Financial planning is the basic building block to a better life. One where various aspirations could be fulfilled. Education, a better quality of life, travel whatever your dreams are. And a good money manager could potentially help you achieve all this. Contract, in its debut for UTI Mutual Funds, has come up with an integrated campaign revolving around the theme: the right to a better life.
And the film they’ve made is a nice slow, long (two-minutes plus) idea that shows a young man taking his ageing wheelchair-bound father to London to fulfil his dream of seeing a test match in the Mecca of cricket. And so you have a rather competent performance by the father who remains the emotional fulcrum of the film. The UK tourism board will love the drive past the Big Ben, the London Eye, Trafalgar Sqaure, etc (one must work towards co-productions, one expects the Brits to be happy to fund a part of films like these) till it culminates in a cricket match, where the teary eyed gratitude of the father seems to make everything worthwhile. The script and the rather nice song that goes with it emphasise the uncertainty of time and life and add to the overall feeling of the film. So what’s the final verdict? Well if it’s a corporate image UTI MF is trying to build, they are well on their way to do just that. Actually, this is a classic test match in an era of 20x20.
Save taxes
Let’s stay with mutual funds for a wee bit longer. Axix Mutual Funds have gone the digital route with a longish film made by One September and Agency Digi. There is this cafeteria or food court and several hard working hungry people have packed it to have their lunch. Suddenly this young man dressed in a dark suit and dark shades walks in with a briefcase in his hand. In case you missed anything the supers tell you there is a raid in progress. Never leave anything to the imagination of the viewer! The raiding party of one goes up to one diner and picks up a spoon which is obligingly kept ready for him and samples a bit of the surprised person’s meal. He then walks around to other tables and gives them the same sampler treatment.
The surprise on the faces of the diners is really quite hilarious. At this point they’ve really got you. You are staring in morbid fascination. Thoughts are running through my mind. Is he carrying his own spoon? He is really using the cutlery of the diners and helping himself to their food. Then the modern day Bond walks up to the window and pulls down a screen where an advertising message exhorts you not to share your hard earned money with the taxman but invest it instead in a tax saving mutual fund offering from Axis Mutual. So does the film do its job? Well, I’d have to admit it does.
But did I see the raider of the lost cause spit something into his hand? Did he do anything to assuage the outraged sentiments of those whose food he so suavely helped himself to? They show him walking out nonchalantly. I would have thrown a bonda at his retreating head. A half-eaten one of course. I’m sharing with the taxman, remember?
Heavens, indeed
The camera pans across golden sun-kissed fields where grain stalks nod lazily, and luscious cranberries and almonds grow in a magical-looking world. The song in the background tells you why everything seems to be floating upwards. All good things, the audio warbles, go all the way to heaven. And so you have all these wonderful ingredients which are filled with goodness continue on their journey upwards till they find a final resting place in Nutrichoice Heavens, the new oat cookie from Britannia.
And Lowe Lintas have made the new cookie look so good, this good thing who is writing will gravitate towards Heavens too. Probably the only way I can get past those pearly gates. Cookie-break, please!
Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant. Mail your comments to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in