Walkers Extra Crunchy - Review

I'm afraid I'm unable to keep pace with the glut of great ads being churned out by the advertising fraternity, be it domestic or international.

This one dates back to at least a month ago! See, what did I tell you!

With this ad, Lionel Richie, yes, none other, makes his debut, and how!

The ad opens dramatically with a man in the shadows, subsequently being revealed as, yes, you got that right again, Lionel Richie.

The music is borrowed from his vintage collection - the chart buster, "Say you, say me..." which has been changed in the ad so hilariously to "First you, then me".

The ad sees Lionel singing the number as friends and family share a Walkers Extra Crunchy Crispy in the park, while two lovers share it on a bus, and at the department store, Lionel tries to take a crispy from the former English footballer (striker) Gary Lineker only to find himself in quite a pickle over it.

The ad ends with the voiceover saying with a straight face, "... made for sharing, sometimes".

I loved it as I'm sure you will too. Write in and tell me what you think, at:

rajni.shriram@gmail.com

I'd love to hear from you.

Indian Railways - Review

We've all done it as children, aped the train journey with its sounds and whistles. And those memories come flooding back as Piyush Pandey and his gang of men bring back those memories by recreating the experiences of the sights and sounds of a train's journey across the country.

The ad is loosely borrowed from the Ashok Kumar starrer Aashirwad (1968). For more, view here:

There is no story to the ad because the train is the story. The ad is about a string of a human train meandering through the streets and in and out of mansions hooting and chugging along.

In our memories of the rail gaadi, hangs many a tale: of matka chai boiled umpteen times before it finds its way into the matkas (!); of tender coconuts in Guntur station and aaloo luchi in Kharagpur station. Yes, those were the days. I loved it all. And that's what the train in the ad chugging along reminds me of... but I digress...

"Rail gaadi, rail gaadi, chuk, chuk, chuk, chuk..."  chugging along, rakes up some good, some not so good, but always interesting memories.

Have your say of your experiences on the rail gaadi and what it means to you, at:

rajni.shriram@gmail.com

We'd love to hear from you.

Tata Sky - Review

When the product is excellent coming as it does from the stables of the Tatas, ably supported by Aamir Khan on whose shoulder the ad rests, the cash registers are not expected to just ring, but sing.

What do I have to say? What can I say? A wonderful product in combination with some powerful acting by Aamir Khan makes for a delightful experience. Not to be left behind is the witty script itself. Aamir's entry into our homes and lives is a delightful intrusion, a gentle reminder to us that not all ads should be dismissed by the click of a button; that some ads can entertain and inform us in a pleasant way.

Here is the gist of the ad:

Enter Aamir, as a milkman, who deftly extracts a full month's wages from a customer for the milk even though the customer had gone on a vacation for part of the month. The VO says on a humorous note, not to be deceived by such manipulations, and that if you were to go on an annual holiday, you need not pay Tata Sky for that particular month.

Have you been deceived by your milkman or your newspaper man? Tell us about it. Who knows, your story may be the next story to be featured in one of the ads of Tata Sky!

An Announcement

This blog, dear reader, is meant for you. Your opinion is valuable to us. It is our constant endeavor to make it better and better for you.

Just to show how much we care, we would like you to send your comments, bouquets and brickbats not withstanding, of last month's reviews. The best three comments will get a book that inspired us, as I hope it will, you.

Email your comments to: rajni.shriram@gmail.com

Looking forward to a great partnership,

Best

Rajani

Kerala Tourism - Review

Kerala, as depicted in the ad, is a land where time stands still, a time to be pampered; to watch in leisure as Nature takes over you. Every shot has leisure written on it coupled with a sense of intrigue - a young woman on a boat seeing a twin on another boat, the man wearing a mask...

A haunting music keeps the languishing girl company while the kathakali dancer and the rest draw you by virtue of their mystique. The state beckons you to make a trip to Kerala in order to make this an experience of a lifetime because as it says in the end "your moment is waiting". A moment to hungrily feast your eyes on Nature - that which you have never seen before...

The ad finds resonance in a Mexican Tourism ad, only, may I add, that the former is a much better version of the latter.

Watch this ad if you have time on your hands and are weary of the city's babble of sounds in shrills and decibels beyond the scope of the human ear...

Watch it if you have questions that only Nature can answer...

Watch it if intrigue draws you like a moth to a flame...

