KIRAN ZAHID
Manager Strategy,
Dawn Media Group
‘Kar lo paint k maslon se cutty.’ The new HD Putty TVC with an all-star cast is an unexpected delight.
The desi formula for paint industry advertisements has included similar variables for as long as I can remember. They go something like this; a young married couple, kids or snarky in-laws, a quirky guide for the couple to realise their mistakes and helping them finally choose the right product, celebrity-heavy content, jingles and possibly a dance number- well, most definitely a dance number.
So when the ad starts with an over-the-top song number, you have to brace yourself for expecting a decade-old content revamp, but as soon as the couple enters the frame, all your expectations fly out the window, and you find yourself getting more intrigued by every frame. Although the advertisement uses similar variables, the execution is surprisingly refreshing. Yes, there are dance numbers, and the entire ad is a music video, essentially, but its execution warrants attention to the entire campaign and makes us realise that creativity does go a long way if we stop restricting ourselves with industry norms and start bringing out more wholesome ideas to life.
ARIBA RAZA
Associate Editor,
Brandsynario
HD Putty or HD Pity?
Can we please ditch dancing in our ads? The recent HD Putty ad, for me, was overwhelming and chaotic – there was too much going on! The selection of the stars was on point, but honestly, the use of dancing in advertisements is not a new phenomenon. It’s done and ‘should now be’ dusted for good! I understand that it can be an effective way to capture the viewer’s attention and create a positive association with the product or service being advertised, but the effectiveness of this strategy can be debated, and it is not always the right choice for every ad. Certainly, a bad one for this one imo!
When will we see new innovations in our ads, or will we continue ‘dancing’ because that is what our masses want to see?
SABIR SHAH
Senior Creative Manager,
Synite Digital
I recently got a paint job done for my house, and the way this ad started really hit me right at the pain point and after that, it covers the technical aspect of what and how ‘putty’ actually works in a humorous way, and I personally am a sucker for this type of content as humor stands to be one of the top tonalities that work for this nation. The creators of this ad really tried to cover everything through it, pain points, tonality and lastly, the jingle. We’ve seen many brands take the jingle route, but it’s not always the best option, but once we look at the market and the people they want to communicate this to, it seems to be the right choice.
However, this could have been tight and crisper through other execution points; then again, we don’t know what went on in the board room meetings, but all-in-all, kudos to the team.
One bonus point that I noticed in this jingle, now hear me out, go search ‘Maal gaadi tu dhakka laga’, a song from the movie ‘Andaz’ made in 1994 featuring Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla. The music of this jingle has an undertone of that song. Now, before you go on to search for it, I’d advise you not to do this if you’re in public because the song itself is not something to be played in a family movie, but we all know how Bollywood gets away with literally anything.
