Much has already been said about the MakeMyTrip ad released on the day of the India-Pakistan cricket match on Oct 14, 2023. While I saw some social media posts praising it, many were trashing it – calling it inappropriate, in poor taste and unsporting. Some have sought to bring in a political angle claiming this reflects the India of today (unsaid part meaning ‘all this is happening post 2014). Some others on LinkedIn have ‘cancelled’…
Creating clutter-breaking advertising is tough. A majority of the ads are simply ignored – a fate worse than being noticed and disliked. Given the fuzzy briefs, opaque approval process and other ills of advertising, this is not surprising. My weekly compilation of clutter-breaking creative ads is a small tribute to such marketing & advertising teams who manage to get their ads noticed, recalled and liked. Tops Supermarket: underrated gifts I loved advertising from Thailand. Am…
Advertising competes for our attention. We tend to ignore it as we have more important issues occupying our minds. Add to it the general clutter of media and we have to appreciate creative ads which get noticed and stay memorable. My weekly compilation of clutter breaking creative ads is a small tribute to such efforts. Here are a few creative ideas which caught my eye this past week: Michelob Ultra: McEnroe vs McEnroe Tennis fans of a…
The most important measure for any ad is not how well it was liked – it is noticeability. When an ad goes unnoticed it is a colossal waste of time, money and effort. Unfortunately, a majority of the ads out there suffer this fate. In that context, ads which are noticed, liked and recalled deserve credit. My weekly collection of clutter-breaking creative ads are a tribute to such collective efforts of brand teams everywhere. This…
If we meet someone who speaks well we tend to form a positive opinion of them: we equate articulation with intelligence. It is pretty similar to how we react to likeable ads – subconsciously we transfer this affinity to the brand. Similarly, we admire those who write well. As David Ogilvy said, ‘People who think well, write well’. When it comes to good writing, what gets our attention and keeps us engrossed could be anything…
In terms of user base, Twitter is relatively smaller than other popular social media platforms. But it share of visibility and media attention is much bigger as was evident recently. Twitter’s billboard campaign got people talking about for its simple, striking creativity and showcasing its buzz-creating ability. This and other creative ideas form part of my weekly compilation. Twitter: Tweet it into existence There’s something about Twitter that encourages instant, spontaneous sharing of one’s views…
Every week, I attempt to share a compilation of clutter-breaking creative ads and occasionally some commentary on the business of advertising. As many have noted, a majority of the ads out there go un-noticed, so managing to break the clutter is actually a big deal. Here are this week’s picks: NABS: This job can break you October 10 was World Mental Health Day. NABS, a Canadian charity aimed at supporting the health and well-being of professionals in the…
It has become customary for brands to see every occasion (such as Earth Day) or big news event as an opportunity to create ads – mainly social media creatives. Burger King posted a tweet in the context Women’s Day and got into kerfuffle on media. Eventually they retracted the original tweet which said, ‘Women belong in the kitchen’ not before outrage across media. It got me thinking about the need for context in today’s media…
Every week I attempt to share a compilation of clutter-breaking creative ads. Occasionally I comment on industry related issues too. This week’s creative picks include a hilarious spot for Australian shoe-maker R.M. Williams starring Hugh Jackman, a clever print ad for Grin scooter rentals and more. R.M.Williams: Maximum Jackman Maximum Effort, the creative agency started by Ryan Reynolds (‘We make films, TV and content for the personal amusement of Ryan Reynolds. We occasionally share them…
The practice of creating print ads with a Hindi headline or baseline written in English script is now common in Indian advertising. What gives? Aisa kyon hai? Here are a few conjectures and thoughts on this and related issues in advertising: India: a market of many markets Creating pan-India appeal in advertising is a daunting challenge for brands. There are several elements to a marketing mix (the product idea, brand name, advertising idea, creative execution)…