MxMIndia

Tag: Tata Docomo

  • The winner of the ads I don't understand category came in this morning papers (and not on television oddly enough) with Blackberry saying an asterisk had something to do with action

    Ranjona Banerji: When ads hit a miss

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    This time I think Airtel has hit a miss: the “what’s mine is yours or what’s yours is mine or what’s mine is mine song” makes you reach for the mute button on your remote. I suppose all good things have to come to an end and Airtel did pretty well with its earlier songs about friendship and sharing. It is testament to good advertising that while I do not actually remember the songs, I do remember them as being listenable.

     

    The grouchy old man as in Ranbir Kapoor for Tata Docomo has outrun its usefulness and is starting to grate. Sooner rather than later, their own customers are going to start thinking about how they’ve kept waiting on the phone, how the service slows down at the wrong time usually and the difficulty of trying to get a human on the line when you have a complaint…

     

    Most people are now feeling the same way about Anushka Sharma, especially her of the Reliance 3G ad. Most feel that she’s too nasty. I feel the worst she can be accused of is grossly exaggerating Reliance’s service. I know it’s a script but perhaps Reliance (or its ad agency) might remember that people are not quite that stupid all the time. Speaking of which, why doesn’t that boyfriend just switch to the same service and end her smart-aleckyness? Maybe he likes her just the way she is? He seems to be a tolerant chap with a sense of humour. Or perhaps his service doesn’t have goons masquerading as bill collectors?

     

    Car buyers although must be quite silly because the “caaaaaaaaar” ad is back. Nissan Sunny is it? I have only one question: whhhhhhyyyyyy? But then I remember the brand so maybe the brand has won but then if I ever buy a car it won’t be this one for sure because I don’t want to sound like a prime twit as I say, “Driver, caaaaaaaaaar le ke aana” to a lift full of strangers. At the very least, I would know the name of my own driver.

     

    If I had to buy a car, it would be a Renault Fluence not because I like it or I know anything about cars but just so I could shut up my show-offy upstart host with his horrible American accent and his skin-crawl-worthy bragging about his things.

     

    The winner of the ads I don’t understand category came in this morning papers (and not on television oddly enough) with Blackberry saying an asterisk had something to do with action. I’m not a Blackberry boy (or girl) and I have some other idea about the usefulness of asterisks, so I was at a complete loss. The ad ran over two pages but more space does not always aid comprehension.

     

    Finally, I now firmly believe that the most irritating song of all is the inspirational one from Hero MotoCorp. All this hysterical urging of India to go has led to all the Indians coming back empty-handed from the Olympics. Trying to make money and tempting fate at the same time? All that you get is bad Karma!

     

  • Good approach. By demonstrating the scheme laterally, they have made the Docomo offer get wings.

    Debrief: Tata Docomo: Entertaining and effective

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Tata Docomo guys have done a bizarre thing in their new campaign. They have made hottie Ranbir Kapoor, their brand ambassador, dress up as a really old man. A crime in itself, but one that could have been overlooked if the advertiser had at least put out a little reason why the young actor was made to go geriatric.

     

    In the commercial I watched (and there are many more), Kapoor plays a cheating old down-market restaurateur. He insists on serving three idlis per plate, and if the patron wants only two, well then, too bad. Kapoor will still charge for three pieces.

     

    It’s Tata Docomo’s way of selling their ‘Pay for what you use’ scheme. As in, unlike the old, cheating Kapoor, they will only charge for what you use.

     

    Good approach. By demonstrating the scheme laterally, they have made the Docomo offer get wings. A direct route would have been pretty cold and boring.

     

    And this approach immediately becomes entertaining. Nope, you won’t tire of the commercials even on repeat exposures. Must say, so much better than those horrendous Ranbir Kapoor talk shows that Tata Docomo used to inflict on us.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC-tq7XJ0Ew[/youtube]

    However, I still have one problem: Why is Kapoor decked up as grandpa? Why, why, why? Why take a sexy man and then totally kill his sex appeal? Why?

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 3. Lateral route works.

     

  • The mobile game app is among the top 10 paid apps on iOS

    Real Steel boxes its way into Top 10 iTunes Chart

    By A Correspondent

     

    Jump Games, a company owned by Reliance Entertainment’s Digital Arm, has set new records on the Apple iTunes with Real Steel, the official mobile game for the movie, Real Steel.

     

    Real Steel has received a staggering response, it is the first game made by an Indian Studio to touch such impressive figures on the iTunes Chart. The figures say it all: Best Top Sports Paid Apps Rank - 1; Best Top Action Paid Apps Rank – 5; Real Steel climbs to No. 6 in Top Paid Apps (Courtesy iOS)

     

    Real Steel has been in the top 50 list on the App store in countries like theUS, Australia,Canada,Germany and many others.

