The Hindu Business Line : Cheeka and Vodafone

The fabulous role advertising plays in brand-building can best be exemplified by the high-decibel launch of Vodafone in India. As Hutch became Vodafone, Star TV channels ran a whole day’s inventory with only Vodafone advertising. And the entire Rs 50-crore advertising campaign in all major communication touchpoints revolved around one little pug that O&M and its memorable advertising had created. Cheeka the adorable pug had found a new kennel. So what if the colours around the little dog had changed and the young boy was missing? The mascot that advertising created shook itself vigorously, darted in and out of its new identity and really proclaimed to the world that advertising is worth a lot more that it is given credit for!

Ganpati Bapa Morya!

Making the most of the festivities

Mumbai feted its favourite elephant-headed God with most street corners festooned and decorated for ten days before bidding Him a tumultuous farewell and exhorting Him to return soon. Advertisers make the most of this festival which actually marks the end of Mumbai’s monsoons, and the beginning of the festive season which will now see the Navratri festivities, followed by Diwali and then Christmas. Oxyrich, the bottled water brand from Manikchand, was probably the most visible advertiser on the streets of Mumbai. Thank Ganesha they seem to have eased off on their “more oxygen in water” advertising plank.

Dhoni Dhamal

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

As the Ganpatis departed from Mumbai, the cricketing gladiators returned to a manic welcome in rainswept Mumbai. Not even the parting kick of the monsoons could dampen the spirits of Mumbaikars who turned out in thousands to give the victorious Indian team the welcome of their lives.

Everyone loves a winner and this was amply evidenced by the spate of advertisements that quickly claimed the cricketers as their own. Air India ran full pages about the six players who are a part of its family. Amity University congratulated one of the players as its student. Sahara was quick to reinforce its sponsorship status. NDTV kept announcing that Dhoni was its brand ambassador. Amidst the welter of apartments, cash prizes, cars, brand endorsements and the like that will be showering down on these players, one cannot help remembering the time when angry mobs smashed the walls of the house Dhoni was building in Ranchi and terrorised the families of some other players who were in the team that lost early in the World Cup. That was just six months ago. That’s how long it takes for zeroes to be called heroes. Let’s hope the visiting Australian team won’t rob the sweetness of this victory too soon.

IAA new Committee

The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association elected a new committee at its recent AGM. Pradeep Guha of Zee was re-elected President for a second term. Raj Nayak of NDTV Media returns as the Vice-President. Almost the entire managing committee has been re-elected. The single change is the entry of Rohit Gupta of Sony in place of Hormusji Cama of Mumbai Samachar. Looks like the IAA loves the electronic media.

One wonders what new initiatives the IAA will come up with this year around. The CEO delegation to the US in August was an innovation. Now the industry is expecting a lot from this normally quiet Association.

AdAsia 2007

India has two confirmed speakers and two session chairmen at the AdAsia 2007 in Korea. Prasoon Joshi and Sam Balsara are the speakers who will hold the tricolour aloft. Pradeep Guha and Goutam Rakshit are the Session Chairmen.

We would be surprised if the Indian delegation to the Jeju Islands in Korea for the AdAsia 2007 in October lurched towards the magical figure of 100. As of now, the media industry has made it look respectable with around 60 delegates. Somehow the advertising agencies and the advertisers do not seem to be too enthused by the idea of going to Korea.

And to think that India will be bidding for the AdAsia 2011 at this very Congress! What’s happened to the great Indian pride, guys? Old-timers tell us that many years ago a huge 100-plus contingent resplendent in traditional Indian attire stormed the aisles at an AdAsia in Bangkok, signalling India’s winning bid for the AdAsia 2003. Are we complacent or just bored?

Vic’s Pick

We liked the specially long TVC that took off on Indiana Jones and ended with a moppet who had Googled on Airtel, holding aloft the book of Solomon outside the fabulous ruins of Petra in Jordan. So which ads caught your fancy? Victoria

Comments can be sent to brandline@thehindu.co.in

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