The Hindu Business Line : Sellabration time

Spunky ads are back again. Shah Rukh Khan, in the `Oye Bubbly' campaign; Aamir Khan, as an overweight Punjabi Manno Bhabhi, teaching a young girl a trick or two to keep her prospective husband in control through `Thande Ka Tadka', and Rani Mukherji, calling a dandy a dhakkan (dimwit), have caught the fancy of television viewers.

This summer, the cola companies are trying to be at their creative best once again, ostensibly to win back the guzzlers. Two years ago, the two cola majors were battling adverse publicity after the Centre for Science and Environment found pesticide residue in their products. So, reassuring the consumer about the product's safety was Coca-Cola's focus last year with `Babu Moshai' Aamir Khan. Celebrities are used not only to promote brands these days, but also to simultaneously entertain viewers. Advertising industry officials point out that cola brands world-over target youth and India is no different.

The `ad wars' between the cola majors are also in full swing. PepsiCo spoofed a Thums Up ad for Mountain Dew, and also mimicked Virender Sehwag's voice in its `Oye Bubbly' campaign. Sehwag has now sought an explanation from the company.

Coca-Cola has chosen the tagline `Clear Bhi, Taste Bhi', for the Sprite commercial. In a spoof on the frog-prince fairytale, the youngster refuses to kiss the frog, stating he could always find another princess but not another frog that talks.

The `filmi' flavour

Popular films have always inspired admakers — be it Sholay or the recently released, `colourised' Mughal-e-Azam. The latter has spurred several ads, including the one where Juhi Chawla in an Anarkali attire promotes Kurkure; the McDonald's ad has a Salim look-alike declaring "I'm lovin' it"; and LG's `Khelega Kya' campaign has Sourav Ganguly and Inzamam-ul-Haq dressed as warrior lords, recreating a battle scene from the film.

The Bollywood classic love story gave the Shah Rukh Khan-Priety Zinta cross-border romance Veer-Zaara some stiff competition at the box office last Diwali. Mughal-e-Azam, which was revived last year in colour, drew in large audiences, and has attracted ad filmmakers. "Audiences are able to connect with the characters even today," explains a Mumbai-based creative head.

Cashing in on cricket

The cricket fever surrounding Pakistan's recent tour to India has spilled over to the kids channels. Cartoon Network has been running promotions called Toon Cricket.

Now, Hungama TV is all set to embark upon a nationwide on-ground cricket league, `Full Toss Hungama Series' based on its innovative gully cricket game-show Full Toss.

While the on-air version gives kids a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play no-rules cricket with their favourite cricketers, the on-ground series will test the country's under-14 cricketing talent through league matches across Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Ludhiana, Indore, Bangalore and other centres.

Response can be sent to life@thehindu.co.in

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