Solutioning Showcase

Irfan Syed
Advertising Consultant | Writer
Deeper Thinking. Better Solutioning.
Solutioning Showcase

Better Solutioning
Creative Strategy and Development
Branding
Brand-building
Content / Features Writing

Creative Strategy
and Development

Indica V2 | Launch
Scenario
Indica had launched in 1998-99, and despite the patriotic fervour it invoked (being the
country’s first fully indigenously made car), was not finding sales matching the feelings.
There were some issues with the car (which is the case with the first version of all Tata
vehicles).
Tata fixed these issues and relaunched the car, as a version 2, V2. However, it did not
want to say it had fixed issues (which would mean it had issues), but just that this was a
better car: better than its competitors (and not the earlier version, because that would
again mean the earlier version was inferior).
‘Did not want to say they had fixed issues,
but that this was a better car’

Indica V2 | Launch
Deeper Thinking
Well, if you can’t say the car has improved, but still need to say it has improved, what do
you say? Perhaps that… other aspects of the driving experience have improved?
Better Solutioning
So, with Indica V2, you’ll feel the roads have improved, your driving skills have
improved…
Agency/Entity: FCB-Ulka

Indica V2 | Launch
Outcome
In test drives, people stated that V2 was a much improved Indica.
Confidence and consequently sales of the vehicle increased.
Increased confidence in
and sales of the vehicle

Sunfeast | Launch
Scenario
ITC was entering the biscuit category, with a range of biscuits. One of them was, of
course, glucose, named Sunfeast. While the biscuit was for kids, the purchase lay with
the mother. Additionally, mothers are concerned if their kids are eating well, and
glucose biscuits, which kids enjoy eating and moms like giving them (because they are
healthier), meet this need adequately. Finally, these biscuits were made of whole
wheat.
‘Communicate the benefits of Sunfeast Glucose,
keeping mothers’ concerns in mind’

Sunfeast | Launch
Deeper Thinking
‘Moms are concerned whether their kids are eating well.’ While the thought was
relatable, it also seemed done. Could we push it?
Better Solutioning
What if the mom is so concerned that she follows the kid (metaphorically, spiritually)
wherever he / she is in their day? Similarly, does his / her mom’s concern for their proper
eating come across as the mom being constantly present (metaphorically, spiritually
again)? And so, the idea of the mom appearing throughout a kid’s daily activities,
wondering ‘Khaya kya?’
Agency/Entity: FCB-Ulka
Click the image to view the film.

Sunfeast | Launch
Outcome
The TVC / campaign scored well in research.
It had significant recall among users (moms) and high visibility among retailers and
distributors.
It started off the brand on a strong footing.
Later, the thought ‘Khaya Kya?’ was used when Shahrukh Khan became a brand
ambassador too.
Brand started off on strong footing
If interested, watch the SRK ‘Khaya Kya’ film here.

Gulf-RPS | IPL 2017
Scenario
The 2017 season was going to be Gulf Oil-sponsored Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS)’s
second and last outing as a team in IPL. Also, RPS had not performed well the previous
season. The team wanted to go out with a bang, and accordingly made several changes
to the team and communication.
Being a sponsor, Gulf wanted to align with RPS’s sentiment. However, it also
wanted to talk about itself, especially because the association would not continue after
the season. So, any property we created would need to work independently of RPS and
beyond IPL 2017 as well.
Gulf came up with a proposition of ‘Perform Under Pressure’, as a means of
encouraging the team through the season.

Gulf-RPS | IPL 2017
Deeper Thinking
While ‘Perform Under Pressure’ works as a thought, it seemed a bit “negative” and
also didn’t sound like a motto or mantra (for the team) or a slogan or chant (for fans).
So, we decided to put a positive spin on it.
Additionally, we had the following considerations for the campaign thought:
It had to be in Hinglish, and not a pure Hindi or pure English one, so that it would
work across the country. Gulf is after all a pan-India brand.
It had to be action-oriented, as the two brands are about high action.
It had to sound easy and colloquial, rather than “product or manufacturing speak”.

