Tata Salt and Leo Burnett launched their new TVC on Mother's Day. And the script is poignant. It reflects the dream of every mother to have her child grow up with all the right value systems and a commitment to honesty and integrity. The film is direct and very simple, yet meaningful. It is wonderful to see a connection being drawn between something as profound as national character and something seemingly as mundane as common salt. But there's nothing common about the message. And in today's corruption-filled context, it assumes even more significance.
Damp squib
Remember the TVC where Shah Rukh Khan played his “Don” role for the Matrix forex card? I loved it. This is a kind of sequel. The Don is on trial for “killing” cash. And as he lounges in a plush leather sofa in a courtroom presided over by the mischievously smiling judge, played by Juhi Chawla, there are vignettes of Kolkata Knight Rider stars such as Bret Lee and Pathan gnashing their teeth in some jail. What you end up with is a
Ram Sampath and Amitabh Bhattacharya gave Thums Up a Toofani anthem that could rank as one of the better songs made this year. And now someone at Leo Burnett has decided that the idea that came along with the anthem could be extended by simply creating a series of expensive stunts with apparently well-known stars drinking Thums Up. There's this TVC with Mahesh Babu, Dhaval Shroff, Angela Johnson and Sahil Shroff, which shows three of them sitting in a sofa and being pushed off what is apparently an aircraft, and they free fall from 30,000 feet, quaffing Thums Up. An edited version of the Toofani Anthem plays for a few seconds and the TVC ends. While I'm grateful that it ended quickly, I cannot but comment on the waste of a good song, perfectly good actors (you could have used anyone, since you hardly see them. I read the PR release so I know the names) and set the stage for as many such gigs as you want. Roll someone off a cliff, tip someone into the ocean, do anything extreme, just ensure they are drinking Thums Up. At least Mountain Dew came up with its version earlier. Taste the Thunder? I say, this TVC wastes the thunder. Akshay Kumar, may we have you back please? Along with a bit of a script, if that can be managed?
Bear with it?
There's this princess who gets into a boat with a bear who's the boatman. Yes, you got it right, a bear. And she takes his Alpenliebe double éclair from a heart-shaped pendant and pops it into the bear's mouth … don't ask me why, you are interrupting the narrative. And then the bear bursts into an adaptation of a song from the film Bobby … I know, I know, originality is at a premium these days … and then the princess and the bear shake a leg in the boat and then … the TVC ends. Now don't you make light of this effort! It has been scripted by no less than Prasoon Joshi and the animation and post-production has been done at Poland and Singapore and, of course, before I forget, the lovely princess is none other than Kareena Kapoor. And for all those who were waiting for the bear to turn into a handsome prince, guys, y'all are so boring. Remember this is a highly creative business. You must expect the unexpected. But quite honestly I'd watch the TVC again (just once more) only to see Kareena.
Handy-can
Sony and Hakuhodo Percept have this very warm and competent TVC for their Handycam. The film shows a little child enjoying the sights and experiences at an animal theme park, and then looking utterly dejected on the drive back home. That's when momma uses the Sony Handy cam with which she has been recording all those lovely images to project them onto the roof of the car, allowing the child to relive the memories and smile. Get's the message across rather effectively: shoot, project, smile.
Vox Pop: Loyal reader Milind Kulkarni from Badlapur writes in to say “The very fact that yesteryear's superstar Rajesh Khanna is being used in a TVC is very nostalgic for those who were born anywhere in the Fifties and Sixties. I really appreciate the courage of Balki to use RK who now is in oblivion.”
(Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant. 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).