Award winning ad!

All of you must have seen the ad where a cool dude from an Indian IT major knows everything and gives loads of funda to the investment banker, who incidentally gives him a lift. I didn’t think much about the ad myself; however, recently this ad got an award and I can’t get over this fact! Award for this ad! What is this world coming to?

Going by this ad, I wouldn’t trust this company with any business (it is another matter that I have no business to offer). They send this guy for an “overseas project” and he leaves with a backpack which cannot carry more than a laptop! And what kind of a guy wears faded jeans with a shirt and tie(!!!) and a cap!

If our smart Alec was going on such an important project, why was he relying on a lift (in the middle of nowhere)? Isn’t that leaving too much on chance? If there was a helicopter for his pick-up in the middle of nowhere, why couldn’t the helicopter pick him up from another point in the middle of nowhere?

25 comments:

~ ॐ ~ said...

That HCL ad got an award?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Bull SHIT !!!!

R said...

Seriously, these things happen in Indian advertising. Being a student and a wannabe advertising professional, I have to say that many creatives tend to forget the basic things while they're 'making a story realistic so target audience can relate to it.'

And awards? Hmph! Not many campaigns get released in this country simply because the clients find them 'progressive' and don't have the balls to release them. And hence, agencies end up compromising on their work and jury guys don't have anything extraordinary most of the times. Happens every year.

Subhadip said...

@Prashant
Batao!!!

@Rohit
If you produce ads like this, I will personally beat you up. I know you won't give me the chance, but still...

~ Deeps ~ said...

award...thats quite weird but the kind of talent we have in advtg industry nowdays....it shuldnt come as surprise.....

R said...

@ Deeps
I assure you the people you're looking down upon like this ARE very talented. Just because good work doesn't get released doesn't give you the right to talk like this. Even the richest companies want to play safe with the same old ideas. One shouldn't blame the agency always!

@ Dada
Let me get a job first! :(

~ Deeps ~ said...

@RT
i will only comment on what i see....and this is wat shown to us....wats the point of talking abt creativity which is restricted to confines of office.....and to tell u frankly i have always believed in one thing : the real test of creativity is that people should accept it whether at one go or gradually (so if ur idea is good and it can result in good sales believe me company people will take it inspite of how much weird it is)

the prob will advtg guys is always that they want to create a ad which is high on creativity but doesnt result in sales (which is actual motive of an ads in most cases)

Subhadip said...

@ Deeps & RT

Talent is there in the industry. I mean, it will be unfair to say that there are no creative ads at all. But due to whatever reasons, the number of good ads are very less. I also think that the number of times an ad is repeated has to do with how viewers perceive it. It may be a good ad, but after seeing the same ad five / six times in an hour's time, any ad will seem boring!

Butterfly said...

Hmmm... I guess I have never seen this ad. But, I'll watch out for it.

R said...

Yo, D baby
Now, these hijacking, paper-pushing & people who live on 'research' & Powerpoint presentations (read MBAs) are pretty stuck on sales (which isn't all that bad - but NOT always the reason behind any communication strategy) but why compromise on the ideas? Seriously, how many 'different' campaigns have you seen selling lately? And about believing you on the real test of creativity bit - I really wonder HOW it'll ever reach the masses/target audience so it can be 'sold' to them (when it's usually meant for them, no?) because the company guys end up suggesting the ideas presented were too 'progressive &radical.' Bah. Not many have those balls to take the risk (the sales, of course) and release some fresh stuff.


@ Dada
You're right. And who's to blame? The planners. And that's done in the name of - not forgetting the MBAs who always buy good ideas isn't it - sales and yeah, the 'recall factor.' :)

R said...

@ Dada again
And I forgot to mention you made my day by writing that - would try not disappointing my brother - once I have a job.

R said...

@ D
And D hasn't replied. Er, couldn't resist... I am typing more.

To begin with, that's what you believe in. Sadly, not many think like this. Plus, you talk about 'if it can result in sales..' Dude, IF is the question. Think about it. Giving it a fair chance is important isn't it? I wish at least some companies start like Fevicol - the stuff that changed the way people looked at a product like that. And it's rather sad to say this - but it's still not happening. I mean, majority of the ads (specially electronic) are similar. In their appeal.

