Micromax pits itself against Samsung; asks 'Why Y?'

Micromax has rolled out a campaign for its new set of smartphones Ninja 3.5 and Ninja 4. The campaign consists of two TVCs, both of which take a dig at the features and pricing of Samsung Galaxy Y. Recreating the scenario and characters of Samsung ads, Micromax adds a spin on the storyline in the end to say Micromax is 'bigger, faster and better' - and not as expensive.

The first film starts where the Samsung film ends - a girl giving 'uncle' in a car directions, aided by a Maps app on her mobile. "Aap ke paas nahin hai, 'Uncle'?' is the end point of the Samsung film, but the Micromax counter's key messages start thereafter. She returns to her group of friends after seeing 'Uncle' off, when she is ridiculed by them for the small screen size and other features that her phone lacks. She is called 'Aunty' by them repeatedly, underlining 'Uncool'. 

The second TVC carries the same messaging, and is a spoof on the Samsung Galaxy Y TVC featuring Yami Gautam set in an eating joint.

Watch the second film here:

Both the films end with the note, 'Why Y?', nudging consumers to contemplate consider the Micromax Ninja in place of the Samsung Galaxy Y.

Amer Jaleel, national creative director, Lowe Lintas, said, "The films are entirely based on category comparison. They have been made in good humour." Jaleel explained that the idea was to get a smart alec mobile handset user off his high horse. "It was to show to a particular set of mobile users that there is a better phone available in the market, at a better price, which fulfills all their requirements," he added.

"With their TVCs, Samsung took a dig at 'Uncles' of the world, and here we made an uncle out of them, but all in good humour," he quipped. If it were any other brand using the term 'Uncle' to denote a person who was less savvy in terms of choosing the right mobile handset, they would have taken a dig at that brand, he surmised, underlining that 'it had nothing to do with Samsung in particular'.

Watch the two Samsung TVCs for reference:

Unplugged moments:

The TVC set in the outdoors was shot in Ballard Estate, Mumbai. Shriram V Iyer, creative head, Lowe Lintas, Delhi, recalled, "With Piyush Raghani as the director, we managed to experience innumerable funny moments during the one day of shooting. At one point when one of the male protagonists goofed up and his performance, he uttered 'cut' on his own. At this, Piyush stood up and exclaimed, 'I will say cut, not you'!"

Credits:

Client: Micromax
Agency: Lowe Lintas
Creative: Amer Jaleel, Shriram V Iyer, Shayondeep Pal, Mustafa Rangwala
Account management: Amjad Ali
Production house: Old School Films
Director: Piyush Raghani