nuggets. Tea time talk

Brooke Bond Red Label’s new campaign, A Tale of 2 Blends, showcases the power of tea to bring people closer. The video begins with a set of people brought in to sample two blends of tea. We get glimpses of the lives of these people and their stories as they sip their tea. Which blend they choose, and why, forms the basis of the plot. The twist at the end — on the most important ingredient — is unexpected. Conceptualised by Ogilvy Mumbai, the brief was to to bring to life the brand platform of ‘SwadApnepanka’ in the digital space in an endearing way. And the ad manages to do that effectively. As Akshay Seth, Senior Creative Director, Ogilvy Mumbai, says: ‘A tale of two blends’ is more than an experiment. It is an attempt to exhibit the most important ingredient in our tea blends.’

Responsible positioning

Mutual funds, in the cautious Indian investor’s mind, are equated with stocks and considered risky. How do you overcome that feeling? That was the brief that Axis Mutual Fund gave its agency The Womb. People are adventurous about many things, but with their hard-earned money they need constant reassurances. Thus the Responsible Mutual Fund campaign took shape, which will be seen on all media — TV, digital, print, outdoors. The film portrays how Bijoy da, an experienced jungle tourist guide accompanies a family into the wild where man-eating tigers prowl. Bijoy da knows how this risk is to be managed. The analogy is used to show how an experienced fund house understands the risks and manages them. Says Navin Talreja – Founder – The Womb, ‘This was one of the more complex campaigns to pull off… While it looks simple, everyone’s aware that this thought will put every Axis Mutual professional under the spotlight. It puts pressure, but a good kind of pressure.’

A creative bus shelter

A bus shelter at Malad in Mumbai wears a really colourful look. It has been hand-painted by art and craft enthusiasts brought together by Fevicryl. The unusual outdoor advertising campaign for Fevicryl put together by Laqshya Media brought together art lovers at the Hobby Ideas store at Malad, where they were given an outdoor flex canvas to paint. Twenty six adults and seven children used 2 litres of paint over six hours to create a beautiful painting that now graces the bus shelter. Outdoor advertising has been seeing a 15 per cent growth year on year — with bus shelters an important part of Out of Home media budgets. But perhaps this is the first time a crowdsourced outdoor ad hits the streets.

An inclusive flag

On August 15, the tricolour waved proudly all across India. The bands of saffron, white and green really tell a story of the struggle for Independence. But there are many visually impaired who miss out on seeing the triumphant colours of the Indian flag. This year, MP Birla Cement, in association with the Lighthouse for the Blind, Kolkata, designed a unique national flag that could be felt with fingers. The three colours, along with the Ashoka Chakra, were translated in Braille, and cast on a flag made of cement concrete. The significance of the colours and the symbol was embossed next to them. Once made, the flag went to the students of The Lighthouse for the Blind. Said Sandip Ranjan Ghose, executive president, MP Birla Cement, “This was a humble effort on our part to celebrate ‘inclusion’ on our nation’s Independence Day by also bringing in differently abled children into its fold.”

It’s that time of year when sibling love comes to the fore. And brands are jumping in with Rakhi offers galore. From offering to courier Rakhis across borders (DHL’s Express Easy Rakhi offer) to tying up with NGOs to promote handmade Rakhis (several retailers), to pushing easy payment options to choose gifts (all the mobile wallets), it’s raining deals on bands. The rakhis themselves are in all hues — from expensive jewelled ones to environment-friendly, seed-embedded threads. Leaping into the fray are also fitness band makers urging sisters to tie a healthy band on their brothers’ wrists.

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