Coca-Cola?s new ad with Sachin Tendulkar works at multiple levels, and to multiple effects. It caters to the common man?s fixation with cricket and at another level, its emotive appeal hits exactly where it matters
Campaign: Cricket Ki Khushi
Brand: Coca-Cola
Company : Coca-Cola India
Agency: Lowe Lintas
The Campaign
The ad opens with a group of children in an arid region, starting a game of cricket, completely unperturbed by the soaring temperature, their surroundings or lack of any proper equipment or sports gear. The voice-over talks of how in spite of playing in such conditions, cricket is a source of happiness for these children and the country. Sachin Tendulkar then signs off by encouraging everyone to keep playing and be happy.
Our Take
If Pepsi moved the India episode of cola wars away from the cricket pitch with their recent ad campaigns, Coca-Cola has brought it right back there. And how! This ad featuring the legendary Sachin Tendulkar speaks of cricket as a source of happiness for the people of this country. It works at multiple levels, and to multiple effects. It caters to the common man’s fixation with the game and at another level, its emotive appeal hits exactly where it counts. In advertising, cricket over the years was somewhat eclipsed by its superstars and their larger-than-life personas. And this ad breaks the clutter, plays to the sensibilities of a cricket crazy nation, mixes it up with slice of life moments, presents a story which a large number of Indians can identify with, and tops it up with probably the greatest ambassador of the game delivering a simple, feel-good message: Keep playing and stay happy.
There’s nothing extravagant about the ad unlike most others that feature cricketers, and thank god for that. An honest and simple message behind any campaign is what sustains it eventually, and Coke has done a good job of it. In fact, the best part is that they don’t explicitly try to sell anything through this ad, and yet it has everything in it to reflect positively on their sales. They just sell, nay, evoke a feeling. Often it’s said that the best advertising isn’t advertising. This ad somewhat comes close.
But did they under-utilise Sachin Tendulkar? A tricky question. One can probably just say that showing more by showing less works in this case. It’s responsible usage, even if a little under-utilised. Rather than using much of his face or voice, the ad uses what he stands for millions of Indians: A source of happiness. The message, at another level, is that the game is bigger. Prahlad Kakkar often quotes an incident when Tendulkar refused to hit cricket balls with a fly swatter in one of the early ads saying that it would seem as if he is bigger than the game. The fly swatter was replaced by a stump. Somehow in this new Coke TV spot, you see the same Tendulkar, the same spirit. And you see cricket. A great debut for Tendulkar as Coke’s brand ambassador and for Lowe Lintas with their first campaign for Coke.
Ratings *****
?Sukalp Sharma
