Billy’s story
Posted by: mahakambwani on: June 7, 2009
Brilliant website. Following is the homepage of ad agency Boone, Oakley
I know most agencies have brilliant websites but this is by far the best work I have seen. It’s simple, damn funny and superbly effective. It’s complete with all information that needs to be communicated, how to browse the site, why we help people like Billy to live happily and some examples of our work.
Billy is perfect. He is the typical client and also the typical target audience for the website. To display Billy’s agony in such simple terms and thus implying Boone Oakley’s differentiating factor, is pure genius. How Billy’s choice of hiring just another agency from New York under one of those big 4 led to bad ad work and Billy and his wife’s unfortunate demise. And the humor is the cherry on a cake already full of icing 
. Especially why they are not named after the 5 founders of the agency (at 1:28 mins).
And it’s also brave of them to show off the fact that they ain’t in New York where all the agencies are and how they are NOT a part of any of the big holding companies like Omnicom or Publicis or WPP etc. It makes them seem more confident about what they do. Bravo! Awesome work
Trapped? Escape Now!!
Posted by: mahakambwani on: June 7, 2009
Ad for California Tobacco Control Program
Country: U.S.A
Agency: Acento
Client: California Department of Public Health
Media: Print
Score
Originality: 9.7/10
Impact: 9.8/10
Credibility: 9.5/10
Relevance: 9.8/10
Personal Comments
Brilliant photography. And an even brilliant manifestation of a smoker’s inner agony. Heck yea he knows it’s bad and heck no he can’t stop. The visual effects were created on a set with actual cloth cigarettes with trapped people inside. The burning embers seem to portray that it’s better now than later.
However, it is a visually disturbing picture and seems to induce fear in the mind of a smoking newbie who is not addicted yet. The picture gives him a glimpse of his future. To the already addicted guy, it shows him the ugly truth; how with every drag, the cigarette owns him more than ever. Kind of what we heard in Fight Club, “The things that you own end up owning you”
Vampire models for tampon ads
Posted by: mahakambwani on: May 29, 2009
A new way to make blood-sucking by vampires even more gut-churning!
Country: Switzerland
Agency: Draft fcb
Client: Johnson & Johnson, o.b. tampons
Media: Print
Score
Originality: 8.0/10
Impact: 7.0/10 (in a highly obnoxious way)
Credibility: 7.0/10
Relevance: 3.0/10
Personal Comments
Blood-sucking vampire fangs. Lets replace them with tampons! Ahan! What do you get? Well lets see …… a nauseating feeling that leaves you with a loathsome expression. I’m sorry, I am someone who automatically pictures everything in my mind at the slightest provocation (much like J.D from the tv series Scrubs) and I certainly regret seeing this ad.
Fine. technically speaking, it’s surprisingly relevant! Vampire fangs used to suck his victim’s blood… ooooh let’s make ‘em more “absorbent”. But seriously? Considering the usage of the product in question, leave alone its “placement”, super absorbent teeth don’t seem like a genius way to move away from cliche tampon/sanitary napkin ads showing the blue liquid, super active & smiling women and spotless white bed sheets!
So Happy Together (or NOT)
Posted by: mahakambwani on: May 19, 2009
Toyota RAV4
Country: New Zealand
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Client: Toyota
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 9.0/10
Impact: 9.5/10
Credibility: 7.5/10
Relevance: 8.0/10
Personal Comments
Exaggeration reaches new heights. It’s sorta crazy but maybe not so much according to New Zealand standards (aren’t they known for wacko ads? ). The song in the background brilliantly compliments the entire theme and brings out the irony. Like seriously…… the dude blows up the house jus cos he wants to drive the new RAV4.
For some odd reason the ad reminds me of the Home Alone movies where the kid sets up a number of traps to catch the thieves. It’s hilarious but we all know it’s unrealistic. And to tie this in with the obsession of driving the car, well …… I would say it doesn’t tie in too well.
