Shinmin.Bali@expressindia.com

The Ad
The TVC is a slice of life story of a young man named Ray, who is unfazed by most things that happen to him, taking it all as it comes. Ray is shown going through a series of events typical to a young adult such as asking a girl out and showing up late, borrowing a friend’s car against his permission and getting rapped for it, while maintaining his near Zen-like composure throughout.

Target Audience
Young adults, 18-21 years (male and female)

Business Objective
To promote the all new Fastrack Lightweights collection.

Protagonist Ray’s nonchalance or his ‘cool guy’ personality might make the younger lot relate to the ad. The ad brings out the Lightweights collection from Fastrack rather subtly by drawing a parallel between the watch series and taking things lightly no matter what life throws at you.

Competitive Edge

The campaign carries the tone of voice and attitude we have come to associate with Fastrack. The TVC, to flag the collection off, keeps it more about the attitude than the product.

Tone of Voice
Subtle humour, tongue-in-cheek and stylish

Verdict

Over the years, as Fastrack has expanded its portfolio and correspondingly, its communication, there is a certain language or style that we have come to associate with the brand. With Move On almost becoming Fastrack’s signature slogan, anything after that has a template carefree approach that the brand has to communicate to stay true to the image that it has created for itself.

In its new campaign to announce the launch of Fastrack’s watch collection Lightweights, the creative agency Lowe Lintas has ensured that the film characterises the young urban adult’s mindset of staying coolheaded, come what may. With consumers willing to invest in smartwatches, the competition is not just from the literal competitors in the market, but from any entity that can distract your target audience long enough to say that it’s the ‘shiny new thing in the market’.

So when a brand rolls out a new product which is not a necessity, its selling proposition must go beyond the product and its merits. This brings us to why Fastrack has to communicate the launch by creating a personality that the consumer can associate with Lightweights rather than the product merits.

Although spelling out the product details is not how Fastrack does things, perhaps future communication can bring it in a little more in the creative, if it is about a new collection altogether, like this one? Because while this ad is cheeky and clever, and the tonality and attitude definitely register, one wonders if the fact that this is a new collection really comes across, or whether it feels like just another Fastrack ad. While the TVC is on air, the digital focussed campaign will be launched towards the end of this month.

Rating: 6/10
@shinminbali