MxMIndia

Tag: debrief

  • The ad is much too contrived, and it fails to connect. The big pay-off, that of changing lives, gets completely lost in all the info and the din that's squeezed into 30 seconds

    Debrief: Visa Debit: Plays the ‘Swades’ card

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Visa would like big city customers to splurge on cool stuff by using their card. However, in their new drive to take the card to the interiors of India, they have changed the strategy. Visa wants the gaonwallahs to use their debit card to do some hard social work. Hello, why must they? Why can’t the rural folk have some fun too? Is social work only their responsibility?

     

    Anyway, the commercial features a bleeding heart who learns about Visa Debit, subscribes to it, and buys some equipment by using the card. This is the raw material for a bicycle generator he wants to invent. Which he uses to light up his dark village.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHv1sNOBG30[/youtube]

    The ad is much too contrived, and it fails to connect. For one, public service is being pushed by every other brand these days, so this route has lost all credibility. And when it comes from a multinational credit card company, alarm bells go off in the head. Also, the treatment is really sad. While the ad attempts to re-create the magic of Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Swades’, it falls flat because there’s zero emotion in the TVC. The big pay-off, that of changing lives, gets completely lost in all the info and the din that’s squeezed into 30 seconds.

     

    Visa should stick to the ‘splurge with our card’ route. Even a country bumpkin aspires to get hold of the latest gadget.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Tired idea. Poor execution.

     

  • Extremely disappointed with this effort. It’s a straightforward, boring, problem/solution ad, with none of the famous Havells magic

    Debrief: Havells Wires: Lacks spark

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Havells is back with a new commercial, this time for their wires. This brand usually does offbeat work and has set the benchmark for advertising on electrical products, so one looks out for their ads with great expectation.

     

    The commercial features Bollywood comedian Ranvir Shorey. Clad in a ganji and pyjama, he is seen meditating. He smells something fishy, and spends the rest of the commercial time sniffing around in his house. Till our man discovers that an ‘ordinary’ wire is burning because of excess load. Enter Havells. Problem solved.

     

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

    Extremely disappointed with this effort. It’s a straightforward, boring, problem/solution ad, with none of the famous Havells magic. In fact, it’s so bad, even on the first exposure when you don’t really know what’s happening, you get busy yawning. I suspect the client and the agency knew they are putting out a weak creative, and therefore relied on Shorey to pep things up with his usual filmi antics. Well, poor Shorey, how much ever he might be brilliant at comedy, there’s nothing he can do when the script sucks.

     

    Poor show. The wires may or may not be burning, but I smell a creative burn-out here.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Message delivered. By boring you to death.

     

  • For Reliance Communications' latest commercial on 'unlimited plans' featuring Bollywood girl Anushka Sharma and her boyfriend, they have toned things down

    Debrief: Reliance Communications: At last they get it right

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Ok, so it looks like Reliance took my advice for their mobile phone ads; or at least they took all the dissing in social media very seriously. For their latest commercial on ‘unlimited plans’ featuring Bollywood girl Anushka Sharma and her boyfriend, they have toned things down.

     

    Regular readers will recall that in my review for the Reliance 3G Tab commercial, I had expressed anger over the treatment of the ad. Ms Sharma was seen freely insulting her boyfriend and making him feel like a total loser. My concern was the impact of such loutish behaviour on the brand’s image. To me, spunky is cool, offensive is not.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhx0W35XOMk[/youtube]

    Well, in the new ad, the team seems to have done course correction. The boyfriend (who uses a rival brand) can’t believe Ms Sharma lands up with such a low bill, he thinks she’s using the phone as a showpiece. So he takes up the challenge and abuses the lady’s phone. He makes many STD calls, sends out many text messages and generally has fun with the applications. But the bill remains the same, much to Ms Sharma’s amusement. And so gets introduced the Reliance plan.

     

    Now this is fine. The girl goes one-up on her man, but isn’t abusive or crass. She wins but without being a bitch. This makes for a pleasant ad, and it still delivers the message effectively. This is the way to carry forward this campaign. Hope Reliance has left all the nastiness behind.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Better approach, fun treatment

     

  • It would be harsh to term this as irresponsible advertising. But Mahindra’s ad comes pretty close. Surely there are more pleasant, attractive ways to demonstrate legacy

    Debrief: Mahindra Scooters: Lethal execution!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    This one is a good example of how a sensible strategy can get damaged by a thoughtless creative.

