New Lafarge Duraguard TVC plays up brand promise of inner strength

A new commercial by Ogilvy & Mather, Kolkata, dramatizes the brand promise of inner strength of Lafarge Duraguard. The film makes compares ordinary cement used in the making of a house to a city left unprotected in the face of onslaught by marauders, and highlights the benefits of using Lafarge Duraguard.

Malini Sengupta, general manager, Ogilvy & Mather, Kolkata, said, “Out of all cement brands, Lafarge Duraguard is the only one that offers a Reason to Believe. So it made eminent sense to build the communication around this Reason to Believe, instead of just some empty claim.”
According to Sumanto Chattopadhyay, group executive creative director, Ogilvy & Mather, South Asia, “This film shows how a demo, often considered boring, can be dramatised to create a memorable TVC. It compels you to watch, makes you wonder what could be going on inside that innocuous looking crack in the wall.” 

The shoot itself was a difficult one, involving stunts and technological innovations. “The vertical pull-out shot at the end, which would normally have been done through computer graphics, was shot live,” said Chattopadhyay. “Cars going through walls, statues being brought down, marauding hordes... it was a challenge to pull off but the end justifies the effort - we have on hand an ad that has all the makings of big screen cinema.”

Madhumita Basu, senior vice president, Lafarge India, added, “An ancient saying goes - Inner strength is a flame that warms the soul for many winters. Even in construction, what really makes a structure strong is inner strength of the cement. Yet, all cements only speak of the external manifestation of strength. Unlike Lafarge Duraguard, which with its Void Reduction Technology, does not allow harmful elements to seep in, and keeps the structure strong, from within. Our ad had to educate consumers on what to look for in cement, so that they can make their homes strong, durable, and maintenance-free. As the global leader in cements, Lafarge must help the customer understand the category, and guide him to make an informed decision.”

Watch the TVC 

Client:  Lafarge India Pvt Ltd.

Agency:  Ogilvy & Mather Kolkata

Team Ogilvy:-

Account Planning:

General Manager Malini Sengupta 

Group Account Manager Mudassar Hossain           

Account Management:

Account Supervisor PratimGhosh Dastidar      

Creative:Executive Creative Director South Asia Sumanto Chattopadhay   

Creative Partner Koustuv Chatterjee          

Associate Creative Director Sukhendu Mukherjee       

Copywirter supervisor Uttaran Chaudhuri              

Production House: Lemon Yellow Sun Films