Gulf-RPS | IPL 2017
Better Solutioning
And so, we came up with... Go Far Har Baar (Go Far Each Time).
For RPS: Go far with each ball, run, match... Go far in the tournament...
For Gulf: Go far with each drop, purchase, ride...
The campaign thought was truly integrated, going across all communication channels
(print, digital, BTL, associates) and communications (digital film, mailers, fan contests
and activities).
Agency/Entity: Opn

Gulf-RPS | IPL 2017
Outcome
Engagement on the Gulf social-media platforms spiked during the season,
reaching a peak toward the end as RPS reached the final.
RPS reached the final and almost won the tournament (in the end, losing out by
a single run).
There was much appreciation across the board for the campaign.
Given the success of the team and the campaign, we were actioned to do a success
story film.

Fyniture | Launch
Scenario
Industrial Wood Corporation (IWC) is a manufacturer and supplier of wooden
furniture to schools, colleges and similar institutions. After several years of being a
manufacturer and supplier, it wanted to have its own brand.
The associate agency, Adea, came up with a name that was a portmanteau
(combination) of ‘fine’ and ‘furniture’. However, it hadn’t frozen on the final spelling
(Finature / Finiture). Adea approached me for work on the branding, that is, logo and
baseline. One of the requirements of the client was that the baseline be similar in
sense to ‘Thanda Matlab Coca Cola’.
‘The baseline had to be similar to
Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola’

Fyniture | Launch
Deeper Thinking
First, we needed to freeze on the spelling.
The name, while clever, could be difficult to spell / pronounce.
So, we had to make the name and branding as simple as possible. As they say,
if the line is clever, the visual should be simple and vice versa.
So, we decided on ‘Fyniture’ versus ‘Finiture’ and ‘Finature’.
It had to be ‘ture’ at the end to indicate it was ‘furniture’.
We included a ‘y’ at the beginning to indicate how to pronounce it.
Branding
If the line is clever, the visual should be simple
– and vice versa

Fyniture | Launch
Better Solutioning
We decided to keep the logo and font simple too. If there had been a visual
twist, it would have affected readability of the name / logo. (We had a star in the F in
the logo, which the client eventually asked us to remove.)
For the same reason, we decided to have the ‘y’ in yellow in the logo.
To doubly establish the meaning and pronunciation of the name, we had the
baseline ‘Fine Furniture... Our Signature’. This also met the requirement of being
similar to ‘Thanda Matlab Coca Cola’.
Finally, we decided to include the parent company’s initials (IWC) to establish
salience and crediblity.
Branding
Agency/Entity: Adea

Outcome
The client approved the branding in one shot (apart from that one minor change
mentioned earlier).
He also remarked, “You have presented this like you were doing it for your own
company.”
Fyniture | Launch
“You have presented this
like for your own company.”
Branding

ASC | Retail Branding
Scenario
Arthritis Speciality Clinic (ASC) is a relatively new physiotherapy centre in Chennai
with three clinics. ASC wanted to improve salience for the clinic and also
communicate its benefits to in-bound patients. So, ASC was looking for posters to
put up within the clinic.
Deeper Thinking
‘Improve visibility for the clinic and communicate its benefits.’ How do you do that
without making the messaging cluttered, especially because they were posters? The
answer came from the basics, the branding.
The answer came from… the branding itself

Better Solutioning
The logo had the icon of a sprightly person.
Using this in various situations would communicate the benefits as well as bring
attention to the clinic (name).
Also, it would not clutter the posters.
Finally, it was also extendible, the gold mark of any strong idea.
Branding

Agency/Entity: Self
Branding
Communication coming from the icon

Outcome
ASC had an idea it could take forward in several ways. We did a New Year ad
too and banners as well.
Patients began seeing themselves in the icon of the sprightly person.
Prospective corporate clients began registering the logo / icon as a calling card for ASC.
Branding

Gulf | Environment Branding
Scenario
Gulf Oil has a manufacturing tie-up with Ashok Leyland, through which Gulf
manufactures engine oils specifically for Ashok Leyland heavy vehicles. In turn, Ashok
Leyland in its communication states that Gulf is the recommended engine oil for its
vehicles.
Ashok Leyland conducts training for its new joinees, from the engineer level to the
manager level, the former being greater in number. This is at its factory in Chennai,
where there was space on the walls for any related communication. It offered this space
to Gulf. However, there could be no (overt) brand communication; it had to be
something common to the two companies (brands) and also relatable to the
new joinees.
They decided to talk about the journey of oil, from its crude state to its finished state.

