Indian Oil scripts Godman capers for Servo Pride – the solution to truck-owners' every problem

Indian Oil has rolled out two films for its Servo Pride XL Plus diesel engine oil brand. The films that take the quirky humour route have been conceptualised by Grey group India. 

 

The films have a common protagonist, Babaji. 

 

One of the films features a man asking Babaji about how he can help his son, Lovely, who keeps failing in mathematics. Babaji asks them man if he owns trucks. The man (after making an error in counting himself), says he has five trucks. The Godman smiles and reveals Servo Pride XL Plus, the answer to all his problems. The man looks confused. Babaji asks him to put the oil in all his trucks as that will make the engine run smooth. With the engine running smooth, he will spend less time worrying about the trucks, which means he'll have enough time to teach his son mathematics – and rocket science too. After the man visualises all this, the film ends with Babaji asking everyone to chant 'Servo Pride XL Plus ki jai' (All hail Servo Pride XL Plus).

The other film shows a similar theme. This time a lady complains to Babaji about a stingy husband, who is shown stopping his wife eating pani puri from a road side stall, saying that they had the same 'just' last year. The Godman asks whether her husband has a business related to trucks. When she answers in the affirmative, Babaji offers her the Servo Pride XL Plus solution.

 

Indrajit Bose, executive director I/C (corporate communications and branding), Indian Oil Corporation, said, “We wanted to position Servo Pride XL Plus as a reliable partner that ensures fleet operations run smooth. Communicating this broad yet unique thought was a little challenge as it had never been done in this category. However, the scripts presented to us by Grey made us chuckle and instantly helped us gain confidence in this thought. Furthermore, the TVC artistically directed by Nirvana Films took the films to a different level and will enable us to effectively connect with our diversified consumers across the country.”

 

Vineet Singh, senior vice president and office head, Mumbai, Grey Group India, said, “Fleet/truck owners are always under stress when their trucks are on the move, and this stress is invariably passed on to their families in one way or the other. The communications attempts to address the root cause of all these problems in a light-hearted manner.”

 

The films went on air on 16 July 2016.

 

Credits:

 

Client: IOCL

Agency: Grey Group India

 

Creative team: Sandipan Bhattacharyya, Juneston Mathana, Adarsha Deshbhratar

Client servicing: Vineet Singh, Priyanka Jaiswal, Hetal Bhanushali, Shormistha Chakraborty

Planning: Sonya Misquitta

Films: Sharad Shinde, Samir Chadha

 

Production house: Nirvana Films

Director (film) : Kishore Iyyar

Producer: Manjeet Bawa

 

PR and corporate communications: Sonal Sheth