Facebook Blues - Vod A Fone, Vod An Ad!

Everyone knows Facebook is popular, and every marketer worth their name seems wanting to piggyback on it. And why not, there is nothing wrong with that! So you have Facebook Pages, Facebook Campaigns, Facebook Apps, Facebook Plugins and what not! But this one seems to have stretched things a bit further. A phone designed for Facebook!

"Vodafone Blue" may well be the next biggest innovation in mobile internet, which was waiting to happen, that no one thought about earlier. It could as well be the dud that thought that the Facebook plank was enough to attract some elusive customers. Though I have my views on the relevance of the product, I will hold them for now, as it goes beyond the realm of this blog. My views are restricted to the TV commercial, and how much it is in coherence with the stated marketing mix.

What is "Vodafone Blue"? It is an entry level Alcatel mobile phone with shortcut hardware keys specific to Facebook features (‘like’ key, for example), that comes packaged with a year-long unlimited 2G connection to Facebook, at a sub-Rs 5K price. It is targeted at yougsters in the non-metro (tier-2 & tier-3) cities.

Let us forget for a moment that I mentioned any of that, and now have a look at the Ad.

Not once during the initial 120 seconds (yes, 2 long minutes!) did it feel to be an Ad for anything other than Facebook itself. One could debate that the Ad attempts to show an enhanced Facebook experience that one could savour through hardware integration of Facebook features on a phone. But if this was the case, I think it’s a miserably failed attempt. Nowhere does the viewer get the message that there is some other additional device that is ‘enhancing’ the Facebook experience; it sounds like a listing of Facebook features and nothing more. Moreover, the initial 25-30 seconds are dedicated to Farmville, when the product does not even support social gaming!

Perhaps it would have helped to show the protagonist holding a handheld device, at least at the start, to hint at the source of the enhancement, but would that not have been tantamount to saying the phone supports all highlighted features, when it obviously doesn’t.

When the suspense is finally unraveled in the last 10 seconds of the Ad, “Love Facebook? We’ve got a Phone for you”, it leaves the viewer with a lot more questions than answers. Raising curiosity or giving germ to skepticism, you decide.

The theatrical broadway music and the fast moving act separate the Ad from the clutter, no doubt. And the ‘cool’ “join the club dad” image may have many youngsters aspiring to associate with it. However, the musical, which is the saving grace, becomes a bane if you consider the target segment. The act just seems too long, too theatrical and too English,and hence too alien and elitist for common youth from non-metros to associate with.

Verdict: Hummable Ad. But that is where it ends. Weak on message and weak on addressing the target segment.

On a lighter note, if Facebook were to buy out the rights for this Ad, it would make an excellent TVC with very minor modifications (like deleting the last 10 seconds).

P.S.: Only recently has Vodafone started to answer some of these questions - the price, the year-long 2G connection et al, in the shorter versions of this Ad.

Happiness At Your Doorstep

A couple-next-door visits a construction site to check on progress. They are worried it would take long for their house to complete. The guy tries to see the fun side of it - opens a non-existent lock, enters the non-existent house, and plays with a non-existent dog. The lady of the house decides to play along, while the guy arranges for a ‘candle-lit table’.

"लगता है आज कुछ स्पेशल है (Something seems special today!)" and the ‘door-bell’ rings “ting-tong”. It is the Domino’s guy.

"किसी भी पल को स्पेशल बना लो (Make any moment a special one)"!

 
The sequence of acts, the timing of the ‘ting-tong’ and the pleasant expressions, all make for an endearing Ad.

Hidden behind the act is some subtle and some not-so-subtle messages.

• Order from anywhere outdoors, not necessarily from your home.
• Celebrate special moments with Domino’s
• Every moment can be a special moment.
• We deliver happiness with a smile.
• We deliver on time.
• And most importantly, Domino’s is not about Pizza alone anymore, it is about Italiano.

Finishing it with a sensory appeal of attractive imagery, the price, and the tag line “खुशियों की home delivery (Happiness home delivered)” completes the Ad.

The 45 seconds of packed messages, presented with absolutely no clutter, makes for a very efficient commercial. If there was a measure of ‘messages per Rupee spent’ or ‘messages per second of air time’, this Ad would surely be there with the best.

Verdict: Sweet Ad, Nicely Done.