Deeper Thinking
How do you talk about the journey of oil without making it boring, but rather
making it welcoming (these are new joinees after all), and also adding some cheer to
the walls / environment?
Also, could we involve the new joiners in some way?
Branding
We decided to showcase the journey
through… characters

Better Solutioning
We created a character called Lubie (from ‘lubricant’) in the form of an oil drop and a
character called, well, Newbie, for, well, the newbie. So, Lubie would act as a buddy
and take Newbie through the process and production of oil.
Agency/Entity: Opn
Branding

Branding
Better Solutioning
We broke the journey into several discrete processes. Later, we added another set of
graphics for myths (and facts) about oil production and care.

Outcome
The client embraced the idea of Lubie and Nubie, especially because both Gulf and
Ashok Leyland were represented by this. So, no one got more attention than the
other; it was truly equal.
The final posters even came out very well, almost the same as the visualization, which
can be quite a challenge at times.
Branding

Cornerstone | Refresh
Scenario
Accenture Learning (AL) Mumbai’s internal newsletter, Cornerstone, was one-
year old (in 2011). It was an eight-page PDF B&W document, with a slab of stone (a
cornerstone) as its logo. In other words, rather uninspiring to view and read.
The task was quite simple: make it more people-based (friendly), which is what AL
Mumbai always aimed to be.
Deeper Thinking
‘People-friendly’ had to reflect in every part of Cornerstone, right from the logo
and the colours in the newsletter (and it would be a colour newsletter) to the kind of
pieces we would feature in it, which would need to be all relevant to ALites.
‘It had to be people-friendly’

Better Solutioning
We came up with a logo that had pleasant, fresh colours and a symbol that
conveyed ‘people’: the stone was a floating (= light) stone with C and S in the name
looking like two people in conversation.
We would vary the logo / masthead with the theme of each issue.
Agency/Entity: Accenture Learning, Mumbai
Brand-building

Brand-building
Better Solutioning
We had various sections of interest, each with ‘corner’ in the name, such as Arts
Corner, Travel Corner and Corner Office (profiling managers and above).
We had sections of immediate interest to ALites, such as for new joiners and
extra-curricular work activities (a key focus area at AL).

Outcome
The revamped newsletter was very widely received and appreciated from the get go.
The team (and I) received congratulatory notes and performance points
throughout the one year we were involved.
People wanted to write for the newsletter and also to join the core team.
Over time, we extended it to other related departments in AL.
At the time of relinquishing the newsletter duties, a senior manager commented, “This is
how a newsletter / magazine should be run.”
Due to my vision and efforts on this, I was tasked with the next assignment.
“This is how a newsletter / magazine
should be (run).”
Brand-building

AL CSR | Refresh
Scenario
Accenture Learning (AL) Mumbai has several “work plus” initiatives, aimed at
developing the professional holistically. One such is CSR. However, AL’s CSR initiative,
among all its initiatives (such as newsletter, fun committee, offsites), had the least
visibility and involvement. Not surprising: CSR is a lot of time and effort.
The mandate was simple: increase people’s involvement in AL CSR.

