Addendum is a fortnightly column that takes a sometimes hard, sometimes casual, sometimes irreverent, yet never malicious look at some of the new or recent advertisements and comments on them.
Where’s the crackle?
You have this great brand Bournvita built on the back of assiduous marketing, advertising, quiz contests and other sales promotions. Now you have Bournvita Biscuits. Cookies that ride piggy-back on the Bournvita brand which always promised good taste as well as nourishment. So Mondelez India and O&M have this TVC where mom loses beauty sleep, gets up bright and early, toodles off to something that looks like a marriage hall. She then transforms into supermom and converts it into a gym. So what’s all this with the hall and its change of use? I haven’t understood but in the meanwhile two children are woken up by what looks like a male figure, the face is clearly not to be shown, and these two kids arrive, give the lady high fives and start practising gymnastics while the voice-over says that every morning she decides who will be the next winner. And then they eat Bournvita biscuits somewhere in between. And a voice tells you it’s a morning biscuit. So what happens next? Nothing. The uninspiring ad film comes to an end. After raising my hopes that are built on some sensational advertising for Mondelez by O&M, this is like the biscuit I dip into my tea, and which suddenly falls into the cup. Hope the biscuits taste better!
Aircel and DDB Mudra have a little film to highlight the all-nighter package that offers unlimited voice, data and videos between midnight and 6 a.m. The mom sleepily enters her kitchen. (This column seems to be all about moms who rise early. God bless them). Her coffee jar is empty and the cups are missing. On further investigation she finds the son dead to the world (sleeping, I mean), lying with his phone close to him, and receiving even more notifications. Yes, this is youngster’s delight and mom’s worst nightmare come true. Unlimited data and videos from midnight to dawn. The choice of the audience segment is spot on. One can easily visualise what these youngsters would be doing with this unlimited plan. It should add a line, maybe… “coffee not included.” A competent film.
This furniture ad rocks
The online furniture space is definitely hotting up. At least its advertising is. Mebelcart is the latest kid on the block and it has a gem of a film made by Raju Hirani Films and stars the flavour of the year, Kangana Ranaut. The film begins with a trendy-looking Kangana, dressed to party in a yellow dress and a fancy short wavy hair-do, getting into an elevator while she tells a friend what a swinging party it was over the phone. The elevator doors close, and reopen to show her stepping out in a completely ‘ desi ’ look, a severe hairstyle and a completely plain Jane look as she walks up to ring the bell at her apartment that is obviously run as a very tight operation by her father, an ex-army type, large moustache and all. When he demands to know where she has been, a tired Kangana says she walked all over town and visited 50 shops trying to get the exact replica of her father’s favourite rocking chair that had broken some time ago. When he sternly enquires whether she got it, she replies in the affirmative and shows him a screen shot, saying it would come home in two days. As the touched father runs to get some water for the daughter, Kangana sinks into a sofa, puts up her feet and winks mischievously at the camera as the voice-over wonders aloud as to who would trudge about looking for furniture when all you had to do was move your fingers. A very nicely made film. Great casting, acting and make-up make Kangana stand out. Full marks to the director too.
Cashless world
Welcome to the brave new cashless world. Where all you need is your smartphone, a quick scan of a QR code, and instant payment. So Paytm and McCann have this enjoyable ad film that uses emotion, pragmatism and real world daily issues to convey the message that you don’t need cash. Forget the problems of small change in an autorickshaw. Make gifting effortless. Stop accepting sweets you don’t need instead of change at little stores. And enjoy cashbacks as well. Now all you need is money. Shelling it out has never been so easy. And I love that little girl’s voice and the tune. The film has great repeat value.
Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant. Mail your comments to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in