Or, we'll talk when you have your own company and I'll get a few ideas on board (if at all I can stick it out in advertising till then.)
Whatsay?



@ Dada
Now don't threaten me about using your comments section like this. I'm still your brother.

Banvri said...

last year it was Happydent ad now this !!

wat happen this year ?

Butterfly said...

I need your help. Do you have any idea about BlueJ? If you do, could you please tell me something about Calculator in BlueJ?

Subhadip said...

@Rohit
You don't have to take it upon yourself to defend the entire ad industry, you know!

@Chitrangada
Which happydent ad?

@Butterfly
I know what BlueJ is, but not much beyond that. Sorry.

R said...

Na na, just thought the argument took another turn altogether.
Besides, the way my portfolio has done the rounds of the agency, I don't think it'd be long before I even stop thinking about these guys.

IG said...

I really dnt think this ad deserves any kind of attention, but now that I think about it (thanks to you Subho) I think this ad was an extension of the HCL BPO hiring team who want to lure young freshers to their organization by misguiding them comprehensively and backfilling their attrition rate... sounds logical ???

Bhaw said...

quietly comes to subbu's page .. reads the ongoing discussion ... scrathches her head... thinks she shd congratulate him for bringing up the topic... totally agrees on the point made.... adds a point ...
I think theres no dearth of cretivity in this overpopulated overtalented nation ..but , the award givers are certainly losing it .. its a power play more than anything else .. i think there are some brillaint commericials that have been made and are still being made. As our country celebrates its 60 th year in advertising - its quite heartening to know that we did produce some great works which have left lasting memories ... u cd still sing along the famous bajaj , ece , nirma ads !!! kudos to the creative gurus !! i just hope it all doesnt get killed in this race for awards ... Cheers

Subhadip said...

@IG
:) Lets talk to Milind about this.

@Bhow
Totally agree with your point about award givers.

~ Deeps ~ said...

@RT
whatever u say or Whatever you give points to defend.....Advtg as a subsidary part of the branding/ communication strategy is most of the times done to result in increased sales/ revenue and in turn profit of the company.....u shoudnt expect a company to spend lakhs or crores in making an ad and then spends more than that in airtime to display it if it has no ROI value.......

I am not saying that creativity is not present in today's advtg agencies but creativity w.r.t to advt and communication strategy of any company should deliver returns and thats where the gap comes in.....a company person wont like to move away from the popular ideas of advtg (hence blocking the advtg agency to really apply some brains in the advt.) where as a creative person would make a wonderful advt but the positioning of the product/service might be lost in it.......which might not result in top of the mind recall also........there are enough eg of these kind of advt.

u might deride the MBAs for being focussed on PPTs and excels but its their job which is on fire and not advtg agency when things go wrong....

moreover u have to always think from the ur audience point of view.......there are all kind of people who are going to see the ad and most of them are going to be dumb ones not as smart as advtg guys who would get their idea in a go.......not me or u.......

only few times u get the right mix and keep the advt simple with effective mesg.....fevicol stands out cuz of that only.........

to give u a better picture.....hutch might have made the most creative and loved advt in recent times and won awards also cuz of it.....but it's airtel or reliance which give the information customer wants or wanna see.....no wonder the later two are top two in the industry and hutch still lags on 4th one...

~ Deeps ~ said...

and btw this is wat happens (HCL ad) when u dont use logic while making the advt.........it was quite creative, isnt it...there has been no ad like that before :D

R said...

That's the problem bhai, people (and companies - what if they don't understand the ad and the concept?) ALWAYS underestimate the audience. And that's the reason advertising is stuck between the presentations and 'sales' excuses. And what about the public interest campaigns? And you talk about positioning - there are more ways of positioning one's product and brand, only if they were understood by the clients.

Aro said...

hmm...HCL got the award....really...was it a spoof award???..I thought the "Condom bindas bol" was the best ad....now welll...hmm...uffffff

Subhadip said...

@Aro

It was "an" award, not "the" award! But still! There are plenty of "Hall of shame" awards out there!

nousernames4me said...

Ha ..u want creativity ?? Did you check out the Amul Macho ad ? Now that is creative fantasizing ..oops i mean advertising

Subhadip said...

@Samarth
You bet!