Brands that cut through: The Pink Foundry, Health OK, P&G Shiksha, RIN, Flipkart, Bumble, Wild Stone, Cadbury, Mountain Breeze, Prolyte.
The Pink Foundry | Skin Is Stronger Than You Think
Refreshing approach to cosmetic (or is it cosmeceutical?) advertising from a brand that makes a statement with its mere name. If the brand name reveals its core, the tagline articulates it powerfully. The imagery of empowered women on screen brings the premise to life.
Health OK | #ExpressTheToughLove
Many Indian men of a certain vintage would relate to this. Speaking with some men in their early 30s and even late 20s, I realised that it’s not about age but a mindset. Some of their fathers too fall in the category of those who have never been able to (or felt the need to) express their love to their sons. Buying them things or doing things for them continues to be their way of expressing their feelings. In some cases, the verbal expression of love hasn’t happened between spouses, even. But that’s another topic altogether.
Health OK has touched upon a very real and relevant theme ahead of Father’s Day. While it may seem like a cute little eccentric streak at the outset, what lies beneath is a lack of communication. That’s never a good idea.
P&G Shiksha | Munni
I must confess that I had started to miss this breed of Shiksha advertising. And it turns out that I was not alone.
Set against the backdrop of online classes, it is in the now and hence some of the present’s attendant problems. Digital education has been a leveller in some cases and quite the opposite for many others, for multiple reasons. The young girl who yearns for her classes to resume is bound to strike the privileged viewer somewhere deep inside. The context is compelling, the contrast telling.
RIN | #TimeToShine | Ab Waqt Hai Chamakne Ka
Indian fencer Bhavani Devi who has qualified for Tokyo 2020 speaks of her struggle to get to where she has and the sacrifices of her mother. A brand that is predominantly speaking to women makes a statement here, articulated as ‘Ab Waqt Hai Chamakne Ka’ and punctuated by the brand’s signature soundtrack.
Flipkart | #HoSmartTohKaroFlipkart
One would be tempted to say that the chemistry between this pair is fabulous. The truth perhaps is that these are just two fine actors acing their parts. Despite the celeb power the brand manages a meaty presence for its signature kid-as-adult character to reiterate its identity.
Bumble | Find Them On Bumble
Make the first move, says Bumble. But from home. It just doesn’t say so in as many words. While many categories were forced to go online in the lockdown(s), online dating was among beneficiaries. Online matrimony and dating sites were reported to have witnessed a spike in traffic in the first phase of the lockdown. The mood was perhaps not right during the second wave, for obvious reasons, for the category to make noise. Now, as India gets ready to open up again, here’s a player warming the young up for the game.
Wild Stone Intense | #IntensifyYourGame
This spot went live in May, we gather. Deodorant-as-a-woman magnet has been done before; ‘done to death’ would be an understatement. Yet it doesn’t seem like the ‘attraction’ proposition is going to die anytime soon. So it boils down to how it’s done.
This conference room setup features a woman sending an online friend request to a young man who joins the team; drawn by his ‘intense’ fragrance of course. She’s not aware that her laptop screen is projected for the entire team to see. When she does, the lady just carries on. Wild Stone does well to keep it interesting while subtly avoiding some of the category stereotypes. The woman is presenting. She is the one making the move and is confident enough to follow through. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, the abject sexism of some signature deodorant advertising is missing. So should we be happy? I’ll leave that for the gender experts to decode.
Cadbury Dairy Milk | The Sweetest Way To #SayThankYou | Liftman
Taking the lift on its continuing journey, #SayThankYou is now ‘The sweetest way’ to #SayThankYou. Keep them coming. And please don’t change the music.
Mountain Breeze | Thunda Funda
There are multiple films in this campaign. This one features a grown man afraid to face his disciplinarian father after a party. Mountain Breeze ‘Fresh Breath Strips’ (NOT mouth freshener) comes to his rescue.
Prolyte ORS | W.H.O. Recommended Formula
The store, the customer, the shopkeeper… they all seem a tad familiar. Enter kiddo playing teacher with a smart line on ORS, smartly delivered. The ‘WHO Recommended’ message comes through. With some repetition and given that there’s hardly any noise in the category, this should cut through.
(First published on FE BrandWagon Online. To feature campaigns here or add credits, kindly email: Campaigns@ClutterCutters.in)