A responsible vibe

Mahindra Verito has always positioned itself as a car owned by someone very responsible and ‘good’. I recall its earlier commercials. They had a strong individual who was not just physically strong but strong on principles and on what was “right”. The new Verito Vibe, positioned as a sporty compact sedan – probably because it has some new design features and add-ons that would warrant this description – comes across as younger, but very much in the same lineage as the initial offering. Interface Communications has this new TVC where you have a young driver with three friends in the Verito Vibe at a signal and a little kid riding pillion on a scooter with his father next to them. The young man indicates his willingness to race the scooter and as the kid eggs his father on to zoom, the Verito driver acts like he is picking up speed, but deliberately lets the scooter and the little kid ‘win” the race. Another scene shows him stopping at an apparently deserted intersection where the signal has turned red. The friend in the rear seat admonishes him, encouraging him to drive through the red, saying, no one is looking. The Verito driver replies “I am”. Nice. Just the kind of messages we need to be putting out in these days where everyone thinks they are above the law. It’s also a very distinct niche that Verito has claimed. The “responsible” image is a great differentiator in this crowded competitive market. Hope it translates into sales.

Kudos to the script!

A Facebook friend (are there any other) directed me to a film clip which I thought was excellent. It has Amitabh Bachchan doing what he does best – speaking to you in that rich baritone. But “speaking” is a term that would be almost insulting in the given context. Amitabh’s voice makes love to the dialogue in a way that can only be described as magical. The script is inspired and his delivery raises it to an all new dimension. He talks about parents not really going away. They exist in a hundred little ways. In your memories and the little things you see and do and the little things you don’t, in everyday life. In your behaviour and in almost every aspect of your life. Your parents live on, for generations. And he ties it up with the tag line of Binani Cements, “for generations to come”. I cannot but marvel about how the beauty of words are adorned in the manner of their delivery and makes a simple statement something memorable. I don’t know which agency created this and who wrote the script but would really love to acknowledge them. It’s one of those ad breaks when you are not going anywhere.

What on earth!

The National Population Registry is coming to count how many residents there are in this great country. And they want you to know that. And they want to appeal to your sense of nationhood by banking on the fact that you are rooted to the earth of this land. And so they make earth the foundation of their rather long TVC.

I realise the Government has never understood the importance of brevity because it spends my money, not theirs. But there should be a limit to all things. The TVC begins with great promise but meanders helplessly with a desperate effort to tell you that everything is about Mother Earth. So they slap the earth very literally onto every single example they show including a poor kid trying to play cricket (he anticipates the mud on his face and wisely closes his eyes before his bat makes contact with the ball).

Really, guys, we get the message. You don’t have to go through every region and every interest we have to grind the thought into the earth. We will stand up and be counted. As long as you let the earth remain where it should be.

Suzuki Dabanng

There are these movies where you suspend belief, sit back and just enjoy the mind-numbing action and senseless entertainment. Don’t get me wrong. For many people (including me) this is just what the doctor ordered. A stress-buster where nothing need make sense, as long as you are able to enjoy it. So if you enjoyed Dabanng 2 after Dabanng , you can enjoy Suzuki Hayate 2 after Suzuki Hayate 1.

Created by R K Swamy BBDO, there’s good old Chulbul Salman Pandey, aviator sunglasses, sidekick and all, riding up on his Suzuki Hayate motorcycle and squaring off in what looks like a small South Indian town to capture the local black marketer of movie tickets. What follows are the usual chills and spills and then Salman and his Hayate win the day and capture the evil black marketer. As I said, just enjoy it. And while R K Swamy BBDO think of Suzuki Hayate 3, they might want to add a little item number as well! You really can’t go wrong. If Dabanng can be such a hit, why not you?

Bhaag Milkha Piyo Amul

I have never seen so many advertisers cashing in on a movie as they have with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag . The Amul commercial is very relevant. Created by Lodestar UM and Draft FCB Ulka it realises that Bhaag Milkha is a great endorsement for milk and quickly steps in to ensure it is an endorsement for Amul Milk. I must say, the movie is rather riveting, and Prasoon Joshi tells me it is his first full script. Wow, if this is how his debut is, I can’t wait to see him “mature” as a scriptwriter. He is truly the ad industry’s gift to Bollywood.

(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. addendum.brandline@gmail.com )

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