KV Sridhar, founder and CCO, Hyper Collective (KVS): It’s a very nice ad and two things stand out for me in this film.
First, is the gift travel card. This is built on a beautiful insight about mothers keeping an eye on daughters even after marriage. I think that stands out for me and is a beautiful and fresh insight. The second general observation is that everyone wants to travel. The beautiful part is that the daughter is thinking about the mother and her second honeymoon. Maybe because I’m at that age, I found it very resonating. When children leave you, you feel alone and want to travel. The daughter being sensitive to that. The performance and the casting is very good too.
But somewhere in the production line, there’s too much glamour and glitter. Today, more authentic content is something one relates to. The production design could have been toned. That’s the only problem. Otherwise I liked the ad, storyline, characters’ performance too. If it was made more authentic, it could be more moving.
GSS: 7. Showing a good mother-daughter relationship. Shows independence for both the women and shows no reference to them seeking permissions from husbands. The two stand on their own.
Gokul Krishnamoorthy, managing editor, Campaign India (GK): Gifting a loved one an excuse to travel. Fantastic insight. Sensitively executed. Will travel. GSS: 6
Dr Sharada, programme director, Laadli (Population First) (ALS): An ad that shows a beautiful bonding between a mother and daughter without over playing on emotions. GSS: 6
(KVS): Made by friends is an extension of their existing campaign. The long film has lot of clichés. Lot of brands are going through nostalgia of friendship. A twist in the tale was the handicapped bit. That thing of overcoming fear has been dealt well in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. The Adidas commercial of the runner who is amputative for the Paralympics – the brilliance of it was the linkage to the product. The two right shoes, or left shoes had total relevance.
I felt there was something missing in this even though it had a formula to make great emotions - there was friendship, nostalgia and one handicapped person. But, what we saw was something we have seen before. The handicapped person came in too late. If it was the sheer joy, without handicapped, it could have brought more joy.
But, all this is in retrospect. My advice to the team is to push this further, since all the ingredients were in place. It’s a rich and powerful territory to be in and can fly.
GSS: Gender Neutral. 5
(GK): To keep refreshing the ‘yaari’ thought is a tough one. And this film was refreshing. Kudos. GSS: 5
(ALS): The brand identifies its product only with young men…even in a world where women are also consuming hard drinks…makes me wonder if it reflects the internalised moral judgement that women should not be shown drinking. GSS: 5
(KVS): Beautifully shot. Great casting. I really liked the father and daughter in this film. The lavish hotel was well shown too. There was nothing wrong, but at the same time, there’s no one moment or thought you carry forward from it. We have seen a lot of jewellery brands been doing this single parent-daughter relationships. I think the entire idea of not just a marriage, but a beautiful moment could be exploited a little more. Instead they went down the tried and tested part, and not got the one chord that was powerful. A nicer story could be weaved if they had an insight within this story. It can’t be ignored, but won’t be remembered.
GSS: 4. I think the girl should have shown to be a little more individualistic. As a father of a girl, I feel they should be more independent and not physically or emotionally attached to you as much. The portrayal of the girl comes through to be protected by the father.
(GK): This is possible a first for a hotel brand. Arguably a tad too long, but not many will complain. GSS: 5
(ALS): Agreed the ad is for Marriott Hotel as a wedding venue. Yet, it showcases opulence and extravagance. This is particularly stark as the film focuses on the father and daughter, indirectly conveying that a caring father is one who performs the wedding of his daughter so lavishly. GSS: 4
(KVS): It's a good one. It’s a beautiful story which has been very charmingly done. When they came in 20 years ago, there were long queues, and even I’ve stood in them with my son. Story has been told beautifully well, with the same events repeating showing human emotions. This is probably one of the better films when brands are celebrating milestones, and strikes the right chord with everyone.
GSS: 5. Just pass marks. The girl is portrayed as a cliché right from the beginning. The toy wanted by the girl and the same thing repeats 20 years later. So, that’s portraying them in a silly little cocoon way. So it’s stereotyping the boy giving the toy, and the girl wanting it. Had they made an effort to change it 20 years later, it could have been a different story.
(GK): A challenging brief of ’20 years of McDonald’s’ brought alive, with finesse. This could play on for a year. GSS: 5
(ALS): A very stereotypical presentation of romance between a young man and woman. GSS: 4
(KVS): 10/10 for the idea. Brilliant idea of 'don’t be a spectator'. I applaud the team and client for this idea. It has the potential to be part of life because a lot of times 'we see, but we don’t see'. While we have the inner strength and power to make the change, our own inertia doesn’t let us make any action.
The interpretation of the thought was quite silly though. They’ve hit upon the big idea, and I urge the client to stay with this idea. It has the ability to act upon things – it’s about having the vision. The execution and stories are silly and taken in a casual way. I think the humour isn’t refined and charming enough and falls to be a cliché. But that’s a matter of my taste.
