The Indian Premier League is interestingly poised as we speak. There is no single favourite emerging and there have been several surprises. What if we reflect on the ads that have been featured during the IPL? Are there any clear winners? Surprises? I attempted to just shut my eye, recall the ads I remember seeing during IPL. Here’s what emerged:
Brylcreem: yes, this was not launched during IPL but has been on view here. The barometer of the country’s progress is linked to hair gel? We’ve heard of Human Development Index (HDI). Mental note: must edit Wikipedia page to include hair gel as another indicator.
Bharat Nirman: nice jingle. My 2 and a half year old daughter perks up listening to it. Competes with Brylcreem on the development index. On second thoughts – maybe Bryclreem can sponsor this? Other questions: Who is this ad aimed at? Is it election time already?
Good Day: remember seeing this yesterday. I can’t figure this one out. ‘Is ka tho ho gaya Good Day’ is the idea – expressed as a ticket checker dancing bindaas and expressing his joy. Am I missing something clever? Isn’t the idea too obvious and basic? Isn’t the expression hackneyed? The creative team must have had a bad day. I have a vested interest in recalling the ad, since I need to keep track of the category.
Vodafone pug: how can I not include this? But it’s getting on my nerves now.
Some switch brand: the TVC is about wishing people could switch on and off. Crabtree? Maybe? Jaguar? Unlikely – that would have ‘Oh no, not again’.
Airtel: I have not seen the entire series fully and without a break (you know, catching the ad at the very end). But Madhavan & Vidya seem to have a chemistry going. Better than the Airtel SRK ad where people were groping their shirt pockets.
Hyundai: some car, driving on a road. And then some.
Delhi Metro Card: remember seeing this yesterday. The ad got my attention. Captured the spirit of Delhi as I see it. Nice.
Some LCD TV ad: Onida? Samsung? Lot of people inside a TV screen forming some shape.
There, that’s it. The event has been a great launching pad for advertising. Clients who shunned cricket earlier are also looking at it seriously. But I – involved in advertising – can only recall a handful.
Are we seeing the equivalent of the Super Bowl here? In the US, clients spend millions of dollars in production for a Super Bowl ad, which could very well air only that day (e.g Apple’s 1984). The IPL may span over a month, but there are similarities – an annual event that is looked forward to and a great television show. Given the nature of the event thus far – high voltage entertainment, lot of distractions, some good cricket (despite what the pundits say about this being a reality show, a tamasha) – it’s got eyeballs glued for a good 3 hours. In the years to come, there will be more player auctions, switching of teams to make the event even more appealing. The telecast can be made interactive (vote for your favourite ad?) and even more entertaining. Will the ads on IPL match up?
