Mad about ads

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.

First the disclaimer. I have always been a silent admirer of Micromax. I have admired the gutsy challenger brand which is as “Indian” as it can get (notwithstanding the Chinese equipment they may be using). I marvelled when it got Hugh Jackman, better known here as the Wolverine, to endorse its devices. And now, I am even tempted to buy its phones. Why? Hey, who else has paid Indian advertising such a handsome and creative tribute? While I still haven’t quite understood how the scheme works, I do know that Micromax’s Mad device comes pre-loaded with a Mad app that actually pays you when you see ads. This can be used on prepaid and post-paid schemes and works across GSM networks.

Forget about the scheme. It’s the advertising I’m crazy about. Lowe Lintas has created a campaign that has really wowed me. In clever takeoffs on popular advertising it shows the

aam aadmi (no political overtone meant) talking about advertising the way I would. I loved the one where the young lady in a supermarket asks where the soaps are kept and when asked which brand she wanted, she unties her hair and does an impromptu takeoff on the Liril ad which would have Karen Lunel (the original model, for those who came in late) smiling with satisfaction. I stared in fascination at the takeoff on the Ramesh and Suresh 5-Star ad and the Vodafone pug commercial. Lowe Lintas has really excelled, and by being “agency-agnostic” in its choice of ads (it could have easily found three of its own) it makes me feel good to say I am associated with the ad industry. Something I am feeling after a long time. Balki and team, take a bow!

Hair loss no more

So advertising was focusing on your dark skin and telling you that some cream could get you a job or a girlfriend or anything else you feel you deserved? Well, now it’s telling you that your receding hair line could prevent you from even having the confidence to give a young lady a gift. At least, that’s what one gathers from the Livon ad made by DDB Mudra. There’s this nice looking guy with a receding hairline and he is about to hand over a gift to this colleague at work until he runs his hand into his hardly-existing hair and then decides he hasn’t the confidence to complete his intention. So there you have Livon which evidently energises the roots of his hair and voila! He goes striding through the office to hand over the gift to the young lady. Hey, honestly, you looked rather nice before Livon and I really don’t like the way you look in that wig.

I or We? Oops!

From now onwards, elections will be on our minds. The Congress may have stumbled at the starting point with Dentsu’s poster for the new improved Rahul turning out to be what the BJP alleges is a copy of Modi’s backdrop in 2011. We’ve heard of ads being copied, this one might have been just Modified. If so, I doubt the Congress will be easily mollified. And with ₹500 crore at stake, agencies had better keep their eye on the ball!