Juhi ka Raj in Rajma

(Video includes making of ad too)

Ad By: JWT

Its all in the Family !

Think of Kurkure and probably you wont think of its taste first but would visualize Juhi and a fun colorful dramatic scene. Fritolays says "Tedha hai par mera hai" whenever they share a story for Kurkure. Thats true for the product (Kurkure) which is twisted in shape but is owned and eaten with fun. Similarly, the target audience for Kurkure is entire Indian family. The family which has got all kinds of twists in its members and is constituted of all such "tedhe" members. But whatever be the type, the members still remain the members and thats what makes it "my family". So here again "Tedha hai par mera hai" holds true. This similarity in its product and its audience is possibly the USP for Fritolays which is presented in its communication. Juhi Chawla, a renowned female actor who is also a family women indeed acts as a best suited brand ambassador. 

Now kurkure comes with a new flavor of Rajma which is considered to be the best special food in North India and specifically in Punjabi families. So the obvious choice for presenting it becomes to show it in a Punjabi way. Punjab is known for its fun filled living style and is thus most closely related to bollywood. So all that mixed brings on our screens the new Kurkure Rajma ad. The ad is shot in location near to Gurgaon (NCR, India) where they have field as found in Punjab. It begins with a scene in house where few guests have come and the elder lady of house is doing everything possible to be the best host of world. She offers them Kurkure Rajma mentioning that special snack is for special guests at home. This is to show that like Rajma is generally a special food in front of guests likewise is Kurkure rajma. While showing this set up, special attention has been given to very minute details. Like the way elder lady (Juhi) sits with her feet over other knee, the way guest lady is indifferent and sceptical about what other lady is offering, the way the guest speaks to lady asking whats so special in the snack, everything has been given typical bindaas punjabi attitude. The fun of looking at Juhi in that get up reaches the peak when a call out for "Ma" is heard and she goes running in the field. The excitement of meeting son makes her run further ahead and she hugs scare-crow. Also while she is running, people following her carry an umbrella with "Ma" written over it. And the other side Raj acting like Raj from Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge movie wears jacket with "Raj" written on it. It is to make visible that "Raj" and "Ma" are coming together. They hug, they get togther, "Raj" and "Ma" join together to become "Rajma" popping the packet of Krukure Rajma. Its so dramactic and dumb that even knowing that how baseless and without meaning it is you don't miss to crack with laughter.

There are few brands who take the endeavor to show themselves as dumb, funny and dramatic. These brands possibly don't get into campaigning for selling their product but rather they just get into brand recall acts. Kurkure is definitely one such brand who doesn't compare itself with any other snack variant but just tell that its fun to enjoy the product with your family.

Drama ! Twists ! Kurkure ! Family !

Dirty Dancing / Eating

Ad By: Ogilvy & Mather

Temptation of silk !

Yet another effort from Cadbury to show that how "Meetha" plays a role in celebrating happiness. Through all its communications till now, Cadbury has tried to tell that the chocolate or their chocolate is part of celebrations in life. However they have somehow confined it into small boxes for special occassions like being happy on 1st day of month for getting salary, being happy after getting compliment from boss, being happy to give first dance performance on stage. The concept of celebrating happiness is similar to what Coke adheres itself to. But what coke says is much more pleasing that how happiness lies in every small moment of life unlike Cadbury for which happiness is about significant occassions.

The campaign is put across through two TVCs. One, where guy is happy after his boss has complimented him for the wonderful celebration. Indeed, there cannot be a happier moment than this. In the conference room, he takes out his silky chocolate and starts relishing it. He gets strains of his shirt, he gets call from his wife but he ignores it all and continues to relish it. The purpose is very obvious that they want to tell you would forget everything when havin this chocolate and would enjoy it like a baby messing up everything on and around you. If this is how they show it, how encouraging or tempting it would be for anyone to have it in their office where they know they would make mess having it. Second, where girls are heading towards the stage for giving their first bharatnatyam performance. They are so excited about it that they want to cherish the moment by relishing the chocolate. Mess again ! The chocolate is all over. First girl is waiting on stage waiting for other two to follow. How encouraging or tempting it would be to have the chocolate in such situation when you see that it might just spoil your much awaited moment.

Although the idea cadbury is trying to put across is understandable that their is cuteness in having the chocolate. But leaving aside the practical flaws mentioned above, the guy in boss's cabin and girl backstage doesn't look that cute either. It comes as if they are forcibly trying to look cute by just messing it up on their face, hands, clothes. All the more, what they show is not even true. The chocolate in actual is nowhere that silky to melt like what they show. Its like any other normal chocolate. May be if cadbury moves to a next step or leaves altogether their previous stand and shows how chocolate is delight in depression then may be they do something different with a real difference.

