Saturday, August 16, 2014

What Today's Ads Teach Me

I've always found advertisements entertaining. Those days when the only channel was Doordarshan; I would watch the ads for 15 minutes uninterrupted just before the Sunday evening movie. Remember them? Those 15 mins were the longest uninterrupted ads ever adorning the programs on TV.

The story these days as we all know is different. We have 15 minutes of real programs infused in between numerous ads. Talk about consumerism infesting our lives. Well, there are 2 choices. Either you accept the reality or shun the TV. I have shunned the TV almost; weekends I do try to search for useful programs among those 100s of channels at my disposal on my big LED 3D TV. Alas! no avail and no surprises. The learning channels that once taught us history and nature are airing ridiculous reality shows these days. Music channels that gave us glimpse of good rock n rolls and soul music now have transformed. Though the mission statement of those TV channels would've change; what continues to remain the same are the ads. Be it spiritual or travel channels, news or music channels; the advertisements never change from one channel to another.

So instead of cribbing, I have resolved to learn from these advertisements. Optimistic as I am; I think I have learnt a fair bit and so sharing for the benefit of others. 

Plaques and germ build up are caused due to junk food habits. So stop eating junk and you'll never have to brush. Yes people! think about it. Not only brushing, no dreaded dentist visits too. 

Looking to buy a car but confused which one to pick? Don't fret.  We have so many many "Top Car of the Year" cars. Pick any. No sweat! Ah yeah! go for SUVs only if you plan on driving them on dirt roads, mountains, rivers and ridges. Never on smooth tar roads.

Almost all beauty soaps cure almost all skin problems, rashes, itches in addition to giving you fair complexion. They are recommended by researches in long white coats. These researchers probably research on washing powders and detergents as well. The lightning white these washing detergents and powders provide, makes me opt for white clothes these days. Stark white clothes have started giving me uber confidence to face the world and charter territories meant for the ultra rich. What if it gets dirty; c'mon daag acche hai!

I found a foolproof plan to bond with your mom? Not that I need one. Yet, for a rainy day. I have learnt that it happens over hair. Hair? Yeah hair. Mum and daughter bond over a shampoo or coconut hair and their manes are of utmost envy.

Daughter not wanting to get married? Parents, I have tips for those as well. Take them to a jewelry store. The array of jewelry displaced will tempt them to get married. Don't believe? It works, supposedly.

And girls, don't be disheartened that all your hard work, college grade, skills don't get you a job. Don't be disheartened and lose confidence. A trial pack of Rs 10 skin whitening cream gives you that confidence and all the super skills and you'll land a job for sure. Why waste time running around offices, consultancies? Rs 10 will do the trick.

Great ideas don't cost a lot. No raking brains, no gathering to exchange views. Great ideas come with swapping cell phones. Wow! think about what all that idea can solve. Really? Talking about cell phones and services; if your son doesn't do anything useful but sits and lazes around; don't brand him useless. He has learnt the knack of paying your electric and other utility bills while playing a game on the phone.

The last one. My favorite. Its only during monthly periods that girls want to reach for the sky! Why? And the periods shouldn't hinder them for achieving great things. Thats why we have all those super performing sanitary pads these days. Go for it woman!

So, what have you learnt from our advertisements? 

16 comments:

  1. Excellent post. May want to add one more. You want to learn the special language of love? It is called Dawaat Rice.

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    1. Thanks SG. Oh yeah! how did I forget learning love from our ads :-)

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  2. Hehe lol! :D You totally thrashed out all the ads in one swoop. :P I don't watch TV so I am free from these annoying ads. :D

    You could've mentioned about the Deodorant ads. The way they film them nowadays looks as if it's not a deo ad but something else(smirks)! :P

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    1. Engima, these days its just about switching on the TV and you are sure to see one of them. Yes! I forgot. Spray del and angels fall from heaven :)

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  3. All said, have you ever got swayed by these commercials to throw a hefty sum on a product endorsed by a kareena, a Mari Sharapova or a Tendulkar?
    I guess one must be really naive to be fooled by these endorsed commercials where the price rockets to cover up the cost of these lasses and super heroes.

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    1. No never Anil. I feel good about the fact that I haven't been lured by the so called role models and celebrities into buying something that will not suit my needs.

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  4. Well, being in the advertising profession, I'm going to take a safe stance here. Not that I vouch for any of those ads or products, but I know just what goes on behind the scenes! Fact is, advertising is only about packaging the product attractively to target specific groups - so if you're not buying any of it, someone else is :)

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    1. Very fair. Thats why the advertising. Some of the concepts are brilliant while there are others that dont make sense to an intelligent audience

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  5. I think the idea is to make sure people buy the product without thinking ..

    Another thing i find absurd is that the so called celebrities come to uk and they do ad's for restaurants or some solicitors.. now my question is that SHOULD the celebreties do those for a quick buck because most of the places or people they recommend are the WORSE kind..

    I have gone on a tangent here it seems :)

    Thankfully I watch indian ad's for enjoyement as I know they cant lure me into buying anything he he he , I am too far away from india to fall into the trap :)

    Bikram's

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    1. These days the ads are getting very stupid. Much like our movies. But yeah Bik, as you say; as long as you are aware and not being lured away; its fine

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  6. Wow... Wow... Wow...
    You have give a report and I agree with you...
    Well, what I have learnt from ads?
    That almost everything is possible if we BUY their product!!!! :P

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    1. Thank you :-) Yup! agree with you. Just buy the product and everything works, the conventional wisdom you've gained about the ways of world dont apply :)

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  7. How come you missed Deo Ads? Has anyone ever seen such stupid and irritating ones ever before?

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    1. Chowla sir; yeah I forgot. The beer shampoo ad these days sucks as well

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  8. My daughter is also in advertising, she also hates all these craps. She comes up with decent ideas and concepts, that can be funny and also attractive to the target audience.
    I don't know whether you remember, the Preeti Zinta ad, where she acts as a college professor, and comes riding a TVS Scooty, and is ragged by some Rowdy students, it is a very old ad.
    I also liked the center fresh ad, where the hotel owner interviews some men for the Udipi hotel waiter's job.
    I hate all the fairness advertisements, they are so stupid.
    The Tanishq ad. with Arundhati Raja was well enacted, though one would not agree with the idea. All of them acted so naturally in that ad.
    Well they are there only for time pass. Who watches TV these days, with so many channels, but nothing worth seeing in any of them.

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  9. Hi Rama,

    welcome back. True; few ads are really really novel. But they are so few. You could relate to them. Most these days are so crappy.

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I'd love to know what you thought :-) Please shoot!