The festive season is upon us. Dussehra, followed by Diwali. And this is the make-or-break time for many marketers. With gifting uppermost in most minds can chocolate manufactures be far behind? I recall Cadbury worked very hard with the Big B to position chocolates as a “sweetmeat” to gift for any celebration. “ Kuch meetha ho jaaye ” was a great campaign and I guess it delivered for Cadbury.

I just saw the TVC for Cadbury’s Glow. You have this young couple stuck on the upper arch of a Ferris wheel and the young man appears to be slightly irritated as he blames the wifefor her choice of entertainment. The young lady pulls out a box of chocolates, wishes him a happy anniversary and as the husband opens the box you can see the light playing on the delightfully packaged chocolate pralines. He nibbles at the chocolate absent-mindedly, is gently reminded by this wife to offer her some and as they sit back to enjoy the chocolate she hands him her scarf and asks him to wave it. The puzzled young man waves it and that was the cue the person manning the Ferris wheel was waiting for. He starts the wheel again. Realising this whole thing had been orchestrated by the young lady, the husband is positively thrilled. And as he turns towards his wife, he is positively glowing. Good performances and slick production And I loved the last scene where they show you what could be the location of the Ferris wheel. It looks like it is on some square in Florence or some similar gorgeous place. Don’t tell me it is in a studio, guys. I’m enjoying the fantasy.

Visa to safety

We love the convenience of plastic money whether it’s a debit card or a credit card or a forex card or any other card. And when I say we, I mean a fair share of urban users. However, cash on delivery (COD) is still a big option being exercised by urban buyers. So what that does mean? Well, it could be one of two things. I am not completely confident that the goods I ordered will arrive, and if they do, would they be in a proper condition? Or I am uneasy about using my debit card online. Well, Visa has taken the latter problem head on.

I saw this TVC created by BBDO where this buyer who is clearly someone either in a small town or someone in the SEC C category holding up a negligee rather dubiously as the voice-over concurs in a very placatory tone that it is rather difficult and confusing when one buys something completely new or when you want to buy something online as a new user of a debit card online. Then you have his cute wife allaying his misgivings by saying in a very “regional” accent that the purchase is “not bad” as she bounds out of bed to bashfully yet approvingly hug the equally bashful husband. The acting is really spot on! And then the voice-over goes on to say that using a Visa debit card online is completely safe. And you see the transaction being completed on a smartphone. Ah! The India of the future is being shown to you right now. Visa is obviously pushing for more debit card usage by all customers and I think it could very well work.

Android One

Talking about the future of India and transaction on cheap smartphones brings us almost logically to the TVC for Android One that has been created for Google by Ogilvy. The idea is pretty straightforward. With cheaper smartphones every Indian holds her future in her own hands. And to communicate that they have an interesting folksy song that gets into your mind and refuses to budge. It also has vignettes of what Ogilvy wishes to show of the fast-changing India. And that’s where the film gets a little clichéd. You have the predictable shots of marriages and a girl with an amputated leg climbing a rock face and a sari -clad middle-aged lady on a motorbike (thankfully with her helmet on) and so on.I guess we are thinking of the last time Google and Ogilvy got together and produced some magic that resonated across audiences and award shows. This time don’t expect any such thing.

Ramesh Narayan is a communications consultant. Mail your comments to cat.a.lyst@thehindu.co.in

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