Mess of chocolate milk !

Back 4 ur Back

Ad By: DraftFCB Ulka

Jobs are back ! Show ur back to boss !

Who could miss the Naukri.com advertisement saying Jobs are back. The reason could be anything- victims of recession (Seriously !), the worst boss on earth, or just "Hari Sadu". The comeback of ad is huge than comeback of jobs. The first ad from Naukri.com came in 2006 when an employee assists his boss communicating his name by telling its full form. The ad was appropriately set across the very much reason for most of the people to leave their jobs. Majority of people want to quit their job because they find their boss to be  "Hitler" "Arrogant" "Rascal" "Idiot".

This time the ad comes back with same theme explaining how ruthless the boss is but more than that it brings along a celebration. The celebration of New year, to bid bye to recession and to celebrate that jobs are back. The ad was released first online and then was taken on television. This seems to be an interesting act as the audience and consumers for Naukri.com are precisely the online people so thats the most suitable medium to connect with them. Probably, earlier when Hari Sadu was launched, it was not noticed so much but when it comes back again, it makes further more hilarious and is further more noticed and further more talked. Whenever job portal is advertised, it is more of serious business and shows that how they help in our career path or to gain better salaries but unrealized fact is that an employee might just carry on with his job if he has a superb boss. There is hardly any employee who skips making fun of his boss. With example of Hari Sadu, might just be possible that now every boss is having varied full forms with their doors closed.

Its funny, its witty, its interesting, its registered, its definitely everything that "Hari Sadu" is not.

Jobs & Hari Sadu come back ! How unfortunate for Hari Sadu

Uncomplicate for Complicated

Ad By: JWT

Uncomplicate still carries Complicate along !

Insurance was always a significant product. Adevrtising was always an important channel to sell it. Competition in Insurances is new. Creativity in advertising these insurances is further new. There are so many insurance companies coming up with their marketing campaigns today that even unreached customers know about the product now. All these products have been trying to communicate the importance of insurance for a life and after. But the joint venture of Apollo Hospitals Group and Munich health called Apollo Munich Health Insurance (previously Apollo DKV Insurance) moved a step ahead by not introducing the product rather introducing its features.

The ad created by JWT is definitely not new as its a complete replication of global ad of Absolut Vodka also called Absolut Anthem. The concept and execution is not new but the idea is certainly new which says "Lets Uncomplicate". Health insurance products carry emotional responsibility to connect with people who can be consumers but all these people are afraid of complicated methods, papers, jargons used in the conduct. Hence, understanding that every person today knows the importance of product, Apollo Munich tries to take their fear out and tell them not to be afraid of all these formailites. They welcome consumers saying they are here to uncomplicate all the complications. It is indeed interesting to see the visual where kids are running around word "Blah Blah" n taking out wool leaving behind "Lah Lah" which is pleasant.

But, to whom Apollo Munich is taregetting as its customer is slightly confusing. If we broadly segment the Indian population into 2 categories of urban and rural then there is a big difference which cannot be matched using one campaign. The urban is educated, learnt and is comfortable with complicated formalities. Rather it would not be an exaggeration to say that more complicated you present duch a product to urban segment more seducing it is for them. So telling them "Lets uncomplicate" is not much required. But if rural segment is our target then just using the tagline "Lets uncomplicate" doesnt sort things for them. The way ad is presented in english talking about taking jargons out of words, bitter out of medicine, fear out of face, touble out of treatment, the rural audience would hardly understand the objective.

The idea to uncomplicate is nice, concept is not fresh, audience is not certain but inspite of all this, the effort is seen in giving a new face to a product like Health Insurance.

Uncomplicate to Uncomplicate!

Ageing is Living

Ad By: Ogilvy & Mather

Experience of Past & Dreams of Future !

SBI is possibly the oldest bank in India and when we think about times when concept of Bank was conceptualizing, State Bank of India stand among leaders. Today when there are many more banks than the number of zeros in ones account, SBI is still holding its position for its trust and long living relationship. It is one of those, who move ahead with time but stand strong with roots. With such brand image of a bank, offering a Life Insurance Plan is an endeavor that must come across as an emotional asset for a customer more than being a financial asset. This is precisely what the new ad is doing.

