Advertising is both a passion and bread and butter. Instinctively us marketing folks review, discuss and form opinions about ads we see and are exposed to on a daily basis.
And yet, there are times when an innovative ad campaign makes me sit back and take notice of how well it has been conceptualized and executed. It is refreshing when there are ads, which use insights creatively, that pique my curiosity. The reason I connect with these ads is that they engage me not as someone working in the ad world but as a consumer.
On the other side of the spectrum, there are ads which follow formats which have simply been done to death. Such ads completely fail to interest me because they offer nothing new in terms of messaging or execution.
Advertisers know that there’s only so much you can play around with related to the core messaging of a brand. But even if the message remains largely unchanged, the ad itself should stand out from what has been done before. The presentation becomes extremely important in this situation.
Two Ads I like
One of the recent ads that I really liked was ‘Support Tough Moms’ launched by All Out, the mosquito repellent brand owned by SC Johnson. Several experts within the industry felt that the campaign didn’t ‘tie-in’ with the All Out brand. That might well be but creatively and in terms of insight I think it was brilliantly executed.
All Out #StandByToughMoms
The ‘Support Tough Moms’ ad did that through a social message which is very relevant today. Mothers play a very important role in shaping the future of their children and, at times, are required to discipline the child in order to instill the concept of right and wrong. I feel the message that the ad delivered is very timely and is something that India needs today.
Swiggy – No Order too Small
I also really liked Swiggy’s cricket-oriented ad campaign launched around IPL. They are very tongue-in-cheek and humorous and are based on real human insights. The Swiggy ads are also very minimal in their execution. Instead of using dialogues, they use snippets from actual cricket commentary to drive home the messaging in a fun and engaging manner.
Two ads I Don’t like
Airtel is India’s Fasted Network
Advertising must tell the brand story without being condescending. On that front, the recent Airtel ads failed to connect. They follow the format of a customer testimonial but come across as very made up and fake. This undermines the impact that the campaign makes on the target audience and undermines its credibility.
Any ad for Deodorant
I also don’t like any ads for deodorants; I find them silly and demeaning. There have to be more – and better – reasons for smelling clean than just having girls chasing after you.
