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.
Ogilvy has created a whole new life around a humble mint. And as in all campaigns that are consistent with the central idea and willing to go the long route, the results are stunning. From the classroom series to the elderly lady parking her car and to this new TVC, everyone has been a winner. So now you have this youngster who walks up to his mom who is hard at work on her laptop (that’s a gender-sensitive change of nuance) and says that along with his studies, could he watch a little TV? Ok, I don’t know of any youngster who asks for permission, but give them that creative licence, will you? So the mom gets hysterical and screams for her husband who snarls back and the young man walks away, resigned to his fate. I know, I know, I need to suspend disbelief again.
But then there’s almost a replay of this scene and the youngster walks up and nonchalantly asks his mom whether while watching TV, could he study a little? I’m listening to you, this is crazy, but that’s the genre of the series. A little crazy, so let me continue, please. And the mom goes all lovey-dovey and flutters her eyelashes and kisses the air and demurs immediately. So that, according to Perfetti Van Melle and Ogilvy, is the Mentos life. Utterly unbelievable. Rather bold to even try, but seen in the context of Mentos films, will definitely get a chuckle or two. And that’s the idea in any case.
Talk fairness creams and you get a whole range of activists all red in the face. Add the fact that they are endorsed by big Bollywood actors and the activists are ready to bust an artery. Now we have a “different” advertisement for a fairness cream. Or do we? Meglow is a fairness cream for men. And you have a good-looking man walk into the room, look at his tired face in the mirror and remark that he has not been able to get through in any of the interviews he has been attending for a job. And Emraan Hashmi, the Bollywood actor known for the way he uses his lips in all his movies, decides that it is time to get the radiance or glow back on the face of his tired friend so he gives him a tube of Meglow fairness cream. The cream is applied, the radiant man goes confidently for his next interview, draws appreciative looks from the young ladies in the foyer and hands over his resume to the panel. You are expecting the tired old plot to play out but wait, the panel hand him back his CV and reject him. How intriguing, you feel as the young man comes down and meets Emraan who is obviously following him around. Hashmi tells him rather severely that you cannot win a job with a fairness cream. You need qualifications. Oh, you think, what is this twist in the tale? And then Emraan says that the radiance has worked in its own way, and looks towards the young lady who is waiting. What a bummer!
Moral of the story: The interview panel is too smart to get fooled by your good looks, but the young ladies aren’t. Zero for gender-sensitivity. Makes the ads for the old-fashioned fairness creams look almost acceptable. Two thumbs down for this ad. Guys and girls, write in and tell us what you feel about this ad.
Macho car
Ogilvy has created a TVC for the launch of the new X series range for BMX. Fast-paced, glitzy, macho. Great photography, good music. Everything a good muscle-car ad should have. But guys, don’t try so hard with the X sign everywhere. Marked on trees? Really?
Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant. Mail your comments to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in