Jack Kerouac
A different America from the packaged version we get to see these days. Its a book that perhaps matches the times it was set in.. its, i think, essentially a book that looks at the wanderlust of Sal Paradise, the protagonist, his travel companions, influences and perhaps, at the very base, a quest for freedom..of self
A warning though, you’ve to be very patient, and allow for boredom to set in, in between. Its not the ‘finish in one read’ kind of book.
Its been a while since I saw impressive ads on the tube, and that added to the negligence towards the brands’ part of the blog. So, here’s a look at three recent television commercials that had my attention, in an increasing order of liking.
Chlormint created a very viral term with their ad sometime back-Dobara Mat Poochna. Even the co brandedad with Nokia was quite good. The ads that followed, whether it was a different rendition of the same line, the one pitching it as the anytime mint, the one that launched the new flavour, or using the old line for fresh fills, tried to keep the tone intact. But, though that was managed fairly well, none of them could match the popularity of the original. So the latest Panwaadi ad was a pleasant surprise. It actually reminded me of the old Happydent ad‘s way of storytelling – a very roundabout yet funny way of communicating a message – in this case making the mint a conscious choice for the consumer, and not accepting what the shopkeeper gives him by default. Vijay Raaz, i thought, was perfect for the narrator role. So, in effect, a comeback of sorts for Chlormint.
From the time of Sanju, I’ve noticed Max New York’s advertising somehow breaking the category clutter. Thelatest one is no exception, as the idea of things coming full circle is caught neatly. The simple thought is of us always wanting more, and the tagline of ‘Karo Zyaada ka Iraada’ is caught well in their other commercialtoo, this one for child plans. In fact what they managed to get the kid to do in this commercial is simply awesome. For those who watch Bigg Boss, you might have noticed their logo adorning the ‘Shandaar budget’ board. If you think of it, its quite a neat association, albeit in a very subtle way. The budget is always less, and the inmates always want more, a perfect fit for the tagline.
And I was saving the best for the last – Tata Tea’s Jaago re commercial. There was a kind of starter ad earlier, which had the same idea – converting the tea’s ‘wake up’ role to an awakening one, though it wasn’t as impressive. But that’s fine because they have scored with this ad, and how!! A lot of brands make TVCs that espouse noble intentions, but nothing much is achieved after that. We see, we sometimes think, we move on, and brands smugly recount ‘making a difference’ films, which are nothing but lip service. But this initiative gives us the opportunity to go further. Check out their site, which is extremely friendly in terms of communication style. It tackles the FAQs, takes you on a tour of the entire process (including a cool video demo), gives you the paperwork guidance and the details of where you should take them, and in short, does what a responsible state would do. You can also register on the site, and get updates on your voter registration status, voting and election news, and election day reminders. Just awesome. And boy, they don’t stop at that. There is a Facebook group which already has over 800 members, and judging from the way my friends are joining, its not a viral, its a damn epidemic!! This is a campaign with tremendous potential, and for the sake of everyone and everything concerned, i want it to work.
until next time, wake up !!