When it comes to advertisements, I’m embroiled in a very special love/hate relationship.
I hate TV advertisements because they interrupt my shows, that aside, I love everything else about them!
The weird world of ads never ceases to capture my imagination, from surreal settings, to lame slogans and hook-laced jingles! I’m enamored by the way brands choose their advertisement style and strategy.
However, there are some advertisements in the recent past that have left me unsettled and disgruntled.
- Thums up:
Sticking true to their image of making ridiculous over-the-top ads, Thums Up doesn’t offer anything new in this particular TVC. My hopes for this brand were lowered beyond belief during the ‘Don’t be a Bandar, taste the Thunder’ campaign. That being said, I really have no expectations from this brand nor do I hold any grudges. But I absolutely love the product. Thums Up has to be the best soft drink ever!
So it saddens me a little when they make such ads.
Arbaaz Khan as the driver of the truck was irritating, but what ticked me off especially, was the treatment meted out to the general public! The scene where Salman gives a ‘Lift’ to the Thums Up van is so very depressing. When there is a traffic jam with so many people stuck on the road, isn’t it unfair to ‘Lift’ the whole truck and transport it, so that only Salman and his entourage can have a refreshing drink? What about the common man stuck in the traffic jam and sweating it out?
Very depressing.
2. Sony Experia Z:
So have you seen this teaser where Katrina Kaif talks about Sony releasing a new smartphone on March 12th?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAR4AUl-Lw8
“Meet the phone you have never imagined” is what she says, while giving sneak previews of another generic looking smartphone.
Thanks Katrina. I would’ve preferred to have just imagined it though.
Maybe then, I’d have followed it up, curious to see the phone I could never imagine. What i’m trying to say is that, it would’ve done Sony a world of good if they hadn’t shown glimpses of the new phone.
But alas! Sony has many things to learn to successfully execute a buzz campaign.
3. Cinthol Deodorant:
This whole ad can be quite irritating, if overplayed, however I thoroughly enjoy the background score every time it’s on!
The highlight disappointment for me was ‘Alive is aww-saaam’ with that typical drawl. It’s not just the accent that perturbs me, but also the message, assuming there is one! Alive is awesome, go figure.
Very, very cringe-worthy.
4. Pepsodent Pro Sensitive:
Please accept my apologies as I’m unable to find a link for this Ad, in Hindi, so we will have to make do with Tamil.
Having watched innumerable dental care ads since childhood, I really didn’t pay much attention to this one the first time I saw it. Same old style of showing graphics of a tooth being attacked by germs with the same old toothpaste coming to the tooth’s rescue. However, all the old ads had a separate cut-scene where they would show a professional in a lab/clinic, who would further explain about the product features and benefits.
Not in this one.
“Meera, Lab.” He says! And poof she’s an expert!!
I can’t even begin to explain how silly that looks. So I won’t.