that will bring the Nano dealers some much needed footfalls. This was very critical to happen. Sure, the creative needs a spark, but that can be dealt with along the way.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc1x8LY1yVg[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Gets the right image. At last.

     

  • Okay, there are these delightful destinations, and the ads do look great, but why must I choose Emirates? Funnily, that one most important question isn't dealt with

    Debrief: Emirates: Too generic

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Emirates Airline has launched a television blitzkrieg. The objective is to communicate that they fly across various continents. Each TVC features a particular continent: Europe, Africa and America.

     

    The creative idea is to promote tourism. Each ad highlights the lovely touristy stuff the continent has on offer. So, for the Africa ad, we get to see the famed wildlife, the mountains, the bazaars, etc. Things we usually associate with that continent. The treatment is the same with other zones.

     

    Now, I am a little flummoxed on this one. Because I am not quite sure how, at the end of the communication, Emirates fits in. So okay, there are these delightful destinations I want to travel to, there are these magnificent sights and sounds I wish to absorb, and the ads do look great, but why must I choose Emirates to fly to these locations? Funnily, that one most important question isn’t dealt with. Quite obviously I will have a choice of other airlines as well, and as a traveller, I am more interested in wanting to know about Emirates.

     

    My guess is the advertiser and the agency have tried to keep away typical airline advertising (delicious food, on-time departures, pretty air hostesses, etc), and have chosen to focus on destinations. But in the process, they have compromised brand saliency. I will watch these ads, get excited by the places, and then surf the net to find which airline offers me the best deal. In short, it’s ended up becoming generic advertising.

     

    Surely there’s a way to bring out world beauty without diluting the brand? That’s why creative people get hired.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C51-DL25qA4[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2. Pretty ads. Weak branding.

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