Campaign : Ideas for life

Brand: Panasonic

Company: Panasonic India

Agency: Dentsu & IBD

India

The Campaign

There are two ad campaigns that Panasonic has released. The first of the ad campaigns featuring Dia Mirza is part of Panasonic?s ?Eco Ideas? initiative which aims to bring eco-friendly consumer electronics products to its customers and reduce CO2 emissions. There are five ads where Mirza endorses the company?s green initiative and urges consumers to follow suit. The Panasonic air conditioner campaign begins with Mirza relaxing in her room. She says, ?Just like I need cooling, so does my planet. That?s why I chose Panasonic AC. It saves upto 60% energy. I am doing my bit.? In the next commercial, Mirza is shown placing lamps which gives a Diwali-like feel. She continues to speak directly to the camera. She says, ?My celebrations are always more fun because they are eco friendly and pollution free.? While showcasing the Panasonic refrigerator, Mirza tells that by saving up to 40% power, the fridge keeps food fresh and helps keep the earth cool. In another ad, she is shown watching her Panasionic Viera in her drawing room. ?I see a cool earth every time I switch on my Panasonic Viera. It saves up to 35% power and it is lead and mercury free.? Mirza says. For the washing machine ad, she says that by saving water and power, the Panasonic washing machine gives her not just clean clothes but also a clean, green earth. In all the the five ads, after Mirza?s message, the camera zooms into an animated globe. And the tagline runs ?Building a cooler planet, bit by bit? with the logo?eco ideas. The commercials end with the voiceover: Panasonic?ideas for life. The second ad campaign is for Panasonic?s 3D HD full Viera TV featuring Bolly-wood actor Ranbir Kapoor. It begins with Kapoor walking down the street. He wears his 3D glasses and the voiceover runs, ?The world is alive.? As he moves on, he sees all the images in high-definition 3D format beginning with a rock star poster which shows the guitar in 3D format. He then sees a notice for a lost dog pasted on a wall, and as he looks at it, the dog jumps out of the poster. So does the ball that the cricketer on a cover page of a magazine hits. The next shot is of two women coming out a matrix club poster who point their pistols at Kapoor. As he walks by, the grafitti on the wall comes alive leaving him awestruck. Finally, he comes across a huge poster of a dance programme. The dancers come alive inviting him into the poster which turns into a huge Panasonic 3D HD full Viera screen, and we see him shaking a leg with the girls. And the voiceover runs, ?Stiff into the 3D world with Panasonic 3D HD full Viera. Its revolu-tionary 3D drive and cross-talk reduction technology takes 3D revolution to new level. Viera 3D-the world is alive.? Finally, the tagline: Panasonic?ideas for life.

Our Take

While the Eco Ideas thought is laudatory, the ads aren?t. Despite having a beautiful and glamorous celebrity such as Mirza to endorse its eco-friendly initiative, the brand does not utilise her to the maximum potential. The ads do justice neither to her acting ability nor her power to form an emotional connect with the audience. Devoid of any storyline, the ads just have Mirza stating the bare facts. The brand has tried its best to incorporate the go green message with all its five products. Here was an opportunity to showcase the brand?s on-ground eco-friendly initiatives with the help of a beautiful face, but sadly it didn?t. It becomes just one of those campaigns that you forget the very next second.

The Viera 3D HD full ad featuring Ranbir Kapoor is a shade better, as it at least has a storyline. The visualisation is worth appreciating as it showcases Kapoor?s jour-ney from the street to the high definition 3D television. But the brand certainly had the chance of doing even better, given the star power of its brand ambassadors.

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