Advertisements have always been a great way for brands to market their products and services. However, it has always been a hit or miss situation. Not all brands come up with great advertisements. Some have positive lasting impacts and some we would just love to forget. Storyboard18’s weekly ad reviews filter through the past weeks ads, letting you know which ones were the best and which ones weren’t quite up to mark. We provide you with completely unbiased and unfiltered opinions that are fun to read and paint a clear picture. Read on to find out which ads were in our professional opinions, MAST and which were MEH in this week’s Mast & Meh.
MAST
Brand – Swiggy
Agency – Mind Your Language!
Known for its witty and snappy IPL ads, Swiggy returns with its “Match Day Mania” offer campaign featuring actor Neena Gupta as a judge. In these situational comedy spots, Gupta is seen telling the lawyers that bargaining for a fine or secret settlement between the two parties doesn’t exist in her courtroom. That’s an area which Swiggy aces providing unbeatable offers. The tagline “acha offer hai, le lena chahiya” goes perfectly well with the narrative too. A 10/10 for Swiggy’s continued creative success at IPL.
MEH
Brand – Villain Lifestyle
Agency – What Works Production
Villain’s new campaign featuring Kannada actor Yash makes the classic mistake of letting the celebrity overpower the brand. Yash appears in a bad boy avatar where he’s hit by a bullet which he not only manages to catch but also eat because it turns out it is made of chocolate, that is apparently a key ingredient of the facewash being promoted. You have to watch it to believe it. The ad is likely to be noticed for simply being super bizarre.
MAST
Brand – Titan Raga
Agency – Ogilvy India
Are you too glam, too girly, or too bold? But here’s the deal – we need to shake off those unwanted opinions and love ourselves. Titan Raga’s #LoveYourselfBoldly campaign captures this exact sentiment, and it’s got us feeling all kinds of inspired! The gist of the ad is nothing but how opinions are like Raga watches, everyone’s got one! Featuring Alia Bhatt, this spot is perfectly implemented without any unnecessary drama. The ad had a simple message and it has it seamlessly delivered. Alia Bhatt humming the iconic Titan jingle at the end is a special touch that makes the ad a feel good spot alongside being a good one.
MAST
Brand – P&G Shiksha
Agency – Leo Burnett
During school days, did you ever feel that you didn’t understand something but were hesitant to ask the teacher to explain? Did you ever hide your face while the teacher was picking students to answer questions? Were you ever nervous to speak in front of the entire class? We are pretty sure that the answer to all these questions is a definite yes. P&G Shiksha’s new campaign emphasises on this very aspect. The ‘Bridging the Invisible Gap’ campaign highlights a young girl Bindiya who often mischievously hides from her teacher because she is afraid of being asked questions. With the help of P&G Shiksha, she is able to learn and grasp concepts with ease and able to answer in class as well. It is truly a heartfelt and warm campaign. If this is not a MAST then we don’t know what is.
MEH
Brand – Swiggy
Agency – Enormous
Swiggy, has announced Dineout’s flagship Great Indian Restaurant Festival (GIRF) for the first time on their app with the launch of two brand films featuring actors Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar, encouraging users to book their deals early before they are sold out at their favourite restaurants. But hey, don’t get too excited yet! After all the quirky digital promotions, moment marketing or even notifications from Swiggy, we expected the ad to bring more sass to the table. The ads are not too shabby, and watching the power couple in a film is indeed a newish thing, but come on, Swiggy, you can do better with your scripts!
MAST
Brand – Cadbury Dairy Milk | #CheerForAllSports
Agency – Ogilvy India, Wavemaker India
In a Cricket frenzy country, during one of the biggest cricket leagues (IPL), Cadbury Dairy Milk decided not to promote cricket. The brand decided to cheer for all sports happening at the same time as the ongoing IPL, shining much deserves light on them. It’s a smart move and a refreshing take. The brand has also added a tech element to the piece that elevated the campaign. This is a perfect example of how brands should be topical, purposeful and fun at the same time.
MEH
Brand – Crompton
Agency – BBDO India
This spot is a failed attempt to be a quirky. It’s summer and the brand could have done a lot more to cool down consumers than this ad. The film was meh right from the thumbnail. A really boring piece from a category that’s trying to break the clutter. It’s a missed opportunity for the brand for sure.
MAST
Brand – Reliance Jewels
Campaign – Thanjavur – Where Art is Worshipped
Agency – Scarecrow M&C Saatchi
Reliance Jewels’ way of honouring their jewellery designs reflects the culture of a particular town, community and region and has always been a treat to the eyes. Just like highlighting the cultural side of Orissa, Banaras, and Rann of Kutch, their latest offering throws light on the beauty of Thanjavur, where every frame just keeps you hooked. Carnatic music, Hindi lyrics, coupled with the classical dance form Mohiniattam is a blend of culture which makes the commercial Mast to watch. A thumbs up from us for this beautiful description of Thanjavur.