     

    Mahindra doesn’t seem to have much to say about their scooters per se, and that’s fine. All that can be boasted about in this category has been overdone already. Which is why they want to reassure potential customers that their scooters carry the Mahindra legacy of making powerful machines. And to communicate that the same expertise goes into manufacturing scooters.

     

    In the TVC, a chap is seen riding his Mahindra scooter on a country road. Suddenly, and to his great horror, in the rear view mirror he spots huge, menacing, Mahindra SUVs zooming in dangerously close to him. But when he turns his head to check, he spots nothing. This is Mahindra’s way of selling legacy.

     

    I have a problem with this treatment, and no, am not being an angsty, party-pooping uncle, usually I’m all for edgy work. SUV drivers threatening a two-wheeler rider on country roads is a common occurrence in India, and it’s a highly dangerous situation, one that often ends in calamity. Which is why this particular treatment leaves you with a bad feeling. Also, an alarmed scooter rider turning his head to look back, while moving at top speed, is not something you want to see. This is what is called reckless riding. All in all, it’s an execution that makes you fearful rather than informed.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IOGxYQ8-sE[/youtube]

    I think it would be harsh to term this as irresponsible advertising. But Mahindra’s ad comes pretty close to it. Surely there are more pleasant, attractive ways to demonstrate legacy.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Treatment cues danger rather than reassurance

     

  • This is the Fevicol we know and love. The TVC packs in all the ingredients of a good ad.

    Debrief: Fevicol Marine: The magic is back!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Fevicol team is back with a new TVC for their variant, Fevicol Marine, and this time they’ve got it right. I recall they put out a totally banal ad a couple of years ago, and that was a shocker from a brand that’s renowned for super advertising. For that ad, they took the ancient ‘Zor lagaa ke’ idea underwater, and I found it to be a lazy piece of work.

     

    Well, they’ve learnt their lesson. The new ad is cool and very engaging. A boatman is seen transporting wooden chairs across the river. An elderly man asks for a ride, but the boatman declines, suggesting he’s ‘boatfull’. He then discovers that the old man wants him to ferry a pretty lass, and this time the boatman has a change of heart. And to accommodate her and her goat and haystack, he kicks all the chairs into the river. And ties a rope to carry them across. Of course, nothing happens to the chairs because they are bonded by Fevicol Marine.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVBW9xJGtz0[/youtube]

    Now this is the Fevicol we know and love. The TVC packs in all the ingredients of a good ad. It’s a surprising solution. It’s highly entertaining and beautifully shot. It’s focused on furniture staying unharmed underwater. And I love the Rabindra sangeet track. Am sure so will the carpenters, who are the secondary target audience for this product.

     

    Good to see Fevicol is back with the good stuff. The brand has raised the bar so high, anything less than brilliant becomes unacceptable.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 4. Single-minded and wonderfully done

     

  • The new commercial is sunny, bright, happy, and it features Yuvi making his comeback statement, as he talks about moving on from suffering to victory.

    Debrief | Birla Sun Life: Good timing, but…

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Yuvi is back in action, and Birla Sun Life decided it’s time for another TVC. I totally back this move. Readers might recall that earlier this year, I had suggested that Birla must pull the ad they were running at the time. The one which many people felt was insensitive and exploitative, as it appeared to be feeding on the cricketer’s misery. This is what I wrote at the time: ‘Here’s a suggestion for Birla: Drop the ad immediately. And wait. Sooner or later, Mr Fighter will recover and he will be back on the cricket field. It is THEN that the advertiser and its ad agency should swing into action. And create an ad where Yuvi speaks of his ill health, the fears he experienced, and the subsequent joy and relief on recovery. No one will object to that. We all like happy endings.’

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1sDQOUHAEU[/youtube]

    Well, it’s clear these guys listened to me. J. The new commercial is sunny, bright, happy, and it features Yuvi making his comeback statement, as he bonds with children. And he talks about moving on from suffering to victory. This is obviously correct. The TVC celebrates rather than exploits, packs in insecurity, hope and success… the key ingredients for an insurance company’s ad. So all that’s great.