Every individual knows the value of Life Insurance in todays learned world but specifically in India, it becomes an emotional requirement than a practical decision. Definitely, such product is targetted for young people who are in run of starting and settling their lives. So, the ad aptly starts with a young couple driving in silence when they don't have words in between but still hold certain gestures that want to communicate something to each other. The lady turns on the music in try of changing the mood and probably to distract mind. Husband turns it off precisely to take the attention of his wife. On the way, certain things pass by. A nice car, an icecream kiosk, all on their journey on long road with rain acting as problem. But husband sings along and turns that problem into joy conveying to his wife that how all desires would be real tomorrow. The song says that when they would age, that time also they would love each other equally and husband adds on that the same fun, same luxury, same teasing would live life long. Its a beautiful gesture. Any viewer imagines himself there having similar life filled with joy. The purpose of ad is there on met as viewer has imagined himself there because it built into him the confidence. The confidence is building stone for turning that viewer into a customer.

The ad rightly targets at right audience, targetting even more rightly at sentimental value by showing dreams. The black and white picture acts even more enforcing which connects it with SBI all time documentary concept. Its a pleasing ad and thats all what matters in communication.

SBI is indeed experienced to know dreams of future.

Smart 4 Smart

Ad By: Thoughtshop

Smartest acts Smarter to sell Smart Chips !

The world is getting conscious about healthier food, companies are getting conscious about their product offerings in multiplying competition, advertising agencies are getting conscious about their ideas with oceans turning blue (or call it blue ocean strategy simply) with more creative minds shaping their views now. Probably all this consciousness led to Smart Chips endorsed by Aamir Khan.

Parle has been in market of snacks since ages and practically all Indians know the brand for its "Feel good" snacks. There is no doubt about the brand recall when we talk about Parle. But equally undenied fact is that brand recalls the brand image of being a "feel good" snack. Today, every consumer is wanting a snack which is feel good as well as "do good". That do good factor is obtained from healthy diet food with which Parle had never been associated in past. So when they try to meet this customer need of "do and feel good" snack they need to make sure that they convey this in their communications to consumer. Taking Aamir for endorsement of such product is definitely a well thought idea. He is an icon who is called perfectionist, who is known for his smartness in whatever he indulges himself into so definitely he is right choice to talk about "Smart" product. However, right resources can do no good unless right concept binds it together. Aamir is a thinker and not an action man who would be expected to jump off the buildings, run over streets, dive into cars. He rather looks funny and bit awkward in noticing people and handing over them hugely sized T-shirts saying "You will need it".

The product and advertisement would have been more convincing if it informed people that "Smart Chips" are not only healthy but also tasty. It would have been more pleasing to see if Aamir's jumps weren't there. It would have hit more masses if along with hugely sized Ts, few smaller sized Ts were given to obese people along with Smart Chips. After all cannot ignore the fact that we might offend some part of that mass with T-shirts of that size.

Just the name is not enough to be called "Smart"!

Lux Abhi Ash

Ad By: JWT

Couple Double Trouble !

Hindustan Unilever has been doing everything possible for their brand Lux. From varying endorsements of Shah Rukh n Aishwarya to varying product features, every trick has been picked but how much it has paid. How much it has helped to double the sales. This time, HUL has come with a new variant of Lux which consists of beauty oils for soft skin like never before (Sounds like a product every girl would fall for). For such a special product, the communication to audience be striking enough that they wouldnt have slightest doubt about buying it. JWT already had powerful name associated with Lux brand called Aishwarya Rai that is now Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. When the name has added value, JWT made best out of it by adding its value to Lux. Mr. Abhishek Bachchan got invitation to join her gorgeous wife for selling Lux.

If the ad is just heard and not seen, its amusing. Its interesting to sing along and it takes attention that even if you are engrossed somewhere you would definitely lift your eye lashes to look at the video of this audio. But when the screen shows beautiful Aishwarya in her bath tub using beauty oil Lux soap and then moving to her husband who is engrossed in his newspaper, its so predictable that she would take his attention with that frangrance. Pitching about beauty oil in soap and seducing husband with frangrance is bit contradictory. The USP of product is misplaced or just missing. And its amazing to see that Aishwarya is needing Lux to take Mr. Bachchans attention. She plays around, enjoys the feeling that she is beautiful with Lux but then how did Abhishek got onto the maid passing by ignoring her frangrance, softness and ignoring even the size.

The concept is very much mundane and very much predictable. Just taking big brand names doesnt give liberty to ignore the concept. Though the good music is able to take attention but the expectations fall under ground looking at the video in which Aishwaryas natural beauty is also missing along with Abhisheks attitude.

The couple is not able to double the sales or attention but troubles the mind with lousy concept.