The new PregaNews Mother's Day ad scores an effortless 10/10. After a long long time, I have a seen a commercial that is so well conceptualised, scripted, enacted and executed. Regressive Indian mindsets have always had this age-old preference for a boy over a girl, and this deep-seated bias is almost institutionalised in Indian society. PregaNews takes the issue head-on.
A heavily expectant woman is looking at a book for names for the soon-to-be-born child. While she explores girl names, she figures that all the names in her mother-in-law’s diary are all male. As she wonders whether the older lady is only looking forward to a male child, there are hijras at the door. As per old customs, they have come calling with ‘blessings for a boy’. The mother-in-law admonishes them saying she doesn’t care whether a boy is born, or a girl, and that she is praying only for a healthy child and mother, nothing else.
There is more in the commercial, but I would urge you to see it for yourself. It is worth the watch. What stands out in the Preganews ad is the characterisation of the mother-in-law despite the visible initial bias. She is traditional, yet progressive; no-nonsense and sensibly pragmatic. But it is her handling of the hijras that deserves the maximal applause. It is a class-act. The message of the ad is also clean and uncluttered, “Boy or Girl: good news is good news.”
The PregaNews ad is what social films should really be about: relevant and focused message that addresses real issues through an engaging (in fact gripping) narrative. Well done Mankind Pharma!
redBus launched a new campaign this week with MS Dhoni, who plays a sardarji hockey player called Balbir Singh. To be honest, I did not at first glance recognise Dhoni, but then I had read so much PR about the new campaign.
Before I get into the merits or demerits of the redBus campaign, I must ask a couple of pertinent questions: why show Dhoni in your advertising if Dhoni is not even to look like Dhoni? And why should a cricketer need to play a hockey player? And why stereotype a sardarji in a rather aggressive and combative role? Honestly, the brand team and the ad agency are either super-smart or super-stupid.
The redBus campaign itself is a slice of Bollywood, with sardarji Dhoni taking on local politician Raja Babu. The messaging on discounts and seating options is pretty simple and could have been handled much better sans melodrama. If the Preganews film above was a 10/10, this one would struggle to get past a 3/10. Sorry redBus, bad one.
One of the most endearing films this week is the Tata Trucks commercial from the Middle East. The TVC shows many young school girls saving up on small monies in different settings and situations. And then wait in anticipation, almost with bated breath, on the bus ride to school. You can see there’s a surprise in store but not sure what. As the bus stops and the girls alight, you realise that the piggy banks are meant for the old driver of the school bus — gratitude for both their everyday safety and his loving care. The gift is to enable him to take a trip back home during the holy month of Ramzan.
It is a beautiful film. Scripted well. Shot well. And overflowing with emotions. I don’t know who the agency is (Rediffusion? Ogilvy?); but whoever it is, has done a wonderful job.
Last but not the least this week is a small recruitment ad by the Taj Hotels. Why it caught my attention is because of its objective; and its creative execution is equally laudable. All it says is, ‘CONTINUE TO SOAR’ in the headline. The body-copy reads, “The Taj Mahal Palace welcomes former Jet Airways employees to be a part of its renowned heritage and legacy in hospitality. Mail you CV to …”. What a noble gesture!
(The author is an advertising veteran)