From CRED’s entertaining campaign to IKEA’s skillfully designed print ads and a joyful spot by John Lewis & Partners, here are the commercials Ritwika Gupta loved this week.
1. Brand: CRED
Last week, CRED released an ad featuring Anil Kapoor, auditioning for a role in the brand’s new campaign. Kapoor shakes a leg to a 90s themed jingle and describes Cred’s features in his inimitable style. It definitely caught my attention. And as he walks out of the audition, rejected, Kapoor grumbles to a crew member, “I am too big for these guys anyway”. Hilarious!
This week, the brand unveiled another commercial featuring Madhuri Dixit. The spot shows the actress auditioning for the app and dancing to a ‘download Cred’ jingle. As she is known for, Madhuri Dixit is seen showing off her legendary dance skills to this absurdly funny jingle. The last fleeting shot shows Dixit purposely dropping a cup as she walks out after getting rejected. So much oomph!
Cred’s campaign is indeed refreshing and has broken the clutter of mostly average ads seen during this year’s Indian Premier League. The campaign has a very clear objective: to drive app downloads. Kudos to the brand for roping in celebrities like Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit and convincing them to make fun of themselves and what they are best known for. It is certainly entertaining but I think this also establishes a more human relationship between consumers and the brand.
I also liked the way both the actors shared these ads on their social media pages. While Anil Kapoor’s caption read: “Do they not know about my Oscar?”, Dixit’s post read: “What does a tech company know about ads?”. It is witty, funny and simply brilliant! People will actually be curious to know about the app. I think this is a smart way to create awareness and drive more downloads. This one’s fun and enjoyable!
Just in: There’s a third one in this series too featuring Bappi Lahiri.
Campaign: Not everyone gets it
Conceptualised and executed by creative directors: Tanmay Bhat and Ayappa KM
Written by: Devaiah Bopanna, Puneet Chadha and Nupur Pai
2. Brand: IKEA
IKEA has come up with a clever visual poster campaign that reminds consumers that a good night’s sleep has benefits that no cream, pill or product can duplicate. There are 3 print ads in this series. The first one features an energy drink container with an IKEA bed sheet pouring out of it instead of liquid. The copy reads, “Sleep boosts your energy.”
In the second image, a duvet is place inside an anti-ageing cream bottle with the copy: “Sleep. The most natural anti-ageing remedy”. And finally, we see a few pillows pouring out like tablets from a supplement bottle. The copy reads, “Sleep naturally supplements focus and memory”. I think this is a very creative campaign that not only cleverly promotes IKEA’s bedtime range which includes blankets, pillows and bedsheets but it also challenges the fad products marketed for sleep improvement. Consumers often buy products that claim to offer energy or rejuvenation. While energy drinks, expensive skincare and sleep-related pills can have positive short-term effects, IKEA opts to make a case for the power of having the right bedtime accessories.
The skillfully designed print and outdoor ads showcase the benefits of sleep or rather ‘IKEA-induced’ sleep. The impressive pictures have been shot by photographer Amy Currell, using large-scale models and designed by Andy Knight.
Campaign: Tomorrow Starts Tonight
Agency: Mother, London
3. Brand: John Lewis & Partners
As people spend more time at home amidst the ongoing crisis, John Lewis & Partners took to celebrating homes in a new campaign titled ‘For The Joy of Home’. The ad shows us what a typical household in London looks like where adults are working from home, teenagers are studying and children are playfully putting up a performance. The ad opens with furniture in the house moving around, taking on a life of its own. It is a really fun ad that shows how homes are constantly evolving and adapting. Hence, furniture, colours, and accessories also need to meet these changing demands while reflecting our personalities. Created by adam&eveDDB and directed by Stink’s Traktor, the campaign’s central spot is inspired by humorous situations that we are experiencing in our homes as a result of spending so much time in them. In times like these, homes are being used to fulfil new functions, such as offices, gyms, entertaining children and much more. This new flexible approach to living is perhaps here to stay, and the ad will raise awareness about John Lewis’ home products and wide range of offerings.
Campaign: For The Joy of Home
Agency: adam&eveDDB
