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.

Jos Alukkas is not a name I am familiar with. Apparently they make fine jewellery, have a well-established presence in the South of India and are now aspiring for a national presence. And to do this they have a TVC made by DDB Mudra running.

The film has no dialogue, but it really doesn't need it. Fine cinematography with some interesting camera angles, good direction, pleasant music and tight editing prove that a well-made TVC is worth a hundred words.

The film shows the transition of a rock to a diamond and the development of an embryo into a young woman, with gentle cuts that alternate from one story to another ending up in the one-line voice-over that says “there's a diamond for every woman”.

Looks like Jos Alukkas is well on its way to get the national share of mind space it is looking for.

Riding a blue Bot

The android invasion of the mobile space was just being accepted when we are being overrun by blue bots, courtesy Grey and Film Philosophy.

Reliance has unleashed 10 animated TVCs, with 10 more to come, where the by-now famous green Android BOT suddenly wants to become blue.

And so they have different situations dove-tailed into the superior features an Android phone would sport if it came with Reliance 3G.

The rather adorable Android BOT has already achieved near cult-status (it is probably more famous than R3D2 or 3PO) and Reliance has cleverly taken this famous symbol and dyed it in its own colours and added on its own strong points to come up with a potent symbol in the mobile telephony segment.

A cute little jingle and the impish Anushka Sharma add their charm to the mega effort. And for all those not-so-tech-savvy readers, BOT is merely “robot”, and if a keen observer wondered why the Blue BOT was seen with females, it is probably because “android” is generally male. And the female version is gynoid (I couldn't help showing off).

Cricket ki khushi

There's this really well-made TVC created by Balki and Lowe Lintas for Coca-Cola that's on air now. I love almost everything about it.

The script, the direction, the thought behind it, the amazing screenplay and the great acting by the bunch of kids in a desert. I even liked Sachin Tendulkar, the brand ambassador, exhorting them to play on. Think about it.

Here are these wonderful kids who cannot afford a coin to toss, nor do they possess a pair of shoes to play in the scorching desert sands.

Yet they have the spirit to play and enjoy the game of cricket. And then I only wish they could also afford the nice chilled Coke which Sachin raises to his lips at the end of the film. Sounds like a rather cruel twist to the tale.

Now how do you expect me not to remember the spirit of those amazing kids in this well-made TVC as I drink a chilled Coke?

And if I did, I wonder how much Khushi the Coke would give me then.

Sweet as sin

Let's admit it. Most of us (except those few lucky slim-n-fit ones) have looked longingly at the gulab jamuns , mysore paks, chocolate pastries and even the humble cup of tea (with sugar) as they try to waylay us at every turn of our lives. Honestly. There's no escaping these sinful treats. And with the dire warnings of doctors ringing in our ears, or the tightening feeling in our waists as we fight off the need to migrate to a bigger size restricting us, we resort to the rather sad alternative of taking a little bite or a teensy pinch of those delectable treats instead of tucking into them with gusto.

This is precisely what Nutra Sweet, the latest offering from (Nirma), reflects in its new TVC by DDB Mudra, and it is obviously something we can relate to rather well. Add a catchy jingle and you've got me humming along as I dream of that molten chocolate cake that I can pop into my mouth and not regret it immediately. I really must try this sweetener… 

Well within reach

As the rains lash the country, God's Own Country, which is green almost around the year, must come alive in all its verdant finery. And Kerala Tourism seems to have research that points to their State appearing to be an expensive destination. To combat this they have released two rather simple but well made TVCs where the general approach is that Kerala is a great place to de-stress, bond with the family and generally enjoy a well deserved break. And both end with the pointed comment that it really isn't expensive at all. Well, there's only one way to test the proposition. Pack your bags and head Southwards.

What you see is what you get

And I must end by saying the current Docomo series with Ranbir Kapoor as the crusty old restaurateur who is out to gyp the customer is truly enjoyable. Rock on guys. Draft FCB Ulka seems to be hitting a purple patch with Docomo. Take a bow Chax.

(Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant. addendum.brandline@gmail.com )

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