MY ANALYSIS OF TV COMMERCIALS

It is well known and well experienced that brands actually reflect the personality of the user. Though the personality is also reflected through many other factors too, but brands represents an extension of it. Brands are trying to woo the customer by any imaginable and unimaginable tactic. They are trying to become the focus of customer’s life. Basically, brands are products that have high perceived image; this image can be of quality, looks of any attribute (s). Various other factors too affect brands like the tagline and the brand ambassador. Now this much about branding, the core point of this article is, whether the ads of Indian brands up to the mark or they are yet to arrive?

I feel the TV commercials can be categorized into 4 major categories
1. The wastes: waste of money and time totally
2. The repulsive: the unbearable ones
3. The Could-be-better ones: a nice idea but poorly executed
4. The real clickers

Category I is of those ads that are not at all relevant to the product and its positioning in anyways. Many reasons can be responsible for this, like inappropriate brand ambassador, irrelevant story of the ad or lack of any relation with the product: Result? The main product is pushed to a corner.
Some examples have been given below that I THINK (with a sincere apology to their creators) fall into this category of my analysis of TV ads.

1. Pepsi: The ad in which its ‘Youngistan’ concept was first introduced. Even a moron cannot relate to this. Moreover, it was not really projected as a comic ad. The customers, especially the Indian ones, are not as gullible as the actor Shah Rukh khan seems to assume in this ad; rather they are far more mature.

Just see (above) how the brand Sprite has taken a funny notch on this ad!

2. BSNL: Why has Preity been chosen the brand ambassador of BSNL in the first place? What made BSNL sign her, I am yet to get. Here a docile girl (Preity) gets furious and rejects a good boy from a good family just because he is not having BSNL landline, LOL!! So all u guys out there make sure u have BSNL so your chances of rejections are eliminated!!

3. Pizza Hut: A group is bidding farewell to their boss and the farewell party is in a Pizza Hut outlet, one group member wants to propose to the boss, but could do so only after gaining confidence from the pizza that has Punjabi toppings! Wow!! Now what are Punjabi toppings? Are they different? The pizza in the ad looks like any other one simply overloaded and the man looks a wimp, as he proposes only after having the pizza even then very sheepishly!!! The tagline too seems to be inspired from that of Cafe Coffee Day (A lot can happen over coffee).

4. Nokia: A family is waiting for the father to return, makes a call from neighbor’s Nokia. I think it is more the magic of the network brand then the instrument that is Nokia.

Category II is of the repulsive ones, as one (me in this case) cannot watch them.

1. Rediffmail: Just too unhygienic, irrelevant and too long, like an epic movie. The man pees into the post box, so all the letters smell bad, so try e-mail….. what a pervert idea?

2. 7-UP: The bheja fry ad. OMG!! How can one make that?? Too repulsive, capable enough to make you puke, particularly if you happen to watch it during dinner time. The scene of frying brains is just intolerable.

3. Rediffmail: Again, everyone is talking of bigness. Lewd and stupid.

4. Lux Cosy: ‘Ye to bada toin hai’ (showing chimps). Indecent and perverted. The tagline too is very cheap.

Category III is of ads which have good central idea but could have been executed in a better way. Consider these-

1. Dominos: A composed executive during a business presentation (actor Arshad Warsi) starts behaving like a kid when he sees the Dominos pizza. A good idea spoilt!

2. Tata salt: Clearly a male dominated ad. The entire family seems to be in awe in presence of the male patricarch whose verdict seems to be the final one. C’on dude come to metros and see the other face of the coin!

3. Kurkure: Juhi chawala tries to play Cupid between an old patient and a ‘bhajiwali’ (played by model Rashmi Nigam). What is the logic??

4. Airtel: A papa at work is teaching the kid to draw, a female (probably mummy) could be seen behind, the busy papa makes sky the drawing sheet. Boring and unrealistic

Catgory IV is of those which are my favs Like,

1. Maruti: ‘Ki karaain, petrol khatam hi nahi honda!’ the cute and clever line with a cute kid steal the show.

2. Vodaphone: Though it has sparked some controversy from animal lovers, still it’s the central idea, the independence day version of the ad that is mind blowing!! It clicks (above).

3. Sprite: A boy two-timing very smartly; ‘Seedhi baat no bakwaas’ ad is short, youthful, funny and real!!

4. TOI Lead India: Truly inspiring! The way I think an ad should be. The jingle in Shankar Mahadevan's voice add to the beauty to this amazing ad. Definitely a show-stealer.