Mobile phone as school – Idea hai

I couldn’t figure out the audio in the teaser ad for Idea. The reveal is on air and its about promoting the mobile phone as a school. I am not sure how the idea works (the ad does not say that) and Idea’s website offers no details as yet either. On the face of it, it is a great idea conceptually. Coming to the TVC, it does a good job of conveying the thought. It has its share of melodrama but the portrayal of kids as kids, strikes a chord. Little touches like the kid interrupting the teacher for ‘soo-soo’ and the comeback of ‘Aaj Sunday hai’ stops the commercial from being serious and preachy. Abhishek as the teacher plays the role of catalyst, like he did in the caste wars commercial.

The main commercial is 90 seconds and made me ponder about the debates clients have with agencies on the length of the TVC. Very often, ’30-seconds or else’ is a stick with which agencies are beaten down. Lack of budgets is usually offered as a constraint. Perfectly well told stories are possible within 30-seconds or under. While budget constraints may be a reality, when the idea calls for a large canvas,  the agency must be given that leeway.  The Idea story could very well be told in 30-seconds. But will it have the same impact? The larger-than-life feel? I doubt it.  A short burst of this campaign would have a far greater impact than an extended burst of shorter TVC’s. What say?