I applaud the team for the great idea, and think it can be made iconic. It has the power to energise, motivate and make a change in the social part of the country.
GSS: Falls low on GSS. I think a 3. You’re stereotyping women for falling for discounts. I think men want to save money more than women. To show the performer a male, and the girls are females has a bit of negative thoughts.
(GK): The idea isn’t exactly fresh (or is it?), but it suits the category. GSS: 5
(ALS): Reinforces the image that women are crazy after sales and men are the victims of this supposed trait in women. Gender Score 4
(KVS): rresistibly attractive. It’s a collection of lazy thinking – lazy filming, storytelling. People won’t believe this – that a car so irresistible that people will stop doing what they’re doing and chasing it. It’s a huge missed opportunity. You have a line – the car is clever, but there’s no cleverness in the film. General Electric had done an electric car ads many years ago about getting all petrol cars chasing it, it goes till the edge and turns, while the petrol cars fall of the valley. When you have a line – simply clever, something in the communication needs to be clever enough too.
BMW had done a beautiful ad many years ago too, about selling a computerised engine. It had shown a man playing chess with the car – showing the ability to think. When you have that line, it should stem out of the car and how it could be proved clever. You see none of that in the car. It’s a missed opportunity completely. No link between simply clever to what irrestibaly attractive. A lot of disconnect in the thoughts. They should have picked one of that. GSS: 5. Neutral.
(GK): ‘Incredibly attractive car’ is not new at all. So it had to be cracked in the execution. Surprisingly, because it is rare, the category manages to do that. GSS: 5
(ALS): Gender Neutral.
(KVS): Enjoyable commercial. They’ve made the cake behave like candy and has perfect humour to attract the children. Shows children to be smarter and that you can’t give them cock and bull theories. It’s a good one and will be remembered. GSS: Neutral
(GK): Can’t help being reminded of the son narrating an unbelievable tale for a tyre commercial. That said, nicely done. GSS: 5
(ALS): Gender Neutral 5
(KVS): Again a missed opportunity. You’ve got superstars, AB De Villiers and Vijender Singh and the skydiver. It’s inspiring in the thought of pushing your limits. It’s inspiring. But the commercial sounds like a very poor quality AV. Three inspiring people shouldn’t be clubbed together. You could have taken all three of them separately to showcase how they set new standards. It looks like a patch commercial rather than a well though through film. The thought is inspiring, but it’s a missed opportunity overall. GSS: Neutral
(GK): Another nice piece of work aligning with achievers. Puts the brand on a higher pedestal. GSS: 5
(ALS): Strong, determined, and daring are these the qualities associated with men alone? If the ad is meant to reflect the qualities of the car is it being implied that women are not devoid of these qualities and are not potential buyers of the car? This is particularly glaring after women athletes’ performance in the olympics and the rising aspiration of women to own cars including luxury and sports cars. GSS: 4
(KVS): The glow from inside and outside is a beautiful thought. Somehow, the ad with the girl, and the way it is shot isn’t convincing enough. I think the goodness and glow inside your heart could have been more authentic and convincing. I don’t mind the situation showed but why does the police officer look like a bank worker, dressed like a policeman?
If we want to connect people with emotions, there has to be authenticity. That’s the only shortfall in this film. The idea is great though. Just the way it is picturised makes it a missed opportunity.
GSS: It’s a beauty product, showing the girl going the extra mile. It is within the category. It’s nothing which has gone the extra mile to showcase her to be stronger. Like the Nirma women lifting an ambulance. So, I’ll give it 5.
(GK): Wonderful piece of work. Wonder why the older work was on TV though. GSS: 6
(ALS): The ad highlights great sensitivity towards public servants. GSS: 6
(KVS): I think this has unnecessary drama for nothing. The app is beautiful, to showcase how money could be shifted with ease. Going up to the agitation, this part is very layered and forced. The first thing people need to know that it is very easy and simple to break deposits, to take out whenever you want. It’s as simple as sliding a button. And then the consequences are that you’ll get better interest rates and have more finances available for the world. Banks can lend that money. So, you should not lock up your money. Money and blood is meant for circulation. I think they’ve over dramaticised the benefit to the consumer through agitations. The intent was good too. Birla Sun Life has being doing phenomenal work, and I think this is a bit of let down. It grabs attention, and manages to tell you to tell people to shift their money but doesn’t convince.
GSS: Neutral. If anything, they could have shown some women using the app too.
(GK): Rides nicely on a protest-mood nation, while making a solid case for the proposition. GSS: 5
(ALS): While it is interesting to see women being featured in the ad it is equally interesting to note the recommendation to avail the services is only given by three men. Does it mean the judgement of a man holds greater credibility than a woman’s ? GSS: 4
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