And watch it to commune with a larger than life Nature that is impervious to man's hurried pace in Time.

Be wooed by Nature as it engulfs you in its arms...

Be wooed or be damned...

... for in Kerala, Nature's intriguing form cannot be ignored...

National Domestic Violence Hotline - Review

A departure from the humorous strains of the previous couple of posts, and on a more serious note, this ad struck a chord for its stark visual(s).

Nothing gory or macabre about it, as one would expect it to be. In fact, quite the contrary. The ad leaves plenty of scope for differing interpretations.

Especially the part in the end where the much abused girl looks back suddenly. The fear in her eyes...haunting; her expression raw with fear...

Tell me what you think about the ad.
Hint: Look for all the tiny details in the ad, for in the detail hangs the tale.

There are times when you might have wished you had done an ad. For me, this is one such brilliant ad. Simply mind blowing.

Don't believe it? Go ahead, be your own judge.

Don't forget to post your thoughts at:

rajni.shriram@gmail.com

Tata Sky Offer - Review

Still no response. Not a word, not even a single tick in one of those little boxes at the end of this page...

Sigh!

Oh God, why are you doing this to me?!

Well, as promised, here is another boring post. I did warn you, didn't I?




This silent TVC is reminiscent of the movies of Laurel and Hardy. Short and sweet, the storyline is superbly supported by some brilliant performances by the two protagonists.

The whole story begins, middles and ends on the message that the price is what it says it is; no conditions to it as is wont in most of the other ads.

This is how the story goes:

Two painters are seen painting a new outdoor ad for Tata Sky informing consumers that Tata Sky is now available at the very attractive price of Rs. 999/- only.

As an afterthought one of the more rotund painters adds an asterisk at the end of the advertisement and then seeks the other painter's approval.

The second painter looks at the asterisk and then hits the first painter on his head because written below are the words "No conditions apply".

Simple message well told and humorously too at that.

Have I bored you adequately? Good. Now I challenge you to ignore checking the boxes. I d a r e you to...

Sigh.

I've lost it, haven't I? I'm either mad or you are cruel. I am compelled to think that it's the former. Are you susceptible to maska maaroing? Because it just might give my case more teeth and you might just bite the bait. What say?

Tick, tick, tick...

Give me a second chance.

Whoever said "A kingdom for a horse"...

... did not know the agony and desperation of a frustrated writer trying vainly to pitch for her 15 minutes of fame!

Micromax's Qube - Review

In a war-torn AnyCity located AnyWhere, two forces kick up a lot of dust waging a bitter battle to its bitter end.

This is the story of one such brave-heart who confronts the enemy just a few blocks away from the scene of the war.

The scene is very authentic and I am told the guns are real to lend more 'dum' to a "striving-to-be" authentic scenario.

Hand grenades blow up cars and the walls and vehicles are riddled with the enemy's bullets. A soldier spots his mate who has taken cover behind a vehicle and who is immensely enjoying the features of his mobile oblivious to the inherent danger he is putting himself through in the process. The soldier faces near death experiences as he dodges a deadly torrent of bullets as he rushes to be with his friend.

In between fierce fighting, the soldier tries to tell his mate to get real or be prepared to die. But the mate is impervious to the soldier's advice as he sits enthralled by the features of the mobile.

What happens next? Do the two men make it alive? Who wins the war... I am not telling.

The truth be told: I want you  to tell me...

I have reason to believe that you are ignoring my posts. And so I will continue dishing out unexciting posts until some of you respond to them! Positive or negative feedback, either is welcome.

Thanks (in anticipation) and God bless. I knew you would never let me down.

(Pause)

You aren't going to(help me), are you?

Ah, well. What can I say? I knew it all along.

Okay then. You asked for it. Wait for another boring post. I'll continue posting such inane monologues, until you report me to Google, or you could transfuse some fresh blood into my blog by filling up the boxes...

Sigh... Restlessly and impatiently waiting...

Nolan's Cheddar Cheese - Review

When is a small piece of cheese kept carelessly on the floor?
You guessed it: When it's part of a trap for an unsuspecting little mouse.

And who wins the cat and mouse, or shall we say, man and mouse game...?
Now that, I'm not telling.. but the music just might.

The music sets the mood for each successive scene. When the mouse finds the meat, in this case, the cheese, he is "on top of the world"; when he is trapped, "This is the end..." is played. And as for the finale...? I'm not telling...