AL CSR | Refresh
Deeper Thinking
I began by looking at the ongoing set of CSR activities. I soon realised one common
thread: all were happening far away from office and on weekends. Any surprise
hardly anyone would attend.
I also felt a need to make CSR come across as “do-able” / simpler and thus more
“attractive”.
The solution was simple…
Brand-building
‘Bring CSR closer home and “market” CSR’

AL CSR | Refresh
Better Solutioning
To bring CSR “closer home”, we organized activities that were closer to office or
in office itself.
– For a cancer patients’ visit (which was away from office), we organized a card-making event in office so that
people could feel they are contributing in some way.
– For an animal shelter visit (again, away), we put up some posters around people’s desks, urging them to
come visit.
We also came up with various kinds of initiatives, to enable a broader spectrum
of people to participate, from animal welfare to education, from environment care to
betterment through the arts.
Brand-building

AL CSR | Refresh
Better Solutioning
To “market CSR better”, we decided to rebrand it.
We devised a logo and a baseline around the thought of ‘Growing with Soul’.
We used the logo motif (of a halo) in key communication.
We used the thought of ‘soul’ in key communication.
Brand-building
Agency/Entity: Accenture Learning, Mumbai

AL CSR | Refresh
Outcome
Queries and contributions for various CSR activities increased over time.
The card-making event was an especially big success, and many people
expressed interest in coming for the cancer hospital visit.
Many people even wanted to join the team.
The initiative was extended to all of AL Mumbai.
Finally, the department head wanted me to extend my tenure as CSR lead for another
year. Always a good sign.
Brand-building
CSR truly grew with soul

Royale Vastra | Launch
Scenario
Royale Vastra (RV) is a new fashion store in Kandivali (now just over a year old),
primarily aimed at women. For the launch, it was looking at branding as well as in-
store and local communication. Having done the basic logo and baseline, Adea
approached me for the rest of the communication mandate.
Deeper Thinking
Any integrated communication, and actually any brand, needs a central thought,
which should ideally be (in) the baseline. While RV had a baseline (Go Indian. Go
Western.), it only talked of the kind of clothing available there, and not any promise /
benefit of the brand.
What was the promise of the brand?

Better Solutioning
We couldn’t change the baseline, so we decided to add a “message line” to it, which
would both sound like and feel like it was coming from the brand.
Looking at the logo (it was metallic) and what the brand seemed to offer to
consumers, we decided on... ‘Go Shine.’ So, ‘Go Indian. Go Western. Go Shine.’
We took this thought across all communication, from in-store ads to WhatsApp
messages. Visually, we did this by using a motif that came from part of the logo and
also looked shiny.
Brand-building
Agency/Entity: Adea

Brand-building
Branding employing the motif

Brand-building
In-store ads

Outcome
The WhatsApp ads generated a good deal of buzz, people calling up as well as landing
up at the store.
The client was extremely impressed with the thinking and the communication and gave
continuing work as a result, such as this in-store animation.
Brand-building

Deeper Thinking, Better Solutioning…
in Writing
 While deeper thinking and better solutioning
are of course needed in content and features
writing too, they are of a different kind.
 So, the work I showcase here is just a
snapshot rather than the how and therefore.

TVS Emerald | Website
 TVS was entering the real-estate space, with two projects in
Chennai. They wanted a website for information about the
projects and of course about the company, TVS Emerald, and the
parent company.
 Isobar, Chennai approached me for the creative and content
strategy and development for the website. Along with research,
referencing and development, I needed to work closely with the
design and tech teams based out of Mumbai.
Agency/Entity: Isobar
Click the image to visit the website.

thREAD | Think-pieces
 For two years now, I have been contributing regularly to thREAD,
The Hindu’s blog.
 I have written over 10 opinion / comment pieces so far, with most
around my interests of Bollywood / movies, arts and culture,
animal welfare and environment care.
 You may find them on my author page on thREAD here: Me on
thREAD

VegPlanet | Cover Stories
 VegPlanet is a year-old premium lifestyle quarterly for
vegetarian, vegan and veg-curious millennials.
 The editor approached me for the cover stories of the first two
issues, for the first based on one of my pieces for thREAD, and for
the second based on my output for the first.
 The first issue profiled veggie millennials, the second South Indian
actress, Sadaa.
 As the online magazine needs a subscription, you may read the
stories on my blog here: VegPlanet on Irfinity

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