See the Ad here:

Men Deciphered

Most men are hardwired to respond a particular way to certain circumstances. ‘Male bonding over a drink’, ’forgetting an anniversary’, and, of course, ‘losing complete control over oneself trying to win over an attractive lady’, are just a few of them. Needless to say most men also take pride in being ‘Men’.

Not fair to generalize, one would say. Forgive the pun, but this is not about ‘fairness’. What harm is generalizing, if it is only meant to inspire a few more men to be more of a ‘man’.

The “Men Will Be Men” series of Ads from Seagram’s works exactly on this premise. By showing hilarious situations that most men can empathize with, the Ads find an immediate connection with the target audience.

The message is clear too. “Now that we agree how men are, let us also tell you that Men prefer Seagram’s Imperial Blue (did we say CDs?) for a drink. If you think you are a man, you know what to prefer”. An excellent psychological ploy to invoke the male ego and position the product on ‘Desirability’.

Verdict: Very creative and humorous set of Ads. Excellent portrayal. Precise psychological messaging.

However: As per the website, "the Brand is Targeted at young males 25-30 yrs and is positioned as confident, ambitious, youthful and fun loving”. Do you think the characters and situations in these Ads are congruent with this Brand Positioning? Do you think it makes any difference to the effectiveness?

If you have not already seen these Ads on the telly, watch them here. They are indeed quite hilarious.

Zalim, Social Responsibility bhi koi cheez hoti hai!

An Ad is a powerful medium, not just to influence buying, but also to alter usage patterns. People try to mimic what they see, be it a Shahrukh Khan whizzing past heavy traffic in a small car, or a Dhoni carrying a bunch of his team mates on his bike meant for two. Most people are also quick to associate with the 'common man' meant to represent them in an Ad setting.

Here's one such Commercial:

Setting I : A second class crowded train compartment, a young man is shown to have a skin infection. A girl looks at his discomfort and offers him 'Zalim Lotion'.

Setting II : The same compartment. a different day. The guy confirms he is cured after using the lotion.

The target segment is quite clear, so is the message - quick and permanent cure for skin infections. In that sense, the Ad is very focused and effective.

What's wrong with this you may ask: 

One, the protagonist is shown boorishly scratching his infection, first with his nails and then with a hand like contraption. Mind you, a medicine is meant to cure, not spread the disease - the whole purpose of selling a 'medicine' stands defeated.

Two, to emphasize that the cure is permanent, the over enthusiastic protagonist, now that he is completely cured, is shown to throw the medicine (or was it the contraption) out of the train window. Now if the ignorant me believes this to be the best way to dispose off my stuff, would you blame me?

Whether an Ad mimics the behaviour of the target users or if the viewers mimic an Ad is always debatable. That doesn't necessarily absolve the Ad-maker from demonstrating some Social Responsibility. What do you think?

TATA DOCOMO: No Escape

Ever thought someone could put an Ad to prevent you from buying their own products? Here's Tata Docomo doing just that for you. A series of situations each of which shows network availability to be an irritant one is better without.

The situations may sound funny enough to be noticed, but a punch line that says 'NO GETTING AWAY'? Worth asking, "Why get into something one would rather wish to get away from?"

Does it influence buying behaviour? Yes. Positively? No.

Doctors and maids are already reported to be up in arms against this Ad. Fathers, Mothers, SUV owners and High Fliers are soon expected to follow suit.

Verdict: Bad Ad.

PS: Is 'No Getting Away' an indication of the service provider's frustration for lack of a policy to exit from the market? ;-)


The links: I provide only the links this time considering the number of Ads on the said theme.

At the Airport: http://www.youtube.com/user/tatadocomo#p/u/2/JgqRb1JCb8w
Operation Theatre: http://www.youtube.com/user/tatadocomo#p/u/4/PHw_egguwg0
In the Cupboard: http://www.youtube.com/user/tatadocomo#p/u/3/KTI43anutgY
Rocking Car: http://www.youtube.com/user/tatadocomo#p/u/0/nMbJaMlRZkc
Wedding: http://www.youtube.com/user/tatadocomo#p/u/1/VSzSXBlyHkk
The Maid: http://www.youtube.com/user/tatadocomo#p/u/5/iCLuM6Y8bYM
Mother & Child: http://www.youtube.com/user/tatadocomo#p/u/7/66E0BL3y6ck
Old Couple: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ncCJPQH3L0

Airtel: An Ad for All Seasons

"The fact that you reached this blog, this way or that, says you are active on the Internet. You have an account with one or more of social networking sites that keeps you connected virtually, and the chances are good that you have a similar network of friends in the real world. 'Sense of  belonging' as profiled by Maslow, matters to you. There is also a good chance that you find assurance in, and take pride from where you belong socially."

