For the past many weeks, I have been watching this Royal Enfield Ad in Mumbai theaters:
Just a few seconds later, the following Bajaj Pulsar Ad plays:
As a consumer:
– The Enfield Ad makes me feel like there is a Funeral in Chennai.
– The Bajaj Ad makes me feels like jumping out of the movie hall and just DOING SOMETHING
It amazes me how advertising and its approach can differ so dramatically within the same category.
Now note that I am not exactly a MORON – I do realize that the Enfield Ad is Corporate, Brand Centric and Over Arching – The Bajaj Ad is a sports bike targeted at a specific audience etc etc
BUT
– Why should the Enfield Ad make me FEEL SO SO SAD AND FEEL LIKE CRYING???
– Why should the Ad make Chennai look so so poor and backward
I will be posting similar such posts highlighting where advertising IMHO is going completely AWRY!
In this case its a classic case of EMOTION AND HERITAGE conflicting with CATEGORY AND ASPIRATION!
India is a young, dynamic, vibrant country – its youngsters want to RIDE THEIR LIFE – not go to a funeral….
If you are a Bike Company and have young people as your TG – shouldn’t you be talking to them in an ASPIRATIONAL tone?
Lesson – In cases like these, the AD AGENCY should NOT JUST NOD and just make what they were suposed to (the brief from the client to the agency)
Excerpts from https://www.royalenfieldindia.co.cc/2011/04/royal-enfield-releases-new-ad-film.html
(Client speak) – Shaji Koshy, Head Sales & Marketing, Royal Enfield, said, “Over the years, Royal Enfield’s communication has managed to keep the world coming back for more. We hope this latest advertisement from Royal Enfield will strike a chord with Royal Enfield consumers and create strong emotional engagements with them. We will be using traditional media like television, cinema and print but digital will form a key part of the communication as well.”
Agency speak – V Sunil, Executive Creative Director, Wieden+Kennedy, Delhi, said, “For us, Royal Enfield always stood for ‘Keeping it Real’, and that spirit extends to everything that Enfield does, including advertising. So we avoided the usual clichés i.e. slapstick humour, kitsch, melodrama or ‘aspirational’ gloss. It’s important for an iconic brand such as ours to stay true to character, and to be proud of what it represents and where it comes from.”
Sorry Shaji – I am an aspiring consumer and this just TURNED ME OFF. I think your agency should have REALLY been more TRUE to their instinct and hence towards your brand!
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