Amrutanjan makes funniest home Video

Aches and pains are hardly funny but Amrutanjan begs to differ. The 100 year old pain reliever brand, with its candid camera style ad, has brought in a wave a of slapstick humor into the category.

Imitating the candid camera genre of unscripted humor, the film opens with a man on the diving board. He accidentally slips and has a nasty, undeniably OUCH’ fall. Cut to a woman at a pool side restaurant. She pulls up a chair for herself, and to her horror the chair slips at the proverbial moment. What follows is a comical picturisation of her struggle to stay heads up. Alas! She goes into the pool, with a table for companionship. The 30 second depicts multiple comic bloopers to emphasize the fact that accidents can happen anytime and one ought to be ready. Ready, in this case means, keeping a pack of Amurtanjan Balm handy.




The comic mishap of the lady falling into the pool really looks like a candid moment while the one with the construction worker, who while passing bricks accidently gets thwacked in the head with one, looks contrived.

The raw feel of a home video convincingly conveys the simple brand proposition - be ready. What’s even more wonderfull, each individual blooper can lend to a small 10 second edit.

Interestingly the ad crafted on a low budget by Mudra Communications, was shot on hand held camera by Footcandles Film to lend it the right amateurish feel.

This ad definitely takes me back in time when old funny home videos of people, falling off slides or landing in funny postures, would make me laugh till my sides hurt. Surprisingly they do manage to garner a decent TRP even today, otherwise one wouldn’t find old reruns and hindi edits of these videos on air eve today. Well, just to give you an idea of what exactly I am referring to here, let me give you an example. A really, and I mean really, old imported comedy show that used to run on DD. Didi’s, or was it Dee Dee’s, comedy show.

Although I have outgrown home videos and may not necessarily find the ad funny, I have to admit that this particular treatment may actually pull off a stunt that could succeed in turning a fuddy duddy brand like Amrutanjan into a far younger brand.

The ad would probably make competition go right back to their drawing boards and figure out something new to replace the run off the mill strategy of ‘we relieve you of your pain faster than others’.

Over all production value: Excellent
Creative strategy: Excellent
Viral capabilities: Too early to tell
Ease of understanding: Average

Final Verdict: Although not ourageously funny, the ad might just work for an otherwise depressing category

TVC Hots & Nots - Parachute Advansed

I totally love the new 'Parachute Advansed - Gorgeous Hamesha' commercial that has been on air recently. The ad doesn't directly talk about the product yet the intrensic benefit of the product comes through very clearly. Its feel good track and simple execution makes this commercial an example of great advertising, that helps build strong brand vaules for the company and phenomenal recall for the product.



The ad resonates well with its consumers, with its base line 'Gorgeous Hamesha' this ad makes me (their target consumer) feel really good about myself. And the whole stickness and phobia associated with hair oil is very clevery masked.

A clutter breaking ad that has all the right ingredients to strike the right chord with its consumers and to build a great brand.

TVC Hots & Nots

Being in advertising I am in the habit of flipping channels to catch Television Commercials. So when the remote is in my hand there is a possibility that I annoy my co viewrs. Since this activity takes up most of my television veiwing time, I decided to start reviewing TVCs and I am calling it 'TVC Hots & Nots'.

Everything selling on boob tube is not a creative marvel some of the Ads on air makes you want to switch of your TV. Then there a few that are funny, intelligent, cute, sentimental or plain cheeky. I thought its worth giving some attention to whats selling on TV.

I decided to start with 2 very intriguing Ads that have been on air for the last copule of weeks.

1. Amul Macho

Probably the only men's underwear brand without a man in it. With media furiously accusing them of being cheap and vulgar, this provocative ad has been enjoying all the attention, doesn't matter if it's in bad taste. While the other brands are pegging on machismo and chivalry Amul Macho, with the tag line 'Crafted for fantasies' is based completely on a woman's most intimate fantasy.

I think this ad clearly screams different. Let's face it, The Indian male is no Superman whether he wears a Roopa, Lux Cozy or VIP and that is what other underwear brands portray him to be. They are constantly running around in their underwear saving women, dangerously hanging from a cliff to rescue a kitten or being completely molested by women.

The film opens on a new bride, coming to do the laundry, while the other women gear up to bully her. She faces the cold stares boldly when she decides to pull out her husband's underwear from the lot. The women are taken aback by its sheer size and they retreat to a corner. Thoroughly enjoying their expression she goes ahead to wash it with expressions that clearly indicate what a great time she had in the sack on her nuptial night.

Everyone is talking about this new ad on TV; and it has great recall. We have a problem because the brand had the cheek to be different and its not just the same old formula. The ad is being honest, men don't want to be known for saving kittens or pumping away at the gym ,they would much rather be know for their skills in the sack! Its much ado over nothing.

2. Pepsi Gold






Quick to respond and sarcastic. This ad is a definite take on the dismal performance of the men in blue at the Caribbean. Post the world cup, India is gripped with a sense of hopelessness and this ad in some way restores that lost faith. The ad tells you there is no dearth of talent, the next time around there will be a younger quicker and a more aggressive team.

A group of boys go to a tailor to get the Indian cricket team's uniform stitched for themselves. One of the boys tells the tailor to stretch the length of the shirt from 20 to 24. the old tailor is visibly perplexed and moves on to measure the next boy's chest "33 inches" he declares but the guy's friends ask him to keep it at 40. The old tailor obviously annoyed grudgingly obliges. He reads out an exaggerated number while measuring another boy's shoulder. The boys cheer in agreement. Done with them, the tailor asks for the delivery date. The guys inform him, "Chaar saal baad. Agla world cup hum laayenge!"

Pepsi launched a new product for the world cup 'Pepsi Gold', with India's defeat the whole nation turned its face away from the high enthusiastic feeling and so did Pepsi. This voices every Indian's dream to go back to the world cup 4 years later with a new team and win. With a ring of disappointment and lots of hope this ad is well written, executed and on the whole brilliant.