2. Introduction
Advertising is a powerful communication force, highly visible, and one of the most important tools of
marketing communications that helps to sell products, services, ideas and images, etc. Many believe
that advertising reflects the needs of the times. One may like it or not but advertisements are
everywhere. Advertisements are seen in newspapers, magazines, on television and internet and are
heard on radio. The average consumer is exposed to a very large number of advertisements every
day, particularly the urban and semi-urban population. In this assignment to portrait the “Good” and
“Bad” advertisements which justified its purpose as well as those which were failed to justify its
purpose. We’ve also included some suggestions which would help to make the “Bad” advertisements
look good.
“GOOD” ADVERTISEMENTS
(1) MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA CLASSIC
TAGLINE: “Admit it. You’ve always been
crazy about topless models”.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Liberal and Rich
Indian Men
OBJECTIVE: To gain the attention of the
targeted customers with the use of words
of creativity.
Comments:
This Mahindra Jeep Advertisement
is from 1996 and this ad made Jeep very
popular in those days.
Though it is an old ‘black & white’
print ad, it looks “sexy” and grabs the
eyes of the targeted segments without
even employing the real ‘topless models’.
This is one advertisement from Team-BHP is even up to today’s trend.
In India, Print remains the most widely-circulated and accessible media. Print advertising
therefore, is as relevant as it ever was.
Mahindra Classic: The call of the wild (Print, 1996)
3. (2) FEVIKWIK CLASSIC FISHERMAN COMMERCIAL TVC AD
TAGLINE: “Chutki mein chipkaye”.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Indian Market.
OBJECTIVE: To reinforce that
Fevikwik is able to stick anything in
seconds.
Comments:
Even though the
advertisement exaggerates the
capability of the product, it
entertains viewers and at the same
time convinces them that it is a
superior quality adhesive.
The objective of the ad is clearly communicated to the audience.
The ad has two characters – a pompous foreigner and a local fisherman (Indian). It indirectly
shows that the Indian is cleverer, thereby attracting the Indian within all of us.
(3) FEDEX INTERACTIVE AD ON TRUCK
TAGLINE: “Always First”
TARGET AUDIENCE: DHL Customers, customers who use courier service, FedEx customers
Ad link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcNCk6ULBqE
4. OBJECTIVE: To imply that FedEx is always faster than DHL and thereby gaining DHL customers to
FedEx.
Comments:
FedEx’s brand is almost entirely dependent on their big white trucks. FedEx knows how iconic their
trucks are, and what a great tool they can be for experimental advertising. The Always First ads are
effective for the following reasons:
The advertisement appears as if the FedEx truck is driving ahead of the other truck. The
advertisers were clever in giving the yellow colour to the second truck which is the colour of
their biggest competitor DHL. Thereby they are implying that their service is faster and more
reliable that than of DHL.
Incorporating their slogan ‘Always First’ in the truck helps reinforce the message that they are
trying to convey.
Since this image was actually painted on all the trucks, and since the trucks are always out
making deliveries, this was a clever way for them to capitalize on the freight costs!
It will also ensure that the target segment will see the advertisement repeatedly and on
multiple occasions.
By cleverly omitting to avoid any mention of the ‘DHL’ name, FedEx is not doing anything
against the code of conduct. Yet its audience is able to understand the message they are trying
to convey.
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5. “BAD” ADVERTISEMENTS
LEVI’S JEANS PRINT AD
TAGLINE: “Hotness comes in all shapes and sizes”
TARGET AUDIENCE: Women worldwide
OBJECTIVE: To convince women worldwide that they would look amazing in their new jeans no
matter what their body type was.
Comments:
This ad which was part of their ‘Love Your Body’ Campaign showcased only skinny models.
The pictorial representation in the ad and their tagline did not match.
It failed to convince women that the jeans suited them.
Suggestion
Use models that do justice to the tagline and campaign. (E.g. Barbie Dolls changed to realistic
Barbie models rather than usual thin size Barbie Dolls).
6. J.K. CEMENTS – TVC AD
Ad link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFozSLZx7sQ
TAGLINE: “Vishvas hain, isme kuch khas hain… JK Super Cement”.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Small, Medium, Large real estate developing agencies and property builders.
OBJECTIVE: Still not sure but mostly to influence the consumer’s feelings toward the product.
Comments:
Here a woman in saree waving its Pallu and suddenly the camera zooms at her face and zooms
out and says the tagline.
The pictorial representation in the ad and their tagline did not match.
Here the message isn’t delivered to target audience because they’ve not shown anything about
the cement and they’ve showed only a lady in beautiful saree.
The video makes the viewers think that they might be showing an ad about saree or something
else but they’ll be surprised that it’s about cement and an interesting ad about cement would
be that of ‘Hathi Cement’ where the ghosts can go through anything except the walls that are
built with Hathi cement. But JK cement ad seems to be nothing to do with cement.
Suggestion
Establish a connection between the girl and the product or between the monument and the
product. The connection can hint either the durability, sustainability or the aesthetics of the
7. product. Usage of humor or creativity to highlight the connection could be effective in
increasing the band recall.
Make the advertisement longer than 10 seconds. 10 seconds is too short a time for a vague
advertisement like this
The caption in the background also showed no connection between the visuals and the
product. Using a catchy jingle would have been more effective
The entire advertisement could have been done in a better way, perhaps by removing the girl
or by shifting the focus to the monument at the back.
