Work That Speaks | Ad Reviews | 4 To 11 August 2021

Brand campaigns that deserve to be in the spotlight this week.

By Gokul Krishnamoorthy

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Royal Enfield | Home

This is an inspired piece of work from the legendary bike maker that will be remembered for long. Royal Enfield punctuates a young woman’s long ride back home with poetry celebrating that peerless place that is one’s own forever. The unhurried words are married to visuals from the past and present. The tempo keeps moving to keep you engaged, even while maintaining a throbbing calm all through. My favourite lines: ‘If you listen carefully to the winds, you will hear a song you know by heart. It’s the lullaby of home.’ Whoever wrote this, keep writing.

Malabar Gold & Diamonds | #MakeWayForTheBride

The 2021 edition of the brand’s ‘Brides of India’ series makes a statement – #MakeWayForTheBride. The message is loud and clear that it is she who calls the shots. A series of larger-than-life big-fat-Indian-wedding bride entries, each representing a different region and language, fill up the screen with colour and pomp. The soundtrack adds an earthy flavour to the attitude on show.

Saridon | Sardard Chupao Nahin, Mitao | #SirfEkSaridon

Seeing #SirfEkSaridon reminded me of a Panadol creative from ages ago that showed Bush Senior and his son on a golf buggy. The copy said, ‘One is enough’ and next to it was a panadol pill.

The smart device of a wedding where the protagonist needs to keep smiling despite a splitting headache has been used well here by Saridon.

Borosil Vision Glasses | Life Ke Har Din Ke Liye

The brand’s journey with a young boy all the way until he grows up to be an old man is swiftly and entertainingly captured here. The effort taken in the execution has paid off well. The treatment works for the viewer, showing the product throughout without seeming irritating works for the brand.

WhatsApp | #MessagePrivately

The messenger from Facebook seems to have woken up to the fact that amid the overall conversation on privacy, WhatsApp may have ended up with some perception issues. Here’s a nice and humane attempt to rectify that. In both the films of the campaign, a conscious effort has been made to not show the messages on screen, underlining that they are truly private and between sender and receiver.

Asian Paints | Royale Glitz Ultra Sheen | Steals Your Spotlight

A paint that steals Deepika Padukone’s spotlight. Very interesting ploy to make us focus on the wall, just like the photographer in the spot. To get our attention of course, they have the star.

Castrol Activ | #3XProtectionKeepsEngineFit

I can’t recall too many instances of an engine oil or lubricant brand staging a face-off to communicate its superiority. They may have stated benefits in the past, but this kind of comparative face-off on key issues like engine stress, heating and noise, does more than tick the box.

PhonePe | #OrderGoldBefikar

PhonePe is getting into selling gold and is making the pitch with the successful cop Aamir Khan and his deputy Shinde. Why not? The brand did the hard work of establishing the characters. It is now reaping the rewards. After some frenzied action, the category had become a tad boring. It seems to have woken up again.

Myntra Beauty | India’s New Beauty Expert | Made For You

I asked for feedback from a couple of younger women for this review. The energy and the tone seemed to find favour with them while the messaging was on the ball. The core of ‘There are no rules’ was received positively and seen as liberating. The brand was also seen as one trying to establish itself in the category by my small sample – they associated it more with fashion. If that is indeed the case, this piece of work works.

KajariaPly | #IndiaJaisaStrong

I didn’t quite see the connection here until I remembered that this isn’t the first time the company is playing the patriot card. ‘Desh ki mitti se banaya’ ceramics has been followed by #IndiaJaisaStrong. Even then, there doesn’t seem to be a logical connect. That said, the warm little exchange between an officer and his caretaker makes this worth a watch. The product finds more than one window. And the choice of brand ambassador and cast works.

(Curated by ClutterCutters.in. Exclusive to FE BrandWagon Online. To feature campaigns or add credits, kindly e-mail: [email protected].)

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