Brotherly Love
Posted by: mahakambwani on: May 9, 2009
- In: India
- Leave a Comment
Surf Excel – Daag Achche Hain
Country: India
Agency: Lowe
Client: Hindustan Unilever, Surf Excel
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 9.5/10
Impact: 9.5/10
Credibility: 9.5/10
Relevance: 9.9/10
Personal Comments
Makes you smile doesn’t it? Everything in the commercial is so relevant to the intended target audience – the typical Indian mother. Kids coming back from school, the stains on their uniform, the talkative little sister and the protective and caring older brother. A country where family ties are more important and more cared for than anywhere in the world, where the relationship between a brother and sister so widely celebrated (Raksha Bandhan et al), the ad is a perfect little memoir to childhood mischief, innocence and brotherly love.
Brilliant acting by both the kids.The sincerity with which the brother beats the muddy water and says “sorry bol raha hai (it says sorry)”, makes the viewer sit back and smile. The concept of stains being good (“daag achche hain”) is simple and effectively delivered through the naiveté of childhood.
Besides the mothers who probably form the bulk of the target audience, Surf Excel has always had brillaint ads that are catchy and easy to remember. In the early 2000s, any kid who messed up his clothes retorted to his exasperated mom with “Surf Excel Hain Na”. It was a good excuse and a good reason for kids to be kids. This ad still seems to have the same underlying concept – stains shouldn’t be a problem as long as you got Surf Excel.
Mac vs PC Ads – An *almost unbiased* opinion :P
Posted by: mahakambwani on: May 6, 2009
- In: Global
- 3 Comments
So here are a few of the Mac vs PC ads in one video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgzbhEc6VVo
Country: U.S.
Agency: TBWA
Client: Apple Inc
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 9.8/10
Impact: 9.5/10
Credibility: 9.5/10
Relevance: 9.9/10
Personal Comments
Superb example of comparative advertising. The minimalist white background and the very simple and short script – in 30 seconds, the point is made. An affable looking young boy as Mac and a boring plump PC – the everyday viewer doesn’t notice the ulterior reasons ….. Brand associations at its best. Microsoft never gave itself a boring brown-suited middle-aged icon and yet, it suffers because of one. While Justin Long is liked by everyone – to the kids he’s the cool guy next door, to the college students he’s someone they all relate to ( blue jeans, converse shoes et al), to the parents he seems like one of those nice guys they are more likely to like than dislike – all target audiences covered and covered well.
Technically speaking, the ad’s got nothing *catchy*. No catchy tagline, hot girls, cute guys (Justin’s affable more than anything else), no copy that is out-of-the-world witty. And yet, it’s brilliant. It’s brilliant cos of it’s simplicity. In SMU tongue, Mac rapes PC in a way that seems not even near baseless, illogical or irrational. To the viewer it’s simple, easy-to-understand and fun —– all what a macbook stands for.
One might argue that blatant smug superiority may not be the best way to go. But it’s done in a manner so wonderful that you hardly feel bad for PC because of what Mac said…. you feel bad for the PC because of … well PC and it’s talent of having to restart a million times over to say the least. And in most ads, Mac is shown as accepting the fact that PC is great with the numbers and the spreadsheets and the other blah work but PC seems to have ego issues accepting the fact that Mac rules when it comes to making photo albums and websites and the other fun stuff.
Overall brilliant acting by PC. The way he stops mid way to restart, the way he dies on the ground in self-pity cos one can use MS Office on Mac and the innocence with which he uses “touche” at the incorrect time.
You gotta give PC credit for his contribution to the ads – cos he is what makes them so funny.
Screwed up your interview?
Posted by: mahakambwani on: May 4, 2009
- In: Global
- 4 Comments
Talking stain
Country: U.S.
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Client: Procter & Gamble, Tide
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 9.8/10
Impact: 9.5/10
Credibility: 9/10
Relevance: 9/10
Personal Comments
How annoying was that stain? You wanna get rid off it NOWW! This is how Tide made it’s first Super Bowl appearance. A 30 second spot and Saatchi & Saatchi does justice.
Very creative work. To the point with a touch of humor. And the reason why it catches your attention and ensures the viewer remembers it was a Tide ad, is because you actually try and pay attention to the guy cos your initial reaction to it is that maybe it’s just the volume or your speakers/earphones are acting weird. Or maybe it’s just you. By the time you realize that the very point of the commercial is for you to not understand, it’s over. So the viewer actually listens harder.
