Addendum is a weekly column that takes a sometimes hard, sometimes casual, sometime irreverent, yet never malicious look at some of the new or recent advertisements and comments on them.

Politics takes a backseat for the advertising world and soccer takes centre-stage as most brands push their messages before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in Brazil next month. Some get the message across. Others falter in front of the goal-line.

The TV commercial (TVC) begins with an interesting Hollywood-style shot. Aliens are coming! But then, sadly, what it could have done in many brilliant ways ends up being nothing but an Avengers rip-off. The only good thing about the TVC are the football stars Messi, Rooney and Ronaldo, and a glimpse into their hard-core training in a virtual world.

Although the visuals and the cinematography of the TVC is done with quality, it fails to impress as it is neither innovative nor interesting. It seems that the only audience that it might actually appeal to (maybe it was the core target audience) are gamers and football fans. Also, by using football to save the planet from the attack of aliens using the Samsung Galaxy 5, Gear 2 and Fit wouldn’t have looked like a misfit if the fantasy part of the TVC had been well executed.

What do you expect advertising to do? Entertain, educate or exaggerate. Sometimes, advertising does not let go of its obsession with hyperbole. What else could one say about a sign-off like “Football will save the planet” at the end of this commercial?

Coca-Cola – It’s the world’s cup This one is about the soccer-crazy Bangladeshi neighbourhood. ‘Bangladesh Welcomes the World Cup’ is another classic Coca-Cola ad that touches the heart of the audience. The use of music, especially the iconic ‘Open Happiness’ tune is subtly incorporated in the TVC. Just a few seconds into the ad, viewers can instantly identify with the old and comfortable settings that Coca-Cola has established for many years. It is noteworthy that the advertisement shows, with a local touch, how people living in unity in one locality support a diverse range of teams that are nowhere near Bangladesh. Although it may seem too much of a utopian portrayal of FIFA supporters in Bangladesh, the music and the camera somehow make us feel at home. Overall, the TVC is a feel-good, positive watch that has a recall value, especially because of the music.

Oreo Orange Creme In a short span, backed up with a large advertising budget, Oreo has established its brand recall so well in the market that it need not focus on being too creative. Like all the other Oreo commercials, this one too features a child and an adult. The colour scheme of the ad reminds us that this is an Oreo ad but there is something different about the feel. Once the orange flavour is introduced, the TVC follows the routine cheesy talk that makes the viewer go ‘aww’. The only reason the ad may be appealing is the child. While the tag line ‘So Chocolatey, So Orangey’ sounds like a lazy effort, it probably fits with the aura of childish innocence that the TVC has. However, the recall value of the TVC may not be as good as the ‘Twist, Lick, Dunk’ ads.

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