Ranveer Singh’s Thums Up ad: Nothing ‘toofani’ about it

To inspire consumers to unleash their heroic spirit and retain loyalists while also making the brand aspirational for next gen consumers.

The Ad

Taking the toofani spirit to another level, the new campaign starring Ranveer Singh draws on the core idea of Main Hum Bhi Hoon, Aur Khaas Bhi. The Toofani Thums Up drinker shines in the face of danger as he saves school-going children from a bus accident.

Target Audience

Young adult males aged 20-29

Business Objective

To inspire consumers to unleash their heroic spirit and retain loyalists while also making the brand aspirational for next gen consumers.

The Appeal

Emotional

Functional

Sensorial

The film shows Singh saving the lives of school-going children as their bus topples and dangles off the edge of a road. The Good Samaritan approach of the film hopes to tug at heartstrings.

Competitive Edge

Thums Up is always about bravery, the wild side and courage of its spirited drinker. Over the years, its advertising has been set apart by energetic, fast-paced and stylishly rendered action. The same has been tried in the new campaign with the new ambassador. So there’s a man performing extraordinary stunts to grab the beverage bottle in the end. Competing brands usually take a more subdued approach focussing on human relationships.

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Tone of Voice

Serious

Verdict

In October 2016, Coca-Cola India decided to drop Salman Khan, who has been endorsing Thums Up since 2012 and replaced him with a younger but over-exposed endorser Ranveer Singh. Singh, known for his eccentric and energetic behaviour, is a current favourite among brands across categories which cannot seem to get enough of him. The news of him as the new ‘Toofani’ guy in town did bring its own expectations.

The company believes that Singh with his palpable energy will help amplify the aspirational quotient of the brand. However, the campaign Main Hum Bhi Hoon, Aur Khaas Bhi falls flat. Fine, he is the good guy, but the serious and macho image typically associated with Thums Up just doesn’t suit the quirky actor. It went well with the Dabangg Salman Khan who performed daredevil stunts for a bottle of Thums Up. Not to mention, the preachy undertone doesn’t suit a macho brand like Thums Up. There are multiple preachy brands out there. The brand should have taken the toofani concept a step further with an actor like Singh. Or else gone for a better endorser-fit.

Agency: Leo Burnett

Brand: Thums Up

Campaign: Main Hum Bhi Hoon, Aur Khaas Bhi

Production House: Cutting Edge Pictures

Rating: 3/10

Meghna.Sharma@expressindia.com

@meghna0101