And it plays on a very relevant point. Stains like that can be very very distracting for the guy interviewing you. Thats why you need tide. But then how many people wear a shirt like that to an interview they’re serious about? :S
The little things you forget
Posted by: mahakambwani on: April 24, 2009
- In: Global
- 5 Comments
Post-it
Agency: The Jupiter Drawing Room
Client: 3M – Post it
Media: Print
Score
Originality: 9.6/10
Impact: 9.9/10
Credibility: 9.9/10
Relevance: 9.5/10
Personal Comments
Simple, witty and effective. Exagerated of course. Yet very credible cos it brings across the point so easily and so seamlessly that the viewer does not think twice before laughing (and remembering that Post-it ads are always awesome). Hangover or no hangover, you’ll always remember the little things you might not want to forget.
metter to bix things up!
Posted by: mahakambwani on: April 17, 2009
J20
Country: U.K.
Agency: BBH, London
Client: J20
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 8/10
Impact: 5/10
Credibility: 3/10
Relevance: 3/10
Personal Comments
I’m not so familiar with the brand, so my comments could be biased and independent of the brand image that currently persists in the UK with respect to the drink. For those of you who aren’t aware of the brand either, J2O (pronounced like H2O but the “J” cos it’s got 50% fruit juice) is an exotic still soft drink designed to provide an alternative for people who were going to bars but not drinking. It’s sold in the UK and Ireland.
It seems like a good product with a catchy tagline but they could have done something much more witty and much less irrelevant. If the ad is trying to portray the exotic-*ness* of the drink, then better give a better reason than a talking horse. I would assume since the product is old, brand awareness or recall is not not their primary objective for this ad but again, there’s no new information about the product (new flavor etc.) and it’s not related to their previous campaigns either. Reinforcing brand image is probably what they plan to hit at but a more relevant scene rather than a horse and a woman exchanging voices, would have worked. It’s ridiculous and not even funny! For some reason, I do like the entire old look and feel to the ad but again it’s not required and may not agree with the target audience. Fine, it doesn’t substitute alcohol but if it’s gonna be sold in bars then it better have the “feel” that J2O is cooler than ordering Coke at a bar.
“Metter to bix things up” is interesting and something slapstick can be worked out…. but the ad just seemed pointless in a not so entertaining way. Maybe I don’t get British humor …… although the ad starts of funny with the guy professing his love for Cynthia, the horse…… but another 2 seconds into it and I’m like ” :S “
Feel the bubbles
Posted by: mahakambwani on: April 8, 2009
- In: Global
- 3 Comments
Nestle Aero
Country: England
Agency: JWT, London
Client: Nestle, Aero
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 9.8/10
Impact: 9.5/10
Credibility: 9/10
Relevance: 9.9/10
Personal Comments
Skating around in a heap of chocolate colored balloons? That looks brilliant. Makes me wanna try an Aero.
But, firstly, they should have shown a younger dude skating around. The guy who’s shown eating the chocolate before he goes around skating, looks 30. I mean, a much younger guy would make the entire ad more cooler. Probably one of those 19 year old chocolate boys. They are more likely to eat chocolate (esp one with bubbles in it! ), more likely to skate around and get excited by a heap of balloons. But I guess they needed a professional skater and they got Bob Burnquist in.
Also, the choice of music …… probably a faster track … more pepped up…… could have been better.
On a side note, I absolutely love the chocolate (and it’s annoying you can’t find it anywhere in Asia) …… just finished half a bar writing this post. 
. It comes in a number of flavors including milk chocolate, mint, caramel, white chocolate etc etc. I get a kick out of the bubbles
Below is another ad for Aero Bubbles……Very very different. It’s targeting the women with Jason Lewis talking about how chocolate bubbles melt even faster at body temperature and thus “makes the pleasure even more intense”. …. a number of print ads complimented the TV commercial.
Sigh, they ALL make you wanna try an Aero !
Forgot what daddy looks like?
Posted by: mahakambwani on: April 8, 2009
- In: Global
- 2 Comments
L’equipe newspaper
Agency: *Couldn’t figure*
Client: L’equipe newspaper
Country: France
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 9.5/10
Impact: 9.9/10
Credibility: 9/10
Relevance: 9/10
Personal Comments
One of your typical “laugh out loud” ads. Awsome acting by the kid there. He’s screaming his lungs out as if a T. rex is right at his bed! And the immediate relief when he sees the newspaper-headed guy. Brilliantly exaggerated.
