Addendum is a weekly 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.
If it’s summer it’s time for all things cool, cold, tasty … and it’s high season for brands such as London Dairy ice cream. And so you have a campaign from the maker of the cold-n-creamy stuff that includes two teasers and one film. The teasers are pretty straightforward. One shows a young man falling backwards onto a bed and landing in a pool of cool water instead. The other shows a young lady who pirouettes in a full-length dress and completes the circle in a summery shorter dress amidst a field full of flowers. They are both excited that summer is here. Yes, I agree, it takes all kinds to make this world. Me, I’m terrified that summer is here. Anyway, they are falling and pirouetting in anticipation of some tasty indulgences, like the range of London Dairy ice creams. And so the main TVC has a long indulgent film that takes you on a long and indulgent drive with a young couple who seem to be in a hurry to go right from the dusty roads of what looks like India to some place that looks like it’s under the Northern Lights (I thought they appeared only around the end of September) and then to some fancy beach where the surf is up big time. In between, they quarrel, make up, take selfies and eat ice cream. Got the drift? Indulgent. That’s the way to describe the film. I’m not waiting to see the edits either. There’s only so much I can indulge the brand with.
And if it’s April it’s time for the IPL. There’s this TVC I saw where the action all happens in the newsroom of a TV channel where there is a discussion of what the lead story should be that evening. And everyone seems to agree that the audience wants stuff that is sensational and negative. Can’t blame the script writer. That’s all we see these days on the telly. But one woman correspondent is watching a story unfold down below from the verandah of the TV station. A story where the residents of an upmarket building society are watching a cricket match being played on a community TV set and a little boy is peering from the other side of the compound wall, trying to look through the sea of heads at the cricket action on the screen. And one person sees him, invites him in and gives him pride of place to watch the match. The film talks about Happy Walla India. I simply love it. Both the insight and the film itself. Bring on some more positivity! That’s what the real idea of India is all about. And if it positions the IPL brand favourably, three cheers to that. I am a Happy Walla Indian.
I’m a fan
Apparently Havell’s has withdrawn its TVC Main Pankha Hoon . Whatever the compulsions , allow me to say that from a critique point of view, it tackled a sensitive subject, it had wonderful lyrics and was very well made. So do you think the relevant consumers felt the topic of a young girl being all for meritocracy, and against a reservation policy and the visuals of a ranking Government functionary being shown forsaking the lal batti car to drive her kids to school in her personal car was unacceptable? I really don’t know. As for me, I loved the film. I’m a fan!
It’s Standard
And then you have a TVC by Mullen Lintas for Standard Fans. The film shows Alia Bhat snoozing after what appears like a humdinger of a party in her apartment. A call that her mom is on the way throws her into a tizzy of action as she clears up the signs of the party, and is almost done with cleaning when the water spills from the bucket all over the floor. No problem. Alia simply switches on the Standard fan, and the water dries up instantly. It’s hard to believe that this film and the earlier one for the Havell’s brand are from the same company and possibly the same agency. The situation is so contrived and out of context. Which “mummy” has such an effect on a young girl who lives alone in a nice apartment? And why not just throw water about and allow the fan to do the rest? No. I am not a fan.