TOI’s Volkswagen ad: the new convergence?
On Tuesday morning, when readers of The Times of India opened the newspaper, they were in for a surprise.
The supplement of the main paper carried a ‘talking’ advertisement of Volkswagen, which plays a recorded voice when a reader opens the page.
It came as a surprise to many and soon Twitter and Facebook were full of comments, from awe at something so “innovative” to despair at a “lame” attempt.
While it reminded some of the musical greeting cards by Archies — a craze in India in the early years of this decade, others felt the commercial ridiculed the experience of reading a newspaper.
But, whatever feedback the advertisers and the newspaper get from readers, it surely signifies a new era in Indian advertising — one in which companies have realised India’s potential as a lucrative fast-growth story, leading them to innovate and lavishly spend on advertising.
The emerging Indian middle-class is fast turning into a bunch of brand-conscious individuals, and having realised that, companies are opening up their wallets.
Now with the financial crisis mostly behind us, people can hope to see more innovation in advertising, as companies look for newer ways to lure consumers.
All’s not fair in fairness cream advertising
A new ad campaign featuring Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Neha Dhupia has viewers’ curiosity piqued with its almost soap opera feel, with each advert dealing with a new episode in their love triangle.
The story so far: Chopra and Khan were once together, and Chopra still carries a flame for him, and half a heart-shaped locket. Khan, who has the other half of the locket, is about to propose to Dhupia, but also still has feelings for Chopra. Incensed Dhupia dumps Khan, and in the latest episode Chopra was looking for Khan at the airport.
So here’s the $1 million question: What was keeping them apart? You’ll never guess: Chopra’s dark complexion that lost out to fairer-skinned Dhupia.
The campaign for Hindustan Unilever’s Pond’s White Beauty will have us believe Chopra’s “wheatish” complexion – the polite term still used in Indian matrimonial ads – is the only reason she is not with her one true love.
But never fear, Priyanka, for Pond’s White Beauty with lycopene is here. Watch the four episodes so far of Kabhi Kabhi Pyaar Mein here
These ads have only multiplied in recent years, as more cosmetics makers clamber onto the bandwagon for fairness cream which in adverts magically make women more desirable, successful and modern.
Shops stack a dizzying array of fairness creams and lotions from home-grown majors and multinationals alike. But in one way they are really fair — they now make them for men, too. The advertising, however, has guys biking on dirt roads or hanging out with their macho buddies.
i think in this ad priyanka chopra shud be replaced with amrita singh nd neha dhupia with kareena kapoor…then it may mak sm sense and give a personal touch 
Sachin – not the right choice any more?
PepsiCo has ended a 10-year relationship with Sachin Tendulkar, reportedly because the beverage giant felt the master batsman, at 35 and in indifferent form, is not as big a youth magnet as he used to be.
Also, at 40-50 million rupees a year (about $1 million), he was a tad pricey.
Pepsi, which recently also parted ways with former captains Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly, has signed on such young cricketers as Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma for its “youngistan” campaign, targeted at a younger demographic in a country where half the population is below the age of 25 years.
At least one ad in the new campaign features Shah Rukh Khan, the 42-year old super star, although in the role of an older — the glasses are the giveaway — guardian to the young actor Deepika Padukone and beau Ranbir Kapoor.
So are ageing movie stars surer bets than ageing cricketers? Tough question in a country that’s obsessed equally with both. But there are some telltale signs.
Ever heard of an actor’s house being vandalised after a movie bombed at the box-office? Even Dhoni has had his home attacked after recent defeats.
In the world of celebrity advertising, marketers appear to have a lemming-like approach to cricket: one big knock or wicket haul has them all beating a path to the door of the cricketer du jour, with the result that the recent Twenty20 extravaganza was a blur of cricketers on field and off it, endorsing everything from styling gel to lubricants.
its not that sachin has grown old or sharukh is getting younger,but the main thing is ” PERCEPTION “. we dont raise an eyebrow when 42 year old shahrukh romances with 21 year deepika padukone. but we will question the selection of a 34 year old rahul dravid in an ODI team.