The nespaper is a daily in Paris, France and covers sports news and opinions. But if you don’t know what the nespaper is then the ad seems to be one of those “u must spend more time with your kids” ads by a child-welfare NGO or somethin…… or some video harping on parent-child relationships. besides, the ad gives a rather negative feel to the newspaper. At the end of the day, how much harm can a sports daily do?…… but the way the ad has been designed, it indirectly makes u feel guilty for not spending time with your son.
Also, no mention or relation to any sport. Ok it ends with a red screen “Everyday. Every sport” but no mention of any kind of sport in the ad kinda dilutes the deal. So a viewer may certainly remember the ad, remember it to be a newspaper ad ……. but but not a sports newspaper and not L’equipe.
Cadbury goes REAL wacky :|
Posted by: mahakambwani on: March 30, 2009
- In: Global
- 4 Comments
Cadbury eyebrows
Agency: Fallon, London
Client: Cadbury
Media: Viral
Score
Originality: 9.5/10
Impact: 9/10
Credibility: 8/10
Relevance: 6/10
Personal Comments
First reaction: well yea i’m smiling. Cos it’s ridiculous! and 10 seconds into it, i’m like “what the ….?!”
I come from India where Cadbury ads are all oh-so-happy (and they’re really good some of them!) and then i see a video with 2 random kids with VEry FREAKY eyebrows and it’s supposed to be a cadbury ad? and seriously, the constant freakish eyebrow movement makes me feel sea sick. and you know u think there will be more to it than JUST eyebrows but hello? nothing! it’s just eyebrows and eyebrows and more eyebrows!
and if there are supposed to be those subliminal cues that apparently make it relevant to Cadbury chocolate for the viewer …… oh well, i really don’t see it. There is absolutely no relevance to the brand.
well, it might appeal to a different audience (people who get hooked to really wacko videos on youtube just for the kick they get out of it). But with the brand image it has, Cadbury doesn’t need to be so wacko for its ads. It seems like they’re trying too hard to reach a different target audience. The point is, they don’t need to!
The ad’s been a success though. But for me, the gorilla ad below is much much much nicer . It’s got no relevance to chocolate but it’s got everything Cadbury stands for.
Maggi – Feminists watch out!
Posted by: mahakambwani on: March 20, 2009
- In: Global
- 2 Comments
If only women spent less time cooking
4 US Presidents
The Godmother
Jane saves Tarzan!
The copy for each ad reads “If only women spent less time cooking”.
Country: Bucharest
Agency: McCann Erikson, Madrid
Client: Nestle, Maggi
Media: Print
Score
Originality: 9.8/10
Impact: 9.7/10
Credibility: 9/10
Relevance: 9.7/10
Personal Comments
Very original.
Women spend way too much time cooking. That’s why they ain’t got their faces on Mt. Rushmore, nor does Mario Puzo write about a “Ms. Corleone” and Jane never saves Tarzan. It’s unnecessary when you got Maggi soup. The point comes across well. It’s witty and I guess they don’t INTEND to offend the women. But I am sure some feminists would beg to differ on certain points : for starters — 1) Cooking is not useless. 2) How many men would be happy if they were served only soup for a meal? ……… Well the ad does pinch you…… 
…… it plays on a fundamental societal fact …… C’mon…. The GODMOTHER??? I don’t see that happening in the near future anyway. It teases the average over-worked home-maker. She does spend time cooking healthy food for her kids and here comes this ad mocking at her —– Of course she can’t avoid the kitchen and she can’t give her kids maggi soup too often either. And yet she’s being told “boohoo! tarzan always saves jane”
Coca Cola – we’ll only remember the good times
Posted by: mahakambwani on: March 15, 2009
- In: Global
- 2 Comments
Coca Cola – Encounter
Country: Spain
Agency: McCann Erikson, Madrid
Client: Coca Cola
Score
Originality: 9.5/10
Impact: 9.7/10
Credibility: 9/10
Relevance: 8/10
Personal Comments
Shivya. This is for you.