Watch it to find out, and then post in your thoughts to: rajni.shriram@gmail.com

Hint: The ad famously plays on the word 'strong'. Guessed it, eh? Well, what can I say...? Was never good at keeping secrets!

NIKE - I am the Rules - Review

The ember is still hot and the smoke still blowing, long after the ad was first published, as I watch the ad for the nth time.

Of what substance are legends made of? Why do some reach the echelons of super stardom, while the rest of us struggle to keep pace with our peers?

This ad is a peek into the attitude of legends, the kind of stuff that Nike symbolizes and/or endorses.

In this ad, Nike doffs its hat to all the sporting legends who have broken all rules to carve out a niche for themselves.

Nike invites us to follow the path of these sporting legends and join them in the crusade for non-conformity, by setting and living by our own rules and on our own terms.

A must watch for all those who think differently. Watch this fast-paced ad for its sheer brilliance and don't forget to save it for posterity. And a word about this ad would be incomplete without a mention of the magnetic music.

As a parting shot, I'd request you to download the music as well, for its electrifying and alluring presence that has been woven so well into the fabric of the ad.

It's astonishing that in this 60 second ad not a word is spoken, yet so much has been said.

Watch it for the play on lighting, (light, darkness and shadow), for its sudden bursts of colors, heck, for everything an ad should be. I'd be surprised if I ever got tired of a masterpiece such as this one. Great work of art!

This ad will find a place in my collection of all-time greats. How about you?

Pepsi Max (India) - Review

Q: What would you do to get a job?

A. Depends on how badly I want it!

You would think that an interview would be just another run of the mill kind of ad, nothing much to it. Well, what do you know!

The story kicks off as soon as an interviewee takes a swig of Pepsi Max.

An innocent question, "Why do you think that tumhe yeh job milna chaahiyein?" triggers off a series of events that gets the boss quickly embroiled knee deep in hot water. After a brief pause, this question is met with a reply that baffles the boss as much as it confounds the audience. The boy slaps himself on the face and then asks the boss loudly, "Sir, mujhe kyon maar rahe ho?" He then goes on to noisily knock off fragile items from the shelves, after which he thrusts his head in an aquarium. He then tears his shirt and knocks himself so hard against a wall that a painting on the other side of the wall is knocked down.

While the boss looks on  bewildered by the sudden turn of events, there is a pandemonium outside the room where all the agitated youth scramble their way out the door.

All except one, who it turns out, is a friend of the 'harassed' boy.

Needless to say,  the  second boy gets the job.

And as the racy story speeds to its grand finale, it made me fervently wish that I too had such a eclectic group of friends as also such an introduction to my boss!

Nice try, guys!

That got me thinking...

Are you thinking what I am thinking?

Pause

Don't think I'll do it?

Pause

Wanna bet?

Pause

OMG! My boss is walking towards me with smoke in his ears!

Do I see a noose? And is that me hanging?

RBI - Paisa Bolta Hai - Review

With Gulzar, the doyen wordsmith of Indian Cinema, who lent his two cents to the crafting of this ad, can anything go wrong?

The ad is born out of the simple idea that Indians examine everything before buying, so why not the note?

The note, being the protagonist of the ad, invites the viewer to examine its myriad colors, to touch the note, handle it; its premise being that the consumer examines everything. So it follows that the consumer get habituated in examining the note as well.

The ad is set in a rural and vibrant India, in its simplest form. No translation, not even a dissertation can compete with Gulzar's word for careful word.

It is often said that in simplicity lies profundity and Gulzar does just that in his inimitable style.

He displays the simplicity of a master craftsman who has sharpened his art with his very own signature style, a fact that is appreciated by the laborer and his master in a language that is singularly 'their's'.

Great script, remarkable idea.

The purpose was to enlighten the people of rural India. Did the ad achieve it, I wonder...

"Aah, yes. Even for them; especially for them." Thus spake the paisa in this thoroughly engaging ad by Publicis Ambience.

Just Think: Life - 1

What Would You Do?

Your partner (boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife) is a good for nothing. You don't know what you saw in him/her in the first place.Your friends/siblings are in total agreement with you. You are absolutely convinced, he/she was a mistake.

You:

a) Air your grievances to all and sundry

b) Shoulder all the responsibilities but hold it against him/her

c) Cheerfully handle some of the chores. Your reasoning? Maybe that's why...

d) Bear with it. He/she is part of your life. For the sake of the relationship, you have to forgo some things...

e) Other. Please specify

Take a deep breath, and pause to reflect: What would you do?