     

    This Underworld fighting game, which is an actual replica of the Real Steel movie, is set in the near future where 2,000-pound robots fight each other with no rules or regulations.

     

    To keep the player engaged, Jump keeps coming up with constant timely updates for the game ,current one being addition of two new ruthless robots - Twincites and Blacjac.

     

    The game provides high adrenaline rush to the player and he/she can use a mix of standard boxing moves, jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts, and some specific Underworld moves, such as low blows, knees to stomach, and so on in the fight. The game is available at just 0.99 cents on Apps store.

     

    Jump Games is a leading International developer and publisher of mobile games, apps and content. It is an integral part of Reliance Entertainment (Digital Business). Jump’s foray and expertise lies into the media and entertainment space.

     

    Jump partners with leading content owners, publishers, mobile operators, handset manufacturers and technology providers. Jump’s experience and expertise in creating innovative and cutting-edge gaming  content reflects in its client roster, which lists some of the best brands from across the world - Codemasters, GLU, Playboy  Hands-on, Dreamworks, Cartoon Network, and Konami to name a few.

     

    Fueling concepts for these ground-breaking games is the domain expertise of Jump’s strong, multi-disciplinary, and cross-skilled team spanning across the US, UK and India.

     

    Distributed across theUS, Europe, South Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia, Jump’s content can be accessed through 80 leading networks across 40 countries as well as global AppStores. The content is available on leading networks like Vodafone, BSNL, TATA Docomo, M1, MTNL, Dialog Telekom, Reliance Mobile World, Telstra, Tele2, TIM, O2, Virgin Mobile, KPN, Telia, 3,Telefonica, Optimus, and Telenor.

     

  • Anil Thakraney loved the Tata Docomo ‘No Getting Away’ as it’s tongue-in-cheek, wicked communication

    Anil Thakraney’s Hard Knocks: No country for funny men

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    There are many reasons I quit the ad world a long time ago. One of them being there’s no place for irreverence in desi advertising. Not even fun irreverence. And that’s because Indians lack the ability to laugh at themselves, and take offence at the slightest mischief. We people take ourselves too damn seriously. Which is why most advertisers panic when wicked storyboards are presented to them. And this issue, for me at least, is just too depressing.

    It is in this context that I have been keeping a hawk’s eye on the new Tata Docomo campaign. I sort of knew this wickedly humorous stuff would sooner or later get into trouble. ThatIndiais not ready for it. This is the ‘No Getting Away’ campaign. There are many ads on air, but the one I found cutest is where a maid, while cleaning the living room, lucks upon a carelessly left cell phone instrument. Because no one’s watching, she grabs it and hides it inside her blouse. But the memsaab manages to nab her. Because the phone starts buzzing inside the blouse. Yup, no getting away! I loved it, because it’s tongue-in-cheek, wicked communication. Meant for a few good laughs.

    [youtube width=”300″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWsGT63dAUU[/youtube]And yes, the commercial is in trouble. Not only is the maids’ union up in arms, Raj Thackeray saab has got into the act. Saying this ad denigrates the Marathi manoos, since the maid looks like a typical Mumbai bai. And once Raj bhau raises his voice, the ad is as good as dead. There’s no getting away from him either!

    Now here’s the deal: I would have laughed equally hard if the maid was Bengali, Punjabi, Muslim, Tamil, Christian or Sindhi. And I would have laughed even harder if they had featured a corporate CEO stealing a phone at an airport (and some do!). Because the dirt, the bias, is in our minds. We want to laugh at others but not at ourselves. I don’t know who wrote the Docomo script, but am absolutely certain that dude or dudette was not out to trash any community. They were having fun, and will now have to face the music.

    And the pity is this: After this incident, the rest of the already worried advertisers will kiss irreverent advertising goodbye for many more years. And I suspect the alarmed Docomo guys will swiftly revert to their stupid Ranbir Kapoor talks shows. Sad.

    Anyway, I am glad I no longer play the game. I don’t do safe.

     

    [youtube width=”300″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbqBjnBy-1s[/youtube]PS: Watched the Listerine ad. And strangely, funny man Cyrus Sahukar acts so serious, it’s like Raj bhau sent him a hot memo too. What’s the point of casting the mad-cap Cyrus and running a clinical ad? It’s as corny as casting Narendra Modi in an ad where he talks of peace and brotherhood! (Peace, Motabhai, peace!)