This week, Spotify released a sort of meta ad, focused on Deepika Padukone being in a Spotify ad and McDonald’s Belgium unveiled a spot featuring a ‘very very very very…very long tray’. Meanwhile, MTV rolled out an initiative that uses music to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s. Here are the campaigns that Ritwika Gupta enjoyed this week –

Brand: Spotify

Spotify India has rolled out a series of new ad films featuring Deepika Padukone. In the first promo, her stylist tells her a “gossip” that some really big “superstar” is starring in Spotify’s latest ad. Deepika looks at her manager suspiciously, hinting to find out who the “superstar is”.  In the next film, we see Deepika showing us the three steps to using the app and how her debut for the app must be kept a secret. In the third ad, we see Deepika and her manager in a car journey where the latter is seen explaining how you only need to type Badshah’s name in the Spotify app’s search bar to find his playlist. Just then, her driver remarks  “Ma’am, you should be in a Spotify ad.” Deepika looks towards the camera and gives a sneaky smile. The ads are fun to watch and I like the whole “breaking of the fourth wall” to connect with viewers. The whole premise is sort of meta, focused on Deepika being in a Spotify ad while being in the ad itself. At the same time, the ads communicate how easily one can use the app and stream music hassle free. Spotify had earlier collaborated with Anil Kapoor and Ishaan Khattar and the earlier campaign was more about highlighting the brand. This time, the ad is more about more about highlighting the ease that Spotify brings to the table. But the vibe is similar – it’s fun, entertaining while educating viewers about playlists on Spotify.

Campaign: The Perfect Car Playlist
Agency: Leo Burnett

Brand: McDonald’s Belgium

Eating out is perhaps a little safer again in Belgium and to celebrate this ‘phenomena’, McDonald’s is putting a lot less ‘me’ and a little more ‘we’ and made the longest tray ever. McDonald’s Belgium has designed an absurd 3-metre long tableware that is made for ‘festive communal eating’. Aptly called ‘the very very very very… very long tray’, it gives those longing for a Big Mac after the dark days of lockdown the perfect excuse for a fast-food get-together. McDonald’s also released an ad featuring the tray, and obviously navigating the tray is highly impractical but it makes for a really funny spot really. This is a clever and out-of-the-box stunt to illustrate the lengths the burger chain will go to satisfy its customers.

Campaign: The very very very very … very long tray
Agency: TBWA\Belgium

Brand: MTV

MTV has launched an initiative called ‘Memory Karaoke’ to help those living with early Alzheimer’s cope with memory loss. Emphasizing how ‘Forgetting Isn’t Funny’, Memory Karaoke, a custom-created karaoke will feature four foot-tapping songs on MTVMemoryKaraoke.com, based on commonly forgotten information by those in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. I think this is truly an empowering initiative, using music and technology to leave a positive impact and also raise awareness about Alzheimer’s that presently has no cure. This initiative may also help to remove social stigma associated with the disease and reach out to a wider population. It is commendable that MTV, a youth focused channel, is leveraging its widespread presence to initiate and empower professionals, students, and caregivers in the Alzheimer’s month. The custom-created karaoke tracks will enable the person, their family, and their caregiver to sing-along songs that hold important details about the person such as their home address, name, meals, etc. While they hum along as the lyrics appear on the screen like in karaoke, the person over time will be able to remember their information enjoyably and musically. The songs are composed by the Komorebi, an alternative electronic act from New Delhi, and the musical baby of Tarana Marwah, an Indian composer, singer-producer, and instrumentalist, who has also lent her voice for the tracks. Indeed, music has the power to heal.

Campaign: Memory Karaoke
Agency: Ogilvy