While writing on this topic one has to keep in account the fact that ads might be the most cursed part of everyone’s TV viewing time. Just imagine….
? Amitabh is just about to announce the fate of the contestant playing the 1 crore question, and *”Deviyon aur Sajjanon, kahin mat jaiyega, hum lautkar ayenge, bus is chhote sebreak ke baad.” *…. Hello! how much time does it take for someone to say, ‘aap ek crore jeet gaye!’?
? Mandira is just about to say who’s been chosen by the Janta, in Fame Gurukul(and Qazi’s not in the danger zone!), and *”Kya hai janta ka faisla? Janiye is chhote se break ke baad!”
? Tulsi is just about to enter her son’s office, who has been into some scam, (and is stupid enough to talk about it on the phone in the office!). and wahi chhoti si break!
All this might be still bearable, but the worst is DD…. During a live India-SL…
? The bowler bowls the last ball, and the batsman’s not even hit it yet…. When break! And whats more, they ‘return’ from the break only after the bowler has just bowled the first ball of the next over. Kinne sare sponsors hain, you see!
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So taking into consideration all that, my main criteria for judging the best ten commercials is:
*#1. They should have the power to keep an impulsive channel-scanner like me on the same channel even when something interesting might be going on somewhere else.
#2. They should leave a lasting impact on your mind and heart(very important! Or they would nevre make it to the list of an absent-minded person like me!)*
…And one more thing, I’ve selected from the most recent ones….
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With that in mind, take a look at the ‘hit’ list:
10. Maruti Alto “Let’s Go!”
The Ad: Lots of situations…. Children seeing their parents off and the wife’s really sad:(, the wife spotting a dhaba…etc. All of them ending practically the same way. With one of the characters saying, “Lets go!” And off they go…
My thoughts: One of the simplest ads I’ve seen. But makes a huge impact on the mind. The freedom to just go and do what your heart desires, is well brought out in the tag line “Let’s go!”. Its almost become synonymous with the car’s name!
9. Chevrolet Optra “For a special journey, called life!”
The Ad: The husband and wife are driving on a Karva Chauth night. The wife looks at the husband with a quizzical face. The husband reassures her. He takes the car to an open space, where the moon is clearly visible. and opens the sun-roof. The wife then completes her rituals.
My thoughts: The ad’s tenderness touches you. Also, unlike most other cars, it claims to merge with the traditions rather than stay ahead of the world! Well picturised too… very pleasing to the eye.
8. Mazza “Character fisla jaaye”
The Ad: A spoof on the hutch ads. A pug is trailing a boy with Mazza in his hands. He finally sits down to drink it. But, seeing Mazza, kutte ki niyat kharab ho gayi. So he manages to make the boy drop the bottle and gleefully laps it up!Heehee. anti-climax!
My thoughts: I don’t usually enjoy spoofs, but this one was really hilarious. Because in the first part of the ad they manage to imitate the hutch ads to the tee… and then the unexpected second part is too good for its shock value. Really innovative way of showing that anyone can turn their backs to you for the cold drink!
7. Tata Indica “Must be true…”
The Ad: A guy who keeps bluffing all the time. And everytime he says anything, a boxing glove comes out of nowhere and punches him. Eg. “You know Katrina Kaif, the supermodel? She proposed to me. But I said….NO!”. And then he launches into a flurry of the features of a Tata Indica… And then stops, looks around. No punches. So “Must be true…”
My thoughts: That guy’s a great actor! Evokes a lot of laughs in the last scene. A well thought out ad, finds the target audience. Very very hilarious….
6. Santro Zing “First Car”
The Ad: A guy buys Santro Zing and share all the ‘firsts’ of his life with it. The first love, the first fight, the first baby… and so on for ever!
My thoughts: A simple ad, that gets the message across very beautifully. Makes you wanna make Santro your first car. And it gets such a high rank, ‘coz Santro is also my first car!
5. Dominoes “Ta na na na na ri”
The Ad: Paresh Rawal wants to have some pizza. He sees an ad saying that if the pizza does not reach in 30 mins. The pizza would be free. He looks outside. Its pouring, and there is a huge traffic jam! So? Order the pizza! And just 2 mins. To go and the pizza hasn’t come yet! Paresh Rawal bursts into a dance. “Ta na na na na ri, oh Pizza aye free…” But then……. Oh no! the pizza arrives just in the nick of time! And Paresh goes, “Tum logon ko time pe aane ki bimari hai kya?”
My thoughts: Great ad. And great man, Mr. Paresh Rawal! Seeing him prance around is a delight! And his comic timing is just so perfect. Need I say the message is put across perfectly?!
*4. Asian Paints “Har Ghar Kuch Kehta hai”
The Ad: The latest ad is really cute though I’ve not seen the full thing(I guess). A girl and her bro are staring at the wall. Something’s missing… So the sis gets a brainwave, why not get some cutouts of newspapers onto the walls? So she urges the bro, ‘kaat kaat, main hoon na, kaat’ And they finally put up the cut out… there, its perfect now! The voiceover says: “Har ghar kuch kehta hai, ki andar isme kaun rehta hai!”
My thoughts: Generally, all the Asian Paints Ads appeal to me a lot. The tag line says it all, which is soo true, that every house has an individual identity which it acquires from the individuals that resied there!
3. Fevicol Ads:
The Ads: Varied ads. My favourite being, the ad where they first show the front view of a typically overloaded truck… And the people are practically on the brink of falling off, but the truck keeps moving, and no one seems to be falling off! And then the back of the truck is shown, where a huge ad of Fevicol is displayed!
My thoughts: These ads have always been some of my favourites, for the simplicity and brilliance that they put into every ad. The fevicol ad really sticks to your mind for eternity!
Continued in the comments section. sorry for the length!