Don't forget to shoot your response to:

rajni.shriram@gmail.com

We'd love to hear from you.

Just Think: Work - 1

What Would You Do?

Your subordinate is a conscientious and hardworking worker, but lacks certain skills necessary for the proper functioning of his job.

What makes matters worse is the fact that  he is the leader of a team who are experts in the skills that he lacks but who come a cropper as far as critical skills go.

You are given the horrendous task of confronting him before you.

You:

a) Call him to your chambers and offer to train him

b) Call a meeting to appoint his junior to replace him as the team leader

c) Force him to sit in a junior's cubicle just to show your displeasure. He's just not worth the time and money you need to invest in order to train him

d) None of the above. Please specify.

What would you do?

Just think...

...and send in your comments to: rajni.shriram@gmail.com

Nike - WBF Open Review

The ad begins with the music setting the tone of the unfolding drama of the games to begin.

The ball is tossed, with the players bouncing it with great dexterity from one playing nation to the other until a goal is made with the collective effort of the entire team. The ad ends with the super, "United We Rise", the belief angling towards the idea that it is through the collective effort of the team that a goal is made.

Simple story, profound statement.

The music plays a supporting role in a drama where luck changes company according to the skills of the team.

A positive take for flagging spirits, wouldn't you say?

Watch it to be inspired and watch your team unitedly rise... I know I am convinced; the question is, are you?

What have you to lose? Go ahead and give it a try. Click that button. Who knows, you might just be inspired...

Neo Sports - "Interrogation" - Review

Some have trouble with the police; but don't we all at some point of our lives, usually encounter trouble with the authorities? We rant and rave about the emotional (or even physical) atyachaar meted out by them against us.

This ad picks up from there and advises us to save our vocal chords for an occasion where it matters most, the games against another number one team, arch rivals Australia.

A valiant attempt by McCann Erickson whose idea is brilliant, the execution a tad difficult but executed, nonetheless, remarkably well.

A must-see for anyone who can laugh at himself as he goes through the rigors of police interrogation.

For a peek-a-boo on a slice of life of some unfortunate's misfortune, with a dash of unadulterated fun, click above.

And for all those whose blood still "khaulta hai" at the physical atyachaar, air your grievances at rajni.shriram@gmail.com

And, oh yes, if you don't get the humor, be the first to join the gang who wants me to close shop, at:

http://rajanishriram.blogspot.com

KBC - 4 Review

Comedy has been the bane of Indian cinema and advertising. Try as we might, comic timing eludes us.

If this is the general opinion, then this ad attempts to challenge it and how!
This ad is a delight to watch. Each shot seems to outdo the previous one. The characters' sense of comic timing is impeccable with the little boy complimenting the protagonist every step of the way.

While the question "Akbar ka baap kaun hai?" finds a faint resonance with "Manoranjan ka baap", that is where the similarities end.

To tell the story would be to steal the thunder from this comic caper, and not being much of a comedian myself, I could end up with an egg on my face!

But watch it for:

* the mindless fun
* the excellent script
* the performance of the father-son duo
* for the less appreciated but very important, careful editing
* heck, there's no harm repeating myself, for some mindless fun

Then there is the clincher:

"Koi bhi sawaal chota nahi hota."

Is that so?

Hmm...

Interesting...

Kit Kat Review

Baatein kuch meetthi meetthi, kahani jiski teekhi teekhi





I may be committing  professional harakiri, but I am sticking my neck out on this one -  the view that the ad has been glossed over with a seemingly liberal dose of innocent and mindless babble. There is more to it than meets the eye, and I wish to share with you what I see, albeit through what you might call, 'jaundiced eyes'.

A seemingly innocuous scene at a park:

One man sitting on a bench working on a laptop, while the other handsome man sits at his feet eating Kit Kat...

And then two squirrels climb down a tree and sing a suggestive number that ends with "... I love you"...

Are you still with me?

The second man watches with fascination and shares his observation with the man on the bench...

Well? Not so sure of what it could mean? Unbelievable? Could it be? Can't be?

I thought so too...

... until I saw it again...

Go ahead, give it a try. Click that button...

(Pause)

Well?

(Pause)

What do you think?

Feel free to write in. Bouquets and brickbats, bring them on, while I, having  dug my own grave, prepare to die...