Reviewing the recent ad campaign of Ambuja Cement in episode 26 of ‘From Logo to IMPACT’, on Bloomberg India TV, Priti Nair, Director, Curry Nation says, “When I saw it for the first time I thought it is simply a fabulous television commercial – effortless yet driving the message to the audience powerfully. The brand endorsement choice is perfect and frankly unprecedented. It is a common sense and superb fit. The execution and direction of the TVC is also brilliant. Publicis has done a commendable job in this sphere. There is a seamless flow of visuals and voice-over which strengthens the narration. There is also a perfect sense of timing within this commercial. When Khali says, “My mother says I am special” and in the next instant cement pours down on his mother as she is cooking, is a superb instance of immaculate timing.
Talking about Khali’s presence in the ad she says, “Khali’s presence in the ad makes one wonder why he was not leveraged before for this and other similar brands. After all, he is Indian and epitomizes values of strength and durability – attributes that are intrinsic to several other brands.” Summing her thoughts Nair also says that this commercial is hugely entertaining and urges the viewer to watch it again and again.
About the campaign
The campaign dominated by a minute long television commercial has several underlying and overt messages. It seeks to establish the supremacy of Ambuja Cement over other cement brands and this has been beautifully achieved in the TVC’s concluding visuals where Khali is shown free from his perennial worries (of damaging the house in the course of his normal everyday activities) after reconstructing his house with Ambuja Cement. At one level, this TVC led campaign also reiterates the fact that the construction of a house should be robust and conducive to the lifestyle and activities of its members – be they ordinary or extraordinary and hence the tagline – ‘Giant Strength for the Giant’. The TVC opens with a shot of a country house amidst lush meadows. The next shot where Khali begins to recount his experiences of how living in his ‘home sweet home’ has been far from idyllic experience quickly establishes that all is not well in the house. Though the ensuing visuals are entertaining, one almost experiences a new kind of compassion – compassion for the everyday travails of the super strong Khali. And almost instantaneously the viewer hopes for a solution which comes by way of Ambuja Cement. Strong narration and direction is clearly the forte of the TVC. The visuals also convey an essence of Khali’s daily lifestyle.
About the Show:
Each week, the half-hour show ‘From Logo to IMPACT’, co- produced by exchange4media and Bloomberg TV India, brings together top CMOs, ad gurus and agency heads to provide an in-depth analysis of the hottest trends and news in the ad-media-marketing space. Its focus is on the new age economy and new entrants in the advertising space. The show is aired on Bloomberg TV India at 10.30 pm every Wednesday, with repeat telecasts at noon on Saturday and 6.00 pm on Sunday.
