From Apple’s new privacy ad to Ikea’s new Wall-e-styled robot spot, here are the ads that caught Ritwika Gupta’s attention this week:

Ads of the week:

Brand: Apple

Apple has released a new ad that showcases the app tracking transparency (ATT) privacy feature on iOS. It follows the journey of an individual going about his daily routine. From visiting a café to taking a cab, random people start following him until he’s surrounded by a large group of trackers, all vying for his data. The ad finally ends with Apple giving him the option to protect his personal information by declining ATT requests and all the trackers slowly disappear. The ad’s pretty cool, precise and clear as far as messaging is concerned. It makes consumers aware about ad tracking and empowers them with the tools and knowledge to protect their personal information. I especially like how cleverly the spot personifies ad trackers as nosy people or stalkers, making the ad easy to understand, even for someone who is completely clueless about how data is collected and used. Overall, the commercial is amusing and impactful. Like its previous ads, Apple once again turns one of its features into a selling point.

Campaign: Privacy on iPhone | Tracked
Agency: TBWA\Media Arts Lab

Brand: Malkist

There are very few Indian snack brands that appear ‘desirable’. I can only think of Cadbury (Dairy Milk Silk), Dark Fantasy and to an extent, Lays. Inbisco India, a subsidiary of global food and beverage giant Mayora, has released an ad featuring Amitabh Bachchan to promote its flagship brand, Malkist. I kid you not but after watching the ad, I immediately placed an order online for Malkist. This is because firstly, I haven’t come across too many cheese biscuits in the Indian market. And secondly, when you have Amitabh Bachchan saying it can’t be resisted, how can you not buy it? It’s a very simple ad but it smartly cuts across all age groups and regions by featuring someone like Bachchan and also Anikha Surendran, who represents the target audience. The Indian biscuit market is fiercely competitive and during the current crisis, it is not easy to introduce a new brand in this category. But I feel the ad manages to leave an impression. Apart from the ‘cheesy’ product proposition, getting popular actors on board helps to create awareness about Malkist. And finally, the tag line – ‘Malkist, too hard to resist’ has been coined smartly, giving it a playful and refreshing take on biscuit indulgence.  

Campaign: Big B Can’t Resist Malkist Cheese Crackers
Agency: Cut The Crap

Brand: IKEA

IKEA’s new ad calls on consumers to help save the planet by taking small steps to make their homes more environmentally friendly. The ad shows a wall-e-style robot trying to pick up plastic bags before short-circuiting and losing track of waste. He makes multiple, similar attempts but in the end, fails to fight pollution. Depressed, he goes back home where his robot family is making effort for the environment with sustainable transformation. The ad is visually striking and while the message is well-intended, I was a little confused as to why they used robots to illustrate this concept. Maybe IKEA sees themselves as the robot trying to clean the planet bit by bit? In any case, the ad conveys that even if we can’t save the entire planet from pollution, we can at least participate in small acts at home that can make a difference, such as by transforming plastic bags into reusable net bags and using disposable coffee cups as reusable cups. The adoption of sustainable practices and environmental responsibility is likely to define new ways for businesses in the post-covid world. Therefore, it’s good to see a brand like IKEA making headway and nudging consumers towards more sustainable options. This one’s creative and meaningful.

Campaign: ‘Change a bit for good’
Agency: Mother London