Addendum is a fortnightly column that takes a sometimes hard, sometimes casual, sometimes irreverent, yet never malicious look at some of the new or recent advertisements and comments on them. Write in with either advertisements you wish reviewed or with your comments at addendum.brandline@gmail.com .

We can't seem to get enough of this elixir we call cricket. If you thought you had an overload with the World Cup, as the Yanks would say, “you ain't seen nothing yet”. The mother of all sporting entertainment extravaganzas, the IPL, will hit the ground running and our men in blue will be up to their antics on the field and on your TV screens, in between almost every shot played, coaxing you to buy something. As they say, in the IPL, “everything is sold”. But first, a slight rewind to recall some of the memorable and some of the forgettable advertising that hit the World Cup screen. First, who won the World Cup? No, this is not a trick question. Let me tell you the answer. The winners were the brands. Hero Honda, Pepsi, Adidas, Sony Bravia and the rest of them. And then some more brands. Dhoni, Sehwag, Kohli and of course the cricketing God himself, Sachin Tendulkar. And finally, Brand India. Yes, these were the real winners of the World Cup.

Hero Dhak Dhak: If you ask me, Hero Honda got good mileage for the crores of rupees it poured into the World Cup, and though its song was not one that would set a million lips humming, it sure beat the hell out of the official World Cup song by Shankar Ehsan and Loy. Dhak Dhak Go was eminently more memorable than De Ghumake . When are we going to get a song like Waka Waka ? Adidas: I liked the film. Well conceived, brilliantly shot, had a tinge of emotion without having to sing about it and, of course, had Tendulkar. I would give it a thumbs up! Pepsi: Innovative, irreverent, sometimes funny, very well made and very, well, Pepsi! Hit the spot with that campaign that was the official sponsor of everything from the pallu shot to the helicopter shot to the doosra .

Needs more than love

As we enter the IPL sweepstakes, Citibank, one of the major players in that space, has launched its corporate, “specially made for India” campaign that focuses on moments of success. The photographer and the director need to be complimented for lavishing love on every frame shot. It really is a nicely made TVC. Yet, a good piece of communication needs more than lovingly shot frames. The long list of things it could need should begin with a great idea and a good script. And in the absence of these, the communication remains a piece of aesthetic appeal. I'll stop here, I'm in a generous mood …

Oasis of calm

Realty advertising is generally one of a kind. I thumb through the glossy pages of supplements in newspapers looking for some differentiator that realty companies use to help their advertising stand out amidst the clutter, and I find none. That is until I saw the advertisement for a building by Oberoi Splendour Grande. The visual is literally a whorl of hectic activity, beautifully illustrated in a caricature style. One sees this large border of frenetic activity with roads and an elephant, and the policeman blowing his whistle and a fishmonger shouting out the virtues of her produce. One can almost hear the cacophony that is so typical of Mumbai and then there is some nice white space in the centre of the advertisement which almost screams “calm and quiet”, and this is what the builder seems to be offering. Peace and quiet in a luxurious island of calm amidst the bustle and continuous activity of this maximum city. O&M has made a difference to the advertising of this sector.

Reliving nostalgia

How often have you tasted something and experienced a flood of memories? I distinctly recall many such experiences. Sights, sounds, flavours and fragrances seem to unlock nostalgia in a very pleasant way. This is precisely the insight that Leo Burnett has used rather effectively in the TVC for Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh. A man raises the bottle to his lips, takes a sip and walks down memory lane recalling how he would untie the knotted-up hair of the little girl who is now his wife. The memory prompts him to do it again and her smile indicates she remembers too. The message is clear. Minute Maid Nimbu Fresh reminds you of how nimbu paani used to be made at home all those years ago. A rather refreshing way of reiterating the “ bilkul ghar jaisa ” message. Now how do I stop myself from keying in Nimbooz …?

Vox Pop: Reader Geeta Keshavan from Bangalore loves the Bournvita biscuits commercial. She finds it funny and memorable.

(The writer is a communications consultant.)

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