This is a prediction you could apply to any of us ‘normal’ beings and still be  right most of the time. The 'Need to belong' is a universal need. Period.

It is precisely this need that Airtel promises to fulfil through its ‘Har ek friend zaroori hota hai’  campaign. An all encompassing set of mobile telephony services that fulfils the needs to connect, speak, exchange views,  be entertained,  be ‘available’ to support in times of need - all that makes Brand Airtel. Let others resort to persuasion and comparison;  for Airtel, it is only an assured reminder of its Brand Presence -  the true signs of a market leader.

What really distinguishes the ad is the way the message is rendered. At the outset, one could be deceived to believe that the Ad targets the younger, college going generation, potentially the heaviest users of mobile services. But tell me one individual who would not relate to the youthful exuberance of the motley set of participants in the Ad, shown subtly dependent on one another.  Through the measured assortment of chorus, pauses and pranks, the Ad ensures it touches one and all in its own unique way. It could well be the old retired gentleman who fondly remembers his younger days, the busy business executive who reminisces the leisure time he/she spent with friends not very long ago, the reclusive housewife who lost touch with old friends when she adopted a new identity and a new life, or, the not-so-grown-up school going kids who cannot wait getting into the shoes of the grown up teens for a life full of fun and masti – everyone finds a fond association with this musical.

The simple yet appealing lyrics, the toe-tapping music and the measured pauses, compel you to remember the jingle long after it has stopped playing. I can jolly well imagine hoards of students across various institutions (and non-students alike), trying to relive the ad in their own setting, humming the tune as they go along. A clever intersperse of ‘Kutte, Kamine relationships’ breaks monotony and endears the ad further. A logical ending with the now familiar Airtel tune, and the message “Har friend se connected rakhe Airtel”, reinforces the message and the Brand for you. Could the Ad have been made any better.  

Verdict: Truly a winner from Airtel.

You want to connect and relax with your friends (Airtel), or, be Bijee with 3G (!dea)? Please do let your opinion known in the comments section.

You can watch the Ad here:

Innovative Contraceptive enhances Performance and Connectivity

If the brazen, attention-seeking title led you to believe this to be a review of a Durex ad, you are not at fault. I am not too far from the subject either; I am talking of the "brilliant" alternative from !dea - a 3G connection to stop one (rather two) from producing babies. So, what exactly were the !dea Admen thinking when they conceived (oops!) their latest 3G commercial!

To the Ad's credit, the concept is amusing, and the tune catchy. You are forced to take notice, no doubt. It manages to hold attention for the entire 90 seconds it plays, but can it influence someone enough to 'Get Idea'?

If one cared to scratch the surface, the underlying premise is that there is nothing better for a couple to do together, other than watch TV or produce kids, in that order. The message that emerges is not too positive either, "Get a 3G connection and you will have no time for the family". This, to the urban family that is already often stretched thin for quality time together. Unless really fed up, would anyone in their senses wish their spouse to drift away? And if you are really fed up, why get a 3G; there are more permanent solutions available compared to the continuous upgrades you will need to a 4G, 5G and what not, over time!

The catchy tune, the funny lyrics and the background score all stand out, but it isn't exactly a jingle you would ever want registered to memory, lest you, or still worse, your kid is caught recalling it at an inopportune moment.

Is 3G only for couples? Well, this is another area that !dea need to sort out. They seem to have totally lost on the fact that students and youth could actually be one of the heaviest users of 3G, something which Airtel seems to have hit the nail bang on its head with.

In a nut-shell, an entertaining Ad, high on novelty, that makes it consistent with its brand image. However, a flawed message, though amusing, targeted at an inconsequential segment, greatly reduces the impact.

What is your opinion of the Ad? Do leave a line in the comments section.

Here's the ad in case you want to have another dekho at it:

Coming Soon in the same category: Airtel: An Ad for all seasons, !dea Ads over the years, Other Service Providers - Docomo, Vodafone et al

And Many More Categories to Follow. Do come back.