A simple concept to remind you that no matter what, Life is Beautiful. It’s worth being happy for. There is always a reason for you to look forward to the next day. It could be your child, your mother, if you’re lucky your job…… And more often than not, you’re not even aware of it. The ad says it all. Yes. And it’s so amazing that they didn’t even have to mention the word Coke. Well, there is a reason why it’s one of the strongest brands in the world with a brand equity of $70 Billion. They don’t mention it. They don’t show it. They don’t drink it. And yet, it all makes sense at the end. The viewer won’t question it. The viewer gets it. Completely. He is left in awe. Left thinking. And more than that, he absolutely and most certainly remembers it to be a Coke ad. Another awesome Coke ad.
In technical terms, it is widely known that brand recall is directly proportional to the amount of time the product/brand appears on screen in an ad. But this is clearly an exception. However, what is also true is the fact that the ad (before the bottle of coke is shown right at the end) could be any other “feel good” brand. Yes it is somehow relevant to Coke. But how uniquely is it relevant to Coke and only Coke?
It’s amazing how black, sugary fizzy water that is among one of the most unhealthy beverages one can drink on a regular basis, can arouse such strong emotions world over. It’s loved*. And it always will be.
* Courtesy: Sharad
The Visa dance
Posted by: mahakambwani on: March 12, 2009
- In: Global
- 2 Comments
Country: Global
Agency: BBDO
Client: Visa International
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 9/10
Impact: 9.2/10
Credibility: 9.9/10
Relevance: 9/10
Personal Comments
Perfect example of a “you never get bored of it” ad. It’s not wacko creative or anything. It just makes you smile. Not laugh your lungs out. But smile. Every time you watch it. Every time you hear the tune. My friend’s addicted to it. It kind of makes you feel good about yourself without any apparent reason. Thats why you like it when it pops up between the trailers before your movie starts at the theatre. Thats why you don’t change the channel like you’d normally do when irritating ads waste your time when you’re watching your favorite tv show at home. A perfect score on the “feel-good” factor.
Also, a good example of a good celebrity fit. Matt Harding fits the role. He’s not jaw-dropping gorgeous. He doesn’t need to be. He was known for his viral videos before he did the Travel Happy campaign with Visa. Apparently, he and his friends used to travel around and do a particular dance in front of landmarks and record it. Whatever it was, he suits the entire theme Visa attempts to pull off. He’s traveling. He’s using Visa. He’s happy. And for some god damn reason, you’re happy!?!
Camlin – India
Posted by: mahakambwani on: March 12, 2009
Country: India
Agency: Lowe, Mumbai
Client: Camlin
Media: TV
Score
Originality: 9.9/10
Impact: 8/10
Credibility: 9.5/10
Relevance: 8.8/10
Personal Comments
Awesome job for such a low involvement product. In other words, nobody really cares what permanent marker they use. But the ad is entertaining enough for one to remember Camlin. It’s a creative concept and for the first time you watch it, it’s hilarious! Plus, a good setting, appropriate background music, the lamp blowing off …… everything gels well. Yes, of course it’s exaggerated…… but that’s what brings the point across. And thats what makes it funny. No, you never use a marker instead of “sindoor” and your husband ain’t coming back from the dead. And Camlin is definitely not implying that either. Just a very unique way to communicate the fact that the marker is permanent and to produce an ad that is easy to remember…… Marketing jargon? Brilliant ad to increase Top of Mind Recall.
However, only Indians would probably understand what’s going on as you need to be able to fully comprehend the radical consequences, a woman faces upon losing her husband in rural India. And of course the importance of the red “sindoor”, the mark of a married woman. The first screen of text does give some background on this Indian tradition, but it’s easy to miss.
What’s this?
Posted by: mahakambwani on: March 11, 2009
Ok, so I’ve been doing this for a while. Evaluating ads. In my head. It’s kind of been an involuntary reaction. Ever since I took Jorg Dietzel’s class. I have something to say about every ad I see. At the MRT station, inside the bus, on TV mobile, in a magazine…… wherever. Some of my “non marketing-friendly” friends find it annoying at times.
And starting a blog was something I’ve been wanting to do. But not about me or what I think about the financial crisis or the world at large. Watching ads is kind of one of my favorite past times. So here I am basically going to blog about all kinds of ads – good, bad, witty, stupid, pointless…… you name it!
