By Gokul Krishnamoorthy
Samsonite | Tested Like Samsonite
‘The more you’re tested, the more you become’ and ‘The bigger the test, the bigger you become’ are statements that get the backing of stars who have made remarkable comebacks – Bachchan Senior and Yuvraj Singh. That the brand is thoroughly and intensively tested becomes the parallel story that gets interwoven with powerful words and visuals. I can’t recall the last time someone made Mr. Bachchan act with so much effort in an ad. And it makes a difference, especially when your message is one of grimace, grit and strength. These intense spots are aided in their quest to stand out by their distance from the category comfort zone.
Ariel | #ShareTheLoad | #CelebrateEqual
‘Is it truly a celebration if it’s not equal?’ asks Ariel, in another instalment of #ShareTheLoad. One wishes this eyeopener had landed around Diwali, but it’s never too late for a powerful film like this. The subtlety with which the poignant message cuts through is telling. The ‘before’ and ‘after’ realisation modes of the male partner should make males all over think twice about how they share the load. In this case, around celebrations, which makes the contrast starker. The music complements the joyous transition (for both parties) to a more evolved and equal state.
Google For India | Built To Help | Project Relate
The Google For India event proved to be a big draw and Sundar Pichai was in attendance. The films here are far from polished ads that the search giant has churned out in the past but they are earnest in what they convey and how they do it. We take a lot of what we have as a support system for granted and Google is perhaps the biggest of them, starting with its search capabilities. Here are some reminders that search is just the beginning.
Cossouq.com | #Samjhakar
‘You are who you are and ought to be celebrated for being who you are’. Or something to that effect. Where have we heard that before? We certainly have heard it before; you can’t deny that. In so many different ways. So the differentiation had to come in the way it is articulated and picturised. Kudos to the teams for making this film stand out. #Samjhakar is a reassuring and confident ode to the ones who are deemed odd by society at large. What the product line is, one got to know from the text on YouTube, but they did get my attention with the film.
CenturyDoors | Termite Proof
The termites eat the Handas’ door as Mr. Handa eats his andas. Smart and funny stuff, aided by the smart device of the name on the nameplate transforming into the food on the plate as the ‘H’ drops off. Having a familiar face and fantastic performer as protagonist certainly helps. Highlights the problem and gets your attention in order to offer the solution. Who says simple and funny advertising is dead?
HP Smart Tank Printers | Consider It Done
Talking of funny, this wager approach is as simple as it gets but done funnily enough to keep us entertained. ‘Abbey chutney nahin hai kya’ being the icing on the cake in the samosa wager. And once the brand has invested in the characters, it certainly made sense to make a series.
Dulux Weathershield Powerflexx | Ghar Ka Champion
‘Weathershield Powerflexx’ sounds sophisticated and is possibly named so to impress the painting trade and end consumers, at least those who get the meaning. The film is certainly designed to impress. Star power meets a ‘Ghar Ka Champion’ story that plugs in the weather-shield pitch. How do you make paints interesting? Try telling a story and link it back to the brand, says Dulux. It seems to work.
Cadbury | Madbury Duet
Cadbury’s Madbury returns, with a twist. It’s seeking duos this time and brought in an element of socialising into the contest. Hopefully, the returns will be 2x. Even if they are not, there’s a nice touch of pairing up for the contest with someone from any part of the country based on the love of food.
Van Heusen | Move Labs
So this went up online two months ago. But was noticed by us only more recently, thanks to spots during the FIFA World Cup matches on Jio Cinemas. If ‘Move’ was the central theme, this delivers. With all the poise that is expected of the brand.
Hyundai | Shah Rukh Ne Bataya
What’s the last car ad that one remembers featuring a celebrity that cut through compellingly? Here’s one that uses a simple device of ‘Shah Rukh Ne Bayata’, uses the star as himself to good effect and also manages to spell out the benefits it is trying to pitch, in the process. The app itself promises to ease life a bit for Hyundai owners.
Vivo India | #SwitchOff | #LiveTheJoy
It was a father reconnecting with his son in a car last year by switching off that jolted us to our obsession with our respective smartphones. This year, it’s a couple and again, a very relatable and real situation. Handset brands and telecom providers asking us to switch off is not new at all. And hence to stand out is a challenge. This ploy works as a nice wake up call ahead of the end-of-year holidays. Those who wake up to their inboxes might be prompted or prodded to make a resolution or two. Whether they keep them is another thing. Vivo keeps its date with the new year with consistent messaging.
Monginis | Magic Every Time
Warmly captures the spirit of goodness that envelops festivities. When a star engages in a gesture like this, it makes things all the more special. Monginis does manage to create a little bit of magic here, without too much of an effort
Hyatt | #PerfectlyYours
Impeccably executed spot that marks a rare cut-through from the hospitality industry. A statement of commitment to personalisation is brought alive interestingly – and arrestingly, visually. Needless to add, it has luxury written all over it.
EatSure | Foodcourt On An App
Every member of the family asking for something different did enough to convey that here’s an app that can deliver stuff from multiple restaurants. And the earlier work did deliver well. Here’s a possible attempt to raise the humour quotient and hence the court becomes a ‘food court’ to deliver the ‘Food court on an app’ message. Let’s humour the makers for trying to stand out with some silly ‘order’ humour.
(Powered by ClutterCutters.in. Exclusive to FE BrandWagon Online. To feature campaigns, kindly mail: gokul.campaign@gmail.com).