     

    I have just one complaint, and it’s to do with the execution. The commercial ought to have been powerful, emotive and should have left the viewer with that flags-flying feel. This would also have made the ad entertaining to watch. Currently, it’s kinda boring, you wouldn’t want to watch the ad a second time, even if you are the cricketer’s diehard fan. And yes, Yuvi’s continuous drone doesn’t help matters much.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2.5. Good idea, average execution.

     

  • Boring interpretation of 'Change the game'. Witless, uninteresting dialogues. Forced irreverence, which falls totally flat.

    Debrief: Pepsi: Not the game, change the ad!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    It must take enormous talent to botch up something like this. The creators of the new 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, it’s all gone terribly wrong.

     

    In the TVC, designed to promote Pepsi’s association with the current T20 World Cup, the team bus has broken down on the road. Leading to crowds, noise and traffic mess. Ranbir Kapoor arrives out of nowhere, and advises Dhoni and his boys on strategies to use for the tournament. When Dhoni questions Kapoor’s ‘tameez’, the latter explains that T20 lacks tameez.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8YeNX6l5ek[/youtube]

    An extremely poor ad, I have a laundry list of problems. Boring interpretation of ‘Change the game’. Witless, uninteresting dialogues. Forced irreverence, which falls totally flat. Worse, Ranbir Kapoor looks like he has no idea what’s going on out here. And the cricketers leave you with a feeling they want this shoot done with very quickly, and their bills settled before the first ball is bowled.

     

    Truth be told, lack of tameez as a thought ties in well with T20 cricket. (That it promotes rowdy behaviour inside the stadia is another story, of course). But a tired, stupid commercial has killed even that little germ of an idea.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Disaster with a capital D.

     

  • How does a vibrating chip relate to the Polo and the Vento? I really hope the cars don't vibrate while being driven, that would be quite alarming!

    Debrief: Volkswagen’s senseless ‘innovation’

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Volkswagen celebrated 9/11 with ‘shock and awe’. No, they didn’t drive their zippy cars into buildings, they did something even more spectacular: Stick a vibrator on the last page of certain newspapers, as the message read: ‘Feel the shiver of excitement?’. If this provided some, ahem, excitement to the female readers, that was short-lived; the gizmo was a cheap chip that vibrated the entire newspaper… this is Volkswagen’s method of showing us that they are an innovative company.

     

    Well, Volkswagen has fooled around with newspapers with their wild ideas on previous occasions too, so this was nothing new. Clearly, their strategy, much like that desperate cartoonist called Trivedi, is to get attention at all costs (and for Volkswagen, the cost of these tricks must be phenomenal). So, yes, the idea worked, people hotly discussed the vibrator in the social media.

     

    However, I would urge Volkswagen to try and put out ideas that connect with their cars. How does a vibrating chip relate to the Polo and the Vento? I really hope the cars don’t vibrate while being driven, that would be quite alarming! So this is trickery for the sake of trickery. And that’s not very smart thinking.

     

    Also, must tell you, I had to purchase the TOI from the street vendor after I heard about the vibrating newspaper. And this is because my own copy arrived all soggy and wet (9/11 was a very rainy morn in Mumbai), water had seeped into the contraption and it had gone kaput! Again, hope that sort of stuff doesn’t happen to Volkswagen’s gaadis in the monsoons, hehe.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Silly, costly, irrelevant ‘innovation’.

     

  • I am all for some wild action in this low-involvement product category. We usually leave the choice of the plywood to the carpenter, and a disruptive ad is needed to break the end-consumer apathy

    Debrief: Centuryply: Beastly tale!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The makers of Centuryply have decided that boring is pointless in the plywood category. It’s time for some fun. And to do the honours, they have hired the services of… not a celebrity… a gorilla!

     

    The TVC features a man being chased all over his house by a very angry gorilla. The chap finally hides inside a cupboard, and the frustrated gorilla isn’t able to smash it. We soon discover the beast is actually his wifey, who’s livid that the cad has forgotten all about their marriage anniversary.

     

    Well, I am all for some wild action in this low-involvement product category. We usually leave the choice of the plywood to the carpenter, and a disruptive ad is needed to break the end-consumer apathy. Also, even if the Centuryply guys don’t admit to it, Greenply’s zany ads must have inspired them. The latter has shown the way for the rest.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATOwSep_B0k[/youtube]

    However, the problem with this execution is that the gorilla, while it demonstrates physical toughness, takes away from the anti-termite narrative. While this does get mentioned in the voice-over, all the sound and fury in the TVC drowns it out. I think for plywood, threat of termites is an important story. And since Greenply hasn’t taken this positioning overtly, Centuryply could have made it their own, albeit without diluting the madness.

