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.

Original jugaad

We’ve all heard of jugaad and the penchant in India for last minute “innovations.” We saw it in the Commonwealth Games, we are seeing it in college workshops, and it was a matter of time before we saw it on TV. And so O&M has this film on a comic character who prides himself on his ability to “innovate” at the last minute. He creates more space on his scooter. He uses empty trouser legs to create twin flows of air from one cooler. He tries some trick to get the electricity to work when there is a fuse. Ultimately his wife searches Sulekha.com (pic on right) to get the right kind of service for every household need and ends the jugaad ! So you switch channels and there’s this TVC where a young man prides himself on his ability to perform jugaad . He creates twin streams of air from an air cooler using the empty legs of a pyjama. He creates more space to take his entire family on a scooter. And he comes up with innovative ways to cook when his electrical fuse blows….and you are filled with more than a sense of déjà vu. Why is this column re-writing a review and then claiming it doesn’t have space for fresh reviews? Oh, we forgot to tell you the second story was a TVC by Autumn for Exide Life Insurance (pic on left) , which is selling its long-term policies. And what about the similarities between the two ads? What if both are entered for the Abby awards? Will there be a claim of plagiarism? I doubt it. There is unlikely to be a complaint from either agency because they will be so embarrassed they stole the same idea and came up with such similar ads, they won’t have the heart to complain about anything to anyone. But don’t worry, my Jugaadu Lals at O&M and Autumn. The last original idea was from God! Everything else is an “innovation”.

Addendusthan. Rajasthan.

Rajasthan has decided it needs an extensive advertising campaign to re-position itself, find favour with a younger, more adventurous audience and reclaim some of its lost glory amongst domestic and international tourists. And so Ogilvy, guided by Piyush Pandey who incidentally hails from Rajasthan, has taken on the job with aplomb. First there is a lovely new logo for Rajasthan Tourism. There’s sand, birds, camels and a fierce moustache (not Piyush Pandey’s) all merging intelligently into a memorable logo. Then there are films where Rajasthan is seen through the eyes of various young people. Jane sees a stark, rocky cliff soaring above a picture-perfect river, Huan the equivalent of the Great Wall of China snaking around craggy hilltops. Arya sees a hot air balloon that looks like a celebration of colourful balloons and Binoy, who visits the deserted town of Kuldhara, gets spooked and sees two equally frightened girls from Delhi as ghosts of long-lost people. The music is typical Rajasthani folk. The photography and direction is top-class. Each film ends with a super that calls the place Janeisthan or Aryasthan or Binoysthan or Huansthan, indicating that Rajasthan is what you see, and make of it. It celebrates the different kinds of Rajasthan and forsakes the stereotypical ‘royalty, sand dunes and big-fat-Indian-weddings' we have come to associate with the lovely State. A refreshingly different way to present this State. Strategically, first class. As TVCs, we’ve seen better stuff from Ogilvy. And that’s Addendusthan.

Giving feet to inspiration

The Mumbai Marathon happened with its usual colour and glamour on January 17. Besides the usual serious runners from Africa, and a growing group of dedicated Indians, the marathon is largely a spectacle where NGOs raise money for various good causes. And people dress up like everything from Bajirao Mastani to Lavani dancers. Bollywood lends its glamour and everyone goes home feeling good. The presence of the 104-year-old Fauja Singh proved to be the scene-stealer as far as advertising went. PETA featured him as a vegetarian, Amul combined the presence of Star Wars in theatres and wished him well on its hoardings, saying ‘May the Fauj be with you.” Adidas features him in its “Impossible is Nothing” and Nestle, dying to impress us with its 100-year presence in India, rode on his coat tails as well. More strength to his running legs!

Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant. Mail your queries to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in

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