Mad Ads!! :)

Television advertisements which when high on creativity have always been an energy booster in my case. I have loved these kinds of Ads even when they are run and re-run umpteen number of times, day in

and day out. Never have they bored me but have left me asking for more. Creativity has kind of used various platforms…the emotional platform, the crazy/pun platform, the commercial platform, et al.

When I was old enough to follow Ads, I loved the bunny that used to say “Lijjat Pappad”…or the Prestige Cooker Aunty…and even the changes in mood before and after popping Pan Pasand in their mouths. They seemed to be so realistic then….possibly cos even I had eaten Lijjat Pappad, my mom used to cook in her Prestige and I had even popped in Pan Pasand on few occasions (mom considered it as an adult mint, as it had “Pan” in it).

When young I used to get allergy (till my 12th yr) on eating cocoa based chocolates especially the cadbury ones…and hence my parents used to tell me to go and study or go out and play. Those days there was only one channel DoorDarshan (DD) and hence they couldn’t change the channels too. They didn’t bother much about the Nirodh Ad I guess, probably cos they thought I won’t understand the funda behind it…Little did they know that I would grasp it then for future (thorough) analysis!! 😛 So as a matter of fact, I don’t remember the Cadbury Ads of then, but Nirodh ones are crystal clear. Hehe…Watching the “Pyaar hua Ikraar hua” song with a lovely couple walking under an umbrella in heavy downpour seems like just yesterday. I am now able to appreciate that Ad more…espcially the usage of “umbrella when it rains” as a prop!!

Further, I grew up with the 2-minute Maggi Noodles Ad…being fascinated by a bunch of kids returning home tired after playing and then one of their moms preparing Maggi for all of them…This didn’t strike a chord so well cos whenever we played and went back to one of our homes, forget Maggi – we were not even offered water. 😦

The “Humaara Bajaj” scooter Ad was another memorable one…looking back I feel like there has not been another Ad which would have united the whole of India apart. “Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer”…indeed…and my dad owned a blue colored Bajaj….Humaara apna Bajaj!! 😀

All these played on our emotional quotient…we seemed to have owned it all, or used it all….wantedly or unwantedly (Not sure about the umbrella one, cos I wouldn’t have been here writing this now ).

Then came a point wherein there was a tinge of extra added pun in the name of creativity. The “mint with a hole” came in first followed by “wonder what happened to the holes”…but this crazy creativity in Ads didnt seem to work around much. But if you ask me, selling those useless remaining titbits (after punching holes) for 2 bucks a packet was an idea of a genius nevertheless. Nestle would have multiplied their profits when it came to the sale of its “Polo” brand mints.

In the recent years, its the commercialization that has taken over the creativity but as I always feel, no matter what – creativity stands even amidst the ruins – Movie stars and sportspersons (especially the cricketers) have taken center stage when it comes to the advertising arena. SRK is on every 5th ad that comes on TV…over exposure kills, said someone…and died…but our SRK lives on…Name a brand and he would have endorsed it once at least in his illustrious movie career. Sachin is another SRK when it comes to being a brand ambassador. Aila! 😉

Of late I have been having thoughts as to why and how these commercially oriented people (ya I mean the movie stars and the sport stars) chose and decide to endorse a product. I really can’t understand all this:
1) When Amitabh tries to sell an oil saying its thanda and good for the hair. Thanda is fine…but when he himself carries a woven wig over his scalp, this Ad seems to be far away from reality.
2) Govinda endorsing the same oil as above…in his case, good for hair is fine…but thanda?? This guy keeps slapping people around…anything but thanda (cool headed)!! 😀
3) It wasn’t enough I guess when Kanta-ben caught SRK and Saifu in ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ doing their “Happy” act….now they have moved on 4-5 years later again to do the same act for a currently running Airtel Ad for voice messages. SRK seems to have overcome his urge, but Saifu? Well…Kareena better watch out!!
4) Akshay Kumar risking his life everytime for a “Thumbs up” bottle. Can’t he just buy them from a mart like a normal mortal? 😕

But all is not bad yet…what with those Hutch Ads…where the adorable pug depicting the cellular network, followed its master everywhere. Those Cadbury celebrations Ad enlighten the nostalgic moments to the hilt!! Each of those Fevicol Ads are a class apart…can’t seem to choose any one of those as THE best. The Coca Cola and Pepsi Co Ads were legendary when it came to creative rivalry, but they seem to have lost the plot over time…no matter, they still sell like never before.

All in all, in the advertising arena there’s no bigger platform than the television mode of advertising cos it reaches a wide range of people…but I still kinda miss the nostalgic feeling of these Ads being made for the common junta, yes Us. But its not like everything has changed. Speaking of which, channels are still changed these days on mere hearing the Ads suggesting importance of “using protection” being broadcasted. They don’t even bother to wait and see if its about using a condom or if its regarding a helmet!! 😉

Are we mad about Ads or the Ads mad?? 😛