     

    So while the intent is correct, the positioning needs to get more focused.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2.5. Entertaining, but needs strategic direction.

     

  • Complete madness carries on in desi candy advertising. The latest uproarious comedy has been churned out by the makers of Center Fruit

    Debrief: Center Fruit: Full-on masti

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    And so, complete madness carries on in desi candy advertising. The latest uproarious comedy has been churned out by the makers of Center Fruit. The promise is totally wild: The desire for Center Fruit will make your tongue rock and roll in the mouth. Creating a bizarre sound effect. ‘Laplapana’ is the word they’ve coined for this action, and am certain it’s not from the dictionary.

     

    The TVC is set at a tourist spot. A firangi couple is harassed by the local guides (as it often happens in India), as these jokers pitch their services. One smart dude comes along, impresses the firangs with his ‘laplapana’ trick, and wins the business. The commercial is insane, it’s difficult to even describe it, best you hit the link below! As an aside, I wonder how the creative team presented this idea to the client. The meeting itself must have been wild.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RncqBF5NjDs[/youtube]

    Well, what can one say, there’s absolutely no logic at play out here. All I can say is, this sort of outlandish advertising is perfect for a time pass candy. It will evoke some chuckles and (hopefully) some recall at the retail outlet. That’s all one can do in this category.

     

    PS: I do hope this offensive ‘laplapana’ sound doesn’t catch on, and some deranged buggers don’t do it in my presence. They’ll get some serious tongue lashing from moi! 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3. Insane stuff, and it works.

     

  • Rajasthan Tourism has come up with a cool idea for its new ad. And it's the traditional 'Ghoomo' dance. This is a good thought. But…

    Debrief: Rajasthan Tourism: Bahut ghuma diya!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Rajasthan Tourism folks have come up with a cool idea for their new ad. And it’s the traditional ‘Ghoomo’ dance. This is a good thought. Always best to dig deep into your local culture for tourism ads. So that’s fine.

     

    The TV commercial features a whole lot of locals doing the ‘ghoomo’ number. The camera focuses on a single spinning dancer, as the images and people change. Quite naturally, the background track is Rajasthani folk music. In the backdrop of the dancer are shots of fast moving locales and symbols of Rajasthan… the desert, the colours, the elephants, the rustic settings, etc. And all this ties in very well with the slogan: Ghoom ghoom ke dekho maaro pyaaro Rajasthan.

     

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

    So, yes, it’s all working correctly here. There is the local flavour and there are the festivities. However, there’s a fundamental problem with the treatment, and this directly hurts the communication. What they seem to have overlooked is actually a basic lesson in television advertising: When you have close up shots of human beings against a backdrop, the eye naturally stays focused on the human being. Especially when it comes to fast moving imagery. That’s the way our mind and eye function, it’s a basic human trait.

     

    As a result, the scenery in the backdrop, the stuff that would attract us to Rajasthan in the first place, gets lost. And that, obviously, is not a desirable thingy for any tourism ad.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2.5 Good idea, let down a bit by the treatment.

     

  • Anil Thakraney reviews the Fox Movies ad which he says will not work in India where the average Indian male’s eyes are fixated ‘out there’ in any case

    Debrief | Fox Movies: Brilliant!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Haha. Real cool ad. Will keep you in splits and very entertained because it’s delightfully salacious. 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.

     

    The fun commercial features a young male exec whose eyes are shamelessly trained on his pretty lady boss’s breasts. And the dude gets a couple of tight slaps as his just reward. Poor chap, not his fault. He’s used to reading subtitles in the foreign language movies he watches. And is unable to kick the ‘bad’ habit.

     

    Yup, it’s super stuff. The TVC packs in all the ingredients of a good ad film. It is entertaining, surprising, engaging and single-minded. And there’s cool lateral thinking at play to highlight what is otherwise a very uninteresting product promise. Full marks!

     

     

    As a naughty aside, this particular treatment will not work in the Indian market. Only because the average Indian male’s eyes are fixated ‘out there’ in any case, and it has nothing to do with watching foreign films that carry subtitles. 🙂

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 5. Fabulous advertising