The Ad
The film opens on a hockey match where one player receives the ball. Upon trying to tackle the ball away from the opponents, the player suddenly starts controlling the ball as if it were stuck to the hockey stick and smoothly scores a goal, only to realise that the ball is still ‘stuck’ to the end of his hockey stick. The much elated team glorifies the hockey player. The TVC ends with, “Total control wala naya Fevikwik Gel.”
Our Take
This one aims at presenting the brand idea of giving total control to users while doing what Fevikwik does best — stick various broken objects instantly. Does it succeed? Yes. The idea of using a sports based theme also seems relevant with Rio Olympics 2016. But does it live up to the brand’s legacy of quirky campaigns? No. Fevikwik communication has invariably showcased the instant bonding story with a sense of humour. As an instant adhesive brand there is only so much you can do in your advertising. Given the very functional nature of the category and need-based consumption, Fevikwik has so far always taken a witty and humour-based route to its advertising. However, in the latest ad it runs the risk of getting too predictable.
Also, since it is an ad for a new product variant, the difference is not quite clear. “Fevikwik gel is thick in consistency. We felt the need to offer users control over the application process and Fevikwik gel does exactly the same. The thick formulation allows them to use it with total control and accuracy in various situations,” says Vivek Sharma, CMO, Pidilite Industries.
Pidilite is known for its iconic campaigns such as the Fisherman ad and the Indo-Pak Wagah border Todo Nahin, Jodo campaign. The Total Control ad, however, doesn’t seem to be quirky enough. The moment you see the ball appearing to be stuck to the hockey stick midway during the ad film, you have a sinking suspicion this is an ad for an adhesive brand. Where’s the layering in this one?
“It takes a lot more than just a good script; treatment and right casting play a very crucial role in ad filmmaking too. For instance, in the Todo Nahi, Jodo ad, the script was pretty ordinary, but execution was fantastic. The shots captured in a correct way, struck a right chord with the audience,” observes Anshul Sushil, co-founder, Boring Brands.
This layering appears to be missing in the latest ad film. Sure, the ad is a decent attempt, but doesn’t match up to its predecessors in terms of freshness of thought and execution. Pidilite is in a low-involvement category after all, and whether the ad can be watched over and over and still generate enthusiasm, is the key.
@rankita