Saregama launched a couple of really cute films last week to promote Carvaan, its music player primarily targeted at the older generation. The ads, ‘Kya hai isme’ feature Badhaai Ho fame actor Gajraj Rao explaining to his wife the many benefits of owning a Carvaan, albeit with a playful twist.
Rao, in the first film, is trying to flirt with the lady next-door but his playfulness is interrupted by his ever-vigilant wife who wants to know, “Kya hai isme?” or what is it in her that attracts you? Rao deftly deflects the question by listing out all the features and singers in the Carvaan, telling her kya hai isme! The wife is not to be fooled, but lets Rao off the hook as Jagjit Singh plays ‘Tujhko dekha to khyaal aaya …’ in the background and earns Rao a difficult reprieve.
Rao is back in the second film romancing an egg as his wife cooks in the kitchen. ‘Khoya khoya chaand..,’ he croons. “Kya hai isme?” asks his irritated wife, but Rao once again deflects her to the Carvaan. The wife shrugs in exasperation and gives up. The Carvaan, launched a couple of years ago, has run some interesting campaigns … ‘Aap ke pehle pyaar ke liye, aap ki maa ke liye’ ran when the product was first introduced and was promoted as a gift for Mom; ‘Is diwali aap kya sunnena chahenge shor ya sangeet’ which was a Diwali gifting campaign; ‘Jinhe aap kabhi keh nahi paaye unhe kahiye thank you’ again positioned it as a gift for those you could never thank enough. All strategically good campaigns, well executed. The latest series is more fun, more self-indulgent and Gajraj Rao takes a hitherto ‘serious’ product into the fun-zone. The ads are delightfully cute. And no longer overplay the nostalgia card. An 8/10 effort.
Another campaign that was pretty visible over the past few days was the ‘Cutting Paani’ commercial by Livpure. The ad is a quirky take on Bombay’s famous concept of #CuttingChai (half cup of chai). A waiter at a restaurant asks a young couple if they want normal water or ‘cutting paani’. When the couple seems a bit confused, he explains that if their thirst is only for half a glass of water, then he won’t pour them a full glass. The campaign is supposedly inspired by Shimla’s unprecedented water crisis when the hill station faced a huge water deficit despite adequate rains.
Livpure apparently reached out to around 50 cafes and restaurants in Shimla with a single-minded mission to help save and conserve water. The average consumption was estimated between 10,000-30,000 litres per day and hence consumption at these 50 eateries totalled 1,60,000 gallons. Adopting #CuttingPaani, made them save 80,000 gallons per day. The campaign, said Livpure, did what it set out to do — make people think and change the way they consumed water.
‘Paani Bachao, Cutting Mangao’ is surely a campaign with a purpose. But, I somehow think it smacks too much of goodness and righteousness. When brands become so ‘correct’, it makes me very, very, suspicious. Don’t ask me why. It is just my sixth sense that perhaps all of it is not really rosy as it sounds in the extensive PR surrounding and supporting the campaign. I wish this one time that my suspicions are unfounded and the likes of Livpure are actually doing yeoman service to the nation. Unless proved otherwise, the campaign is preachy and pontificates needlessly.
Another commercial that debuted this week was Bournvita’s ‘Granny’ commercial. One that could well have been made in the 198os with a hyper-ambitious granny who guides (nay, goads!) her grand-daughter to faster-higher-better performances on the track. Hackneyed old formula; tired and repetitive story; a force-fitted product window; a wonder product that urges you to Badhao Andar Ki Takat.
Boring, uninteresting, uninspiring, unreal. It is a wonder why brands like Bournvita have not kept up with the changing times. Perhaps the belief is if it ain’t broke, why fix it? Brown malted food drinks have stagnated as a category for 25 years now because category leaders like Bournvita had no new news to share. Sorry Granny, go home. (The writer is an advertising and media veteran)